Never in the history of WWE has a live crowd ever harboured a chant of “T-N-A.” The professional wrestling promotion that almost immediately proceeded WCW as the number 2 promotion in North America behind WWE has always been just that … number 2.
But for one fleeting moment on Aug. 19, 2018, TNA Wrestling briefly took the spotlight. As the bell rung around 8:30 p.m. ET to signify the start of the WWE Championship match, the Barclays Centre in Brooklyn, N.Y., rang out with chants of, “T-N-A, T-N-A.” But of course, the chant wasn’t in honour of the fledging wrestling organization. No, it was actually a representation of the fever-pitch for two of the best pro wrestlers on the planet finally exposed on the biggest stage.
A.J. Styles and Samoa Joe, former TNA Stars, lived up to the hype and chemistry their former pro wrestling lives created for them, cementing themselves as no-doubt, main event WWE Stars. Oh, and by the way, we’re not even close to being done with this rivalry.
“This is combat in its purest form and it is beautiful,” said colour commentator Corey Graves.
The WWE Championship match was physical, calculated, psychological and, best of all, deeply personal. It was brilliantly bookended with Samoa Joe grabbing the microphone and calling out Styles’s wife, who was sitting in the crowd with the couple’s daughter. In the closing moments of the match, Joe grabbed the mic, looked at Wendy Styles and said, “I’ll be your new daddy.”
Cue some chair shots from Styles, a disqualification, and a rematch between these two down the road. Please, again and again.
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Roman Reigns defeats Brock Lesnar (C) for the Universal Championship
Well … It finally happened.
Roman Reigns is your new WWE Universal Champion. It had to happen. Brock Lesnar is heading back to the UFC in the new year, and will likely be working on an even stricter part-time schedule than he is already working, and WWE needed to get the top title on Monday Night Raw back on television to elevate its value.
Braun Strowman made things interesting at the start of the match by threatening to cash in his Money in the Bank contract, and it certainly helped to distract the crowd byway of turning their attention away from the polarizing Reigns, if only for a few moments. In the end, though, things went according to plan. The title is no longer on Lesnar, and Roman Reigns is on top.
Now let’s move on.
Rating: 2.75/5 Stars
Ronda Rousey defeats Alexa Bliss for Raw Women’s Championship
It was just a matter of when, as there were no questions about, “if.”
Ronda Rousey has won her first championship in WWE, and is now the first woman in history to hold a UFC championship and WWE championship.
And she made it look easy.
Rousey squashed Alexa Bliss to claim the WWE Raw Women’s Championship. There wasn’t much to the match. There were a quick succession of slams and submissions, followed then by a post-match celebration with Natalya, Nikki Bella, Brie Bella, and Rousey’s husband Travis Browne.
Rousey is destined to be immortalize herself as one of the greatest women’s wrestlers of all time and Sunday evening will, one day, be just a small part of her history. As Rousey made her way back up the ramp back towards the locker room, she screamed, “This is for Jim Neidhart! This is for Roddy Piper! This is for all of you!”
Ronda Rousey will also be looked on as a generational athlete who adapted and reacted to the business like few before her. But, perhaps, she will be most remembered for loving every second of it along the way.
Rating: 2.25/5 Stars
Miz defeats Daniel Bryan
There was so much emotion involved in this match that it would have been tough to fall flat. WWE did a terrific job with the video packages ahead of the match, giving it a big fight feel. The two sports entertainers then performed admirably to live up to the expectation of a meaningful bout.
As mentioned in Sportsnet’s preview piece, Miz used some old tactics to help eke out a win. With wife Maryse sitting ringside, Miz was handed a foreign object that he struck Bryan with to help score the pinfall victory.
The good news here surrounds the fact that these two are not done with each other and will wrestle again in the coming months.
Rating: 3.75/5 Stars
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Seth Rollins defeats Dolphins Ziggler for the Intercontinental Championship
For almost the entire year, Seth Rollins has been the MVP of Monday Night Raw. Rollins has consistently put on high quality matches, while also helping elevate the Intercontinental title to help with the absence of Brock Lesnar and the Universal Championship.
On Sunday, Rollins, alongside the extremely impressive Dolphins Ziggler, put on another masterful performance.
With Dean Ambrose and Drew McIntyre standing at ringside, there was some “ga-ga” but it didn’t deflect away from the match. In fact, the two wrestlers at ringside helped elevate what was already an outstanding contest, while also teasing what’s next.
After Rollins curb-stomped Ziggler and scored the pin, the Sportsnet newsroom was anxious and excited as Ambrose stood close behind a celebrating Rollins, wondering if the new-look Ambrose would also then sport a new-look attitude. There was a small and subtle tease, but nothing else.
Either way, the rest of 2018 is looking bright for Seth Rollins and the Intercontinental Championship.
Rating: 4.25/5 Stars
Charlotte Flair defeats Becky Lynch and Carmella (C) for the Smackdown Women’s Championship
For a match featuring one of the best wrestlers on the roster, this match left a lot to be desired.
Charlotte Flair pinned Becky Lynch to become the new Smackdown Women’s Champion, taking her place atop the women’s division where she so obviously deserves to be. The match leading up to her coronation wasn’t the greatest, though, as it was filled with bad timing and poorly executed moves.
However, the most noteworthy point of the match came after the bell had sounded as Becky turned on Charlotte, leaving her lying in a heap behind the German announce table. The crowd gave a massive roar for Lynch, signifying the entire WWE Universe was ready for Becky’s change of attitude.
Look for these two to meet at Evolution, WWE’s first all-women pay-per-view, in October, where they will be given a good chance to shine in a one-on-one match.
Rating: 1.5/5 Stars
The rest of the main card …
Braun Strowman defeats Kevin Owens to retain the Money in the Bank contract
Rating: 0.5/5 Stars
Fin Balor defeats Baron Corbin
Rating: 2/5 Stars
The New Day defeat The Bludgeon Brothers (C) by DQ
Rating: 2.25/5 Stars
Shinsuke Nakamura (C) defeats Jeff Hardy to retain the U.S. Championship
Rating: 2/5 Stars
