WWE Clash of Champions 2019

By Steve Ward

WWE Clash of Champions emanated this evening from the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, home of the NBA’s Charlotte Hornets. 

Aside from eight WWE titles being contested, this pay-per-view carried a supreme level of importance from a business standpoint as well. After the highly successful AEW “ALL OUT” pay-per-view a couple weeks ago treated fans to quite possibly one of the most entertaining shows of the year, the pressure was on for the WWE to step up their game. 

Among the questions to be addressed: 1) Would WWE push - or perhaps finally break - the boundaries of their frustrating PG rating? and 2) Would thousands of subscribers lash out at WWE for continued buffering issues since the inception of their updated streaming platform that ruined Summerslam for countless members of the WWE Universe? 

These are all of paramount importance with NXT debuting on USA this week, Smackdown moving to FOX in October (and still not giving the network the “edgy” product they want), and AEW premiering in a matter of weeks on TNT. These storylines along with eight titles contested would paint the picture for the evening.

RAW Tag Team Championship

Seth Rollins & Braun Strowman (c) vs. Robert Roode & Dolph Ziggler

Winners: Robert Roode & Dolph Ziggler via pinfall

The opening contest of the main card pitted the recently crowned RAW Tag Team Champions Rollins and Strowman (scheduled to face each other later in the evening for the Universal Championship) against Roode and Ziggler who earned their shot after coming out victorious from the largest tag team turmoil match in WWE history recently on RAW. In the closing moments of the match, Strowman attempted to knock Ziggler off the ring apron only to have Ziggler pull the ropes down so that he tumbled out of the ring. With Rollins distracted, we received a truly glorious conclusion to the bout as Roode got the upper hand on The Beastslayer and executed a flawless Glorious DDT to earn the pinfall.

Smackdown Women’s Championship

Bayley (c) vs. Charlotte Flair

Winner: Bayley

Blink and you would have missed the end of this match. As the referee was distracted with Charlotte Flair while Bayley laid in the corner, the champion removed the bottom turnbuckle cover. As Charlotte went to grab Bayley, she was propelled head first into the exposed steel turnbuckle. The devastating effect of this blow left Charlotte incapacitated allowing Bayley to earn the quick pinfall.

Smackdown Tag Team Championship

The New Day (Big E & Xavier Woods) (c) vs. The Revival (Dash Wilder & Scott Dawson)

Winners: The Revival via submission

The Revival practiced what they preach and took their old school approach on the road to victory in this contest. First, they strategically destroyed the knee of Xavier Woods and later proceeded to take Big E out of the equation as they executed The Shatter Machine out on the arena floor. With Woods still ailing in the ring and no help in sight, The Revival delivered another Shatter Machine on him and rather than score an easy pinfall, Dawson cinched in a reverse figure four leglock for the submission victory.

Women’s Tag Team Championship

Alexa Bliss & Nikki Cross (c) vs. Fire & Desire (Mandy Rose & Sonya Deville)
Winners: Alexa Bliss & Nikki Cross via pinfall

In a match that was clearly carried by Bliss and Cross, the only real offense mounted by Fire & Desire was when they executed some brief tandem offense in the form of a high-low on Bliss. This advantage didn’t last long as Nikki Cross hit the swinging neck breaker with Rose’s legs propped up on the top ropes for the pinfall victory.

WWE Intercontinental Championship

The Miz vs. Shinsuke Nakamura (c) w/Sami Zayn
Winner: Shinsuke Nakamura via pinfall

The first few minutes of this match were ruined by Sami Zayn supplying obnoxious commentary as he strutted around the ring until his mic was mercifully cut off and we could get down to business. This match saw The Artist Known As Shinsuke Nakamura attempt to continue his title reign while The Miz was striving to earn his ninth Intercontinental Title. Zayn proved to be the difference in this match as The Miz finally had enough of his antics in the closing moments and proceeded to chase him around the ring. Unfortunately for The Miz, he didn’t see Nakamura laying in wait on the other side of the ring and as he rounded the corner, he was greeted with a jumping knee strike to the jaw. Nakamura then rolled Miz back into the ring and sealed the deal with the Kinshasa for the victory.

RAW Women’s Championship

Becky Lynch (c) vs. Sasha Banks
Winner: Sasha Banks via disqualification

After a lengthy hiatus, Sasha Banks returned a few weeks ago with a vengeance and it was apparent from the get-go that The Man was explicitly in her crosshairs. As Banks became frustrated that she could not put away Lynch with The Bank Statement, she turned to some dirty antics as she introduced a chair into the fray. This soon backfired on Banks as The Man picked up the chair and swung for the fences. Unfortunately for the referee, he took the first shot that laid him out. Lynch then laid waste to Sasha and the fight spilled into the arena. Once the women finally made their way back to the ring, Lynch continued her vicious assault on Banks even though she had long since been disqualified. WWE officials finally rescued Banks as Lynch seemed poised to pop out her shoulder with the Disarmer while using a steel chair for leverage. Needless to say, this rivalry is far from over.

WWE Championship

Randy Orton vs.  Kofi Kingston (c)
Winner: Kofi Kingston via pinfall

After coming up short against Kingston at Summerslam, The Viper was given another opportunity at the WWE Championship this evening against someone who’s had a more improbable title reign than Mr. McMahon’s back in the Attitude Era - perhaps that’s a little harsh but oh well. This was by and far the most lackluster match on the card as Kofi unbelievably dominated Orton for a good deal of the contest and the crowd was not engaged - at least not in a positive fashion as you could hear boos echoing out. The only time the crowd rose to their feet was when Orton nailed Kofi with an RKO Outta Nowhere, however, Kofi placed his leg on the rope to break the pinfall attempt. Orton tried to finish Kofi once and for all with the punt to the skull but Kingston evaded it and landed the Trouble In Paradise to retain his title.

No Disqualification Match

Roman Reigns vs. Rowan
Winner: Rowan via pinfall

After weeks of speculation as to who was responsible for attack after attack on Roman Reigns, it was finally revealed that Rowan, not Daniel Bryan, was the mastermind. Roman Reigns was out for vengeance this evening as he entered the ring with Rowan in a no disqualification match. It appeared late in the contest that Reigns would overcome being put through not one, but two, tables to come out victorious over Rowan. After attacking Rowan with a TV camera at the top of the stage, Reigns seemed poised to run down the ramp for a spear or Superman punch, however, he was intercepted with a boot to the face by a returning Luke Harper! The two proceeded to severely beat down Reigns just before Rowan finished him off with the Iron Claw.

WWE Universal Championship

Seth Rollins (c) vs. Braun Strowman
Winner: Seth Rollins

After coming out unsuccessful in their defense of the RAW Tag Team Championship earlier in the evening, partners became foes as Rollins and Strowman stepped into the squared circle again - this time with Rollins’ Universal Championship on the line. The real highlight of this match was a legit splash that Strowman landed on Rollins from the top rope, however, it wasn’t enough. Rollins had to put work in this evening to keep his title as it took four curb stomps and the Pedigree to finally overcome The Monster Among Men. As Rollins made his way to the top of the entrance ramp in victory, the arena went black. Then a spotlight illuminated “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt holding a subdued Rollins. First, Wyatt put Rollins down with a Sister Abigail just before the lights went out again. This would not be all, however, as the two were illuminated again, this time with Wyatt’s fingers shoved down Rollins’ throat as he choked him out with the Mandible Claw to close the show.

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Summerslam Recap

By Steve Ward

The 32^nd installment of WWE’s biggest party of the summer, Summerslam, emanated from the home of the NBA World Champion Toronto Raptors, the Scotiabank Arena. With less than two weeks before AEW presents ALL OUT, their last major pay per view before they premier on TNT in October, and with the upcoming premier of Smackdown on FOX, one was left to wonder if WWE would take this opportunity to push the envelope further with what they’ve labeled as a move to “edgier” programming. The card certainly had no shortage of star power as it featured Brock Lesnar, as well as, ring legends Trish Stratus and Goldberg - both in competition. The nine match card also treated fans to four title bouts headlined by Brock Lesnar pitted against Seth Rollins for the Universal Championship.

RAW Women’s Championship Submission Match

Becky Lynch (c) vs. Natalya

Winner: Becky Lynch via submission

Canada’s own Natalya Neidhart challenged “The Man” for her Women’s Championship as the two proficient submission experts squared off in a submission match to kick off the main card. After a very evenly contested bout, it appeared Natalya would finally earn championship gold again as she cinched in a picture perfect Sharpshooter, however, The Man was able to avert disaster and turned the tables as she locked in The Disarmer for the submission victory.

Goldberg vs. Dolph Ziggler

Winner: Goldberg via pinfall

For several weeks Dolph Ziggler had belittled several WWE legends, most notably Shawn Michaels. At the contract signing this past Monday, Ziggler under the belief that he was signing up to fight The Miz, neglected to read the fine print and found himself obligated to face the legendary Goldberg much to the chagrin of the WWE Universe. It appeared for a brief moment that Dolph would pull off an unbelievable upset as he hit the super kick immediately after the opening bell. With Goldberg laid out, Dolph stood poised to land another super kick, however, Goldberg returned to his feet and intercepted Ziggler with a body-breaking spear. Goldberg immediately followed up with the Jackhammer as he made quick work of Ziggler.

United States Championship Match

A.J. Styles (c) w/ The OC vs. Ricochet

Winner: A.J. Styles via pinfall

Now reunited with his old Bullet Club cohorts, Gallows and Anderson, A.J. Styles defended his United States title this evening-one which he captured from Ricochet last month. Ricochet earned this opportunity after he prevailed in a gauntlet match recently on RAW. In the final moments of the contest, Ricochet vaulted off of the top rope only to be caught by the Phenomenal One who put him away with the Styles Clash for the victory.

Smackdown Women’s Championship

Ember Moon vs. Bayley (c)

Winner: Bayley via pinfall

Ember Moon controlled the tempo of this entire match with her striking ability, however, Bayley picked her shot as she intercepted Ember Moon on the top rope and executed the Bayley to Belly to put the final stamp on her title defense.

Kevin Owens vs. Shane McMahon

Winner: Kevin Owens

KO seemingly had the victory sealed as he executed a senton and frog splash back to back only to have the special guest enforcer Elias disrupt the referee’s 3-count. After Elias was disposed of, KO proceeded to kick Shane-o-mac between the uprights and finished him off with a stunner for the victory and to ensure he kept his job.

Trish Stratus vs. Charlotte Flair

Winner: Charlotte Flair via submission

Stratus entered this match looking as phenomenal as ever and immediately took the fight to Charlotte. This didn’t last long as the Queen quickly assumed control and controlled the tempo for a majority of the match as she mocked the WWE Hall of Famer at every opportunity. Trish attempted a late rally as she landed the Stratusfaction and the Chick Kick but they were not enough to put Flair away. In the end, Charlotte trapped Trish in the Figure Eight for the submission victory. Needless to say, this match did not leave this writer stratusfied.

WWE Championship

Randy Orton vs. Kofi Kingston (c) 

Winner: No contest

This bout was ten years in the making as Kofi accused Randy Orton of holding him back with his backstage influence back in 2009 - apparently this was the best buildup that the writing team  could come up with for a Summerslam championship match. One of the most entertaining aspects of this match didn’t come from one of the performers but rather the crowd as they repeatedly engaged in the chant, “Kofi’s stupid, Randy sucks!” In the closing moments of the match, the most spectacular moment of the contest was spoiled as Kofi leapt off the top rope and got caught with an RKO Outta Nowhere only to roll out of the ring and avoid a potential pinfall. Orton proceeded to follow Kofi out of the ring where he laid in front of his family at ringside. As Orton attempted to embarrass Kofi, the two men were counted out, however, this was not the end as Kofi proceeded to lay waste to the Viper with a kendo stick as he took exception to his actions.

Finn Balor vs. “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt

Winner: The Fiend via pinfall

This evening marked the in-ring debut of Bray Wyatt’s new persona The Fiend. With the exception of some brief offense displayed by Finn late in the contest, this was the definition of a squash match. Finn was finally put out of his misery as Bray shoved his fingers down his throat with a Mandible Claw pinning Balor’s shoulders in the process for the victory.

Universal Championship Match

Brock Lesnar (c) vs. Seth Rollins

Winner: Seth Rollins

This was by far the longest, most competitive match these two men have ever had. The action was fast and furious as each continued to execute their signature moves throughout the match to no avail. The closing moments saw Rollins drop Lesnar to the canvas with a super kick which he immediately followed with a curb stomp as a new Universal Champion was crowned in what may have been Lesnar‘s shortest title reign to date.

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WWE Stomping Grounds Recap

By Steve Ward

WWE unveiled a new pay per view this evening entitled Stomping Grounds that was accompanied by the tagline, “It’s time to kick ass and take names.” Perhaps the prolific use of the word ass is WWE’s attempt to become “edgier” for FOX while still painstakingly maintaining a PG rating. To me and many longtime pro wrestling fans, June will always be known as the month that once belonged to the classic King of the Ring show but for now, this is what we get. Despite my seemingly negative perception of WWE and their current product, I continue to remain optimistic that Triple H will have the opportunity to bring his booking prowess to the main roster currently utilized on the real “A show” of WWE, NXT. This evening’s show emanated from Tacoma, WA and featured eight matches with six titles contested - not to mention the ominous overshadowing of Brock Lesnar looming with the Money in the Bank briefcase in tow.

RAW Women’s Chamionship

Becky Lynch (c) vs. Lacey Evans

Winner: Becky Lynch via submission

With Lacey Evans continued ascension to main event competitor in full swing, she earned her first pay per view title shot against The Man this evening. Lacey brought the fight to Lynch in a very competitive opening contest that set the tone for the show. In the end, The Man was able to retain her title against the overzealous Evans as she cinched in the Disarmer for the victory.

Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn vs. Xavier Woods & Big E

Winners: Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn via pinfall

In an effort to keep these four men from becoming involved in the WWE Championship match (because that always works), they were thrown into tag team competition. KO certainly had the crowd behind him in this tag team encounter which held a frenetic pace throughout. KO was able to solidify the victory for his team after he paid homage to Stone Cold Steve Austin with a stunner that laid out Xavier Woods. A notable mention should be made to Woods, however, as he continues to don his Iron Sheik-esque boots - although nothing compares to his old TNA/Impact persona, Consequences Creed, which to me was reminiscent of Afro Thunder from the classic boxing game Ready 2 Rumble.

United States Championship

Samoa Joe (c) vs. Ricochet

Winner: Ricochet

Ricochet earned this opportunity against the Samoan Submission Machine after he exited a Fatal Five Way match as the victor on RAW last Monday. In a rather shocking turn of events, Joe dominated virtually the entire match until Ricochet hit a Codebreaker (which Michael Cole dubbed a “double knees to the face”) and scaled his way to the top turnbuckle from which he masterfully executed a 630 splash to earn his first United States title.

Smackdown Tag Team Championship

Heavy Machinery vs. Daniel Bryan & Rowan (c)

Winners: Daniel Bryan & Rowan via pinfall

ASU alumni Tucker Knight and his partner Otis Dozovic put forth a spirited effort in their conquest for the Smackdown tag team titles and I dare to say it was better than the three matches that preceded it. The final moments saw Tucker take flight from the top turnbuckle to the outside where he flattened out Rowan with a sickening collision. As Tucker reentered the ring, Daniel Bryan rolled him up quickly for the pinfall victory.

Smackdown Women’s Championship

Alexa Bliss w/ Nikki Cross vs. Bayley (c)

Winner: Bayley

Bliss had Bayley set up for Twisted Bliss when Nikki Cross entered the ring in an attempt to exact revenge on Bayley. This distraction allowed Bayley to intercept Bliss on the turnbuckles but The Goddess was able to knock Bayley back down to the canvas. As Bliss again attempted Twisted Bliss, Bayley got her knees up and subsequently executed the Bayley to Belly suplex for the victory.

Drew McIntyre w/ Shane McMahon vs. Roman Reigns

Winner: Roman Reigns via pinfall

After Reigns was embarrassed by Shane at Super Showdown, his path to redemption continued this evening with McMahon’s “henchman,” The Scottish Psychopath Drew McIntyre. Roman was able to overcome the adversity of Shane’s presence at ringside, including dragging the referee out of the ring at one point to allow him to land a Coast to Coast on Reigns. The conclusion of the match saw Roman land a punishing spear on McIntyre to secure the pinfall.

WWE Championship Steel Cage Match

Kofi Kingston (c) vs. Dolph Ziggler

Winner: Kofi Kingston via cage escape

After Kofi retained his title over Ziggler at Super Showdown thanks to help from Xavier Woods, Ziggler demanded a rematch within the carnal confines of a steel cage. In a rather uninspired match, where it even seemed as if WWE lowered the crowd volume at one point as they booed, there was a surprising lack of high risk maneuvers attempted considering the combatants. In the end, the cage door was open as Dolph attempted to crawl out only to have Kofi vault himself over the top rope (and Ziggler), through the door, down to the arena floor to retain his title.

Universal Championship Match

Seth Rollins (c) vs. Baron Corbin

w/ special guest referee Lacey Evans

Winner: Seth Rollins

After Rollins had all of his special guest referee selections suffer vicious beatings at the hands of Rollins and a steel chair, Corbin selected one who he knew Rollins wouldn’t attack - Lacey Evans. After Evans persisted with her one-sided shenanigans, such as changing the match to a no DQ contest, Becky Lynch came down to ringside and opened a can of whoop ass on her. This allowed referee John Cone to take over much to the chagrin of Baron Corbin. Corbin attempted another End of Days only to have Rollins escape and execute a super kick followed by the Curb Stomp to retain his title.

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WWE Super Showdown Aftermath

By Steve Ward

WWE presented it’s latest Saudi Arabian cash-grab today from the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia with Super Showdown.  This show aired at 2 PM ET/11 AM PST while most of North America was at work  -including myself. Despite the time difference, it was still about 100 degrees in the stadium at the start of the show which certainly would create an additional dynamic for the Superstars. The ridiculously stacked card was arguably as good as, if not better than, this year’s installment of Wrestlemania as it featured nine matches with three titles contested, including a 50 man over-the-top battle royal thrown in for good measure. As has been the case with all of the previous Saudi Arabian shows, there were no women’s matches featured on the card, however, Renee Young was still featured on the commentary team - my one question here is with her present and her long blonde hair fully exposed, did this earn a TV-MA rating on Saudi television???

WWE Universal Championship

Seth Rollins (c) vs. Baron Corbin

Winner: Seth Rollins via pinfall

Lesnar made his way to the ring after the contest with a referee and The Advocate with the intention of cashing in his Money In The Bank contract, however, Paul Heyman “tripped” over the ropes. This mishap distracted Brock long enough for Rollins to low blow The Beast. With Lesnar subdued, Rollins subsequently laid waste to him with a steel chair before he finally finished him off with a curb stomp that drove Lesnar’s skull into his own briefcase.

WWE Intercontinental Championship

“The Demon” Finn Balor (c) vs. Andrade

Winner: Finn Balor via pinfall

Roman Reigns vs. Shane McMahon

Winner: Shane McMahon via pinfall

While Shane McMahon continued to impress me with his ability to hang in with some of WWE’s top talent at age 49, he needed the assist in the form of a brutal Claymore Kick from Drew McIntyre to score the pinfall.

3 on 1 Handicap Match

Lucha House Party (Gran Metalik, Lince Dorado, & Kalisto) vs. Lars Sullivan

Winner: Lars Sullivan via DQ

Triple H vs. Randy Orton

Winner: Randy Orton via pinfall (RKO Outta Nowhere)

Bobby Lashley vs. Braun Strowman

Winner: Braun Strowman via pinfall (Running Powerslam)

WWE Championship

Kofi Kingston (c) vs. Dolph Ziggler

Winner: Kofi Kingston via pinfall (Trouble In Paradise)

50-Man Over-the-Top Battle Royal

Winner: Mansoor

Once the luster of the spectacle that was 50 men in the ring at one time faded, this match turned into kind of an uninspired cluster. Essentially, the WWE threw in all of the Superstars who haven’t been on tv in quite a while with those they didn’t book a match for (except for The Revival and The Usos who squared off on the kick-off show) and allowed the bodies to start flying. Another disappointment was the lack of  any legends in the contest along with the continued burial of EC3 as he was the first participant eliminated. The match concluded as virtual unknown and the first Saudi born WWE Superstar Mansoor (Am I the only one who immediately thinks of Mantaur when I see this name? Look him up if you need to, you won’t regret it.) eliminated Elias to walk out victorious in front of his fellow countrymen.

Goldberg vs. The Undertaker

Winner: The Undertaker

Two legends collided in the main event, unfortunately it was twenty years beyond the time this collision should have occurred. I give the utmost respect to these two 50+ year old men for still stepping into the ring, however, The Undertaker (54) and Goldberg (52) both appeared to be slowed by the intense heat and Goldberg by the blood he lost from a gash to his forehead early in the contest. Late in the match, Goldberg hoisted up the near seven foot Undertaker for the Jackhammer, however, he was unable to land all of it as it essentially turned into a Brainbuster. After The Undertaker kicked out of the subsequent pinfall attempt, Goldberg appeared to attempt a Tombstone but both men fell to the canvas seemingly exhausted. As soon as they returned to their feet, The Undertaker quickly executed a chokeslam (barely lifting Goldberg off the canvas) and covered him for the pinfall. Personally, the ending of this bout left me and seemingly many of the fans in attendance dissatisfied so I would not be opposed to seeing a rematch in an air conditioned venue with about five minutes shaved off of it.

Fun fact: Before Goldberg debuted in WCW way back in 1997, his now famous entrance theme had been used by Pat Tanaka - best known as a member of the Orient Express in his WWF days and Badd Company in the early days of ECW.

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WWE Money In The Bank 2019

By Steve Ward

Now that the dust has settled from Wrestlemania, it’s time for what has become one of the biggest pay per views of the year (aside from the “Big 4”) as it has dictated the landscape of WWE year after year. This year’s installment of Money In The Bank emanated from the back yard of WWE Headquaters at the XL Center in Hartford, CT. Six titles were scheduled to be contested on the card that also boasted two massive Money In The Bank Ladder Matches and a steel cage match between The Miz and Shane McMahon. One factor to take into consideration heading into this event, was whether WWE would push the envelope with their PG rating and pedestrian booking due to the ever increasing pressure being put on by AEW who will present their debut pay per view, Double Or Nothing, next Saturday in Las Vegas.

Women’s Money In The Bank Ladder Match

Naomi vs. Carmella vs. Nikki Cross vs. Mandy Rose vs. Ember Moon vs. Dana Brooke vs. Natalya vs. Bayley

Winner: Bayley

My only real gripe with this match was that it did not feature Alexa Bliss, other than that it was quite entertaining and a great opener to the main card. Towards the conclusion of the match, it appeared that Sonya Deville was going to hand the victory to her running mate Mandy Rose after an impressive display of strength where she threw Rose into a fireman’s carry and scaled the ladder with her on her back. Just as the briefcase was at Rose’s fingertips, Bayley emerged from nowhere to race up the ladder and shove the women off of the ladder leaving her unopposed to retrieve the Money In The Bank contract.

United States Championship

Rey Mysterio vs. Samoa Joe (c)

Winner: Rey Mysterio via pinfall

This match presented an opportunity for Rey Mysterio to seek redemption after he was embarrassed by The Samoan Submission Machine at Wrestlemania with a submission loss in barely a minute. Well Rey certainly gained retribution as he countered a power bomb attempt by Joe and rolled him into a pin to steal the title on a missed call by the ref as Joe’s shoulder was off the mat.

Steel Cage Match

The Miz vs. Shane McMahon

Winner: Shane McMahon

In another Wrestlemania rematch, The Miz sought retribution for his Falls Count Anywhere loss to Shane last month…this time however, it was going to be settled in the carnal confines of a steel cage. After a grueling contest, Shane-o-Mac won in quite entertaining fashion. With Shane McMahon hanging on from the top of the cage on the outside and The Miz attempting to pull him back in from the inside, McMahon slipped out of his shirt to drop to the floor for the victory.

WWE Cruiserweight Championship

Tony Nese  (c) vs. Ariya Daivari

Winner: Tony Nese via pinfall

“The Premier Athlete” Tony Nese made the second defense, first on pay per view, of the title he won from longtime champ Buddy Murphy at Wrestlemania. In a match that the crowd was just not into unfortunately, Tony Nese put his athleticism on full display, including execution of a 450 splash, on his way to retaining the Cruiserweight title.

WWE RAW Women’s Championship

Becky Lynch (c) vs. Lacey Evans

Winner: Becky Lynch

In the first of two title defenses scheduled for “Becky Two Belts” on the evening, The Man squared off with Lacey Evans. Lacey Evans put on a strong showing in her first pay per view singles match as she took Becky to the limit. In the end, Becky reversed a pinfall attempt by the Southern Belle into the Disarmer for the submission victory.

As Becky started to leave for the locker rooms, she was intercepted on the ramp by Charlotte Flair.

WWE Smackdown Women’s Championship

Becky Lynch (c) vs. Charlotte Flair

Winner: Charlotte Flair via pinfall

As it appeared that Becky would overcome adversity and retain both of her titles, Lacey Evans returned to ringside and delivered a Woman’s Right to The Man while the referee was engaged in a ten count directed towards Charlotte who was outside the ring. Charlotte then returned to the ring and delivered a big boot to Becky to regain the Smackdown Women’s Championship.

After the match, Flair and Evans proceeded to lay waste to Becky until the new Miss Money in the Bank, Bayley, came to the rescue. After Bayley subdued Charlotte, she immediately cashed in her briefcase, ascended to the top turnbuckle and landed an elbow drop to become the new Smackdown Women’s Champion!

Elias vs. Roman Reigns

Winner: Roman Reigns via pinfall

Elias shattered a guitar over Roman’s back as he made his way through the backstage area seemingly taking him out of the match. After Elias proceeded to insult the city of Hartford he was greeted with a Superman Punch on his way out. Roman then tossed Elias back into the ring and as soon as the referee called for the bell, Reigns speared Elias out of his boots for a laughably fast victory.

WWE Universal Championship

Seth Rollins (c) vs. A.J. Styles

Winner: Seth Rollins via pinfall

This match was a bit of a snoozer until A.J. Styles stepped it up a gear and executed a Styles Clash. Styles then attempted to seal the deal with a Phenomenal Forearm, however, Rollins caught him with a knee to the face that dropped him to his knees. Rollins then super kicked Styles and followed up with the Curb Stomp to retain his title.

Six Man Tag Team Match

Lucha House Party (Kalisto, Gran Metalik, and Lince Dorado) vs. Lars Sullivan

Well this wasn’t exactly a match. Lars Sullivan made his way to the ring and left a pile of carnage without an opening bell ever ringing. Essentially, this was WWE exposing Lars Sullivan to a pay per view audience as he continues to lay waste to everyone in his path every week.

WWE Championship

Kofi Kingston (c) vs. Kevin Owens

Winner: Kofi Kingston

Kevin Owens baited Kofi into a title match after he posed as a member of the New Day for a couple weeks prior to turning his back on them during Kofi’s match with Shinsuke Nakamura a couple weeks ago. Kofi was able to withstand a Pop-Up Powerbomb and then turned the tables on Owens top rope senton attempt to land the Trouble in Paradise for the pinfall victory.

Men’s Money In The Bank Match

Baron Corbin vs. Finn Balor vs. Ricochet vs. Andrade vs. Mustafa Ali (now known as Ali) vs. Drew McIntyre vs. Randy Orton vs. ???

Winner: Brock Lesnar

Sami Zayn was supposed to be the eighth competitor in this match until Braun Strowman earned a small measure of payback after Zayn enlisted Corbin and McIntyre to help him “earn” the final spot in this match recently on RAW. Zayn who was found hanging upside down in the back earlier in the evening got a trip to the hospital while Strowman was banned from the building. The crowd was under the assumption that there would be a replacement but the opening bell rang with only seven competitors in the ring…that is until the ring had later transformed into a war zone. The shocker of the night occurred as it seemed that Ali was going to retrieve the briefcase until the unmistakable music of “The Beast” Brock Lesnar resonated through the arena! Lesnar made his way to the ring, disposed of Ali, and scaled the ladder to become Mr. Money In The Bank.

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Wrestlemania 35 Recap

By Steve Ward

After a pro wrestling fan’s dream weekend with events such as Wrestlecon, The G1 Supercard, NXT Takeover New York, and the WWE Hall of Fame Ceremony (I’m still waiting for an actual building to be erected to enshrine these hall of famers), the day has arrived for the granddaddy of them all, the showcase of the immortals, Wrestlemania. This year 82,265 fans embarked upon MetLife Stadium, the home of the New York Giants, in East Rutherford, New Jersey and were treated to a marathon that clocked in at nearly seven and a half hours. One of the major questions posed by fans was how this show would play out with the undeniable pressure of the upstart AEW coming in the fall and the massive aforementioned G1 Supercard (a joint event by New Japan Pro Wrestling and Ring of Honor) that was held at Madison Square Garden, the “home” arena of WWE for decades. Aside from the competition posed by competitors, the card advertised leading up to the event was clearly devoid of WWE staples John Cena, The Rock, Hulk Hogan (after the drama that accompanied his return to the company), and the man who personifies Wrestle mania - The Undertaker.

Kickoff Show

WWE Cruiserweight Championship

Buddy Murphy (c) vs. Tony Nese

Winner: Tony Nese via pinfall

Unfortunately the men of 205 Live were denied the respect they deserve as they opened the kickoff show in front of a half full MetLife Stadium. Long Island’s Tony Nese put on an outstanding performance as he withstood Murphy’s Law to execute a German Suplex that propelled Murphy into the turnbuckle and he followed it up with the Running Nese to earn the pinfall.

Women’s Battle Royal

Final Four: Carmella, Asuka, Sarah Logan, Sonya Deville

Winner: Carmella

After Asuka unceremoniously dropped the Smackdown Women’s Championship two weeks ago, she was my favorite to win this until Sarah Logan eliminated her. The fans believed Sarah Logan won until Carmella emerged from outside the ring to super-kick her over the top rope for the victory.

RAW Tag Team Championship

The Revival (Scott Dawson & Dash Wilder) (c) vs. Zack Ryder & Curt Hawkins

Winner: Zack Ryder & Curt Hawkins via pinfall

The streak is over! Curt Hawkins’ 269 match losing streak ended as he rolled up Scott Dawson for the pinfall!

Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal

Final Four: Jeff Hardy, Braun Strowman, Michael Che, and Colin Jost

Winner: Braun Strowman

Saturday Night Live’s Michael Che and Colin Jost attempted to get the upper hand on the Monster Among Men as they emerged from beneath the ring after hiding there for the duration of the match. After Strowman eliminated both Hardy Boyz, Che attempted to eliminate himself by stepping over the top rope, but received a shot to the jaw to knock him off the ring apron. Braun then launched Colin Jost over the top rope into a collective of Superstars for the win.

Main Card

Just when the WWE Universe didn’t think the show could kick off any better than with Alexa Bliss and Hulk Hogan, Paul Heyman stormed down to the ring and declared that his client refused to sit around all night if he wasn’t closing the show and wanted to get business done.

Universal Championship
Brock Lesnar (c) w/Paul Heyman  vs. Seth Rollins
Winner: Seth Rollins via pinfall

Seth Rollins solidified his position in a title match at The Showcase of the Immortals after he outlasted 30 other men to win this year’s Royal Rumble. It didn’t take Rollins long to declare that he would challenge The Beast for his Universal Championship. After Brock laid waste to Rollins for several minutes, Rollins shoved Brock into the ref and capitalized with a low blow. Rollins proceeded to execute three consecutive curb stomps to become the new Universal Champion.

AJ Styles vs. Randy Orton
Winner: AJ Styles via pinfall

Another surprising entry early on the card pitted The Phenomenal One against The Viper. AJ styles dodged an RKO attempt by Orton while he attempted a Phenomenal Forearm as he grabbed Orton by the back of the head and drove his throat down into the top rope. Styles then successfully landed his second Phenomenal Forearm attempt while Orton was stunned to solidify the pinfall victory.

Smackdown Tag Team Championship Fatal 4-Way
The Usos (c) vs. The Bar (Cesaro & Sheamus) vs. Aleister Black & Ricochet vs. Shinsuke Nakamura & Rusev
Winners: The Usos

After it appeared Ricochet and Black would win when The One and Only landed a magnificent 630 from the top rope, The Usos proved their resilience and landed dual top rope splashes from opposite corners on Nakamura and Sheamus to retain their titles.

Falls Count Anywhere
Shane McMahon vs. The Miz
Winner: Shane McMahon

This match came to fruition after The Miz and Shane-o-Mac came up short in their attempt to regain the Smackdown Tag Team Titles at Fastlane and Shane turned on Miz as he engaged in a vicious beat down of the A-lister in front of his father. This match exceeded my expectations as it spilled all over the stadium after The Miz’s father was beat down by Shane. Eventually the two men scaled a camera platform in the middle of the crowd after destroying the foreign commentary section. The Miz proceeded to superplex Shane off of the platform to a pile of mats and plywood about 15 feet down. The way they landed left Shane on top allowing referee Charles Robinson to make the three count.

Women’s Tag Team Championship Fatal 4-Way
Bayley & Sasha Banks (c) vs. Natalya & Beth Phoenix vs. Nia Jax & Tamina vs. The Iiconics (Peyton Royce & Billie Kay)
Winners: The Iiconics

It appeared that Natalya and Beth Phoenix had the titles won after Phoenix dropped Bayley on her face with a modified gut wrench, however, Billie Kay tagged Phoenix before she left the turnbuckle. As Phoenix pinned Bayley, the Iiconics threw her out of the ring and Kay pinned Bayley to win the titles.

WWE Championship
Daniel Bryan (c) w/Rowan vs. Kofi Kingston
Winner: Kofi Kingston

After weeks of being run through the ringer by Mr. McMahon, Kofi’s counterparts Big E & Xavier Woods successfully ran the gauntlet on Smackdown Live to earn Kofi his title shot at Wrestlemania. Kofi seemed to be a man of destiny as he withstood several running knee strikes and submission attempts in the form of the LeBell lock. Kofi sealed the victory with the Trouble in Paradise to become the new WWE Champion.

United States Championship
Samoa Joe (c) vs. Rey Mysterio
Winner: Samoa Joe via submission

Blink and you would have missed this match. Rey landed wrong on his ankle coming off the top turnbuckle allowing Joe to lock in the Coquina clutch for the quick submission victory.

Roman Reigns vs. Drew McIntyre
Winner: Roman Reigns via pinfall

This match marked Roman’s first singles match on pay per view since his return from a battle with leukemia. Roman’s opponent, the man once billed as Vince McMahon’s chosen one, Drew McIntyre. McIntyre dominated the majority of the contest until, in typical Roman Reigns fashion, Roman got “fired up” after being slapped and proceeded to hit the Superman Punch and The Spear in succession for the pinfall victory.

After the match, it was time for the Elias concert. Halfway through the concert, a strange video highlighting Babe Ruth played on the Titantron. At it’s conclusion, Thuganomics was displayed in conjunction with John Cena’s classic entrance theme. Cena came to the ring dressed like it was 2002, dissed Elias in classic fashion, and hit the F-U and Five Knuckle Shuffle to the loudest pop he’s received in 15 years.

No Holds Barred Match - Triple H’s Career on the line
Triple H vs. Batista
Winner: Triple H

Batista made his return to WWE several weeks back on RAW when he assaulted Ric Flair backstage during his 70th birthday celebration and proceeded to call Triple H out. The two proceeded to make their demands regarding the stipulations of the match. First, Triple H accepted the challenge but declared it would be contested under No Holds Barred rules. Then Batista countered and told Triple H he wanted him to put his in-ring career on the line - which Triple H aptly accepted. This match was absolute carnage. Broken announce tables, ring steps, pliers, and of course - sledgehammers. Just when it seemed Triple H’s career was in jeopardy after Batista kicked out of a Pedigree, Ric Flair emerged to pass him a sledgehammer. Triple H took down Batista with it, then utilized another Pedigree to seal the victory.

Kurt Angle’s Farewell Match
Kurt Angle vs. Baron Corbin
Winner: Baron Corbin

Much to the chagrin of the WWE Universe, Kurt Angle was scheduled to square off with Baron Corbin in what has been coined his farewell match. Kurt arrived in great shape, landed several German suplexes, The Angle Slam, and the ankle lock submission - none of which did the job. Angle then attempted a moonsault but, unfortunately, Corbin rolled out of the way and trapped Kurt in the Deep Six to defeat the only Olympic Gold Medalist in WWE history.

Intercontinental Championship
Bobby Lashley (c) w/ Lio Rush vs. “The Demon” Finn Balor
Winner: “The Demon” Finn Balor

Finn Balor shockingly power bombed the much larger Bobby Lashley and proceeded to land the Coup de Grace to become the new Intercontinental Champion in impressive fashion.

RAW & Smackdown Women’s Championship - Winner Takes All
Ronda Rousey (c) vs. Charlotte Flair (c) vs. Becky Lynch
Winner: Becky Lynch via pinfall

Initially “The Man” Becky Lynch earned her spot against Ronda Rousey by winning the Women’s Royal Rumble match, however, she was supplanted from the bout after being suspended by Mr. McMahon and replaced with Charlotte Flair. After Becky earned her way back into the match making it a triple threat contest, Charlotte shocked the WWE Universe by defeating Asuka for the Smackdown Women’s Championship a couple weeks ago on Smackdown Live making tonight’s bout a winner take all affair. All of these ladies put on performances worthy of walking out with the titles but it was The Man’s night. With Charlotte laid out on the floor, Ronda Rousey hoisted Becky up for the Piper’s Pit and as she dropped her to the canvas, The Man rolled Rousey onto her shoulders to claim the pinfall victory.

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