Last night’s episode of Raw saw United States Champion Sheamus take on Humberto Carrillo,
in a match that would likely set up a title defence at Sunday’s WrestleMania…’s
Backlash.
Because as last night’s episode of Raw showed, what way to build title matches, than do the
matches six days before the pay-per-view on free TV?
Despite a typically intense performance from both men, though, the match suddenly ended
after Carrillo hit a sunset flip powerbomb on Sheamus from inside the ring onto the floor
outside - where Sheamus appeared to have fallen directly onto Carrillo’s hips or knees from
the ring apron.
Carrillo immediately tensed up and rolled over, while both Sheamus and the official
covertly tried to talk to him.
Humberto seemingly signaled something was wrong, and the referee called for the bell
to a double countout.
Sean Ross Sapp has confirmed on Fightful Select this was not the planned finish, and an audible
was called to end the match due to a legitimate injury.
The exact nature of the injury isn’t yet known.
But the US title might have another new challenger soon...
Dave Meltzer has reported that NXT’s Velveteen Dream was backstage at last night’s Raw
- suggesting there are plans to debut him on the main roster.
Dream hasn’t wrestled in WWE since the 23rd December episode of NXT, with his 2020 being
marred by several controversies - including a car accident, having an arrest warrant issued
against him for allegedly smashing a car window, and several unconfirmed accusations of sexual
harassment - all of which he’s denied.
WWE claims it “didn’t find anything” following an internal investigation into those
accusations, but that hasn’t quelled the fan sentiment, with many still calling for
him to be fired.
How do you think Dream will be received on the main roster?
Let me know in the comments down below, because I’ll be replying to as many people as I
can for the first 15 minutes after this video goes live FROM OUTTA NOWHERE.
Following news that Daniel Bryan’s career losing stipulation on SmackDown against Roman
Reigns was a shoot - with his WWE contract expiring shortly after WrestleMania, Ringside
News has confirmed there is “open communication, but no rush from either side” from WWE to
get Bryan to sign a new deal.
There is apparently a full-time backstage role open for him as a producer/writer, but
“Bryan doesn’t want a full time job behind the scenes.”
He’s said to be enjoying some well deserved time off right now, with SummerSlam going
around as a “possible return time.”
But this is pro wrestling, and WWE will be presumably very anxious until Bryan officially
re-signs.
There’s been many instances in the past where a wrestler says one thing, like they
just want a break - and WWE believes them - and then they turn up at Double or Nothing
a couple weeks later.
We’ll call that ‘Doing a Moxley’.
And it just so happens there’s a Double or Nothing at the end of the month.
Speaking of SummerFest, PWInsider has revealed the biggest party of the Summer outside my
Golden Mile pub crawl will take place on August 22nd.
While Fightful Select is reporting NXT’s next TakeOver show will be on June 13th, with
the return of TakeOver: In Your House.
Make WrestleTalk.com your homepage for all the latest, breaking wrestling news - including
Sanchez’s article on 8 wrestlers we want Daniel Bryan to face outside WWE - but for
now here’s my review of the WrestleMania go-home Raw… for Backlash… in about 5
minutes.
So I’ve been off for a week.
I wonder what’s happened on Raw.
Oh, absolutely nothing.
The show opened on WWE’s most infuriating, nonsensical feud of the year so far, which
as if the repetitive, illogical booking of Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler vs Dana Brooke
and Mandy Rose wasn’t enough, we now have voodoo shenanigans!
Alexa Bliss and Lily suddenly appeared on the ramp halfway through the match on a full
playground set at the top of the ramp, which made everyone look really dumb in the ring,
as they either presumably saw that all being set up and were surprised, or, worse, it kayfabe
teleported there.
And shortly after Baszler’s leg suddenly crumpled, letting Asuka get the win - which
I’m presuming is Bliss using Lily’s voodoo doll gimmick to take out people’s limbs
in matches.
Charlotte booted Asuka afterwards, because of course she did, and then everyone stood
around awkwardly while Bliss laughed for ages.
Damn, the Singh Brothers got jacked in lockdown.
And changed their faces.
Jinder Mahal made his return next, flanked by his new faction team Indus Sher, where
he beat Jeff Hardy clean in just a few minutes.
This match had already happened on last week’s episode of Main Event, showing you exactly
what WWE thinks of Jinder’s new faction and Jeff Hardy.
Matt Riddle and Randy Orton remain the best thing on Raw, winning a fun 8 man tag with
the New Day against AJ Styles, Omos, Jaxon Ryker and Elias.
And, best of all, hitting RKOs on the New Day for being annoying afterwards Stone Cold
style, while Riddle just stood there like ‘oh, you.’
Unfortunately after that came the Sheamus vs Carillo match, which saw Humberto injure
his leg and the match called off.
It was a shame, as Carillo was showing some great babyface fire, and Sheamus was wrestling
with his excellent level of intensity.
Eva Marie got two video packages for her new Eva-lution return gimmick.
Which can be summed up as ‘Phwoar, women, phwoar, cars’.
Shelton and Cedric wrestled as intensely as they could - this presumably being the throwaway
blowoff to a year long relationship - but no matter how great they looked, I couldn’t
get invested.
All I saw was missed potential - them being dropped from the tag titles, then the tag
division, then from the Hurt Business and now each other in barely a few months.
Shelton actually ended up winning, to get over the younger talent.
Drew Gulak confronted Angel Garza backstage and legitimately said, as a babyface, Garza
did last week what noone else has ever done to him in his career: embarrass him.
Completely unrelated, here’s a photo of Drew Gulak losing the 24/7 title to R-Truth
after being pinned in a dumpster.
I’m all for serious Gulak, but do it in a way that doesn’t treat the viewer like
an idiot.
It’s WrestleMania rematch time!
Rhea Ripley took on Asuka in a singles match ahead of their three way this weekend, also
at WrestleMania…’s Backlash.
Which was good, I guess.
Their counter work is pretty slick, I just feel like their matches are missing something
sometime- It’s a Charlotte Flair, don’t worry, I
fixed it.
Just add a Charlotte Flair to it.
But I’m humble enough to admit that one of WWE’s more annoying women’s division
booking defaults for the last several years - add a Charlotte Flair to it - is actually
injecting some much needed life into the Plan C feud of Asuka and Ripley.
Which is all down to the fact that Charlotte is a heel now, making this an effective use
of fan heat.
Flair was obnoxious on commentary, and it was hinted that her and definitely not Raw
General Manager Sonya Deville booked the match in the first place to tire out her opponents
for Sunday.
Which kind of works in isolation, but looking at Raw for the last two months, this match
felt both incredibly repetitive, and significantly undermined the title match between them in
just six days - as Rhea just beat Asuka, her challenger, clean.
But why do a bad idea just once?
John Morrison vs Damien Priest also felt incredibly repetitive and an extra layer of painful.
Unlike Asuka and Ripley, who feel like they’ve traded wins and are just stuck on a treadmill
to nowhere, Priest feels like he’s decisively beaten Miz and/or Morrison every week since
January.
There comes a point, especially with new stars, that staying in the same place actually creates
backwards momentum.
WWE’s speciality, getting under new stars.
Priest overcame multiple Miz interference spots, pinned Morrison and chased off Miz
afterwards - further establishing how far beneath him they are - which meant Damien
got to choose a Lumberjack match for their pay-per-view stipulation.
And once, twice, three times bad booking.
Ahead of the Universal title triple threat this Sunday, we also got a singles match between
two of the three competitors in Drew McIntyre vs Bobby Lashley.
A match, mind you, that Braun Strowman felt like he was added to to specifically avoid!
McIntyre and Lashley had good action as always, but I’m over their feud now.
Strowman powerslammed Drew for the DQ, teased aligning with Bobby after MVP had secretly
talked to him earlier, but then powerslammed him too.
He then went up to MVP and seemed to shout in his face - and I’ve checked other people
heard this so it wasn’t just whatever Freudian projections exist in my head - “I oughta
bust you with this [cane], but instead I’m going to make you watch me fuck your boy right
now.”
And then proceeded to powerslam Bobby through the barricade.
Which is actually a lucky break compared to what he threatened.
What did you think of Raw?
Let me know in the comments down below, and vote in our Poll on a Pole match on the community
tab, where you can choose between “I’m just grateful Team RKBro exist” and “Did
Strowman just say he was going to f*** MVP’s boy?’
So I guess T-Bar and Mace have returned to their home planet?
Maybe it’s because I had a week off from Raw, and I come back less burned out from
its relentless awfulness, but I thought this Raw was fine by recent Raw standards.
It was repetitive, uninspired, and did a terrible job building Backlash.
But all that was still far more watchable than the show’s post-Mania run.
This week’s Raw is AvRAWge.
Now find out how Triple H is taking over SmackDown!