Opinion
WWE Week in Review: November 5-11, 2018
As WWE leaves the controversy of Crown Jewel in the rearview mirror, all eyes turn to Survivor Series. What happened this week?
SmackDown
Survivor Series: Smackdown kicked off with Paige introducing Shane McMahon as ‘The Best in the World’, which was NOT popular with the Manchester crowd. McMahon was surprisingly humble, saying that he didn’t deserve that title, he’d just stepped in to make sure SmackDown wasn’t beaten by RAW and that the World Cup trophy belonged to the SmackDown locker room.
That settled, he and Paige turned their attention to Survivor Series. They are both determined that SmackDown will come out on top this year. With that in mind, they name the team captain for the SmackDown Men’s Team: Daniel Bryan!
Bryan is happy to be named the SmackDown Team Captain and can’t resist taking a small dig at Shane, thanking him for admitting that he’s NOT the best in the world. Before he can announce who he’d like to have on his team, Miz came out, still limping from his injury from Crown Jewel. As far as Miz was concerned, his performance at Crown Jewel makes him more qualified to be Team Captain than Bryan, even suggests that he and Shane be co-captains of Team SmackDown.
Shane declined to be co-captain of Team SmackDown with Miz, pointing out that if Miz hadn’t been injured and lost, he would’ve been fired but suggested that Bryan and Miz be co-captains instead.
Miz didn’t like that since he hadn’t been so injured that he couldn’t wrestle, which made him better than Bryan, but Bryan welcomes the challenge.
Given their near decade long rivalry, it shouldn’t be a surprise that Miz and Bryan couldn’t agree on who should be on Team SmackDown. Miz shot down Bryan’s suggestions and Bryan was skeptical of Miz’s. Finally, Shane stepped in, and it turned out that he was the one person both team captains could agree on and Shane agreed. Miz was so happy, he ‘offered’ to let Bryan get the next pick.
Bryan’s pick was Rey Mysterio. Miz was skeptical, probably because of his two encounters with him, but he was willing to let Mysterio on the team if Mysterio managed to impress him in a match with someone Miz had an eye on: Andrade Almas! They then agree to each pick one more person and have those picks also compete in a match with the winner becoming the final member of Team SmackDown.
Rey Mysterio vs Andrade Almas: With a chance to be part of Team SmackDown, Mysterio and Almas had a lot on their plates on top of being a dream match.
The match lived up to expectations and then some, which is extremely rare in wrestling. Mysterio has had a long career and a lot of injuries, but he was still able to keep up with Almas and they put on a great match. Mysterio would pull out the victory over Almas, seeming to stamp his ticket to Survivor Series, much to Miz’s chagrin. Even worse, Mysterio got jumped by Randy Orton yet again. Orton hasn’t been mentioned in the Survivor Series conversation and he seems quite unhappy about it.
Jeff Hardy vs Samoa Joe: In a rematch from the World Cup qualifier, Bryan’s pick of Jeff Hardy took on Miz’s pick, Samoa Joe. This match was a lot better than the match from the qualifiers since Joe’s leg seemed to be in much better shape than last time.
It looked like Miz was going to have to deal with being the only heel on the SmackDown team, Samoa Joe was able to counter the Swanton Bomb with his knees before locking on the Coquina Clutch for the win.
Afterwards is when things get squirrely. Joe, not forgetting Bryan not wanting him on the team, rubbed the victory in Bryan’s face and Bryan, not forgetting that Joe had attacked him after his match with AJ Styles, attacked Joe and got him in the Yes! Lock. Miz and Shane tried to break things up and ended up on the nasty side of Bryan’s temper, leaving Bryan’s future as co-team captain of Team SmackDown in doubt.
WWE Championship: It was announced that AJ would face Brock Lesnar in a rematch from last years’s encounter. Styles cut a promo, reflecting on taking on the Beast for a second year. He’d fought Lesnar with everything and come up short. This year, he said that he would defeat Lesnar and that wasn’t a mere promise, it was a spoiler.
WWE United States Championship: Shinsuke Nakamura addressed his upcoming match with Seth Rollins. He commented that he felt bad for Seth Rollins because of how his life is burning down around him with Reigns being sick and Ambrose turning on him. Nakamura promised he’d make Seth feel better by giving him a knee to the face.
SmackDown Women’s Division: On RAW, Ronda Rousey cut a promo in which she, rather arrogantly, dismissed Becky Lynch as a threat, saying that Becky had her respect, which sounded ridiculously hollow.
On Tuesday, Becky fired back at the RAW Women’s Champion. Dismissing Rousey’s warning, Lynch said that Ronda Rousey might HOLD a championship, she is not a champion. Why? Because she’s never been tested. True champions endure struggles, doubts, and hardship. Champions overcome adversity, something Ronda Rousey has never had to do, which is why she’ll lose at Survivor Series, she’s too weak-minded to understand what true adversity does to a person. That’s why Becky is a champion and Ronda is just a title holder.
Becky then fired back at Rousey’s mockery of her path to WWE. Yes, she had a lot of different jobs before WWE, so what? No, Becky wasn’t the one the company wanted to be champion, she wasn’t the one who was supposed to be the true main event of Evolution, she wasn’t supposed to be the one everyone in wrestling was talking about, but here she is, all of those things and more. Ronda Rousey may CALL herself the Baddest Bitch on the Planet, but at Survivor Series, the only bitch Rousey’s going to be is Becky’s.
Now all fired up, Becky says that she’s in the mood to fight and issues a challenge to anyone in the back to come out and fight the champion. After a minute, SAniTy comes out, which is bad news for anyone, but the gentlemen of SAniTy weren’t there to fight Becky, they were bringing out the person who DID want to fight, Nikki Cross!
Becky wasn’t sure what to make of the, undeniably, unhinged Cross and made the mistake of mocking her. Nikki means no harm, she just wants to play with the champ. Let’s play, Becky!
The match between Lynch and Cross was amazing. Cross’s gimmick of being bats**t crazy might obscure it sometimes, but she’s undeniably talented and was able to give the Champ a run for her money. Becky would get a submission victory over Nikki, but it was far from a sure thing.
With the Men’s Survivor Series team on its way to formation, Paige turned her attention to the Women’s team. Forgoing Alexa Bliss’ decision to have matches to see who should be allowed on the team, she announced the team right away: Carmella, with R-Truth in tow, Naomi, Sonya Deville, Asuka, and Team Captain, Charlotte!
Problem was, Charlotte didn’t come out, but Mandy Rose did, stating that her entry to the team was an upgrade. When Paige told Rose that she wasn’t getting Charlotte’s spot, Rose’s rage boiled over. She got on the mic and started bashing the whole team. Carmella was just like her dance breaks, short and useless; though Carmella fired back that she, at least, had had a title reign. To Naomi, she claimed that no one was feeling the glow anymore… including Naomi’s husband, Jimmy Uso.
That was a stupid thing to say and Naomi made her pay for it with a punch in the face. The fight is quickly broken up, though it took Asuka and Carmella to pull Naomi off of Mandy. Deville got Mandy away and the two argued before Mandy stormed off, rather than face more wrath from a furious Naomi.
Where’s Charlotte? No idea, but if I had to hazard a guess, I’d guess that the Golden Goddess had something to do with it.
SmackDown Tag Team Division: It was announced on Monday that the SmackDown Tag Team Champions, the Bar would be facing the RAW Tag Team Champions. When RAW started, those champions were Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose, but things change. Now, the Bar will be facing AoP instead.
On top of that, it was announced that there would be a traditional Survivor Series match for the Tag Teams, 10 vs 10. So, on Tuesday, the Usos took on New Day to determine who would be the team captains.
It’s common for teams who have met as often as the Usos and New Day had, to put on the same old match, but these two teams put on a great match. It looked like New Day might pull one out to be team captains again, but the Usos would be the ones to get the pinfall and become team captains.
In a display of sportsmanship that belies the fact that New Day was going to be on the team anyway given the small number of tag teams on SmackDown, the Usos invited their long-time rivals to be on the team as well, which the New Day accepted after a moment of hesitation.
NXT UK
Episode 5
NXT UK Championship: A few episodes ago, Danny Burch threw down the gauntlet to Pete Dunne over the UK Championship, which Dunne accepted.
This match was amazingly good. Both men have justifiable reputations as brawlers, but they put on a very great technical match, including an incredible Super German Suplex. Ultimately, Pete Dunne would triumph over Burch, but it was almost by the skin of his teeth and only by BREAKING Burch’s fingers.
It’s hard to put into words just how great this match was. It should be a starmaking match for Burch who proved himself to be a worthy contender for the NXT UK Championship. After the match, Dunne gave Burch a nod of respect, but I have the feeling that Burch isn’t done with Dunne.
NXT UK Women’s Division: Since episode 1, we’ve been seeing promos for Jinny, who made her first appearance in the first round of the Mae Young Classic this year, going up against Toni Storm. I can’t say I was very impressed with her from that match, but they seem to be pushing her as a big deal.
Toni Storm gave an interview and it was announced that she and Dakota Kai will go one on one in the next episode. Storm said that she wants that NXT UK Women’s Championship, but it hasn’t changed her preparation for Dakota Kai, who is on record as saying she wants that yet-to-be-announced championship too. Storm said that she was aware of Kai’s comments, but she’s Toni Storm and Kai’s ambitions aren’t going to get very far.
At this point, Kai interrupted. Kai asserted that she had a lot of respect for Toni, but warned her that when Dakota Kai says she will kick heads off to get what she wants, she’s not kidding and promises that she’ll be better than Toni, even with as good as Toni is. The two shake hands, but the stage for a barnburner is set.
Dave Mastiff vs Damien Weir: The Bomber has been making a big splash in his previous appearances with his massive size and amazing skill. He took on Damien Weir, who looked scared to death at the prospect before the bell rung.
To Weir’s credit, he tried REALLY hard, but he was basically dinner for Mastiff, who wasted little time in squashing his opponent. At least he gave Weir an approving thumbs up, though whether it was for the effort, or his hilarious squeals of pain and terror remains to be seen.
El Ligero vs James Drake: The Leeds Luchador took on the debuting James Drake. Ligero had been part of the first episode of NXT UK, racking up a win, but Drake is hungry to prove himself.
The match was pretty good. Ligero and Drake were pretty evenly matched in height and weight, but Drake is more of a brawler compared to technical and high-flying Ligero. Ligero would pull out the win after a thunderous tornado DDT.
Ashton Smith vs: Ashton Smith was SUPPOSED to have a match tonight, but he never got that far. He was jumped by the Coffey Brothers and Wolfgang. After leaving Smith in a heap, the Sinister Scottish Trio came to the ring to cut a promo. They seemed quite pleased with their work over the past couple of week. Joe addressed the Wolfgang situation and said that he’d had a revelation, he and his brother needed others like themselves, so they turned to the Last King. They vow to make NXT UK into their kingdom and woe to those who stand in their way!
As for previous victims, Mark Andrews and Flash Morgan Webster, they were busy talking to GM Johnny Saint about getting a match against the sinister Scotts.
Eddie Dennis vs Sid Scala: Over the past few weeks, we’ve seen vignettes of Eddie Dennis. Dennis was a childhood friend of Pete Dunne and Mark Andrews, and actually gave up his job as schoolteacher to become a wrestler so they could stay together, but while Dunne and Andrews have found success, it seems like Dennis hasn’t been so lucky in his career and certainly seems to have an ax to grind.
The match between the angry schoolteacher and Sid Scala was a pretty good one. Dennis certainly seemed pretty pissed off and used poor Scala to vent his frustrations. Scala put up a pretty good fight, but Dennis’ rage and frustration proved the deciding factor, earning Dennis the pinfall win. I hope Dunne and Andrews are looking over their shoulders.
Episode 6
Dakota Kai vs Toni Storm: The long-awaited battle between the two New Zealanders happened this week. Both ladies have been vocal about wanting to be in contention for the yet to be announced NXT UK Women’s Championship.
The match was amazing! Babyface vs Babyface matches are always tough, especially with two fan favorites, but Kai and Storm worked really well together and put on a real brawl with each other while the fans chanted for Australia.
Storm would pull out a victory with Storm Zero, but it was made clear that the Captain is more than a match for the Lightning from Down Under. The two women shook hands and hugged, but as Kai was leaving, she was attacked by the debuting Jinny, who declared that this was HER NXT! Jinny was chased away by Storm, who helped the injured Kai to the back.
Zack Gibson vs Amir Jordan: Liverpool’s Number 1 has been talking a lot of smack lately, especially about Amir Jordan, promising to not let the Bhenga Bad Boy deter him from taking his place at the top of NXT UK.
The fans were on Gibson’s case from the start, threatening to suffocate him with their foot odor. The match was good, but pretty quick. Gibson put on a dominating performance, but that didn’t stop Jordan from putting up a fight, hoping that Gibson’s aversion to the fans’ foot odor would work in his favor. Unfortunately for him, Gibson overcame the stink and forced Amir to tap out to the Shankly Gates.
Once the vanquished Jordan was out of the ring, Gibson cut a promo talking about NXT UK and the sheer amount of talent coming in, but as far as Gibson is concerned, he’s NXT UK’s #1, not just Liverpool’s and he puts the locker room on notice that he’s not sharing the top spot and that he’s the guy the brand should be built around, not Pete Dunne or Danny Burch.
At this point, Trent Seven came out, saying that Gibson is giving him a headache and asks the audience if Gibson is delusional. Seven points out that it was himself, Dunne, Burch, and others who kicked off the craze for a UK version of NXT, not Zack Gibson.
It looks like a fight was going to break out, but Gibson backs off. He’ll deal with Seven on his time.
Kevin Williams vs Jordan Devlin: This match between the Luckyan (Williams) and Ireland’s Iron Man was random but pretty good. Devlin definitely learned a lot from Finn Balor and dominated the match. Williams gave him a pretty good fight, but the Iron Man was not to be denied, and put the Luckyan away with Ireland’s call for the win.
Six Man Tag: Mark Andrews, Flash Morgan Webster, and Ashton Smith vs The Coffey Brothers and Wolfgang: The issues between these six men goes back to the 2018 UK Championship Tournament, when the Coffey brothers made their presence known in the battle royal. The surprising turn of Wolfgang last week only adds to the Coffey’s fearsomeness.
This was less a match than a fistfight, but it was very good. The Coffey’s and Wolfgang are big guys, but they move extremely well. Andrews, Webster, and Smith, for their parts, were able to hold their own against the Scots.
In the end, it would be strategy, not muscle, that would decide this match. The Coffeys and Wolfgang were able to use teamwork a little better than the Andrews/Webster/Smith contingent and pulled out the victory, effectively declaring themselves the dominant faction on NXT UK, at least for now.
205 Live
WWE Cruiserweight Championship: Buddy Murphy will be facing Mustafa Ali at Survivor Series, but this week, he took on NXT UK’s Mark Andrews in a non-title match for brand pride.
The match was excellent! Andrews was EXTREMELY over with the Manchester crowd, but Murphy was able to filter out the crowd and put on a great performance. Andrews, for his part showed why he should be included in the NXT UK Championship conversation.
Ultimately, Murphy would get the win with Murphy’s Law, but Andrews definitely proved himself a worthy contender for a top title.
Mustafa Ali, who will be facing Murphy at Survivor Series, cut a promo discussing how everyone had written him off as ‘a maybe’. He talked about coming so close to being Cruiserweight Champion and yet coming up short at WrestleMania. He vowed to change that at Survivor Series by leaving as Cruiserweight Champion.
As for former champion, Cedric Alexander, he’s gone back to basics. He was filmed at the Performance Center, training with the rookies, hoping to get back to his winning ways to get the rematch Maverick robbed him of. He also threw some shade at Lio Rush, saying that if Rush stopped worrying about Lashley, he’d be champion.
Rush, who heard the comments, wasn’t impressed, commenting that a match with Rush would get Alexander the title match he wanted. Alexander was even less impressed with Rush, but Rush persisted, asking Alexander to think about it.
Lucha House Party vs TJP and Mike Kanellis (with Maria Kanellis): For the last several weeks, the Lucha House Party have had their hands full due to TJP’s blatant disrespect for the Luchador tradition. Last week, TJP seemed to have made an alliance with Mike Kanellis.
The match was okay. Kanellis and TJP sound like a great team on paper, but their dueling egos were definitely a hindrance to their success. However, they managed to keep it together to give the Lucha House Party a run for their money. However, TJP’s obsession with stealing the Lucha House Party’s masks would cost him. He unmasked Lince, but the Golden Lynx had a second mask and the distraction as enough for a hurricanrana to get the wind.
TJP and Kanellis were furious and each blamed the other, but Maria played peacemaker, reminding them that they had the other masks, though the fact that the Party guys probably have an unlimited supply of masks doesn’t seemed to have occurred to anyone.
Lio Rush vs Josh Morell: If you listen to Lio Rush, he’s the greatest thing since sliced bread in 205 Live, or in wrestling. However, since he took on the momentous task of hyping Bobby Lashley, he hasn’t had as much time to focus on 205 and, as Alexander pointed out, hasn’t earned himself a championship shot.
This week, Rush took on Josh Morell, a local Manchester talent. Rush doesn’t respect his opponent, which Morell makes him pay for by giving the Man of the Hour a serious run for his money. Rush would get the win, but only by sheer luck, rather than better skill.
After the match, Rush got on the mic and again taunted Cedric Alexander, restating his offer of a match, and warning Alexander that time was running out.
NXT
NXT Women’s Division: Some NXT interviewers caught up with Candice LeRae, asking her about her AWOL husband, Johnny Gargano, who hasn’t been seen since he’d been exposed as the man who took out Aleister Black. LeRae refused to comment, complaining about being exploited.
She had more important things to think about, namely Nikki Cross, the woman who had seen Gargano attack Black. Apparently, Mrs. Wrestling has it in her head that Cross owes her answers about her revelation about Johnny Gargano. Last week, she’d tried to get answers from Cross, only for Cross to laugh at her. She’s going to talk to William Regal about getting a match with Cross and get the answers she thinks she’s owed. Or does she have another reason for wanting to get her hands on Cross?
NXT Women’s Champion, Shayna Baszler was feeling pretty smug going into Survivor Series. Her buddies, Marina Shafir and Jessamyn Duke, were with her, still proud of their parts in robbing Kairi Sane of the NXT Women’s Championship at Evolution. When asked about Kairi Sane invoking her rematch clause, Baszler was dismissive, wondering how many times she had to beat Sane before people understood that Sane was a nobody and that the bigger news was that the Queen of Spades was the rightful champion again.
Then William Regal came in with some news: Kairi Sane WILL get her rematch at TakeOver: War Games. Then he adds a little twist: Due to Baszler and Sane’s history and the shenanigans of Evolution, the match will be two out of three falls. That wiped the smile off of Baszler’s face.
The Captain of Team Kick, Dakota Kai, took on the Black Belt, Taynara Conti, in one-on-one action. Both ladies were pretty evenly matched in terms of skills. Anyone thinking that Conti was just a pretty face, was disabused by that when watching her wrestle. That black belt isn’t just a great marketing gimmick. Kai would pull out the win with a Kai-de-Grace, but Conti definitely put the NXT world on notice about her skills. While Kai, for her part, not only added another win to her long list of them, but has put her name in the Women’s Title picture on two continents.
Mia Yim came up a little short in the Mae Young Classic, but fate, and Triple H, gave her another chance by signing her to the WWE. Yim said that she was enjoying the Performance Center and Full Sail, and is living her dream.
The interview was interrupted by Bianca Belair, another Mae Young alum, who was less than impressed with the attention given to Yim. Belair is undefeated and hasn’t been given a title shot, and somehow thinks Yim has gotten things handed to her, despite the evidence to the contrary. As far as the EST is concerned, Yim can go back to the indies.
Yim is a little confused as to why Belair has such an attitude, but fires back that the EST hasn’t met the HBIC, Head Baddie in Charge. Belair laughed it off, but I doubt she’ll be laughing when she deals with Yim one on one.
Aleister Black vs Johnny Gargano: Ever since it was revealed that Johnny Gargano was the one to attack Aleister Black, the question on everyone’s lips has been Why? Why did Gargano attack Black? Last week, Gargano had promised to explain everything on NXT.
The explanation, as given in a video promo, is that Johnny Gargano has gone to the dark side of the Force, but, like Anakin Skywalker, or the Death Eaters, he doesn’t see it that way. As far as he’s concerned, Aleister’s terribly confused. Gargano is the HERO of this story, not the villain. Sure, attacking Black wasn’t heroic in the strictest sense of the word, but the attack wasn’t anything personal, just business. Black was in the way of Gargano getting his hands on Ciampa. Besides, who is Black to complain? He hands out Black Masses to people left, right, and center, and no one complains or whines about him being a coward or a villain.
According to Gargano, he’s the same person he’s always been, he’ll still fight the good fighting, but the place he’s in is just a little darker, and Gargano likes it that way. He warns Black that he’ll leave him laying in a heap at War Games, just like he did right before TakeOver: Brooklyn.
War Games: William Regal announced that next week on NXT, one member of Undisputed Era and one member of Team Hate Undisputed Era will meet in one on one action.
Lars Sullivan vs Velveteen Dream: To say that Lars Sullivan wasn’t happy when Velveteen Dream was given the title shot against Tommaso Ciampa is putting it mildly. The Leviathan was LIVID over the snub and vowed to make Dream pay for Regal’s snub.
Dream definitely paid the price in his one on one with Sullivan, who was still mad as hell. However, the Dream put up a hell of a fight, but there was no stopping an enraged Sullivan, who put Dream away with Freak Accident for a win, making a dominate case for being included in the Championship match at War Games.
For Dream, the trouble wasn’t over. Tommaso Ciampa came out of nowhere and attacked his challenger, vowing that Dream wouldn’t steal his title or his spotlight. Dream rallied and fought back before the two were separated by the refs, but Dream got free and attacked the champion and hit the Purple Rain Maker. Will Dream walk out of War Games as Champion or does Ciampa have more tricks up his sleeve?
Heavy Machinery vs Forgotten Sons: Heavy Machinery has been making quite a name for themselves as they’ve mown through the NXT Tag Team Division, looking for another shot at the tag titles. Forgotten Sons, lead by former tag champion Wesley Blake, are looking to get in the same spot.
The match was really good. HM are both huge guys, and Dozer doesn’t always seem to have both oars in the water, but they’re a great team, as are Sons, especially since Blake knows what it’s like to be Tag Team Champion.
Ultimately, the match came down to who was the better team, and this time, it was Heavy Machinery, who would put away the Sons with a pop up powerslam by Dozer, which is really amazing to see such a huge guy do. Heavy Machinery has made quite a statement and Undisputed Era would be well-advised to hear it.
Tiffany’s Takeaways
RAW: The story of Nattie bringing her dad’s sunglasses to RAW and the Riott Squad breaking them is such nonsense, I’m stunned people actually bought it.
Strowman vs Corbin is a good feud, but it’s a poor substitute for having a top title on RAW.
Alexa Bliss as non-competing team captain for the RAW women is a better use of her since she’s better on the mic than she is in the ring.
The women seem to view Alexa as a joke, if the chuckles and smirks while she was talking were anything to go by.
Ronda Rousey’s promo actually made me want to slap her for being so arrogant.
Renee Young is starting to come into her own as a commentator, and I enjoyed it.
Crews/Mahal was BORING!
SmackDown: I like that Shane went the humble route to explain his win over Ziggler.
Miz/Bryan as co-team captains is either brilliant or the dumbest idea ever.
I want Becky Lynch’s next big feud to be with Nikki Cross.
Mandy Rose’s complaining would’ve sounded better coming out of someone else’s mouth because Mandy is not an impressive performer, in my opinion.
Miz/Bryan as a reluctant team is extremely intriguing to me. If we had more time to build it, I could see Shane making them team up to prove they can get along well enough to be co-Team Captains, but since the build to Survivor Series is ridiculously short compared to previous years, this is what we get.
Mysterio/Almas was SOOO good.
NXT UK: I get why WWE is giving us two episodes of NXT UK a week, but I can’t say I get why they both have to be on Wednesday, on top of 205 Live and NXT.
Storm vs Kai was definitely the match of the night and Dunne/Burch was a close second.
I’m glad to see some storylines starting to really take shape and make sense.
I do NOT get the Gibson/shoes thing! Someone explain this to me because it’s not translating well.
205 Live: I’m not sure why TJP is obsesses with taking the Lucha House Party’s masks and keeping them. He must realize they probably have an unlimited supply of them.
The Rush/Alexander thing is starting to get interesting.
I don’t know if Mustafa Ali will walk out of Survivor Series as champion, but I’ve got my fingers crossed.
NXT: The Candice/Nikki thing is interesting. Why is Candice so mad at Nikki? Was Candice in on the plan and is mad that Nikki spilled the beans? Is something else going on?
Yim vs Belair? Yes, please!
Taynara Conti has really impressed me in her last few encounters. She’s a great heel and can legitimately kick anyone’s ass.
Gargano is going to help Ciampa retain at TakeOver.
Tiff’s Tantrums
Kudos to Paige for clapping back at a ‘fan’ who complained that women in WWE dressed like whores and should be dressing more modestly, and for not backing down when the same fan whined that she was being rude.
To the ‘journalists’ trying to get a hold of Roman Reigns’ medical records to ‘prove’ that he and WWE are faking his leukemia diagnosis: Fuck. You! First of all, that is illegal and a violation of HIPPA. Secondly, WWE and Roman Reigns have too much to lose to pull a stunt like this. All you’re doing is making everyone look bad. I get that a lot of you are short on material since your favorite source of click-bait articles is undergoing treatment for a life-threatening illness, but this is taking things too far. I’m sure you can find something else about WWE to complain about constantly until Reigns comes back.
The ‘fan’ who made the video claiming that Renee and Seth had an affair and that was the cause of Dean’s heel turn, is a fricking idiot! It’s a storyline, not real life!
What do you think, are you ready for another week of WWE action and stories? Sound off on Twitter @TiffanyMC and @theCHAIRSHOTcom using the hashtag #UseYourHead!
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Opinion
DeMarco: Eric Bischoff, Vince Russo, or Jim Cornette?
Greg DeMarco evaluates a $10 million dollar question (literally) – who would you choose if you were starting a new wrestling company?
Greg DeMarco evaluates a $10 million dollar question (literally) – who would you choose if you were starting a new wrestling company?
Social media has flipped the script on pro wrestling. The fans have more power than ever before—booking is done in real time, buzz is built or buried in seconds, and no one waits until Monday to cut a promo anymore.
Social media is also a place where ideas are shared and discussion takes place. The basis for this article was a question posted on social media, using this image:

It’s the Ten Million Dollar Question: If you are handed $10 million to start a wrestling company, and you have to pick one of the following as your partner, who do you pick? Eric Bischoff, Vince Russo, or Jim Cornette.
Ten Million Dollars?
Ten million dollars sounds like a lot—until you start pricing out weekly production, talent contracts, live event logistics, licensing, digital, and TV. That money will go fast when you realize you’re competing with billion-dollar conglomerates that can lose money just to win the culture war. To truly break through in today’s wrestling economy, $10 million is your entry fee, not your war chest.
You do have options, such as Roku TV (similar to the NWA), YouTube, and more. This should ABSOLUTELY factor into your decision–distribution is key. And all three options do have some connection, and that needs to be considered.
You already know the options…
You’re reading this article, so you already know all about Eric Bischoff, Vince Russo, and Jim Cornette.
Eric Bischoff broke all the rules—and made it work. He launched Monday Nitro, flipped the industry upside down with the nWo, and forced Vince McMahon to innovate. Bischoff turned WCW into a legit number one brand and changed the entire TV presentation of wrestling forever. Without him, do we have the Attitude Era? There’s no way to be certain.
Vince Russo brought the chaos—and a whole lot of ratings. He gave us Crash TV, blurred the lines between fiction and reality, and wasn’t afraid to throw the whole format into a blender. While the long-term storytelling often suffered, the shock factor he brought drove eyeballs and made every segment feel like “can’t miss” television. But you can argue that, without Eric Bischoff, there’s no Vince Russo.
Jim Cornette is wrestling tradition personified. He’s protected the business with his life, shaped generations of talent behind the scenes, and built up territories when no one else could. Cornette’s strength lies in his psychology, heat-building, and his unapologetic belief in what wrestling should be—even when the industry moves past it. Does that play if you’re starting a brand new company in 2025? In my opinion, the jury is still out.
But who do you choose?
To be fair, you can’t just pick someone and go. You need to pick someone who aligns with your vision.
- If you’re trying to focus on “old school” and nostalgia, Jim Cornette is your guy.
- If you plan to build on shock value, your product going viral, and outlandish reactions, you pick Vince Russo.
- If you think distribution is important, and need to get your product out there, you choose Eric Bischoff.
For me? I am a business guy. It’s called “the wrestling business,” and your $10 million investment needs to see a return.
I choose Eric Bischoff.
Many of you will scoff at this, thinking Jim Cornette was the right choice. He has a brilliant mind, and he has a following to help get you started. Hell, its enough for me to second-guess myself. Cornette is a close second. Vince Russo? Not a fan in this scenario.
But my perspective is different. I am a wresting promoter–I book and promote successful wrestling events. Our biggest weakness? Distribution. Among the three options, Eric Bischoff is far stronger.
How do you leverage Eric Bischoff?
Remember how the table was set – you’re given $10 million dollars to start a wrestling company. THAT is the hook. To me, that sounds like two things: a wrestling promotion AND a reality show. Even if the wrestling portion is on a streaming platform, or our own distribution like YouTube–the behind the scenes content is what Eric can start shopping. That can give us more resources in terms of budget and production. He also has the connection to Conrad Thompson, which helps with the online community.
If Bischoff gets us a distribution deal, even if it’s for the reality show portion, we have more budget for talent. Two people I can hire? Jim Cornette and Vince Russo. They are reality show GOLD.
Do I have to pay Eric Bischoff? Sure, but he’s not a “salary guy.” You want to motivate Eric Bischoff to perform, appeal to his competitive side. Give him a piece of the business–when the business grows, so does his piece. That’s one of the biggest advantages to having the former head of WCW.
Welcome to the team, Eric! Now let’s to get ourselves a deal!
About Chairshot Radio Network
Launched in 2017, the Chairshot Radio Network presents you with the best in sports, entertainment, and sports entertainment. Wrestling and wrestling crossover podcasts + the most interesting content + the most engaging hosts = the most entertaining podcasts you’ll find!
MONDAY - Bandwagon Nerds (entertainment & popular culture)
TUESDAY - Musical Chairs (music) / Hockey Talk (NHL)
WEDNESDAY - The Greg DeMarco Show (wrestling)
THURSDAY - Keeping the news ridiculous... The Oddity / Chairshot NFL (NFL)
FRIDAY - DWI Podcast (Drunk Wrestling Intellect)
SATURDAY - The Mindless Wrestling Podcast
SUNDAY - The Front and Center Sports Podcast
CHAIRSHOT RADIO NETWORK PODCAST SPECIALS
Attitude Of Aggression Podcast & The Big Five Project (chronologically exploring WWE's PPV/PLE history)
TheChairshot.com PRESENTS...IMMEDIATE POST WWE PLE REACTIONS w/ DJ(Mindless), Tunney(DWI) & Friends
Patrick O'Dowd's 5X5
Classic POD is WAR
Chairshot Radio Network Your home for the hardest hitting podcasts... Sports, Entertainment and Sports Entertainment!
Powered by RedCircle
Let us know what you think on social media @ChairshotMedia and always remember to use the hashtag #UseYourHead!
Opinion
Greg DeMarco’s WWE SummerSlam 2025 Preview, Betting Odds, & Predictions
Are you ready for WWE SummerSlam? Greg DeMarco makes sure are with his official preview & predictions!
Are you ready for WWE SummerSlam? Greg DeMarco makes sure are with his official preview & predictions!
August 2–3, 2025 • MetLife Stadium
WWE is turning SummerSlam into the biggest blockbuster of the summer with a two‑night extravaganza, packing in title bouts, and celebrity surprise appearances. Let’s dive into the matches, the action that led us here, and the betting lines that tell us who the bookies think bets on.
And of course, the pièce de résistance, my predictions done in true form: Who Should Win? Who Will Win?
And as an added bonus, PC Tunney has sent along his picks, which will be included with each match!
WWE SummerSlam 2025 – Night 1 – Saturday, August 2
World Heavyweight Championship – CM Punk vs. Gunther (c)
Odds: CM Punk (−180), Gunther (+140)
Punk is favored at about a 64% win probability
Punk earned his shot in a gauntlet match, but remember that he came in last to beat a man in Bron Breakker who came in first. Regardless, the tension has been simmering ever since. Gunther’s technical dominance will test Punk’s recklessness, making this a high-stakes and high strikes match. Expect close calls, but if Punk pulls this off, he reestablishes himself at the very top of WWE’s hierarchy (although he doesn’t need it).
- Who Should Win: Gunther
- Who Will Win: Gunther
Look, I know CM Punk is the sentimental pick to win, but Gunther NEEDS to win here. Otherwise, what is he? Gunther is the type of wrestler whose character thrives on wins and losses, whereas CM Punk is a made guy.
PC Tunney’s pick: “CM Punk – If Seth isn’t hurt we likely see a cash in. I’ll stick with he’s hurt and Punk captures gold.”
Roman Reigns & Jey Uso vs. Bron Breakker & Bronson Reed
Odds: Reigns & Uso (−1500), Breakker & Reed (+600)
Roman & Jey are favored at about a 94% win probability
The Bloodline team is an iron-clad force, backed by legacy and brutal efficiency. Breakker and Reed bring raw power and youthful fury, aiming to shock the world. This will hinge on teamwork vs. dominance—do the underdogs coordinate enough to upset the odds? The wildcard in all of this is the WWE’s efforts to build Heyman’s duo, and establish Bron Breakker as a leader, and a star for the new generation. Does that swing the booking? I think it might.
- Who Should Win: Roman Reigns & Jey Uso
- Who Will Win: Bron Breakker & Bronson Reed
Given the betting odds, it might actually be worth dropping a few bucks on this one (I won’t). I don’t think Seth Rollins appears here, but might we see a new member? I think we could. As far as my pick of Breakker & Reed, I’ll go a step further: Bron Breakker pins Roman Reigns. It won’t be clean, but it’ll be forever etched in history.
PC Tunney’s pick: “Roman & Jey – I don’t see Roman losing much.”
Randy Orton & Jelly Roll vs. Drew McIntyre & Logan Paul
Odds: Orton & Jelly Roll (−500), McIntyre & Paul (+300)
Randy Orton & Jelly Roll are favored at about an 83% win probability
Jelly Roll’s wrestling debut has added real unpredictability, while Orton’s veteran savvy balances McIntyre’s muscle and Paul’s sheen. Expect social‑media chaos with a strong element of violencem This match plays to spectacle far more than to wrestling acumen.
- Who Should Win: Randy Orton & Jelly Roll
- Who Will Win: Randy Orton & Jelly Roll
Don’t overthink this one. Play it safe, go with the babyface celebrity.
PC Tunney’s pick: Orton & Jelly Roll – RK… Roll
WWE Women’s Championship – Tiffany Stratton (c) vs. Jade Cargill
Odds: Jade Cargill (−600), Tiffany Stratton (+350)
Jade is favored at about an 86% win probability
Cargill has steamrolled challengers on her way to this pinnacle moment, while Stratton has proven she can hang with the elite (get it?). Will Stratton’s athleticism and swagger crack Cargill’s aura—or will Jade’s debutante dominance silence the critics?
- Who Should Win: Tiffany Stratton
- Who Will Win: Tiffany Stratton
I’m probably stupid, but I don’t think we’re done with Tiffany Stratton as WWE Women’s Champion just yet. Maybe Bianca Belair costs Jade, maybe it’s someone else.
Actually, I’m positive I’m wrong.
PC Tunney’s pick: Jade Cargill – Time to see what Jade’s got!
See, even Tunney knows that I’m wrong!
The Judgment Day (Raquel Rodriguez & Roxanne Perez) (c) vs. Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss – WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship
Odds: Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss (–400), Judgment Day (+400)
Charlotte & Alexa are an 88% favorite to win here
Rodriguez and Perez have held the titles well through their title defenses, but Charlotte and Alexa bring star power, chemistry and a storyline deeply rooted in reluctant alliances. If Flair & Bliss click at the right moment, they could steamroll Judgment Day’s dominance. But if the champions have hidden synergy? This could be their breakout moment.
- Who Should Win: Roxanne Perez & Raquel Rodriguez
- Who Will Win: Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss
It makes WAY more sense for Roxanne & Raquel to retain, but the star power and fan-pleasing title change has to be hard for WWE to pass up. That’s okay, The Judgment Day duo can regain the titles in a TV match that leads to the inevitable split for Flair and Bliss.
PC Tunney’s pick: Charlotte & Alexa – I want to see this happen, I really want to lol
I have no clue why!
Sami Zayn vs. Karrion Kross – Singles Match
Odds: Sami Zayn (–250), Karrion Kross (+180)
Zayn is favored with a 71% win percentage.
Zayn’s momentum has been on a roller coaster ride for, well basically his entire WWE career. Fueled by emotional storytelling and that Helluva Kick finishing move he’s perfected over years. Kross is the physical menace—the kind of throwback monster heel who wants to bury Zayn’s momentum once and for all.
- Who Should Win: Sami Zayn
- Who Will Win: Sami Zayn
Based on everything I say, you’d think I wasn’t a Karrion Kross fan…when in actuality I’m a huge fan of the performer. But the character stinks, in my opinion, anyway. He’s a legitimate bad ass, and should be featured as one. Sami Zayn, on the other hand, is beloved by many, and should be headed to a mega push on The Road To WrestleMania 42. And a win here only makes sense.
PC Tunney’s pick: Karrion Kross – “Kross was right.”
WWE SummerSlam 2025 – Night 2 – Sunday, August 3
Street Fight for the Undisputed WWE Championship – John Cena (c) vs. Cody Rhodes
Odds: Cody Rhodes (−300), John Cena (+200)
Cody expected to regain the WWE’s top title at a win probability of 75%
This is the culmination of years: WrestleMania rematch, street fight rules, and Cena’s impending WWE retirement looming. Cody is favored to reclaim the title, but Cena’s legacy and weaponized veteran instincts make this a volatile rematch. But it IS A rematch. Does Cody’s movie role have any impact on the booking? Recent WWE direction tells me no.
- Who Should Win: John Cena
- Who Will Win: Cody Rhodes
Seth Rollins cashing in on John Cena (after he wins) here would be golden, but I’m not betting on it. Instead, go with what we know: LOLCODYWINS.
PC Tunney’s pick: Seth Rollins – Another heist of epic proportions!!!
Hell yeah, Tunney. Hell yeah.
Intercontinental Championship – AJ Styles vs. Dominik Mysterio (c)
Odds: Dominik (−200), Styles (+150)
Mysterio expected to retain at 67%
Styles brings experience, speed and flash, but Dominik has equally mastered psychological warfare and home‑field advantage. Expect a tactical back‑and‑forth, with Dominik banking on interference and lineage to stay gold.
- Who Should Win: AJ Styles
- Who Will Win: Dominik Mysterio
I love the idea of Dominik Mysterio winning the AAA Mega Championship at TripleMania, and carrying that belt both in Mexico and on WWE Monday Night Raw. And I think that does happen. So why does he need the Intercontinental Championship if that’s the direction?
He doesn’t. But WWE likely wants to see him draped in gold, and having him hold both accomplishes just that.
PC Tunney’s pick: Dominik Mysterio – Looking forward to this match most. These two should steal night two.
Triple Threat Match for the Women’s World Championship – Naomi (c) vs. Rhea Ripley vs. Iyo Sky
Odds: Naomi (−1500), Rhea Ripley (+400), Iyo Sky (+750)
Naomi is a ….94% favorite to win? Seems crazy!
Naomi’s cash‑in and reign have been meteoric, but Sky and Ripley are hungry competitors who revitalized the division. This triple threat has finishers flying every which way—can Naomi dodge chaos and retain against the charging challengers? Or Ripley simply too popular to keep the title off of?
- Who Should Win: Naomi
- Who Will Win: Rhea Ripley
In an ideal world, this match closes Night 1. Of course, that ain’t happening, as it sits on the card for Night 2. It makes ZERO sense to take the belt off of Naomi so fast, but I think we are going to start seeing LOLRHEAWINS become a thing very soon.
PC Tunney’s pick: Naomi – Why cash in just to lose so soon?
Steel Cage Match for the United States Championship – Solo Sikoa (c) vs. Jacob Fatu
Odds: Solo Sikoa (−140), Jacob Fatu (+100)
Solo Sikoa sits as a 58.3% favorite to retain, the closest match odds of the weekend.
This grudge match in a cage is about revenge, incarceration-style brutality, and salvaging legacy. Fatu’s unpredictability (and recent arrest angle) ups the danger—so does Solo’s Bloodline backing and cunning brutality. The steel cage isn’t only meant to keep people out, it’s meant to be a weapon.
Which is good, because you know it ain’t keeping people out.
- Who Should Win: Soli Sikoa
- Who Will Win: Solo Sikoa
Jakob Fatu is meant for more than this program, and as we march into 2026, he will likely be headed down that road. But first, we need to see Solo and his MFTs victorious in a steel cage? Why? So they can ready San Diego, and the world, for the next chapter if Bloodline War Games!
PC Tunney’s pick: Solo Sikoa – Jacob should be moving on to bigger title scenes sooner than later.
Women’s Intercontinental Championship – Becky Lynch (c) vs. Lyra Valkyria
Odds: Lyra Valkyria (−200), Becky Lynch (+150)
Valkyria favored to regain the title with a 66.7% edge
Becky is the veteran queen, Valkyria is the rising star hungry to dethrone her. Their recent matches have been technical showcases—this time divisional prestige, animosity and payback are dialing things even higher.
- Who Should Win: Becky Lynch
- Who Will Win: Lyra Valkyria
I am really torn on this one–at least on the “Who Will Win?” side. Personally, I don’t see the star power in Lyra that others do. Her promos still aren’t there, and let’s be honest. Is she all that much better than released stars like Dakota Kai and Shayna Baszler?
PC Tunney’s pick: Lyra Valkyria – Because Bayley.
TLC (Tables, Ladders, & Chairs) for the WWE Tag Team Championships – Wyatt Sicks (c) vs. Andrade & Rey Fenix vs. Fraxiom vs. DIY vs. Street Profits vs. Motor City Machine Guns
Odds: Andrade & Rey Fenix (+130 favorite, ~43.5%), Wyatt Sicks (+150), Fraxiom (+250), DIY (+500), Street Profits (+700), MCMG (+1000)
Andrade & Fenix are (surprisingly) at 43% favorite to win here.
This six‑team TLC match is WWE admitting a mistake by spotlighting its tag division now. Expect insanity—and the champions have to survive a flurry of stunts if they want to protect the belts at the elite level.
- Who Should Win: The Wyatt Sicks
- Who Will Win: The Wyatt Sicks
There really is no reason to move the tag titles here… instead this is all about spectacle. This match likely opens up Night 2, and it will deliver. But I see no reason why Joe Gacy & Dexter Lumis won’t retain.
PC Tunney’s pick: Street Profits – This match should be a highlight of the weekend.
Final Thoughts for WWE SummerSlam 2025
SummerSlam 2025 is shaping up as a historic two-night WWE spectacle where legacy meets fresh blood, celebrity meets spectacle, and titles are on the line in every direction. The odds give us a blueprint of what the bookies believe—but wrestling is scripted to take us on a roller coaster ride of surprises. Let’s sit back and enjoy the ride!
About Chairshot Radio Network
Launched in 2017, the Chairshot Radio Network presents you with the best in sports, entertainment, and sports entertainment. Wrestling and wrestling crossover podcasts + the most interesting content + the most engaging hosts = the most entertaining podcasts you’ll find!
MONDAY - Bandwagon Nerds (entertainment & popular culture)
TUESDAY - Musical Chairs (music) / Hockey Talk (NHL)
WEDNESDAY - The Greg DeMarco Show (wrestling)
THURSDAY - Keeping the news ridiculous... The Oddity / Chairshot NFL (NFL)
FRIDAY - DWI Podcast (Drunk Wrestling Intellect)
SATURDAY - The Mindless Wrestling Podcast
SUNDAY - The Front and Center Sports Podcast
CHAIRSHOT RADIO NETWORK PODCAST SPECIALS
Attitude Of Aggression Podcast & The Big Five Project (chronologically exploring WWE's PPV/PLE history)
TheChairshot.com PRESENTS...IMMEDIATE POST WWE PLE REACTIONS w/ DJ(Mindless), Tunney(DWI) & Friends
Patrick O'Dowd's 5X5
Classic POD is WAR
Chairshot Radio Network Your home for the hardest hitting podcasts... Sports, Entertainment and Sports Entertainment!
Powered by RedCircle
Let us know what you think on social media @ChairshotMedia and always remember to use the hashtag #UseYourHead!


