SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
MIXED TAG SET FOR HIAC…
Recap: The show led off with Miz and Maryse coming to the ring. Miz pretended to choke up and mockingly used lines from Daniel Bryan’s retirement speech. He said he was retiring, but then after a long pause said he said he wasn’t retiring from wrestling, but rather from fighting Daniel Bryan.
Daniel Bryan came out and called Miz a coward. He said Miz was nothing but a façade, similar to the makeup he wears in the ring. He referred to Miz as a Hollywood wannabe cosplaying as a wrestler. Maryse interrupted and told him he should change his name to Daniel Bella.
Brie Bella then ran to the ring and attacked Miz. Bryan took advantage of a disoriented Miz by clotheslining him out of the ring.
Bryan then revealed that GM Paige had set a mixed tag between the Mizanins and the Bryans (or Bellas?) for the Hell in a Cell PPV.
Later backstage, Miz and Maryse complained to Paige about the mixed tag match, to no avail.
Evaluation: While it seemed obvious where the Miz’s opening promo was going, it got fantastic heat from the crowd so it’s very hard to criticize it.
Bryan’s “cosplay” line as biting and therefore very effective. Huge kudos to him for using the term “wrestler” and not “sports entertainer.”
WWE has used way too many instances of women assaulting men without consequences on television lately. It’s getting sort of old.
It was interesting that Brie Bella was cheered when she came out tonight, as contrasted with the loud boos the Bellas received at SummerSlam. Maybe the crowd only hates Nikki?
Forecast: I expect Brie and Bryan to win at HIAC. The final match of the feud between Miz and Bryan will likely be at Survivor Series.
EVERYONE LOVES ANGRY BECKY…
Recap: After a video recap, Becky Lynch came to the ring. She said that SummerSlam shouldn’t have been about Roman Reigns or Brock Lesnar or Ronda Rousey, but about her. She said she was screwed out of her one on one match for the title, and blamed the fans for not boycotting SummerSlam when it was changed to a Triple Threat. She said the fans are a generation of “all talk, all opinions, and no action.” She said she deserves the title because she says so, not because of the fans.
Charlotte Flair then ran to the ring and attacked Becky. The entire women’s locker room came out to break them up.
Evaluation: Becky’s angry promo was phenomenal. The problem is that the fans (me included) loved it so much that they cheered and clearly favored her over Charlotte.
Forecast: As much as a I love this version of Becky, this positioning won’t work. Charlotte is somewhat awkward as a face as it is, and she definitely won’t be cheered facing the awesome angry version of Becky.
NEW DAY NEW TAG CHAMPS…
Recap: Backstage, Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods asked Big E about the state of his ribs. He siad he liked them smoked with collard greens. When they clarified that they meant his ribs, he said they weren’t good.
In the main event, the Kofi and Xavier faced the Bludgeon Brothers in a SummerSlam rematch. After a brutal match involving tables, ladders, chairs, mallets, and broken dasher boards, New Day became champions.
Evaluation: It was a good match that excited the crowd. New Day’s backstage promo was not as over the top as usual, which was a good thing.
Forecast: I think the Bludgeon Brothers will take their rematch at the Hell in a Cell PPV.
RANDOM THOUGHTS…
Carmella’s “don’t title shame me” line was great. She probably has the best female heel character in WWE; it’s just a shame the in-ring work isn’t up to par….
Samoa Joe’s promo addressed to Wendy Styles tonight was just the right amount of creepy….
NOW CHECK OUT LAST WEEK’S COLUMN: TOP 3 DEVELOPMENTS – SMACKDOWN 8/14: Becky Wins Alone, Bryan vs Miz in 3 Parts, Conflicting Stories from Joe and AJ
From what we know, Rowan was injured at SummerSlam and will need surgery. So probably the rubber match would happen sooner than HIAC or not at all.