OVER & UNDERS – WWE RAW & SMACKDOWN: Damien Priest shows top guy grit, Nick Aldis in a suit, A-Town Down Under already going under, The Kiss We Missed, Kross’s good point

SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...

UNDER-APPRECIATED ON RAW – DAMIAN PRIEST SHOWS SOME TOP GUY GRIT

This exchange between Gunther, Damian Priest and Drew McIntyre was great. This is the first exchange where Damian didn’t use his nervous Poker tell, where he constantly touches a finger to his mouth in between verbal jabs. He was confident, had swagger (no not that kind), and really held his own against two behemoths of the main event scene. I’ve been super critical of him in the past, but he really impressed me tonight. Even a broken clock is right twice a day though, so I’m curious to see the follow up. Also, special mention to Gunther not actually donning the crown. That would have been horribly cheesy.

OVERRATED – J.D. MCDONAGH

I know this is a shocker, but I found J.D. McDonagh’s Benny Hill-like fleeing from Braun a little cheesy. I think Braun is playing his monster role really well, but McDonagh is a little too cartoony for my taste. I will give him his flowers for putting on a good match with Braun though. He took some monster bumps, sold more than Amazon Prime Day, and even got in just enough offense to maintain the extremely low credibility he has in my book. P.S., remember when you got excommunicated from The Judgment Day, J.D.? Because I do. And I will never forget.

UNDER-APPRECIATED ON RAW – KARRION KROSS MAKES A GOOD POINT

I’ve always said that the best movie villains always have a good point about an issue, but they go about correcting it in all the wrong ways. This exchange between Karrion Kross and New Day was gold for two reasons. 1) Xavier Woods referred to Akam and Rezar as Tokka and Rhazar, from the beloved classic “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: The Secret of the Ooze.” By the way, this glorious piece of cinema also starred one Kevin Nash as Super Shredder, a role he also refused to take bumps for. Classic Nash, amiright? 2) Karrion asking Kofi Kingston when he’s going to let Xavier step out of his shadow was a very valid, if not cruel, point. Well done Mr. Kross. That’s the single best thing you’ve said on WWE television since your debut. Now can we get rid of that weird camera filter during your entrance? Please? Pretty please?

OVERRATED ON RAW – THE KISS WE MISSED

How are you going to hype this Dominik Mysterio-infused love triangle with Liv Morgan and Rhea Ripley, only to cut out before the penultimate climax (pun intended) between Dom and Liv?! I feel like I tuned into Baywatch and missed…the rescues…of overly ambitious swimmers. Mm hmm, I’m telling the truth. I will say that if this is some kind of ploy to generate social media hits, it definitely worked, but I’m still grumpy about it. It makes me want to cosplay The Judgment Day so my mood matches my outfit. Plus, then I could infiltrate The Judgment Day clubhouse, and personally evict J.D. McDonagh from it.

By the way, I was part of Friday’s Wade Keller Pro Wrestling Post-show, joining at about the one hour mark. Check it out HERE.

OR LISTEN TO THE PODCAST VERSION

OVERRATED ON SMACKDOWN – NICK ALDIS IN A SUIT

For all of his charisma and in-charge aura, Nick Aldis looks cartoonish in a suit. I know his physique warrants a different cut of style, but he looks like SpongeBob in human form with the square-shaped suits he’s wearing. I wish I could say he was the strangest dressed on SmackDown, but Solo Sikoa cosplaying as half biker, half mafia boss takes the cake on that one…maybe the whole bakery.

OVERRATED ON SMACKDOWN – A-TOWN DOWN UNDER IS ALREADY GOING UNDER??

Why on earth has WWE invested so much time into shoving A-Town Down Under down our throats as a team, only to sew dissension already? They’re clicking more than a keyboard in a courtroom, as yes I’m stealing my own line that I used on the SmackDown post show this week. Side note, can I sue myself for IP infringement? This and things like a tag team with actual chemistry showing early signs of a breakup boggle the mind. These guys have perfected the bromance. They’re the bromantic version of Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts in “Notting Hill”. Don’t break my heart WWE. They had me at hello. Wait, that’s “Jerry Maguire.” I’m just a boy, standing in front of a tag team, asking you to keep them together. There we go. Self pat on the back D.I.Y. style. On a side note, I think D.I.Y.’s self pats on the back are wildly overrated. And yes I realize that’s hypocritical, but I don’t care. It’s a hilarious juxtaposition that makes for a good joke.

OVERRATED AND UNDER-APPRECIATED – A.J STYLES’ METAPHORICAL SALMON JACKET

This “I’m retiring” angle by A.J. Styles was a very solid try. I thought Styles’ performance was very solid. This was quickly tarnished by WWE though, overselling that this is a real moment. Also, The Good Brothers are there? Are they all friends again? Are they even still employed by WWE? The mysteries continue. I wish Cody Rhodes had shown a little bit of suspicion, but I thought it was a very solid attempt at replicating Mark Henry’s legendary Salmon jacket-wearing turn on John Cena.

OR CHECK THIS OUT AT PROWRESTLING.NET: Powell’s WWE Raw Hit List: Liv Morgan vs. Becky Lynch in a steel cage match for the Women’s World Championship, Bronson Reed vs. Otis, Rey Mysterio vs. Carlito, Braun Strowman vs. JD McDonagh