NXT WarGames II & WWE Survivor Series 2018 Review

NXT Takeover: WarGames II
Los Angeles, CA
Staples Center
11/17/18

Match #1

Matt Riddle def Kassius Ohno via Pinfall 
Before we even got to our first scheduled match Matt Riddle came out and challenged Kassius Ohno to a match right then and said that he would knock Ohno out in both rings bro, it wouldn't take long for Ohno to come out and accept the challenge. Riddle would drop Ohno with a knee and pin him in less than ten seconds. This match was originally going to be on the show and then it was decided that it would be taped for next week's tv only for them to finally decide to put it on this show. This did what it needed to do but I would hope that we get an actual match that lasts longer than ten seconds in the future between these two. Rating: *

Match #2

Shayna Baszler (c) def Kairi Sane (NXT Women's Championship - 2/3 Falls Match)

Fall #1: Shayna Baszler def Kairi Sane via Submission
Fall #2: Kairi Sane def Shayna Baszler via Pinfall
Fall #3: Shayna Baszler def Kairi Sane via Pinfall
This match started out good with Kairi going right at Shayna but it wouldn't take long before the Horsewomen got involved and attacked Kairi leading to Shayna locking in the Kirifuda Clutch to win the first fall by submission. Shayna would control the second fall at first by locking in another Kirifuda Clutch but this time Kairi was able to get to the ropes. Kairi would counter a suplex attempt into a nice spike DDT on the apron and then would dive out onto all three Horsewomen before hitting the Insane Elbow on Shayna to win the second fall. Kairi starts the final fall by hitting three interceptors and then a spinning back fist to take down Shayna. Shayna would stop Kairi from hitting the elbow again by joining her up on the top rope but Kairi would counter into a sunset flip powerbomb for two. Kairi would hit the Alabama Slam and this would be what caused The Horsewomen to interfere again, but this time Dakota Kai runs out to help even the odds only for them to double team her on the outside, which leads to Io Shirai running out and hitting a moonsault off the top to the floor taking out The Horsewomen and Dakota. Kairi goes up and hits the Insane Elbow but Shayna seamlessly counters into a crucifix to win the final fall.

This match could have been really good but it felt like the match was the secondary focus and setting up the feud between The Horsewomen and Kairi's team was the main focus. I do think Kairi looked really good in the match as I liked the fire and aggressiveness she showed against Shayna by taking the fight right to her. The strike exchange during the third fall was really good. I was really surprised this match only went 11 minutes but with a 2 1/2 hour show time and with the main event that lasts almost an hour, I guess they had to make it short. If they had been given more time they could have spaced out the Horsewomen interference spots more and had more storytelling between Kairi and Shayna but I think they did the best they could with the little time they were given for a 2/3 falls match. Rating: ***1/4

Match #3
Aleister Black def Johnny Gargano via Pinfall

I like Gargano's Punisher inspired gear. I really enjoyed this match as it was hard-hitting and nonstop action from bell to bell, there were so many strikes in this match that they could've set a world record and that knee that Black hit Gargano with as he was diving through the ropes was awesome. I'm still torn on whether it was the right move to turn Gargano heel as he was so damn good as a babyface that it feels too soon to turn him, especially now that one of the top babyfaces on the main roster has also turned heel, but I will say he did a good job in his match as the overconfident heel that thinks he has the babyface figured out only to get his comeuppance by the end of the match. Some will complain about the melodramatic spots in the match but I liked them, especially the spot where Gargano showed signs of that sympathetic babyface as he wanted to be finished off only to use that as a way to try and pick up a quick win as that was some really good heel work. I loved the finish with Black hitting two Black Masses to knock Gargano the fuck out. I was surprised to see Black get the win here as I was expecting this feud to continue, although I guess it still can as the babyface winning the first match didn't stop the Gargano vs Ciampa feud from continuing. I enjoyed everything about this match and thought it was a great showing by both men. Rating: ****1/2

Match #4
Tommaso Ciampa (c) def The Velveteen Dream via Pinfall (NXT Championship)
Velveteen is dressed as Hollywood Hogan for this Takeover which is his second time dressing up as the Hulkster on a Takeover which makes me wonder if he is a fan or is he just trying to make a statement and poke at Hogan by being an African American man dressed in Hogan cosplay, whatever the reason may be it is pretty damn cool. I didn't think about it going into this match but this is a match between two guys who love getting in their opponent's heads and they played into that in the beginning moments of the match with Ciampa getting the headband of Dream only for Velveteen to one-up him by grabbing the title. Dream was pulling out some Randy Savage moves like the running jump over the top rope while hanging your opponent's neck on the top rope as well as the axehandles off the top while dressed as Hogan.

Dream is finally able to hit his Hogan sequence of punches, big boot, and then hits three leg drops which was really cool. The suplex that sent them both crashing to the floor looked great. We actually got the referee catching Ciampa pulling the tights on a roll-up which was nice to see as the referee being that aware is a rare occurrence. The spot where Ciampa throws something at Mauro felt a bit too much but at the same time perfectly fit Ciampa's bastard heel character. I liked the finish with Velveteen missing the Rainmaker Elbow and landing on the exposed floor and then Ciampa taking advantage of having two rings (which is hardly ever done in the non-WarGames matches on the card) by hitting the draping DDT on the metal part in the middle for the win.

I wasn't sure how the styles of these two were going to work together and whether they could get a good match out of each other or not but I can happily say that they did and I enjoyed all of it. Velveteen is such a star and although we may have to very sadly face the fact that we will never get a black WWE champion (or at least not until Vince dies) if there should be a number one candidate for who that person should be it's absolutely Velveteen Dream (with Big E as a close runner-up) as he is so damn good at everything he does. Ciampa continues to be the out of his mind crazy bastard heel that we all love to hate who tries to give his opponents kayfabe concussions. I can't say anything bad about this match as it was great in every way. Rating: ****1/4

Match #5

Ricochet, Pete Dunne, & The War Raiders def The Undisputed Era via Pinfall (WarGames Match)

Get ready for a long one ladies and gentlemen. I still can't figure out why we need the shark cages to keep the non-participating members of the match in, either keep them in the back or have them at ringside like in the old WarGames these shark cages just come off as tacky. Not sure if would've started the match out with Ricochet as I feel Dunne would've been a better way to start and then have Ricochet as last so he can be the final babyface that's on fire flying around taking out everyone, perhaps even entering the cage via jumping off the top. I may have said this last year but I hate the fact that the announcers harp on the fact that WarGames doesn't really begin until all eight men are in the ring because if that's so then what did we sit and watch for the past twenty minutes, I would compare it to waiting to eat your popcorn after you've done watched 3/4 of a movie why would they say the match is just beginning when in fact it's actually closer to ending once everyone enters the ring. The first five minutes with Cole and Ricochet were good but then it felt like we were just having to wait until all eight men were in as nothing much really happened, I feel like three minutes was a minute too long between entrants and they would've been just as fine going with two minutes.

At least they did find a way to work in a spot with the shark cages so they weren't completely useless. Why does the Undisputed Era have their own branded chairs? I really wish they would introduce the weapons throughout the match instead of having to wait for the last guy to get them all as it completely halts the momentum of the final babyface entrant who is supposed to run in and be a house of fire, now he has to stop grab some weapons including tables which are awkward to get into the cage and then about five minutes later he can finally enter the cage. I did like Dunne stepping on the hand of Roddy when he tried to stop him from entering the cage. Dunne looked strong fighting off all the members of the UE by himself. I felt bad for O'Reilly trying to wrap the chain around Dunne's ankle as it was not wanting to cooperate.

They need to make a change to the escape rule as it should only be if you voluntarily leave then your team loses, but if you are pushed out by your opponents the match can continue as that would've been dumb for Ricochet's team to lose because he was pushed off. I have been getting a bit tired of the tower of doom spot as it's done so frequently these days in multi-person matches but this one was well done and Ray Rowe's selling of it was both awesome and hilarious as he laid on his side with his arm in the air for what seemed like forever before slowly going down on his stomach. The double moonsault off the top was crazy and if your not able to have blood in these matches like in the old days then you have to do stuff like this and bringing in weapons to make the match entertaining. I feel the stare off after that move was unnecessary that far into the match. I liked the finishing sequence between Dunne and Cole with Ricochet finishing things off with a 450 splash. It was a nice touch they had both Ricochet & Dunne pin Cole as it plays up they still have business with each other and that Cole should no longer be a contender for either of their titles. I liked this match a lot more on the second watch but still think it went too long and could've shaved off ten minutes and gave some of those minutes to the women's match earlier in the night. Overall there were some parts of the match I liked and some I didn't care for but I will say the positives outweighed the negatives and we still got a great match. Rating: ****1/4

The streak continues for NXT as once again they put on a great show with three matches over four stars, I wish the women's match had been better but it told the story it needed to tell going forward to advance that feud and the addition of the Riddle vs Ohno squash at the beginning of the show was fun. Show Rating: A

WWE Survivor Series 2018
Los Angeles, CA
Staples Center
11/18/18

Kick Off Match
Team SmackDown def Team Raw - Soul Survivors: The Usos
The Revival def The Colons via Pinfall
Karl Anderson & Luke Gallows def The B-Team via Pinfall
Bobby Roode & Chad Gable def SAnitY via Pinfall
New Day def The Ascension via Pinfall
Lucha House Party def Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson via Pinfall
The Usos def Lucha House Party via Pinfall
New Day def Bobby Roode & Chad Gable via Pinfall
The Revival def New Day via Pinfall
The Usos def The Revival via Pinfall
We kick things off with the 10 team elimination tag match and this match got better the longer it went on and as more teams were eliminated as the first portion of the match was pretty sloppy. It looked like Kalisto may have tweaked his knee in the first few minutes and this led to Woods screaming at Epico to sweep the leg which was funny. Kalisto tries to continue on but a few minutes later he tweaks it again and this leads to him pulling out of the match and Gran Metalik taking his place, thank God Lucha House Party has three members or else the entire team would've been eliminated. The Colons are eliminated soon after this by The Revival with a Shatter Machine. The B-Team get eliminated soon after when Karl Anderson rolls him up. The next team to be eliminated is SAnitY by Bobby Roode after he and Gable hit their neckbreaker/moonsault combo finisher, poor SAnitY debuted on the main roster a few months ago and haven't been seen in a month and are then eliminated way earlier than they should've been and never got much time to shine in the match. Remember a month or so ago when Konnor looked to be getting a singles push...Pepperidge Farm remembers lol. The Ascension is eliminated by Big E when he hits a splash off of Woods' shoulders. 

We are now down to Roode & Gable. Lucha House Party, & The Revival for Raw and New Day, Anderson & Gallows, & The Usos for SmackDown. Dorado tries to headscissor Anderson out of the ring and it looks terrible as he lands on his head and rolls out of the ring. Anderson & Gallows are eliminated after Metalik hits a springboard swanton onto Anderson. The Usos and Lucha House Party have some spots together and just as I was thinking these two would be a good matchup in an actual feud Jey hits a mistimed popup Samoan drop on Dorado to eliminate Lucha House Party. Once the match got down to the final two teams on each side the match really picked up. Gable hit an explorer on Big E followed by a Chaos Theory and neckbreaker combo. All hell has broken loose as people are diving to the outside and then Gable German suplexes Jimmy off the top rope onto everyone at ringside in a really cool spot. Gable & Roode are eliminated next when Roode gets hit with the Up Up Down Down by New Day. Xavier goes for his diving elbow off the top rope when he is hit in mid-air with the Shatter Machine and eliminated. The finish comes when The Usos hits a series of superkicks and then hits the splash on Dawson for the win. 


This match started out shaky and a bit clunky but once the teams that were in the match as fodder were eliminated the match really started to pick up and I think had they made this six teams (Roode/Gable, Revival, & Lucha House Party vs New Day, Usos, & SAnitY) instead of ten and gave those six teams the same amount of time we could've got a really great match, but what we got was a bad match that somehow in the middle turned into a decent match and by the end was a really good match. Rating: **3/4

Match #1
Team Raw def Team Smackdown - Soul Survivor: Nia Jax
Tamina def Naomi via Pinfall
Carmella def Tamina via Pinfall
Mandy Rose def Mickie James via Pinfall
Bayley def Carmella via Pinfall
Sasha Banks def Mandy Rose via Pinfall
Bayley & Sonya Devilla eliminated via Double Countout
Asuka def Sasha Banks via Submission
Nia Jax def Asuka via Pinfall
There was a lot of stuff that happened on the kickoff show that shaped how the teams that were in the match came to be. Smackdown named Naomi as the official captain of the team and as the captain she brought in "God's Greatest Creation" Mandy Rose to be the fifth member of the team, meanwhile the Raw team was having to deal with turmoil within the team as Ruby Riott and Natalya got in a brawl that had to be broken up by the other weapon and as a result captain Alexa (who looked like a lion tamer at the circus with the coat she was wearing) threw them off the team and because she had no other choice she had to pick Bayley & Sasha as their replacements and they agreed but promised to get back at everyone who did them wrong on Raw the previous week.

Well so much for Naomi being a team captain as she was eliminated a little more than a minute into the match by Tamina of all people, I really hope this isn't a sign of how Naomi is going to be booked in the near future because that is going to suck as she is so talented, she didn't deserve to be eliminated that quickly. Thankfully the actual worst woman in the match was gone soon after as Tamina was pinned by Carmella with a schoolgirl roll-up and that led to Carmella taking a Dance Break!!! I have to say that over the past couple of months Carmella has become my SmackDown guilty pleasure as she always makes me smile and her pairing with R-Truth genuinely makes me laugh and I still say she has improved a lot and isn't as bad in the ring as most claim she is.

Nia enters the ring and suddenly the arena gets a lot warmer due to the massive amount of heat radiating off Nia as she was booed out of the building. They must have some big plans in the near future for Mandy Rose as they let her takedown Nia which come a few months ago would've never happened, but between this match and the battle royal at Evolution, she has gotten a lot of shine. There was a bit of tension between Bayley & Mickie when Bayley tags herself in only for Mickie to return the favor a few minutes later which ends up leading to her elimination as she is out after a knee strike by Sonya Deville, but Sonya wasn't aware Mandy had tagged back in and Mandy shoves Sonya off the cover so she could get the glory of pinning Mickie. Bayley then eliminates Carmella pretty soon with a Bayley to Belly. Sasha finally eliminates Mandy by locking her in the Bank Statement and after a great performance, Mandy has to tap out.

SmackDown is now down to Asuka & Sonya which would be a pretty badass team. Bayley and Sonya battle out to the floor which leads to them both being counted out and Sonya also got a nice shine in this match. With Mandy & Sonya getting to shine both here and at Evolution it must mean they have something planned for them in the near future, but I have to wonder about the other duo that is new to SmackDown which is the IIconics, they were the only women on SmackDown that weren't featured anywhere on this show and hope they aren't left in the dust as they are talented as well and their act is fairly over with the fans. With the elimination of Bayley & Sonya, we are down to Asuka for SmackDown and the team of Sasha & Nia for Raw.

The highlight of the entire match would come next as we got to see Asuka & Sasha got at it for a few minutes and by the time they were done I was begging for more and if there was some way to get there I would love to see that match happen at WrestleMania whether it's for the SmackDown Women's Championship or not. Nia decides to turn on Sasha by pushing her off the top right into an Asuka Lock for a submission to eliminate Sasha. Before Asuka could get to her feet from having the Asuka Lock locked in she was crushed with three leg drops from Nia and pinned for a three count to give Raw the win and declare Nia the sole survivor and thus turning up the heat on her even more.

I enjoyed this match and thought with the exception of having Naomi being eliminated criminally early that this match was booked perfectly and gave everyone time to shine and didn't leave anyone out and the ones that needed more shine got it. Having Nia win probably wasn't the popular choice given what happened with Becky and the popularity of Asuka, but if you want to maintain the heat on Nia for the eventual showdown with Becky then this was the absolute right choice. Rating: ***1/4

Match #2

Seth Rollins (Intercontinental Champion) def Shinsuke Nakamura (US Champion) via Pinfall
This match gets the award for the worst dressed award as both men were wearing clothes that would make Breezango vomit, Rollins decided to bring the half and half shirt from last year with Raw on one side and his own shirt on the other, while Nakamura had this blue gear on that looked like either pajamas or nurse scrubs definitely some serious fashion faux pas going on with both men.

I'm honestly not sure what to say about this match because it was really good but at the same time nothing stood out about the match that really grabbed my attention, someone who was in the Place to Be Nation chat summed this match up perfectly it was better than the average Nakamura match but worse than an average Seth Rollins match. I liked the match but at the same time wasn't blown away, I know that's a weird review but it's all I can say about the match. Rating: ***1/2

Match #3
AOP (Raw Tag Team Champions) def The Bar (SD Tag Team Champions) via Pinfall
This match was pretty much what you would expect from these two teams which is a lot of brawling and power moves. Both teams have had way better matches as this was as simple and as cookie cutter, as you can get. What makes this match even worse is that nobody will remember anything about it except for the finish where Drake Maverick pisses himself after being caught by The Big Show and that would cause enough distraction to allow AOP to pick up the win. Poor Spud had to do some crazy stuff in TNA but at least they never stooped as low as making him piss himself, this finish has Vince McMahon's name written all over it as he thinks it's hysterical when someone shits or pisses themselves and to make it even better it's a person of small stature doing  it. How is anyone on 205 Live supposed to take Drake seriously now as their General Manager after he was made to look like a complete idiot?

This was a below average and heatless match with a shitty finish that did nothing to help either team especially AOP. Rating: **

Match #4Buddy Murphy (c) def Mustafa Ali (WWE Cruiserweight Championship)
I can't believe they actually let the Cruiserweights on the main show but congratulations to them. I feel the biggest victim of WWE's over saturated weekly content is 205 as I know for myself by the time I watch three hours of Raw, two hours of SmackDown, an hour of NXT, and another two hours of NXT UK I have had my fill of current WWE product for the week and I just can't get around to watching 205 which is a shame as I know they have been putting on some great matches and have been busting their asses every week, so even though I don't get around to watching I want to give them props for their hard work.

This match was really good and I'm glad to see that they were given some time and they capitalized on every minute they were given. The fans weren't much into this match at first but as it went on they started coming around and oohed and aahed at the big spots. The two bumps Ali took where he was on the top rope and pushed off to the floor and then was tossed from inside the ring to the outside both looked really good. I thought for a second the cruiserweights were gonna get the announce table breaking spot but instead, Ali just hit Murphy with a Spanish Fly off of it. The knee strike Murphy caught Ali in mid-air with was great as well. I am happy to see Murphy's reign continue but I have to wonder when Ali's time will finally come, at the rate we're going before he gets the title he will end up turning heel as that seems to be the trend as of late with all the genuine babyfaces. This was a fun match and hopefully, the cruiserweights can get more title matches on the main card instead of being regulated to the kickoff show as they are definitely main card worthy. Rating: ***3/4

Match #5

Team Raw def Team SmackDown - Soul Survivors: Braun Strowman, Bobby Lashley, & Drew McIntyre
Drew McIntyre def Samoa Joe via Pinfall
Rey Mysterio def Finn Balor via Pinfall
Shane McMahon def Dolph Ziggler via Pinfall
Braun Strowman def Jeff Hardy via Pinfall
Braun Strowman def Rey Mysterio via Pinfall
Braun Strowman def The Miz via Pinfall
Braun Strowman def Shane McMahon via Pinfall
I like how as Braun was making his way to the ring Baron was applauding him as he was taking the role of captain seriously and was gonna put his beef with Braun aside for the time being and was applauding since he knew Braun being on their team gave them a massive advantage over SmackDown. Before the match we see the first of many conflicts within the Raw team as Strowman and McIntyre argue about who should start the match. Once Samoa Joe was eliminated in the first minute I had a feeling that SmackDown was doomed as he was their only hope of taking out Braun Strowman, just like in the women's match I hope Joe's booking in this match was a product of injury and not just because they see him as expendable, as he should've been a focal point of the match given the size of Raw's team.

There is more turmoil within the Raw team when Drew tags himself in as Braun had just entered the ring and this leads to the two getting into a brawl which takes Raw's focus off their opponents and SmackDown use that as their advantage as everyone is in the ring brawling. Team SmackDown team up on Strowman and Shane puts him through an announce table with the elbow drop. For a third time, McIntyre would cause disruption in his team as he refuses to tag in Balor so Balor tags himself in and kicks McIntyre in the head. We get a fun exchange between Balor and Mysterio before Balor is eliminated after Mysterio hits a 619 and a springboard splash. Mysterio has a nice counter to the delayed vertical suplex by Lashley as he kicks him in the head and drops him with a DDT. I was laughing my ass off when Miz told Shane to go up for the Coast to Coast right after he had just gotten back up on the apron from the elbow drop earlier in the match and then after it eliminates Ziggler, Miz tells him to go up yet again to hit Lashley with one, but Strowman clubs him out of mid-air.

Strowman tags in and it's pretty much a done deal as he eliminates Mysterio & Hardy back to back. Miz tries to kill Shane again as he pushes him in front of an oncoming train in the form of Braun Strowman. Strowman chases Miz down and gets him in the ring to eliminate him with a tilt-a-whirl Powerslam. It's down to Shane against Strowman, Lashley, & McIntyre but Strowman finishes him off quickly with a T-Rex dropkick and powerslam.

This match made SmackDown look like complete scrubs as they couldn't even beat a Raw team that was arguing the entire time. I didn't feel there was as much storytelling in this match as there was in the women's match and the action was good but nothing too spectacular. I'm glad that Braun got the most eliminations and that McIntyre was one of the survivors. I would prefer if Shane wasn't in the match but got entertainment out of Miz trying to take him out without being obvious that he was trying to take him out. I thought both Balor and Mysterio got some time to shine for their respective teams while Ziggler and Joe felt like complete afterthoughts. By the end of the night, SmackDown would only get the one win from the kickoff show which wasn't even recognized on the win counter and it's still obvious that Vince is buyest of Raw over SmackDown. Rating: ***

Match #6
Ronda Rousey (Raw Women's Champion) def Charlotte Flair via DQ
This match was just as great as we had hoped and imagined that it would be. I liked how they were feeling each other out in the beginning in the way that you would see fighters feeling each other out in a UFC fight. These two were not holding anything back as they were super aggressive with each other. It didn't take long before we got blood coming from the mouth of Ronda after she was hit with an elbow. I thought it was a nice touch how Ronda stayed sitting up on the top turnbuckle and reached down to drag Charlotte over so she could roll into an armbar that was a really neat way to get into the move. The spear that Charlotte hit on Ronda was one of the best she has ever hit and Ronda sold it very well. I like that she named her twisting Samoan drop the Piper's Pit. I knew the match most likely wasn't going to end with a clean finish as they didn' want either woman to lose clean, I was expecting a run in to end the match, but what we got was so much better and leaves a lot of questions going forward as Charlotte completely snaps and beats the living shit out of Ronda before "Pillmanizing" her with a chair. Everything about this was great and I have no problems with anything in the match, even Ronda's eye makeup worked this time. Rating: ****1/2

With what happened you would think it would lead to a Ronda vs Charlotte rematch but they are on separate shows and Ronda also still has a match with Nia in her near future. Does this make Charlotte a heel now which would make sense as Becky looks to have turned babyface, but yet shouldn't her and Becky be on the same page now that their feud is over and Becky gave her the spot to face Ronda? Are all the babyfaces going to go extinct in the WWE and everyone will be either a tweener or heel? It was interesting watching Ronda walk to the back as when she first got up she was looking around as if she (and I imagine WWE) wanted her to get a babyface reaction but as she makes her way up the ramp she talks some trash to a fan and then gives a mean look toward the crowd, so I wonder if they told her to react differently depending on how the crowd responds and when they started booing her she changed from looking hurt to looking like she was pissed at the fans. I'm not sure what is happening but I do know that at the end of the night the people were still chanting for Becky and despite Charlotte giving the crowd a cool moment, they haven't forgotten about the Stone Cold Lass Kicker and she will get her revenge on the biggest stage of them all WrestleMania. 

Match #7
Brock Lesnar w/ Paul Heyman (WWE Universal Champion) def Daniel Bryan (WWE Champion) via Pinfall

I loved how Bryan was in front of Lesnar as he was circling the ring during his entrance and then was mocking him as it showed that Bryan has gone a bit crazy and in this case, he is too crazy to know that he should fear Lesnar. Once the match got past the usual Lesnar suplex showcase which lasted for quite a while and Daniel Bryan actually made his comeback the match picked up and became quite good and I actually bought into the fact that Bryan might win the match and may even have made Lesnar tap out. This was one of Brock's better matches as of late and it went longer than most of his matches, but at the end of the day it was a Brock Lesnar match and because of that there is only so much praise I can give it as his style of matches have become tiresome for me as they are the exact same thing every time, but I'm giving this one much more praise than I usually would because it just so happens he was in there with someone who can get a good match out of a broomstick and was able to make a Brock Lesnar match better than it usually is. I liked how Bryan was looking at Brock after the match and smiling as it expressed that he may have lost but he is still happy because he let Lesnar know that he wasn't going to be beaten easily.  Rating: ****

This show was a mixed bag, the last two matches and the cruiserweight match were really good, but the rest of the card could be skipped. If the fans didn't care about the brand warfare before this show they care even less now with SmackDown only winning the kickoff match and looking like complete chumps in the men's elimination tag match. The biggest highlight of the show that everyone was talking about was the Charlotte vs Ronda match as well as The Certified Idiot and Bonafide Jackass, Enzo Amore trying to crash the show before being escorted out by security Show Rating: C-

NXT WarGames II & WWE Survivor Series 2018 Match Rankings
13. Matt Riddle vs Kassius Ohno 
12. AOP vs The Bar 
11. 10 Team Elimination Tag Match 
10. 10 Man Elimination Tag Match 
9.  NXT Women's Championship 
8. 10 Woman Tag Match 
7. Seth Rollins vs Shinsuke Nakamura 
6. WWE Cruiserweight Championship 
5. Brock Lesnar vs Daniel Bryan 
4. WarGames Match 
3. Tomasso Ciampa vs Velveteen Dream 
2. Aleister Black vs Johnny Gargano
1. Ronda Rousey vs Charlotte Flair 

Sorry it took so long to get this review out as I have had a busy week but I used every bit of my free time I had to finish this thing so I hope you all enjoy it. 

WWE Evolution 2018 Review

WWE Evolution 2018

Uniondale, NY
Nassau Coliseum
10/28/18

The WWE Women's Revolution (or Evolution) has been going on for three years now and along the way, there have been many milestones the women have reached and although I would prefer if those milestones were reached more organically and didn't have the big public display with all the women in the ring having to bow to Stephanie McMahon just so she can pat herself on the back, it's still cool to finally see women doing stuff that in the past we could only imagine them doing in the WWE. This year has probably been the most important of the three years of the women's revolution as they had their first Royal Rumble match, first Elimination Chamber match, four matches on the WrestleMania card that featured women, and most importantly the signing of the most high profile name in women's sports Ronda Rousey and to close out the year WWE announced their first ever all-female PPV that would feature women from the past, present, and future of the WWE. With all that I have mentioned above, it would seem like this whole Women's Revolution concept is all rainbows and gumdrops and everything is going great and there are zero problems going on, well that's exactly what WWE wants their sponsors and the casual fans to think but the more die-hard wrestling fans such as myself know that there is always more to the story than what WWE wants to be revealed.

The truth that WWE doesn't want you to know is that in the midst of promoting this women's revolution and promoting that the company is being more progressive, they made a ten-year multi-million dollar deal with Saudi Arabia, a country that not only treats their women like shit but is responsible for heinous acts of murder against anyone who has views or opinions that are different than them whether it be a woman, a homosexual or even a journalist as highlighted by the recent murder of Jamal Khashoggi. Despite all the propaganda showing that the country is changing under the rule of the new prince, in reality, it is still the same as it has always been and will never change. The fact that WWE thinks that them going over there is going to be the one thing that brings change to that country is both laughable and sad at the same time as it shows just how much the WWE bubble has cut off people's perception of how the rest of the world outside of the WWE works. They think because they were able to have women wrestle on a show in Abu Dhabi that one day it will happen in Saudi Arabia but the reason the women were able to wrestle in Abu Dhabi was that the country had already progressed to that point before WWE got there and it had nothing to do with WWE changing them.

I had to go into all of the Saudi Arabia stuff so that I can say that the real reason they are putting on their first all-female PPV is probably only 20% because they want to reward the women for all the hard work they have done and approximately 80% because they had to do something to smooth over the backlash they got from fans who were rightfully outraged at the hypocrisy that WWE would make a deal with a country where women can't be on the shows and then turn right around the next night and be all about being pro women and talking about a Women's Revolution. You don't need to look any further to see how the higher-ups view this show than by looking at the build-up for the show or should I say lack thereof. If you compare the build and promotion for this show to the build-up and promotion for WWE's Crown Jewel show that is happening in Saudi Arabia (which is happening only five days after this show) you will see a great discrepancy between the two. A lot of the women on the card were just thrown into a battle royal or a tag match that had zero build instead of being booked in feuds with meaningful stories that would lead to big-time matches on this show. Thankfully we do have the three championship matches and the MYC finale that does have some importance to them and have been booked fairly well and should be able to carry the show even if the rest of the card is severely lacking.

You would think a show like this would be the launching point for women to have more PPVs of their own so they wouldn't have to share the card with the male talent, but don't get your hopes up on that happening as Triple H has gone on record saying he doesn't want this kind of show to happen all the time. If you ask me the real reason they don't want to go all in on having more all-female PPVs is that they are afraid (and rightfully so) that if they do that then a portion of their fanbase wouldn't care to watch the men only PPVs, because as time goes on more and more fans (including myself) are becoming disinterested in what many of the men on the WWE main roster are doing (mostly due to terrible booking) and have become so invested in the women that they only care to watch their matches and segments. 

While this show may not be important to the management of WWE it is very important, very special, and very deserving of all the women who will be working on the show as this is such a long time coming. I fully believe that every single woman on this show will see this as an opportunity to show all their doubters and critics why they deserve more shows that are all female and despite the lack of build, I'm sure every woman will kick ass and give everything they have in order put on one hell of a show and give WWE no choice but to make all female PPVs a more frequent occurrence. 
Not only is this show special to the women on the show and women wrestlers all over the world, but it's also special for the fans and supporters of women's wrestling. The fans who have become so invested in not just the female characters they see on tv every week but the real women who play those characters. The fans and supporters of women's wrestling are just as passionate about the women succeeding and being on an equal playing field as the women in the WWE are themselves so for us, this show is a big deal as it's a step in giving us what we have wanted and what the women in WWE have deserved for years.

Between this show and watching the MYC, I have been on a women's wrestling high for the past couple of months and I hope it doesn't stop with this show. Despite my reputation online I do get invested in the women's wrestlers for their personalities and awesome talent and not just because they are attractive (even though I do still have my wrestling crushes and have no problem letting everyone know who they are). I have got more invested in matches during the MYC than I have the majority of the men's matches all year. I'm super excited about this show and can't wait for the women to show the world why it's their time and they will no longer take a backseat to anyone and that they can put on a show that is just as good if not better than the guys can. Now with all of that out of the way let's get to the review.


The show opens with a musical performance from Lizzy Hale and Nia Strauss, I honestly could have done without the singing as I believe the song Lizzy sang was made up just for this show and it wasn't that great but Nia's guitar playing was badass and was a cool way to start the show.

Match #1
Trish Stratus & Lita def Mickie James & Alicia Fox w/ Alexa Bliss via Pinfall

If you know me (and you should if you've been reading my reviews) you can imagine how bummed out I was that Alexa had to be taken out of this match due to a concussion, but it was still nice that she could be at ringside and I have no problem with Foxy being her replacement as Foxy is freaking awesome and so damn entertaining that I can't help but smile when she is on my screen. It actually made more sense to have Foxy in there that way the match could be between four women who were around long before the Women's Revolution started and helped pave the way for where the women are now. I was really surprised that this match was on first, but perhaps Trish and Mickie asked for it to be first so their kids could watch them before having to go to bed. I also wonder if Alexa not being in the match changed the placement of the match on the card. I loved the Alice in Wonderland theme that Alexa's team had with their gear and let's face it Alice never looked better, this would be the first of quite a few really cool costumes we would see throughout the night, it was as if the women decided to celebrate Halloween early. Nice to see Lita wore a mesh shirt like you would see Team Extreme wear back in the day and she also had a more PG version of the thong sticking out of the pants. 

Right from the start, the fans were going crazy for this match and that kind of reaction would be a constant throughout the night. It was nice to hear a more female-centric crowd than you would usually hear and it made the crowd reaction sound a bit different but regardless of how it sounded it was loud and that was great to hear. Early on we get a flying headscissors from Lita and then a poetry in motion as Lita ran off Trish's back and delivered a clothesline to both Mickie and Foxy in the corner. Trish comes in and hasn't missed a step as she is delivering some hip tosses and snapmares before slapping Foxy in the face and pointing over to the corner telling Foxy to tag Mickie in. 

Mickie comes in and the two women trash talk each other until Trish hits a big forearm and we get a strike exchange in the middle of the ring. Mickie's bumping and selling throughout this match were both hilarious and great as she was bumping all over for her opponents. We get a cool spot in the corner where Trish attempts the Stratusphere but Mickie catches her (if this spot were not in the PG era we would definitely get a callback to the crotch grab at WrestleMania 22) and pulls her up to the top with her where they fight it out and this would lead to Trish hitting a top rope hurricanrana. Mickie rolls to the outside to regroup and while they do Trish and Lita fake a diving attempt and Foxy steals the show again as she falls back and is wildly kicking her legs like a turtle on it's back trying to get upright. The heels try to leave but Trish and Lita stop them and roll Mickie back into the ring where Foxy accidentally kicks her after Lita moves out of the way. Lita goes up for the moonsault but Alexa comes in and yanks her down. 

The heels work over Lita until Trish comes in and they hit an assisted hurricanrana. Mickie is quickly able to get back in control after hitting a neckbreaker on Lita and Foxy follows up with a northern light suplex. Lita makes a comeback and hits a reverse DDT and is finally able to make the hot tag to Trish and Foxy tags Mickie back in. Trish hits a couple of really nice deep headlock takeovers and then a sit-out spinebuster for two. Trish lays in several chops before Mickie kicks her and rolls her up for a two count. Mickie looks to set up for the Mickie DDT but Trish reverses and hits the Stratusfaction which is broken up by Foxy who almost misses her cue to break up the pin. Lita hits the Twist of Fate on Foxy and then hits the moonsault on both of her opponents. Mickie gets to her feet and Trish is waiting on her with the Chick Kick (which Mickie sells hilariously as she freezes before falling to the mat) to pick up the win. 

This was a great way to start the show as it was so much fun. After this match I want Trish to have another run even if it's for only six months to a year as she can still go and hasn't missed one step. Lita looked a lot better here than she did in the Rumble match and her moonsault was way better. The heels did a great job of stooging around and bumping their butts off to make Trish and Lita look like a million bucks. This match was exactly what it needed to be and started this show off on a high note. Rating: ***

Match #2
Nia Jax last def 20 Women (Battle Royal)
I was so happy that all the women got their own entrance as I hate battle royals where the participants are already in the ring and you can't tell who all is in the match. It was so cool to see women like Alundra Blayze & Ivory walk down the aisle one more time. I missed Cory Graves commentary when Mandy Rose came to the ring. I still can't believe Torrie is 40+ years old and still looks like she is in her 20s.

It was pretty obvious that when the IIconics were cutting the promo that they were gonna be ganged up on, but that didn't mean it wasn't any less great especially since it was only the women legends (and Maria) that did it. We get a rehash of the WrestleMania battle royal spot where all the women teamed up against the NXT women, but this time all the women teamed up against the legends (and Maria who they forgot is currently on the roster) and it was a battle of the past against the present and the future which gave me goosebumps to watch. Molly Holly was the first elimination as she was tossed over by Mandy and Sonya while attempting a headlock/headsiccors takeover on both women, I'm sure Mandy is glad her streak of being the first eliminated is over with. Mandy and Sonya then set their sights on Kelly Kelly and eliminate her with a front suplex and a couple of kicks. Torrie tries to throw Sonya out but only gets her to the apron and then Mandy comes up and pushes Torrie over and she lands on the apron as both women fight it out on the apron Mandy hits a running knee to eliminate Torrie. Just when it looks like Mandy and Sonya are going to be a dominant force to be reckoned with in the match, Mandy pushes Sonya off the apron and eliminates her, this makes Sonya so mad she kicks poor Torrie who is trying to get to her feet.

Alundra hits a clothesline on Naomi and Asuka only to turn around and be picked up and eliminated by Nia. Maria takes it to Nia with a chop block and then a DDT. Maria attempts to eliminate Nia but Tamina grabs her from behind only for Maria to hit her with a jawbreaker an then a bronco buster. Nia grabs Maria and easily eliminates her. Zelina hits the running knees on Tamina who is still out in the corner and then tries to do something with her but eats a superkick for her troubles. Tamina hits a Samoan drop on Carmella who rolls under the bottom rope. Nia and Tamina face off and then do the Roman Reigns "hoowaah" pose before delivering a beating to all of the other women in the ring. Nia and Tamina go back to facing off and Lana gets in the middle of them trying to get them to not fight and when Tamina pokes her she slaps Tamina and then delivers some leg kicks on Nia that are not phasing her one bit and then the Samoans hit her with a double headbutt before Tamina eliminates Lana. Nia slams Tamina and then Asuka comes over and unleashes kicks on Nia and this leads to a quadruple suplex spot and everyone is laid out except Ivory.

Carmella rolls back in the ring and it's time for a dance break and she is joined in the dance break by Ivory and you can tell Carmella has broke character and is genuinely having fun. Mandy comes from behind and tries to eliminate Ivory but she is able to hang on. Carmella comes from behind and eliminates Mandy as Ivory holds the rope down. Mandy had a good showing in this match and up to this point had the most eliminations. All the women who were out are back on their feet and Dana hits a handspring back elbow on Ember but is eliminated shortly after with a front suplex by Ember. Carmella tries to hurricanrana Michelle McCool but she uses her strength to power Carmella back up and sit her on the top rope where she is close to being eliminated but eventually gets back into the ring. Ember goes for a springboard crossbody on Michelle but she sticks that long leg of hers up and boots Ember right in the face. Ember blocks a powerbomb attempts and backdrops Michelle to the apron and kicks her off to eliminate her. Asuka and Naomi are working well as a team against Tamina as Asuka hits a codebreaker and Naomi hits her with a dropkick. Naomi runs at Tamina and is backdropped over the top and eliminated.

Ivory hits a facebuster on Asuka while Ember hits a DDT on Nia. Carmella attempts a flying headscissors but it ends up being a botch, thankfully Ember is able to hold onto to her and turn it into something so props to her and good job on commentary for covering for Carmella. Carmella runs at Ember in the corner and is backdropped and eliminated. Tamina gets her time to shine as she crushes Ember in the corner and then fights it out with Ivory who she has set up on the top rope. Ivory comes off the top with a crossbody on Tamina and then goes up for something else but is hit from behind and knocked over the top rope to the apron, Asuka blocks a kick and hits a dragon screw in the ropes and then connects with a hip attack to knock Ivory to the floor. Asuka and Ember face off and Asuka lands a strike combo followed by a pop-up knee, Asuka goes for another running hip attack but Ember moves and Asuka gets caught in the ropes where Ember hits her with a superkick and then eliminates her. Ember stops a superkick from Tamina and runs at her but is slammed with a swinging sidewalk slam. Tamina levels Nia with a superkick before turning her attention back to Ember who uses her speed to outsmart Tamina and eventually hits her with the Eclipse and then eliminates her.

It's down to Ember and Nia and the crowd is now fully behind Ember. Nia swats a charging Ember away and then tosses her across the ring. Nia picks Ember up and looks to eliminate her but she lands on the apron. Ember locks her leg around Nia and tries to use leverage to get Nia out when out of nowhere Zelina shows back up as she was never eliminated as she had rolled out the ring earlier and pushes both women over and thinks she has won the match but both of them were able to hang on and are still in the match. Zelina turns around is face to face with Nia as she tries to plead with her but Nia grabs her by the hair only for Zelina to rake the eyes and jump on her back but Nia uses her power to lift Zelina up and press slam her over the top to the floor. We are back down to Nia and Ember, Ember hits her with a dropkick and tries to clothesline Nia over but it's not working and then Nia hits a chokeslam on Ember and throws her out to win the battle royal.

Battle Royals are usually either a big hit or a big miss and I can happily say this one was a big hit and was tons of fun to watch. I thought pretty much everyone in the match had their time to shine and be the center focus. This was probably Tamina's best performance of her entire career and I also was surprised to see Mandy of all people get so many eliminations. We even got shades of killer Asuka which we haven't seen in months as she has been relegated to a comedy character tagging with Naomi. I was very surprised to see Ivory last as long as she did and much like Trish in the first match, it doesn't look like she has lost a step. There were a lot of memorable spots and some unique ways that people got eliminated. As far as battle royals go this was definitely one of the best that I have watched in a long time and was miles better than the WrestleMania battle royal, great job by all 21 women in this match. Rating: ***1/4

Match #3
Toni Storm def Io Shirai via Pinfall (2018 Mae Young Classic Finals)
In order to read my thoughts on this match, you have to check out my review I did for the Mae Young Classic which you can find here https://mythoughtsonprowrestling.blogspot.com/2018/10/wwe-mae-young-classic-ii-2nd-round.html


In the commercial break before this match, we get an ad for Crown Jewel and as upset as the Saudis got about seeing 10 seconds of women during an ad at Greatest Royal Rumble was just as upset as I was for seeing an ad for Crown Jewel on this all women's show. 

Match #4
Sasha Banks, Bayley, & Natalya def The Riott Squad via Pinfall

Riott Squad makes their way to the ring first and Renee tells us that they are cosplaying as horror movie legends Leatherface (Sarah), Jigsaw (Ruby), and Pennywise (Liva). I'm glad Renee told us who they were supposed to be because before I had a chance to register who they were Ruby had already popped Liv's balloon and Sarah had removed the shirt, so at first I just thought Ruby and Sarah were dressing in their best because it was a special night and I didn't even have time to see Liv carrying the balloon when I was watching live so had it not been for commentary I would have had no clue they were cosplaying as horrors legends. If you're going to do something cool like that keep it up at least until you get in the ring so all the fans can see, don't stop the cosplay at the top of the ramp. I also noticed during the match that Liv's tongue was red instead of the usual blue which was a nice touch to go with the Pennywise cosplay. We got a quick moment where Michael Cole went into Monday Night Raw mode as he had to do his "It's Boss Time" when Sasha made her entrance and that just made me groan as I don't want to hear Monday Night Raw Michael Cole, especially on this show.

This has nothing to do with this match but I didn't know where else to put it but here since this was the first match she announced, I have to at least mention JoJo's dress as it was just WOW and she all I'll say is that she looked AMAZING on this night.

There was a spot early in the match where Nattie goes for a drop down but Liv stops and takes the time to lay down in front of Natalya and give the innocent little angel pose only to get smacked in the face by Nattie. We then see Nattie and Sasha pay tribute to the Anvil by hitting a Heart Attack. Bayley comes in and is a house of fire at first but when she goes to hit one of her baseball slide kicks under the bottom turnbuckle she is intercepted with a dropkick to the ribs by Sarah in a really nice spot. We got a lengthy portion of the match where Riott Squad were cutting the ring off and working Bayley over while making constant tags and doing everything they can to prevent Bayley from making the tag. The Riott Squad actually have some double team moves for this match including an assisted senton backsplash.

Bayley is finally able to make a tag to Sasha and this leads to a nice sequence with Sasha and Ruby. Sasha and Bayley hit their Bank Statement/Bayley to Belly combo on Ruby which leads to Liv breaking up a pinfall by shoving Sasha into Bayley. Sasha dives out of the ring onto the Riott Squad and although it wasn't the cleanest looking dive it worked out as Sasha was caught and sent into the barricade. The Riott Squad then hit a doomsday device move but instead of a clothesline Liv comes off the top and slams Sasha down by her hair. There was a nice storytelling spot where Ruby is looking to come off the top onto Sasha but Bayley lays on top of her to protect her and ends up taking the brunt of a top rope senton splash, this was a nice spot from a storytelling perspective but logically it didn't make sense, why didn't Bayley just knock Ruby off the top that way neither of them would've got hit.

Natalya locks in a double sharpshooter which sounds cool in concept but once she actually has to put it on it looks really awkward. Liv breaks the double sharpshooter with a Liv Breaker. Liv springs off the middle rope and drives both feet into the back of Natalya. Natalya catches a charging Liv in a powerbomb and then Bayley hits her with a diving elbow and Sasha follows with a frog splash and that is enough to put Liv away and give the babyfaces the win.

The babyface team may have won the match but the MVPs of the match were definitely the Riott Squad, the trio worked better as a team on this night than I have ever seen them before and I loved that they were actually using tag match psychology. I think on this night Liv and Sarah were able to show that they were just as good as the babyfaces in this match who are usually the ones to get all the praise and they were even able to step out of Ruby's shadow and be on equal footing with her. If I had to pick the one member of the Riott Squad that stood out in this match it has to be Sarah Logan as she looked really strong and I even said in a chat that in a few years Sarah is going to be the one who is overlooked by WWE that the fans are going to rally behind like they have for Becky Lynch.

Going into this match I wasn't expecting more than your usual Raw 6 woman tag match that we see every week, but I was wrong about that because this was a really good match and completely different than the usual Raw match where it seems like they are just going through the motions sometimes. This could be the best 6 person tag match in WWE this year. Rating: ***1/2

Match #5
Shayna Baszler def Kairi Sane (c) via Submission (NXT Women's Championship)

Shayna uses her power to push Kairi in the corner and then sweeps the leg sending Kairi down on her butt which did not sit well with Kairi so she decides to return the favor and does the same to Shayna. Kairi catches the leg of Shayna and takes her down but Shayna is back up and attempts to lock in the Kirifuda Clutch but Kairi is able to break her grip. Kairi hits a wheelbarrow stunner and a Sliding D that sends Shayna out to the apron where Kairi hits her with a big double stomp. Kairi uses her agility to dodge Shayna and then delivers a chop on Shayna near the steps. Kairi tries to hit another Sliding D but Shayna gets her boot up to block it and then sends Kairi into the steps.

Shayna gets Kairi back into the ring and starts to go to work on the arm hitting her in the corner with running knee strikes. Shayna hits a gutwrench facebuster on Kairi for a two count. Shayna bends the arm back and stomps on it and this causes Kairi to cry out in agony. Kairi rolls up Shayna out of nowhere but she kicks out and then goes right back to work on the arm and snaps it backward in a really sick looking move. Shayna is getting really confident now as she begins to play around with Kairi. Both women exchange forearms until Shayna kicks the bad arm of Kairi. Kairi follows Shayna into the ropes and hits her with a running forearm and Shayna returns the favor by following Kairi in and hitting her with a running knee. Shayna runs off the ropes again and Kairi drops her with a spinning back fist before Kairi drops to the mat as well out of exhaustion.

Kairi rolls over and locks Shayna in the Anchor but her injured arm prevents her from being able to have it locked in fully and Shayna is able to easily get out of it and take control back after kicking her in the arm. Kairi tries to block out the pain and starts beating on Shayna in the corner. Shayna reverses a whip into the corner and then Kairi explodes out of the corner with an Interceptor and then a running shoulder attack into the corner followed by the flipping neckbreaker for a two count. Kairi hits the Alabama Slam and then looks to go up top for the Insane Elbow but Shayna cuts her off and grabs Kairi by the injured arm and locks in a key lock and while the hold is applied she hangs her in mid-air, Shayna releases the hold and Kairi drops to the floor. Shayna rolls Kairi into the ring and attempts a suplex but Kairi counters it into a DDT. Kairi goes back up top but this time Shayna rolls out of the ring so Kairi changes her plans on the fly and hits a beautiful crossbody to the outside onto Shayna.

Shayna charges at Kairi but she gets backdropped into the crowd where a group of the NXT women are sitting, unfortunately for Kairi, one of those women is Shayna's fellow MMA Horsewoman Jessamyn Duke who doesn't take kindly to this as she grabs Kairi by the hair but Kairi takes care of that in quick fashion as she hits her with a spinning back fist. Kairi rolls Shayna back in and for a third time goes up top and once again she is unable to hit the elbow as another one of the MMA Horsewomen Marina Shafir interferes but she gets a back fist as well just like Jessamyn did. The distraction by Marina allows Shayna to recover and lock in the Kirifuda Clutch but in a callback to the finish of NXT Takeover: Brooklyn IV Kairi rolls back to try and get a pinfall but this time Shayna kicks out. Kairi performs an O'Connor roll but Shayna kicks her off and right into a big kick from Jessamyn who is still at ringside. Kairi falls right into the arms of Shayna who locks in the Kirifuda Clutch and this time Kairi is unable to escape and ends up passing out.

I liked this match a lot as the arm work was great and Kairi did a great job of selling it, I loved the arm hanging spot as that was really unique and the rest of Shayn's assault on the arm looked nasty as well. Really good way to keep the Insane Elbow strong as Shayna did everything she could to prevent Kairi from hitting it and was successful as she was never able to hit it the entire match and although she hit Shayna with everything she had she was never able to deliver the killer blow to put her away. Kairi gave Shayna everything she had and Shayna had to resort to getting help from her friends in order to beat Kairi. Kairi has become the thorn in Shayna's side as she is the one woman in NXT Shayna hasn't been able to beat cleanly. Really good action and storytelling in this match.
Rating: ****

We now officially have all four of the MMA Horsewomen introduced and in storylines so that means we're one step closer to having the Horsewomen vs Horsewomen match. I'm really interested to see what happens with the NXT women's division now that Shayna is champ once again and is more dangerous than ever before now that she has her friends as backup. It's interesting to see what the women do at NXT Takeover: WarGames, as all the NXT tv episodes have been taped up to Takeover and nothing, was announced for the women as they had to get this match over with before they could announce something, I'm guessing we either get another rematch or Kairi finds two friends to help her face Shayna, Jessamyn, and Marina.

Match #6
Becky Lynch (c) def Charlotte (Smackdown Women's Championship - Last Woman Standing Match)
While this match may not have technically been the main event of the show, for a lot of fans it was the match they were most looking forward to as it had the best build out of all the matches on the show. This has turned into one of the best feuds of the year despite the fact that once again the WWE screwed up the heel and face dynamic of the feud because they were stubborn and wouldn't listen to the fans, if they had they would know that the fans didn't want to boo Becky and there was nothing the WWE could have her do that would change that fact, especially when Becky is going against Charlotte (who is way better as a heel than she is a babyface). The fans have clearly turned against Charlotte as they now see her being WWE's most prized possession and their booking of her has been way too strong and the fact that she has been booked at the expense of other hot acts (Asuka) has not sit well with the fans. Becky has been on fire since she turned on Charlotte at SummerSlam her promos and the new I don't give a shit about anyone attitude has been brilliant, she is a lot like the modern-day version of Stone Cold Steve Austin as she is supposed to be bad but the fans love everything she does and have thus made her into an anti-hero.

I like how this match started where instead of doing the usual lockup spot both women go right after each other but because they know each other so well they are countering and dodging each other's moves until Charlotte finally shoves Becky down onto her butt. We get some more countering of moves until Becky takes Charlotte down with a clothesline and then hits her with a trio of leg drops. Charlotte counters a European uppercut into a neckbreaker and then goes up top but is thrown off by Becky. Becky hits a Bexploder and then tries for a crossbody off the middle rope but Charlotte moves out of the way and then levels Becky with a big boot that keeps Becky down for a 4 count. Becky sends Charlotte face first into the turnbuckle and then tosses her out of the ring.

Becky follows Charlotte out and looks under the ring for a kendo stick which she proceeds to hit Charlotte with, Charlotte finally is able to grab hold of the stick and tries to get it away from Becky but is kicked in the gut as the kendo stick goes flying. Becky grabs a chair from under the ring as does Charlotte and both women start throwing chairs into the ring and thankfully this isn't ECW or else the crowd would be throwing every chair they could get their hands on into the ring. Once there are about twenty chairs in the ring Charlotte decides to grab a table but Becky stops her by leaping off the steps and hitting her with a forearm. Charlotte hits her own exploder on the outside before going back to setting up the table only to once again be stopped by Becky who hits her in the back with a chair. Becky rolls Charlotte back in the ring and biels her onto the pile of chairs. Becky arranges the chairs in the middle of the ring and looks to hit a Bexploder onto the pile but Charlotte blocks it and slams Becky onto the pile with a back suplex now both women are down. Charlotte rolls out of the ring while the referee keeps counting until Becky gets to her feet at the count of 8.

Charlotte slides a table into the ring and tries to get back in the ring but is met with a springboard kick knocking her back down to the floor. Becky sets the table up while Charlotte makes her way back into the ring where she is slammed with a uranage onto the chairs. The referee gets to the count of 8 and as Becky sees Charlotte fixing to get to her feet she goes back on the attack Becky lays Charlotte up on the table and goes up top but is stopped and as she falls off Charlotte puts the boots to her before laying Becky on the table, Charlotte comes off the top with a moonsault but the table doesn't break. Both women are down as the referee starts his count and as Charlotte gets to her feet she sets the table back up as Becky gets to her feet. Charlotte lays Becky back on the table and goes up top again where she hits a flipping senton splash and this time the table breaks.

Becky and Charlotte are both down in the broken heap of the table and as the referee gets to the count of 9 both women get to their feet only to collapse right back down. Charlotte rolls outside and this time she grabs a ladder and slides it into the ring only to get slammed on it moments later. Becky goes for another slam but Charlotte escapes and takes her down with a chop block. Charlotte traps Becky's legs in the ladder and locks in the Figure 8 with Becky's legs tied up in the ladder, Becky is able to grab a chair and smash it into the knee of Charlotte to get her to break the hold. Becky rolls out of the ring to stop the referees count and Charlotte follows her to the outside. Becky shoves Charlotte into the steps and tells the referee to count and as Charlotte gets to her feet Becky runs her into the ring post. Becky grabs her title and tries to leave through the crowd but Charlotte follows her and the women fight it out amongst the crowd. As they make their way back toward ringside we see Sam Roberts just casually standing around which I found kind of funny.

Charlotte throws Becky back over the barricade and then starts to tear apart the announce table as she looks to be getting ready to throw Becky through it, as she is tearing the table apart she gets a bit careless and flings one of the monitors and I thought at first it was going to hit someone in the crowd but luckily it just landed somewhere at ringside. Charlotte pulls out another ladder and sets it up next to the announce table, Becky grabs her title and hits Charlotte with it and then lays Charlotte across the announce table before climbing the ladder where she comes off with the Dublin Jam sending Charlotte crashing through the table. Becky gets back to her feet at the count of 7 while Charlotte barely makes it back up at the count of 9. Becky delivers some strikes to Charlotte and then stacks every piece of furniture she can find on top of her to prevent her from getting to her feet, but that doesn't work as Charlotte makes it back to her feet at the count of 9.

Charlotte stares at Becky with a look of anger and hatred which leads to Becky backing up and pleading with Charlotte. Charlotte grabs the kendo stick and beats the living shit out of her with it before cutting her in half with the spear. Charlotte drags Becky around ringside and then sets up the table that she tried to set up on the outside early on in the match. Charlotte lays Becky on the table and goes up to the top looking to put her through the table with a moonsault, but Becky gets to her feet and powerbombs Charlotte off the middle rope through the table at ringside. Charlotte crawls and tries to get to her feet but just like a baby deer her legs are slipping and sliding and she is unable to make it to her feet before the count of 10 and with that Becky Lynch is the Last Woman Standing and is still the Smackdown Women's Champion.

I knew this match was going to be good but I didn't expect it to be as brutal as it turned out being as these two beat the crap out of each other. There were so many memorable spots in this match that are sure to be remembered for a long time to come. I think both women did a great job of showing the toll the match was taking on them both from pain and from an exhaustion. I liked that they had Becky win the match in the same way she lost her title to Alexa back at TLC 2016 that was a nice callback. The fact that they let Becky get the win over Charlotte at the first all women's PPV must mean they see a lot in the future for Becky as usually, nobody dominates Charlotte on PPV like Becky did in this match. Overall this was one hell of a match and big congrats to both women for putting on such a great match. Rating: ****

It was announced the next night on Raw that Becky will be facing Ronda Rousey at Survivor Series and that is a match I have been wanting to see since Ronda signed as it will be the battle of the armbars.

Before the main event we go to commentary where Cole and Renee have to run down the matches for Crown Jewel and the look on the faces of both Renee and especially Beth spoke for everyone watching this show as they weren't having any of this shit and if looks could kill Vince McMahon would be a dead man. 

Match #7
Ronda Rousey (c) def Nikki Bella w/ Brie Bella via Submission (Raw Women's Championship)
Ronda is in control for the opening minutes of the match as she throws Nikki around and plays around with her even teasing the armbar early letting Nikki know that she could lock it in at any time but isn't ready to yet as she wants to punish her some more. Nikki is pissed as she doesn't like being embarrassed. Nikki rolls out of the ring and Brie distracts Ronda long enough for Nikki to push her into the ring post and as Ronda gets up Brie runs her into it again before Nikki rolls her back into the ring and applies a chin lock. Ronda works her way out of the hold only to be taken down with a knee to the gut and thrown back out of the ring. Nikki sends Ronda into the barricade and ring apron before rolling her back into the ring for a two count. Nikki applies a headscissors and as Ronda struggles to escape Nikki decides it's time to do some push-ups. Ronda rolls out to escape the hold and just when it looks like Ronda will make a comeback Brie takes a cheap shot at her.

Nikki slams Ronda chest first into the ring post and then goes for a pin but only gets two. Nikki wears Ronda down some more this time with an octopus hold. Ronda throws Nikki off her back but runs into a back elbow and then eats a springboard kick from Nikki. Nikki drives her shoulder into the mid-section of Ronda in the corner and then sets her up on the top where she attempts a superplex but is pushed down by Ronda. Ronda is distracted by Brie long enough for Nikki to run back up and attempt the superplex again but she is knocked down once again. Ronda dives off the top with a crossbody but Nikki moves out of the way and Ronda hits the mat hard. Nikki goes for a baseball slide but Ronda bridges up and Nikki slides under and out of the ring. Nikki rolls back in the ring where Ronda catches her leg and rolls through looking for a Samoan drop but Brie gets on the apron and climbs the rope so Ronda grabs her as well and now has both Bellas up on her shoulders and she slams them both down with the twisting Samoan drop.

Ronda is really fired up now and lands a big kick to Nikki's gut before firing away with punches in the corner. Ronda hits a judo throw and tries to get in some shots on Nikki but she is covering up her face. Ronda is tossing Nikki all over the ring and thinks about some more corner punches but Nikki begs off so Ronda just slaps her. Ronda is seen and heard calling the next spot very loudly as she then tosses Nikki across the ring with a suplex. Nikki rolls out of the ring and tries to escape through the crowd but Ronda stops her and throws her back into the ring. Brie hits Ronda with a forearm and by this point, Ronda has had enough of her interfering so she grabs her and throws her over the announce table. Ronda gets back in the ring and is hits with an Alabama Slam for a two count. Nikki moves out of the way as Ronda charges at her and sends her shoulder first into the ring post and then hits her with the Rack Attack 2.0 but that still isn't enough to end the match as Nikki is in complete dismay that Ronda kicked out of that. Nikki is looking to come off the middle rope but Ronda meets her up there and takes her down with a small package looking move and then she locks in the armbar which Nikki taps out to instantly.

This match was better than I expected as going into the show I didn't think these two would put on a main event quality match but they definitely exceeded my expectations. One thing I like about Ronda is that even though she is billed as the baddest woman on the planet and has this complete badass aura around her, in her matches she doesn't mind being the one that takes the beating and is able to have a back and forth match and doesn't have to stay on offense for majority of the match, that is one reason why I enjoy watching her matches way more than anything Brock Lesnar has done in the past few years. Nikki gained so much respect from me in this match as she was put in this high profile situation of being in the main event and she did a terrific job of delivering a main event heel level performance. I will even give Brie props as her interference spots were all done really well and I feel like given what has happened the past few months with her in matches, perhaps this is the role she is best served as just being Nikki's manager/back up. I actually wouldn't mind seeing a rematch between Nikkie and Ronda in the future which is a complete 180 of what I thought about this match going into this show. Rating: ***3/4

You can still tell Ronda is learning about how things work in WWE from a production standpoint as after the match she goes and celebrates with her husband and then she just stands at ringside for a minute before someone tells her to get back into the ring and then once she gets in the ring and holds the belt up she wants to leave the ring again but you can tell someone tells her to wait and she actually asks what they are waiting for and then you can see her being told to leave the ring. That was just a funny little moment that shows she is having to learn on the fly as for anyone else that would be something they would be taught down in NXT. The show goes off the air with all the women posing at the top of the ramp.

This was such a great show as there was nothing bad or even meh on the entire show, all of the matches felt different and were great in their own way and every single woman busted their butt to make sure this show would be remembered for a long long time. Whether the WWE has another all women PPV or not this show will go down as one of WWE's greatest and most refreshing PPVs in quite a while. Show Rating: A++

WWE Evolution Match Ranking
7. Trish Stratus & Lita vs Mickie James & Alicia Fox
6. 21 Woman Battle Royal 
5. Bayley, Sasha Banks, & Natalya vs The Riott Squad 
4. Ronda Rousey vs Nikki Bella 
3. Shayna Baszler vs Kairi Sane 
2.  Becky Lynch vs Charlotte 
1. Toni Storm vs Io Shirai 

WWE Mae Young Classic II 2nd Round-Finals Review

WWE Mae Young Classic  II: 2nd Round-SemiFinals Review
Winter Park, FL
Full Sail University
Taped: 8/9/18
WWE Network Air Dates: 10/3/18 - 10/24/18
Announcers: Michael Cole, Renee Young, & Beth Phoenix

Episode #5 - Match #1 - 2nd Round
Toni Storm def Hiroyo Matsumoto via Pinfall
I like the addition of having a split screen during their entrance with one half showing a video of how they made it to the second round.

The match starts out with some nice chain wrestling where both women work over their opponent's arm. The chain wrestling ends with both women shaking hands out of respect, but Hiroyo is finished playing around as she kicks Toni in the gut and this is when she flips the Lady Godzilla switch to on and this is when the match starts to pick up. Toni is worked over for a while by Hiroyo until she catches her with a German suplex followed by a running hip attack into the corner, and finally a fisherman's suplex for a near fall.

There is a brutal strike exchange in the middle of the ring before Hiroyo takes Toni down with a clothesline. Hiroyo looks to go for a powerbomb, but Toni backdrops out of it only for Hiroyo to roll through and lock in a Boston crab. Toni gets to the ropes to break the hold, but Hiroyo continues to work on the mid-section as she hits a slingshot splash and lands both knees into the gut of Toni. Toni is again able to get back into the match with a headbutt followed by a bridging German for a two count. Hiroyo hits a deadlift back suplex but only gets a two count, Hiroyo tries to go for the Rock Drop but Toni is able to counter with a roll-up for a near fall. Hiroyo levels Toni with a clothesline and then hits a couple of short arm clotheslines and as she goes for a third, Toni ducks it and is able to surprise Hiroyo with a roll-up to pick up the win.

I couldn't think of a better way to start off the second round as these two put on one hell of a match that had the Full Sail crowd on its feet. This match started off beautiful with the chain wrestling, but by the end, it was anything but pretty as it became the hard-hitting match that you would expect from these two. In the end, Toni was able to outsmart Hiroyo and by using her technique she was able to overcome the brutal beat down that was being given out by Hiroyo and pick up a win. Everything about this match was great and I have no complaints at all. This will be the second match in a row that I have given Toni four stars or higher, it will be interesting to see if she can keep up that pace throughout the rest of the tournament. Rating: ****1/4

Episode #5 - Match #2 - 2nd Round
Rhea Ripley def Kacy Catanzaro via Pinfall
This match was going to be a heartbreaker for me either way as I love them both and didn't want to see either of them be eliminated, but that's the way the tournament worked out and fortunately for us the viewers they put on a really good and a really fun match.

Rhea was great in this match, not only because of everything she did offensively but she served as a great base for Kacy when she was pulling out her highlight reel of moves, it was especially noticeable when Kacy did her Rey Mysterio style spin around DDT as you could see Rhea helping support Kacy so she could spin her way around Rhea's body to hit the move. I have to mention something that is a positive about Rhea that I didn't mention or even think of until I heard Stacey O'Loughlin and Steven Graham talk about it when they reviewed the first round (https://soundcloud.com/prowrestlingonly/staceysteven2) and that's the fact that she is only 5'8, but has the ability to carry herself like she is 6' or taller and that was obviously very evident in this match as she towered over Kacy. If I could change one thing that Rhea did in this match it would be to not have her doing the dropkicks, I know this is probably just a personal weird wrestling peeve of mine but dropkicks from taller wrestlers onto shorter wrestlers don't look that great and should only be used if your opponent is the same height or taller, this is just something I personally didn't like.

Kacy started the match with some nice hit and move work including a nice slide under a big boot. While Kacy did show off some incredible skills in this match with the spinning DDT (which I'm guessing she learned from working with Ricochet on the live events) and a corkscrew plancha, there were a few minor things that didn't work as well for her. Rhea went to drop her on the top rope with a flapjack and instead of landing chest first like you would normally see, Kacy was a bit off as it looked like she hit the top rope with her side more than with her chest. Kacy slipped on the top rope when trying to hit her outside in dropkick, but was able to recover and tried again where she was successful. Those two missteps aside Kacy is doing a great job with less than a year's experience and I wouldn't be surprised if we don't see her on the main roster sooner than some of the other women who have been down in NXT for a while as she has a very high upside. After watching this match I already want to see Kacy team with Rey Mysterio for a future edition of Mixed Match Challenge.

As I said before this match was a lot of fun and both girls put on a great showing and if you're going to be eliminated from a tournament at least do it in style like Kacy did as she had everyone talking about her after this match. Rating: ***

Episode #5 - Match #3 - 2nd Round
Lacey Lane def Taynara Conti via Pinfall
This was a really short match and by looking a the other matches on this episode it was probably for the best this one was over quick as it had the least interest of the four, but it was good and much better than Lacey's first match. Taynara controlled a lot of the match throwing Lacey around with some Judo throws and slams. Lacey does this cool 619 fake out into a roll-up which I thought was unique. The finish comes when Taynara goes for the spinning sidewalk slam she used to finish Jessie Elaban off, but Lacey blocks it and turns it into her crucifix bomb for the win. Nothing much else to say about this other than it was a nice little sprint of a match. Rating: **1/4

Episode #5 - Match #4 - 2nd Round
Meiko Satomura def Mercedes Martinez via Pinfall
This was one of the matches that I had happening in the fantasy bracket that I did in my preview that I'm glad we actually got to see as it looked like a great match-up on paper but actually seeing it was even better than I could've imagined.

Meiko is in full control in the opening minutes as she heavily works over Mercedes's arm before delivering some kicks to the chest to take her down to the mat. Meiko then controls Mercedes with a headlock before Mercedes is able to escape with a slam over her shoulder. Mercedes then grabs a headlock of her own and works it over just like Meiko did to her, but Meiko eventually is able to lock in a head scissors which Mercedes works her way out of and smacks Meiko right in the face. Mercedes delivers some strikes that drop Meiko momentarily and then Mercedes slams her down with a choke bomb for a near fall. Mercedes delivers some more strikes in the corner but is caught with a big kick to the head as she charges at Meiko.

Meiko goes up top but Mercedes crotches her before she has a chance to hit anything and then Mercedes hits a rope assisted twisting neckbreaker. Mercedes looks to be going for her Fisherman Buster, but in a blink of an eye Meiko counters into a Fujiwara armbar and after much struggle, she is able to reach the ropes to break the hold. Meiko hits another series of kicks to a grounded Mercedes before going up top to hit the frog splash for yet another near fall. Mercedes is able to hit a Saito suplex out of desperation to try and buy her some time so that she can try and get her shit together so that she can make a comeback. Mercedes again looks to be going for the Fisherman but once again Meiko is able to turn things around in an instant as she knees her in the gut and drops her with a DDT and then picks her up and hits her with another DDT and this time Mercedes lands right on the top of her head. Meiko hits the cartwheel into a knee drop, but that still isn't enough to put Mercedes away.

Meiko picks Mercedes up looking for her Death Valley Driver, but Mercedes elbows out of it blocks an overhead kick by Meiko, and then drops her with a knee to the face. Mercedes finally hits the Fisherman Buster on her third attempt, but even her best shot isn't enough to finish off the legend that is Meiko Satomura. Mercedes goes to lock in a surfboard dragon sleeper, but before she can lock it in Meiko elbows her way out of the hold. Meiko hits a spinning heel kick and then hits the Scorpion Kick to finally put Mercedes Martinez away.

This match lived up to everything I expected and then some, there really isn't much I can say about this match other than it was a classic and both women busted their asses. Really me trying to put into words how great this match was won't do it justice as it is one that needs to be seen in order for someone to give it the proper appreciation that is deserved. Rating: ****1/2

Episode #6 - Match #1 - 2nd Round
Io Shirai def Zeuxis via Pinfall
Io hits a nice running dropkick early in the match that sends Zeuxis to the outside, but Io would soon get paid back for that as she is hit with a basement dropkick that sends her flying off the apron to the floor where she does a good job selling that she hurt her arm taking that bump. The arm becomes a bullseye for Zeuxis as she zeroes in on it and works it over. Zeuxis hits a running Meteora on Io as she sits in the corner. Io gets back into the match after a cool little trip move where she follows her into the ropes and slides under the bottom rope while grabbing Zeuxis leg. Io slingshots back into the ring and knees Zeuxis right in the head as she is doing that. Io chokes Zeuxis in the corner with both knees and then slingshots her body up in the air so she can come down with all her weight with both knees into Zeuxis chest, and to follow that up she repays her for earlier and hits a running Meteora of her own. Zeuxis tries to roll out of the ring to catch a breather but Io isn't going to let that happen as she hits her with a tope suicida.

Io puts Zeuxis in a crossface, but Zeuxis is easily able to get back to her feet where she pulls out her version of Murphy's Law for a near fall. Zeuxis tries to go for a moonsault but Io rolls out of the way and Zeuxis hits nothing but canvas, Io follows up with a dropkick that didn't hit like most dropkicks in the chest of face this one landed right on the top of Zeuxis head. Io goes up top but before she can do anything she is cut off by Zeuxis who joins her up at the top and tries to go for her Spanish Fly, but Io blocks that and is able to hit a hurricanrana off the top and then another running Meteora that connects right to the back of Zeuxis head. Io goes up top again and this time hits the moonsault to pick up the victory.

I wasn't really impressed by either woman's first-round match, but this match made up for those. This match was exactly the hard-hitting and competitive back and forth match that I was hoping it would be and it allowed me to see more of what makes each woman so special in the ring. I didn't like that Zeuxis worked on the arm early and it was completely forgotten about later in the match. Those dropkicks and knees to the head looked really good and really unique and I look forward to seeing what Io does in the next round. Rating: ***1/4

Episode #6 - Match #2 - 2nd Round
Deonna Purrazzo def Xia Li via Submission
The story of this match was Deonna working over the arm to weaken it for the Fujiwara and Xia doing everything she can to try and finish Deonna off while avoiding being put in the Fujiwara. Xia pulls out every kind of strike she can think of and at one point was even able to escape the Fujiwara and turn it into a roll-up but in the end, Xia's inexperience got the best of her as she was caught coming off the top with a Fujiwara and just to make sure she tapped out Deonna had both arms locked in and that left Xia no choice but to tap out.

If there was any wavering on whether I should be on the Xia bandwagon or not after her match against Karen Q then this match with Deonna confirmed that I should be, within the span of two matches Xia has gone from being one of the returnees I was least looking forward to seeing again to being one I am already wanting to see back next year. This was a fairly short match but had a lot of action packed into it. Rating: **1/2

Episode #6 - Match #3 - 2nd Round

Tegan Nox def Nicole Matthews via Pinfall
Nicole had an attire change since the first round and that fixed the problem she was having with keeping her pants up, but unfortunately, that change only brought on a new problem as now she was having trouble with her top wanting to slide down so she had to keep pulling it back up throughout the match which has to be annoying when your trying to perform and you have to keep tugging at your gear to keep it from exposing you.

Outside of the wardrobe issues, the match itself was really good as both women delivered some nice hard strikes and were not taking easy on their opponent. The cannonball that Tegan hit wasn't like the ones we are used to seeing as Tegan somehow turned her body and sort of hit an inverted flip, I honestly not sure how to describe it but it looked really cool. If this match was able to go longer we may have been in store for something special, but for what it was I still enjoyed it. Rating: **1/2

Episode #6 - Match #4 - 2nd Round 

Mia Yim def Kaitlyn via Submission

I really enjoyed this match as it had some really good limb work with Mia working over Kaitlyn's leg and Kaitlyn working over Mia's hand that she injured in her first-round match when she smacked it against the ring post. Mia's kicks really took a toll on Kaitlyn's leg as it was all red and looked to be bruised. I loved the spot where Kaitlyn finally got enough of Mia's shit and just started twisting away on her injured wrist and bending her fingers back. I like how Kaitlyn uses the most basic wrestling move (the bodyslam) as an integral part of her move set to weaken her opponents. The legwork that Mia had been doing all match finally pays off when she locks in a kneebar and after a bit of a struggle, Kaitlyn has no choice but to tap out.

This was another one of those heartbreak matches for me (just like Rhea vs Kacy from the last episode) in that I didn't want to see either woman eliminated from the tournament as I love them both. Kaitlyn may have been the one eliminated but in the process, she put on the best match she has ever had and hopefully gave WWE enough of a reason to want to sign her as she could be a great addition to any of the brand's rosters. This match was a great way to close out the second round.
Rating: ***1/4

Episode #7 - Match #1 - Quarterfinals

Meiko Satomura def Lacey Lane via Pinfall
This match was the epitome of a rookie against veteran as you had Lacey who has been in the business for a little over two years against Meiko who has been everywhere and done pretty much everything you can do in the wrestling business over her 20+ year career.

We start the match out with both women being able to avoid moves from the other before getting into a strike exchange and as Meiko catches one of Lacey's legs she gently puts it down and instead wants to shake her hand out of respect, but Lacey swats it away and that would prove to be a big mistake as this sign of disrespect pisses Meiko off and she hits a great looking spin kick to take Lacey down. Lacey counters an attempted DVD into an attempted rollup but Meiko stops that and tries to stomp on Lacey, but Lacey moves and quickly sweeps the leg and then kicks Meiko in the face. Lacey trips Meiko and cartwheels over her before landing another kick to the head.

Meiko catches Lacey running off the ropes and lands a big kick to her head. Meiko goes for a roundhouse kick to Lacey's head but she ducks and Meiko has a beautiful transition into an armbar but Lacey eventually gets to the ropes. Meiko hits a snap suplex and then tries to land some punches but Lacey keeps dodging them and comes back with a flurry of strikes of her own followed by a running knee into the corner. Lacey runs up the corner and lands a crossbody for a two count. At this point, Meiko is done playing around as she dodges a running kick and lands one of her own before putting Lacey away with the DVD.

This was a good back and forth match that did a great job of showing that Lacey can hang in there with the best of the best and they used her swan song match in the tournament to really make her shine. Lacey has a lot of promise and I have no doubt she is going to be a big star. Rating: **3/4

Episode #7 - Match #2 - Quarterfinals

Io Shirai def Deonna Purrazzo via Pinfall
This had to be one of the fastest paced matches of the entire tournament as Io and Deonna were moving with purpose in this match and were able to make a lot out of the short time they had in this match.

The match starts out with some nice chain wrestling but it doesn't take long before the pace picks up as Deonna goes for a flying headscissors but Io lands on her feet and then does a cartwheel and a backflip before hitting a dropkick that sends Deonna out of the ring. Io doesn't let Deonna have a moment of rest as she dives to the outside with a tope suicida. Io has Deonna down in the corner and goes for her slingshot doubles knees into the chest, but Deonna saw it coming and rolled out of the way. We get a series of pin near falls with Deonna trying a school girl, Io with a small package, and then Deonna with a jackknife cover but they were all unsuccessful. Io counters an attempted German suplex with what looked to be another pin attempt but instead, she leaps up and lands a double stomp to the gut of Deonna.

Io is very confident now if not a bit cocky as she is smiling while she plays around with Deonna hitting her with a few forearms instead of going in for the kill, this allows Deonna to mount a comeback and hit her hip toss into a basement dropkick combo. Deonna hits a running knee and then a Russian leg sweep that she transitions into the Fujiwara armbar, after much struggle Io is able to turn her body and roll up Deonna this also allows her to get out of the hold. Io catches a charging Deonna and in an instant is able to take her down and lock in a crossface but Deonna is able to get out of the hold the same way Io got out of the Fujiwara. Io hits an uppercut palm strike that sends Deonna reeling against the ropes and then Io hits a 619 followed by a springboard dropkick for a two count.

Io goes for the moonsault but Deonna pulls her down and hits a series of rolling German suplexes. Deonna has a seamless transition from Io kicking out of a pin to once again locking in the Fujiwara, Deonna tries to lock in the double arm Fujiwara that she won her match against Xia with but is unable to lock it in. Just as it looks like Io is fixing to tap she rolls over once again to get out of the hold and transitions back into a crossface on Deonna is able to break Io's grip and roll out of the hold only to be met with a big knee to the head and then a Meteora in the corner before Io goes up and hits the moonsault for the win.

I absolutely loved this match as it had a bit of everything you could ask for as it had chain wrestling, beautiful transitions in and out of submission holds, high flying, strikes, big impact moves, and above all else it had a ton of on the edge of your seat drama. I already am a big fan of Deonna, but after the combination of chain wrestling in this match and the awesome looking strikes in her match against Zeuxis, I am sold on Io and I now am able to see why people hold her in such high regard. I couldn't ask for anything else out of this match as it gave me everything I wanted and needed.
Rating: ****1/4 

Episode #7 - Match #3 - Quarterfinals

Rhea Ripley def Tegan Nox via Referee Stoppage due to Injury

This is the match that Tegan Nox fans were least looking forward to as this is where Tegan is taken out of the tournament due to a complete freak injury that happened after landing the wrong way on a tope suicida. It sucks that it had to be the good leg as now she has to worry about both legs as from now on neither of them will probably be the same again. There really wasn't a match here but I do want to mention that Rhea did hit a really nice looking flapjack where she had Tegan picked up over her head before she dropped her. I'm happy to see Rhea move on to the semi-finals, but sad it had to happen this way as these two could have had a really great match. Hopefully, Tegan will make a quick recovery and be back in NXT before we know it and will prove to everyone once she gets back that she is more than just an injury waiting to happen. Rating: N/A - There wasn't enough of a match to give a proper rating. 

After this episode aired Tegan took to Twitter where she explained the extent of her injury and I honestly don't see how she was even able to stand on her leg able to stand on the thing much less try to continue the match as she dislocated her kneecap, tore her MCL and LCL, tore her ACL and both meniscus, had bone contusions, and had a Segond Fracture in her left tibia, basically in other words she blew her knee to shit and is out indefinitely. There is a heartbreaking video of Tegan in the back right after her injury where she is balling her eyes out and I have to imagine she wasn't just crying because of the pain she was in as it was more than likely tears of frustration and disappointment but thankfully Triple H was there to comfort her and let her know that shit like this happens and that there was nothing she did wrong as it was just a freak accident. 

Episode #7 - Match #4 - Quarterfinals

Toni Storm def Mia Yim via Pinfall

Here we go once again with two of my favorites having to battle it out and knowing that only one can advance breaks my heart as I would be happy if these two were the final two, but sadly one of them will not even make it to the semi-finals.

Mia controls the match from the start with a knee and some kicks before Toni takes her down with a big boot and a running knee in the corner. Toni hits a nice strike combo and a suplex for a two count and then she aims for the bullseye and starts working on Mia's injured hand. Mia makes a comeback after hitting a hard kick to Toni's arm which would be a hindrance to her for the rest of the match. Mia slows the match down as she grounds Toni which includes her locking in a bow and arrow, which is a hold you don't see pulled out that often so that was cool to see. Toni tries to get back in the match but Mia grounds her once again and locks in a front face lock before transitioning into a guillotine choke. Toni is able to get to her feet and escape the hold by slamming Mia with a spinebuster. Mia trips Toni up and again slows the pace down by locking in a chin lock and then kicking away at Toni including one right to the back of Toni's hurt arm.

Mia hits a really nice combo of strikes that includes palm strikes, a kick to the leg, a knee to the head, and an overhead kick. Mia delivers a few more leg kicks before Toni lands a kick to the injured hand and then a headbutt that causes them both to fall to the mat. Both women make it back up to their knees and engage in a strike exchange where they slap the shit out of each other as they both make it back up their feet. Toni catches a kick from Mia and hits a release German followed by a running hip attack in the corner. Toni attempts the Storm Zero, but Mia counters it into a bridging Saito suplex for a near fall. Toni avoids a charging Mia and goes to kick Mia, but she catches the kick and turns it into a powerbomb but that still isn't enough to put Toni away. Toni blocks a Sole Food attempt and grabs the hand of Mia before hitting a release German and immediately after hits the Storm Zero to pick up the win.

Don't get me wrong this match was good but I feel like it was missing something and wasn't quite up to the quality I was expecting, maybe it was the fact that they decided to go the route of slowing the match down by having Mia ground, Toni. I feel the match really kicked into gear once Toni kicks the injured hand and lands the headbutt as from that point to the end of the match I really enjoyed it. While Mia didn't win the MYC for the second year, this year she came out a winner in a different way as after this episode aired she was offered a contract and signed a deal with WWE to be apart of the NXT roster and she made her debut this past week where she came out on the winning end against Aliyah. Toni has quite a challenge ahead of her if she wants to get to the finals as she will be facing off against Meiko Satomura in the semi-finals in what is sure to be a barn burner of a match.
Rating: ****

Episode #8 - Match #1 - Semi-Finals

Toni Storm def Meiko Satomura via Pinfall
We have finally made it to the semi-finals of the second annual Mae Young Classic and surprisingly for WWE there are no Americans (two Aussies and two Japanese) in the final four which I would say is a big step for them, but then I remember where they are going only five days after their first all-female PPV and it goes to show that when it comes to being progressive the WWE can never take one step forward without immediately taking a few steps back. The first semi-final match features two women that are currently apart of my top two matches so far in this tournament and this match between them is sure to rank very high as well, if not take over the top spot. Toni is still sporting wounds from the match she had with Mercedes Martinez in the quarterfinals.

This match starts out with both women being very methodical and not rushing anything, I know I criticized the Mia vs Toni storm match because they slowed things down but for some reason it worked in this match, perhaps it's because it was a semi-final match instead of a quarterfinal match and after making it this far neither competitor wanted to make a mistake that would cost them a spot in the finals. The competitors trade headlocks as they each try to gain control until finally, Meiko takes the first shot with a kick to the chest. Toni tries to slow Meiko back down before Meiko really gets going as she locks in another headlock but Meiko isn't having that and eventually lands another kick and this is when Toni decides to step it up as well as she follows Meiko into the ropes and takes her down with the big boot.

Toni lands a few nonchalant kicks to the head and back of Meiko and then delivers some headbutts that take Meiko down. Toni hits a snap suplex and floats over only to get a two count. Meiko counters a whip to the ropes attempt and delivers a series of devastating leg kicks (that cause Toni to scream out in pain) before locking in an inverted figure four which Toni breaks by getting to the ropes. Meiko hits some more leg kicks followed by a running forearm in the corner, Meiko attempts a back suplex but Toni counters with elbows to the back of the head. Just as it looks like Toni is back in control Meiko takes her down again with a spinning wheel kick. Meiko hits a couple of European uppercuts before Toni block the third one and turns it into a backslide for a two count. Toni locks in a really nice looking leg trapped STF that really takes a toll on Meiko before she is able to get to the ropes. Toni hits her signature running hip attack in the corner and immediately follows up with a fisherman's suplex but that is not enough to put Meiko away.

Toni lands some aggressive kicks to the face and Meiko rolls to the floor to catch a breather but Toni won't let that happen as she dives through the ropes with a tope suicida. Toni rolls Meiko into the ring where she hits a Shining Wizard but since it wasn't "The Shiniest Wizard" it wasn't enough to finish off Meiko. Toni kicks away at Meiko yet again and this time she wakes up the warrior inside Meiko as she pops up from a running boot by Toni and delivers one of her own and we get a quick exchange of big boots before Meiko knees Toni in the gut and drops her with a DDT and then connects with the cartwheel knee drop. Meiko hits the DVD that finished off Lacey Lane and Killer Kelly, but Toni would be a different story as she finds the will to kick out. Meiko tries for a running knee but Toni catches her leg and hits a release German followed by the Storm Zero but this time it's Meiko kicking out of Toni's finishing move. Toni goes for another Storm Zero but Meiko counters and hits an overhead kick followed by a hard kick to the chest for yet another near fall. Meiko is able to connect with the Scorpion Kick but yet again Toni is able to kick out. Meiko goes to set up for another DVD but Toni stops her and turns it into a second Storm Zero to finally pick up the hard earned and well-deserved win.

Good lord what a hell of a match this was and the fact that we still have another semi-final match after this is crazy as these two put on a match that could main event any show, and was better than most of the WWE main roster PPV main events this year. I'm sure there could be a women's match on the indies or in Stardom that was better than this but for matches under the WWE umbrella this is going to be hard to top for best women's match of the year and is in consideration for best WWE match overall. There is nothing I can critique about this match as it was everything it needed to be and then some. I really hope this isn't the last time WWE use Meiko as there are so many women I would love to see her against.

I loved the post-match celebration with Triple H coming out to thank Meiko for her hard work in the tournament and then having Kairi present the flowers to Toni was a nice touch and I'm glad it was Kairi to present the flowers and this moment wasn't used as a way for Stephanie McMahon to get herself noticed on the show. I loved the emotional promo Toni cut as it felt real and genuine. All of the post-match stuff was just the cherry that was needed on top of the delicious sundae that was an amazing match. Rating: ****1/2

Episode #8 - Match #2 - Semi-Finals
Io Shirai def Rhea Ripley via Pinfall
The second semi-final match pits Rhea "The Ripper" Ripley against the "Genius of the Sky" Io Shirai. Rhea has had a very impressive run in the tournament, her new look and more aggressive style have made everyone take notice and she has become one of the standout stars of this year's tournament as she has pretty much dominated every opponent put in her way. With each episode of the MYC Rhea gets more and more invested into her character and just does little things to get the egotistical and disrespectful heel aspect of her character over, for example, I loved her reaction to Tegan getting injured last week where she just shrugged her shoulders and didn't feel any sympathy for Tegan. Io has shown the WWE fans why she has been called one of the best women's wrestlers over the past few years as she is so versatile in her matches and can get the best of her opponents whether it be by engaging in a battle of strikes, grappling on the mat, or taking to the air in order to hit a high impact move.This match is sure to be yet another match that stands out in an already outstanding tournament.

Rhea uses her power to shove Io to the mat from the lockup position and then Io decides to pick up some speed to try and get Rhea off her game as she takes her down with a dropkick but this comeback doesn't last long as Rhea slams her back down to the mat with a flapjack. Rhea kicks away at the back of Io before stretching her on the mat where she applies a claw hold to the ribs of Io. Rhea cuts off a potential comeback by punching Io in the ribs. Rhea is really feeling confident now as she stands with one foot on the back of Io and poses. Rhea gets Io back in a hold and continues to dig her fingers into the rib cage, Io lands some strikes to try and get herself back into the match but Rhea takes her right back down with a forearm. Rhea mounts Io and unleashes a flurry of punches to the face of Io. Rhea locks in a body scissors and casually checks her fingernails as she knows she has full control. Io leans back trying to pick up an upset win but Rhea easily powers her back up and delivers several hard forearm shots to the back of Io while she still has the body scissors locked in. Rhea eventually breaks the hold and follows up with a dropkick for a near fall.

Rhea works on the back with kicks and stomps before delivering a stalling vertical suplex for another near fall. Rhea reapplies the body scissors and even rolls over to where she is sitting on the back of Io. Io is finally able to turn her body to where she is face to face with Rhea and delivers numerous forearm strikes to finally get Rhea to break the hold. Rhea sends Io into the ropes looking to hit another flapjack but Io counters and hits a hurricanrana out of nowhere for a two count and then follows up with a seated dropkick that sends Rhea out of the ring to try and get herself back together. Io doesn't let Rhea rest for long as she hits her with a tope suicida and now both women are laid out on the ramp. One thing I like about Io's tope suicida's is how she turns her body in mid-air so that she turns the move into a crossbody instead of diving head first. As Io is going to get into the ring Rhea grabs her leg and yanks her to the floor and wants a countout victory which she almost gets but Io gets back in the ring at the count of nine. Rhea reigns down with a series of forearms to the back of Io as she is now frustrated that all her effort so far hasn't been able to put Io away.

Rhea is screaming at Io and this delay allows Io to slap her in the face and Rhea answers that with a big forearm that makes Io crumble to her knees. Rhea looks for another vertical suplex but Io escapes out the back and lands some uppercuts that have Rhea reeling against the ropes and this allows Io to hit a 619 followed by a missile dropkick off the top for a nearfall. Io hops back up to the top looking for the moonsault but Rhea trips her up and she lands stomach first on the buckle. Rhea meets Io up on the top and delivers a superplex but this still isn't enough to finish off Io. Rhea sets Io up for the Riptide, but Io is able to counter and send Rhea shoulder first into the corner. Io hits the running Meteora in the corner and finally is able to hit the moonsault for the win and to punch her ticket into the finals.

 After the match Triple H greets Rhea at the top of the stage and I'm so glad they didn't have Rhea and Io hug after the match as that would take away from the awesome character work that Rhea has been doing throughout the tournament. It sucks that Rhea had to be eliminated as it would've been cool to have an all Aussie finals but I'm pretty sure Rhea will be just fine after this, in fact I expect big things happening in her near future. It was cool to see Kairi and Io in the ring together as they are really good friends and former partners back in Stardom.

While this match was really good and did a great job of showing how dominate Rhea can be, I feel it was a step below the Toni vs Meiko match as it didn't feel like Io had done quite enough damage to Rhea for just one moonsault to finish her off after she had controlled 90% of the match. I definitely think the two semi-final matches should have been switched around and let Toni vs Meiko be the main event for this episode. As happy as I was to see Rhea in the semi-finals I feel like Io's match against Deonna felt more like a semi-final match than this one did, but that could be because Io was most likely supposed to face Tegan in this match and not Rhea so they (Io, Rhea, and the agents) didn't have as much time to plan out a match, as this match happened only an hour or so after the Tegan injury. If that was the case then the match that did end up happening was pretty damn good for only being planned out a short time before.  Rating: ****

WWE Evolution - Mae Young Classic Finale

We started with 32 of the most talented women in the world and now after four very competitive rounds of action we are down to the final two competitors, these two competitors will battle it out for the right to be called the winner of the 2018 Mae Young Classic.

In one corner we have "The Rockstar" Toni Storm who is looking to prove herself after making it all the way to the semi-finals last year before being eliminated by eventual winner Kairi Sane, this year she has made it to the finals but she isn't going to settle for second place as she wants to claim the honor of winning the entire tournament. Toni is one of the most versatile performers in the entire tournament and can get a great match out of anybody (probably even a broom stick) and work any style and the fact that she is only 23 years old means that she has a long and bright future ahead of her. Toni is currently working for the NXT UK brand but I have a feeling that by this time next year she will be apart of the main roster as she has talent and a look that the entire world needs to see, not just the hardcore fanbase. I currently have all four of Toni's tournament matches ranked in the top ten for this year's tournament and have all of them rated at four stars or higher.

In the other corner, we have the "Genius of the Sky" Io Shirai who wants to win so that she can show that there is a reason why she has been regarded as one of the absolute best wrestlers in the entire world for the past few years. There are many wrestlers that are known for their strikes but Io's strikes are different than most as the way she hits them is very unique, if you want an example of what I'm talking about watch her match with Zeuxis where she dropkicks her in the top of the head. It took me a couple of matches to really get warmed up but Io's quarterfinal match against Deonna Purrazzo sold me on her and I have no doubt that she will follow in her fellow Stardom alumni's footsteps and be a big star...or at least until she gets to the main roster. I unfortunately only have two of Io's matches in the top ten as it took me a while to get warmed up to her but I'm sure this match will make it into the top ten as well.

Toni and Io are no strangers to each other as they have had four matches against each other in the past and their win/loss record against each other is tied at 1-1 with the other two matches ending in time limit draws, so this match will be the rubber match to see who is the better competitor. This match has the chance to be the best match on the Evolution card as Io and Toni are going to want to impress everyone and show the fans who may not have watched the MYC exactly why they belong in the WWE.

I really hope that when Toni Storm comes to the main roster and has her first match at one of the big PPVs that WWE is able to get Nita Strauss to play her to the ring as that would really be a badass entrance. I liked that Michael Cole gave a shoutout to Tegan Nox before the match, that was a nice thing for him (or whoever told him to say it) to do.

The match starts out with some nice chain wrestling for the first few minutes with both women concentrating on working over the arm. Toni turns the dial up to the next notch and picks up the pace by landing a striking combo and then outsmarting Io by not running over the top of Io as she drops down but instead running to the side ropes so that she can hit a dropkick on Io. Toni lands a couple of strikes and then Io hits her with a dropkick. Io drives both of her knees into Toni's mid-section and then transitions into a Rings of Saturn and Toni has no choice but to reach the ropes in order to escape the hold. Toni is able to make a comeback and hit a release German suplex followed by a running hip attack in the corner.

Toni is looking to hit a move off the top but before she can Io rolls over to the ropes and gets to her feet which throws Toni off her game and causes her to hesitate and this hesitation would cost her as Io springboards up to the top rope and dropkicks Toni off the top all the way to the floor. Io follows up with a moonsault from the inside to the outside onto Toni. Io and Toni get to their feet and have an exchange on the apron where Toni is trying to hit Storm Zero, but Io keeps blocking it so finally Toni headbutts Io and this allows her to hit a German suplex to Io on the apron. Io makes it back into the ring at the count of nine and we then get an exchange of hard forearm shots which Io gets the best of as she hits so many of them that she beats Toni down to the mat before picking her back up and hitting an uppercut. Io runs off the ropes and is met with a big clothesline by Toni. Toni uses this as an opportunity to pick Io right up and hit her with a Storm Zero but somehow Io is able to kick out.

Io rolls out to the apron and is still showing signs of pain from the German suplex on the apron. Toni tries to pick Io up but is hit with a stunner as she is in between the ropes. Toni is stunned on the ropes so Io hits her with a 619 and then springboards off the top and over Toni with a sunset flip that only gets her a two count. Toni rolls over and tries to catch her breath in the corner but there isn't much time to rest as Io hits her with the Meteora in the corner. Io jumps up to the top looking for her moonsault but Toni is able to get her knees up and then immediately hits the Storm Zero to pick up the win and be crowned the winner of the 2018 Mae Young Classic.

This match felt like something you would watch in Japan rather than in WWE which is nice as it's always nice to see a match in WWE that is not worked like most WWE matches. This match was filled with really hard strikes and some crazy big impact moves like the dropkick knocking Toni off the top and of course the apron German suplex. I like that they kept Io's moonsault strong as they had Toni put her knees up and block it instead of kicking out of it. This match did not disappoint in the least as Toni and Io went out and put on one heck of a match that was definitely worthy of being the final match to close out an amazing tournament and I have no complaints at all about the match. Rating: ****1/4

I have really enjoyed watching and reviewing this tournament and I hope you enjoyed reading my review of it as well, overall it was a great eight weeks of action and just showed that the future of the women's divisions in WWE is brighter than ever and the women who make up the future of WWE are some of the most talented and athletically gifted women in the entire world and the fans of women's wrestling has so much to look forward to in the future.

Mae Young Classic II Match Rankings
30. Zeuxis vs Aerial Monroe 

29. Lacey Evans vs Vanessa Kraven 

28. Taynara Conti vs Jessie Eleban 

27. Kaitlyn vs Kavita Devi 

26. Kacy Catanzaro vs Reina Gonzalez 

25. Lacey Lane vs Taynara Conti 

24. Nicole Matthews vs Isla Dawn 

23. Deonna Purrazzo vs Priscilla Kelly 

22. Io Shirai vs Xia Brookside 

21. Tegan Nox vs Zatara 

20. Tegan Nox vs Nicole Matthews 

19. Deonna Purrazo vs Xia Li 

18. Xia Li vs Karen Q 

17. Rhea Ripley vs MJ Jenkins 

16. Mercedes Martinez vs Ashley Rayne 

15. Meiko Satomura vs Lacey Lane
14. Rhea Ripley vs Kacy Catanzaro 

13. Io Shirai vs Zeuxis 

12. Mia Yim vs Kaitlyn 

11. Meiko Satomura vs Killer Kelly 

10. Mia Yim vs Allysin Kay 

9.  Io Shirai vs Rhea Ripley 

8. Toni Storm vs Mia Yim 

7. Hiroyo Matsumoto vs Rachel Evers 

6. Toni Storm vs Jinny 

5. Io Shirai vs Deonna Purrazzo 

4. Toni Storm vs Hiroyo Matsumoto 

3. Toni Storm vs Io Shirai 

2. Meiko Satomura vs Mercedes Martinez 

1. Toni Storm vs Meiko Satomura