Charlotte
- We see video of last night's happenings that led to Becky Lynch being replaced by Charlotte Flair.
- Charlotte comes out and says she's the backbone of the division and Vince made a smart business decision and picked a future Hall of Famer.
- Charlotte Flair does some really good troll work in this promo. She's letting Becky Lynch have it. This is really, really good stuff and a strong heel promo.
- Charlotte Flair says that she's going to be at the Raw Women's Title Match at Elimination Chamber between Rousey and Ruby Riott, and maybe we'll end up seeing a new champion.
Loser enters Elimination Chamber first
Fabulous Glow defeated Fire & Desire and The IIconics
5/10
- IIconics standing on the same side of the turnbuckle.
- This is one of Naomi's "on" nights. Carmella avoiding Sonya's strikes and taunting was good, too.
- Mandy avoids Naomi at all costs and runs away. Ideally one of these teams could just walk out and not lose.
- A major part of this match takes place during the commercial break and the work doesn't look great.
- Deville and Carmella have a couple of interactions here, but the match is largely built around the Naomi vs. Mandy Rose stuff.
- Naomi picks up the win with a split legged moonsault on Mandy.
- The IIconics never tagged in, but posted both members of Fabulous Glow after the match. Probably the best use of them.
- A largely average match with a solid story and an okay crowd. Everyone was used pretty well, and there were stakes.
Backstage crappenings
- We see promos from the Raw tag teams. Nia talks over Tamina three times. Liv cut the best promo of all of the Raw field there.
- Mustafa Ali does a cell phone promo and says WWE haven't cleared him. He won't let this hold him down.
McMiz TV
- The Miz announces that Shane McMahon is going to be on NCIS LA. NCIS might be the only show with camera work I hate more than WWE.
- The Usos come out and say McMiz are trying to be the Usos.
- The Miz and McMahon counter Uso knowing each other so well by giving one another the answers. There's a spot where they get a cheap pop for the Toledo Mud Hens.
- After some trash talk, Usos superkick McMiz.
- This was a really good, fun segment that furthered their story.
Winner enters chamber last
Randy Orton Wins
8.75/10
- I've been pitching it on the Fightful Podcast for a long time, but I would totally be for a Daniel Bryan vs. New Day feud.
- Bryan and Kofi go at it for a while. Kofi eats a couple of vicious kitchen sinks. This feels like a very fresh matchup.
- Before a commercial, Kofi does a great dive over the top rope. Bryan only gets a two when he does a guillotine knee drop. Bryan misses a diving headbutt, and the high flying tactics are fast and furious. Kofi does a standing somersault senton, too.
- Bryan does an amazing tree of woe dropkick, but both men wipe out on a belly-to-back superlex attempt.
- DB applies a LeBell Lock and Kofi manages to get to the ropes.
- Bryan flies to ringside and hits Kofi with a knee, but Kofi dropkicks Bryan.
- Rowan gets involved, but New Day takes him out and they're kicked out. Rowan still attacks Kofi, then he's banned too.
- Kofi gets Trouble in Paradise and beats Bryan!
DANIEL BRYAN is eliminated after 24 minutes (8/10)
- Jeff Hardy is next
- Some sloppy work early outside, and Hardy misses a Swanton.
- After a little back and forth, Kofi Kingston gets the win with an SOS!
- There wasn't a ton to this nine minutes but Kofi looked very strong.
JEFF HARDY is eliminated after nine minutes (Kofi is at 33)
- Samoa Joe is out next and cracks Kofi.
- Joe works over Kofi with an adbominal stretch and a clothesline.
- Both men eat floor on a Kofi slingshot over the top and both make it back in by the count of ten.
- Kofi Kingston kicks out at ONE after a clothesline.
- This is how you build up a guy as a contender in one night. Bravo, WWE.
- Koqina Clutch is applied but Kofi does the Hart/Piper and Hart/Austin finish to pin him!
Samoa Joe is eliminated after 14 minutes (Kofi is at 47)
- Joe is LIVID and chokes out Kofi. AJ is next and attacks Joe.
- AJ tries to show Kofi sympathy, but Kofi pushes AJ Styles. Styles goes off and decks him.
- Kofi fights back after being worked over, but Kofi walks into a VICIOUS backbreaker and howls in pain.
- Kofi Kingston flies into the ring post knees first in a brutal spot. He makes it in by the ten count!
- Styles misses a super frankensteiner! Kofi Kingston body presses Styles' back for a two.
- Kofi is placed in the Calf Crusher and taps out.
- Kofi Kingston lasted an HOUR.
Kofi Kingston eliminated after an hour (Styles is at 13 minutes)
- RKO. Pin.
AJ Styles eliminated after 14 minutes. Randy Orton Wins
- They were VERY short on time. This was an amazing story. I will always remember this as Kofi Kingston's Smackdown.
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. Don't take them too seriously, and have (and share) your own!
