Original Airdate: July 15, 2018
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Opening WWE RAW Tag Team Title Match: Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt v The B-Team: Matt and Bo Dallas start, and they mis-time a spot right from the get-go. Ooh, not a good sign. Hardy with a corner whip for two, and a legdrop for two, so Bo bails to regroup for a bit. Back in, the dust settles on Wyatt and Dallas, and you can really start to see the resemblance now that Bo has facial hair. He opts to tag out to Curtis Axel instead of locking up, though. Bray hits Axel with a clothesline and takes him down for some abuse on the mat, then headbutts him. Axel manages to reverse a corner whip, but he wastes time gloating, and gets hit with another clothesline. Tag back to Hardy, and Matt unloads with a series of turnbuckle smashes, as this boring match continues to putter along. Hardy hits a 2nd rope flying elbowdrop for two, but Axel blocks the Side Effect, and ropechokes Matt as the challengers take over. They cut the ring in half, but Matt manages the Side Effect on Axel, and he gets the tag to Bray. That gives us the Wyatt/Dallas showdown, but Axel saves his partner from the Sister Abigail, and Roseanne Barr the door. The champs go for the kill on
Finn Balor v Baron Corbin: We've got two of Mike Rotunda's kids in the first match, and Corbin wearing office clothes while he wrestles in the second match. This whole promotion is like an elaborate tribute to IRS right now. Corbin pounds him down to start, but a sunset flip backfires when Balor rolls through into a seated dropkick. Corbin flips out and unloads on him in the corner, and he grounds Finn in a clutch. Balor escapes, so Corbin throws a clothesline for two, and he puts the boots to him. Do crowds still bust out the classic 'boring' chant? I'm guessing 'no,' otherwise it would be echoing through the place right now. Corbin with another clutch, but he misses a charge in the corner, and Balor capitalizes with a jumping clothesline. Finn goes up, but Corbin pulls him off with a chokeslam backbreaker for two, and hammers him in the corner again. This one is going nowhere, and taking its time getting there. Balor manages a sling blade, but Corbin fights off the follow-up with the Deep Six with two, and does more methodical pounding. Powerbomb, but Balor counters with a double stomp, and a running dropkick looks to set up the flying double stomp, but Corbin crotches him on the top turnbuckle. He pulls him down for the End of Days, but Balor counters with a cradle at 8:20. This show's been boring as hell thus far. DUD
WWE Smackdown Women's Title Match: Carmella v Asuka: James Ellsworth is suspended in a shark cage above the ring for this. Barely. Like, he's so low that I'm worried they're going to bump their heads working spots. Asuka blitzes her in the early going, so Ellsworth tosses a chain down, but Asuka grabs it away, and shines the champs wizard for two. Ellsworth tosses some pepper spray down next, but Asuka fights that off as well, and hits a dropkick. Carmella manages to block a German suplex, so Asuka throws a hip attack for two. Missed by about a foot there, so perhaps it was just the resulting gust of wind that put Carmella down? Asuka-Lock, but Carmella is in the ropes, and she bails. Asuka follows to snap suplex the champion out on the floor, and she tosses her into the barricade for good measure. Meanwhile, Ellsworth has somehow gotten out of the cage, but he ends up getting caught in the bars while trying to jump out, and is left hanging upside-down like a piñata. Asuka unloads on him, but no candy falls out, unfortunately. The match stops dead as the crew runs out to try and free Ellsworth, but Asuka chases them off so she can keep kicking him. Meanwhile, Carmella has predictably recovered, and shoves Asuka into the lowered cage, then pins her at 5:25. Oh man, this was terrible in every respect. A bad comedy match over a major title on pay per view. -*
WWE
Cage Match: Braun Strowman v Kevin Owens: Owens immediately goes up the side of the cage at the bell, but gets pulled down. Braun charges, but Owens manages to lift a boot to block, and he tries climbing again, but Strowman pulls him back. Realizing he's going to have to engage, Owens starts slugging away, but has very limited success with that strategy. Strowman big boots him, but misses a charge into the cage, and Owens is able to land a superkick and the Cannonball. Kevin goes up with a flying frogsplash for two, and he crawls for the door, but Strowman pulls him back. Dude kicked out of your move at two, and you really think you have a shot at escaping without even a token follow-up? Like, at least stomp him a couple of times first, or something. This version of Kevin Owens feels like an entirely different worker than the NXT version. Strowman tosses him into the side of the cage a few times, then drops him throat-first across the top rope after a snake-eyes into the cage. The character may have gone way downhill, but Kevin isn't skimping on the bumping. Owens fights off the assault with a stunner, and he crawls for the door, but Braun smashes him in the face with it to prevent an escape. Avalanche, but Owens dodges, and he throws another superkick to daze the monster, then handcuffs him to the ropes! That allows him to unload, but he gets cocky in Strowman's face, and gets chokeslammed for his efforts. Braun's still handcuffed to the freakin' ropes though, so Owens casually starts climbing - even stopping to blow kisses back at Strowman as he does! Ha! Unfortunately for him, that crosses a red line with the monster, and Strowman breaks free of the shackles, then chokeslams Owens off the top of the cage, and through an announce table! Holy Foley! Of course, that means Kevin touches the ground first, and he technically wins the match at 8:07 - despite getting carried out on a stretcher. Pretty badass bump there to cap off a match filled with bumping from Owens. **
WWE Smackdown Tag Team Title Match: The Bludgeon Brothers v Team Hell No: Kane is a no show due to an attack by the champions earlier in the night, so Daniel Bryan goes it alone. He starts with Rowan, and uses his speed to evade the larger champion, but eventually gets thumped in the corner, and double teamed. The champs try a combo, but
Roman Reigns v Bobby Lashley: They size each other up to start, with Lashley dominating. Bobby snaps off a northern lights suplex, but Reigns throws an elbow to block a German suplex, and he slugs Bobby down. Roman unloads in the corner, and hits a backelbow for two, then ropechokes Lashley to set up the Drive-By for two. Reigns acting shocked that Lashley is kicking out of a freakin' backelbow and a glorified dropkick four minutes into a match is just the height of ridiculousness. Roman works a chinlock, but Bobby fights free, so Reigns dumps him to the outside, then into the barricade. Roman sleepwalking as he uses the steps to abuse Bobby, but gets clotheslined down as they head back in. Lashley with a release overhead suplex and a corner clothesline, but a second one hits boot, and Reigns throws his own clothesline. Again, but Lashley counters with a powerslam for two, and hits a bodypress to set up a flying axehandle. Bobby is pouring sweat here at an alarming rate, so I guess the Mike Rotunda tribute continues. Someone better work an abdominal stretch at some point tonight. Reigns dumps him over the top before Lashley can drench him, but Bobby beats the count, so Roman welcomes him with a rocker dropper for two. That looked bad. More ridiculousness, as the announcers sell Roman's frustration, wondering what else he needs to do to keep Lashley down when he's been on defense for most of the match. And he goes right back there again, as Lashley hits a jackhammer. Spear, but Reigns counters with the Superman Punch for two, so Bobby bails. Again, announcers and Reigns are utterly shocked that Lashley could possibly kick out. Well, at least it's over a big signature move this time, as opposed to, you know, the clotheslines that were shocking them earlier. Reigns chases him on the floor, but gets overhead suplexed onto an announce table, and Lashley rolls him in for a dive, but Reigns knocks him off the top rope with another Superman. Spear, but Lashley reverses for the pin at 14:54. Just kind of a match. * ¼
WWE RAW Women's Title Extreme Rules Match: Alexa Bliss v Nia Jax: Bliss runs away at the bell, and we get a funny bit on the floor where Alexa keeps grabbing weapons, but getting them pulled away from her by Jax every time she swings until there's a literal pile of discarded objects stacked up in the ring. Nia throws her around, including a press-drop across a trashcan, until Bliss bails. Jax drags her back in, but Alexa manages to fight her off with a trashcan lid, and she throws a dropkick for two. Bliss has some trouble getting a chair properly wedged in the corner, but ends up getting her shit together in time for Nia to miss a charge into it, but Natalya stops Mickie James from passing the champion another weapon. That earns Nattie a beating on the outside, which prompts Ronda Rousey to jump out of the crowd (she's been sitting in the front row all night) to even the score. Or, well, to make it three-on-two, but you know. Ronda goes absolutely ballistic on James, so Bliss takes off running into the crowd, but Rousey is able to stop her - only to get whacked with a kendo stick from James. Bliss goes to the top as she turns her attention back to Nia, but a dive gets caught in a Samoan drop, so Mickie comes in with a chair to save. That allows Alexa to DDT Jax onto a chair, and that's enough to retain at 7:23. This just felt like filler until we get to the Bliss/Rousey match, with lots of overbooking and nonsense. ¾*
WWE Title Match: AJ Styles v Rusev: Rusev tries to corner AJ at the bell, but Styles manages to stick and move, and he throws a dropkick at the leg. Styles keeps firing off at the leg, but an attempt to suplex the challenger goes badly, and Rusev delivers a spinebuster for two. Pair of snap suplexes set up an elbowdrop for two, but a second one misses, and Styles quickly fires off a kick to the leg. Rusev fights him off with a backdrop, and he starts pounding the lower back ahead of a side suplex for two. Bearhug wears Styles down for a superplex, but the champ manages to slip free, and he dropkicks the leg to send Rusev crashing over the top. AJ dives after him with a plancha, and a series of strikes put Rusev down for a seated forearm on the way back in. AJ with a corner forearm, but Rusev escapes the fireman's carry, and a reversal sequence ends in Styles hitting an inverted DDT for two. Styles Clash, but Rusev railroads him into the corner to block, so AJ shoots for the leg again - only to have Rusev block the Calf Crusher, and dump the champion to the outside. Rusev takes a chance with a tope, but it doesn't pay off as AJ is ready with a forearm to block, and Styles throws an enzuigiri from the apron to set up the springboard 450 splash, but Rusev dodges. AJ tries for the Crusher, but Rusev counters to the Accolade, only to have Styles block. Reversal sequence ends in AJ getting the Crusher locked on, but Rusev makes the ropes with Aiden English's help, so AJ stupidly goes after him. That allows Rusev an overhead suplex on the floor, and he Machka kicks Styles in the head for two on the way back in. Again, but this time AJ counters with an enzuigiri. Charge, but Rusev is ready with a pop-up kick for two, and it's Accolade time, but the leg gives out! The challenger tries to power through it, but ends up with a half version, and Styles is able to get the ropes. English responds by removing a turnbuckle pad, but it backfires when an oblivious Rusev misses a charge into it, and AJ lands the springboard 450... for two. Yeah, I totally bought that as the finish, and so did the crowd. Styles takes Aiden out with a baseball slide before going for the Phenomenal Forearm, and he sticks it for the pin at 15:34. Pretty good stuff here, with Rusev doing a solid job of selling the leg throughout. I didn't love the whole bit with the turnbuckle pad because it felt forced to the point of feeling phony, but it didn't hurt the match much overall. ***
Main Event: WWE Intercontinental Title Iron Man Match: Dolph Ziggler v Seth Rollins: Thirty minutes on the clock here. Ziggler is looking particularly scrawny these days. Feeling out process to start, dominated by the challenger. He gets the first pin attempt with a backslide for two, so Ziggler gets more aggressive, but Seth counters a kick with a schoolboy for two. Rollins with more cradles for two counts until Ziggler bails, but an attempt to distract and sneak up on Seth backfires, and Rollins backelbows him for two. Bodyslam gets two, and a corner whip sets up a charge, but a springboard misses, and Ziggler slugs him down. Dolph tries a neckbreaker, but Seth counters with a buckle bomb into a magistral cradle at 4:35. Really, a clean pinfall four minutes in? I mean, I'm not saying we need a Bret/Shawn broadway, but let's not get silly either. Seth goes up, so Dolph bails to avoid a dive, but gets nailed with a plancha instead. Rollins whips him into the barricade out there, but gets distracted by Drew McIntyre, and Ziggler is able to get control on the way back in. Dolph with a neckbreaker for two, and an elbowdrop gets him two. Suplex, but Seth slips free, and throws some chops. He whips Dolph around, but Ziggler dropkicks the leg to buy time - only to have the rocker dropper countered with a rollup. Ziggler reverses it for two at two, so Seth uses a schoolboy into another buckle bomb, but Ziggler counters with a sunset flip - only for Rollins to curb stomp him at 7:57. Great sequence there. Seth is feeling good now, so Drew rushes in and nails him - getting Ziggler disqualified at 8:42, but managing to get some good shots in on the challenger before getting ejected. Love that psychology!
Ten minutes in and Ziggler simply crawls over and covers a battered Seth to win a fall at 10:24. Dolph continues to capitalize on Drew's work with a quick superkick to win another fall at 11:09. Again, but this time Rollins manages to counter with a schoolboy for two, so Dolph throws him into the post to rattle him, and hits the Zig Zag to tie the score at 12:15. Dolph is now firmly in control, and goes for another Zig Zag, but Rollins manages to block, and he dodges a stinger splash as well. Seth with a sling blade, and he clotheslines the champion over the top to set up a tope, but Dolph smacks him out of the air, and hooks a leveraged pin at 14:07. Now playing against the clock, Ziggler wisely just grounds Rollins in an armbar, then into a front-facelock when Seth comes close to escaping. Rollins manages to escape, so Ziggler goes to a sleeper before his challenger can mount a comeback, quickly riding Seth to the mat in the hold. Seth manages to shake him off and hit a tope before Ziggler can ground him again, but Dolph wisely bails before Rollins can try a cover. Undeterred, Seth responds with another tope, and a springboard flying clothesline puts Ziggler down for two.
Twenty minutes in and Seth keeps coming with a 2nd rope flying somersault neckbreaker for two, but a trip to the top rope backfires when Ziggler dropkicks him all the way down to the floor. Seth beats the count, so Ziggler dives at him for another Zig Zag, but Rollins blocks, and uses a superkick into a high knee for two. Back to the top, but it ends badly for Seth again, this time ending up crotched on the turnbuckle. Ziggler is too battered to follow up though, so Seth muscles him to the top with him for a headbutt back down, then dives with a flying frogsplash for two. Dolph wraps himself around the bottom rope in hopes of avoiding a pinning predicament, but Seth blasts him with a baseball slide, and takes him upstairs for a vertical superplex into the falcon arrow for two. Curb stomp, but Ziggler dodges, and cradles for two. Rollins immediately returns fire with a catapult into the corner, however, and he cradles to tie the score at 26:51. With just three minutes left, Dolph charges to slug it out, but Rollins sweeps the legs into a sharpshooter to allow Ziggler his daily dose of Shawn Michaels cosplay. I'm honestly surprised Dolph didn't wear white tights for this. Ziggler inches for the ropes, so Seth shifts to a crippler crossface instead, and tries another curb stomp, but Dolph dodges. He bails, so Rollins forces him back in, but Ziggler is ready with a rocker dropper for two. With only thirty seconds left, Dolph preps a superkick, but Rollins reverses, and curb stomps him - only for time to expire as he crawls for the cover at 30:00! The referee awards the title back to Ziggler as a result of the draw, but here comes Goril... I mean, Kurt Angle to restart the match with sudden death rules. Shawn, Bret - Dolph is just getting the full WrestleMania XII fantasy camp experience here. Seth is ready to finish this, but here's Drew again, and the distraction allows Ziggler the Zig Zag at 30:13. Man, what a terrible finish. Really good match, and though it had some great Iron Man specific psychology, the match type actually felt like it hurt the flow to a noticeable degree. *** ½
BUExperience: To give you an idea of my level of interest in this promotion right now (and how forgettable their shows have become), I’d actually completely forgotten to watch this one. Like, I was aware of Extreme Rules as a show, and knew that it had happened, but forgot that I hadn’t reviewed it yet until I glanced at my queue and noticed that it was the next in line.
DUD
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