Kota Ibushi has joined the WWE and is heading to NXT. I am not really familiar with Ibushi, but from what I hear on the internet he is a very talented high-flier. I just watched his match against Shinsuke Nakamura from Wrestle Kingdom 9 and it is very good.
With Nakamura having joined NXT not that long ago, Hideo Itami and Asuka already there it is very interesting how the WWE is tapping into the japanese talent pool. I just hope they all get legitimate chances and aren't relegated to workers and novelty acts as the WWE has done to japanese wrestlers before. Nakamura's match against Sami Zayn is still the best match of the year for my money and he is wrestling Samoa Joe for the title at the next Takeover event. The guy just has too much ability and charisma to not be taken seriously as a performer and crowdpleaser. There is an issue with the language barrier but I think it can work.
In regard to that match I linked above, I also recently watched some of Wrestle Kingdom 10, specifically Nakamura vs. A.J. Styles (which was also very good). Japanese wrestling is kind of weird. The ring is a whole lot different to north america (wider apron, no sectioned turnbuckles) and the crowd also behaves very differently, rather silent with some individual cheers except on big moments. Cultural differences I guess.
The first episode of the WWE Cruiserweight Classic just aired last night on the WWE network, and Kota Ibushi was featured on it and had a very good match. The whole episode was great and I'm excited to follow this tournament.
It's kind of interesting because everyone in the WWE is usually so polished, and works a familiar style. Here in the CWC you are seeing some newer wrestlers who are a little more rough around the edges, some of whom work very differently from what we normally see in the WWE and NXT.
Brock Lesnar popped a USADA test after less than a couple months returning to the UFC roster. I wonder why he's always passed the WWE tests...
You have to remember that Brock wrestles infrequently and WWE is likely not sending people to his farm to make him pee in a cup. USADA tested him 7 or 8 times between when the fight was announced and the fight itself. Drug testing is far from perfect, and my understanding is that there's a lot of stuff you can do that doesn't stay in the system for too long.
I guess I've been spoiled by Lucha Underground, because that was nowhere near as spectacular as I was expecting.
Maybe but it's not a move you see every day in the WWE. Sami Zayn used to wrestle as a Luchador under the name "El Generico" in Ring of Honor, Chikara and other promotions.
I'm sure the drug testing works on a sliding scale. The more important you are the more leniency you'll get. Just look at the current chosen one, Roman Reigns. He gets busted but somehow, luckily, his suspension just happens to start the day after main eventing one ppv and will be back just in time to main event the next ppv. All the while he's being kept strong on tv in the storyline.
On the other hand, Titus O Neil gets busted for touching Vince McMahon, gets suspended for 60 days, (originally 90) and misses the biggest show of the year, Wrestlemania. Just goes to show, if you're gonna break the rules, make sure the boss likes you. But hey, that can be said of most work places.
Just watched the Smackdown Live a.k.a. the WWE Draft. First of all the draft being segmented into sets of five separated by matches worked very well. Of course it is all scripted but still the first five picks were rather surprising.
Rollins and Ambrose going #1 and #2 overall was very expected, but Charlotte going #3, Styles going #4 and Finn Balor going #5 was very out of left field. I was particularly surprised that Cena wasn't picked in the first 5. Reigns probably too but since he's still suspended I guess that checks out. Those guys went right away afterward though so there is that. Lesnar and Orton going next was a bit much IMHO. Lesnar is a part-timer and Orton has been injured since October (plus I hate that fucking psychopath, and not just as a character).
I'm rather happy that both shows have a womens Division. Multiple storylines for female wrestlers is very much needed and separate shows ensure at least two.
RAW is the better show without a doubt in my mind, or at least for my taste. The New Day, Enzo & Cass, Zayn, Owens, Cesaro. I guess it was to be expected considering the ratio of picks 3-to-2 for RAW and they got the Tag Team Championship and the Cruiserweight Division.
In addition, The Miz and Orton are also seriously turnoffs from Smackdown despite how much I like Shane and Daniel Bryan. I also like Ambrose and his gimmick but every time I see him wrestle I wonder why he is champion. I just don't think he is an interesting in-ring performer (not that that stopped the WWF/WWE ever before from making someone champion). Come to think of it, except for AJ Styles there isn't really anyone on SmackDown I want to watch wrestle, and only Bray Wyatt and Ambrose I want to watch for their gimmicks.
Cesaro was also apparently a naughty boy and did a shoot promo (wrestling term for doing something unscripted and "real" as opposed to a "work") where he complained about WWE focusing too much on management as a storyline instead of actual in-ring performance. Comparisons have been drawn to CM Punk's infamous pipe bomb, though Cesaro was definitely far tamer in his criticism.
Lastly, I am very surprised that none of Samoa Joe, Shinsuke Nakamura, Bayley and Asuka were picked at all. The Vaudevillains also fell very far.
P.S.: I never heard of him before which is odd though I've only really been watching wrestling again for the last couple of weeks, but this Neville guy seems interesting.
Check out Neville's run in NXT or on the indies as Pac. He was way more interesting before he was made Evan Bourne 2.0. He even did some subtle heel work against Sami Zayn toward the end of his NXT tour
Found this video. Not sure why it hasn't been passed around more considering this seems like the seed from which "Wrestling isn't Wrestling" has sprung.
Just watched NXT Takeover Brooklyn II. Spoilers ahead, but if you want to know whether you should watch it or not, definitely do. Not one bad or badly executed moment in the whole thing. One of the best shows of the year.
The tag team title match definitely stole the show in this one. It was pretty good from the start, but boy did they turn it up to 11 at the end there. Asuka vs. Bailey was also good, but I think their first match was better. Still love Asuka. Bailey will probably be called up now though since there is basically nothing left for her to do in NXT. And of course Shinsuke Nakamura is now the NXT champion. I thought the match was Samoa Joe held a little bit back, probably in anticipation for a rematch but it was good nonetheless. If that rematch actually happens seems a little bit questionable now if Samoa Joe actually does have a broken jaw. Not sure if its an elaborate work or real since you could see the ref throw up the X.
Other good moments include Ember Moon's debut and her crazy finisher which instantly got her over, and the return of Hideo Itami and him hitting the GTS. The only person that really lost out in this one was Andrade Cien Almas.
Finished watching SummerSlam this morning including skipping through the Kickoff show for the good bits. The card was pretty deep but 6 hours is just way too much. I think overall this can be skipped with the exception of Cena vs. Styles which you definitely should watch. However, NXT Takeover Brooklyn II was a much better show overall so if you have to choose watch that one (and Cena vs. Styles).
* 12 Man tag-team match with basically the entire Tag-Team division of Smackdown (Vaudevillains, Breezango and The Ascension vs. The Hype Bros, The Usos and American Alpha). This was a repeat from Smackdown the previous Tuesday, which is kind of odd. It was a better match though, but basically played out the same way. I thought American Alpha would pick up the pinfall again to give them the push, but a small bit of storytelling happened at the end with one of the Usos stealing the pinfall by tagging himself in right before American Alpha hits their double team maneuver. Not a heel turn but a setup for a feud between faces. * Another small tidbit was Baron Corbin just butting in on the panel in the kickoff show, delivering a message to Kalisto and then refusing to answer questions and just leaves. Corbin has been bullying Kalisto for weeks after Kalisto eliminated him from the battle royale to determine the #1 contender fro the intercontinental title. I still don't like their feud, but it was a great heel moment for Corbin. * Dudley Boyz vs. Sami Zayn and Neville was good, even if Zany and Neville should be on the main show. However I hate what they are doing with the Dudleys. The miscommunications are a joke and shouldn't happen. I repeat myself but I wish they would just retire since I don't think they're getting another push and it just hurts to see them lose constantly. Neville and Zayn are good together and I could see them actually getting a shot at the tag-team championship at some point, but I think they'll be in the Cruiserweight division when they finally introduce the title for it. Also, holy crap that corkscrew moonsault by Neville off Sami Zayn's back. * Shaemus vs. Cesaro: First of a "Best of 7" series, which is new I guess. I like both of them but Cesaro is definitely my man and his suit today was very nice. Shaemus still looks like Zangief from Street Fighter. Their feud lacks something. Not sure how they're going to keep it interesting for 7 matches considering they had 2 matches in the last couple of weeks already. The ringpost move by Cesaro was nice. Not surprised Shaemus won with shenanigans. I guess they'll put the face behind to set up a comeback story. Considering this was still just the pre-show shows how stacked the card was for this event. You'd normally expect the two to compete in the midcard. * Enzo & Cass vs. Jeri-KO: Having Enzo & Cass kick off the main show was a great idea. Locals with the gift of the gab, and a crowd full of smarks who love them. Owens and Jericho are also crowd pleasers in that regard. Too bad it's still the usual stick of Enzo getting beat up and until he can manage a tag to Cass who then runs cleanup. It's just too basic and has happened too often. Just let Enzo wrestle. A good match but not particularly exciting. The finisher was a good idea but not really well executed. Jeri-KO wins because Vince hates giving the audience what they want. * Woman's Championship Match rather early, especially with another women's match later on the card. That turnbuckle spot early on was probably botched and did not look good, but they worked it into the match decently. That "Razor's Edge into Hurricanrana-counter" on the other hand was well done. Natural Selection being countered into the Bank Statement was also well done. In my opinion an undeserved win for Charlotte that went against the story of the match, which was Sasha having an answer for everyone of Charlotte's moves. The reversal for the win was a nice touch though. There are theories out there with Sasha leaving for a while, either because if injury, suspension or due to going on her honeymoon. Not sure that is valid though. * The ring-postitis bit by "Doctors" Gallows & Anderson was getting a bit old, but them chumming up with AJ Styles again was a fun twist. And then Finn Balor comes in. A bit of a tease though since Balor is a face now. For those not in the know, all of them were in the Bullet Club in NJPW, basically the nWo of Japan. * Intercontinental match between The Miz and Apollo Crews. One of the less interesting matches for me personally since I hate The Miz and I find Crews boring. I mean the biggest beef the two have is that the Miz can't remember Crews name, and I don't fault him, I have trouble too since Crews' character isn't really distinguished. A decent match I guess, but nothing to set it apart. * Styles vs. Cena: I feared this would be another fuck-up like the last time they had a singles match, particularly with the Club being reunited earlier. The crowd was very into it and the match was the best one of the night. I thought there was a bit too much offense from Cena to start with until Styles countered the first AA attempt. The match leveled out after that. Lots of "new" moves by the two who are playing off each other pretty well. The Submission reversals were a nice change of pace in the middle of the match. And then they pulled out the big moves. Styles winning clean was a good thing, finally showing that he can #BeatUpJohnCena without any help.
* Jon Stewart was fine. Him riffing on his SummerSlam appearance last year was okay. The crowd definitely hasn't forgiven him though, even with him teaming up with YOUR W W E WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS The New Day. Ultimately his presence was a negative though with him getting involved in the match proper once again. * Which brings us to The New Day vs. Gallows & Anderson. Good to see Xavier Woods wrestling who is really under-utilized as an in-ring performer. Before the whole thing started though I thought The Club would end up victorious but that was cut short when Stewart got involved, and the kibosh was put into it when Big E ran to the ring and attacked Gallows & Anderson before they could smash Stewart's crotch into the ring post. New Day got disqualified but keep the belts. Really an expected outcome after Big E was kept off-screen for multiple weeks for no real reason. * Only halfway through the Pay-Per-View and there is the World Title match between Dolph Ziggler and Dean Ambrose. Really devalues the title and showcases what BS it is for the world title to go to one show in the draft, just for the other show to make up a new title. The World title should go on last, even in a rather weak matchup. That even the U.S. title is higher on the card is even more disrespectful. It also makes Shane and Daniel Bryan look weak by proxy to have it this early. They should have insisted that it goes on last. The match was fine. I like both characters but not necessarily either's wrestling style. Ambrose retains. * Women's 6-man tag team match with Becky Lynch, Carmella & Naomi vs. Natalya, Alexa Bliss & "Eva Marie". The last of which is actually suspended but in kayfabe her storyline is basically that there is a lot of pomp around her but she never actually wrestles due to various circumstances (getting stuck in traffic, wardrobe malfunction, etc.) and they worked that into it stating that she's stressed and went on vacation. Instead we get surprise appearance of Nikki Bella. Really not sure how this match was higher on the card than the Women's Championship match. It just seems like another "and here come the women" moment. I mean of the six performers only Becky and Natalya look like wrestlers. The rest look like female stereotypes despite them being supposed to be wrestlers and not necessarily portraying a gimmick. The Smackdown women's division definitely looks weaker than RAW's. Hopefully Bailey gets on Smackdown and the introduce a title to improve the standing. Nikki Bella picking up the three-count is also more of fanservice than anything else. * Finn Balor vs. Seth Rollins for the new "Universal Championship". Again, how is this on the card before the U.S. Title match and a non-title match? The new belt looks pretty awful with the red, krinkly leather, further detracting from its validity (if that was possible after it being conjured out of thin air). Balor's entrance and ring attire are still ridiculous, but the crowd is into it. The eye painted on the back is a nice touch though. Apparently this is a no-DQ, no-Count-Out match, a subtle nod toward Stephanie wanting Rollins, the heel, to win but it hardly mattered. A good match between two good performers. After multiple attempts Balor finally hits the Coup de Grace (which is really, really dangerous for the recipient btw) and wins the title. * U.S. Title match between Rusev & Roman Reigns. I was spoiled on this one via twitter. They finally let Reigns talk a bit in the lead-up to the match instead if being the ultra-stoic dude, and he is a douchebag heel with this completing the heel turn. The match hadn't even started yet when Rusev attacked Reigns, and Reigns retaliated exceedingly, including a chair-shot to the back and not relenting despite getting separated by the refs multiple times. The match was then called off due to an "injury" to Rusev just for Reigns to get back out and spear Rusev. Could even be a double turn by making Rusev more sympathetic and the smarks already liking him quite a bit. * Brock Lesnar vs. Randy Orton to close out the show, which is really weird for a non-title match. The only stakes is that one guy is on RAW and the other on Smackdown, with each having invaded and beat up the other. Yes, this was the first match advertised and they are big stars, but this is not the match that should close the show. I also don't buy Orton as a face. The man is a psychopath. His opponent being another psychopath and a monster heel doesn't really change that. I expected the match to have been over-hyped up but jeez. Lesnar beat up Orton for a while including putting him through one of the announce tables. On another announce table Lesnar was trying to do the same thing again, only for Orton to hit the "RKO outta nowhere" (which is really getting old). I thought the match was really boring even with Orton starting to bleed when the action returned to the ring. Not sure if that was blading (which is banned) or an accident. Lesnar was declared winner "by TKO". Really disappointing ending to the show, but at least we got something out of it at the end when Lesnar delivering an F5 to Shane McMahon which I think was an impromptu decision by Shane since I don't think the match was supposed to end already.
Conclusion: It was a fine pay-per-view marred by weird decisions. The card was really deep but the placement of the matches on the card was all wrong. I also found it surprising that there was basically not a single match with a big stipulation. No cages, ladders, etc. The weirdest it got was the pre-show match with a 12-man tag-team. Other than that nothing too extraordinary. Not going to bore you with my fantasy booking, just going to say that I think there was a lot of squandered potential that could have been easily fixed, not even necessarily by changing the outcomes, just in what order the matches happen.
Watching RAW from last night. Finn Balor got injured early in the match against Rollins the night before on SummerSlam and had to relinquish the title he just had won. Interesting development. Four qualifying matches happened at RAW with a fatal-four-way next week for the title.
Bayley is on RAW. Wish she was on Smackdown but good to see her in WWE proper. Her immediately entering the title picture is a bit much but the entire crowd didn't mind that at all.
Also, the Dudley Boyz have departed from the WWE. Sad to say that it had to come to this, but it's definitely the right move for them. The WWE didn't even give them good opponents to put over. At least they got a decent farewell segment doing something similar. Problem is that Gallows & Anderson really didn't need this and putting the Shining Stars through the tables would have been a nice bit of fanservice, but Vince hates the fans. Reportedly they got a standing ovation from the entire RAW roster in the locker room though, which they definitely deserve.
That definitely wasn't a blade job by Orton; that giant gash on his head was was too jagged. I'm pretty sure Brock busted Orton open hardware with one of those ridiculously stiff elbows.
That definitely wasn't a blade job by Orton; that giant gash on his head was was too jagged. I'm pretty sure Brock busted Orton open hardware with one of those ridiculously stiff elbows.
The odd truth is WWE would rather have Brock Lesnar bust you open with his elbow than use a blade because the sponsors really hate the idea of blade jobs.
Comments
With Nakamura having joined NXT not that long ago, Hideo Itami and Asuka already there it is very interesting how the WWE is tapping into the japanese talent pool. I just hope they all get legitimate chances and aren't relegated to workers and novelty acts as the WWE has done to japanese wrestlers before. Nakamura's match against Sami Zayn is still the best match of the year for my money and he is wrestling Samoa Joe for the title at the next Takeover event. The guy just has too much ability and charisma to not be taken seriously as a performer and crowdpleaser. There is an issue with the language barrier but I think it can work.
In regard to that match I linked above, I also recently watched some of Wrestle Kingdom 10, specifically Nakamura vs. A.J. Styles (which was also very good). Japanese wrestling is kind of weird. The ring is a whole lot different to north america (wider apron, no sectioned turnbuckles) and the crowd also behaves very differently, rather silent with some individual cheers except on big moments. Cultural differences I guess.
It's kind of interesting because everyone in the WWE is usually so polished, and works a familiar style. Here in the CWC you are seeing some newer wrestlers who are a little more rough around the edges, some of whom work very differently from what we normally see in the WWE and NXT.
Anyone who thinks that the WWE drug testing program is a real thing is as naive as the people who don't think it's scripted.
On the other hand, Titus O Neil gets busted for touching Vince McMahon, gets suspended for 60 days, (originally 90) and misses the biggest show of the year, Wrestlemania. Just goes to show, if you're gonna break the rules, make sure the boss likes you. But hey, that can be said of most work places.
Edit to answer my own question: G1 Climax.
Rollins and Ambrose going #1 and #2 overall was very expected, but Charlotte going #3, Styles going #4 and Finn Balor going #5 was very out of left field. I was particularly surprised that Cena wasn't picked in the first 5. Reigns probably too but since he's still suspended I guess that checks out. Those guys went right away afterward though so there is that. Lesnar and Orton going next was a bit much IMHO. Lesnar is a part-timer and Orton has been injured since October (plus I hate that fucking psychopath, and not just as a character).
I'm rather happy that both shows have a womens Division. Multiple storylines for female wrestlers is very much needed and separate shows ensure at least two.
RAW is the better show without a doubt in my mind, or at least for my taste. The New Day, Enzo & Cass, Zayn, Owens, Cesaro. I guess it was to be expected considering the ratio of picks 3-to-2 for RAW and they got the Tag Team Championship and the Cruiserweight Division.
In addition, The Miz and Orton are also seriously turnoffs from Smackdown despite how much I like Shane and Daniel Bryan. I also like Ambrose and his gimmick but every time I see him wrestle I wonder why he is champion. I just don't think he is an interesting in-ring performer (not that that stopped the WWF/WWE ever before from making someone champion). Come to think of it, except for AJ Styles there isn't really anyone on SmackDown I want to watch wrestle, and only Bray Wyatt and Ambrose I want to watch for their gimmicks.
Cesaro was also apparently a naughty boy and did a shoot promo (wrestling term for doing something unscripted and "real" as opposed to a "work") where he complained about WWE focusing too much on management as a storyline instead of actual in-ring performance. Comparisons have been drawn to CM Punk's infamous pipe bomb, though Cesaro was definitely far tamer in his criticism.
Lastly, I am very surprised that none of Samoa Joe, Shinsuke Nakamura, Bayley and Asuka were picked at all. The Vaudevillains also fell very far.
P.S.: I never heard of him before which is odd though I've only really been watching wrestling again for the last couple of weeks, but this Neville guy seems interesting.
The tag team title match definitely stole the show in this one. It was pretty good from the start, but boy did they turn it up to 11 at the end there. Asuka vs. Bailey was also good, but I think their first match was better. Still love Asuka. Bailey will probably be called up now though since there is basically nothing left for her to do in NXT. And of course Shinsuke Nakamura is now the NXT champion. I thought the match was Samoa Joe held a little bit back, probably in anticipation for a rematch but it was good nonetheless. If that rematch actually happens seems a little bit questionable now if Samoa Joe actually does have a broken jaw. Not sure if its an elaborate work or real since you could see the ref throw up the X.
Other good moments include Ember Moon's debut and her crazy finisher which instantly got her over, and the return of Hideo Itami and him hitting the GTS. The only person that really lost out in this one was Andrade Cien Almas.
* 12 Man tag-team match with basically the entire Tag-Team division of Smackdown (Vaudevillains, Breezango and The Ascension vs. The Hype Bros, The Usos and American Alpha). This was a repeat from Smackdown the previous Tuesday, which is kind of odd. It was a better match though, but basically played out the same way. I thought American Alpha would pick up the pinfall again to give them the push, but a small bit of storytelling happened at the end with one of the Usos stealing the pinfall by tagging himself in right before American Alpha hits their double team maneuver. Not a heel turn but a setup for a feud between faces.
* Another small tidbit was Baron Corbin just butting in on the panel in the kickoff show, delivering a message to Kalisto and then refusing to answer questions and just leaves. Corbin has been bullying Kalisto for weeks after Kalisto eliminated him from the battle royale to determine the #1 contender fro the intercontinental title. I still don't like their feud, but it was a great heel moment for Corbin.
* Dudley Boyz vs. Sami Zayn and Neville was good, even if Zany and Neville should be on the main show. However I hate what they are doing with the Dudleys. The miscommunications are a joke and shouldn't happen. I repeat myself but I wish they would just retire since I don't think they're getting another push and it just hurts to see them lose constantly. Neville and Zayn are good together and I could see them actually getting a shot at the tag-team championship at some point, but I think they'll be in the Cruiserweight division when they finally introduce the title for it. Also, holy crap that corkscrew moonsault by Neville off Sami Zayn's back.
* Shaemus vs. Cesaro: First of a "Best of 7" series, which is new I guess. I like both of them but Cesaro is definitely my man and his suit today was very nice. Shaemus still looks like Zangief from Street Fighter. Their feud lacks something. Not sure how they're going to keep it interesting for 7 matches considering they had 2 matches in the last couple of weeks already. The ringpost move by Cesaro was nice. Not surprised Shaemus won with shenanigans. I guess they'll put the face behind to set up a comeback story. Considering this was still just the pre-show shows how stacked the card was for this event. You'd normally expect the two to compete in the midcard.
* Enzo & Cass vs. Jeri-KO: Having Enzo & Cass kick off the main show was a great idea. Locals with the gift of the gab, and a crowd full of smarks who love them. Owens and Jericho are also crowd pleasers in that regard. Too bad it's still the usual stick of Enzo getting beat up and until he can manage a tag to Cass who then runs cleanup. It's just too basic and has happened too often. Just let Enzo wrestle. A good match but not particularly exciting. The finisher was a good idea but not really well executed. Jeri-KO wins because Vince hates giving the audience what they want.
* Woman's Championship Match rather early, especially with another women's match later on the card. That turnbuckle spot early on was probably botched and did not look good, but they worked it into the match decently. That "Razor's Edge into Hurricanrana-counter" on the other hand was well done. Natural Selection being countered into the Bank Statement was also well done. In my opinion an undeserved win for Charlotte that went against the story of the match, which was Sasha having an answer for everyone of Charlotte's moves. The reversal for the win was a nice touch though. There are theories out there with Sasha leaving for a while, either because if injury, suspension or due to going on her honeymoon. Not sure that is valid though.
* The ring-postitis bit by "Doctors" Gallows & Anderson was getting a bit old, but them chumming up with AJ Styles again was a fun twist. And then Finn Balor comes in. A bit of a tease though since Balor is a face now. For those not in the know, all of them were in the Bullet Club in NJPW, basically the nWo of Japan.
* Intercontinental match between The Miz and Apollo Crews. One of the less interesting matches for me personally since I hate The Miz and I find Crews boring. I mean the biggest beef the two have is that the Miz can't remember Crews name, and I don't fault him, I have trouble too since Crews' character isn't really distinguished. A decent match I guess, but nothing to set it apart.
* Styles vs. Cena: I feared this would be another fuck-up like the last time they had a singles match, particularly with the Club being reunited earlier. The crowd was very into it and the match was the best one of the night. I thought there was a bit too much offense from Cena to start with until Styles countered the first AA attempt. The match leveled out after that. Lots of "new" moves by the two who are playing off each other pretty well. The Submission reversals were a nice change of pace in the middle of the match. And then they pulled out the big moves. Styles winning clean was a good thing, finally showing that he can #BeatUpJohnCena without any help.
* Which brings us to The New Day vs. Gallows & Anderson. Good to see Xavier Woods wrestling who is really under-utilized as an in-ring performer. Before the whole thing started though I thought The Club would end up victorious but that was cut short when Stewart got involved, and the kibosh was put into it when Big E ran to the ring and attacked Gallows & Anderson before they could smash Stewart's crotch into the ring post. New Day got disqualified but keep the belts. Really an expected outcome after Big E was kept off-screen for multiple weeks for no real reason.
* Only halfway through the Pay-Per-View and there is the World Title match between Dolph Ziggler and Dean Ambrose. Really devalues the title and showcases what BS it is for the world title to go to one show in the draft, just for the other show to make up a new title. The World title should go on last, even in a rather weak matchup. That even the U.S. title is higher on the card is even more disrespectful. It also makes Shane and Daniel Bryan look weak by proxy to have it this early. They should have insisted that it goes on last. The match was fine. I like both characters but not necessarily either's wrestling style. Ambrose retains.
* Women's 6-man tag team match with Becky Lynch, Carmella & Naomi vs. Natalya, Alexa Bliss & "Eva Marie". The last of which is actually suspended but in kayfabe her storyline is basically that there is a lot of pomp around her but she never actually wrestles due to various circumstances (getting stuck in traffic, wardrobe malfunction, etc.) and they worked that into it stating that she's stressed and went on vacation. Instead we get surprise appearance of Nikki Bella. Really not sure how this match was higher on the card than the Women's Championship match. It just seems like another "and here come the women" moment. I mean of the six performers only Becky and Natalya look like wrestlers. The rest look like female stereotypes despite them being supposed to be wrestlers and not necessarily portraying a gimmick. The Smackdown women's division definitely looks weaker than RAW's. Hopefully Bailey gets on Smackdown and the introduce a title to improve the standing. Nikki Bella picking up the three-count is also more of fanservice than anything else.
* Finn Balor vs. Seth Rollins for the new "Universal Championship". Again, how is this on the card before the U.S. Title match and a non-title match? The new belt looks pretty awful with the red, krinkly leather, further detracting from its validity (if that was possible after it being conjured out of thin air). Balor's entrance and ring attire are still ridiculous, but the crowd is into it. The eye painted on the back is a nice touch though. Apparently this is a no-DQ, no-Count-Out match, a subtle nod toward Stephanie wanting Rollins, the heel, to win but it hardly mattered. A good match between two good performers. After multiple attempts Balor finally hits the Coup de Grace (which is really, really dangerous for the recipient btw) and wins the title.
* U.S. Title match between Rusev & Roman Reigns. I was spoiled on this one via twitter. They finally let Reigns talk a bit in the lead-up to the match instead if being the ultra-stoic dude, and he is a douchebag heel with this completing the heel turn. The match hadn't even started yet when Rusev attacked Reigns, and Reigns retaliated exceedingly, including a chair-shot to the back and not relenting despite getting separated by the refs multiple times. The match was then called off due to an "injury" to Rusev just for Reigns to get back out and spear Rusev. Could even be a double turn by making Rusev more sympathetic and the smarks already liking him quite a bit.
* Brock Lesnar vs. Randy Orton to close out the show, which is really weird for a non-title match. The only stakes is that one guy is on RAW and the other on Smackdown, with each having invaded and beat up the other. Yes, this was the first match advertised and they are big stars, but this is not the match that should close the show. I also don't buy Orton as a face. The man is a psychopath. His opponent being another psychopath and a monster heel doesn't really change that. I expected the match to have been over-hyped up but jeez. Lesnar beat up Orton for a while including putting him through one of the announce tables. On another announce table Lesnar was trying to do the same thing again, only for Orton to hit the "RKO outta nowhere" (which is really getting old). I thought the match was really boring even with Orton starting to bleed when the action returned to the ring. Not sure if that was blading (which is banned) or an accident. Lesnar was declared winner "by TKO". Really disappointing ending to the show, but at least we got something out of it at the end when Lesnar delivering an F5 to Shane McMahon which I think was an impromptu decision by Shane since I don't think the match was supposed to end already.
Conclusion: It was a fine pay-per-view marred by weird decisions. The card was really deep but the placement of the matches on the card was all wrong. I also found it surprising that there was basically not a single match with a big stipulation. No cages, ladders, etc. The weirdest it got was the pre-show match with a 12-man tag-team. Other than that nothing too extraordinary. Not going to bore you with my fantasy booking, just going to say that I think there was a lot of squandered potential that could have been easily fixed, not even necessarily by changing the outcomes, just in what order the matches happen.
Bayley is on RAW. Wish she was on Smackdown but good to see her in WWE proper. Her immediately entering the title picture is a bit much but the entire crowd didn't mind that at all.
Also, the Dudley Boyz have departed from the WWE. Sad to say that it had to come to this, but it's definitely the right move for them. The WWE didn't even give them good opponents to put over. At least they got a decent farewell segment doing something similar. Problem is that Gallows & Anderson really didn't need this and putting the Shining Stars through the tables would have been a nice bit of fanservice, but Vince hates the fans. Reportedly they got a standing ovation from the entire RAW roster in the locker room though, which they definitely deserve.