The WWE’s Women’s Revolution has really made strides over the past several years.
In the recent years; WWE’s women have participated in their first-ever Hell In A Cell, Money In The Bank (MITB), Elimination Chamber and other gimmick matches. One woman that has played an integral part in the Women’s Revolution is Alexa Bliss.
Bliss has only been on the WWE’s main roster for two years. In her time on the main roster, she has won three RAW Women’s Titles. Bliss is also a two-time SmackDown Live Women’s Champion. She was also the first woman in WWE history to have held the RAW and SmackDown Women’s Titles.
Now, Bliss prepares for a massive RAW Women’s Title defense this weekend. She’ll defend her crown against former UFC women’s bantamweight champ Ronda Rousey at SummerSlam on Sunday. The action goes down live from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
WWE Evolution
“Little Miss Bliss” recently spoke with Sports Illustrated to promote this weekend’s show. During the conversation, Bliss discussed the WWE’s upcoming Evolution PPV. The show goes down in October and will be WWE’s first-ever all-female PPV event.
Bliss says that WWE’s Women’s Evolution “deserves” the Evolution PPV:
“This is something our ‘Women’s Revolution’ deserves,” said Bliss. “The women on our roster and our legends have proven that it’s about time that women have the main focus. I was holding a title at the Royal Rumble, so I wasn’t able to compete in the first-ever women’s Royal Rumble.
“I’m very excited to get in the ring at Evolution, whether it’s against someone from NXT or someone coming back from the past. It’s the perfect addition to our evolution. It’s hard to step back while you’re doing it, but I was actually able to do that during the women’s Royal Rumble.
“I couldn’t step back at WrestleMania until after the match, but I was able to watch that women’s Royal Rumble from a fan’s perspective. It was really cool to think, ‘Wow, we’re in this amazing movement in WWE.’”
Alexa Bliss has two names in mind as potential opponents at the upcoming WWE Evolution PPV event.
The WWE Raw Women’s Champion recently spoke with Hollywood Life to talk about various topics including if there is a match type or opponent that she wants to face at this event. Bliss stated that she would love to be in the ring with Trish Stratus or Lita or anyone from the past because she wasn’t able to have that opportunity at the Women’s Royal Rumble because she was the champion at the time.
“If I could be in the ring with someone from the Royal Rumble that would be awesome to have that opportunity!”
Former UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion Ronda Rousey has her next big match under the WWE banner set as she is slated to challenge Bliss for the title at the upcoming SummerSlam pay-per-view event. When asked about her gameplan, she noted that she had many different opponents in the past two years such as Sasha Banks, Nia Jax, and Bayley as they have their own unique style.
“My plan with Ronda is that I know her style, and I have watched her style. I kind of see the flaws in it. What I use to expose it will be the reason I capitalize on any opportunity I can.”
Check out the complete interview at Hollywoodlife.com. Also, remember to join us here at SEScoops.com this Sunday evening for live results coverage of this year’s WWE SummerSlam pay-per-view. What are your thoughts on her comments? Sound off in the comment section.
We have some more details on WWE’s Evolution plans.
Dave Meltzer explained on Wrestling Observer Radio that all of the women on WWE’s main roster will compete on the pay-per-view (PPV). The majority of the female talent on NXT will compete as well.
Meltzer also speculated that a Battle Royal, Tag Team Battle Royal or Royal Rumble match could take place. He then pointed out a rather interesting aspect about the timing of the PPV.
WWE will be returning to Saudi Arabia in November. If you remember, at the Greatest Royal Rumble event in the country earlier this year there were no females on the card. This was due to the culture in Saudi Arabia.
Meltzer noted that Evolution’s October 28th date probably isn’t a coincidence. The PPV will also have some stiff competition on TV. NFL Sunday Night Football and the MLB Playoffs will be taking place on the same night.
The Beginning
WWE has been heavily pushing their Women’s Revolution for the past several years. Women have been competing in their first ever Hell In A Cell, Tables Ladders and Chairs (TLC), Money In The Bank (MITB) matches and more.
As a result; several top female stars have emerged such as Charlotte Flair, Alexa Bliss, Becky Lynch and Sasha Banks. Not to mention the acquisition of, arguably, the biggest name in female sports, Ronda Rousey.
This past Monday on RAW Stephanie McMahon made the historic announcement about October’s Evolution event. The entire RAW roster and the women of SmackDown Live were all on the entrance ramp for the segment.
When these women clash with the female WWE stars of the past at Evolution – such as Lita and Trish Stratus – it will certainly be an interesting sight to see.
Ronda Rousey and former WWE Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair were among several superstars to react to the big news that was made official on Monday night.
That announcement was WWE Evolution, which is an all-women’s exclusive pay-per-view event that will take place on Sunday, Oct. 28, at 7 p.m. ET from NYCB LIVE, home of the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in New York.
The event will stream live on WWE Network and be available on pay-per-view featuring Women’s Championship Matches from Monday Night RAW, SmackDown Live, NXT and NXT UK, as well as the finals of the all-women’s tournament, Mae Young Classic 2018.
Rousey, Flair, RAW Women’s Champion Alexa Bliss, Sasha Banks, SmackDown Women’s Champion Carmella, Nia Jax, and Asuka, as well as WWE Hall of Famers and Legends Trish Stratus and Lita, are advertised to appear at this show.
Triple H, Stephanie McMahon and others have sounded off on the announcement, which you can see here:
“Because of all of you, men and women using your voices for change, we are able to provide the platform to show the world that women can do anything and be anything they want to be,” McMahon said on Raw. “Because of all of you, we are able to stand here and make another first-ever announcement. On October 28, over 50 women, then, now and forever, will participate in an event called Evolution, and that event — I am privileged to announce — will be the first-ever all-women’s pay-per-view.”
“Three years ago, our fans demanded a change with the hashtag, #GiveDivasAChance, and an evolution started,” said Paul “Triple H” Levesque, WWE Executive Vice President, Talent, Live Events & Creative. “Since that time, our female Superstars have overdelivered in every opportunity presented to them, and I expect nothing different during our first-ever all-women’s pay-per-view event.”
It has been such an honor to be a part of this women’s division for the last few months. These women have all taught me so much and I couldn’t be prouder to call myself a @WWE Superstar. I’m ready for #Evolution.
I’ve stood in that ring @StephMcMahon talked about. I felt the bond @TripleH spoke about. I’m ready to make history with the strongest women I know. Let’s do this, ladies. #Evolution
Congratulations to each and every woman on the @wwe roster. You’ve fought hard and made it possible for you and so many others. Very excited about this #EVOLUTION#womensdivision#WomensWrestling 2 thumbs of from this fan!! 👍👍
I remember what they all said. “You’ll never make it.” “Just stay to the side.” “You’re just the girl.” Well this girl is the #SDLive Women’s Champion and will be at THE FIRST EVER ALL WOMENS PPV! #Evolution
It breaks my heart that I’m not standing on that stage with the other superstars….but @StephMcMahon’s announcement is truly incredible. I’m so proud to be apart of this division as it makes history again and again! #Evolution
It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of the announcement. But I won’t forget what it took to get us here. And I’ll never stop working until this feeling is the reality for every woman. #Evolution
So excited for the ALL WOMENS PPV!!!!! Historical and guaranteed we will make it magical! So proud of how far we have come! 💕🙌🤼♀️ @wwe#EVOLUTIONpic.twitter.com/sd2UBJjXdb
It’s that feeling where you can’t stop smiling. Incredibly honored and ready to represent the hearts of all little girls worldwide who’ve always wanted to follow their dreams. #Evolution
I called myself ‘The Boss’ because no one believed I would be. If they didn’t want me in their club, I’d just make my own. We did it. #Evolution
— Mercedes Moné Varnado (@MercedesVarnado) July 24, 2018
For nearly 2 years, I’ve had the opportunity to be a part of and represent the Women’s divisions of #Raw and #SDLive. #Evolution is not just a victory for us. It’s a victory for women in EVERY sport. ❤️
— Lexi (Kaufman) Cabrera (@AlexaBliss_WWE) July 24, 2018
Just like Brie said, truly an incredible time to be a woman at @WWE! Thank you @VinceMcMahon@StephMcMahon & @TripleH for the amazing opportunity! And thank you to all the @WWE Female Superstars that continue to help us break barriers! Truly women empowering women! N #EVOLUTION
WWE was teasing a historic announcement for Monday’s RAW from Cincinnati, Ohio and they delivered. Vince McMahon, Triple H and Stephanie were on hand to announce WWE’s first-ever all-women’s pay-per-view event titled, WWE Evolution.
WWE Evolution will take place on Sunday, October 28th from the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Long Island, New York. This event will see 50 women from WWE’s past, present and future (WWE, NXT and legends).
Michael Cole noted after the announcement that the RAW, SmackDown, and NXT Women’s Titles will be on the line as well as the finals of the 2018 Mae Young Classic Tournament at this show.
Last week when this idea was rumored, it was reported that this show is apparently being planned due to the lack of female stars at the Greatest Royal Rumble event in April and that it could be a Network Special similar to the show at Saudi Arabia.
Stephanie had not been seen on RAW since the night after WrestleMania 34 in April where she was attacked by Ronda Rousey following their mixed tag team match at the biggest event of the year for the WWE.
What are your thoughts on this PPV event? Sound off in the comment section.
Here are the results from Revolution Pro Wrestling’s first York Hall show of the year. The promotion has been growing rapidly in popularity over the past year and with this absolutely stacked card that trend looks set to continue:
RPW Interim British Cruiserweight Championship Match:Josh Bodom b. Ryan Smile – Bodom took the win via pinfall to become the Interim Crusierweight Champion. The Interim title has been introduced as current champion Will Ospreay is tied up with New Japan & Ring of Honor commitments
RPW Undisputed British Tag Team Championship Match: Joel Redman & Charlie Sterling b. War Machine – Redman and Sterling took the win to retain their titles after hitting a spinning tombstone on Rowe
YOSHI-HASHI b. Pete Dunne – YOSHI-HASHI took the win after hitting the Karma
Zack Sabre Jr. b. Marty Scurll – Sabre took the win after avoiding a Crossface Chickenwing attempt and rolling Scurll up for the three count
Trent Seven b. Trevor Lee – Seven took the win after hitting his second Snap Piledriver of the match to take the pinfall
Jay White b. Martin Stone – NJPW Young Lion Jay White took the upset win after making Stone tap with a Boston Crab
RPW Undisputed British Heavyweight Championship Match: Katsuyori Shibata b. Matt Riddle – In what was easily the MOTN Shibata retained his title using a rear naked choke. Shibata will now defend his belt against Will Ospreay at the NJPW New Beginning show in February
As promised, here are the top pay-per-view events from 2014.
8. NXT Takeover
This event started off sluggish but certainly ended with a string of entertaining matches. In particular, the match between Tyler Breeze and Sami Zayn featured solid in-ring work and highlighted why both of these guys could succeed if given the opportunity.
The real treat during this pay-per-view, however, was the final two matches of the evening. The match between Charlotte and Natalya for the vacant NXT Women’s Championship was probably the most technically sound women’s match I’ve ever seen, and the main event between Neville and Tyson Kidd was the perfect way to end the show. In my opinion, this was the event that made fans realize NXT is more than simply a developmental league for the main roster.
Worst Match: Adam Rose vs. Camacho
Best Match: Charlotte vs. Natalya
7. Payback
There was some worry heading into this one, largely due to the absence of the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. The event would carry on just fine without the title, however. It started off strong with a bruising contest between Sheamus and Cesaro.
From there, the Last Man Standing match was entertaining, even if it would have been nice to see Wyatt pick up the victory. With that said, this pay-per-view is all about the main event. It was an awesome 30-minute affair that featured memorable spots, brutal action, and a decisive Shield victory. This was also important because it would set up Seth Rollins’ heel turn the next night on Raw.
A lot of the factors in pro wrestling are subjective. Some people enjoy this, some people enjoy that. Some fans prefer a better in-ring technician, some like a strong promo guy and others enjoy a great character. No one is wrong, because it’s all personal preference.
Generally speaking, when an editorial features a list, it’s “the best of” or “the worst of.” Today, we are going to switch gears a bit.
In keeping with the subjective theme, today we are going to look at who I personally consider to be the five best factions in the history of the business. Not the five best, my five favorite. And I’ll explain why, starting with …
#5. The Varsity Club
Many of the current generation of wrestling fans may have never even heard of The Varsity Club. Growing up, they were one of my favorite wrestling stables.
The original group consisted of Kevin Sullivan, Mike Rotunda and Rick Steiner, all of which wore their amateur wrestling letterman jackets. The guys were among the most legitimate tough guys in the business at the time, and the group had the perception of being the baddest son of a bitches on the planet.
As is the case with any wrestling stable, as time went on the group was watered down. Members such as “Dr. Death” Steve Williams and “Dangerous” Dan Spivey were added to the mix, and before too long, the group ceased to exist. While they were around though, in my opinion, they were pretty damn cool.
#4. The Fabulous Freebirds
As far as I’m concerned any writer who doesn’t include The Fabulous Freebirds on their “top stables” or “top factions” lists should have their head examined. The Freebirds were as cool as it got when I was a youngster.
The group was led by Michael “P.S.” Hayes, a current WWE creative team member who is credited with introducing theme music to the ring-walk portion of the professional wrestling presentation. The group consisted of Hayes, Terry “Bam Bam” Gordy and Buddy Roberts. Roberts was considered a great in-ring technician, and prior to the Birds, had a lengthy career worthy of Hall Of Fame status. In fact, Roberts was part of the original “Hollywood Blondes” tag-team, a name that was later used for the team of “Stunning” Steve Austin and “Flyin'” Brian Pillman. Gordy was a legend in Japan and portrayed the “enforcer” role in the group. Hayes was a rock star and easily one of the most charismatic wrestlers of his time, if not of all-time.
Later on, Hayes and Jimmy “Jam” Garvin would bring back The Fabulous Freebirds as a straight tag-team act. How this group has yet to receive an induction into the WWE Hall Of Fame confuses me to this very day.
#3. D-Generation X
I’m of the belief that there is not a fan of North American professional wrestling that has not heard of D-Generation X. That would mean they did their jobs and left a lasting legacy in the business.
D-X consisted of Shawn Michaels, Triple H, Chyna and Rick Rude. When the group officially formed, you could make the argument that along with “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, they officially ushered in the infamous “Attitude Era” in WWE. They did things for shock value at a time when Howard Stern, The Jerry Springer Show and many other shock-television style shows reigned supreme. It was a natural fit, and the group really cemented Triple H as a main event performer in WWE.
Later on, as is the case with every faction or stable in history, an attempt was made to get the gang back together, only this time — it worked. You could argue that the second version of D-X was actually more successful than the first. The second group featured Triple H as the leader instead of Michaels, and his group consisted of Chyna, Sean “X-Pac” Waltman, “Bad Ass” Billy Gunn and “The Road Dogg” Jesse James. Anyone who saw WWE RAW the night that D-X “invaded” WCW will never forget that moment. It was amazing entertainment and really symbolized the “Monday Night War” going on at the time between WWE and WCW.
D-X was brought back again in the 2000s as a straight tag-team act that featured the two original members — Triple H and Shawn Michaels. Personally, I didn’t enjoy that run nearly as much as their first run, but it was still a cool thing to see the two back together having fun.
For the past year, the Authority has dominated WWE storylines. They have been involved in every WWE World Heavyweight Championship feud along the way, often influencing the outcomes of important matches.
Along the way, Triple H started using the phrase, “Adapt or Perish” to describe his stable Evolution. However, over the past few months, it appears that the Game should apply that same philosophy to the Authority.
Rollins has been one of the bright spots in the Authority storyline over the past few months.
Indeed, it has been much of the same as of late with the Authority. Other than adding Seth Rollins as a member a few months ago, the group has done literally nothing to change over the past year. This has resulted in too much Corporate Kane, a reliance on six-man tag matches nearly every week on Raw, and an almost identical storyline for any face attempting to challenge the Authority’s, well, authority.
In my opinion, the Authority has gone stale and needs to do something quickly in order to minimize the risk of losing fan interest. One possible solution would be to add new members. This could easily be accomplished by having one of the current members defect from the stable.
The most logical option would be Randy Orton, as they have teased tension between Orton and the Authority, and he’s a far more marketable star than Kane, the other stooge doing the group’s bidding. By having Orton leave the Authority, it could open the door for another young star as well.
Seth Rollins has benefited immensely since joining forces with Triple H and company. He captured the Money in the Bank briefcase, seems to be more confident on the mic with each passing week, and is way over with the fans. The stable could add another future star (perhaps someone from NXT) in an attempt to inject more life into the program.
In all, adding new talent to the Authority could only help, as the current storyline is extremely repetitive and formulaic, with most programs ending after Kane interferes in a match and the Authority beats down an opponent.
STAMFORD, Conn. – WWE today announced it has officially changed its corporate logo to convey a more contemporary, bold and powerful image while maintaining the iconic “W,” which has been a part of the company’s long-storied history. The logo, originally designed for WWE Network, will become the beacon of sports-entertainment and will represent the brand as it continues to bring together a passionate, diverse and global fanbase with a unique blend of live action, excitement and drama.
“We are excited to launch a new logo that reflects the evolution and future of WWE’s global brand,” said Chief Brand Officer Stephanie McMahon. “While we usher in a new iconic brand identity, WWE’s best-in-class entertainment, which has stood the test of time for the past 50 years, will continue to reward our fans’ passion with our exciting blend of unique characters, incredible athleticism and engaging storylines.”
The new logo was unveiled on Twitter today by Vince McMahon, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, WWE, at the company’s headquarters in Stamford, Conn. Fans will begin to see it during SummerSlam, this Sunday, August 17, live on WWE Network and pay-per-view as the logo is rolled out across all platforms including live and televised entertainment, consumer products, digital media and WWE Studios.
We are a little over halfway through the year. With Money in the Bank behind us, the WWE will now focus on building up its second biggest pay-per-view of the year, SummerSlam. With that said, I felt it would be interesting to look at the top five matches from the second quarter of 2014. I included full match videos and highlights where possible, but WWE licensing restrictions made it difficult at times. (I also apologize for the terrible music in a few of the videos.)
5. Dolph Ziggler vs. Bad News Barrett (April 14th Raw)
Dolph Ziggler is rarely given more than ten minutes to perform anymore, so it is definitely worth enjoying when he is given enough time to show off his talent. In this match, Ziggler squared off with Bad News Barrett in the first round of the Intercontinental Championship tournament. Both superstars put on a great show, with Barrett ultimately winning after hitting a Bad News Bullhammer Elbow. The action was fast paced in this contest, with both guys showing why they have main event talent. This would start Barrett’s push to win the title, although he would of course later be stripped as a result of injury. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdwcxG9A8UU
4. Daniel Bryan vs. Kane (Extreme Rules)
This would end up begin Daniel Bryan’s only title defense, as he was stripped of the title just a few weeks later due to injury. He made the most of his time with the strap, however, by engaging in a great contest with Kane. Of all the matches on the list, this is definitely the one that had the most old-school feel to it, with the action spilling to the back of the arena at one point. Bryan also used a forklift to help secure the victory by delivering a diving headbutt from the top of the vehicle. Ultimately, the match was a throwback to the Attitude Era, providing fans with a simultaneous glimpse into both the past and future of the company. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ReEU8WzzQo
WWE.com has published an exclusive interview with Batista. Here are some highlights of what he said about:
Fans Rejecting His Return To WWE: “It was weird. It wasn’t like a normal response. It was almost like a personal attack. It had to do with factors that were not in my control, factors and things that were going on in the company with other people, stuff that really had nothing to do with me. To me, it was a little frustrating, a little confusing, and, you know, I don’t want to say I completely took it personal, but I did somewhat.”
Daniel Bryan Being Added To The WM30 Main Event “Oh, I was super excited. I was super excited, because, you know, we needed that element. Even speaking from a fan’s standpoint, for me, it’s hard to get sucked into a [bad guy vs. bad guy] match. We needed a hero, man, and Daniel Bryan was the biggest hero in the company. I knew this was gonna be good. It’s so much better when the fans have an emotional investment. And they were so emotionally invested in Daniel Bryan, and they were so absorbed in their hatred for me that I knew it was gonna be good stuff.”
Lashing Out At Fans For #Bootista & #Bluetista “I did, especially with the Bluetista thing, because, you know, we had six guys beating the crap out of each other … but people were focused on me wearing blue! I don’t get that, man. I just don’t get it!”
There’s much more to the interview, including his thoughts on Evolution re-forming this year, if he’ll ever return to WWE and his new Guardians of the Galaxy movie.
For those who didn’t like Seth Rollins’ new theme music from this past Monday night’s edition of WWE RAW — fear not — as it was just a placeholder for the time being, and the company is going to be giving him a new, permanent official theme song in the near future.
Additionally, it’s being said that WWE is being careful not to promote that Rollins has “joined Evolution,” as officially, he has not.
Many have asked what ring gear Seth Rollins will wear now that he is no longer a part of The Shield faction, meaning him wearing the Shield-like vest is not an option. Apparently the discussion of what Rollins’ ring-gear will be has been a big topic of discussion among WWE officials since the decision was made to turn him heel and separate him from the group.
Additionally, it’s being said that Rollins is not going to be a member of the Evolution faction, as it appears that the Evolution faction — with Batista out of the picture — may no longer be around.
For those wondering, it also appears that there are no plans to replace Rollins and add a third member to The Shield group, despite much speculation and a WWE.com article that hyped potential replacements.
When it comes to Batista’s latest run, one could argue that management hit him with a bait and switch. He was promised that he would win the Royal Rumble and go on to win the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania. Instead, he was practically booed out of the building after winning the Royal Rumble and ended up tapping out to the Yes Lock at WrestleMania to allow Daniel Bryan to win the championship.
As most probably know by now, Batista “quit” on this past week’s Raw, as he will be taking a few months off to promote his new movie Guardians of the Galaxy. Upon return after a several year hiatus, Batista represented what many feel is wrong with the current state of the WWE.
Batista did not win a title after returning, but he was involved in a memorable feud between Evolution and the Shield.
Instead of relying on the guys that work day in and day out to headline the biggest pay-per-views of the year, the WWE has instead relied upon part-time superstars such as the Rock and Brock Lesnar to headline their biggest events. The reliance on part-time superstars is one of the reasons a certain someone (*cough* CM Punk *cough*) decided to pack his bags and head home.
However, despite all of the criticism Batista has received since returning, one has to wonder if he earned the respect of fans. In my opinion, I think it is fair to say that he did just that.
In the end, Batista was promised the world but was basically handed a half-empty bag of peanuts. Following the Royal Rumble, which featured an extremely hostile Pittsburgh crowd, it became apparent that Batista’s wishes would not be granted. The company was quickly forced to turn him heel, which messed with the dynamics of the WrestleMania main event, which featured a heel champion in the form of Randy Orton.
This week’s edition of WWE Raw took place in Indianapolis, IN and was the post-Payback episode of the longest running weekly episodic television show in history. The card featured a total of nine matches, including a contest between John Cena and Kane, as well as a Money in the Bank qualifying match between Dolph Ziggler and Alberto Del Rio.
The show also featured two incidents that will undoubtedly have a significant impact on the storyline for weeks to come. A lot of questions were answered, but many still remain. Here are five questions that need to be answered following this week’s edition of Raw.
5. Is Cesaro Going to Challenge for the Intercontinental Championship?
On this week’s Raw, Cesaro abandoned his partner Bad News Barrett, leaving him helpless against the team of RVD and Sheamus. After the match, Cesaro stood on the stage staring at Bad News Barrett, perhaps alluding to an upcoming feud between the two for the IC strap.
This feud could help both parties, as it would provide Barrett with a worthy opponent to work with, while also allowing Cesaro to challenge for the company’s second most important title. With rumors of Cesaro being the top contender to win the Money in the Bank briefcase, there are a few directions they could take with the King of Swing, and fans would likely welcome any push.
4. Will WWE Listen to the Fans and Push Dolph Ziggler?
One of the biggest injustices of the past year has been Dolph Ziggler’s demotion to the midcard. After finally cashing in his Money in the Bank briefcase, Ziggler won the World Heavyweight Championship from Alberto Del Rio on the Raw after WrestleMania last year.
His reign would ultimately be cut short following a concussion, and after a few harsh words directed at John Cena, Ziggler’s burial was a certainty. He hasn’t been able to claw his way out of the doghouse since, despite calls from fans to give him a push.
There were chants for Ziggler during the match between Big E and Rusev at Payback, and it seemed like he might finally get back on track during a Money in the Bank qualifying match against Alberto Del Rio on this week’s Raw. The hopes of Ziggler fans around the world were quickly dashed, however, as he was forced to tap out to the Cross Armbreaker and it looks like Dolph has become a permanent fixture at the bottom of the card.
3. Who Benefited More from Their Feud: John Cena or Bray Wyatt?
During their last man standing match at Payback, John Cena literally buried Bray Wyatt after slamming him through a crate that was conveniently placed at the foot of a table.
Now that it appears their feud is over, one has to wonder which superstar benefited more from the program. It is hard to argue that any victory could put Cena over more. Wyatt used the program to get himself over with the audience, but he ultimately looked weak in each of their contests.
Wyatt lost two of the three matches, and his one victory came with the help of Harper, Rowan, and a child. Ultimately, Cena did not gain anything from the feud, and Wyatt is just as over as he was before and looked weak throughout, so I would say that neither guy really benefited.
Seth Rollins turned on The Shield during the main event segment on the post-WWE Payback edition of RAW.
Instead of the originally scheduled Randy Orton vs. Roman Reigns main event, Triple H revealed that he had a “plan B.” After saying that, Seth Rollins attacked both Reigns and Dean Ambrose with a steel chair, blasting them repeatedly with it. HHH and Orton stood at ringside all-the-while smiling in approval as they saw their plan come to fruition.
They end up joining Rollins in the ring to attack Reigns and Ambrose some more.
– In a pretty coincidental tweet, WWE noted on Twitter today that Indianapolis, Indiana, which is the site of tonight’s edition of WWE RAW, was also the site of the first-ever WWE Buried Alive match. You can check out the tweet below.
– Also new on Twitter, from the official account of Roman Reigns, is a photo of his welted up back following his match against Evolution at last night’s WWE Payback pay-per-view.
– Roman Reigns noted during the WWE Payback post-show on Sunday night that he may have suffered a torn triceps during his six-man tag-team match against Evolution, which served as the main event of the evening. A fan who saw Reigns exit the building after the show noted that he clearly seemed to be in pain.
– Bad News Barrett suffered a black eye as a result of his match with Rob Van Dam at the WWE Payback pay-per-view. Barrett suffered the black eye when taking a stiff blow from Van Dam during their WWE Intercontinental Championship match.
– Bray Wyatt suffered various cuts as a result of his “Last Man Standing” match with John Cena at Payback, a match that many in the company were raving about afterwards.
Former WWE Superstar Sean “X-Pac” Waltman posted the following mini-rant on his official Twitter account regarding the finish to Sunday night’s WWE Payback main event between The Shield and Evolution.
Going of the air they had all three Shield guys standing over the fallen Evolution. They laid there for Shield & they didn't show it. Why?
Last night, the WWE Universe saw the soldiers overthrow their all-powerful leader, as the Shield destroyed the King of Kings and the rest of Evolution in a six-man tag elimination match.
The match was likely the last encounter between the two groups. Batista is scheduled to take time off starting tonight and there is little focus on the rivalry in tonight’s preview for Raw, so it seems unlikely that the program will be continued.
Roman Reigns dominated Evolution last night, ultimately winning the contest by pinning Triple H.
With Evolution in their rearview mirror, one has to wonder where the Shield will go from here. They have already feuded with a good portion of the roster, and none of the members are really in line to challenge for a title, so it will be interesting to see what happens with the Hounds of Justice tonight.
One thing is certain though: all of the members are being booked strong. This was evident last night, as all three members of the group picked up an elimination against Evolution, with Roman Reigns ultimately securing the victory by pinning Triple H after hitting a spear.
It is obvious that Roman Reigns is being groomed as the first breakout star of the group. There were rumors that he and Triple H are being booked to square off at SummerSlam, but after last night’s emphatic victory by the Shield, that idea seems a bit less likely.
Assuming last night’s contest is the final time Evolution and the Shield meet, it was a fitting conclusion to a great rivalry. Their first contest at Extreme Rules is without a doubt the match of the year thus far. It appeared that last night’s matchup would surpass their first meeting.
After all, it had all of the ingredients of a classic match. It had the backstory between the two groups, it had the no-holds barred stipulation that would make the contest more exciting, and it also had a sense of finality due to the fact that most knew Batista was leaving after the event. It failed to live up to the hype of their first meeting, however.
Triple H recently tweeted the following, which contains a link to an Instagram photo of the Evolution leader working out in preparation for his battle with The Shield at WWE Payback on Sunday night.
The contract that was used for the upcoming WWE Payback pay-per-view match between The Shield and Evolution had an interesting message at the bottom, to say the least.
The last paragraph of the contract from Monday’s RAW, which is seen in the photo below, reads as follows:
“World Wrestling Entertainment is a creative genius. The whole creation of the universe was fashioned by his ever-toiling hands. All living mortals should praise his name and image.”
– Renee Young got ribbed backstage at Monday’s WWE RAW from Knoxville, Tennessee. During a backstage interview with Evolution that aired after RAW on the WWE Network, Triple H told her that The Shield should not bring a pen to a sledgehammer fight. Randy Orton said that they’ve already proved they are the superior faction and Batista joked that they should sue if The Shield doesn’t show up for their fight on Sunday.
As they were wrapping up the interview, Triple H asked Renee why she wasn’t wearing any shoes. She responded, “I don’t really have an answer…” The camera then panned down to show Renee Young standing there barefoot as she stood there looking flustered.
– Here are this week’s RAW Fallout videos:
Alicia Fox speaks about her match with Emma on Raw.
Adam Rose and his Rosebuds get the party started to celebrate his debut victory on Raw.
WWE’s Twitter account just issued a ‘breaking news’ alert that tonight’s RAW will feature a contract signing between The Shield and Evolution ahead of their match this Sunday at WWE Payback.
If previous WWE contract signings are any indication, it seems highly unlikely that this one takes place without a huge brawl ensuing.
For more on tonight’s RAW, check out our RAW Preview.
