Alberto Del Rio Frustrated With WWE

For Alberto Del Rio, his wrestling career with WWE has been a wild ride. He won the biggest Royal Rumble ever featuring 40 participants. Former Money In The Bank winner, successfully cashing it in on some wrestler named CM Punk (relax I’m kidding). Ironically his cash in was at SummerSlam, which we are only a few weeks away from. With the WWE Draft shaking up the new era in WWE, many superstars have come forward frustrated with their current position in the company. The draft seemed to have stacked RAW, with Smackdown once again playing second fiddle. Shane McMahon and Daniel Bryan do seem very invested in trying to make it as best of a show it can be, but only time will tell. Many rumored names to be coming back, (Kurt Angle, Melina, Jeff Hardy) pushes guys like Cesaro and Del Rio to the bottom of the pile. Alberto reports have been flying in about him being unhappy and possibly leaving with his contract coming up soon.

We all remember Del Rio was let go once by WWE, due to an altercation he had with an employee over a racist comment. It seems that ever since Paige and Del Rio started dating, WWE hasn’t used them very much and the reasons are unclear. This past Tuesday on Smackdown, (which you can see the results for here!) there was a Battle Royal to determine the number 1 contender, to face Dean Ambrose at SummerSlam. Del Rio was involved in that match and honestly, I would not have been mad if he won. He is a great wrestler and has showcased his talents all over the world in companies like AAA and Lucha Underground.

As a fan, no matter what he decides to do with his contract, you want Del Rio to be somewhere he is happy. Alberto is one of the best wrestlers in the world, once again a superstar that WWE just doesn’t know how to use. Will it cause conflict with his new love Paige if he leaves? Or maybe this is just another layer to set up something big for Del Rio? The wrestling world has always been a cloudy one, so let this be another cloud in the sky.

WWE Stars Lana And Rusev Married!

As everyone who watches wrestling knows, Lana and Rusev are not just characters. The real life couple has been engaged for a while and has finally tied the knot as of July 29. At first they took some heat backstage for making their engagement so public. TMZ reports that not just one, but two weddings will take place. (View Here!) The first happening last night in Malibu, California, where most of your Total Divas appeared. Not to mention a few members from the cast of her former movie, Pitch Perfect.

Who knows the wedding could still be going on while your reading this! On both superstars instagram, you can see a good portion of the wedding photos as the couple celebrates their future together. As for the next ceremony, Rusev wants to be in Bulgaria surrounded by his friends and family (makes sense). As for their gimmicks in WWE, I think they might need a second one as well. I am not interested at all, when they enter the ring. Lana has been teased making her debut several times and we haven’t seen it yet. Her storyline with Dolph Ziggler and Summer Rae was actually building some steam until they cut it short.

With Rusev the fights are boring, uneventful and the same match every time. He has a United States Championship and has defended it against Titus O’Neil and Zack Ryder the past two months. Yawn…..not necessarily their faults, but the way they have been written on television is limiting their potential. Now just because I don’t like their in-ring characters doesn’t mean I don’t like them. I want them to live a very happy and successful life outside of WWE. It is always fascinating when two people fall in love, making a commitment to one another and prove love still exists. WWE has become quite the matchmaker for new couples in a new era! Good Luck on your future endeavors Lana and Rusev, #RavishingCouple !

Rumor Mill: Kurt Angle WWE Return?

Kurt Angle is a name everybody wants back in WWE. Now that Shelton Benjamin is returning to Smackdown, and team American Alpha being drafted, it would be so easy to stick him in a storyline immediately. Is he coming back or is it just more rumors? About a month ago in an article quoted here! by Justin Barrasso of si.com, Kurt says that he has been talking with WWE, but nothing seems to be lined up just yet. Paul (Triple H) Levesque has been in contact with him and it seems we are about a year out, from a return with the Olympic Gold Medalist in WWE (quoted in the article). WrestleMania is always a possibility for the beloved wrestler, considering Vince McMahon always has a few tricks up his sleeve.

In a more recent post on inquisitr.com Click Here! by Joe Burgett. A deal is already rumored to be in place. Maybe Kurt is just playing innocent to make his comeback even more epic! All of this is just speculation but WWE is definitely reaching out to a lot of former talent. Either way, Kurt Angle I believe, inevitably will appear in a WWE ring sooner rather than later. Fans will go wild, as it will be well deserved, for all of his hard work in the wrestling business. Feuding with Brock Lesnar again would blow the roof off of any building. There are some characters that just have that “it” factor. Kurt Angle is the poster boy for being wrestling, being entertainment and most importantly, an American Olympic Gold Medal Hero. Come Back Kurt! WWE Needs You! Do you think Kurt Angle will come back sooner? Or Later? Let me know in a comment below or on twitter @MAK10GATOR !

WWE Releases Tough Enough Contestant “ZZ”

Zamariah Loupe, better known as “ZZ,” has reportedly been released, according to an article View Here! by Joseph Currier of f4wonline.com. The popular gator wrestler (my dream job) was struggling a little bit, as seen on the popular WWE Network show, Breaking Ground. Showing a lot of potential and good entertainment but ultimately giving up sometimes, when training got rough. A well like wrestler who timing just wasn’t right for the business for the people in charge. We did not get a big enough sample size of ZZ as fans, having only 1 NXT match not televised. I was rooting for ZZ, I liked his alligator wrestling background, which could have led to a very cool gimmick. WWE is known for wanting people to perform right away sometimes, and the patience must have just run its course on Zamariah. Unfortunately as of today, he has been “chomped” by the World Wrestling Entertainment. I wish him well in whatever his journey brings him next, but as of right now, WWE is not the answer. Also being let go by the company were the talents of Josh Woods and Thomas Kingdon.

Is Melina Making A WWE Return?

In a great article by Will McCormick on inquisitr.com view here! The former beauty pageant winner, Melina, is already in contract talks to sign back with WWE. We all remember her run with John Morrison, (Johnny Mundo–Lucha Underground) which compared to some gimmicks today, was better than average. A former Tough Enough 3 contestant, Melina was the first Latina to hold the Women’s Title and then Divas Title. Overall Melina Perez has won the highest honor in the WWE Women’s division 5 times. Bret Hart once called her, one of the best wrestlers in the world. One of the highest compliments you can receive in the wrestling world.

Even at her age, no matter what role she is given, her stock only has an upside to it. Possibly being a trainer, or being put with NXT, or even starting off on the main roster. Melina also knows a thing or two about the WWE Draft. She was the first Women’s Champion to be traded from RAW to Smackdown! Her repertoire of in-ring moves, style and experience, puts her, head over heels the women in the WWE today. With the new brand split, we have heard many names rumored to be making a comeback. But with this one, it is sure to shake up the division in a massive way, no matter where she starts! I hope all these reports are true and we do get to see her in a high-profile spot with WWE. Only time will tell, as the “Paparazzi Princess” will have us all, waiting for her music to hit on Monday or Tuesday nights in the WWE. Do you want to see a Melina return? Leave a comment or tell me on twitter @MAK10GATOR !

Is Shane Carwin Returning To UFC?

Last night on Twitter the former UFC interim Heavyweight Champion posted this tweet:

Shane Carwin hasn’t fought in the UFC since 2011 when he lost a unanimous decision to Junior Dos Santos. With injuries plaguing him for the next 2 years, forcing him to retire from MMA. We assume that he is contact with matchmaker Joe Silva, considering he tweeted about it. We all remember his classic unforgettable match with WWE superstar Brock Lesnar at UFC 116, which some may argue, the fight should have been stopped. Carwin has an MMA record of 12-2 according to sherdog.com. With only one of his fights going to decision (Dos Santos). Even though he is 41 years old, he has beaten the likes of, Neil Wain, Gabriel Gonzaga and Frank Mir! If Dana White does pull the trigger on signing Carwin, I think we might be in for a few treats in the Heavyweight Division at UFC. Will we see Carwin vs Lesnar 2 (pending allegations on Brock)? Even a rematch with top contender Junior Dos Santos? Either way I hope we see Shane soon, because if anybody can bring some excitement to the octagon, it is this man!

WWE Smackdown Live! Results July 26, 2016

Smackdown has a huge task ahead of them because, Monday Night RAW was actually pretty good! You can see for yourself Clicking Here! Just like RAW, Smackdown Live has a  new set, which once again isn’t that different or creative. Daniel Bryan and Shane McMahon introduce the night with a camera following them from backstage to the live crowd in Buffalo, NY. All Smackdown superstars stand on the apron of the ring, while Shane McMahon and Daniel Bryan announce their will be a Number 1 contender for Dean Ambrose’s WWE Championship. Bryan says their will be a six-pack challenge match to determine the winner  First entrant is John Cena, followed by, Bray Wyatt! (my favorite wrestler) Dolph Ziggler, Baron Corbin, and the phenomenal AJ Styles! The sixth spot is open to….. the winner of a battle royal starting right now! In my eyes just as good of a start to Smackdown as it was to RAW! I am excited for the second night in a row which is very rare given the recent WWE PPV’s. The commentating team consists of Mauro Ranallo, JBL, and David Otunga! (when is the last time you heard that name?)

Battle Royal

All wrestlers constantly try to eliminate each other to gain the upper hand. I can estimate about 16 wrestlers in this match. Elimination after elimination as the crowd watches in suspense. Whose it going to be? Breezango is working well together with a classic commercial interruption. A little fast considering we are only 16 minutes in and have had 2 breaks already! After the break we see the battle royal consisting of only 8 guys now. Alberto Del Rio takes control of the match but is quickly eliminated. After a few eliminations, we are down to the final four! Kane, Apollo Crews, Kalisto and Zack Ryder! I hope Crews wins! Crowd chanting Woo! Woo! Woo! for Zack Ryder. Exciting close drama with Zack Ryder botching a top rope move, slipping off the ropes! Kane eliminates Kalisto! Double broski boot on Kane and Apollo Crews. Giving Kane a chance to stand up and eliminate Zack Ryder by throat! Kane runs after Crews as he pulls the rope down and eliminates the big red machine! Apollo Crews is your 6th man in the number 1 contender match! Typical battle royal match, followed by an interview right near the apron by Renee Young with Apollo! A good way to start off the night let’s see how it continues.

In-between matches a vignette shows Shelton Benjamin returning to Smackdown! Which I reported first in this article HERE!

Natalya vs Becky Lynch
A rematch from Battleground which was not a bad match. A good technical exchange between the women with both female wrestlers taunting towards the crowd. Natalya behind the heel, Becky being face. Crowd chants Becky! Becky! The crowd cheers on energizing Becky Lynch. A few near falls, followed by another taunt by Natalya, and a commercial break. We continue with a series of aggressive forearms by Becky taking control of the match. She climbs to the top rope ascending with a flying leg drop across the throat of Natalya! 1….2….kickout! Sharpshooter attempt blocked with a german suplex on Becky. More submission attempts ending with a discus clothesline by Natalya to a close 2 count! A brief window opens as Becky Lynch locks in the disarmer for a tap out victory!! A Renee Young post interview is interrupted by Alexa Bliss and then Naomi! Carmella interrupts them introducing herself. And now Eva Marie’s music hits to a sea of boos! (I actually like Eva Marie) A strange entrance with a voiceover describing Eva Marie? Very unusual and weird honestly. A good match between Natalya and Becky Lynch, overshadowed by the introduction of the new era women which led to nothing unfortunately.

MizTv SegmOOOOHH! Maryse gets pissed and accepts the match on her husband’s behalf!

Randy Orton vs The Miz
This match seems to be a warmup match to get Randy back in the ballgame. Mis right away exits the ring. Miz tosses Randy out of the ring aggravating his right shoulder injury. He continues to stomp on it all over the ring. Throwing him into steel steps and rolling him back in the ring….RKO outta nowhere! Orton does not cover Miz, favoring his shoulder. Orton pumps the crowd up going into viper mode, hitting another RKO seconds later and now covering him for the 1….2….3! Randy Orton used 1 move twice in the match, which sends a message to Brock Lesnar, showing it only takes 1 RKO to send him to Viper Ville! A double segment between these guys not really showcasing a “new era” in Smackdown.

Heath Slater shows up and knocks out a random wrestler currently in the ring! He spews out frustration why he should have been drafted. Heath wants to be in the main event tonight! Heath starts the chant #SignHeathSlater , to the crowd’s approval, echoing on his side. Shane interrupts him asking for his resume.’ Heath Slater spits out his resume, while to much surprise………..Rhyno slips into the ring and GORES! Heath Slater! The crowd goes nuts as the hottest free agent Rhyno is signed to Smackdown!

Six Pack Challenge
Bray Wyatt vs John Cena vs Apollo Crews vs Dolph Ziggler vs AJ Styles vs Baron Corbin
Bray Wyatt enters first with his vintage…..”Buffalo“……..”I’m here,” to a good crowd ovation. Apollo Crews, Baron Corbin, Dolph Ziggler, AJ Styles, and John Cena follow in that order. The match starts and 2 seconds later they go to commercial! Another awful break, by the geniuses at WWE and USA! We return with Styles and Wyatt working as a team clearing the ring. Ziggler slides back into the ring gaining a near fall on Bray. With Bray still down AJ hits a 450 splash to another near fall on Bray. Chaos ensues as AJ knocks out Cena, then gets tossed by Apollo Crews. Corbin showcases his skills against Apollo with a great amount of intensity. Baron and Apollo fight for a while. All other wrestlers are still on the outside of the ring. Again with a commercial break! We return to a double Tower of Doom Pyramid knocking all 6 guys to the floor! Once more we see only Apollo Crews and Baron Corbin alone in the ring with everyone else outside. A close fall by Crews after a powerbomb, with Wyatt pulling the referee out! Bray spider walks, hitting apollo with a sister abigail, followed by Ziggler hitting him with the Zig-Zag! Cena AA to Ziggler! Cena AA to Styles!! 1…..2…..kickout!! Cena AA’s everyone to a bunch of boos! AJ Styles hits a phenomenal Elbow off the top rope! Ziggler superkicks AJ Styles!! 1…..2……3…!! I am in shock that Dolph Ziggler won this match! I honestly would have rather have Cena win who I hate but I guess Dolph Ziggler does deserve his shot in the new era! Ziegler celebrates as Dean Ambrose’s music hits to a great big cheer, coming down to the ring. Taunting Ziggler with the belt in hand! Decent show put on by Smackdown but I think they lose the first matchup between RAW and Smackdown.

On one show Finn Balor is the winner, and the other Dolph Ziggler? Ziggler should have got his shot a long time ago, but I guess they are making up for lost time. Dean Ambrose against Dolph Ziggler at SummerSlam only on the WWE Network! In my eyes Stephanie McMahon 1 Shane McMahon 0. How did you feel about this week’s show let me know in a comment below or tweet me @MAK10GATOR !!

WWE Monday Night Raw Recap July 25, 2016

The night starts off with a bang! A new set for the show with a brand new logo. Honestly they didn’t change much, looks the same. Stephanie McMahon and Mick Foley start in the ring, bringing every RAW wrestler on stage. They announce that there will be a new belt introduced on RAW. Calling it the WWE Universal Championship. Two huge fatal 4-way matches are announced with the winners facing each other in the main event. A winner from that match will go on to face Seth Rollins for the new title at SummerSlam. The 8 men announced are Sami Zayn, Sheamus, Chris Jericho, Roman Reigns, Cesaro, Rusev, Kevin Owens and……the Demon! Finn Balor!! Pittsburgh erupts with an ovation well deserved. Also announced is a WWE Women’s Championship between Charlotte and Sasha Banks. A great opening segment to a new era in the WWE. I have loved Stephanie since I was 10 years old and I won’t stop. On a side note the commentators are now reporting live from the entrance area. A new team of Michael Cole, Byron Saxton and Corey Graves.

Fatal 4-Way
Kevin Owens vs Rusev vs Cesaro vs Finn Balor
Overall the match was really good interrupted by too many commercials. All guys got their move sets in hitting every signature move. Rusev and Owens worked together at one point. Owens called the match in the middle out loud telling Rusev what to do next. Cesaro was impressive with his swiss upper cuts and big swing, that he successfully hit on Rusev. They used every space in and out of the ring, which I always appreciate. Near falls for all men involved finally concluding with Finn Balor taking advantage at the end. Vintage Balor moves, sling blade, Pele’ kick, double dropkick into the ropes setting up Rusev for the Coup De’ Grace. Jumping High into the air stomping both feet on Rusev for the 1,2,3! Pittsburgh goes crazy as we will see who faces Finn Balor in the Main Event?!!!

Nia Jax Debut
Nia Jax fought a jobber in a match that took about 2 minutes. You can picture the match probably in your head right now, Nia Jax winning in dominate fashion. I actually like Nia Jax and think she can shake up the division if they use her properly.

Fatal 4-Way
Chris Jericho vs Sami Zayn vs Sheamus vs Roman Reigns
Roman of course gets booed like crazy on his entrance. All 3 men attack Reigns to start which is entertaining to me. Sami Zayn is clearly the crowd favorite almost by default. Slow paced match that was brought back to life by Roman, hitting a flying move over the top rope on the 3 other wrestlers,  outside of the ring. Sami seems to be a much better wrestler showcasing it in this match. Sami had a near fall on Roman via blue thunder bomb. Roman hits a spectacular razor’s edge powerbomb to a very close near fall on Sami. Roman superman punches every guy in the ring multiple times. Jericho botches a spot with Roman, interesting. Roman very athletically leap frogs over Jericho and hits a spear moments later. 1….2…..3! Reigns with the victory! Roman was actually pretty impressive in this match showing off his power and strength. Setting up Finn Balor vs Roman Reigns in the main event! I’m not a Reigns guy but I do appreciate when a wrestler puts on a good performance and he did tonight. I am not mad with Roman Reigns winning even though I am a Sami Zayn fan.

New Day Celebration
I like New Day but they never wrestle. I can not remember the last time they defended their record-breaking tag team titles? A title reign should be vindicated with at least a few defenses. But the fans still are behind them as they celebrate in a decent segment revealing their new cereal Booty-O’s. (PG show though right?) They show a video package which I personally couldn’t care less about. They choose an honorary New Day member from the crowd which is obviously a plant. The audience members name is Sonny Boy? Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows interrupt the celebration! Thank You!! Destroying each member of New Day. Hitting magic killer on Big E, ripping off their outfits embarrassing them. A segment to kill time in my view.

Neville vs Curtis Axel
JoJo Introduces Curtis Axel as Mr. Irrelevant. Neville makes his ring return which I am excited about. He is more than talented and has tremendous experience all over the world. Another wrestler who deserves more of a shot than he gets. A match in which Neville almost looks like he is facing a jobber, showcasing his move repertoire. Hitting Red Arrow which all fans should love! Neville should at least be thrown into the Intercontinental or United States Championship picture. This new era could definitely use a fresh face like him. Go Neville!

WWE Women’s Championship
Charlotte vs Sasha Banks
First off, I think Sasha Banks needs to change her entrance music. Sasha is super talented but I don’t understand why she has sky rocketed to the top? All because she likes Eddie Guerrero and is cousins with Snoop Dogg? (I want to hang out with Snoop Dogg one day) Charlotte enters with her protegé Dana Brooke. They grapple and roll around for the beginning of the match. A distraction by Dana gives Charlotte the advantage. Sasha hits bank statement into a different type of straight jacket submission. Charlotte breaks out, another bank statement attempt. They spill to the outside of the ring with Sasha hitting her double knees off the apron which is always fun to watch. Moments later Charlotte violently kicks Sasha into thew barricade teasing her with the Women’s Championship. Charlotte rolls into the ring and in a very good homage to Eddie Guerrero, she tosses the belt to Dana Brooke acting as if she was hit with the belt. We Lie, We Cheat, We Steal! Mike Chioda of course sees this and ejects Dana Brooke from ringside. A great moment destroyed by a commercial break! (bad timing with commercials tonight WWE) Some decent wrestling after the break concludes, with a near fall after double knees in the turnbuckle by Sasha. Moments later, Sasha botches another suicide dive landing very awkwardly. (hopefully she is okay) Charlotte lands a moonsault from the top rope, to the outside onto Sasha! Holy S–T! Echoes through Pittsburgh. Near falls climax after Charlotte hits natural selection to a 2 count! Figure Four attempt on Sasha as she holds the submission attempt rolling onto the apron. Sasha continues with another bank statement attempt broken up by a rope break. Another backstabber into a bank statement in the center of the ring! Charlotte taps to everyone’s surprise! And Neeeeewwwww! Women’s Champion! Sasha Banks! If I am being realistic it wasn’t the great of a match. Charlotte outperformed her in my opinion hitting a majority of the big spots and not botching anything. Byron Saxton comes to the ring to interview her, as the crowd goes wild chanting YES!

Braun Strowman Debut
Braun Strowman comes out to a new look, and pretty cool entrance music. James Ellsworth, a local competitor the size of a cockroach is set to face him. Strowman destroys him in less than 2 minutes with a reverse chokeslam. A dominating performance similar to Nia Jax earlier in the night.

Throughout the night Goldust and R-Truth walk around backstage looking for Pokémon! Pretty funny segments in-between matches.

Enzo and Cass vs Shining Stars
Enzo comes out and does his thing on the mic. Big Cass is interrupted by Primo and Epico promoting their beautiful paradise in the Caribbean, Puerto Rico! Enzo and Cass dominate the match fairly quickly after a big boot by Big Cass. During the match R-Truth walked through the match looking for Pokémon haha! I thought that was genius writing for once by WWE. A funny moment which brought a smile to my face. Maybe a tease for Golden Truth to face off against Jersey’s finest! Another quick segment match which makes 3 for the night. If you combine this match with Nia Jax and Braun Strowman, it would take longer to say the alphabet. You need balance and variety which is the only defense I can come up with to explain these matches.

They announce Brock Lesnar will return next week on RAW!

Main Event
Roman Reigns vs Finn Balor
This has the potential to be an amazing match! I am very enthused to see who will fight Seth Rollins at SummerSlam for the WWE Universal Championship. Finn receives a great response. Reigns, obviously again getting booed. Reigns tosses Balor viciously like a rag doll to start. Reigns exuding his power in an angry mood. The match displays quickness against strength. Size against strategy. Big clothesline in the corner by Roman. Leaving Finn displayed on the ropes. Roman looks for his double dropkick on the apron, Finn jumps over the ropes and double foot stomps onto the outside! Finn dropkicks Roman into the barricade followed by another bad commercial break just as the match was picking up! ( Did I mention I hate commercials) Headlock in the middle of the ring on Finn Balor. It feels as if Roman Reigns is trying to slow the match down using slow power moves. I remind you this is the second match for both of these men. A missed superman punch moments later clears Finn Balor for a running knee on the apron to Reigns. Leading to a high-flying coupe de grace to the back of the head by Finn Balor for a 1….2…kickout! Both guys are physically exhausted following Balor’s sling blade. They rise to their feet, Finn runs into a superman punch! 1….2………Kickout!! I can’t believe he kicked out from the destructive punch by Roman Reigns! Reigns power bombs Finn twice, almost breaking him in half to another near fall! Looking for the spear, runs into another sling blade, double dropkick into the corner! Finn climbs to the top rope! Coup De Grace!!!! 1…..2……3!!! Happy Birthday Finn Balor!!! An amazing ending to a decent match. Baylor being the much appreciated victor in this one. I am shocked Finn Balor won! Thank You Stephanie and Mick!! It is a New Era in WWE!! Another post-fight interview with Roman Reigns. Seems like they are just copying UFC with the interviews following the matches. They have better writers than that, I think. Finally a good Monday Night RAW with the winner being the fans going home happy. Don’t count your chickens though, we will see who is the first Universal Champion at SummerSlam!!

WWE Battleground ’16 Review

Bayley and Sasha Banks vs. Charlotte and Dana Brooke

Not gonna lie – I kinda saw Bayley as the extra woman coming. This is one of those times where I saw it coming because it was a good idea. Considering the talented women in this ring, it should be no surprise that these four put on one heck of a good match. They kept the flow going without relying too much on the babyface in peril trope. All four women had chances to shine – these women make me wish the booking team was willing to give them the time the NXT gave them to have matches. Boxing them into less-than-10-minute matches limits them a bit. However, Bayley and Sasha got the duke when Sasha made Charlotte tap out to the Banks Statment. Seeing these two win was a satisfying opener

Overall Rating: 3.5 stars (Out of 5)

The New Day vs. The Wyatt Family

This match was a mixed bag. The first half was extremely slow, but the second half was was A LOT more exciting. (I can’t help but think how much better this would have been if the most talented Wyatt Family member Luke Harper weren’t out with injury.) Braun Strowman spent a lot of this match carrying things, and… Let’s just say I don’t think letting him be by himself on Raw won’t do Mr. Strowman any favors. The idea of Woods being intimidated by Bray was fun, and despite knocking it previously,  The first half had a lot of slow punching while the second half featured a lot of mad scrambles with Xavier Woods needing to fight off most of the team himself. Big E performed his outside spear which normally I like, but after seeing him land RIGHT ON HIS HEAD, I’m starting to think maybe he should retire that move. Bray pinned Woods after a Sister Abigail. This was one of those matches where either team would have been acceptable, but I felt Bray needed the win just a little more.

Overall Rating: 3 Stars

Rusev vs. Zack Ryder – US Champion

Before the match, Lana cut an absolutely brilliant heel promo – seriously, who tried to push this woman as a babyface? This was very much an old school patriot vs. foreign enemy battle (which makes sense because Rusev is pretty good in his role as old school foreign villain). While there were a few too many rest holds, the match was overall solid – including a neat spot where Ryder performed a missile dropkick off the guardrail. The ending had a little storytelling where Ryder cost himself the match by trying to go for a top-rope elbow after hitting the Rough Ryder. Rusev won with the Accolade. Ryder may have tapped, but he at least looked like a champion. Also, Mojo Rawley came out to Ryder’s rescue. This was a pretty good balance between putting the right guy over while still making the fan favorite(s) look good.

Overall rating: 3.25 Stars

Sami Zayn vs. Kevin Owens

Zayn and Owens have been involved in a veritable blood feud (minus the blood) so this was a match to get excited for. The match started a little slow with some rest holds. But did it pick up? And how! There were some intense spots with Owens landing a pop-up powerbomb and Zayn just barely reaching the rope. We Zayn’s through-the-rope DDT, always a fun sight. Owens performed an impressive-looking frog splash. Zayn performed an absolutely insane-looking suplex onto the ringside (I’d worry about him, but I was still worried about Big E after falling onto his head). The ending was dramatic – Zayn performed the Helluva kick, but that didn’t knock Owens out. Zayn cradled his former friend, and realized what he had to do, perform a second Helluva kick and win the match.

Overall rating: 4.25 Stars

Natalya vs. Becky Lynch

Reading most of these matches, the right people went over in most matches. I guess the booking team was due to get at least one wrong. This was a decent match – as should be expected by two of the most talented women on the roster. There was a good combination of technical prowess and brawling. But sadly, Becky Lynch lost after tapping to the Sharpshooter. I like Natalya and all – she’s a hard worker who’s toughed out some pretty rough treatment. But I resent seeing Becky Lynch lose… again. Jim Cornette once said “Mad sells, but sad doesn’t.” Becky is a legit fan favorite so seeing her consistently lose doesn’t stir up the feeling that she’s going to eventually topple these foes, but just hammers home that it’s going to keep happening.

Overall Rating: 2.75 Stars

The Miz vs. Darren Young – Intercontinental Championship Match

Okay, the booking team was due for TWO misfires this evening. Giving the actual competitors credit, they actually did a decent job in the ring. However, the match ended in a double countout when Maryse started fighting with Darren Young’s manager Bob Backlund (who did NOT force anyone to recite the US Presidents in order). The two brawled outside, much to the delight of nobody.

Overall Rating: 1.75 Stars

Big Cass, Enzo Amore and John Cena vs. AJ Styles and The Club

Despite having a “This could happen on Raw” vibe to it, the match was pretty solid. There was some exciting action as the members of the Club confronted Enzo and Big Cass. Enzo was fun in his role as someone too brave and/or crazy to back down from a fight between Anderson or Gallows. All of these guys kept the flow going. Cena got the duke when he pinned Styles after an Attitude Adjustment. This feels like a necessity as everything about this opens the door for another one-on-one match at Summerslam.

Overall Rating: 3.5 Stars

Between this and the main event was the Highlight Reel featuring Randy Orton. As much as I dislike this sort of thing happening at PPVs instead of on TV, this was serviceable. I probably could have written about what happened without even seeing this promo – Chris Jericho taunted the crowd and Orton in the way only he can, Orton played his usual icy self (bookers wanting to get Roman over, take note: A stonefaced, icy babyface can get over with the crowd). Randy Orton hit the RKO – probably could have been done on Raw/Smackdown, but not bad either.

Dean Ambrose vs. Seth Rollins vs. Roman Reigns – WWE Championship

What we have here is a veritable dream match – all three members of the Shield facing each other in a triple threat match. With the Raw and Smackdown GM’s at ringside, I was nervous that this would turn into a schmaltz about them – especially since a big draw was the battle over which brand would control the World Title. With three of the best guys on the roster, three guys who showed their star potential when they were in a stable together, it should be no surprise they had an epic bout. All three men had moments to shine – Reigns powered out of the Pedigree in a way that needs to be seen, Rollins and Ambrose performed a double powebomb on Reigns through the Spanish announce table, Dean performed some outside dives, and Reigns did his dropkick across the bottom rope. The ending was a nailbiter where Reigns scored a spear on Rollins, then Ambrose scored Dirty Deeds on Reigns for the win.

Ambrose was the right guy for many reasons – In addition to being the fan favorite, Reigns and Rollins can resume their feud without the championship, and having the championship on Smackdown helps solidify that Smackdown is not just the B-show. Dean Ambrose being hoisted up like a hero by the Smackdown was the type of feel-good happy ending that WWE needs to do more often.

Overall Rating: 4.25 Stars

Overall, Battleground was a solid show. Sandwiched between two major pay per views, many matches had a TV vibe to them, but most of them were decent – with the IC title match and Becky Lynch jobbing (a… gain) being the only lowlights. The right people went over in most matches (I must emphasize MOST matches). The stellar triple threat and Zayn/Owens just missed the mark were worth the price of admission.

ICYMI – This Week in Skatronixxx

Hey there Skatronixxx peeps, and occasional Readers!  Welcome Back to ICYMI!  This past week at Skatronixxx all hands were on deck to cover the BIG DEAL…  San Diego Comic Con!  And our awesome writers went overtime to bring you all the news that is news at SDCC.  But we also had some big, BIG news of our own!  Read on for details!