Happy Saturday, dear reader, and welcome to your Rampage Recap, your SmackDown Summary, and your Money in the Bank Preview blog, all in one handy post. It’s a lot…but it’s also not! Rampage and SmackDown were both very entertaining in their own ways, but SD featured a lot of filler. Rampage, like Dynamite, really revolved around one big match, in this case the Royal Rampage match.
So let’s dive in! We have so little to do and so much time to do it in!
Wait…strike that…reverse it.
AEW Rampage, Recapped!
Rampage started off with the Royal Rampage, which was essentially a way to use the double ring setup from Blood and Guts in a creative way - a double Royal Rumble, the winners of which faced off for the right to fight Jon Moxley for the interim championship on Dynamite. I mentioned this to Mrs. Pequeño and her response was “Who would want that after seeing Mox in a match?” This was a fair point.
The match was a big, fun battle that managed to eek along a few storylines while getting us to a surprising finish. Keith Lee and Swerve Strickland continued their maybe/maybe not turn against one another. Hangman Page and Jon Silver had a cute exchange of “will they toss each other?”. Penta continued to go after Andrade El Idolo and his new faction, El Faccion Ingobernable.
In the end, however, Brody King and Darby Allin won their respective rings. Brody stormed Allin’s side and quickly devastated Darby with a powerbomb, then heaved Allin through the ropes to the other ring. Darby got some offense in, sending King to the apron. Despite bites and strikes, Darby couldn’t get King to release the ropes. King then got Allin in a sleeper and suspended the smaller man’s body in the air before dropping him to the floor.
So, to answer Mrs. Pequeño's question…Brody King, homicidal maniac. That’s who would want to face Mox for the belt.
HOOK had an “interview” where he yelled at Alex Marvez, then the Bucks had a short match with YOSHI-HASHI and Hirooki Goto of New Japan Pro Wrestling. It was short, but had some fun spots and let both teams look good. The Bucks won, but it was never not entertaining.
A video package featuring the Ring of Honor champion, Jonathan Gresham, played next, setting up Gresham for a match on Dynamite against Tully Blanchard’s new team of brutes.
The main event was pretty good! Toni Storm and Nyla Rose matched up well, with Nyla hitting a lot of power stuff and Marina Shafir getting involved as well. Toni managed the onslaught and was able to secure the win with a pendulum DDT after punting Shafir off the apron, and a post match beating was stopped by Thunder Rosa. The new buddies, ThunderStorm per Excalibur, stood tall to end the show.
Royal Rampage: Brody King won by eliminating Darby Allin: Three stars!
Young Bucks versus YOSHI-HASHI and Hirooki Goto: Three stars!
Toni Storm versus Nyla Rose: Four stars!
SmackDown, Summarized!
The annual pre-Money in the Bank “everybody talks from the top of a ladder” segment started the show. Olmos was not on a ladder, because he is a tall man. Seth Rollins, Sami Zayn, MVP (for Olmos), Sheamus, and Drew McIntyre all took turns delivering lines until the Miz arrived to claim he deserved the final spot. That drew out Ezekiel, Happy Corbin, and Madcap Moss. Beloved GM Adam Pearce then arrived to declare a battle royal for…well, for an opening contest with no real stakes, I guess.
The match itself, labeled a “good old fashioned battle royal” in a possible dig at AEW’s Royal Rampage, wasn’t anything special. Olmos quickly eliminated Zeke, Moss, and Miz. Rollins eliminated himself because, again, no actual stakes and he has a ladder match Saturday. Corbin did the sneaky thing where he left the ring and returned to eliminate both Drew and Sheamus for the victory.
After a brief interview with Natalya, the New Day were out to face the “new, vicious” Viking Raiders. New Day had jokes and some spectacular new Golden Girls themed ring gear. Viking Raiders murdered them. Squish, but I like that we’re making the Vikings a threat again. New Day can get squashed weekly and still be over because they’re so lovable!
An argument backstage between Happy Corbin, Madcap Moss, Miz, and Ezekiel led to the announcement of a four way match for the last Money in the Bank spot. So what was the purpose of the “good old fashioned Battle Royal”?!?
The also-annual women’s Money In The Bank “can they coexist?” tag match followed, with Asuka, Liv Morgan, and Alexa Bliss facing Raquel Rodriguez, Lacey Evans, and Shotzi. Becky Lynch did commentary and the Raw team won via Liv Morgan’s ObLIVion on Shotzi after some relatively even competition. Becky then ran in to attack Asuka and whoever else was nearby. It was ok but, like the opening contest, it was just there to remind us that there’s a pay per premium live event coming up.
Sonya Deville, mad about her handicap match last week, smacked Adam Pearce. So that feud continues.
Street Profits and the Usos had a “game show” segment that was basically an extended interview with Kayla Braxton. The Profits mentioned the rumors of dissent between them, and blamed the dirt sheets.
Max Dupree of Maximum Male Models introduced his Male Models, Mace (say Muh-SAY) and Mansoor (now Man-SWAH). I love it and hope it leads to them turning on Dupree for a returning Tyler Breeze. A man can dream.
Ronda Rousey replied to Nattie’s earlier comments, and we had our main event, this one actually for the open MitB spot. Ezekiel took a table spot and we had a fun cluster of a finish as everybody hit big stuff. Corbin nailed Miz with End of Days, but spent a bit too much time staring down Pat McAffee. Madcap Moss shoved Happy into the corner post and stole a pinfall win.
“Good Old Fashioned Battle Royal”: Happy Corbin eliminated Sheamus and Drew McIntyre to win: Two stars.
Viking Raiders squashed New Day
Team Raw (Liv Morgan, Alexa Bliss, and Asuka) defeated Team SmackDown (Raquel Rodriguez, Shotzi, and Lacey Evans) when Liv pinned Shotzi: Three stars.
Madcap Moss defeated Miz, Happy Corbin, and Ezekiel by pinning Corbin: Three stars.
And with that, I believe we’re all set up for Money in the Bank! Let’s make some predictions!
Money In The Bank Predictions!
Bobby Lashley versus Theory © for the United States Championship
My guess: Theory retains, uses the power of the US Championship to challenge Cena at SummerSlam
I don’t think Theory NEEDS the title to challenge Cena, but the history of the United States Championship is one that leans on John Cena and that would be a story for Theory to use to challenge him. On the other hand, shenanigans would almost have to be employed for Lashley to lose here, since he’s overcome several multi-man matches just to get this match in the first place.
The Street Profits versus the Usos © for the Unified Tag Team Championships
My guess: Profits steal the victory, prompting Roman Reigns to scold the Usos
I think this is the one title match that is most likely to see a change, even if it’s only a brief reign. The Profits are sliding towards a break, it seems, and maybe putting the title on them just to pull it off will be a catalyst for that. I don’t love that, as I think they’re a great team, but you know how much WWE loves to break up a tag team.
Carmella versus Bianca Belair © for the Raw Women’s Championship
My guess: Bianca isn’t losing to the replacement unless there’s a surprise addition, i.e. Bayley or something
It’s just not happening, despite the fact that I think Carmella has improved vastly since her debut.
Natalya versus Ronda Rousey © for the SmackDown Women’s Championship
My guess: Ronda, hopefully by merciless squash
I have nothing to say about this. It feels like filler and Natalya is just not a threat to win any titles.
Money in the Bank: Seth Rollins versus Drew McIntyre versus Sami Zayn versus Sheamus versus Olmos versus Riddle versus Madcap Moss
My guess: Man, I really want Zayn to win and hoard the briefcase to force the Bloodline to…ACKNOWLEDGE HIM
Money in the Bank: Alexa Bliss versus Asuka versus Becky Lynch versus Lacey Evans versus Liv Morgan versus Raquel Rodriguez versus Shotzi
My guess: Does Liv really deserve another title shot? I think that’s where we’re headed, although a Bliss win would be cool…
I could see almost anyone winning either briefcase, but that’s part of the fun, right? If we knew where the stories were going, why would we keep watching this soap opera?
I’ll be back tomorrow with a recap of Money In The Bank. You have a great Saturday!
I appreciate your support and if you have any suggestions, drop your thoughts in the comments section below. You can also follow me on Twitter @ElOsoPequeno.
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