Hello to all wrestling fans, It finally feels like my life has returned to some sort of normality. The hype of Wrestle Mania has started to die down and the shock of The Streak has finally settled in. My weekly wrestling viewing has returned to its usual routine.
This week’s show opens with Vickie Guerrero hosting a debate in the middle of the ring between Paul Heyman and Zeb Coulter. This ends up with Heyman and Zeb having a little scrap before being pulled away from each other by Cesaro and Swagger.
Cesaro vs. Jack Swagger
I thought this was a good opening match with some cool spots. Swagger dominated the opening of the match but it wasn’t before too long that Cesaro came fighting back. At one point Cesaro hits an impressive spinning uppercut from the top rope. Cesaro eventually gets the clean win over Swagger after delivering the Big Swing followed by the Neutraliser.
After the match The Shield make their way down to the ring and attack an already dazed Jack Swagger. Rollins tells the WWE Universe that Swagger failed to adapt. Roman Reigns says that this is just the beginning. I thought this was a decent way to open the show. The crowd seemed really into the match and what happened after.
Tamina vs. Natalya
I thought this match was very boring and the finish was even more underwhelming. Tamina pins Natalya after about 5 minutes after delivering a kick to the face. I don’t think Tamina will ever be good. It’s a shame considering who her father is. Besides her father she has a very good physical presence that I think the women’s division is lacking at the moment unfortunately she just cant wrestle.
Backstage segment with The Shield attacking 3MB
Vickie Guerrero receives a phone call from the authority instructing her to go home. Brad Maddox replaces her for the rest of the evening in an attempt to restore order and control The Shield.
Curtis Axel vs. Jay Uso
This match was an average match but I thought it did make Curtis Axel look good for the first time in ages. I totally forgot he even had a finisher until he did it this week. This match was no classic by any means but was entertaining enough not to hate it. Curtis wins with a clean pin.
The Wyatt family makes their way down to the ring and cut an awesome promo from within the steel cage directed at Cena. They continue to taunt Cena and tell him that his fans are starting to find a new leader in Bray Wyatt.
Rhodes Brothers vs. Luke Harper and Erik Rowan
Although the outcome of this match was inevitable I still thought this was a nice quick decent match. Midway through the match Bray gets up from his rocking chair grabs the microphone and plays with the crowd. I thought the match was fine although I would like to see the Rhodes Brothers back in some sort of story shortly. I love the stuff they did last year, them winning the titles was one of the best highlights. Great talent deserves great angles.
Backstage The Shield attacks Brad Maddox by throwing him into a wall and stomping on him.
Emma and Santino vs. Fandango and Layla
I was so glad that this match did not happen because I have seen it a million times and it has never been good. Before Fandango can make his way down to the ring The Shield attack him at the top of the ramp . Fandango receives a three man Power Bomb off the top of the ramp onto tables down below. I thought this was pretty big spot for SmackDown that would ordinarily have been reserved for Raw.
The Shield vs. Damian Sandow, Titus O’Neil, Ryback, Alberto Del Rio and Bad News Barrett
The Shield had spent most of the evening taking out all the people schedule to wrestle them tonight in the Eleven on Three handicap match. There were only five remaining members still in shape to wrestle at the end of the night.
This match is a bit of cluster f**k but after The Shield destroy every one of their opponents it is Damien Sandow who ends up taking the pin. After the match The Shield show more of their dominance by spearing and Power Bombing Titus O’Neil and Ryback. The Shield look really impressive and they are super over with the crowd. Tonight was another one of those nights where they were given the chance to take the lead and they took it with a smile.
Considering the amount of talent that was not on tonight’s show I thought it was still a very entertaining and impressive show. I think The Shield did an amazing job carrying the show and continue to look impressive after two years without changing much to their gimmick. I am so glad that they did not split up earlier in the year and I believe they will remain stronger as a team for the time being. It is inevitable that one day they will split but for now I think things are fine as they are. I don’t make many predictions on my reviews but I did have a thought the other day that if they wanted to do a shock split they could have one of the member of The Shield betray his team and defect to Evolution.
Other than The Shield and the Wyatt’s everything else was just average this week however I still believe it was an improvement from last weeks episode.
– By Sebastian BowenÂ