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Hello everyone, I am one half of your Irn Bruiser weights bringing you your NXT Review. So let's get into it.
We are LIVE from Ontario, California tonight! As a reminder, our announcers are Joe Tessitore and Wade Barrett. The bad news is, apparently, extra!
We get Bron Breakker, Jey Uso, Drew McIntyre, Dirty Dom and Liv Morgan (With the LOWRIDER!!!) shown entering the arena.
WAIT! Bronson Reed and Braun Strowman pan across the camera view and go into the merchandise stand. LOL! Well that was something.
Liv and Dom make their way to the ring, to a rowdy helping of cheers (well, if you think about it…).
Wade: You would love a date with Liv Morgan!
(Yes, Wade, yes I would!)
Loving Joe sounding a little bit like Corey Graves when he cuts down Dom lol.
Liv on the mic. Liv says that her and Dom just did a victory lap, because the Liv Morgan Revenge Tour is going as planned. Liv shows us footage of Dirty Dom and Damian Priest last week. Priest won the match, but the Judgement Day laid waste to both Rhea Ripley and Priest. Liv promised to take the Women’s Title from Rhea, to take the Judgement Day from her, and taking “the most gorgeous man in the world” Dominick Mysterio, all Her’s!
And here is Rhea, she has heard enough! She wants Liv to know that she isn’t going to hit her. Huge MAMI chants as Ripley enters the ring, and Liv tells the fans to shut up. Ripley has something she needs to Live, but Dom steps between the ladies. Liv says Dominik would have stayed with Rhea if she cared as much for him as she did Damian. Liv says she will beat Rhea not because she’s bigger or stronger than Rhea, but she is smarter than Ripley. Rhea tells Liv that she is medically cleared for Badd Blood. Ripley says that GM Adam Pierce has decided at Badd Blood at Dom will be behind bars, because during the women’s title match Dom will be hanging from a shark cage! Ripley says when there is nowhere to hide and no one to help her, Rhea will win back the thing she never lost, her Women’s World Title.
Oh, and another thing, what she said before? SHE HITS MORGAN WITH A HEADBUTT! Well, at least she told Morgan ahead of time that she took it back/openly lied lol!
We cut to last Monday, with GUNTHER, Sami Zayn, and Ludwig Kaiser. GUNTHER refuses to defend the IC Title against Sami, so as a result, Sami attacked Kaiser to prove a point. That takes us to Sami coming out to ring side for the opening match! He’s taking on Kaiser post commercial break.
WOW, you can get your own, personal Hot Wheels version of that lowrider?
Match 1 Sami Zayn vs. Ludwig Kaiser
Both men jaw jack before the bell rings. The bell rings, and both men circle each other in the ring. Lockup, Sami gets driven into the corner, Kaiser punches away, but Zayn fights back. Zayn gets Kaiser down in the corner and stomps on him just short of the five count. Kaiser leaves the ring to regroup, Sami out to cut him off but that backfires as Kaiser sends him into the ring post. Kaiser chucks Sami into the ring steps and then throws him back into the ring.
Fans serenade Kaiser with a YOU SUCK chant as Kaiser covers Zayn for a two count. Kaiser weakly throws Sami into the ring post, but nothing weak about that follow up running basement drop kick. Sami counters with an elbow, a big boot, and up top with an axe handle. He clotheslines Kaiser to the floor and follows him out. Sami chops Kaiser and whips him into the barricade, Kaiseer reverses. But Sami jumps onto the wall. Kaiser knocks Zayn off the wall and into the ring announcer’s area!
And we’re back, as Kaiser chokes Sami in the corner. He puts Zayn on the top rope, a couple of open-handed slaps follow. Kaiser up top now, Sami cuts him off with blows to the back, POWERBOMB, covers for a two count! Sami with the EXPLODER on Kaiser into the corner. Here comes Sami for the HELLUVA kick, but Kaiser escapes to the floor.
IT’S A TRAP, as Kaiser slams Sami into the ring steps again. Kaiser enters the ring to go out the other side, he runs around the ring and KICKS SAMI’S FACE INTO THE RING STEPS!!! Referee counts Sami, as he barely beats the count at nine. Kaiser is angry now, slams Sami’s head off the mat following punches to the face. But here comes the Sami attack with three right hands, springboard off the ropes with a takedown.
Kaiser counters the Blue Thunder Bomb, Kaiser tries to pin Sami with his feet on the ropes, but the ref catches it! Another Exploder to Kaiser while he is arguing with the ref. KAISER CUTS OFF THE HELLUVA KICK WITH AN ENZIGIRI TO THE FACE!!! It only gets a two count as Kaiser puts on his best puckered lemon look. Sami reverses Kaiser with a German Suplex. HELLUVA KICK CONNECTS! That
gets the three count!
WINNER: Sami Zayn
TIME: 12:20
THOUGHTS: A great match between two awesome competitors, and after repeat losses for Sami to Breakker, he needed this win in the worst way.
RATING: ***1/2
GUNTHER is out post match, Sami, he has seen enough. If you really want this war, then Ontario is the right place and tonight is the right time for it, to step up to you and tell you right now…
NO!!!
We go to a recap of the tag team match last week. We see Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods arguing with each other, and then arguing with the LWO. To the current moment, as Woods apologizes to Kingston. Water under the bridge, but the New Day needs to get back on track! Kofi has the Booty-O’s cereal and Franchesa the trombone! Woods appreciates it, but they need to get serious in order to get back on track. Kingston says when it comes to the New Day, he tells Woods to call the shots. Here comes American Made.
Chad Gable tells New Day to lay off the toys and sugar. Woods taunts American Made with a Wyatt Sick sighting, Kofi challenges the Creeds to a match tonight. Gable and crew walk away, and so does a dude with pancakes, because you know, Kofi used to throw them and stepped on them once in the Rumble!
We’re back, as Joe and Wade talk about tonight’s Intercontinental Title match between Uso and Breakker. A video package follows, showing us how we got to this point.
We cut to the back, as Dom and Liv are arguing with Pierce about Dom being locked in the cage. His word is final! Here comes J.D. McDonaugh and Carlito. They promise to teach the LWO a lesson. They walk away and approach Ilya Dragonov. Ilya says without Finn Balor here, they won’t do anything to him. McDonagh says he will see him soon, and the group walks away.
To the ring we go, and here comes Dragon Lee with the LWO in tow! But before the next match, it’s…
Match 2 Dragon Lee vs. Carlito
The bells rings, and Lee starts with a kick to Carlito to the floor. Lee with a suicide dive to the floor. Both men back in, and Carlito cuts him off with a lariat as he slows the match down. Lee is back up, hurricanrana on Carlito, to the corner, and Lee with a springboard dropkick.
Lee charges the corner with another dropkick. Lee to the top, McDonagh distracts him, and the Judgement Day takes out the LWO. But here us Rey Mysterio, as he hits a drop kick onto the members of the Judgement Day! Operation Dragon in the ring to Carlito and that is a three!
WINNER: Dragon Lee
TIME: 2:18
THOUGHTS: A quick win for Dragon Lee, who got screwed by Carlito back at Wrestlemania 40, and a way to bring Rey back. Nothing wrong with that.
RATING: N/R
In the back, The Miz is approached by Karrion Kross. Miz asks Kross what his angle is, and Kross wants the Miz to be the guy who doesn’t care what people think. Kross says that monsters come in all shapes and sizes, and the Miz says yes, they do. Kross echos his sentiment, and it’s time for another…
We’re back, and we see people from Netflix. Have you heard Raw is going to Netflix soon? Yeah, me either.
Elsewhere, we go to Cathy Kelley with Sheamus. He says that this is not an Irish-British thing, but let’s make it that way. He keeps referring to Pete Dunne as BUTCH.
The Miz is down to the ring for his following match.
Match 3 The Miz vs. Bronson Reed
BUT WAIT! Strowman is here, as the Colossal Collision continues! The Miz argues with Strowman, but here comes Reed to take them both out! Security is here but is laid to waste by a Strowman chokeslam and a stack pile Tsunami from Reed! The next wave is laid to waste as both men clothesline each other.
Even MORE security is here. Strowman throws them ALL away as Braun catches Reed on the top rope. Uh-oh, are we going to get what I think we’re going to get??
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! More security is here to prevent the ring from getting imploded. Strowman kicks Reed out of the ring and then wipes out more black shirts. Oh goodness, Strowman to the top ropes, but Reed backs away up the ramp. Goodness gracious was that FUN! Loved Joe’s line about the Security trying to stop them is like ants attacking elephants lol.
Sudden Abrupt Commercial Break!
A vignette to promote Saturday Night Special on December 14th airs, with Obsession playing in the background.
They pan to ringside. Mark Sanchez is here, and he totally doesn’t butt fumble, along with Adam Jones of Tool. This leads to McIntyre coming out in slow, serious mode. CM Punk’s promo plays back as Drew enters the ring.
Before Drew can speak, the fans chant for CM Punk. Drew repeats words from Punk’s promo, saying he’s been thinking about his words and the look in his eyes. Drew has always told the truth and has always been honest, especially when it comes to Punk. Drew says that he does not want to go back in the Hell in a Cell.
Punk’s sister and his wife begged him not to do this match, and Drew’s family has begged him not to do this match. Drew’s wife has begged him for months to get away from Punk. It doesn’t matter what anyone thinks, this match is going to happen. Drew promises to make Punk bleed a lot, he will make him suffer and feel more pain than he has ever felt.
It’s appropriate that Punk referred to himself as the Devil, because this is good versus evil. Drew has broken Punk before, and he will break him permanently in the cell. Drew drops the mic and leaves the ring.
To the back, with Jackie Redmond and Pierce. She asks what he will do about Braun and Bronson. Adam says a normal match will not do between these guys, so next week, it will be last Monster Standing. We hear commotion in the back, as Pierce runs off to see Pete Dunne choking Sheamus with a cricket bat! He hits him in the throat with it as Adam gets help for Sheamus. Dunne is carried away, screaming DON’T CALL ME THAT.
And we return, as Isla Dawn and Alba Fyre make their way to the ring! We go to gorilla, as Jade Cargill and Bianca Belair confront Iyo Sky and Kairi Sane. The Champs say that Damage CTRL caught them last week, and next time they’ll be ready if they have to defend the titles against them. Belair says the last time she checked, The Unholy Union defeated them, so they need to focus on their match tonight.
Match 4 Iyo Sky and Kairi Sane vs. Isla Dawn and Alba Fyre
The bell rings, as Sky and Dawn start us off. Sky over the back, she stomps on the foot of Dawn, and tags Sane. Double team trip, Sane with a snap mare, and double drop kick! Sane with a snap rana, she takes out both members of the Unholy Union in the corner, Kairi to the top, clothesline, cover for a two! Sane whips Dawn to the corner, she counters her and drops Kairi on the floor. Both Dawn and Fyre drop Sane on the apron face first and wipe out Sky as we hit commercial break!
We return to action, as the Unholy Union are working of Sane in their corner. A cover gets only a two count. Dawn distracts the ref as Fyre rakes Sane’s face against the middle rope. Sane ducks out of the way as the Union avoid friendly fire. Sane sends Dawn to the floor and tags in Sky.
Sky goes after both members of the Union, Sky cartwheel into a dropkick. Nip up! Sky takes out both women with a double missile dropkick! Meteora to Dawn in the corner only gets a two count! Sky off the ropes, eats a SUPERKICK from Fyre! Fyre has Sky up, she escapes, roll up by Sky for a two count, Dawn with a cheap shot on the outside. Fyre with the cover, only a two count! Sane to the top rope, INSANE ELBOW to the floor on Dawn! Over the moonsault by Sky for the three count!
WINNERS: Damage CTRL (Iyo Sky and Kairi Sane)
Time: 9:34
Thoughts: Great match between two awesome teams. Definitely will never be mad about Iyo and Kairi winning, good back and forth throughout the match.
Rating: ***
We get a recap of the events last week between Breakker and Uso. To the back, with Kelley and Breakker. It’s game day, says Bron! There is going to be a winner and a loser, and it deserves the right Superstar to carry the strap. It’s not going to be Jey winning, though he will give Uso another shot a couple of months down the line. Bron is going to be champion for a long time.
We will revisit the EPIC encounter between Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes on Smackdown after these commercials.
We’re back, as Joe reminds the fans that from October 7th to the end of the year as they are on USA, the show will become two hours again. This marks the first time since 2012 that it will consistently be two hours, so that’s definitely a positive development.
We revisit Smackdown this past week, as both Reigns and Rhodes arrive at the University of Georgia Tech. Say what you want about the segment and how it might have been “overproduced”, but it was made to feel like a big deal, as well as it should have been for sure.
This leads to a graphic showing Rhodes and Reigns against Solo Sikoa and Jacob Fatu at Bad Blood.
The New Day are here, and they will face American Made on the other side of yet another… break
We return with Uso in the back getting ready for his match. Zayn walks up, tells him to go get that IC title from Breakker. Back to the ring we go for our next match.
Match 5 The New Day vs. American Made
The bell rings, as Julis Creed and Woods lock up. Julius overpowers Woods and takes him to the ropes. He feigns a rope break, but he punches Woods in the gut and then a forearm in the face. Woods tries to slug it out with Julius, but he losses that battle. To the corner, Julius has Woods on his shoulder he escapes. He ducks clotheslines and dropkicks Julius to his corner.
Tag to Kingston and he hits a springboard splash on Julius for a two. Julius overpowers Kingston and tags in Brutus Creed. Brutus with a forearm and then a clothesline. Kingston hits a dropkick and the standing boom drop for a two count. Woods in, both guys hit a bulldog on Brutus for a two count. Woods has Kingston on his shoulders, drops him on Brutus but it gets a two count.
Kofi whips Xavier into Brutus in the corner. Woods with knife edge chops, but Brutus reverses it and delivers his own chops. The last one Woods eats for lunch, as he stands his crown against the big man. Woods with chops and he mounts Brutus in the corner for the ten punches. Woods catches Julius coming in, both corners are occupied. Jullius with a superplex to Kingston, Woods with a superplex to Brutus. This leads us to our next…
Break for Commercial
We return, as Woods is trying to tag out. He hits Brutus with a clothesline. Here comes Julius, he gets run to the outside. Woods tags Kingston, but Gable distracts the referee, so he never saw it. Gable and the Creeds work over Woods while the ref is arguing with Kofi.
Woods on his feet, trying to fight his way through Brutus to Kingston, but he gets dropped with a right hand. Woods whipped to the corner, big uppercut by Brutus. The fans try to rally the New Day, as both men are on top. Woods shoves Brutus down, not once but twice, as Woods hits him with a missile dropkick.
Both teams tag out, as Kingston unloads his offense on Julius and then Brutus. Kingston jumps into the arms of Julius, but Kingston drops him to the floor. Kofi to the top, Trust Fall splash to both of the Creeds. Back in the ring and a cross body to Julius gets Kofi a two count. Kingston with the BOOM DROP.
Looking for Trouble in Paradise. SOS is countered, but Julius gets KO’ed by Kinston. Woods tags in, to the corner, but here is Gable. Woods brings him into the ring the hard way as Woods goes after Gable with punches and stomps in the corner. Julius with a big knee to Woods, here is Kingston but he gets taken out. Brutus tags in, a BRUTUS BALL from the top rope and that’s good for the three count!
WINNERS: American Made
TIME: 15:27
Thoughts: Well, so much for Woods being the quarterback of the New Day. American Made took advantage of the numbers game and a hot-headed Woods to get the big win over the established tag team.
Rating: ***1/4
Video package for Priest and Balor is next. We get the history of the Judgement Day post some guy who is no longer in the WWE. These two men will go to war next Saturday at Bad Blood!
Our Intercontinental Title match is up next. At 10:17? Is it really going to go the rest of the show, or is something else in store? Find out when we return from commercials.
But wait, a message appears on the screen. A promo for the Wyatt Sick. I wonder where they go now since it appears they are done with American Made.
Time to break for commercials
We’re back, with Sonya Deville, Zoey Stark, and Shayna Baszler. They ridicule the entire women’s division, saying that they have to gang up on them because they are week and pathetic. They want them to shoot their shot. They are Pure Fusion.
In the back, The New Day and LWO bicker. Kingston with a zinger about unsolicited advice for The New Day, which he should have given to Dom. Woods starts to lose his mind about being disrespected. Rey says forget Finn Balor, because next week, Rey will have his fight with Woods.
We go to the concourse, as we follow Jey down the steps and to the ring for the MAIN EVENT OF THE EVENING! But before we get that match, you bet that we’re getting…
We return with a Godzilla and King Kong level promo for the Reed and Strowman Last Monster Standing Match next week in Evansville, Indiana. Also, next week, Kofi Kingston will face Chad Gable, and Xaiver Woods and Rey Mysterio is official as well.
Match 6 WWE Intercontinental Title Match: Bron Breakker (C) vs. Main Event Jey Uso
It’s go time! Shoutout to Wade for mentioning Jey Uso and himself in Florida Championship Wrestling. Slow start to this one with some grappling. Jey gets knocked down, he gets up again, and a big uppercut by Uso. Breakker to the floor, Uso with the suicide dive through the middle rope and on to Breakker.
Guys, you’re never going to guess, but it’s time for…
COMMERCIAL YEET BREAK!
We’re back, as Uso is raining down punches with the YEETS from the crowd. Breakker puts an end to that as he catches Jey with a powerslam. To the corner, Bron with shoulders to the gut of Uso. Big Irish Whip to the corner, as Uso crumbles to the mat. Another Irish Whip, this time to the opposite corner. Breakker picks up Uso, Jey with two punches, but Breakker cuts that off with an overhead belly-to-belly suplex. Breakker chokes out Uso in the corner and locks in a modified bow and arrow. Uso to his feet, punches to the gut has no effect.
Bron and Jey block suplex attempts from the other man, Breakker drops Uso with a front face suplex on the top rope. Breakker mounts Uso with some punches as he stares into the crowd. To the corner with a whip, Breakker with a back breaker. He goes for the cover but breaks his own cover with Scott Steiner approved pushups! Breakker trash talks Uso, but Jey drives him into the corner.
Enzigiri, and he drops Breakker to the floor. Here comes Uso with another dive, but Breakker catches him with a forearm. Breakker slams the back of Jey’s head into the announce table. Breakker to the apron, and he hits a BULLDOG onto Uso, and Bron flies over the desk! Wow, that was SO violent that we need a break, you could say
COMMERCIAL BREAK!
And we’re back, as both men stand in the middle of the ring, with Uso getting the upper hand on the punches. Uso charges the corner with a hit attack, it’s a cover for two! Breakker puts an end to Uso’s momentum and has him by the throat. Military Press, but Uso counters and hits the Samoan Drop for a two count! Uso climbs to the top, here comes Bron to hold on to his leg.
Uso with a headbutt, Breakker climbs to the top, TOP ROPE FRAKENSTEINER! But it’s just a two count! Dualling “THIS IS AWESOME/YEET” chants. Shots exchanged in the middle of the ring. YEET! BOO! YETT! BOO! Breakker goes for the press again, he hits it, but it’s only a two count! Uso escapes to the outside, but he might not be safe out there, because he comes a faster than the speed of light Breakker into the SPEAR! Back in the ring, and Breakker looking for another SPEAR BUT IT’S COUNTERED WITH HIS OWN SPEAR! Uso to the top, USO SPLASH!!! NO!!! JUST A TWO!!! The fans are in shock!! “Ref, you suck” chant, something you would hear at an NHL or NFL game lol.
Breakker around the ring looking for a Super Spear but he eats a SUPERKICK! Uso looking for a SPEAR THROUGH THE BARRICADE INTO THE TIMEKEEPER’S AREA! THE CENSORS ARE WORKING OVERTIME! SPEAR IN THE RING BY USO! TO THE TOP! THE USO SPLASH! IT’S OVER!!!! JEY USO HAS WON SINGLES GOLD FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HIS CAREER!!! YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET!!!!
WINNERS: Main Event Jey Uso
TIME: 20:49
Thoughts: 14 long years, and six previous singles titles losses. Finally, Uso has won a singles title. Colored me shocked that this title change happened, but damn, was this match great and, damn, was this moment great. And the match itself was amazing.
Rating: ****1/4
Jey Uso takes the title and escapes into the crowd to celebrate with the fans as the show has come to an end!
Overall thoughts
A really fun episode of Raw. It would be easy to point to the main event and the IC title change to Jey Uso from Bron Breakker, but we also got a really good Sami Zayn-Ludwig Kaiser match, a solid women's tag team match, and some progress in terms of the build towards next Saturday's Badd Blood PLE. All of this, and the insanity that was Bronson Reed and Braun Strowman, which has set up a monster mash for next week. The show flew in hours two and three, which is a harbinger of things to come for the show as it goes back to a two hour format in a few weeks time.
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