Friday 31 May 2013

My TNA Impact Wrestling, 30th May 2013 Recap

No one wants to see that coming at them, poor Roode. Photo credit: impactwrestling.com 

Backstage we witnessed Mr. Anderson attack D'Lo Brown from behind as his Aces & 8s superiors were about to make their way out. Clearly the gang have had enough of D'Lo's mistakes. In the ring World Champion Bully Ray, accompanied by Devon, admitted that his Slammiversary opponent Sting had beaten some of the all-time greats in between the ropes, but this Sunday he couldn't wait to beat 'The Icon' and stop him from ever holding the World Title again. It was solid mic work as standard from the champ.
Sting and Joseph Parks bested Team 3D (Bully Ray & Devon) in a fair tag bout. The start was a bit hectic as all four men brawled outside the ring, it was an entertaining start to the match up. The action in the ring was fine, although there were a few slightly sloppy moments. Sting managed to apply the Scorpion Death Drop on Devon for the one-two-three after Abyss's music hit and distracted Team 3D, 'The Monster' failed to appear though.
TNA President Dixie Carter came out and once again informed us that this Sunday the next inductee into the TNA Hall of Fame will be announced. Aces members Wes Brisco, Doc and Garett Bischoff then joined her, with Garett asking her why she was biased against his gang. Samoa Joe and Magnus then raced out and chased the trio off. An intense Joe also went on to state his frustration at the gang for injuring him for a month and challenged Garett to a match, saying he wanted to see how he tests against a man not a woman.
Samoa Joe versus Garett Bischoff ended in a no contest after Garett helped out his two comrades in beating down Magnus on the outside. Joe then took a dive and knocked over the three foes. Once back in the ring he informed them that at Slammiversary it'll be them three against him, Magnus and the returning Jeff Hardy. The fans were predictably excited by the news, it'll be nice to have Hardy back. 
Gunner, James Storm, Chavo Guerrero and Hernandez beat Austin Aries, Bobby Roode and Bad Influence (Christopher Daniels & Kazarian) in a stellar eight-man tag outing. Storm failed to participate, due to his leg issues I presume, but every man involved gave worthy displays.
As usual the chemistry between Bad Influence and Roode and Aries was amusing, each tagging themselves in and helping out with their dirty tactics. Gunner gained the win with a torture rack on Aries. It's been a long while since TNA's tag division looked this strong (and WWE's with The Shield and Team Hell No's series), it's refreshing to see. 
The new Knockouts Champion Mickie James came out and expressed how great it felt to hold the strap again after two years, and thanked her fan base. But she then turned her attention to the minority who questioned her win over Sky last week (when she aimed for the former champ's injured leg) and brought out Velvet Sky to address it.
James condescendingly congratulated Sky on her former run as champ and welcomed her rematch whenever she'd recovered. After Velvet asked for her title rematch at Slammiversary, James claimed that due to there already being one Knockouts match there was no room for it, when did this rule come in? Gail Kim then stormed out and once again stated her case for a championship match, even though she's lost most of her bouts over the last few months. In truth it was poor mic work on Kim's behalf. As Gail went to then attack Sky's leg, with James just looking on, Taryn Terrell ran out to her aid and chased her off.  
Chris Sabin and Taryn Terrell toppled Kenny King and Gail Kim in a decent enough mixed tag contest. There were some enjoyable periods between Kim and Terrell, but they were definitely the weaker part of the match compared to King and Sabin's interactions. Afterwards King then smacked Sabin from behind, so Suicide also came out attacked the X Division Champion, with him and Sabin finally having a face off after the masked wrestler picked up King's strap.  
AJ Styles won via disqualification versus Mr. Anderson when Kurt Angle decided to gain some retribution and began exchanging blows with 'The Phenomenal One'. Aces & 8s then marched out and began taking out Angle and Styles, so this cued other members of the TNA roster to join them and start a brawl in and around the ring, ending with Bully and Devon applying a 3D to Sting. It all felt very familiar, but the 3D was a nice touch, would've been even better through a table but that's just me being picky.
The encounter itself between Styles and Anderson was enjoyable at places, but felt like it dragged a bit. If the allocated time had been shortened it would've probably been a more entertaining bout, with each man making the most with their time rather than having to slow it down.
Overall it was a fair, if pretty unmemorable Impact. With the exception of the eight-man tag outing, which was my highlight of the show, there were no exceptional contests, and besides Bully and Jame's mic work there were no remarkable promos either. All that aside, looking at the Slammiversary card it should be a solid show for the most part I reckon. 

Tuesday 28 May 2013

My WWE Raw, 27th May 2013 Recap

Jericho gets in Heyman's face. Photo credit: WWE.com 

WWE Champion John Cena made his Raw return and admitted that even though Ryback deserved a title rematch after the no contest end to their Last Man Standing match, he accused his rival of not thinking things through after challenging him to an Ambulance match at Payback next month. So to make sure there was a definitive end to their next championship clash, he announced that they would compete in a 3 Stages of Hell contest, starting with a Lumberjack match, then a Table match and finally the Ambulance match. 
Ryback then marched out and welcomed the challenge, claiming that he'd already deliberately tried to take Cena out at Extreme Rules so he'd have no quarrels doing it again. After Ryback had left, Paul Heyman introduced his latest client Curtis Axel, and challenged the WWE Champion to a match on behalf of Axel. Cena stated that Curtis had guts, but that he should stay away from Heyman and accepted the match. I was personally hoping that they'd save Axel and Cena's first confrontation for a little later down the road, make it a bit more memorable. 
Alberto Del Rio pinned Big E Langston in a fair encounter, and one of Big E's better match ups since joining the main roster. Both men gave decent enough displays, but there was nothing outstanding here. Del Rio managed to roll up Big E for the winning pinfall after he'd gone head first into a turnbuckle that AJ Lee had exposed earlier.
Backstage Kane tried (but failed) to calm down a frustrated Daniel Bryan, who was still paranoid about being called the "weak link" in their team. It took the kind words of Bret Hart (who unsurprisingly received a huge reaction from his hometown of Calgary) to put Bryan at ease, who explained that Kane saying the same thing to him failed because he was "just Kane."
Dean Ambrose (c) defeated Kofi Kingston to retain the United States Championship in an enjoyable back and fourth affair. Once again these two worked well together, with well executed sequences. Kofi was clearly being booed by the strong fans in attendance too, his persona really needs a shake up soon I reckon.
Afterwards Team Hell No then stormed down as The Shield (Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Roman Reign) were about to attack Kofi, which instigated the Tag Team Title match. 
The Shield (Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns) (c) bested Team Hell No (Daniel Bryan and Kane) to retain the WWE Tag Team Championship in an awesome bout. Once again these two teams provided an exciting and thoroughly engaging contest, with the action crisp and fast. Bryan was especially on red hot form. These two teams have provided better tag team matches than we've had in years in WWE.
Fandango pinned Wade Barrett after Special Guest referee The Miz was pushed by Barrett, so he applied a Skull Crushing Final to the IC Champion and counted Fandango's winning pinfall. The bout itself was kept brief, but it was better than I'd anticipated to be fair to both men. Afterwards Miz then booted Fandango in the head for good measure.
Tons of Funk (Brodus Clay and Tesnai) and The Great Khali beat 3MB (Drew McIntyre, Heath Slater and Jinder Mahal) in an average and forgettable six-man tag outing. McIntyre was the only stand out performer for me. Afterwards the victors then celebrated Natalya's birthday by singing Happy Birthday along with the fans.
Chris Jericho introduced Paul Heyman for his latest edition of the Highlight Reel, where he mentioned Curtis Axel and admitted that Heyman had a knack for discovering top talent in pro wrestling, including himself.
Y2J then went on to quiz his guest about the exit of CM Punk after WrestleMania XXIX, but Heyman had no answer for him. So Jericho then challenged Punk via Heyman to a match at Payback, which happened to be taking place from Punk's hometown of Chicago. So after aggravating Heyman, he accepted on behalf of his client. It was a strong segment, with solid mic work from both men.
Nikki and Brie Bella bested Natalya and Kaitlyn in a mediocre and occasionally sloppy tag bout. Natalya gave a decent enough showing to be fair to her, but unfortunately for her she was accidentally speared by Kaitlyn and then pinned by one of the Bellas (I forget). Maybe this is the start of Natalya turning on Kaitlyn.
We then witnessed a VT for the arrival of Bray Wyatt to the main roster. If you're not aware of the current NXT talent, you should go and check out his promos online. He's a cult-like leader, and a very interesting character and solid in the ring too. This is a very exciting prospect.
Sheamus and Randy Orton defeated Team Rhodes Scholars (Damien Sandow and Cody Rhodes) in a passable tag affair. The wrestling was consistent throughout, but it just lacked that bit of excitement needed to really gain my interest.
I think a win for Rhodes Scholars would've been a smarter way to go too, those two had far more to gain from a victory than Orton and Sheamus here and this essentially kills off a potential feud between Sandow and the Irishman after the clean win. It almost seems Sandow and Rhodes are destined to float around the midcard position for the rest of their careers, although I hope I'm proven wrong.
Curtis Axel won via count out versus John Cena in a mixed bag of a main event. While Axel looked solid here, unfortunately Cena contributed his bare minimum and was visibly mouthing instructions at certain points, as he has a tendency to do. The count out occurred when Cena left the ring to inspect a suspicious ambulance that had parked up at the stage. Ryback then attacked Cena from behind, and was about to send him through the LED display (as he did at Extreme Rules) when the champ made a comeback, so Ryback decided to leave him for now.  
The biggest cheer during the bout was actually to do with a fight that broke out in the crowd. Apparently a few fans who'd been drinking a fair bit and giving abuse to people were finally escorted out by security after swinging a punch at one of them. Some people, eh? I've also heard that they shouted stuff at a young kid wearing a Cena T-Shirt, I sincerely hope that isn't true. A lot of fans, young and old just want to come and enjoy the show and have fun, there's no excuse for that kind of behaviour. 
Overall it was a decent show, with a few average segments but enjoyable enough on the whole. My highlights were Ambrose versus Kingston, Team Hell No versus The Shield, Jericho's Highlight Reel and the news that Bray Wyatt will be joining the main roster soon. Outside of those aforementioned match ups there were pretty average or drab outings. 

Saturday 25 May 2013

My WWE SmackDown, 24th May 2013 Recap

Ambrose plants Kofi en route to the win. Photo credit: WWE.com

'Miz TV' kicked things off, with The Miz introducing guests Fandango and Summer Rae, and quizzed them about abandoning Fandango's tag partner Wade Barrett on Monday's Raw. But Fandango simply corrected Miz's pronunciation of his name and claimed that he bored him. Wade Barrett then came out and warned Fandango that if their paths cross again he'll be sorry, and after some heated words with Miz began brawling with his upcoming opponent. It was an average start to the show.    
Wade Barrett (c) versus The Miz for the Intercontinental Title ended in a no contest after Fandango attacked Miz. Previous to that Miz had kicked Fandango due to him inappropriately dancing during their contest. Barrett also received some retribution on Fandango by applying a Bull Hammer to the dancer. The actual match itself was pretty average, with unremarkable wrestling from both men.  
Daniel Bryan defeated Jack Swagger in a decent outing. Both men gave stellar showings, especially Bryan who's on great form at the moment. A crazed Bryan forced Swagger to tap via the No Lock after a few vicious kicks to the head, then applied the hold again after the bell had rung until Kane and the referee forced him off. I'm predicting the first in a series of matches between the Team Hell No members at Payback next month. 
Damien Sandow  berated Mark Henry and Sheamus for their test of strengths in recent weeks, stating that the test of a real man was with his intelligence. He then challenged Matt Stryker to untie a Gordian knot, which he failed to do, so Sheamus then joined them and asked if he could have a go. After the 'Celtic Warrior' also failed, Sandow untied the knot by cutting it open.
Sheamus admitted he'd outsmarted him, and went for a Brogue Kick but the 'Intellectual Saviour' saw it coming and got out of the ring. So as an example of Newton's law of gravity Sheamus threw Stryker at Sandow. It was an enjoyable segment, with Sandow on strong form on the mic as usual. Hopefully he can get into a proper feud with Sheamus and elevate himself a bit.
Chris Jericho won via count out versus Big Show after applying a Codebreaker and sending the giant over the barricade. A seething Big Show then stormed to the ring with a steel chair, but Y2J kicked it out of his hand and smacked him with it, sending Show packing. The bout itself had been a solid one, with worthy efforts and nice back and fourth action.
Paul Heyman, accompanied by his latest client Curtis Axel, came to the ring and listed off his respectful accomplishments as a manager, proving that when he calls Axel the next "A lister" in the company, he knows what he's talking about. Axel then claimed that last Monday he accomplished more than his father and grandfather combined when he defeated Triple H.
Curtis Axel pinned Sin Cara in a fair encounter. I can't complain it was a decent enough showing, but it was also quite forgettable and uninspiring. But Axel is certainly capable in the ring and I have faith in a successful run from him.
Dean Ambrose (c) versus Kofi Kingston for the United States Championship ended in a DQ after Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins ran in and attacked the challenger. But Randy Orton and Sheamus then came to Kofi's aid, so Teddy Long booked a six-man tag between them all. It'd been an entertaining contest before the DQ, I wouldn't mind seeing them face off one on one again in the near future.
The Shield (Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns) bested Sheamus, Randy Orton and Kofi Kingston in a great six-man main event. Much like their terrific (admittedly superior) tag bout on this week's Raw, the action came fast and each man deserves credit for a stellar display. I'd say that it's like Shield can do no wrong but I'm scared I my jinx it. 
Unfortunately the only issue with the match was Reigns appearing to pick up some kind of knee injury half way through when Superman punching Orton. He had to apparently be helped away before the dark match after the main event. Fortunately he was able to finish the tag match so hopefully it's not too bad, this would be a devastating time for him to be out injured. 
Overall it was an enjoyable show for the most part, and above average for the blue brand. My highlights were Bryan versus Swagger, Damien Sandow's Gordian knot segment, Jericho versus Big Show, Heyman's mic work and the exciting main event. Outside of that it was okay, not terrible, so I'll take that for a 2013 SmackDown. 

Friday 24 May 2013

My TNA Impact Wrestling, 23rd May 2013 Recap

Suicide wallops Williams in the exciting three-way. Photo credit: impactwrestling.com

Hulk Hogan started things off by first promoting his restaurant in Florida (where the show was being taped) and then bringing out pal Sting, trying to convince him to cancel the stipulation with his bout with Bully Ray at Slammiversary where he'll never be able to challenge for the World Title again if he looses. But 'The Stinger' was adamant about it, believing that all he needed was one chance against the Aces President to defeat him.
Brooke Hogan then joined them and blamed herself for the rise of Aces & 8s after falling for and marrying Bully. She was about to resign as President of the Knockouts division when her hubby Bully Ray came out and claimed the blame for himself, not Sting and Hulk, but admitted that he was still in love with Brooke and that she should share the blame too. Basically blame was mentioned a lot in the segment.
Suicide bested Joey Ryan and Petey Williams in an exciting Triple Threat contest. Much like last week's X Division three-way (sounds like a dirty movie) the wrestling came fast and each participant gave a stellar showing. I wasn't (and am still not) entirely convinced by always having Triple Threats in the X Division, but we have received some very entertaining matches from it. 
Gut Check winners San Shaw and Alex Silva were scheduled to compete, but Wes Brisco, accompanied by Doc and Garett Bischoff, informed Shaw (I didn't remember him either) that him and his fellow Aces members had taken out Silva and then proceeded to attack him until Magnus marched down the ramp and chased them out of the ring. Magnus went on to claim that Wes didn't deserve his spot on the roster and berated him for attacking a young up and comer such as himself, then challenged him to a match right there and then.
Magnus won via disqualification versus Wes Brisco after fellow Aces & 8s members ran in and attacked him, but they were soon legging it as Samoa Joe raced out to his former tag partner's aid. So in the course of fifteen minutes the supposed hard and tough biker gang ran away from one man not once, but twice? Wow, they seem really deadly. To make things even more confusing Bully congratulated them afterwards, for what? The actual match itself had been a forgettable one, with pedestrian action for the most part.
Mr. Anderson pinned Kurt Angle in an enjoyable outing once it got going. After a drab start both men gave worthy efforts in their time allocated, which wasn't enough I felt. AJ Styles strolled out during the match up, distracting Angle and the referee, allowing Anderson to low blow his opponent and gain the one-two-three with a roll up.
Backstage a crazed Taryn Terrell attacked Gail Kim during an interview, only stopping once she'd be held back. During her interview Kim claimed that she should be challenging for the Knockouts Title not James. When was the last time she actually won a match?
As James Storm was about to announce his tag partner for Slammiversary, Bobby Roode and Austin Aries interrupted him, with 'The It Factor' stating that his four years in Beer Money with Storm were the worst of his career, and called his mystery partner a joke. Bad Influence (Christopher Daniels and Kazarian) also came out and mocked the other three teams they were facing on June 2nd, calling them inferior to themselves. They also added that it didn't matter who Storm's partner was, they wouldn't be up to their standards.  
Shark Boy (I'd love to see someone's reaction to seeing and hearing him for the first time) made a welcome return and along with Robbie E stated his case to be Storm's tag partner. But it wasn't to be for either man as Gunner then came to the ring and took out Robbie and Shark Boy, with Storm then shaking his hand and confirming that he was his mystery tag partner. It was a decent segment.
Mickie James beat Velvet Sky (c) to obtain the Knockouts Title in an average and pretty sloppy encounter. You could visibly see James have to mouth instructions to Sky, the champion, during the bout, it was cringe worthy at times. If you didn't know any better it could've been a Gut Check contest, well maybe not that bad.
At least one positive came from this, the average Sky was relieved of the strap and James, one of the top female performers in the company has gained it. Towards the end Velvet (poorly) sold a knee injury out of nowhere, so a crazed looking James attacked the leg and applied a DDT for the victory and the strap. I think a heel turn is the way to go for Mickie right now, we've seen how well she can pull it off.
A proud Bully Ray introduced AJ Styles and even shared a beer with the tee totaller before asking Anderson to fit AJ with his own Aces & 8s waistcoat and finish up his initiation into the gang. But Angle then came out and claimed that Style's TNA legacy had gone right down the "crapper" after joining them, so Doc hit him from behind and sent him into the ring to be attacked by Aces, finally being cracked on the leg with a hammer by Styles.
As the gang members all celebrated, AJ then used the same hammer to strike a few Aces members before running off. It was a strange ending to the show, and I somehow doubt that the writers have a remotely logical explanation for it. AJ reenacting Sting's tactics with NWO years ago by infiltrating Aces & 8s and taking them down would've made much more sense, if been more predictable. 
Overall it was an average show for the majority, with the James Storm tag team partner reveal segment, Anderson versus Angle and the X Division three-way being my only real highlights. Other then those moments it was either average, confusing or just dull.  

Tuesday 21 May 2013

My WWE Raw, 20th May 2013 Recap


Apparently Kane enjoyed that missile dropkick. Photo credit: WWE.com

Ryback kicked things off by arriving in the back of an ambulance, challenging Cena to an Ambulance match at Payback next month after the champion had refused to enter one the previous night after Extreme Rules. He went on to then call all the fans "weak" and "pathetic," living their lives with no direction or purpose. 
Chris Jericho and The Miz beat Fandango and Wade Barrett in an amusing tag bout. The action was okay, but it was Fandango that made the match memorable by leaving his partner Barrett halfway through the match and dancing with his usual dance partner Summer Rae. Afterwards Jericho and Miz then chased off Fandango, leaving Y2J to dance a little with Summer and get some retribution by putting his hand in her face and embarrassing her. 
Sheamus pinned Titus O'Neil in a fair outing. There were some drab periods but on the whole it was a watchable match up, with O'Neil being made to look very competitive against the Irishman.
Paul Heyman came to the ring and boasted about his client Brock Lesnar being remembered forever as a beast, while Triple H "looser" after their Steel Cage match the previous night. He then revealed his brand new client Curt Axel (formerly Michael Mcgillicutty) and claimed that he hadn't already earned a main event spot because his families legacy, saying that management in the back didn't appreciate it. 
Triple H then joined them and stated that he wasn't embarrassed by his loss to Lesnar, that he was proud that he took the fight to and went to war with him. Axel then fronted 'The Game', warning him that things had changed, so Trips responded with a punch and announced that he'll face him in a match that very night.
Heyman's terrific mic work would normally be my highlight for most segments involving him, but to be honest this time it was just the fact that a young talent (and one that's proven to be more than capable in the ring) received a worthwhile spotlight. A rare thing in WWE as of late.
Big E Langston bested Alberto Del Rio in a largely pedestrian contest. There were a few decent moments but it was never any remarkable. Langston grabbed the win after AJ Lee had distracted the referee, allowing him to thumb Del Rio in the eye and apply a Big End.
AJ Lee beat Layla in an average and forgettable affair. Neither lady gave a display to boast about, which was a bit disappointing for Layla who's never outstanding but reliable. AJ grabbed the submission victory with her Black Widow octopus hold. 
Cody Rhodes pinned Zack Ryder in a filler match up. Neither man gave a bad display but they didn't exactly go out there to set the world alight either. Afterwards Ryback stormed out and attacked Ryder further, eventually Shell Shocking him and putting him into the parked ambulance which drove away. 
The Shield (Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns) came out and bragged about taking out The Rock, The Undertaker and pushing Ryback so far he snapped, and added that the fans had no choice but to believe in them now after obtaining the WWE Tag Team and US Titles at Extreme Rules. For me they're the most entertaining act in the company right now.
The Shield (Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns) defeated Team Hell No (Daniel Bryan and Kane) and Kofi Kingston in an enthralling six-man tag bout, and probably the best Raw match of the year so far. The action in the second half was blistering, especially from a superb Bryan, with an exhilarating final sequence. For me it's one of The Shield's top outings to date. I can't really recommend this match much more, just do yourself a favour and watch it.
Randy Orton beat Jack Swagger in a decent enough outing. Both men provided stellar wrestling, but there was a lack of drama or excitement and I was struggling to find the interest to be honest. Orton grabbed the one-two-three after applying an RKO. Looks like Swagger's hopes of gaining the World Title anytime soon are quickly vanishing. 
Triple H versus Curtis Axel ended as a No Contest after Triple H seemed to apparently suffer a concussion and have to be dragged away. Up until that point the match had been okay, with 'The Game' dominating for the most part and Axel getting in a fair bit of offense. I think a win over a suffering Triple H would've been the way to go for Axel myself, even a cheap win would've helped him out that bit more.
Overall it was a pedestrian show for the most part, but fortunately Heyman's Curtis Axel announcement and the terrific Shield versus Kofi and Team Hell No contest made it worth watching. Plus Triple H's concussion gave us an intriguing ending, was he drugged by Heyman perhaps? Here's also hoping Axel gets the same dedication as The Shield from the booking team, although I would've loved Cesaro to have been in that spot too, but Axel is capable.  

Monday 20 May 2013

My WWE Extreme Rules 2013 Recap


The Shield celebrate with the gold. Photo credit: WWE.com

The Miz beat Cody Rhodes in a rather lacklustre and sloppy pre-show bout. Miz looked a bit out of sorts here and made more than a few errors, while Cody gave a pretty unremarkable showing too. 
Chris Jericho pinned Fandango in a fair encounter. Much like their WrestleMania match Jericho did most of the hard work, while Fandango looked alright, but still has some work to do in the ring. Jericho gained the one-two-three after applying a nicely executed Codebreaker as Fandango came off the top rope in the highlight of the match.
Dean Ambrose defeated Kofi Kingston (c) to obtain the United States Championship in a solid contest. Both men gave worthy efforts, albeit a few slightly sloppy moments but that wasn't enough to spoil an otherwise enjoyable match up. Afterwards the new champ's Shield teammates joined him to celebrate. 
Sheamus bested Mark Henry in a Strap match. Perhaps not the most exciting match of this kind but it was decent enough for the most part, with both men giving passable displays. 
Before Swagger versus Del Rio kicked off, Zeb Colter started blaming the government and the people for the state of America in this day and age, confusingly then bringing up the poor showings from St. Louis' baseball teams. The promo felt like a waste of time and dragged on far too long, I'm hoping this whole gimmick is killed off soon.
Alberto Del Rio beat Jack Swagger in an I Quit match, thereby becoming number one contender to the World Title. The action was decent enough, although it lacked that extra drama that you normally get from far superior I Quit bouts from the past. The referee had to restart the match after discovering that Colter framed Ricardo Rodriguez for throwing in the towel for Del Rio, so a struggling Del Rio heroically managed to apply his signature armbreaker to force Swagger to scream "I quit!"  
Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns defeated Team Hell No (Daniel Bryan and Kane) (c) to obtain the WWE Tag Team Championship in a Tornado Tag contest. Wisely the match wasn't kept too long, which kept the action exciting and at a fast pace throughout. A fun watch, and nice work from every wrestler involved. Afterwards Ambrose joined his teammates and the trio posed with their new gold, I'm so glad the WWE have kept the momentum going for this great young act.
Randy Orton pinned Big Show in an Extreme Rules match. It was fair enough for the majority, although I was personally expecting a bit more excitement from it. Neither man did a poor job on any level but for an Extreme Rules match it didn't really live up to the name, Big Show's body splash onto a ladder balanced on two chairs was the only remotely 'Extreme' thing that happened. I can't help feel two other wrestlers would've made more from this stipulation. Orton finished off Show with a punt kick, which was a nice touch.
John Cena (c) versus Ryback in a Last Man Standing match for the WWE Championship ended in a No Contest after Ryback forced the champ through part of the stage display. The fans in attendance booed the unresolved ending to the bout. The match itself had been a dramatic and engaging one, with both men playing to their strengths and utilising weapons and the outside ring environment to keep the interest going.
For me this was a much more entertaining WWE Title clash than the one at WrestleMania last month, and definitely exceeded my expectations. The ending did feel like a bit of a cop out, but it was a fair way of preserving both men's status and keeping the feud going into Payback next month.  
Brock Lesnar defeated Triple H in a Steel Cage match. As expected it was an intense and drama-filled main event, filled with effective near falls and battling till the bitter end. I know there are many fans out there who weren't particularly into Lesnar versus Triple H at 'Mania, but I was, so it's hardly a surprise that I ate this up and enjoyed it from the opening bell when 'The Game' skipped his entrance altogether and attacked his rival from behind.  
Paul Heyman of course also played his part as manager superbly, low blowing Triple H and taking a Pedigree along the way and keeping the support for his client going vocally throughout. For me he's certainly the finest manager I've ever seen in pro wrestling. Going into this I already knew I was going to enjoy it, and it didn't disappoint. I can understand people's issues with Triple H and his style of matches he plans out, but there's always excitement and there's always a story to be told, which is more than can be said for most bouts you'll see on a Raw or SmackDown. Lesnar grabbed the winning pinfall after cracking Trip's sledgehammer into his head and then applying an F5.  
Overall it was an enjoyable card for the majority, with a few dips along the way. My highlights were Ambrose versus Kofi, The Shield versus Team Hell No, the WWE Title match and the main event. The last two bouts mentioned especially salvaged the event for me, giving it some much needed drama and excitement. But the biggest thing I'm probably taking away from Extreme Rules is the continued push of The Shield, it's a relief that the most exciting young act in the company is still getting the attention they deserve.    

Saturday 18 May 2013

My WWE SmackDown, 17th May 2013 Recap


Orton clobbers Swagger in the solid main event. Photo credit: WWE.com

The Miz kicked things off with his show 'Miz TV', where he brought out his guests Randy Orton and Big Show. After showing footage from last Friday's SmackDown, the two Extreme Rules opponents each spoke about how they were going to win their match of the same name on Sunday, with Show talking about how the only weapon he required was his fist and Orton claiming that he refused to loose in his hometown of St Louis.  
Jack Swagger (or rather Zeb Colter), Mark Henry and Alberto Del Rio then each came out and stated how they would be victorious this Sunday in their respective match ups. It was all a bit drab. Sheamus then arrived and finally suggested that rather than talking, he fancied a fight instead and everyone began to brawl in the ring, with Orton, Sheamus and Del Rio chasing off their rivals. Teddy Long then (of course) strolled out and booked them all in a six-man tag main event. 
The Shield (Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins) bested Jimmy and Jay Uso in a fair tag contest. Everyone involved looked decent, but there was nothing exceptional about the match. Afterwards Kofi Kingston raced in to help the Usos as The Shield were about to finish them off, but was quickly tossed out of the ring. But the US Champion wasn't done as he then chased off the trio (including his opponent on Sunday, Dean Ambrose) with a steel chair in hand. 
Tons of Funk (Tensai and Brodus Clay) beat Prime Time Players (Darren Young and Titus O'Neil) in a pretty pedestrian and forgettable tag bout, much like their one on this Monday's Raw. I just can't really find the interest for either team. 
Chris Jericho defeated Antonio Cesaro in a largely stellar effort from both men. While it maybe didn't quite live up to my expectations (as a big fan of both talents, although I think that's just me being picky) it was an enjoyable back and fourth affair. After the bell rung Fandango attempted to attack Jericho from behind but was thwarted when Y2J saw him coming and beat him out of the ring. Jericho also applied a Codebreaker to Cesaro after he tried to attack him too.
The Miz bested Damien Sandow in a decent outing. I wasn't expecting much here so it was a pleasant surprise at what a fun watch it was, with a worthy display from both men. Cody Rhode's guest commentary was also a good listen at times.
Kaitlyn pinned Aksana in a drab encounter for the most part. The wrestling was unremarkable throughout, which wasn't a major shocker considering who's involved. Watching the female talent on NXT is a pretty big contrast, they actually look like they've got something to prove and want to impress. The most entertaining thing about the match was actually JBL and Michael Cole teasing Josh Matthews about being Kaitlyn's secret admirer on commentary, very funny.  
Randy Orton, Sheamus and Alberto Del Rio beat Jack Swagger, Big Show and Mark Henry in an entertaining six-man tag main event. From the opening bell we had solid action, with every man using their time in the ring effectively. Orton managed to eventually gain the one-two-three after RKOing Swagger as he applied a Patriot Lock on Del Rio. Good end to the show, although nothing on the finale to this week's Raw.
Overall it was an unremarkable show for the majority, like most of the time with the blue brand this year there was nothing you could imagine yourself still thinking of a few months from now, with no inspiring feuds or storylines at all on the show at the moment. The highlights for me were Jericho versus Cesaro and the main event. Now onto Extreme Rules! Which I'm actually fairly optimistic about, should be decent. 

Friday 17 May 2013

My TNA Impact Wrestling, 16th May 2013 Recap


King comes in with a flying springboard leg drop on his way to retaining his strap. Photo credit: impactwrestling.com 

Hulk Hogan started things off by first announcing that at Slammiversary it would be AJ Styles versus Kurt Angle, claiming that he no longer cared if AJ joined Aces and 8s. 'The Hulkster' went on to then call out Abyss to thank him for helping defeat Aces in last week's main event. But after failing to appear, his brother Joseph Parks instead came out and spoke about his amazement at Abyss finally returning.  
Devon, accompanied by D'Lo Brown, then joined them and demanded that Abyss appear so he could exact some revenge on him. An angry Parks had enough and challenged the Television Champion to a match right there and then. Devon claimed that he hadn't earned it so D'Lo instead took him up on the offer to prove himself for Aces. Hogan accepted and made the bout official. I still enjoy the Parks character, he makes a refreshing change from most.   
Bobby Roode won via disqualification versus Chavo Guerrero after James Storm came down and spat beer in his face. 'The Cowboy' then looked as though he was going to smash the bottle onto Roode, but decided to walk away instead. The contest itself had been a solid one, with smoothly executed sequences and wrestling from both men.
Kurt Angle came to the ring and said that he didn't want to wait until Slammiversary to get his hands on Styles and demanded that he face him there and then. Mr. Anderson instead came out and informed Angle that on next week's Impact AJ would officially be inducted into the Aces & 8s, so an upset Angle retorted by attacking and chasing off Anderson. 
AJ Styles himself then appeared and quickly took out Kurt with an enzuigiri kick. This all seems to be leading to a '97 Sting esque move into Aces for Styles where he'll bring them down from the inside, probably leading to a World Title match with Bully at Bound For Glory, which I wouldn't mind myself.  
Jay Bradley pinned Christian York in a pretty unremarkable encounter. Neither man was bad by any means, but they still look a little out of their depth on Impact at the moment.
Velvet Sky beat Gail Kim in a fair outing. Kim dominated for the most part, targeting the injured leg of Sky who was unfortunately a bit inconsistent in selling it. Sky managed the gain the one-two-three with a quick roll up pin, which caused a bitter Kim to once again attack her opponent by applying a figure four around the ringpost.  
Kenny King (c) bested Petey Williams and Chris Sabin to retain the X Division Title in a blistering three-way. This was old-school style X Division at its best, a consistently fast pace throughout with crisp and impressive maneuvers. Unfortunately the fans in attendance were a bit weak, but that's my only gripe from an otherwise entertaining contest.
Hernandez pinned Christopher Daniels in a decent enough bout. While never outstanding, it was still a fun and enjoyable match with solid performances. James Storm strolled down afterwards and stated that after his actions earlier Hogan had asked him to announce that at Slammiversary it will be Chavo and Hernandez versus Bad Influence (Daniels and Kazarian) versus Austin Aries and Roode versus himself and a partner of his choosing in a four-way for the tag title.
Joseph Parks beat D'Lo Brown in a largely pedestrian and forgettable affair. Sloppy moments from D'Lo also hindered a pretty average match up, looks like he's on his way out of his beloved gang too after this loss. 
World Champion Bully Ray came to the ring and called out Sting and Hogan, going on to brag about how he screwed them both over and proving while he's one of the (if not the) top heel in pro wrestling right now. Sting responded by claiming that he's going to have to damage him beyond repair at Slammiversary because if not that was what he was going to do to the Aces President first, also asking for their title clash to be under No Holds Barred rules.
Bully accepted the match proposal, but only if Sting would never be able to challenge for the World Championship again if he was victorious. Sting also accepted, despite Hogan trying to persuade him otherwise,  and the two began brawling as the show ended. I think a No Holds Barred match is the way to go, that added element should gain some much needed interest and excitement on the night. 
Overall it was a fair Impact, not much that was exceptional but nothing too bad. The highlight was the exciting X Division Triple Threat, I'm sure I would've said Roode versus Chavo and Hernandez versus Daniels too if they'd been allocated a bit more time. Slammiversary looks like a solid enough card for the most part at the moment, should be a decent event I reckon. 

Tuesday 14 May 2013

My WWE Raw, 13th May 2013 Recap


Triple H and Lesnar battle it out in the cage. Should be a great one on Sunday. Photo credit: WWE.com

Jerry Lawler kicked things off by bringing out Fandango and Chris Jericho for a dance off. But as Fandango got started his partner Summer Rae accidentally tripped and couldn't continue. A furious Fandango then decided to abandon his dance partner, but made a quick return to cheap shot Jericho, eventually taking him out of the ring and cracking a bit of the flooring from their contest into Y2J's head. It was then revealed that it was all a ruse as Summer jumped up and danced away with Fandango.  
Ryback pinned Zack Ryder in a brief and forgettable squash match. Nothing much to see here.
Prime Time Players (Darren Young and Titus O'Neil) bested Tons of Funk (Brodus Clay and Tensai) in a short and average tag bout. It was passable, but there were no remarkable performances to be found. O'Neil grabbed the winning schoolboy pin after Young had struck Clay in the throat. I can't say a feud between these two teams will exactly set my World alight.  
Teddy Long announced that due to Dolph Ziggler's injury (he suffered a concussion during last week's SmackDown taping) he would not be able to defend the World Championship at Extreme Rules, so instead there would be a number one contenders match for the title pitting Del Rio against Swagger in an I Quit match. The announcement was met with indifference and boos, fans grew tired of seeing these two face each other a long while ago. 
Kofi Kingston defeated Damien Sandow in a fair encounter. I'd personally like to see the US Champion do well, but he's had pushes stopped and started so often it's hard to invest in him, nevertheless he's on good form at the moment. 
After a brief interview, Mark Henry used Josh Matthews as an example of how to win a Strap match after pushing him over and dragging him around the ring, then letting him go. Henry then asked Sheamus to join him in the ring to get an taste of what's to come this Sunday, which the 'Celtic Warrior' did, but not before grabbing his own strap and managing to whip Henry out of the ring. 
Randy Orton beat Antonio Cesaro in a decent outing. Both men looked solid in the ring, with crisp action as expected from these two talents. It just needed a bit more time to make more of a lasting impression.
Absurdly during the match we had Michael Cole urging us to get the WWE app so we could see a live interview with Big Show, amongst other things while the show's going on. Where's the sense in having other segments happening at the same time match ups are taking place? Just daft.
The Miz beat Heath Slater in a passable contest. Miz gave a decent effort here, and Slater looked okay, but the wrestling never reached a particularly high standard. Miz gained the submission victory after applying the Figure Four Leglock. I don't mind him using the move like a lot of fans, but I'd like to see him break down the legs of his opponent a bit more beforehand.   
John Cena and Team Hell no (Daniel Bryan and Kane) won via disqualification versus The Shield (Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns) in a stellar six-man elimination tag match. The contest contained plenty of exciting action and some terrific displays, especially from Bryan, Ambrose and Rollins.
Kane was first eliminated via DQ after he assaulted Ambrose on the outside with the covering for the announce desk. An angered 'Big Red Machine' ran rampant through the trio just before he was sent to the back. Next his Team Hell No teammate Daniel Bryan was eliminated after being pinned by Ambrose. Rollins was then pinned after a poorly executed AA from Cena, and Reigns next DQ'd for shoving the referee.
As Cena then looked to make Ambrose tap with the STFU, the other two Shield members ran in to attack the WWE Champion and Triple Powerbomb him, causing the ref to ring the bell for another disqualification and end the bout. Ryback then marched out and looked to leave Cena alone, but decided otherwise and then smashed a steel chair onto his injured ankle.
Jack Swagger won via count out versus Big E Langston in a pretty pedestrian encounter. Swagger was selected over Del Rio to face Big E via a vote on the WWE app, which did surprise me a little. To be fair the match was certainly watchable, which exceeded my expectations, and Big E looked like he'd improved a bit in the ring, although he still has a fair way to go. As Big E dominated on the outside he was caught out by the wily Swagger, who managed to get back into the ring before the ten count. 
Alberto Del Rio then ran out and after tussling with Big E and Swagger, managed to lock on his signature armbreaker on the 'All American'. To be honest Del Rio's actions were more heel-like here than anything.
AJ Lee bested Natalya in a drab affair up until the very end when AJ pulled out a nice submission for the win as Natalya went for a sidewalk slam.
Rightfully Divas Champion Kaitlyn asked on commentary during the bout why Nikki and Brie Bella were even out there. They have nothing to do with the current title picture and it did seem quite odd, plus it overshadows AJ and Kaitlyn's feud. Add all that to the Divas champ receiving another gift from her secret admirer during all this and it seemed overkill.   
Triple H stood in a steel cage and stated that earlier in his pro wrestling career he was advised to "hate" in order to succeed and advance himself, and had learnt to hate and damage people because of it, which he claimed he would do at Extreme Rules. He then dared Lesnar to join him in the cage right there and then, Paul Heyman then came out with Brock Lesnar and urged his client not be lured by 'The Game'.
Heyman went on to state that "hate" was an appropriate word for the COO's situation, since he would hate facing all his loved ones after loosing to Lesnar this Sunday and failing them. Triple H had enough and claimed that Heyman was holding Lesnar back because he was his meal ticket and he couldn't afford for him to loose his mystic by falling to him once again, and finally asked if Lesnar was the beast, or if he was "Brock Lesnar, the bitch." This was enough excuse for Lesnar to storm down to the ring, where the two had a heated brawl until Triple H managed to send Lesnar through the cage door and into Heyman. It was a strong end to the show, with the fans well into it.
Overall it was a decent enough show, and above average for this year. The highlights were the entertaining six-man tag, Orton versus Cesaro and the heated battle between Lesnar and Triple H, now that is how you end a Raw heading into a PPV. The only poor periods for me were the divas match (with way too much going on), the Prime Time Players versus Tons of Funk and the constant mention of the WWE app. That kind of thing doesn't normally bother me, but when they're telling you to check out what's happening backstage when a match is actually taking place it's just ridiculous. 

Saturday 11 May 2013

My WWE SmackDown, 10th May 2013 Recap


An intense Jericho locks on the Walls. Photo credit: WWE.com

Chris Jericho kicked things off with his signature show the 'Highlight Reel', where he called out Ryback and admitted that he actually agreed with his actions as of late to help him become WWE Champion. But Y2J also warned him that while he may win the strap at Extreme Rules against Cena, at the same time he'll loose all the fans respect.
Of course Ryback didn't care about any of that and as the two began to face off Teddy Long came out and booked the two in the main event. Ryback then took the opportunity to sucker punch Jericho before leaving. It was a pretty drab start to the show.
Kofi Kingston pinned Cody Rhodes in a fair encounter. Both men looked decent here, but they didn't really have the time to make a real impact. Kofi grabbed the one-two-three after applying a Trouble in Paradise as Cody came in for a Disaster Kick.
Before Jack Swagger versus Big E Langston could get underway, Alberto Del Rio decided to make things interesting by inserting a ladder into the ring. After a brief tussle over it, Swagger managed to gain the upper hand and chuck Langston out of the ring, with Ziggler then attacking Swagger and Colter. This then allowed Del Rio to use the ladder to take out the World Champion and Swagger, and finally stand tall on top of it with Ziggler's strap. Unfortunately Ziggler suffered a concussion here, here's hoping he makes a full recovery soon.
Dean Ambrose versus Daniel Bryan ended in a no contest after Kofi Kingston ran in and got some revenge after The Shield attacked him last Monday night, nice bit of continuity I thought. With Kane and Bryan's help the US Champion managed to clear the trio out of the ring. The actual match itself had unsurprisingly been a stellar one, with Bryan and Ambrose giving solid displays as usual. While it was a good watch, I was maybe expecting a bit more considering Bryan and Ambrose's history and past work together, but I feel petty complaining.  
In the parking lot Mark Henry broke a World record by dragging an incredible two tractor trailers. This was to help promote the strap match between him and Sheamus at Extreme Rules, which could be decent.
Big Show beat Tensai in a short and forgettable affair. Just as 'Sweet T' got in a bit of offense, Show managed to quickly apply a KO punch for the winning pin. Afterwards he then decided to also (clumsily) spear Tensai's tag partner Brodus Clay. Show's rival Randy Orton then appeared to gain some retribution in the form of an RKO. It's still yet to be announced what kind of match these two will have at Extreme Rules.
Chris Jericho won via disqualification versus Ryback in an enjoyable main event. For the second SmackDown in a row Ryback was involved in a solid one on one match, who'd have thought it? Granted it was largely thanks to the hard work of Jericho (and Bryan last Friday) but still. The DQ came after Ryback picked Y2J up and rammed him into the ringpost for a low blow. But he wasn't done as he then clotheslined Jericho over the announce table and roared "Ryback rules!" With Josh Matthews defiantly claiming that he'll beat Cena next Sunday. I doubt it myself.
Overall it was a fair show, with a few above average bouts for the blue brand. My highlights were Bryan versus Ambrose and the main event. Unfortunately like most SmackDowns I didn't come out of it thinking that anything was particularly must see, but the two aforementioned bouts were fun watches. 

Friday 10 May 2013

My TNA Impact Wrestling, 9th May 2013 Recap


Sting, accompanied by Kurt Angle, started things off by claiming that he didn't want to wait until Slammiversary to get his hands on Bully Ray so he'd asked for the six-man main event that night pitting him and Angle against three Aces & 8s members. Angle then took to the mic and demanded an answer from AJ Styles on whether he was on their side or not.
Sure enough AJ joined them but he refused to say a word after 'The Stinger' tried to convince him to join them in the main event. A hasty Angle had enough though and screamed at Styles, demanding to know who's side he's on. So AJ had enough and left, but Kurt gave chase and as the two began exchanging punches on the ramp Bully RayDevon and Anderson took out Sting. Everything was coming up Aces.  
Mickie James and Velvet Sky bested Tara and Gail Kim in a largely decent tag bout. I feel like a broken record typing this but James and Kim were (as usual) the top performers here, each giving stellar displays. Sky looked quite average as she finished off Tara with the In Yo' Face for the one-two-three. 
Afterwards a frustrated Kim then clotheslined Tara and applied a Figure Four from the outside around the ringpost just like she did to Terrell last week. I wouldn't mind seeing Tara and Jesse turn face actually, could be quite entertaining.  
Aces & 8s made their way to the ring, where Bully reprimanded D'Lo for loosing to Angle in an I Quit match last week, and demanded he hand over his Aces jacket. D'Lo refused and asked for another chance, so a few other members snatched the jacket off of him, with Bully ordering him to sit near the announce desk and watch the following match. Ray's mic work was solid, as standard for him.  
Magnus pinned Doc in a match of two halves. The start was pretty drab and pedestrian, but fortunately the contest picked up and both men gave worthy enough displays as they upped the pace and interest. The finish did look daft however as D'Lo was somehow blinded by an earlier Irish Whip by Magnus into steel steps (how does that work?) and then accidentally pulled Doc's legs near the ropes which allowed Magnus to grab a quick roll up pin for the victory. 
Afterwards as punishment Bully then demoted D'Lo to the gang's lackey and barked at him to leave.
Austin Aries and Bobby Roode versus Bad Influence (Christopher Daniels and Kazarian) in a Tag Team number one contenders match ended in a No Contest after special referee James Storm had enough of Aries and Daniels and Last Call Superkicked them both. It was an exciting match for the majority, with crisp wrestling as excepted with this level of talent. The ending was a little strange but a three way between these two teams and the champs does make sense for Slammiversary.
Backstage we witnessed a few Aces members beat down Magnus. The Brit managed to make a brief comeback but it wasn't enough as the gang managed to get him down and ram a trolley of some kind into his head (which happened where we couldn't see it).
X Division Champion Kenny King came out and after bigging himself up,  called out Chris Sabin to tell his story of his recovery from his injury. Sabin explained to King that at this point he had nothing left to lose and would do everything to win back the X Division strap. After the champ feigned some more admiration for his future opponent, he then claimed that even if he hadn't had the two operations on his ACL then Sabin still wouldn't be as talented as him, so Chris retorted with a swift punch to send King packing. It was a nice segment, with King especially oozing confidence on the mic.
Backstage we saw a beaten down Storm on the ground, with Aries, Roode, Daniels and Kazarian all nearby and screaming at each other and officials.
Abyss, Sting and Kurt Angle beat Bully Ray, Devon and Mr. Anderson in a fair main event. Once the bout got going it was enjoyable enough, with nice work from Devon, Bully and Angle. During the match we were shown footage from backstage where various Aces members had been taken out by a mystery assailant which turned out to be Abyss, who Hulk Hogan had called earlier on in the show to help out. 
Abyss made his way down at the end where he clumsily and slowly beat down Bully and also chokeslammed Anderson through a table before Black Hole Slamming and pinning Devon for the win. Compared to Lesnar's awesome attack on 3MB a few weeks back on Raw this looked sloppy. I can't say that he's a welcome return for me, I personally prefer his Joseph Parks alter ego.
Overall it was a decent enough Impact, with not one bad or unwatchable match on the card. My highlights were the tag team bout and Bully and Kenny King's very nice mic work. Unfortunately I still can't say I'm hyped for the Bully and Sting title match at all right now, but at least we should still be grateful for Ray making Aces & 8s interesting at all.

Tuesday 7 May 2013

My WWE Raw, 6th May 2013 Recap


Lesnar and Heyman during their 'invasion'. Photo credit: WWE.com

WWE Champion John Cena kicked things off by stating that he will be able to defend his title at Extreme Rules against Ryback, he also made a series of lame jokes, with Lawler as usual cackling from the desk. Finally Cena got serious again towards the end of his speech when Vickie Guerrero joined him and called out Ryback to determine the kind of match they'll have over the WWE Title. 
Unfortunately the champ then resorted to going back to making childish and unfunny jokes regarding Ryback's voice and Vickie wearing "Grandma pants" even though she'd just given him a fair chance to choose what kind of bout he'll have. Ryback retorted by claiming that he knew that despite his injured ankle, Cena's ego would cause him to still defend the title, and then logically chose a Last Man Standing match for Extreme Rules. It was a pretty weak start to the show.  
Randy Orton pinned Damien Sandow in a fair outing. As with their match on last Friday's SmackDown, the wrestling from both men was solid enough but the bout was just lacking in excitement. The most entertaining thing about this was actually Sandow's very funny version of Orton's theme he sung on the way to the ring (check out an edited version here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=kgWUlU6N7f0). Afterwards Big Show then KO'd Orton with a punch as he was about to enter the back. 
Chris Jericho brought out Tons of Funk (Tensai and Brodus Clay) to help critique the performance of Fandango in his following match up.
R-Truth won via count out versus Fandango after he'd had enough and decided to leave with his dance partner. The match itself wasn't anything special, and the judging didn't really add anything to it either. In fact, you can safely skip all of this. Before the match Michael Cole gushed that Truth is a man that "can sing and dance!" Clearly Cole has some hearing and seeing difficulties. 
Alberto Del Rio won via disqualification versus Dolph Ziggler in an exciting back and fourth contest. Both men gave great displays, despite a few minor mistakes. The DQ came after Big E Langston dragged Del Rio out of the ring and threw him into Swagger (who'd come down during the bout with Zeb Colter who provided guest commentary). 
Swagger then exacted his revenge by taking out Langston by forcing him into a ringpost, then Ricardo Rodriguez, Del Rio and Ziggler with a ladder. This was by far the strongest segment (including the bout) promoting the Triple Threat Ladder match at Extreme Rules so far.
The Shield (Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns) bested Kofi Kingston and Jimmy and Jay Uso in a decent six-man tag bout. Certainly far from their most exciting match, The Shield still delivered here with worthy efforts, as did their three opponents. Worth a watch.
Antonio Cesaro pinned Zack Ryder in a match the Swiss dominated. The action wasn't anything outstanding, but Cesaro as usual looked stellar. Afterwards Antonio questioned the level of competition he was receiving, and added that no one in the WWE could touch him when it came to ability in the ring. It was very well delivered, and you could believe each word he was saying. Now WWE should build on this and have him beat Orton on Main Event on Wednesday, maybe with Big Show making an appearance.  
Via satellite Paul Heyman presented his self-recorded footage of his client Brock Lesnar's little trip to WWE's Headquarters in Stamford, Connecticut, where he made his way up to COO Triple H's office and trashed it. It was a fun watch, and witnessing Lesnar intimidate the employees and destroy Trip's belongings didn't get old. There was also an interesting moment where Brock paused to observe a poster featuring The Rock for the Royal Rumble, a feud with those two could be potentially interesting if Rocky returns.
Heyman then explained that after being Pedigreed on last week's Raw he was now going to stop holding back and instead encourage Lesnar in his attacks, and especially in maiming 'The Game' in their Steel Cage match. Triple H then came out and accused Heyman of knowing full well that he wouldn't be in his office that day, and called the ring his other office and dared Lesnar to enter it with him and try and do what he did to his other one in Stamford. It was a strong segment on the whole, from Heyman's superb promo work to Lesnar just being Lesnar.
Kaitlyn, Cameron and Naomi beat AJ Lee and the Bella twins in a mediocre and forgettable tag match. There was just no interest to be found here, plus couple that with some of the clumsy wrestling and you get the idea of the quality of this affair.
Mark Henry presented footage of his attacks on Sheamus over the last month and then challenged him to a match at Extreme Rules, so the Irishman joined him and also showed footage of his attacks on Henry recently and decided to challenge him right there and then to a fight. The two were about to square off until Wade Barrett made his way out for his scheduled contest with Sheamus.
Sheamus pinned Wade Barrett in a largely pedestrian encounter. I feel a lesser wrestler than Barrett would've been a better choice for this match, it did no favours to the IC Champion (almost forgot about that, didn't you?) that he was overshadowed by the feud with Henry and fairly easily beaten here. The bout wasn't terrible but there was nothing remarkable about it.
Afterwards Henry gave a convincing beat down on Sheamus after the 'Celtic Warrior' had taunted him by pretending he was going to chuck Barrett into him during their bout. Henry had grabbed a leather belt from an official at ringside and began whipping Sheamus, finally finishing him off by World's Strongest Slamming him. 
Ryback beat Kane in a rather average main event. It may have just been me but Kane looked like he was struggling a little at parts here. I wasn't expecting much here and didn't receive it, both men did okay but I just failed to engage in it at all. The match came about after Ryback refused a match with Daniel Bryan due to his attack from The Shield, so Kane stepped up to take his tag partner's place.
After the main event The Shield made an appearance, so Daniel Bryan and John Cena raced out to repel them. As Ryback looked as though he was then helping, he attacked the WWE Champion with a few chair shots to end the show. Maybe that'll stop Cena's lame jokes about him.
Overall it was a passable Raw for the majority, with Del Rio versus Ziggler (plus the subsequent attack), The Shield's six-man tag bout and Lesnar's invasion of the WWE Headquarters being the highlights and helping make the show worth watching. The other match ups were average or forgettable for the most part, and I'm still not that interested in the Cena and Ryback feud. But at least Extreme Rules is looking to be an enjoyable event.