Fyah
SmackDown announced a tag team tourney to name the next contenders for the Bludgeon Brothers. The week one contest featured the New Day and SANity. The New Day have dropped 2 of the last three matches featuring any of the six men. Xavier and Big E took to the ring for their squad and the opportunity to advance to the finals. The Usos made this match so much better. While the New Day did work, Jimmy and Jey added some sauce to the commentary. Kofi Kingston wasn’t as involved at ringside, and Eric Young was kept at bay. That Uso styled climax and finish was amazing, yet I doubt there will be an Uso/New Day final.
I was on vacation last week, but I did have the distinguished opportunity to watch the four-way match involving Jay Lethal, Matt Taven, Cody, and the ROH Champion Dalton Castle during the televised main event. You may already know that this was a five star match as it had four work horses featured; a four man dance provides for some more spice than you would normally get. For instance, Lethal’s triple suicide dives became four with one for each opponent and one for the bear. Dalton sends Taven and Cody through a table to set off the closing chain of event. Castle and Lethal traded shots, moves, and pin attempts before the lethal injection closed the match. And the NEW Ring of Honor World Champion is Jay Lethal!
The Gift of the Gods Title would find a home this week. We would be led to think there was a six person match to determine the new champ. The Mack, Dezmond X(avier), Ivelise, Dragon Azteca Jr, King Cuerno, and Son of Havoc made their way to the ring before it was announced that there would first be a trios match to determine the final three contenders. Son of Havoc and Ivelise selected the Mack as their partner and the dance began. The Mack would keep the pace during his spots with a standing moonsault among other things. Dez would eventually be the man of the night for a moment. Killshot also made an appearance to watch his Trios champ buddies in action.
Upon their loss (Son of Havoc got pinned), Mil Muertes ran in on SoH and the Mack to give them that free work. Killshot played savior, sort of. Mil Muertes worked all three over before leaving them in a heap. Dez, King, and Dragon were left in the finals to now face each other as opponents after just working as a team. Dez tried to take out the competition with a dive from the top of the doorway. He would miss a corkscrew splash just before Dragon Azteca Jr. countered with a top rope dive of his own to snatch the win away.
Meh
They gave Authors of Pain the mic for the first time since…forever. Naturally, the beast tag team asked for a legitimate challenge and no one like their past conquests. This request specifically means no Titus Worldwide. Who comes down to answer the challenge? Titus and Apollo flank Dana Brooke, who is back with the duo this week. Apollo tells the AOP they are wrong about Titus and spits a list of great things Titus has done. None of these things have anything to do with in-ring work. At the very least, Titus and Apollo got the upper hand before pushing AOP out the ring.
The Riott Squad’s issues with Ember Moon continue this week. Liv Morgan would make a third attempt to score a victory over Moon. There was no Riott and no Logan. Outside of the fact that this match prolongs the feud. There was nothing much more to discuss beyond Moon is still getting the low key push outside of the Raw Women’s Title conversation.
I could say that they gave Moose a chance to get over with the Impact crowd. In that, I admit that he got a surprising pop for him to be matched up with Austin Aries. I could only look at this as a comparison to the previous match Aries had with Kenny King. At no point was I convinced that Moose would hold on or rise up to win this match. There was something missing, but I can’t quite call it. Things seemed forced if it wasn’t something missing. The spot where Moose went over the railing to the outside involvement of the special guest all seemed too rushed. Aries would eventually retain with two brain busters.
NXT called Sean Maluta back for a dance with Adam Cole (bay bay). It was said that Cole has been a fighting champ so far and Maluta would be a fair competitor. That neck breaker was proof positive that Maluta could be a great addition to a main storyline at some point in the future. But seriously, Sean was more than hired talent to put Cole over. Even in jobbing, there is work to be done.
Boo
R-Truth said something about “the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth” before getting squashed by Samoa Joe. This was on the same night Joe was announced as challenge for the WWE Title.