This is the first non-WM show with fans for WWE since the Raw in DC and it's...a show. Nothing really massive has been announced, which feels like a big miss. Davey Boy Smith Jr. worked a dark match beforehand, so I guess he's signed to do whatever. Oh and there's a new set - so I'm sure the ratings will skyrocket! The pandemic-era ending video package airs with some great shots of Rey and highlights of the last 20 years. Rey and Dom are out to team with Edge against the Usos and Roman, with Rey and Dom facing the Usos on the pre-show for the belts.
Great intro for Roman, but they've got to figure out how to shoot things for this massive tron without losing so much of the on-screen graphics due to shooting entrances to the side. Rey and Dom are so fun together with the piggy-back intro - coming off more like an older/younger brother team and that's a smart way to book Rey so he doesn't seem old. Rey and Dom double-sledge Jey. Dom gets a double-jump moonsault, but eats a powerbomb on the announce table!
After a break, Edge is in with Jey. Running boot to Jey and a baseball slide to Jimmy! Superkick sends Edge out into a tag to Rey and he hits the seated senton for 2. DOUBLE JUMP DIVE TO THE FLOOR BY DOM! Roman stops a 619 and charges him into the apron. SPEAR ON THE FLOOR BY EDGE TO ROMAN! Heels win with a cheap schoolboy on Rey and a brawl hits. Edge chairshots the Usos, but eats a Superman punch. Edge locks in the gimmick-assisted crossface for the tap! He holds the title high and puts it on Roman - so he's losing for sure, but they've made him look like a killer again.
Big E, Owens, Seth, and Nakamura have a 4 way tonight. Edge, Rey, and Dom are backstage and Edge is hoarse. Edge says he's going to be a manipulative son of a bitch to win. Seth shows up in a gaudy black and white star suit being a prick. Seth says he'll win the case and when he does, he'll cash in on Edge and finish what he started seven years ago and pull the trigger on the stomp. Sami is out and says he now has the people on his side!
Sami gets booed and FINN BALOR RETURNS and makes his SD debut! Shotgun dropkick to Sami and the double stomp lands! Great debut for Balor on the show! Shotzi and Nox SD debut recap with way too much shaky cam - so they get a...rematch again to get a title shot in the future. Why the fuck is this Crews/Azeez video package airing right now, after the new babyface team introduction? Liv is annoying as all hell on commentary.
Zelina is at least calm on commentary. Nox gets a nice European uppercut and she corner sentons Nattie. Shiniest Wizard hits for 2. Liv and Vega bicker and Nox gets a cradle via distraction to win. Jesus this was annoying. Liv gets her goofy codebreaker dealy on Nattie and points up. Joy. Bianca walks backstage and the Roode/Dolph team are treated like dorks before she faces Carmella. She's out with a top-shelf intro and Bianca's ESPY is put over - so that's money well-spent.
Pat says THIS of all things has a big fight feel. Carmella gets tackled down and then gets 2 off a bronco buster. Bianca goes to send her out on the apron, but Mella posts her. Mella works her over on the floor, but Bianca avoids the Trish rana. Mella gets the rana for 2. Carmella goes for Roman's front choke but Bianca turns it into a delayed suplex for 2. Carmella avoids the braid shot and gets a superkick for 2. Canned heat goes crazy when she grabs the braid for some cocky kicks. Hair whip and KOD end it. This was decent given how iffy Carmella is.
Otis and Chad are backstage with Chad putting Otis over and saying he'll win tonight over Cesaro. Otis looks no younger than 45 without the beard. Yikes. Otis cheapshots Cesaro and fat guy bodyblocks him into a metal door. Canned heat machine goes crazy for that one. The Toni hype video does a great job getting across the Storm Zero and her rockstar look - good stuff. Otis is out and gets a highlight reel showcasing how he's beaten up the Street Profits up. Cesaro eats some shots and then Chad Germans him. He swings Gable, but Otis prevents it more and then splashes him.
Heyman says that Roman will take out Edge before Big E boogies next to Heyman and says he'll win the contract. Corbin is out doing his DDP penniless gimmick. A long recap of the fall of Corbin airs while he just looks like shit with his hairline, greying beard, and attire. Can they just get to him being Happy Corbin? He says that his daughter is sick because she has to eat spaghetti out of a can instead of wagu beef and they had to fire the maid, so the house looks like shit. He shills Corbinfundme and insults the fans. Okay, the story they're taking his character on is at least...somewhat entertaining. KO comes out and Corbin says he knows KO has money, while staring at him in gym shorts and his own t-shirts before burying him doing that and eating a stunner.
E and his giant comic tron presentation are great. They're keeping the best parts of the Thunderdome presentation for live shows, which is good. Rick Boogs better knock off his batshit insane workouts before he tears something during his shocking run as part of a main event pushed act on global television. Boogs does Nakamura's intro and man does he feel like a top-level guy in front of fans again. Jesus. Seth's out and we get a recap of his cash-in at WM 35
Seth dive for an ad break seconds in. Ugh. They hype up next week's two venue SD and E gets a tilt-a-whirl into a big Ending to Nakamura before Seth breaks it up at 2. Seth walks by the giant setup of ladders at ringside and gets one and goes to take out Nakamura before KO pulls his tights down and hits a diving elbow off the top of the ladder through a table onto Nakamura for...reasons. Seth gets the stomp on the ladder to win it. E drops the fall, so I can see him winning it on Sunday. Seth gets the visual win for Sunday.
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