SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
With this week’s Raw being the go-home show before Backlash, everything was centered around the main event segment. That main event segment was the contract signing for the World Heavyweight Championship match between Roman Reigns and Jacob Fatu. After being trapped in the Tongan Death Grip by Jacob last week, Reigns was ready to confront him at the start of the show this week. However, he was told by Adam Pearce that he would have to wait until later as Jacob had yet to arrive. Once they finally met in the ring at the end of the show, things got very heated.
After Reigns told Jacob that he was beneath him, the contract signing erupted into a huge brawl. In addition to that, we had Bron Breakker once again get the better of Seth Rollins, a one-on-one match between Finn Balor and JD McDonagh, and Becky Lynch interrupting Sol Ruca’s Raw contract signing.
Seth Rollins vs. Bron Breakker
Latest developments:
At WrestleMania, Bron Breakker returned from injury to Spear Seth Rollins and cost him his match against Gunther. On the April 20 Raw, Rollins hit Breakker from behind with a chair as a measure of revenge and as he was about to hit him with a Curb Stomp moments later, Breakker escaped the attempt and laid him out with a Spear. Breakker confronted Rollins in the ring last week and he stated that Rollins is the best professional wrestler in the world….at being number two. After Rollins brought up how Breakker thinks he’s ready to be a top guy, he said he’s going to give him the chance to prove it at Backlash. Before he left the ring, Rollins said that Breakker isn’t even number two in his own family.
After a brief run in backstage with World Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns where he told Reigns that he was in his way, Rollins came out to open the show this week. Before he could even make it to the ring, he was attacked from behind by Breakker. Breakker pumbled Rollins and then proceeded to bench press him before dropping him onto the railing. Several officials then came out to restrain him, but Breakker attacked them as well. As it looked like Breakker was about to leave, he ran back into the ring and took down Rollins with a Spear.
Analysis:
For the second week in a row, these two really set the tone for the rest of the show. With their match set for Backlash this weekend, this was as effective of a final sell for it as they could’ve done. Having Breakker attack Rollins from behind as he was heading to the ring was a nice surprise that made this beatdown play out even better. It’s getting to the point where it’s hard to keep count of the number of Spears Rollins has taken from Breakker in just the last two weeks. It seems like every time it looks like Rollins is going to get the better of him, Breakker just ends up laying him out again.
As mentioned last week, the match this weekend likely won’t be a one off. If it is, then WWE’s creative problems are even worse than we could’ve imagined. For as heated and personal as this feud is, it could stretch out all the way to SummerSlam if done right. Although Breakker’s been in marquee matches before, this is going to be different as this will be his first actual main event singles feud. If the way the feud has played out so far is any indication, there’s no way that the match this weekend won’t deliver.
Grade: B
Finn Balor vs. JD McDonagh
Latest developments:
Last week during a backstage segment, Women’s World Champion Liv Morgan insured Roxanne Perez that she was safe as a part of the Judgment Day despite the fact that Finn Balor(the man who brought her into the group) was kicked out while she was away. Several moments later after Liv left, Finn appeared and told Perez that she couldn’t trust Liv or anyone else in the group. Despite the warning, Perez brushed Finn off and told him to leave. As all of Judgment Day was backstage this week, Liv asked Perez why she didn’t tell her about Finn coming into the Judgment Day club house last week. After Perez said she told Finn to never come back and also apologized for not telling them that he was there, Liv told her to promise to never keep anymore secrets from them.
Finn went one on one with JD McDonagh this week in a match where Finn build up momentum with a Sling Blade but was then distracted by Dominik Mysterio on the apron. As Finn later went for the Coup De Grace, Dominik pulled the rope down to cause Finn to fall down. The referee caught Dominik in the act and then kicked him out of ringside as Finn then blocked a Moonsault attempt from JD and rolled him up for a near fall. Liv got on the apron to distract Finn and as this was happening, she threw the timekeeper’s hammer to Perez. Perez hit Finn with the hammer and that led to JD hitting Finn with a headbutt as he fell on top of him to get the pin.
Analysis:
After what happened last week and also here, it’s looking like this is all leading to Perez breaking away from Judgment Day to side with Finn. From the way Liv talked to her backstage, Perez seemed annoyed by it despite the way she played it off. Even though she hit Finn with the hammer to help JD win, it was clear that she did that more out of pressure. In many ways, Perez in this scenario is what Sami Zayn was in the Bloodline when they were always forcing him to attack Kevin Owens. Hopefully, this storyline will have just as strong of a payoff as that one did.
For the third straight time, a potential great match between Finn and JD was sacrificed for more Judgment Day shenanigans. While the angle they did here made sense, it would’ve been nice to finally get that blow away match between them that we’ve been dying for. Eventually, all of this is likely going to lead to a Mixed Tag pitting Finn & Perez against Dominik & Liv. As it was looking like that was going to happen last year before Liv got hurt, it feels like it may play out better in this scenario as long as WWE doesn’t fumble it. For all the potential Perez has shown since coming to the main roster, this angle has all the tools to really make her a superstar.
Grade: B
Becky Lynch vs. Sol Ruca
Latest developments:
On the April 20 Raw, Sol Ruca came out to confront Women’s World Champion Liv Morgan. Several moments later, Adam Pearce appeared to make a match between both women officials for then and there. As Sol looked like she was about to pick up the win with the Sol Snatcher, Liv rolled out of the ring to avoid getting pinned. Sol was attacked from behind moments later by Zaria as she tried to throw Liv back into the ring and that led to Liv picking up the win. Last week, it was announced that Sol would officially sign the contract to officially become a part of the Raw roster this week.
Sol came out to the ring this week to meet with Pearce to sign her Raw contract. Before she could sign it, she was interrupted by Women’s Intercontinental Champion Becky Lynch. After Becky rambled on about all of her accomplishments, Sol signed the contract and told her that she would kick her ass as well as snatch her soul if she ever interrupted her again. Becky attempted to sucker punch Sol, but she ended up hitting Pearce by mistake. As Becky attempted to apologize to Pearce before he left the ring in anger, Sol took her down with the Sol Snatcher.
Analysis:
From having her first main roster match with Liv to now entering a feud with Becky, it’s clear that they have big plans for Sol. Despite the spot with the Sol Snatcher not playing out so smoothly, this was an effective segment in getting people excited for a Becky and Sol match down the road. While they could’ve had her win some matches against other women to build some momentum first, having Sol in a feud like this right off the bat automatically makes her a big deal. In many ways, it feels like this feud with Becky will do for Sol what maybe the feud with Becky should’ve done for Maxxine Dupri a few months ago. Honestly, Sol has enough momentum right now where she doesn’t really need to win the title just yet.
Considering that Becky’s already lost the title twice and just won it back, it wouldn’t make much sense for her to lose it again this soon. Whoever beats her for it should be someone who ends up holding the title long term. While Sol could potentially be that person, someone else who it could also be is Iyo Sky. Even though Becky beat her last week, how good the match was and the way it ended showed that there’s a lot more that they could do between those two. Considering that Becky’s held that title on and off for the better part of a year, the next time she loses it should be the last.
Grade: C
Joe Hendry vs. Austin Theory
Latest developments:
Last week, Joe Hendry made his Raw debut with a live concert. During the concert, he sang the lyrics “Fire Logan Paul” as the crowd sang along with him. Logan Paul & Austin Theory came out to confront Hendry before he was able to fight them both off single handedly. This didn’t last long as they both eventually overpowered him until the Street Profits came out to attack Paul & Theory. After Theory escaped a Frog Splash attempt from Montez Ford after Paul pulled him out of the ring, Hendry jumped over the top rope onto both of them.
After Hendry gave the crowd another live concert this week singing the lyrics “Fire Logan Paul,” an angry Paul came out along with Theory to interrupt as Paul and Hendry had a match. As the match progressed, Hendry hit Theory with a Fallaway Slam before he was attacked from behind by Paul to end the match on a disqualification. Paul & Theory double teamed Hendry until the Street Profits once again came out to his rescue. Bron Breakker then came out to stop the Profits from hitting the Diving Blockbuster on Theory as he tossed Montez over the top rope and then clotheslined Angelo Dawkins. Seth Rollins appeared through the crowd to attack Breakker and as he was about to hit him with a Curb Stomp, Montez jumped over him as well as the post onto Paul & Theory. The distraction led to Rollins being Speared by Breakker once again.
Analysis:
While not much of a match here, the before and aftermath were entertaining. Hendry’s songs about Paul are pretty funny and Paul really sells how much it gets under his skin well. As Paul hasn’t really felt as special since joining The Vision and doing Tag matches for the most part, a singles feud like this will be good for him. In addition to that, this gives Hendry something to notable to be a part of on the show right away. Not to say the matches won’t be good, but a feud like this will stand out more for the segments and angles than the actual matches.
What also stood out here was the Street Profits once again coming to the rescue of Hendry. More than likely, the feud with Hendry and Paul will escalate by Hendry helping the Street Profits beat Paul & Theory for the World Tag Team Titles. Another feud sparking from this segment potentially is one between Montez and Rollins. As they had some tension last week and Rollins being distracted by Montez caused him to be Speared by Breakker again here, this could be building towards something between them down the road. If WWE actually allows this to play out and doesn’t just drop it in a few weeks, a feud between those two could be what really shows how much Montez has to offer as a singles.
Grade: B
Roman Reigns vs. Jacob Fatu
Latest developments:
On the April 20 Raw, World Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns had his championship celebration interrupted by Jacob Fatu. After Jacob challenged him to a title match at Backlash, Reigns said he would give him an answer the following week. Last week as Reigns was standing in the ring, Jacob came out to confront him. As Reigns told Jacob that allowing him to compete against him would be nepotism, Jacob trapped him in the dreaded Tongan Death Grip. Several moments later, Reigns agreed to defend the title against him at Backlash.
Reigns and Jacob were in the ring this week for the main event segment along with Adam Pearce to sign the contract for their match at Backlash. After Reigns signed the contract, Reigns ranted on about how they’re equal as family but in the ring, Jacob’s beneath him. Jacob then applied the Tongan Death Grip on Reigns before he escaped, and Reigns then threw a chair at him. Jacob again put him in the Death Grip before Reigns escaped and proceeded to punch him repeatedly while standing on the second rope. As this was happening, Jacob applied the Death Grip once again and them slammed Reigns onto the table before signing the contract to end the show.
Analysis:
This segment exemplified what the main event segment before a PLE is supposed to do. To no surprise, Jacob was kept looking strong here with continuing to use the Tongan Death Grip. Bringing that move back from the dead was a smart move as it’s really added a different layer to this feud and made Jacob more dangerous than he already was. It’s crazy to think that this is a match we’ve wanted for a long time and we’re actually getting it this weekend. As mentioned in last week’s review, this feud is way too hot to just blow it off now.
What was also noticeable here was the fact that the Usos didn’t come out to help Reigns for the second week in a row. Considering that they were seen earlier in the show, it’s odd that they wouldn’t come out to the rescue of Reigns when he’s clearly in trouble. It’s slowly starting to feel like they’re going to turn on Reigns and side with Jacob as early as this weekend. While that doesn’t necessarily mean that Jacob’s going to win the title because of that, an angle could play out perhaps after the match where that happens. With all the creative hits and misses WWE has had lately, this storyline at least feels like it’s one that so far is living up to its potential.
Grade: B+
Penta & Je’Von Evans vs. Rusev & Ethan Page
Latest developments:
Intercontinental Champion Penta teamed up with Je’Von Evans this week to take on Rusev & Ethan Page in a match where Evans hit a Hurricanrana onto Rusev followed by a Cross Body over the top rope onto the floor. Penta then hit Page with the Penta Driver, but Page kicked out at the last second. Evans hit Rusev with a Suicide Dive and as he was about to put Rusev through the announce table from the top rope, Page pushed him down. After Page tripped Penta onto the apron, Rusev slammed him on top of the announce table. Page then hit Penta with a Brainbuster to pick up the win.
Analysis:
As predicted last week, a Tag match involving these four men was inevitable. To no surprise considering the talent involved, this was a fun match where the action never really stopped. Having Penta get pinned by Page made sense to set up Page as a potential challenger down the road. Having all four of these men surrounding the IC Title is exactly what was needed to spice that division up and make it more of a standout part of the show. As the card for Backlash seems already set, we’ll likely see some form of match involving these men for the title at Clash in Italy.
El Grande Americano & Los Americanos vs. OG Americano & Los Americanos Hermanos
Latest developments:
This week, El Grande Americano teamed up with Los Americanos to take on OG Americano & Los Americanos Hermanos. As the match progressed, Americano hit OG Americano with a Baseball Slide as Los Americanos held him. Later in the match, OG Americano hit Los Americanos with a German Suplex simultaneously after they saved Americano from taking the move. After Americanos heads collided, Bravo hit OG Americano with a Splash from the top rope for a near fall. After Los Americanos Hermanos dropped Americano onto the railing, OG Americano hit Bravo with a Diving Head-butt to get the win.
Analysis:
While very confusing with six masked men in the ring at once, this was a fun match. Despite how fun it was, it really feels like this storyline has overstayed its welcome on the main roster. It’s great to see how popular it is in AAA, but it doesn’t really add much to this show anymore. Thankfully, this feud will finally be settled at the end of the month in the Mask vs Mask match. Considering that it’s going to be the main event, having this feud blown off in a AAA setting is a much more fitting than if they had done it at WrestleMania.
Oba Femi vs. Otis
Latest developments:
Oba Femi came out this week to see who would answer his open challenge. After Akira Tozawa initially came out to answer it but then quickly reconsidered, his tag team partner Otis answered the challenge instead. After running into each other several times, Oba hit Otis with a running Uppercut. Oba then picked up Otis with ease and threw him down onto the mat. Oba then placed Otis on the second rope and hit him with the Fall from Grace for the win.
Analysis:
Despite how short it was, this match was very entertaining. With the momentum Oba has right now, his matches don’t need to be that long. Having Oba go through someone the size of Otis so quickly made for another strong statement win for him. Until the King of the Ring tournament, this is exactly the way all of his matches should play out. So far, Oba has been the biggest success story out of any of the new main roster call ups and it’s clear that the best for him is still yet to come.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.