WWE Stomping Grounds 2019 aired live from the Tacoma Dome in Tacoma, WA. During the Kickoff Show, Drew Gulak captured the Cruiserweight Championship. Here are 8 takeaways from the PPV:
Becky Lynch Retained The RAW Women’s Championship
Becky Lynch defended the RAW Women’s Championship against Lacey Evans tonight. Lynch drove Evans to the corner and started taunting her. Becky locked in a submission hold but Lacey was able to get to the bottom rope to break it up.
Lacey rolled out of the ring but Becky chased after her and brought her back inside. Evans went for a kick but Lynch caught her and started walking circles around her before slamming Lacey to the canvas. Becky bounced Evans’ face off each turnbuckle and then completely botched a kick in the corner. Becky then booted Evans out of the ring and shook her head in frustration.
Lynch hit a Baseball Slide Dropkick and rolled Evans back into the ring. Evans went for a kick but Becky caught her again and threw her to the mat. Evans finally got in some offense and wrapped Lynch around the ring post. Lacey booted Lynch in the midsection and then bounced her face off the turnbuckle.
Evans controlled the next couple of minutes and focused her attack on Becky’s ribs. Lacey leveled Becky with a shoulder tackle but Lynch popped up and hit a flurry of kicks. Evans perched Lynch up on the top rope but Becky escaped and applied an Arm Bar. Lacey reached the ropes to break up the hold and hit a Bronco Buster in the corner.
Becky battled back with a Splash in the corner and then an Exploder Suplex for a near fall. Lacey went for an Elbow Drop but Lynch got her knees up. Evans hit a Stunner and knee to the face for a two count. Lacey made her way to the top rope but Becky brought her back down and applied the Dis-Arm-Her for the submission victory. Becky Lynch is still the RAW Women’s Champion.
I wasn’t expecting much from this match but it honestly was way worse than I thought it was going to be. There were several botches and these two just don’t seem to work well together. I don’t understand what Lacey Evans did to earn another title shot, I just hope that this feud is finally over. It has been terrible and has completely killed Becky Lynch’s momentum.
Owens & Zayn Picked Up The Win
Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn teamed up to face Xavier Woods and Big E tonight. Owens and Zayn dominated early and isolated Woods in the ring. Sami planted Woods with the Blue Thunder Bomb and went for the cover but Woods kicked out at two.
Owens tagged in and hit a Frog Splash but Xavier somehow kicked out again. Owens stomped on Woods in the corner and then taunted Big E. Kevin connected with a Cannonball and went for the cover but Woods once again kicked out. Kevin followed that up with a two Sentons in a row for another two count.
Zayn tagged in and Woods planted him with a Back Body Drop. Big E finally tagged in and hit Sami with three Belly to Belly Suplexes in a row. Big E followed that up with a Splash for a two count. Woods tagged in and lifted Big E up onto his shoulders. Big E hit Zayn with a Splash and Woods followed it up with a Leg Drop. Woods went for the cover but Owens broke it up at two.
Big E went for Spear but Zayn got out of the way and Big E tumbled out of the ring. Sami hit Woods with the Helluva Kick and Owens followed that up with the Pop-Up Powerbomb. Big E broke up the cover and Woods dropped Owens with an elbow to the face as the crowd chanted “this is awesome!”. Big E connected with a Spear on Zayn and both superstars crashed to the floor. Back in the ring, Owens connected with a Stunner on Woods for the pinfall victory.
Ricochet Captured The United States Championship
Samoa Joe defended the United States Championship against Ricochet tonight at Stomping Grounds. Ricochet controlled the match early and hit Joe with a Hurricanrana. Ricochet Dropkicked Joe out of the ring and chased him out there. Joe capitalized and slammed Ricochet into the ring apron.
Back in the ring, Joe planted Ricochet with a Uranage for a two count. Joe then absolutely leved Ricochet with a Clothesline and sent him to the corner of the ring. Joe unloaded a couple of chops to Ricochet’s chest and followed it up with an Enziguri for a near fall.
Joe applied a Headlock but Ricochet quickly countered into a Jawbreaker to break the hold. Ricochet springboarded off Joe’s chest and leveled him with a Dropkick. Ricochet followed it up with a Crossbody off the top rope and a Moonsault for a two count.
Samoa Joe battled back with a German Suplex and another Clothesline for a near fall. Joe brutally slammed Ricochet to the canvas and then applied the Coquina Clutch. Ricochet escaped and went for the 630 Splash but Joe got out of the way. Ricochet landed on his feet and hit the Codebreaker. Ricochet followed that up with the 630 Splash for the victory. Ricochet is the new United States Champion. After the match, several superstars including Seth Rollins, Charlotte, and Triple H congratulated Ricochet backstage.
Ricochet and Samoa Joe put on a very good match tonight at Stomping Grounds. It was great to see Ricochet become champion and he also made Joe look great during this match. Ricochet made every move Joe hit look devastating and I hope we get to see these two wrestle again in the near future.
Ricochet was shown getting his photo taken with the US Title backstage later on the show. AJ Styles, Gallows, and Anderson approached him and congratulated him on the win. AJ then told Ricochet that he will see him tomorrow night on RAW.
Bryan & Rowan Retained The SmackDown Tag Titles
SmackDown Tag Team Champions Daniel Bryan and Rowan defended their titles against Heavy Machinery tonight. The Washington crowd was heavily behind Daniel Bryan as he started off the match against Otis.
Bryan booted Otis in the leg several times as the crowd chanted “yes!”. Otis caught Bryan’s leg and shoved him to the canvas to a chorus of boos. Otis enjoyed it and posed like Hulk Hogan in the middle of the ring. Otis lifted Bryan up in a Suplex and Tucker tagged in.
Tucker then took over the Suplex and dropped Bryan for a two count. Rowan tagged in and decked Tucker with a giant shoulder tackle. Rowan followed it up with a Splash in the corner and a Dropkick for a near fall. Bryan tagged in and slammed Tucker’s knee into the ring post several times.
Rowan tagged in and connected with a Splash for another two count. Otis finally got back in and hit Bryan with several shoulder tackles. Otis spun Daniel around several times before planting him with a Body Slam. Bryan went for a Dropkick but Otis countered into a Powerbomb for a two count.
Otis went for a Splash off the second turnbuckle but Bryan got out of the way and Otis crashed to the canvas. Bryan hit Otis with several Yes Kicks but Otis got fired up by them. Otis launched Daniel across the ring with an Overhead Suplex and followed it up with a Splash in the corner. Otis did the worm across the ring and hit Bryan with an elbow to the chest. Tucker tagged in and slammed Bryan to the canvas.
Tucker went for the cover but Rowan broke it up and then booted Otis out of the ring. Tucker went for a Moonsault on Bryan but Daniel rolled out of the way at the last moment. Rowan and Otis tagged in and traded shots but neither superstar went down. Otis hit Rowan with a Powerslam as Bryan tagged himself in. Daniel hit Otis with a knee to the face off the top rope.
Tucker tagged in and connected with a Crossbody off the top rope onto Rowan outside the ring. Tucker got back into the ring and Bryan quickly rolled him up for the pinfall victory. Bryan and Rowan are still the SmackDown Tag Team Champions.
I thought this match was great and showed just how entertaining tag team wrestling can be when done correctly. All WWE needs to do is highlight the division on weekly television and create interesting rivalries. It is unbelievable that they haven’t done that with all the talent they have on their roster.
Nikki Cross Cost Alexa Bliss The Title & Bayley Retained
Bayley put her SmackDown Women’s Championship on the line against Alexa Bliss tonight. Nikki Cross was in Alexa’s corner for the match.
Bayley bounced Alexa’s face off the top turnbuckle and went for the cover but Bliss kicked out at two. Bliss slowed the match down and applied a Headlock in the middle of the ring. Bayley escaped but Bliss connected with a Backbreaker. Bayley battled back with a Crossbody for a near fall.
Bliss got angry and whipped Bayley into the turnbuckle. Alexa charged at Bayley and slapped her in the face. Bayley exploded out of the corner with a Clothesline for a two count. Alexa battled back with a right hand that knocked Bayley to the mat.
Bayley connected with a knee to the face and then made her way to the top rope. Bliss got out of the way but Bayley leveled her with another knee to the face. Bliss rolled out of the ring and Bayley went after her. Bliss capitalized and slammed Bayley’s shoulder into the ring post.
Back in the ring, Bayley hit a Belly to Back Suplex for another two count. Bayley hit Bliss with a Sunset Flip Powerbomb that sent Alexa’s head hard into the turnbuckle. Bayley went for a Suicide Dive but Alexa shoved Nikki in the way. Bliss then sent Bayley into the steel steps and hit Bayley with a Sunset Flip Bomb of her own on the floor outside the ring.
Alexa brought Bayley back into the ring and made her way up to the top rope. Nikki Cross rolled into the ring and went after Bayley but the referee broke it up. This distraction allowed Bayley to get her knees up as Alexa went for Twisted Bliss. Bayley then hit Bliss with the Bayley to Belly for the victory. Bayley is still the SmackDown Women’s Champion.
Bayley and Bliss had an excellent promo on last week’s episode of SmackDown and put on a solid match tonight. I had very little interest in this feud when it began but I wound up being invested in this match throughout. I wouldn’t mind seeing Nikki Cross betray Alexa Bliss instead of the other way around. We’ve all seen Alexa betray superstars several times on WWE television.
Roman Reigns Overcame The Odds
Roman Reigns battled Drew McIntyre once again tonight at Stomping Grounds. SmackDown Commissioner Shane McMahon was ringside for the match. Reigns dominated early and Clotheslined Drew over the top rope. Reigns launched himself over the top rope and onto McIntyre outside the ring.
Reigns chased Shane around the arena and then back to ringside. McIntyre leveled Roman with a Clothesline and launched him into the steel steps. Back in the ring, McIntyre planted Reigns with an Overhead Suplex for a near fall.
Shane hit Reigns with a cheap shot while McIntyre distracted the referee. McIntyre went for the cover and then transitioned into an Arm Bar in the middle of the ring. Reigns broke free but McIntyre knocked him back to the canvas and unloaded several punches to his face.
Drew went for a Suplex but Roman blocked it and connected with a Suplex of his own. Shane hit Reigns with another cheap shot and McIntyre followed it up with a Spinebuster for a near fall. Reigns battled back with a Samoan Drop and geared up in the corner. Shane hopped up on the apron and Roman leveled him with the Superman Punch.
Reigns hit Shane with another Superman Punch and then went for the Drive By but Drew got out of the way. McIntyre slammed Reigns onto the the announce table and brought him back into the ring. Drew hit Reigns with a Superplex off the top rope and went for the cover but Reigns somehow kicked out at two.
McIntyre went for the Claymore but Reigns countered into a backslide pin for a two count. Drew leveled Roman with a headbutt and made his way to the top rope. McIntyre leaped towards Roman but Reigns countered with a Superman Punch for another near fall.
Roman went for the Spear but McIntyre caught him with a boot to the face. Reigns then hit the Spear and went for the cover but Shane dragged the referee out of the ring. Shane set up Reigns in the corner and hit him with the Coast to Coast Dropkick. McMahon rolled the ref back into the ring and McIntyre went for the cover but Roman kicked out at two. Reigns then hit the Spear for the pinfall victory.
Reigns overcoming the odds time and time again just isn’t entertaining to me. I wasn’t aware that people can now physically drag referees out of the wring and throw them to the floor like Shane did tonight and not get disqualified. It is also ridiculous that Shane McMahon defeated Reigns at Super ShowDown but McIntyre once again looks weak against Roman. Cole and Graves suggested that this was the final chapter and Reigns has finally rid himself of Shane and McIntyre. I can only hope that is the case because I haven’t enjoyed a second of this feud.
Later on the show, it was announced that Reigns will battle Shane McMahon and Drew McIntyre in a Handicap Match tomorrow night on RAW. So, unfortunately, this terrible feud continues.
Kofi Kingston Leaped Out Of The Cage To Remain WWE Champion
Kofi Kingston defended the WWE Championship against Dolph Ziggler in a Steel Cage Match. Dolph connected with a Dropkick early and tried to escape through the door but Kofi blocked him.
Kingston hit Ziggler with a Dropkick and went for a Splash in the corner but Dolph got out of the way. Dolph controlled the next few minutes and trapped Kingston in a Headlock in the middle of the ring.
Kofi escaped and hit Ziggler with another Dropkick off the second rope. Kingston hit yet another Dropkick as the crowd sat in complete silence. Ziggler and Kingston battled on the top turnbuckle and bounced each other’s heads off the steel cage. Kofi got the better of the exchange and Ziggler fell to the canvas. Kingston could have escaped but opted to hit Ziggler with a Crossbody instead.
Ziggler and Kingston traded shots in the middle of the ring. Kofi hit the SOS and went for the cover but Dolph kicked out at two. Ziggler locked in a Knee Bar in the middle of the ring and then hit Kingston with a Superkick. Kingston almost tumbled to the outside through the cage door but Ziggler caught him at the last moment.
Kingston went for Trouble in Paradise but Ziggler counted into an Ankle Lock in the middle of the ring. The WWE Champion escaped and applied an Ankle Lock of his own. Dolph broke free and planted Kingston with the Zig Zag for a two count. Ziggler tried to escape through the door but Kingston stopped him at the last moment.
Dolph poked Kingston in the eye and booted him in the face. Ziggler once again tried to get out through the door but Kingston leaped through the ropes and hit the floor first to retain the WWE Championship.
The crowd was absolutely dead for this entire match. This is another storyline that I hope is over because it simply didn’t work. The ridiculous ending was the only thing I enjoyed about this match.
Becky Lynch Helped Seth Rollins Retain The Universal Championship
Seth Rollins defended his Universal Championship against Baron Corbin in the main event. Rollins came down to the ring with a steel chair and vowed to hit whomever Corbin selected as his special guest referee with it. Corbin announced that Lacey Evans was the special guest referee.
Corbin got a hold of the steel chair and beat the hell out of Seth as Lacey Evans looked on. Evans then tossed the chair out of the ring and called for the bell. The match officially started and Corbin immediately went for the cover but Seth kicked out at two.
Baron launched Seth into the barricade as the crowd chanted “this is stupid!”. Corbin leveled Rollins with a Clothesline as the crowd chanted “AEW!”. Corbin connected with a DDT as the crowd chanted “Daniel Bryan!” and then “CM Punk!”. The crowd chanted “boring!” as Seth finally fought back for a moment.
Rollins hit an Enziguri and followed it up with a Slingblade. Seth hit a Blockbuster off the second rope and Clotheslined Corbin out of the ring. Rollins hit a Suicide Dive and followed it up with a knee to the face. Seth hit Corbin with a Superkick and went for the cover but Evans took her time with the count.
Seth then Powerbombed Corbin through the announce table and asked Lacey to start counting. Evans counted to 8 but stopped to announce that there were now no count outs in the match. Rollins rolled Corbin in the ring and went for The Stomp but Baron rolled out of the ring. Seth went for a Suicide Dive but Corbin countered into a Chokeslam on the apron. Back in the ring, Corbin hit another Chokeslam for a two count.
Seth connected with a Superkick and a Frog Splash off the top rope. Rollins went for the cover but Evans refused to count to three. Corbin hit Rollins with a steel chair several times and rolled Rollins back into the ring. Baron hit Seth several more times and Evans announced that this was now a No Disqualifications Match.
Rollins hit the Falcon Arrow on the steel chair and went for the cover but Evans just stood there. Evans slapped Rollins in the face and Seth laughed. Evans then hit Rollins with a low blow and Corbin followed it up with the End of Days. Becky Lynch finally ran down to the ring and attacked Lacey Evans.
Lynch hit Lacey with an Exploder Suplex into the barricade and unloaded several punches as several WWE officials rushed down to the ring. Referee John Cone then entered the ring and Corbin looked pissed off. Corbin went for the End of Days but Rollins escaped and hit The Stomp for the pinfall victory. Rollins and Lynch then posed in the ring to close the show.
I found this to be one of the worst PPV main events I’ve seen in a long time. It was very predictable that Becky Lynch was going to be involved in the match once Lacey Evans was named the referee. Congratulations on Rollins and Lynch being a couple, but people are likely going to get tired of this real fast if it is a focal point on WWE television every week.
The fact is that both of their title runs have absolutely sucked since WrestleMania. It is hard to blame them when they are stuck in feuds against Lacey Evans and the forever dull Baron Corbin. However, this wasn’t a feel-good moment for me at all to close the show. All I could think of was how the WWE Championship and Universal Championship matches were the worst parts of the night. Stomping Grounds started off great, but predictably it fell apart and resulted in chants of “AEW!” in the main event.
Comments
10 responses to “8 Takeaways From WWE Stomping Grounds”