Drew McIntyre defeated The Miz (w/ John Morrison)
SQUASH
Bobby Lashley and MVP are out to usher in the Almighty Era. The Miz and Morrison come out and Morrison has some wild 1989 AWA on ESPN hair and I love it. Miz is pushing to wrestle Bobby Lashley at WrestleMania. Drew McIntyre comes out and gets in MVP and Lashley's face. Miz says he needs to worry about him, too. McIntyre laughs Miz off and makes some cute quips. I don't know if that's the best method instead of being serious in this situation. Drew and Sheamus are booked to face each other again at Fastlane.
Drew calls Lashley a big bald bitch and gets attacked. Meanwhile, Sheamus attacks Lashley because he wants Drew McIntyre at 100 percent and wants the WrestleMania match.
I would very much like the distraction spot in wrestling scaled back. It happens way too much. Drew got distracted by Morrison's sunglasses at one point. Morrison actually saves Miz from getting Claymored at one point, which is a much better spot if you want to break the pace. Drew McIntyre beats the shit out of Miz and slams him on the stairs repeatedly. As is tradition, the camera work here is miserable.
Drew has the match won with all of his signature stuff, but doesn't pin Miz. I don't like the Hurt Lock as a finish, but I loved the element of Drew McIntyre using it to send a message. Drew crushed Miz like he should have leading into this. Really good stuff!
WTF.
Braun Strowman says he's been........bullied his whole life by people like Shane. Oh. Just please have Braun say "I'm gonna throw you off a bunch of shit" and Shane say "okay" and we'll just let the rest go. These promos are brutal. Shane McMahon says Braun couldn't handle him, and accepts the match.
Braun Strowman goes after Shane and gets the shit beat out of him with a camera. Shane McMahon has went from flying to falling with style eh? Elbow drop through the table. HHAHA SHANE MCMAHON SLIMED BRAUN STROWMAN!!! It was all worth it!!
Dana Brooke & Mandy Rose defeated Lana & Naomi
4.25/10
R-Truth is trying to get both teams to drink with him for 3:16 Day before this match. Shayna and Nia are on commentary.
Lana has made significant strides in the ring, but had a slow transition into her facebuster. Asuka comes out during the middle of this match and Shayne Baszler goes after her. Lana falls victim to the ol blind tag, and Dana Brooke picks up the win. I don't know that this match needed the big Asuka appearance in the middle of it.
WWE Raw Tag Team Championship
New Day defeated Hurt Business (c) to win the titles
6.75/10
Why is Riddle always hanging out in Gorilla? Either way, he and New Day are having fun. HAVIN' FUN.
I love that WWE had New Day win matches over the last couple of months to lead to this title match, but that should be the rule, not the exception. The chemistry is off the charts with New Day and Hurt Business. New Day goes fast pace and high flying, Hurt Business goes violent, grounded and brutal. The finish is clean, and New Day wins with Daybreak. This is an unbelievable match. You can hot potato the tag titles like this if you're having the kind of tag team matches New Day and Hurt Business have been, and it will add prestige to the titles.
AJ Styles comes out and says he's running out of bucket list items for WrestleMania. Omos says they want to be Raw Tag Team Champions and makes the challenge for WrestleMania. New Day accept and tell Omos to get some gear.
R-Truth, new 24/7 Champion
Damian Priest and Bad Bunny troll Miz & Morrison backstage. R-Truth tries to attack Bad Bunny with a Steve Austin lunch box, but gets caught. Truth gives Bad Bunny a smoking skull belt and Bunny gives Truth the 24/7 Title. I don't like anyone handing a title over. I didn't like it with Jarrett and Henry, Bulldog and Snow, or this. Just book something.
Damian Priest (w/ Bad Bunny) defeated Jaxson Ryker (w/ Elias)
SQUASH)
Now that's how you book a Damian Priest match. Really quick, dominant. Ryker doesn't need protected. Elias tries to attack with a guitar after, but Bad Bunny fights back. Instead, Miz hits Bunny with a guitar. Protecting Bunny from a 24/7 Title loss by handing it over doesn't make much sense when he gets laid out with a guitar after. Having Big Bunny actually be upset that Miz cost him the 24/7 Title seems like it would have added a lot more for all involved than the way they handled almost all of that.
Asuka defeated Shayna Baszler
N/A
Asuka controls things early and takes out Nia Jax. Asuka gets put in a Kirafuda Clutch, but rolls back for the pin. Well okay. Asuka goes at Shayna after the match, trying to take her out by the TEETH. The referee breaks up a corner curb stomp, but this whole thing made me long for Shayna Baszler vs. Asuka with a bad ass build. Aggressive Asuka is great
WWE United States Championship
Riddle (c) defeated Mustafa Ali (w/ RETRIBUTION)
Ali beats Riddle's ass for quite a while. There are some really good strike exchanges in this, but it felt way short compared to what I expected. Retribution has the referee distracted. They go after Riddle after he reverses momentum and hits a Bro Derek. I am completely over Retribution. Done. They need something different, and I've felt that way about three "something differents" ago!
WHAT?
Alexa Bliss....challenges Randy Orton to a match at Fastlane. Orton...accepts? Okay!
Bobby Lashley (w/ MVP) defeated Sheamus
6.5/10
Sheamus and Bobby Lashley pretty predictably knock the living shit out of each other, which is very cool. They play the hits, and the hits are in demand. Drew McIntyre is watching this match from ringside, which is the only thing that puts the match result in question. This is yet another incredible Sheamus match. Lashley pins Sheamus after a spear, but this was outstanding. Drew McIntyre is watching on. Lashley applies The Hurt Lock after the match and Drew runs in to Claymore him.
Sheamus and Drew face off to end the show.
Rating Guide
10- Perfect, 9- MOTY Territory, 8- Excellent, 7- Great, 6- Good, 5- Average to above average, 4- Slightly below average, 3 or below: Poor
Each match starts at a 5 and slides up and down based on entertainment, execution, time, environment, reaction and stakes. The ratings are in no way an indication of a "star rating," which is a completely different system. A standard, non-offensive "TV match" lands at a 5. The gap between 5.75-6 is generally the largest, with anything reaching 6 being recommended viewing.
These are opinions, and incredibly inconsistent ones that may change upon a second viewing, or sitting on the match for a period of time. Don't take them too seriously, and have (and share) your own!
