New IC Champion, SAnitY is HERE!, Rusev Gets A Shot, Brother Nero is Woken, Itami Earns Respect – This Week in WWE – 6/18/2018-6/20/2018

Here to Show the World – Monday Night Raw – 6/20/2018

  • We’re in Grand Rapids, Michigan for a raucous Monday Night Raw!  I know I sound like Michael Cole (I’m actually Jeremy) but I really did feel like it was much better this week than the last.  It’s amazing what weeks of lowering the bar will do.
  • Alexa Bliss is here for her celebration of the 5-time Raw Women’s Champion.  Is that as many as Sasha?  It seems like it.  For some reason Kurt had it and presented it back to her in the ring.  It was really just an excuse for her to cut a heel promo on the crowd and provoke Ronda into coming out and putting her through a table.  Kurt got in the way and she attacked him as well.  Attacking your boss leads to a convenient 30-day suspension so she’ll miss Extreme Rules.  It’s frustrating and smart at the same time.  They need to protect her on TV instead and give her time to train hard.  She’s a natural and she’s improving super fast, but you don’t want to have her show up and look green.  You also don’t want to give her so much microphone time like we did with this past month.  She definitely has a lot of work to do on her promo.  Still, it’s frustrating if you actually wanted to see her on Raw.
  • Seth is here for his open challenge.  As you can tell from the picture that leads with this recap (Spoiler Alert), Ziggler showed up and pulled off a surprise upset to become your new Intercontinental Champion.  An excellent match across the board, not just because of the shock finish.
    • There’s two things that bothered me though:
      • I’m burned out by previous title runs and pushes Ziggler’s had.  He’s excellent but he’s been stop and start his whole career.  It gives us a bit of fatigue as well.
      • I kind of wish Elias won it the previous night.  If this wasn’t in the plans, I wonder if Elias would have picked up the win the previous night?  That man needs some sort of title run soon.
  • The Deleters of Worlds defeated Slater and Rhyno.
    • Before the match started, The B-Team appeared on the TitanTron apeing Wyatt and Hardy.  There’s something about these guys that work.  Good for them for finally finding something that sticks.
  • Bobby Roode defeated Curt Hawkins with a Glorious DDT.
  • Jinder Mahal defeated Chad Gable with a Khallas.  I have no idea what they’re doing with Gable.  He’s a funny guy.  They might as well have him join the B-Team.
  • That Bayley/Sasha thing is still happening.  Just when I thought they halted the Sasha/Bayley breakup storyline, it looks like it’s back on.  Or at least it was for this week.  They’ll probably forget that anything ever happened by next week.  The lost to the Riott Squad and things went south from there.  Banks and Bayley got in a brief battle backstage and Sasha left the arena.  I’m sure they’ll be booked in another tag match next week where they’ll repeat the exact same story points.
  • There’s going to be a Fatal-Five way to determine Brock’s next challenger.  I know Kurt said that they have a date for Brock’s next match, but I’m pretty sure he never said it.  Either way, Roman and Lashley decide they’re up for it.  The Revival interrupt just because and proceed to get murdered.
  • Elias has a musical segment, suggesting he should be in the Fatal Five Way.  I agree.
  • Mojo Rawley defeated No Way Jose.  Something has to be cut from Hulu, right?
  • KO & Constable Corbin (seriously, this is really a thing?) defeat Bálor and Strowman.  Corbin hit an End of Days on Finn while Braun was distracted.

It’s Rusev Day – Smackdown Live – 6/21/2018

Toledo, Ohio welcomes the Blue Brand this week and Paige has a packed show in store for them.  Let’s see what we get.

  • Paige opens the show announcing that the main event will determine AJ Styles next challenger for Extreme Rules in the form of a 5-Man Gauntlet Match.
  • Carmella is the first in the ring, doing her usual trash talking.  Asuka’s music starts and Asuka seemingly comes to the ring but it turns out to be Ellsworth.  They both talk trash, Asuka storms out and spin kicks Ellsworth before taking a superkick from Money ‘Mella.
  • Becky Lynch defeated Billie Kay with Peyton Royce in her corner.  It’s back to back wins on Smackdown for Becky, but that doesn’t mean a whole lot when you never give her the big opportunities.
  • SAnitY debuts, seemingly to face The Usos.  There’s not a match, there wasn’t even a referee to indicate there might be a match.  SAnitY just stood tall over the Samoan brothers.
  • The Bludgeon Brothers successfully defend against The Good Brothers…..Again.  Daniel Bryan was far too eager and came out to get the Gauntlet Match started while the Bludgeon Brothers were attempting to leave the ringside area.  This would, of course, bite him in the ass shortly.
  • RUSEV IS THE #1 CONTENDER FOR THE WWE WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP via submission on The Miz.
    • Daniel Bryan eliminated Big E by pinfall.
    • Samoa Joe got counted out.
      • The Bludgeon Brothers attacked Daniel Bryan in the ring before the next entrant came out.
    • Miz ran to the ring and picked up the pinfall on DB.
    • Miz and Rusev had a pretty good back and forth, but it was most definitely Rusev Day.
      • Following the match, AJ Styles came out and shared a moment with Rusev.  Aiden English got cocky and Styles laid him out.

Respect Me – 205 Live

Toledo stayed in the building for the Cruiserweight.  With the announcement of the NXT UK show, I fear they may be considering bringing an end to 205 Live, which would make me sad.  Buddy Murphy has brought an entirely new dimension to the division, and now with a healthy Itami, Ali continuing to show out and Cedric holding the purple strap, this show will just keep getting better.

  • Drew Gulak defeated Lince Dorado with a Dragon Sleeper.  Unless you’re bringing the tag belt in, we need to move on from the 100 variations of this match that we’ve been given recently.
  • TJP shit talks then destroys a local enhancement talent.  Can Buddy Murphy just beat the living shit out of him already?
  • Lio Rush will debut next week.  At this point, who cares?  He should have been released when he ran his mouth.  Anybody else would have been.
  • Hideo Itami defeated Buddy Murphy and Mustafa Ali.  For what it’s worth, Ali ate the pin.

NXT Recaps TakeOver, Has 2 Matches – NXT TV

  • Bianca Belair defeated Dakota Kai.
  • War Raiders defeated The Mighty.