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So this is finally dropping tomorrow https://twitter.com/bluebeetle/status/1642557534249848832?t=cGaL4xoUxs5op7jQG6OiqA&s=19 |
Bacteria8:You be Bastard? How does what I'm saying correlate with what that dunce talks about on here? |
I'm not impressed 😪 Not even in the least😤 |
score 6 goals today and then regress back to mean and look clueless against Barca in attack. Bastards. |
After I done cast am finish him go score quick Hattrick. Bastard striker |
Devvy4:He is not wise. Benzema sef na Bastard if him no remind am |
See clear chance wey Benzema just miss. No single killer instinct |
Devvy4:You wan reason with Person wey talk say Pochettino na him choice? We are doomed...Benzema is not going anywhere and they'll renew Asensio. |
Calibrator:No be lie |
Kroos dey play like Jonjo Shelvy, just misplacing passes upandan |
None of our right backs Sabi cross ball again 😭😩 |
Devvy4:No be lie Who is the strongest imbeciile ![]() See wetin we dey play, just dey dirty my eyes |
WWE NXT stand and deliver REVIEWS RECAPS AND REACTIONS HIM When they write the story about NXT 2.0, the tale starts and ends with Bron Breakker & Carmelo Hayes. While the short-lived rebrand created a few stars and several dope moments, it’s those two who stood out above the rest. Excluding Mandy Rose, of course. When the 2.0 era, at least in branding, ended several months ago, NXT made their endgame obvious: Bron vs. Melo at the biggest show of the year for the biggest prize in the territory. Bron reigned supreme as 2.0’s champion, ushering the brand into a different philosophy and style than what came before. But anyone with even half a clue knew his future lied on either Mondays or Fridays. Melo, on the other hand, still needed that validation. Yes, he reigned supreme as the A Champion with the North American title, but a championship reign as the guy solidifies his run and paves the way for his future. One thing painfully obvious, even if the storytelling only hinted at it, was is the fact Melo can’t be the man with Bron standing in his way. They either cancel each other out or Bron’s pedigree blocks out the sun. That made this match inevitable and its result rewarding. As he often did during his North American championship reign, Melo tried wrestling his opponent’s style. Matching Bron strength for strength is a stupid move, which Melo learned the hard way very early. Bron, to his credit, stayed in his game. But the story settled on a tale of an immovable object vs. an unstoppable force. They worked psychology a bit with Bron targeting Melo’s lower back and Melo going after Bron’s right shoulder. yet neither of those moves really got either man that far. At a certain point, with both men spent, they resorted to throwing bombs in the middle of the ring. Thankfully, they played it honest with Melo only withstanding but so many punches from Bron before falling to his butt and then throwing kicks. Again, you’re better off going blow for blow with Tony Montana than Bron Breakker. But then came parts of the story that felt unnecessary. The ref ejected Trick Williams early after Trick saved Melo from possible destruction at Bron’s hands. That early decision made sense but then we got a third act ref bump for basketball reasons. While Melo tapped to a Steiner Recliner, Trick Willy appeared Randy Orton RKO style and nailed the champ with the NXT title. See? That I don’t like. I don’t think Bron needs all that protection in the loss and moving to the main roster. Especially since Bron kicked out of Trick’s cheap shot. The hilarious part came when the crowd voiced their disapproval for the ref’s two-count. Even when cheating, the crowd loves Melo. But I digress. The match continued, sans interference, and Melo won by exerting the one obvious advantage he has over Bron: quickness. He maneuvered his way out of a Military Press Slam, reversed it into a Codebreaker, and went to the top rope. From that point, Melo don’t miss. While not the event’s best match, it still delivered on its high expectations. Less booking shenanigans with Trick and the ref give it a higher grade but hey, there’s nothing wrong with not attaining perfection when one firmly grasps greatness. And, of course, the bottomline is we have a new NXT champion, and his name is HIM. B-Sides And...NEW.. For a couple weeks, I wondered about Indi Hartwell’s NXT career and WWE career overall. She seemed trapped in that endless “fits and starts” loop that dooms so many wrestlers to mediocrity or life in the mid-card. And even in this ladder match for the NXT Women’s championship, she looked like an afterthought. Yes, she definitely got her spots in and dished out punishment as good as she got, but this looked like Tiffany Stratton or Roxanne Perez’s night. Roxanne specifically moved on a different level. She looked crisper, stronger, faster, and just steps ahead of the competition. Stratton showed off her raw power, and even Zoey Stark just womanhandled everyone, truly choosing violence for a match that calls for it. But then a couple things happened. Gigi Dolin found herself at the top of the ladder with everyone spent and no one in her vicinity. But guess who popped up and ruined Gigi’s dreams? If you said Jacy Jayne then you either watched the event or took a great guess. Jacy knocked her former partner off the ladder and crushed Jacy’s WrestleMania weekend dreams. Obviously this thing between these two never settled, but picking this moment for Jacy only puts more heat on her and the feud itself. Smart move. The next moment came Stratton found herself all alone too. Or so she thought. With everyone laid out on one side of the ring, Tiffany climbed the ladder and it looked academic. But the one person Tiffany ignored, the one person everyone ignored, the one person that only one Cageside member picked (see, Sean? Sometimes you’re right), and the one woman with the most on the line showed up at the very last minute: Indi Hartwell. Indi pushed Tiffany off the ladder and onto the floor. With Indi all alone and with her dreams finally in her grasp, something still held her down. With all the energy spent during the match, along with all the physical punishment, Indi didn’t have much in the tank. She stumped going up the ladder and it looked hopeless. In fact, that moment, along with Tiffany forgetting about her, illustrated her NXT career thus far: Always close but no cigar and forgotten about during big moments. But in one of the best story moments of the night, and one of the best since NXT’s rebrand started 18 months ago, Dexter Lumis appeared seemingly out of nowhere as he usually does. Dexter slid under the ladder as his wife kept falling. Dexter gave her the thumbs up and put her on his shoulders as her climbed the ladder. InDex worked in unison. Indi grabbed the championship and celebrated while her husband made sure she got all of the spotlight. Beautiful moment, great storytelling, and a great match to boot. Accreditation Continued Well, well, well. Duke Hudson finally showed his true colors: black and red. Before we get there though, let’s talk about a few crucial moments in the story. First, Tyler Bate and Duke bumped heads once or twice, foreshadowing a collision that seems unavoidable because wrestling. Secondly, Ava made her NXT in-ring debut! Ava didn’t get much time with Thea Hail, but she showed some potential in the very short time she received. Not enough to make an impression, but just enough to look like she belongs. Hopefully we get more of her in the future even if that doesn’t come in matches with Thea. And why is that you ask? Thirdly, Duke flirted with the dark side. While I never bought into the idea that he believed whatever Joe Gacy whispered into his ear, it at least built on Duke’s previously acknowledged frustration. Schism put down each Chase U member, and Tyler, one by one, with only Hudson remaining. Duke launched back into the ring and put himself between Schism and his school. Gacy held the wolves at bay and tempted Duke with membership and a t-shirt, no doubt right on par with the serpent whispering into Eve’s ear if you believe in that sort of thing. Duke put on the Schism merch and took their side in a standoff that looked like Chase U’s demise. In the least shocking, but very emotionally rewarding move, Duke ripped off the Schism shirt, attacked Schism from behind, and the rest of Chase U joined in the attack with four simultaneous “Chase U” stomps. Very dope moment that signified the beginning of the end for Joe and co. Chase U lives another day and for now, Duke looks fully onboard. Coffey on Top The Gallus boys seemed overconfident going into a match with the odds stacked against them. Then Joe Coffey showed up and provided the “why.” The match didn’t do much for me because it really didn’t get that much time. We got a few fun spots, but nothing that felt worthy of this event. And maybe that’s because of the time, plus the twist ending. Joe showed up, wrecked Tony D’Angelo, and then Gallus flattened Stacks for the W. Gallus boys, still on top but not without some help. Cardiac FTW There are certain matches that defy words. And certain matches that live up to all their insurmountable expectations. The five man dance for the North American championship is one of those matches. Wes Lee, Ilja Dragunov, JD McDonagh, Axiom, and Dragon Lee put on a perfect match. Perfectly paced, laced with story, filled with violence, and several moments not thought physically possible on this planet. I can give you clips but truthfully, fire up Peacock and watch it. Just know Wes pinned Dragunov to retain, Dragunov and McDonagh almost let their hate for each other blind them to the bigger picture, and Axiom vs. Dragon Lee needs to happen not now but right now. Standing ovation for everyone involved. This is The Way Thoughts and prayers for Grayson Waller’s back. Seriously. I said beforehand that even a loss puts Waller on firm footing. After his unsanctioned match with Johnny Gargagno, Waller is on incredibly solid ground. He showed another level of violence, sadism, and fortitude as well. Johnny wore his emotions on his sleeve, starting early with a super kick right to Waller’s dome before the bell rang when Waller tried a sneak attack with a chair. That emotion carried over into the rest of the match, most notably when Candice LeRae got involved. Now, adding Candice at ringside with their baby Quinn might not work for everyone. It’s exploitative to the core but professional sports entertainment wrestling never shies away from it’s ridiculous roots. Waller goaded Candice before the match and during the match, so with no rules, it makes complete sense that Candice exerted herself because she doesn’t need her husband to fight for her when she’s more than capable. I liked the moment and loved her tearing up Grayson’s body with a kendo stick. Eventually, Waller’s back, along with his ego, just gave out. Once he set Johnny on the commentary table and took his sweet time climbing the top rope, that was it. Johnny moved, attacked, and then hoisted Grayson on his own petard with a Powerbomb through that same table. After a little back and forth, Johnny’s emotion erupted in the form of several chair shots. The best moment? Johnny wrapping a chair around Grayson’s neck like a horse collar and then hitting that chair with another chair. Grayson spun like the Tasmanian Devil before collapsing in the middle of the ring. No escape from the Gargano Escape and that was it. And yeah, that happened. And...NEW Kiana James & Fallon Henley lost their tag titles to Isla Dawn & Alba Fyre. A foregone conclusion for anyone paying attention, but the “how” raises questions. Kiana needed help as she and Fallon struggled. She begged Brooks Jensen to give up her purse. Traditionally, Kiana finds plunder in said purse, so Brooks knew the deal. But a beleaguered Fallon and Josh Briggs told Brooks “nah.” Repeatedly. With Kiana distracted and no equalizer on her side, Isla & Alba took care of business. While Briggs, Jensen, Kiana, & Fallon stood together at the end of the match, even without championships, one wonders whether Brooks blames his two best friends for this loss. One also ponders what this means for Kiana & Fallon’s tenuous partnership. Kiana never realigned herself as a face just because of her partner or her other partner; she’s still a heel. It was only a matter of time before her ways clashed with Fallon’s ways. Throwing Brooks in the middle makes for an interesting story. While the match itself felt adequate, the drama after proved juicy enough for interest. If you’re into that kinda thing. Stand & Deliver did its namesake. I made that same joke last year but hey, if they keep doing their thing, the joke works. Even if NXT didn't put on a flawless show, they still executed at a very high level. Great appetizer for the rest of the weekend with three new champions, several interesting stories going into NXT’s next phase, and Bron officially passing the torch as he heads to the big time. Grade: A- |
jerrykk:The match was definitely 5stars🔥🔥🔥 |
100naira:April fools has ended Let them change it back mbok |
NeoWanZaeed:3hrs+ |
WWE wrestlemania night 1 REVIEWS RECAPS AND REACTIONS The Social Network The first and only time I got chills down my spine from wrestling was Chris Jericho’s WWF debut. Something about that moment just ran through my soul and created that physical reaction. And since it never happened after that, I figured it never would. Then came Sami Zayn & Kevin Owens vs. The Usos. I got a little water in my eye, felt the tingle up and down my spine, and actually sat back in my chair smiling. When wrestling works, I mean really works, it creates emotional moments through character. It defines their struggle, it makes them persevere, and then eventually rewards them with an often hard fought victory. I can’t think of another match in recent history that accomplished that better for me than WrestleMania 39’s first main event. Sami made his overtures to The Bloodline almost one year ago exactly. And everything that happened between April 2022 and April 2023 bled over into this match. It started with Sami and Jey Uso, as it should. While Jimmy Uso felt betrayed, Jey’s pain runs deep. Every punch, elbow, or kick from Jey felt different. Sami hurt him and The Bloodline overall, so they made sure they isolated Sami from KO early. In fact, most of the match featured Sami getting Superkick after Superkick from both Usos and never staying down for a 3-count. Any time it looked like Kevin might make a save, Jimmy & Jey shut it down. They even slammed the man through the main commentary table just for more time with Sami! But Sami never stayed down. He withstood Superkicks, Uso Splashes, and became the first man in WWE history to kick out of the 1D. That’s as the 1D or the 3D, he’s the first. While that might not mean a whole lot separately, it means a whole lot in context. By that point, Sami looked like a dead man barely walking. He kept kicking out of things on pure instinct and looked awful as the match progressed. The more punishment he survived, the harder Jimmy & Jey went at him. It was professional with KO but extremely personal with Sami. Jey even screamed at Sami that he should’ve never left The Bloodline and he called him brother. That’s real emotion! I always praise this Bloodline saga because of the humanity. Yes, the wrestling works well and it's often above average, but it’s the wrestling combined with the emotion and character that truly make these matches memorable. They tell complete stories from beginning to end with giant emotional swings that work completely because of all the work done prior. That’s why Jey yelling at Sami between kicks works. That’s why Jey nailing Sami with a Helluva Kick elicited an audible gasp in my house. Jey didn’t do the kick to mock Sami; he did it because he’s hurt and he wants Sami in as much pain if not more than he is at the moment. But around the third act, things shifted for Sami and KO because KO found himself on that ring apron right after Sami found an opening. Jey let that emotion get the better of him and took too much time for a follow up attack after that Helluva Kick. Sami nailed an Exploder into the turnbuckle, and gave KO the tag he so desperately craved. It looked like, for a moment, that Sami & KO might walk out of L.A. at that moment with the tag titles in hand, but Jey kicked out of KO’s Stunner. That threw everything in disarray and more emotion bubbled over as the four men squared off in the ring on wobbly knees. After taking all that punishment, KO & Sami showed they still wanted a fight when they started throwing fists at Jimmy & Jey. But even that didn’t give the Canadian best friends the advantage because The Usos handed out more invitations to their Superkick Party, then followed with a double Uso Splash afterparty on KO. AND HE KICKED OUT! Only in a match like this can we have so many false finishes and kicking out of finishers. Sure, the tag titles on the line helps, but it goes back to the emotion. The wrestlers earned the ability to play with the art form in this way and defy expectations for the sake of great storytelling. That’s why Kevin kicked out and that’s why The Usos went for a home run and possibly got greedy in the process. They put Kevin on the top rope for what I assume was a big 1D. But they ignored Sami. Actually, they forgot about Sami. They got so frustrated with their opponents’ resilience that they lost sight of the Sami Zayn problem. True to his word, Sami became a problem for Jimmy & Jey. He pulled Jimmy out of the ring, launched him over the oh so reliable Spanish announce table, and got his third wind. Once Sami got the tag from KO, he went to work. And finally, the story ended the only way it should: Sami vs. Jey. Sami nailed Jey with not one, not two, but three Helluva Kicks. But the way he took his time, it clearly hurt him. He even apologized to Jey after the first one. Sami never wanted this and there’s a part of him that still dreams of that day when he, Jey & Jimmy can ride together and die together again. But in this moment, he did what he had to do to fulfill his mission: eradicating The Bloodline. After the third Helluva Kick, Sami finally pinned his former brother in the middle of the ring and we got new Undisputed Tag Team champions. I don’t know what else to say. If WrestleMania night one is a perfect sundae, then this match is the ripe cherry on top. It’s the art form working at its highest level and sets an incredibly high bar for anyone who dares follow it. B-Sides Rocky II Wow. That’s it, just wow. Charlotte Flair and Rhea Ripley made WrestleMania Night 1 theirs. I’m still in shock and utter awe from what I saw and the show these two women provided. These two put on a heavyweight fight. And I mean that in the most literal sense. They fought stiff, they both walked away with bruises, and they threw bombs. They made poetry in the ring together and, if you follow this site’s Bird app account, took it personally that someone else got the main event spot. It came down to who needed the match more and that was Rhea Ripley. Seriously, I got nothing else other than these two tore it up, deserve all the props in the world, and put on one of the best matches in WrestleMania history. Unforgiven I knew the Make-A-Wish kids showing up meant bad things for Austin Theory but I didn’t know how. Turns out, John Cena was right: Win or lose, Theory loses. WWE protected Cena in several ways during this United States championship match. Theory bit Cena to escape the STFU, we got a ref bump, Theory tapped to that same move with no ref in sight, and then Theory set up the A-Town Down with a low blow. It’s the kind of ending that leaves me indifferent. Cena takes the very questionable L while Theory doesn’t really disprove anything Cena said about the man many weeks ago. Plus? If you watched Stand & Deliver you saw this finish almost verbatim. While the match itself had its moments, it also met the bar (but it wasn’t the Bar) for what I expected from a John Cena match in 2023. I just wish WWE fully committed to giving Theory the W rather than providing Cena—and the fans—several excuses and reasons to not believe Austin’s theory of the case. The Rock Anyone thinking Michael Bay is all Transformers needs a serious education. Bad Boys, Bad Boys II, Pain & Gain, and Ambulance prove he’s more than robots in disguise. But if there’s one movie that truly illustrates Bay’s particular brand, it’s The Rock. An action movie that ramps up the pressure and stakes scene-by-scene, with interesting characters, clear motivations, and even a few choice quotes. What happened between The Street Profits, Ricochet & Braun Strowman, Alpha Academy, and The Viking Raiders is the wrestling equivalent of The Rock. The spots started slow but whew they ramped up and seemingly topped themselves. Strowman jumped from the top rope, Ricochet hit an impossible Shooting Star Press, and Angelo Dawkins showed the Strowman Express isn’t unstoppable. Which is a Tony Scott movie, not Michael Bay. I say all that to point out that you should watch this. It was spot after spot after spot and just a lot of fun. The Street Profits won and get their shot at the tag team champs, but on the real, we all won. Rebel Without a Cause Logan Paul is a phenomenal professional wrestler. Straight up and down, he only gets better every time we see him. Imagine if he really did this as a full-time gig? Of course he doesn't have to with things like Prime, his very own sports drink. Speaking of Prime, someone dressed in a Prime bottle sauntered down the ring with Logan before his match with Seth Rollins. I earlier thought it was Jake Paul that wore the disguise but as this amazing match went on, we got our answer: KSI. Now, full disclosure, I had no idea who that was before Twitter informed me. I go to YouTube for very few things and Logan Paul content isn’t on that list. But KSI involved himself and helped Logan create a streaming viral moment. Logan placed Seth on the Spanish team’s commentary table while KSI pulled out the phone for a livestream. KSI talked his trash while Logan climbed the top rope. Problem? KSI did too much talking and Logan took too much time. Seth switched positions with KSI and Logan went airborne then crash landed on top of his boy. That’s one of several moments worth remembering from this match that told the story I assumed: Seth may not feel Logan belongs but Logan proved he does. Seth got the win after countering Logan’s Coast-to-Coast attempt with a hellacious Superkick, followed by a Curb Stomp. Watch this match as soon as you can. And if you watched it live? Watch it again. If you watched it in Cali? I hope you caught your breath. Blast from the Past First off, “back to the future” doesn’t mean what WWE thinks it means when they keep repeating it. It’s not about bringing the past to the present or future. Even within context of the film it doesn’t mean that; it simply means sending someone back to the future. That’s it. Okay, rant over. Trish Stratus still handles her business in the ring. That and the fact that Damage CTRL might be redundant at this point. But yeah, Trish looks like she retained all her steps. Grant it, it’s a small-ish sample size, but she looked really impressive. Hopefully we see more of her going forward even if it’s limited. I like that the match started as a match but turned into something else thanks to Becky and Bayley. Their beef took the match to another level and, of course, created an environment for several all out brawls. During one of those brawls, Lita & Becky gave Trish a boost that made it possible for Trish to put Dakota Kai in a beautiful head scissors takedown that launched her onto her teammates. In the end, it came down to Bayley and Becky after Lita & Trish dispensed Dakota & IYO SKY from the ring with their patented moves. Bayley went for a Bayley-to-Belly on the top rope but Becky countered into an emphatic Manhandle Slam. The faces walked off victorious while I wonder what happens with Damage CTRL. They can withstand this loss but I’m not sure how many more they can take before losing all credibility. Big Fish Dom is incredible. The opening for this match rocked my world. The short video featuring Dom behind bars, getting into a police van, and then getting a police escort to the ring? Put all of that in my veins. I talk about this every Monday but the character work and progression for Dom is a thing of beauty and often the most entertaining thing in the territory. Rey almost topped that entrance showing up in a Low Rider with Snoop Dogg behind the wheel and “Nuthin’ But a ‘G’ Thang” bumping through SoFi Stadium. Look, if you want to win my heart, just play some well-honed ‘90s Hip Hop. Rey then transitioned to Eddie Guerrero’s theme as he and Snoop entertained the crowd and showed love to his fallen friend. All seamless, all logical, and all great. But then the match lived up to the very high bar the opening set. We got action with Dom and Rey going back and forth in the ring. We got emotion when Dom disrespected his moms and sister at ringside by spitting water in his sister’s face and getting in his moms’ face. We got drama when Judgment Day showed up and tried tilting the scales in Dom’s favor. We got excitement when the LWO (YES!) saved Rey and evened the odds for Rey. And, we got a last second twist when Bad Bunny, who joined the Spanish commentary team, interjected on Rey’s behalf when Dom grabbed a chain big enough for a dinosaur and sat his sights squarely on his father. The WrestleMania Backlash host snatched the chain out of Dom’s hands, and Rey finished off his son with a 619 and a Frog Splash. So much fun, great storytelling, and a finish that sets the stage for the next big event as I foresee Bad Bunny, Rey, and Dom involved in some tag match configuration. The Longest Yard Two things: Pat McAfee’s surprise showings never get old and the DX chop will never go out of style. The Miz “wanted” a match and Pat McAfee answered the call. George Kittle, 49ers Tight End for those of you who don’t watch the NFL, sat in the front row and got involved when Miz got in his face. Pat Mac beat Miz with help from Kittle, and they celebrated with a couple DX chops. A nice breather after Charlotte and Rhea tore down the house. Plus nobody takes a beating quite like Miz. This was an incredible night. Just like 2022, WrestleMania Night one set an example for the rest of the weekend. Even the match lineup was perfect! Grade: A |
ALEXAPLAYME:I'm already gearing up to be the most antagonistic Madridista if this happens 😪😖 |
Kaycee7:I'm about to watch this on Netflix before wrestlemania starts ![]() |
TheMaterialist:Yea it can work on him in some iterations and in some he can resist it long enough to launch a counter. |
Illusioneffect:This new colour is something else...too cringe and ugly. I don't think Seun even cares ![]() |
TheMaterialist:Yes it can although Beings like Darksied can attempt to resist it sometimes. Depends on the story. |
Baddestguyp:Bruh😪😪 These developers have no idea what beauty looks like. |
Avatar the way of water... Oyaskii thanks for that 5gb plug🔥🔥
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ALEXAPLAYME:Please this is not true😓 |
WWE SMACKDOWN REVIEWS RECAPS AND REACTIONS If you’re wondering what Cody Rhodes would decide to talk about during his promo on the WrestleMania 39 go home episode of Friday Night SmackDown in Los Angeles, would you believe me if I told you he started rapping 2Pac’s part in the 1996 hit “California Love?” Soon as he stepped on the scene. He came off it quickly enough, just in time to do a little bit of shooting on Roman Reigns, and making clear that he’s left all the other personas in the past behind him, and now is the time for him to be The Guy. Now is the time for him to finish… Before he could say “the story,” Roman’s music hit. Foreshadowing? Probably not, but I really liked it nonetheless. I also quite liked that Reigns didn’t even bother telling LA to acknowledge him, because he doesn’t care about any of them. Instead, he turned to Rhodes and said “it’s not their turn — it’s your turn.” “Cody Rhodes — ACKNOWLEDGE ME!” His music hit, and the credits rolled with the two of them staring each other down. It was understated but I absolutely loved it. They’ve said all they need to say. There’s nothing left to do but fight it out in the ring. Soon. The Usos kicked off the show this week, and they were quickly joined by Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn so they could lay it all on the line in one last talk before they get to throw down at WrestleMania 39. It got a bit heavy. Owens looked up to Jimmy and Jey for being there for him early in his WWE run. But then they started doing Roman Reigns’ bidding and everything changed. He’s still a bit conflicted — he won’t like what he has to do to win the tag team titles from them. But he’s damn sure going to do it. When Jimmy and Jey got to respond, they spoke of family and everything it means. When Zayn cut in, it was with one hell of a line. “Blood isn’t the only thing that makes family — loyalty is too.” This offended the hell out of Jey, but Sami kept talking and you could tell his words were getting to him. There’s always been that sliver of doubt within Jey when it comes to Reigns. We’ve all seen it. Foreshadowing, perhaps? Zayn promised to bring it all to an end at WrestleMania. They’re taking the tag team championship and The Bloodline will fall and maybe The Usos can go back to being the guys they were when Owens first showed up, the good guys they spoke of just minutes before. “Nah, it’s gonna be the same thing it always is — you’re going to lose the big match and Kevin Owens is going to stab you in the back. AGAIN!” This was one hell of a back and forth, and set up the match just as well as they possibly could with one final opportunity to do just that. All the rest -With a Fatal 4-Way men’s tag team match set for WrestleMania, what better way to give us a preview for it then by having a member of each team work a Fatal 4-Way singles match just one night before? That’s what we got here, with Montez Ford vs. Ricochet vs. Chad Gable vs. Erik. It actually served its purpose well, considering they had a plainly fun match that saw Ricochet take advantage of a Ford splash on Gable following up with a big moonsault to score the pinfall and the victory. -WWE went the predictable route, booking Bobby Lashley to win the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal. As far as battle royals go, it wasn’t bad. They got the tag teams out in pairs, did an elimination save spot for BUTCH, gave us a couple of interesting mid-ring square offs featuring big beefy men, and an impressive performance for a guy who didn’t win in Bronson Reed. This could very well be all the Lashley we get during WrestleMania weekend, and that would be a bit of a shame but he at least got to shine here. Having said all that, LA Knight was very clearly the most over guy in that battle royal — with a special shout to Maximum Male Models, who also got a nice response for their spot in the match — and it would also be a real shame if Knight isn’t involved in WrestleMania in some form or fashion. -With a Fatal 4-Way women’s tag team match set for WrestleMania, what better way to give us a preview for it then by having a member of each team work a Fatal 4-Way singles match one night before? That’s what we got here, with Raquel Rodriguez vs. Natalya vs. Shayna Baszler vs. Sonya Deville. They weren’t given nearly the same amount of time as the men were, and the match wasn’t given a chance to be anywhere near as good either. Sadly, it could also be a preview of what’s to come at WrestleMania, just for the wrong reasons. -Another big trope WWE made sure to hit on this show — WILL THEY GET ALONG?!? Drew McIntyre and Sheamus will be involved in a triple threat match for the Intercontinental championship at WrestleMania 39 but they had to team on this show against Imperium. Wouldn’t you know it, they couldn’t get along! Despite this, they managed to put differences aside just enough to hit their finishers on Ludwig Kaiser and Giovanni Vinci, with Sheamus scoring the winning pinfall for the squad. Then, a staredown as GUNTHER watched on a monitor backstage. Nothing terribly noteworthy in any of this. They focused on building to the two biggest matches at WrestleMania, but spending time on two Fatal 4-Way matches for two time filler WrestleMania matches over doing literally anything for Charlotte Flair and Rhea Ripley felt like a misstep to me. Still, it was a good show. Grade: B |
andrew444:And this is reality sadly |
Good news this new month I hope it happens
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WWE NXT REVIEWS RECAPS AND REACTIONS Full Effect There’s something poetic about Johnny Gargano getting a grudge match at Stand & Deliver. As Grayson said this week, it’s a full circle moment for him and Johnny. Grayson wants Johnny’s spot, bottomline. He craves that adoration and love, even if his anger hides it. Grayson called him the “greatest big match superstar in NXT history” and Grayson used Johnny as his own launching pad 15 months ago when he blasted him with a steel chair and became the man we know today. Johnny essentially created Grayson. Johnny “made” Grayson on his way out the door and when he walked back into that door, his family paid the price when Grayson stalked them at their home. After all the time away, I doubt Johnny foresaw an unsanctioned match with Waller at Stand & Deliver. And yet, it makes sense. Props to everyone involved for making this seem like long-form storytelling and reading this much emotion in a pretty short time. We all expected Johnny at Grayson’s contract signing because, duh, wrestling. But that didn’t make it less fulfilling seeing him put hands on a guy who deserves more than what he got in that moment. Carmelo Hayes and Bron Breakker might get all the hype but there’s a chance these two steal the show right out from under their feet. They had the more effective build, an easier heel vs. face dynamic, and it got extra personal. And hearing Grayson put the whole story together this week, starting from that one chair shot all those moons ago, put the finishing touches on some solid storytelling over the past month. If they choose the right type of violence, win or lose, this does wonders for Grayson’s career and gets him one step closer to the main roster. Extracurriculars Axiom Delivers The Battle Royal coming down to Axiom and Nathan Frazer felt inevitable. Battle Royal’s get chaotic and this one lived up to that as the perfect way to start the show. The booking worked out really well in that we got some new beefs (Dijak and Odyssey Jones), old faces forgotten (shoutout to Xyon Quinn and Quincy!), and some surprises (Apollo Crews not lasting into the final minutes). But it all built to Frazer vs. Axiom. These two put on a mini clinic which, in story, makes so much sense with the North American championship on the line and a big match in the future. Whoever survived that battle truly earned their spot at Stand & Deliver. Axiom stood victorious and that alone makes an already must-see match into a bigger deal. Roxanne, Roxanne I don’t like this Roxanne Perez angle. While I understand the aim, I don’t think it’s the right move. Roxanne coming back and truly defending her title at Stand & Deliver works for me. Despite my criticisms of her character, I’m a fan and she’s so young with so much room to grow. But revealing she suffers from “crippling anxiety” after already showing out in some pretty big spots, including beating Mandy Rose for that title one night after outlasting tough competition in the first match of its kind? That’s a hard pill for anyone because it contradicts. It potentially makes her the sentimental favorite and shining up her babyface even more, but it also feels like the first draft idea that no one argued down because they had nothing better. Indi! Last week, I pondered what’s happening with Indi Hartwell. This week, I got my answer. Indi survived the last chance match against Sol Ruca and Ivy Nile. I loved the ending as it signified Indi’s story. Ivy had her in her finisher, Sol caught Ivy in a beautiful Sol Snatcher, and Indi capitalized on the opening. She kicked Sol out the ring and blasted Ivy with a forearm to the head for the W. Count her out and she shows why that’s foolish. I dig it! 🤔 Elektra Lopez defeating Valentina Feroz makes sense but I don’t like the fact she won cleanly. Besides giving the angle more room for growth, it just further Elektra’s point while giving Valentina a bigger hill. Impressive I expected a hype video about Bron Breakker vs. Carmelo Hayes this week. I predicted something underwhelming but I came away impressed and, well, hyped. It told a succinct story of two guys on an inevitable collision course and the sacrifices happening on both sides before Stand & Deliver. We also got juxtaposition between who they are as people and how those differences influence their approach to training and to the match. It’s worth your time, especially since it doesn’t take up that much time. NXT DEBUT! Eddy Thorpe looked pretty good during his debut match this week. I like his energy, like his look, and he’s got a pretty sweet move set. He didn’t get a lot of time against Myles Borne, but he showed he belongs. Schism vs. Chase U Tyler Bate defeated Von Wagner and my number one question concerned Von Wagner. What’s happening? What are we doing? Weeks ago, it looked like maybe something in the air related to Von and Mr. Stone. Then they kept repeating the same beat with no follow through. Now he’s losing in pretty decisive fashion with his angle seemingly lost to time whole becoming an actual footnote in someone else’s story. On the other hand, Schism appeared on screen after the match and spooked the audience with their plans for Chase U. I think Chase U has something here with Tyler in the fold and it looks like a potential endgame with Tyler on one side of the ring and Duke Hudson on the other. Maybe Tyler takes his place and keeps elevating that stable. Gulag Cheats Hank Walker keeps looking better even though he’s still rough around the edges. Working with Drew Gulak helps him and judging from the ending, that working relationship isn’t over yet. If the story isn’t really showing Gulak that Hank is on his level but that he’s taking Hank lightly and that his former student truly took those lessons to heart, then Charlie Dempsey helping Drew cheat for the W makes sense. It’s not the most compelling story but it makes sense. First Base! I’m two minds about Briggs & Jensen vs. Tony D’Angelo & Stacks. On one hand, Briggs & Jensen not winning means the tag team triple threat at Stand & Deliver remains a triple threat. And we’re no closer to Kiana James revealing her secret, while Fallon Henley keeps going back on her own word to tell Jensen herself. But on the other hand, we saw Tony D & Stacks as a true team against tough competition before their big match. Plus, Kiana kissed Jensen, meaning the big man finally got on a base. And while I liked the match a lot since I believe these two teams work really well together and their styles complement, I’m not sure how I feel about this larger story with Jensen, Kiana, and Fallon. Fallon keeps threatening to do the right thing then Kiana steps up to do it, only for Fallon to then change her mind and Kiana intervenes again. Then we repeat the situation again. Hopefully it comes to a head during a backstage segment at Stand & Deliver because it’s maddening from a story standpoint. Very solid go home show. Not a lot of pomp and circumstances, a surprise return from Roxanne Perez, and the night ended on a blood feud. This card is stacked and, like I said last week, might rule Saturday when it's all said and done |
See what Tierney, a bench player at Arsenal did to our starting RB 😩😪😭 |
WWE RAW REVIEWS RECAPS AND REACTIONS Go Home Times changed and everything evolves, but I really miss the days when the Raw before WrestleMania got me hyped. The Raw before Mania, at least for the last few years, usually feels quite pedestrian. With the storytelling mostly in the books and the matches set, WWE goes into cruise control now rather than full throttle so many moons ago. I often think about the Raw before WrestleMania 15. You know the one even if you don’t remember the full episode because it’s when Stone Cold Steve Austin drove a beer truck to the ring and hosed down The Corporation. The Rock tumbled in beer as Austin got one over on the champ, while they both created another indelible moment from an era filled with them. And that’s how they started the show! We also got a title for title match between the New Age Outlaws, Rock vs. Mankind with some actual stakes involved for the Mania main event, a street fight, and a main event featuring the biggest star in the company with an entire deck stacked against him. As I said, things evolve. WWE has more programming now than in 1999 and even more avenues for story development. But that Raw meant something while this week’s Raw in 2023 felt anything but essential. The biggest development, and the best move, came in the main event where Cody Rhodes pinned Solo Sikoa clean in the ring for Solo’s first true L. Cody defeating Solo, with Sami Zayn & Kevin Owens keeping Jimmy & Jey Uso from interfering, laid some solid track going into the big show. But other than that, nothing about this episode felt any different than an episode from mid-February. Christening this week’s show “WrestleMania Raw” comes with expectations. And maybe WWE’s current production model calls for resetting said expectations since SmackDown serves as the Mania lead these days. But it’s a bummer when WWE’s first salvo during WrestleMania week leaves no impression. If not for all the stated reasons than mostly because sitting through three hours of a program with so little muscle behind it is bad for business. Even if the whole show isn’t a home run, at least make the opening and ending memorable. I completely understand why Raw doesn’t need to be what it was back in the day but a man can dream. This week and this weekend are always special. Raw, the fans, the wrestlers, WWE, and even the USA Network deserve something that feels worthy of the WrestleMania lineage and name. Extracurriculars Awesome Sky I usually prefer PPV opponents stay away from each other on the weekly shows. Even in a tag match situation, like the one between the Women tag champs & Trish Stratus and Damage CTRL, I prefer some distance. Totally goes out the window when they deliver a match like this. Becky Lynch and IYO SKY set the standard for this episode, creating a very hard act to follow. If anything, it actually helped set the table for their big WrestleMania collision. If Becky and IYO battle like this and on this level, then what happens when four other women join the fray? I don’t know if it helped more excitement for the match as I really wanted a big brawl between the ladies after Becky defeated IYO in a very close matchup, but it didn’t destroy any hype either. It’s the old “do no harm” creed. Hmmm I don’t know how Seth Rollins handily defeating Mustafa Ali right now does anything for him going into Mania. Yes, Seth needed his heat back after Logan Paul decked him last week, but Ali has no juice right now and he’s a poor stand-in for Paul. Especially since Seth grabbed a microphone after delivering two massive curb stomps and getting the W. I loved Seth’s fire on the mic and so did the crowd. Son is ready, If there’s one other criticism here it’s Logan’s absence. But on the flip side, it might be better considering topping last week’s segment feels like quite the tall order. What? That’s it? A weigh-in, which is pretty much guaranteed shenanigans, ended with no shenanigans at all! Omos stepped on the scale, showed us all he’s a big boy over 400 lbs., and Lesnar makes his entrance. He goes for the big man but the big man uses the bigger scale as a weapon. Really? This is the go-home segment for this match? Weeks ago, I wished them luck selling this. Apparently I picked the wrong star because the sell never quite found a rhythm. This illustrated that better than anything else. Want vs. Need Rhea Ripley needs Charlotte’s championship to take her throne as the biggest star in wrestling. At least that’s what she said during her backstage interview. I loved her Dom Dom t-shirt but that’s about it. Six-Man Fun This was fun but felt too meaningless for WrestleMania Raw. Hey, they called it that, not me. The Street Profits & Braun Strowman & Ricochet vs. Alpha Academy & The Viking Raiders provided a nice jolt of energy in a show that needed it at this moment. We also got a little foreshadowing with Maxxine Dupri post match as she fumed not only at Otis’ side losing, but his continued relationship with Chad Gable. She clearly sees Chad as an anchor around Otis’ feet, so hopefully she makes her move in Hollywood. Goodfellas Cody Rhodes’ backstage interview? Adequate and serviceable babyface fodder before his big match against solo. The best moment, however, came when Cody teed up the Bloodline Goodfellas parody Mania promo when he referenced their “Samoan Goodfellas” aesthetic. I looked forward to this parody because obviously I love Goodfellas. And Bloodline rocks the world, so a marriage make perfect sense. But it underwhelmed me quite a bit. KarenMania I love Adam Pearce putting Chelsea Green & Sonya Deville together because he just can’t anymore. I’m not surprised they defeated Michin & Candice LeRae for a spot in the Mania Fatal 4 Way because of the entertainment factor. Daddy Issues I dug Dominik’s heel promo before Damian Preist’s match against Rey Mysterio. He understands that character so much and knows every right note. Damian and Rey wrestled a good match as well, which ended as it should in a disqualification. Legado del Fantasma made the save as Priest and Dom beat up on Rey. Really like the build for this match because Dom blossomed while Rey played the sentimental role and favorite. The fact Dom and Damian tried ripping off Rey’s mask tonight only makes Dom’s future comeuppance that much more sweeter. Biggest Tag Team Match of All-Time Guess what? Sami Zayn & Kevin Owens cut incredible babyface promos. I mean, what else is there to say? They set the stakes perfectly for their tag match against Jimmy & Jey Uso, established Los Angeles as another important city in their long story, and kept the energy high for Mania. However, it was yet another backstage promo segment on a show filled with them along with pre-taped segments. Weird. (No) People Power On a show filled with pretty standard fare, Raw took a chance with Austin Theory’s pre-taped promo in an empty arena. They used the empty arena to underline Theory’s point that he doesn’t care about the crowd and doesn’t do it for them. Interesting idea that while not the most exciting, still goes for something a little left field. This is another feud that suffers from reality, as John Cena’s schedule keeps him off television. And the one time we got him? He pretty much tossed Theory to the wolves. Theory never got his chance at payback or at least truly showing he’s on Cena’s level. I don’t think that hurts the match overall and I’m sure LA goes crazy the minute Cena’s music blares through SoFi Stadium, but the build left me wanting. Speaking of Wanting What in the world is up with the Raw Women’s championship build? No Asuka tonight, no Bianca either. We got hype packages for each woman and that’s it. If there’s any match on the WrestleMania card that really needed another shot in the arm, it’s that one. And yet, we get no shots. We barely even get arms since the two ladies never showed up. boooo. GUNTHER As much as I love seeing GUNTHER on the show and think his triple threat match against Sheamus and Drew McIntyre might break my brain’s pleasure center, I can do without him beating up on Dolph Ziggler. I get the why: Ziggler sells like a million bucks and makes GUNTHER look like a monster. But GUNTHER doesn’t need that at this point. Especially on the go home show before the biggest event of the year when we already know he’s legit. For the most part, Raw bored me this week. I dislike that on principle but I really dislike it a few days before WrestleMania. This by no means portends a bad weekend, but it puts a sour taste in my mouth. The opening match rocked, Seth did his thing on the promo, and the main event presented more solid storytelling. But that’s all I got as far as bright spots |
ALEXAPLAYME:Man of the match? |
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