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Well, everyone, Crown Jewel is in the rear view mirror and it’s time to get all engines going forward towards Survivor Series and some version of War Games. At the Saudi show Liv Morgan beat Nia Jax, Tiffany Stratton did not cash in her briefcase, Cody Rhodes pinned Gunther, and the new Bloodline bested the old then Sami Zayn stuck his nose into things and we’ve got more drama now as the old Bloodline tries to heal wounds and form up in time to meet Solo Sikoa, a couple of goons, and the star Jacob Fatu in War Games.
To that end expect Sami to show up for the Samoan Soap Opera segment tonight, the new tag team champions of the Motor City Machine Guns will be interacting with A-Town Down Under because those two goofs are marginally above Pretty Deadly on the heel tag team scene and that’s all we’re left with at the moment, LA Knight is still the US champion but things with him, Andrade, and Carmelo Hayes could continue.
Randy Orton and Kevin Owens are still at each other's throats, but how does Cody Rhodes figure into that? Cody needs a new challenger and it’s not like Orton hasn’t made eyes at the WWE title so some triple-threat kind of match is possible. AJ Styles is still on the shelf, Shinsuke Nakamura is still nowhere to be found, and there seems to be some budding tension between Jade Cargill and Bianca Belair so we’ll see if that has legs. Anyway, that’s the preamble, let’s get to the action.
First to the ring will be Roman Reigns with Jimmy Uso in tow. Roman gets a mic after his usually long entrance but before he can speak out comes Jey Uso. Jey gets a mic and says he thinks there’s a lot of misunderstanding going on, but he wants Roman to listen to what Sami has to say.
Sami’s music hits and Roman gets a little twitchy but holds his ground. Jey gives Sami his mic and Sami gets a “Sami Uso” chant before first apologizing for kicking Roman in the face at Crown Jewel, he showed up for Jey and he’d love to say he’s only here for Jey tonight but that wouldn’t be true. They haven’t been in the ring together for a long time and he’s spent a lot of time thinking about what he’d say or do in the ring with Roman again, but Crown Jewel with all of them was special.
Being with them was a special time in his life and career, and he won't lie as there’s part of him that has a soft spot for that time together. He knows they all felt it in Saudi Arabia, he knows because they’re all here listening and not fighting, he knows Roman wants all of this back. The opposite of love isn’t hate, it’s indifference, and he doesn’t think Roman is indifferent to Sami, he thinks Roman loves him. He nearly gets Roman to break character and points that out, he knows Roman remembers the good days like everyone else.
Sami makes his case for getting everything they had back. If Roman tells Sami to leave and never be part of Bloodline business ever again he will, but he thinks Roman wants all of them side by side again. And if that’s what Roman wants he’ll do it, but he needs Roman to apologize. Roman takes a moment to consider while a “hug it out” chant starts. Roman then asks for clarity about his apology, and Sami wants him to apologize to Jey.
Jey seems a little surprised by that. Roman walks towards Jey, he says he’s sorry that he let Jey waste his time with Sami. He’s not blood, not honorary, not an Uso, this isn’t about Sami it’s about Solo and Roman calls Solo out for a fight. Sami leaves but as he’s walking we get Jacob Fatu on the screen. Fatu says there’s only the Tribal Chief and everyone else, and Solo is the Tribal Chief so Roman is just everyone else. Solo will come out when he pleases, and Roman will acknowledge that.
Fatu is still really good. The original Bloodline is still in shambles. This was a tad overlong for a segment but the crowd was into it.
In the back Bayley walks, she’ll wrestle Candice LeRae after this break.
Post break we find Roman walking in the back and Jimmy and Jey find him. Jey has something to say to Roman, he asked Roman for one thing and Roman says Sami isn’t anything to them. Jey says that’s his one pass to talk to him like that.
Jimmy asks Roman what he’s doing and Roman tells him to go find his brother if he’s going to press him like this. Roman is left alone. Nice work here from all parties, Roman is going to have to reckon with is ego and make a change if he wants to rally the troops and take out Solo and company.
To the ring and here’s Bayley followed by Candice.
Match #1: Bayley vs. Candice LeRae
Candice with a kick to the knee then an enziguri for a 1 count. Another kick from Candice but Bayley shoulder blocks her down then hits a couple of running attacks. Bayley sends Candice to the apron but Candice fights back and hits a neckbreaker through the ropes to send us to the picture in the picture.
Back in the ring, Candice works some neck holds but misses a senton. Oklahoma Roll from Bayley gets 2 then they head to the apron and trade elbows. Candice eventually hits a running Flatliner on the apron, the hardest part of the ring you know, then follows up with a senton on the floor.
Back in the ring Candice keeps working the neck of Bayley then transitions to some corner work. A jackknife pin can’t keep Bayley down so Candice resumes cranking her neck with the Last Chancery as we come back to the broadcast. Bayley fights up to her feet and throws hands but after a minor botch she winds up in the corner and Candice lands some body blows.
Candice to the apron and slams Bayley down. They fight around the ring post and Candice rams Bayley into it then heads up top and hits a missile dropkick but Bayley no sells then hits a clothesline. Bayley fires up with her corner work and a Snake Eyes then snaps Candice between the ropes. Swinging side slam from Bayley gets 2 then she heads up top for the elbow drop but Candice rolls to the floor. Bayley chases Candice, Candice fakes a knee injury and then fails a roll-up, Bayley is ready for that and grabs a rana pin to get the 3 counts.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Bayley won in 8:01
Rating: 2.5 stars
Thoughts: Fine enough match, I’m not sure if they’re just having Bayley tread water or if there’s about to be a real effort to make Candice a more regular and believable presence on TV. This was fine overall though.
In the back the Motor City Machine guns warm up, Johnny Gargano shows up to trade some pleasantries and tells them punching Grayson Waller in the face is his favorite thing. The Guns walk off and Tommaso Ciampa walks over and complains about Johnny’s attitude.
Ciampa wants to make an example of their opponents tonight. Randy Orton walks by and the camera follows him because he’s more interesting and follows Randy to the ring and we head to break.
Post break we see some of the Buffalo Bills seated ringside. Randy has a mic in the ring and wants to end things with Kevin Owens right now so he can beat him down. Owens is at the top of the ramp but officials are trying to keep them apart, Owens marches to the ring and the brawl is on.
Randy with corner work on Owens but the officials are here. Owens attacks Randy and hits a piledriver though and Randy sells it like death. Cole on commentary: “There’s a reason that move is banned!” Owens looks on as Randy does a stretcher job while selling the neck. I appreciate that they’re trying to sell this as super serious but we’ve seen plenty of piledrivers and this didn’t look especially gnarly.
Cody Rhodes is out now as well to check on Randy as they wheel him out. Randy’s sell job here is genuinely great, he’s making the right noises which is an underrated aspect of selling this kind of thing. We follow Randy’s journey back into an ambulance and Cody heads to the hospital with Randy as we head to break.
We come back to a recap of what just happened to Randy. Commentary opines that Owens must be stopped. Even the entrance of Pretty Deadly couldn’t lift Corey Graves’ mood.
Match #2 – Tag Team Match: Pretty Deadly (Kit Wilson and Elton Prince) vs. DIY (Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa)
Ciampa jumps Prince at the bell and stomps the heck out of him then kicks him out of the ring. Ciampa runs wild on Prince and slams him into the announce table over and over again. Johnny tries to get Ciampa to focus on wrestling. Ciampa then launches Wilson into the time keepers area then rams Prince into the ring steps a few times.
Johnny looks distressed and wants a tag as Ciampa and Prince get in the ring. Ciampa ignores him and hits the Fairy Tale Ending to win.
OFFICIAL RESULT: DIY won in 1:30
Rating: Spaghetti. . . SQUASH
Thoughts: Delicious delicious squash.
Ciampa and Johnny head out.
After this break, Jade Cargill and Bianca Belair take on Nia Jax and Tiffany Stratton.
Post break we see Roman being twitchy by himself in the back.
After that a recap of Liv Morgan vs. Nia Jax from Crown Jewel.
In the back Candice walks and mutters to herself, Tiffany Stratton finds her and mocks her. Nia Jax comes over and asks if Tiffany got this match made tonight and Tiffany makes the sell for the match. Candice brings up that if she’d been there for Jax she’d have won at Crown Jewel. Jax just tells Tiffany this plan better work and they head out.
To the ring and here come our women’s tag team champions for this non-title match. When Jade does turn on Belair it’s likely to be pretty memorable. Nia Jax and Tiffany head down after them.
Match #3 – Tag Team Match: Jade Cargill and Bianca Belair vs. Nia Jax and Tiffany Stratton
Tiffany and Jade start us off, Tiffany talks a bit too much and Jade stats tossing her around then Tiffany slaps Jade. Jade stops a tag and hits a fall away slam. Tiffany then tags out and Jade calls on Jax. Tiffany runs around to cheap shot Belair and that distraction allows Jax to hit Jade with a Samoan Drop and we head to break.
Jax is still in control of Jade as we come back. Jade fights back with a jawbreaker but eats a headbutt. Jade hits a suplex and both women are down. Belair and Tiffany both tag in and Belair runs wild on Tiffany for a bit then she hits a 10 punch in the corner but Tiffany slips free then eats a spinebuster. Handspring moonsault from Belair but Tiffany gets the knees up and tags in Jax.
Belair avoids a corner rush, and then tries a Kiss of Death on Jax but can’t quite get her up. Jax picks up Tiffany and Belair takes a Blockbuster and Samoan Drop combination but Jade breaks up the pin. Jade and Jax square up again and trade strikes to kind of a stalemate. Tiffany then hits Belair with a hip attack but misses her running double stomp then Belair hits something between a Spear and a Pounce. Belair is up top, Jax distracts the ref as Candice shoves Belair off the top rope.
Tiffany then hits the double stomp but yells at Candice to get lost only for Naomi to run down and attack Candice. Things break down on the floor and Jade levels Jax with a superkick then Belair hits Tiffany with the Kiss of Death to win.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Jade Cargill and Bianca Belair won in 9:25
Rating: 2.5 stars
Thoughts: Belair and Tiffany looked good together, high-speed stuff between them that brought some life to this. The stuff between Jade and Jax was meant to pop bigger than it did, Jax has lost a bit of aura lately and Jade needs to show off her power more than she has if they want a better reaction to them.
Grayson Waller and Austin Theory walk as we head to break.
Post break it’s match time. Waller and Theory start in the ring.
Match #4 – Tag Team Match: Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin) vs. A-Town Down Under (Grayson Waller and Austin Theory)
Theory and Shelley start, Waller sets up a cheap shot and Theory takes it. Some corner work from Theory by Shelley fights back then Sabin with a tag to set up some tag team offense. The crowd is a little quiet, Waller tags in but Sabin hits an arm drag and starts working the arm.
Sabin hits the ropes but runs into a leg lariat. Shelley with a blind tag and Sabin disposes of Theory then Waller takes a double kick. Waller rolls to the bottom rope and hugs it. Shelley outmoves Waller and lands chops then unloads corner punches and blocks a Theory attack then hits a plancha on Theory but Shelley starts selling his left leg. That sets up Waller cutting off Shelley as he gets back in the ring and we head to picture in picture.
Theory tags in and Shelley gets double-teamed for a bit. Theory with his usual slow paced control stuff, Waller with a cheap shot cuts off his comeback just before we come back to break. Shelley then lands a boot but Sabin is down on the floor and Waller tags in then they hit a double elbow strike for a 2 count. Waller tosses Shelley out of the ring but Shelley avoids a dive and hits a superkick.
Shelley kicks Theory but that means Waller is able to block his tag and land knees but Shelley avoids a corner splash and both men tag out. Sabin runs wild on Theory for a bit including dropkicking Theory out of the ring. Waller gets sent out as well then Shelley holds the ropes open for Sabin to hit a suicide dive onto both men. Back in the ring Shelley tags in and Theory gets hit with a dropkick-assisted Flatliner for a near fall. Shelley works the arm of Theory then tags in Sabin but Waller pulls Shelley off the apron and Theory hits a cross chop.
O’Connor Roll from Sabin but Waller hits a rolling Flatliner but only a 2 count as Theory makes the cover. Waller then gets tagged in and lays in mounted punches and follows with the second rope elbow drop but Sabin avoids it and grabs a crucifix for 2. Shelley tags in and Waller eats double boots then they hit the Skull and Bones to win.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Motor City Machine Guns won in 10:33
Rating: 2.5 stars
Thoughts: In terms of action this was closer to 3 stars but the crowd just didn’t care about most of this and that hurt. The crowd is slowly warming to the Guns but they’re not there yet.
The Guns celebrate in the ring.
In the back Roman is still pensive and contemplative as we head to break.
Post break we see UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira in the crowd, he got a decent pop which is nice.
Another Crown Jewel recap, this time focused on Cody vs. Gunther.
Next an update on Randy, he’s being evaluated for cervical injuries.
In the back the Guns walk and Tommaso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano walk up, so do the Street Profits and the Profits get a tag team title shot next week. Ciampa is about to blow a gasket and storms off. Shelley says they’re here to wrestle the best and look forward to the match next week.
Nick Aldis in a video, talks about the women of WWE and then reveals the women’s US title. OK then. If this is the kind of title that can move between brands then a midcard women’s title is perfectly fair but I don’t think either brand alone has the roster depth to make that work.
Next week Nia Jax vs. Naomi for the women’s title and the Machine Guns against the Profits for the tag team titles.
In the back, Jacob Fatu puts the ulafala on Solo Sikoa then the new Bloodline head to the ring. There’s going to be a lot of talking by those men after this break.
Post break Solo’s got a mic and offers Buffalo the chance to acknowledge him. Right after that Roman’s music hits and Roman heads to the ring all alone. Roman has a mic but it’s Solo who speaks first and needs Roman to acknowledge him as the Tribal Chief. Roman thinks about it then asks if Buffalo acknowledges Solo, apparently they do not.
Well that means neither does Roman. Romanwon'tt ever acknowledge Solo, he’s here to challenge Solo. One on one, winner is the only Tribal Chief. Solo laughs and says he doesn’t need to fight Roman, he’s already the Tribal Chief. Roman can’t become a chief without a tribe behind him. Instead how about Solo challenges Roman to find 4 people to team with him,whot will team up against them in War Game?. Solo flubbed that just a bit. Roman wants confirmation of War Games but only sees 4 on Solo’s side. Solo counts for Roman the four of them but says the fifth guys is his friend Sami Zayn.
Sami, Zayn music, does slowly walk down the ramp. Roman gets jumped and Solo trash talks him, Sami kicked Roman on purpose, but the Usos shows up to try and even the odds and things break down but the Samoan Werewolf Jacob Fatu handles Jimmy and Jey. Solo goes for the Samoan Spike on Roman but pauses to demand Sami head to the ring. Sami heads to the ring and Solo tells him to kick Roman in the face, to remember what Roman did to him and Sami ulimately kicks Solo in the head.
Fatu shows up but Roman and Sami together handle him and Roman sets to Spear Solo which connects to a thunderous reaction. Sami is still staring down Roman as Jey and Jimmy get into the ring. Jey is by Sami while Jimmy is beside Roman, Jimmy and Jey pose with fingers to the sky, Roman and Sami still have tension but Sami points upward as well and ultimately Roman joins in for the original Bloodline to stand tall as the episode ends. There’s still tension between the group but that’ll make for good drama as they might look for a 5th member for War Games. Or we go 4 on 4 for War Games, which isn’t impossible but War Games usually works better with 5.
Overall thoughts
Astory-heavyy episode this week, the wrestling itself was fine but was pretty clearly a bit of an afterthought to the soap opera stuff. That's not a criticism, just an observation. The Guns going through some of the established tag teams is good to set up a more serious program with DIY as Ciampa gets closer and closer to losing his mind.
Putting Randy on the shelf, temporarily at least, means Cody can deal with him for his Survivor Series program but then Randy can return with a vengeance maybe closer to the Rumble to fight with Owens some more.
The bulk of this was about the original Bloodline slowly working to mend fences, and Roman very much needs to shift his character as he's visibly still the same guy he was during that run and that will fracture the group at this point if he doesn't make amends. But that's good drama. Pretty breezy two hours tonight and things are starting to roll towards Survivor Series.
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