Almost Live, Definitely Half Assed Review of WWE Raw – 26 Aug. ’19

The Ogden Museum of Southern Art in New Orleans LA. Picture by The Ogden Museum of Southern Art.

Sasha Banks saunters down to the ring so that she can wait there during a video package. Sasha admits that she took her ball and went home. I guess that’s one way to really drive in her heel status. She has been running the division since the beginning. Natalya rightfully comes down and starts pounding on Banks. Officials finally pull them apart. I was a bit surprised at how much of an upper hand Nattie had. She isn’t going to win tonight though so…

The Street Profits get to do more hype. The biggest announcement is the Tag Team Turmoil match. Shouldn’t they want to be in this match? Only problem I have with that segment.

Ricochet & Drew McIntyre are having their King of The Ring match to start the in ring portion of tonight’s show. Both of them got back stage promos as they came to the ring. McIntyre catches Ricochet. He then gives Ricochet a back breaker on the barrier. Heel up at the break. A step up enziguri stops the onslaught. Ricochet nails his twisting plancha on the outside to cap a flurry of quick strike offense. Inverted Alabama Slam to swing it back to McIntyre. Ricochet catches McIntyre going for a corner splash. He follows with a suplex. Ricochet goes back to the well and pays for it. A standing Shooting Star Press gets Ricochet a two count. McIntyre pops Ricochet for a straight right. Ricochet pinballs off the apron and barricade to kick McIntyre. Glasgow Kiss leads to going back into the ring. Super kick by Ricochet stops a Claymore. Sit Down Power Bomb by McIntyre gets a two count. Recoil by Ricochet. It’s followed by a 630 for the win. As much as I feel bad for McIntyre, a Ricochet win is how you make a star.

The new woman interviews Braun Strowman and Seth Rollins. They playfully jab at each other. Strowman throws out a challenge for the Universal Champion. Rollins accepts.

The Miz and Baron Corbin are really going to get these KoTR matches out of the way early in the show. Renee Young with some decent push back against Corey Graves touting Corbin per usual. The Miz breaking out some new offense with running jumping knees in the corner. Deep Six by Corbin gets a two count. Miz flips out of the End of Days into a DDT but only gets two. Corbin goes for the patented Ring Around The Rosie. The Miz turns it into a Skull Crushing Finale. Corbin kicks out at two. Corbin uses The Miz’s momentum against him. End of Days for the win. Graves is correct pointing out that Corbin didn’t do anything under handed to win. Corbin gets to cut the same promo that he’s cut since he’s been on the main roster. It was just on the KoTR throne with the crown on for emphasis. He did have plenty of conviction. I will continue to be skeptical of him until he strings together more than one good match at a time.

Kayla Braxton is wondering what The OC thinks of their situation. Karl Anderson & Luke Gallows point out that it’s garbage all around. Hard to disagree but they shouldn’t have lost to Strowman & Rollins however unfairly they got to be in the match.

Bayley is taking on Nikki Cross to settle their score. That match was weird. The banter between Graves & Young over took the action in the ring for the most part. Bayley continues to not get much respect while still winning the match in short order via Top Rope Elbow. She needs that win over Charlotte.

Braun Strowman is ready to give AJ Styles these hands.

The Viking Raiders are starting the match so that they can have an out or will look really impressive. The B Team gets to start off against them. I see one win for the Viking Raiders already. Viking Experience for that win. The OC are out next. They brawl with each other inside and outside of the ring. The Referee calls for a Double DQ removing both teams. Well, there’s that option too for the Raiders.

Robert Roode & Dolph Ziggler are trying for some tag team magic. Lucha House PartyLince Dorado & Gran Metallik, are taking them on. Metallik goes for a spring board back elbow. Ziggler super kicks Metallik in the back of the head for the win. The Revival are up next. They get off to a quick start. A Scott Dawson back breaker into a top rope leg drop by Dash Wilder only gets a two count. Roode tags in but Ziggler cleans house. Roode wakes up from nap. Glorious DDT on Dawson for their second win.

Curt Hawkins & Zack Ryder in the ring after another commercial. Hawkins & Ryder don’t get much TV time. Super kick by Ziggler for the win. Heavy Machinery are the last ones out. We all wait for Otis to tag in. Otis looks like he’s going for the Cattepilar. Ziggler stops it. Otis then drops the big Catepillar elbow on Ziggler. World’s Strongest Slam for a two count. Heavy Machinery goes for the Compactor. Ziggler super kicks Tucker. He then Zig Zag’s Otis onto Tucker. Glorious DDT for the win. What a weird, weird team. WWE, King of the Weird Teams.

Sasha Banks & Natalya have their match. Nattie is still milking the injury. Another match with the announcing taking center stage. I was amused though that Renee Young decided to agree with Graves. He then has to wriggle out of his old, very vocal lashings of Banks. Graves has to say the slander was about Sasha not being true to herself. Sure, pal.

AJ Styles is mad about The OC is being screwed in all facets. Styles is going to show why he’s Phenomenal tonight by beating Strowman all on his own.

Cedric Alexander is taking on Cesaro. Cedric gets off to a hot start. Alexander goes for a suicide dive only to be met with an European Uppercut. Alexander turns it around with a spring board Flat Liner. Alexander connects with a flip dive to the outside. Cesaro catches Alexander going for another spring board. Superplex from the ring apron by Cesaro. He then locks in a single leg crab. Cesaro runs into a Spanish Fly. Cesaro tries to work over the leg. Alexander gets out. Cesaro tries again. Alexander turns it into a Lumbar Check for the win.

Sarah gets to interview Dolph Ziggler & Robert Roode. Ziggler can definitely make the “Glorious” thing a heel thing.

Montez Ford gets to be the straight man while Angelo Dawkins gets to act the fool. Ford asks for a prediction on Strowman vs Styles when Strowman walks by. They act hyped as he walks by.

Bray Wyatt aka The Fiend got a video package of old show clips mostly.

Strowman & Styles start their match. Braun on top early due to his strength. Styles slaps on a sleeper to bring him down. Strowman misses a Big Boot in the corner. Styles starts working over Strowman’s leg. Styles locks in a Calf Crusher. Strowman stands up on his knees and head butts Styles. Strowman rams his shoulder into the post. The referee barely gets out of the way. Styles drop kicks Strowman into the ref who flies off the apron. Styles with a low blow. Power Slam by Strowman but there is no referee. Anderson & Gallows come down to atack Strowman. It works for a moment. Strowman hits Anderson & Gallows with a chair. The referee hears it but finds no Anderson & Gallows when he pops up. Braun Strowman gets DQed. He then takes out The OC with the chair.

Kevin DiFrango

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