WWE Then Now Forever 10/4/20: Thirteen 10’s Look At The Week Ahead

With a Takeover coming tonight, and a big week of WWE developments, Josh from the Thirteen 10 brand is here with your look at the busy seven days!

Another week and another mixed bag. A very successful and enjoyable clash of champions had 2 extremely interesting headline title matches with Roman vs Jey Uso winning plaudits for work and in ring story telling, basically this was is simply WOW.

Let’s dive in to see what our respective Red, Yellow & Blue brands had to offer this week.

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Monday Night RAW Results – A Glorious return, but, not so glorious week

• Asuka (c) defeated Zelina Vega to retain the WWE Raw Women’s Championship
• Keith Lee defeated Andrade
• Akira Tozawa defeated R-Truth (c) to win the WWE 24-7 Championship
• Drew Gulak defeated Akira Tozawa (c) to win the WWE 24-7 Championship
• R-Truth defeated Drew Gulak (c) to win the WWE 24-7 Championship
• Mandy Rose & Dana Brooke defeated Natalya & Lana
• Kevin Owens defeated Aleister Black by DQ
• R-Truth (c) defeated Akira Tozawa and Drew Gulak in a Triple Threat Match to retain the WWE 24-7 Championship
• Murphy defeated Dominik Mysterio
• Ricochet, Apollo Crews & Mustafa Ali defeated The Hurt Business (MVP, Shelton Benjamin & Bobby Lashley) in a Six Man Tag Team Match
• Drew McIntyre (c) defeated Robert Roode (w/ Dolph Ziggler) to retain the WWE Championship

HOT or NOT
• Randy Orton’s backstage lights out attack on the legends that cost him the Ambulance match – Verdict – HOT
• 24/7 championship – Verdict – NOT
• Buddy Murphy / Mysterio family storyline – Verdict – HOT
• Aleister Black – Verdict – NOT
• The Hurt Business 50/50 booking and absence of Cedric Alexander – Verdict – Not
• Bobby Roode return and title match vs Drew – Verdict – HOT
• Zelina Vega vs Asuka – Verdict – NOT
• Mis use of Andrade’s talents and separation from Zelina – Verdict – NOT

Projection for next weeks RAW
Oh where to start with the continued mess of Monday Night Raw, I mean sure there are some great segments, but 20 minutes of good during a 3 hour show is just not cutting it for the weekly fans who are giving up time each week for this. I wish I could easily identify where this is going for next week I really do but im struggling so lets use the already booked segments. This will also be the last RAW before there 2020 draft. A shake up is definitely required. Next week will see Bray Wyatt on the KO Show, a six man tag with Orton teaming up with Ziggler & Roode to take on Drew & Street Profits. This will lead to Drew vs Randy at Hell in a cell which will be awesome but a much needed end to the feud thereafter. Roode & Ziggler will clearly be added to the tag division once again. Who will step up to face Asuka next? Lets say Zelina with the aid of Andrade (if Andrade does not return to NXT at Takeover). Lets hope that the draft gives us some much needed fresh blood. Could Aleister Black move to smackdown and get away from this horrible run, he is being so under-utilised on a regular basis, however, I cant see him moving with KO almost certainly leaving. I really hope that writing can be made a little more easy and enjoyable after next weeks episode. RAW is hitting an all time low.

NXT Results

• Shotzi Blackheart def. Dakota Kai
• Kushida def. Tony Nese
• Adam Cole def. Austin Theory
• Kayden Carter def. Xia Li
• Johnny Gargano & Candice LeRae def. Damien Priest & IO Shirai

HOT or NOT
• Shotzi Blackheart vs Dakota Kai – Verdict – Hot, however, the ring apron spot was dangerous and therefore gets a NOT from me for that spot.
• Aggressive Kushida is something we need more of, lets hope we see NJPW Kushida on Sunday – verdict – HOT
• Austin Theory is a star, watch this space – Verdict – HOT
• Kayden Carter – verdict – HOT
• Power couple taking over – Verdict – HOT

Projecting next week
NXT will produce a post Takeover show next Wednesday and the landscape could very well change with new champions potentially being crowned and a teased return. Lets start with the Woman’s division, I think its time that Candice takes the limelight, she will therefore enter the show as the new NXT woman’s champion and will be met by a challenging Kayden Carter who will fall short in a first (arrogant title defence will be fun to watch). We will also see Johnny Gargano who will support his partner but he will not be a champion as he will fall short vs Damien Priest. Johnny will be searching for a rematch but will be met by Bronson Reed as he wants a shot at Damien next. This now leaves us with the biggest draw, the new NXT champion Kyle O’Reily, what will follow will be a storyline which will mirror Randy Orton’s first title win in 2004 whilst being a part of evolution, but will it be Kyle kicked out of Undisputed Era or will it be Adam Cole…just in time for the 2020 draft? Finn Balor will be next in line for a rematch which will be a series of spectacular matches between the two superstars.

SMACKDOWN Results

• Jey Uso defeated AJ Styles (10:34)
• Otis defeated John Morrison (1:56)
• Sheamus defeated Shorty G (0:58)
• Matt Riddle & The Lucha House Party (Gran Metalik & Lince Dorado) defeated Cesaro, King Corbin & Shinsuke Nakamura in a Six Man Tag Team Match (6:56)
• Sami Zayn (c) defeated Jeff Hardy to retain the WWE Intercontinental Championship

HOT or NOT
• Roman & Jay Uso feud is spectacular, what is the stipulation at Hell in a Cell? – verdict – HOT
• Otis/Morrison/Miz storyline has run its course, I’ve had it with this – verdict – NOT
• AJ Styles, mid carder, putting over talent – Verdict – HOT
• Lucha House party ongoing shoving contest, just split them up already, I don’t need to see the same shtick every week – verdict – NOT
• Corbin & Riddle are still feuding – verdict – NOT
• Alexa Bliss as a guest on KO show, attack by The Fiend on Owens – verdict – HOT
• Sami Zayn vs Jeff Hardy, give me more if this please – verdict – HOT

Projecting next weeks Smackdown
With an absolutely stacked episode booked for next weeks smackdown which will alos be night 1 of the 2020 draft, I can see us having a blast with this. The Fiend vs KO, Sheamus vs BIG E & Sasha vs Bayley?? Wow!!!
Here is one thing I can predict immediately, Sasha vs Bayley will NOT happen next week. Lets say that Sasha is drafted to RAW as the first pick, therefore not able to challenge for the Smackdown woman’s prize, Sasha will then have to win the Rumble in January to then challenge Bayley…this is long term booking indeed but its what we all want right?

We will hear more on the stipulation for Roman vs Jey at Hell in a Cell. I am looking forward to a change and can also see an NXT call up in Adam Cole and he will square up with AJ Styles.

Let me know your thoughts on this weeks shows. What do you want to see next week and who will be the returning star at NXT takeover on Sunday?