Very happy to hear the great time your girlfriend and you had at Clash at the Castle. Overall, I thought each match was solid, but with no 'Match of the Year' candidates. I agree with you on Rhodes vs Styles and how it ended. I don't see a third match in the series, particularly since Cody has already won the first two. Rhodes vs Sikoa at SummerSlam appears to be the plan, with Roman returning. If it happens, would Reigns target Rhodes or would he focus on Sikoa (or perhaps both)? The surprise result of the night was the Unholy Union (Alba Fyre & Isla Dawn) winning the women's tag titles. I get the feeling this may have been a late booking decision, possibly in conjunction with the fact none of the other hometown wrestlers were going to win. The Jade Cargill botch probably tainted people's opinions of the bout, but it was fine. Zayn vs Gable buried in the middle was a bit surprising, but they pulled off the match I expected they would, with the predicted result. I was okay with delaying Otis' departure until Raw, though I found it didn't have the emotional impact it could have. It was kind of just the final step on the road to freedom. Bayley vs Piper Niven felt like a storyline put together solely to capitalize on Niven being from Scotland. WWE did do a good job giving us some background on her that wasn't generally known. Bayley goes somewhat underappreciated because she doesn't have a bigger personality. Her heel run was better than expected and I can see her turning again maybe in 2025. As for the main event, I actually liked my own booking better than WWE's. Having Punk interfere and cost McIntyre the title was the most conventional option. It could be Drew's recent contract included an agreement to give him some time off to heal. Since the Voice of the Voiceless isn't likely to step back into the ring before Summerslam, McIntyre can take a month off, then return for a couple of weeks to build up a SummerSlam match with Punk, if that's the plan. I hear your frustration with the lack of bells and whistles (and pyro). Despite its success, this Clash at the Castle didn't have the grandeur of the first one in 2022, where it was next to an actual castle and an outdoor event. Also had a touch of 'cash grab', given ticket prices and the scaled down production. Finally, regarding Raw, I'm interested to see where WWE goes with this Wyatt 6. I believe you were thinking of Joe Gacy as a member of the faction. Don't be surprised if a sixth person is added in the form of Alexa Bliss as Sister Abigail.

Happy to see you were at Smackdown and are going to Clash at the Castle: Scotland! As you saw, I posted my predictions on your most recent video, prior to this one. We appear to have all the same predictions, but the CM Punk factor does remain the most fascinating one. As for the future, I don't expect Cody Rhodes to go into a program for Money in the Bank. I think we may see something more long term, but with who remains a mystery. Gunther is a possibility, but don't be surprised if Brock Lesnar re-appears and ends up in a program with the King of the Ring, particularly since they were rumoured to be in one leading up to Wrestlemania 40, until the Vince McMahon-related fallout. The focus for the MITB will be the two bouts themselves, as well as whatever goes down with McIntyre and Punk and Sami, Chad and the Alphas. LA Knight vs Logan Paul could also be a part of the show, but a match could be delayed until SummerSlam. Knight will walk out as U.S. champion and Paul can just go bugger off somewhere with his Tetris game. Oh, and there will be Judgment Day fallout. We do have differing views on Damian Priest. I think his positioning is earned. Maybe a transition champion, but someone who should be in the upper card for a long time to come.

Seeing as you appear to not be putting out a predictions video for Clash at the Castle: Scotland, here is what I expect to go down, in the predicted match order: 1. Sami Zayn defeats Chad Gable to retain the Intercontinental championship. (Watch for Gable to dismiss the Alphas on Monday and replace them with the Creed Brothers and Ivy Nile.) 2. Bayley defeats Piper Niven to retain the WWE Women's Championship. 3. Naomi and Jade Cargill win the triple threat match and retain the women's tag titles. 4. Cody Rhodes defeats AJ Styles to retain the Undisputed WWE title. 5. Drew McIntyre defeats Damian Priest to win the World Heavyweight Championship (with CM Punk interfering on Drew's behalf, so as to rob him of the moral victory of cleanly beating Priest).

The sunglasses and t-shirt ensemble suits you quite well. Helps bring out your personality even more.

King and Queen of the Ring was a generally good show, though I suspect most may have liked it more than me as I skipped Cody Rhodes/Logan Paul. (When Paul commits to WWE full time or has another television match, I'll pay attention to him.) The Dominik Mysterio/Liv Morgan swerve began on the pre-show, where they crossed paths. That foreshadowed what went down on the Premium Live Event. You got that (and every other) prediction right while it was my lone incorrect guess. I think the Gunther/Randy Orton circumstance is a work. By that I mean it was done by design so that Gunther would win but Randy Orton would be protected. WWE is mindful to keep Randy strong because he's still only months removed from a long absence and can be such an asset to the upper card. A rematch is inevitable, but I agree with you and don't see the crown being put on the line. This week's Smackdown will be a good litmus test to see what comes next, depending on Orton's reaction. Aside from the matches you reviewed and the main event I didn't watch, there was also Nia Jax vs Lyra Valkyria. More and more I'm enjoying Jax. Her in-ring work has improved and she's got such a snarky way of dealing with everyone, it suits her as a heel. Finally, I like what you did at the end of the video, editing in the final LA Knight salute almost like a hidden track (if that reference means anything to you).

King and Queen of the Ring predictions, made after the May 24th Smackdown and in the match order I expect: Pre-show: Unified WWE women's tag titles: Jade Cargill/Bianca Belair defeat Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell. (retain belts) Main show: Intercontinental title: Sami Zayn defeats Chad Gable and Bronson Reed (retains title) Women's world title: Becky Lynch defeats Liv Morgan (retains title) Queen of the Ring: Nia Jax defeats Lyra Valkyria (becomes QOTR) King of the Ring: Gunther defeats Randy Orton (becomes KOTR). Watch for Bloodline interference to cost Orton the match. Undisputed WWE championship: Cody Rhodes defeats Logan Paul (retains title) As with many Saudi shows, it's a bit on the thin side. Gunther vs Orton is the real draw. Otherwise, I'm happy to watch Zayn, Gable and Jax and skip Logan Paul. Final thought: King of the Ring used to mean more than it currently does. However, that could change with Queen Nia and - wait for it - the (King of the) Ring General

The audience definitely augmented the PLE. However, all five matches were booked to give each wrestler a chance to showcase their abilities. If you can get past the predictability factor and enjoy the show on its merits, it was a success. WWE's 2024 is shaping up as a truly international year. Don't forget Day 1 (New Year's Day Raw) was in Canada (Vancouver) and Elimination Chamber was in Australia (Perth). With Royal Rumble and Wrestlemania in the U.S., Backlash in France, King and Queen of the Ring concluding in Saudi Arabia, Clash at the Castle coming to Scotland and Money in the Bank heading to Canada (Toronto), the first half of 2024 will have seen big events in six countries, on three continents. We will leave the 'best fans' argument between Europe and Canada for another day.

I'm a little late with predictions, but this is what I had written down, in the match order I expected: 1) Bayley pinning Naomi to retain the WWE women's title in the triple threat match that also included Tiffany Stratton. 2) Solo Sikoa and Tama Tonga defeating Kevin Owens and Randy Orton after Logan Paul interfered behind the referee's back. 3) Jade Cargill and Bianca Belair defeating the Kabuki Warriors to win the women's tag titles. 4) Jey Uso defeating Damian Priest by disqualification after the referee catches JD McDonagh interfering. 5) Cody Rhodes defeating AJ Styles.

Excellent review! I agree with much of it, most notably the overall success of the night. I was fine, however, with all the elements of the first match. It could be WWE was hedging its bets because McIntyre has reportedly still not signed a new contract and has less than two months left on his current one. He still comes across strong while WWE doesn't waste Damian Priest's patience in having waiting longer than most to cash in Money in the Bank. I also wasn't surprised with Seth losing because I fully expected he'd be taking time off to deal with his knee issues. Pride vs Final Testament was okay, but it might have served WWE better to have Karrion Kross et al go over. They're currently in an NXT angle of some sort. LA Knight vs AJ Styles was what it needed to be. Styles (the steady veteran) put over Knight (the rising veteran) at the Showcase of the Immortals. But, Styles is a good candidate to cheat to win on Smackdown, to set up a short-term program with Cody Rhodes for Backlash where Rhodes will go over. I'm not a Logan Paul fan, in part because of his sketchiness but also because he only works PLEs (except for one Smackdown match). The bout worked well, but I have no interest in the mascot and whatever supposed RU-vid personality was in it. I'd have preferred seeing Orton win, but wasn't surprised with the result. I wish WWE would now retire the overused brass knuckles gimmick with Paul. Bayley vs IYO was a feel-good moment on a more modest scale than the main event. Less discriminating people are letting slide the multi-year long heel run she was on a little too easily for my taste. I'm happy for her and not surprised she won. Watch for a rematch with the Genius of the Sky before both move on to other things. Finally, Reigns vs Rhodes gave us the result we really should've had at WM 39. And but for the unprecedented social media backlash when Roman vs the Rock was announced - which I totally believe was the result of the Rock's deal to join the Endeavor board of directors - we might not have had Cody finishing the story at WM XL. But the WWE heard the response and pivoted back to Roman vs Cody. That not only served them better, it served the Rock better because he could go heel and receive nuclear reactions that included some support. The match was built up and executed tremendously. I wonder if Stone Cold Steve Austin will come out at some point and lament the inability to have come to an agreement to be the Rock's foil, instead of Undertaker. But it still worked. And it had the feel of the Rock being made aware though he may be the final boss, he can still answer to a more powerful in the ring.

Great to see you doing predictions! I agree with you on Seth/Cody vs Rock/Roman and Rhea vs Becky. I'm mostly with you on the tag match. I agree the belts are being split. Awesome Truth will win the Raw belts, New Catch Republic the Smackdown ones. I think Sami Zayn will dethrone GUNTHER for the IC title (but it's the prediction with which I have the least confidence). GUNTHER needs to graduate to the main event scene. I disagree with you on Jimmy vs Jey, if only because I don't know where the feud goes if Jey wins. Naomi/Bianca/Jade winning is probably the easiest prediction for victory, for the reason you describe. Simply put, Jade isn't losing. Finally, to give you context for the tag team match of Rey/Andrade vs Dom/Santos, Andrade showed his loyalty to the LWO earlier in the evening by not going along with an attack on the faction and actually joining forces to help thwart that attack. Later in the show, Dragon Lee was attacked in the back of the arena. We don't see the perpetrator, only the aftermath where Carlito (and possibly other LWO members), Nick Aldis and one other official are on the scene. Lee was later ruled out of Wrestlemania and Andrade stepped up to take his place. Definitely watch for a heel turn from Carlito, as he joins Legado Del Fantasma. There have been subtle hints dropped he isn't happy with his role in the LWO. I agree with you that Santos and Dom win.

The sunglasses really suit you.

Have fun!

Elimination Chamber is about to get underway. Predictions for that premium live event: Raquel Rodriguez wins the women's Elimination Chamber. Brock Lesnar defeats Bobby Lashley. Rhea Ripley & Finn Balor defeat Edge & Beth Phoenix. Austin Theory wins the men's Elimination Chamber and retains the U.S. title. Roman Reigns defeats Sami Zayn to retain the undisputed WWE Universal championship.

It's great to see you back! I spent a little time earlier in the day figuring out predictions. We are in agreement on four results. I think Bray Wyatt will defeat LA Knight, and I can understand your feelings on this having been Knight's first main roster feud. With the Pitch Black match being a blank canvas, so to speak, WWE can do a lot with it. I don't mind supernatural elements to it, I just don't want a repeat of the Wyatt / John Cena Wrestlemania acid trip. No cinematic matches, everything needs to happen in the arena. I agree with you on Bianca Belair over Alexa Bliss. I think Uncle Howdy plays a role and that, post-match, Bliss could disappear through the doorway he comes in. If so, she could be gone for awhile. Conversely, if the women's title match goes on before the Pitch Black match, she could return and play a part in the result of that match the same way Uncle Howdy could. We are also in agreement about Roman Reigns defeating Kevin Owens. I think WWE has done a good job in building up Owens, but I also believe it's to make him a top-level challenger for Reigns, who will still go over. I think Sami Zayn does play a role and we could see the start of an official babyface turn if he can't bring himself to do what Roman asks of him. We are also in agreement on the Royal Rumble winners. I think Cody Rhodes is the odds-on favourite, given how they've built up to his return. I'm also disappointed we were told ahead of time of his return. Supposedly, the powers that be already like the surprises they have in store and felt they could give this one away. Now I know there's been speculation on who could walk through the proverbial hidden door, with names like Jay White and even the Great Muta mentioned. But, could we actually get Dustin Rhodes as a surprise entrant? I think AEW would agree to such an appearance, given he's heading into retirement later this year. And it would be a moment. He could also appear after the match, should Cody be victorious. Finally, we are also in agreement with Rhea Ripley winning the women's Rumble. It needs to be someone who'll get a rub from it. Ronda Rousey is not scheduled to be there, and Charlotte is already champion. I suppose whichever one of Bianca Belair or Alexa Bliss isn't the champion after their match, they could enter the women's Rumble, should it be scheduled after their bout. So, we are in agreement with four results. We'll have to see what happens. One last thing. As I know you're not on RU-vid a lot, if you ever have any wrestling thoughts or anything else on your mind, you can DM me on Twitter. I sent a very brief message a few moments ago, just to touch base with you once more on that site.

Firstly, feel better Aiden! I'm going to agree with you on three predictions, disagree with you on two. I will give my own predictions in the match order I expect. That means the triple threat match is up first. I'm with you on this expectation. Seth Rollins has switched babyface without really doing anything differently. The live crowds have just latched onto him as an in-ring talent with plenty of charisma, who can cut a promo. I think Bobby Lashley and Austin Theory will both be teased as the winner, but Rollins will be success in his U.S. title reign defense. Next will be Ronda Rousey vs Shotzi (Blackheart), which WWE will use as a cool down match of sorts. I agree Ronda has lost momentum. She's an in-ring talent but her promos are stilted and sound rehearsed. Shotzi is a fine roster member, but she hasn't done anything to make me think she's going to win the Smackdown title. Ronda Rousey wins and retains the belt. I expect A.J. Styles vs Finn Balor will be the third bout. This is our first disagreement. I think the OC needs the win because they've mostly lost on Raw. The addition of Mia Yim finally evened the odds, and for that to mean something I think Styles would benefit from a victory. Neither wrestler will be hurt too badly by a loss, but I see Styles over Balor. Finally, the WarGames matches. I expect they'll go back-to-back, because of the need for the two rings. As I recall, one wrestler from each team will start out. After 'x' amount of time, a 3rd wrestler joins. After the same amount of time, the 4th one comes in, and so on. The point of Rhea Ripley vs Asuka on Raw this week and Sheamus/McIntyre vs the Usos on Smackdown was to determine which team would get the 3rd, 5th, 7th and 9th entries and which would get the 4th, 6th, 8th, and 10th ones. The victories by Ripley and Sheamus/McIntyre mean their teams will get the 3rd, 5th, 7th and 9th entries, meaning they'll be one wrestler up at several intervals. Once all the wrestlers are in, the match officially begins. I believe it's a single pinfall/submission to earn victory. I fully expect the women's WarGames match to go on as the fourth match of the night. If you've seen Smackdown you'll know *** SPOILER ALERT *** the fifth member of Team Bianca is Becky Lynch. That means the teams line up as: Team Bianca: Bianca Belair, Alexa Bliss, Asuka, Mia Yim and Becky Lynch. Team Bayley: Bayley, Dakota Kai, IYO SKY, Nikki Cross and Rhea Ripley. This is the second disagreement we have. I think the return of Team Lynch means Team Bianca is taking it. I don't foresee her going down to defeat. That leaves the men's WarGames match as the main event. Now it's possible we get some type of break in between the two. Something like a Bray Wyatt promo or a Miz-TV. Just something to give people a chance to breathe. Nonetheless, your men's teams for WarGames are: Team Brutes: Sheamus, Ridge Holland, Pete (Butch) Dunne, Drew McIntyre and Kevin Owens. Team Bloodline: Roman Reigns, Jimmy Uso, Jey Uso, Solo Sikoa and Sami Zayn. Your proper prediction was the babyfaces winning, even though you somewhat qualified it with the suggestion the Bloodline would find a way. They won't. This is the first big defeat for Roman Reigns et al in a long time. Roman obviously won't eat the loss, himself. But the key is Zayn. He won't turn on the Bloodline, but I do agree with you he'll be the causal factor for their loss, in some way. So I am going with Sheamus and friends to score victory. My Crown Jewel predictions were not particularly accurate, even though I liked my outcomes better than some of the ones that were booked. I'm hoping to do better here.

Getting in my predictions under the wire (the pre-show is just about to start). They are: 1) Usos over Brawling Brutes to retain unified tag titles. 2) Asuka & Bliss over Damage CTRL to retain the women's tag titles. 3) Brock Lesnar vs Bobby Lashley ends in a double countout. 4) The OC defeat the Judgement Day, with Raquel Rodriguez neutralizing the Rhea Ripley advantage. 5) Omos defeats Braun Strowman (with help from MVP). 6) Bayley defeats Bianca Belair in the Last Woman Standing match to win the Raw women's title. 7) Drew McIntyre defeats Karrion Kross inside the steel cage. 8) Roman Reigns defeats Logan Paul to retain the Undisputed WWE Universal championship.

If anyone I've ever known on RU-vid deserved a moment like this, it's you Aiden. For the difficulties you've gone through, both with the pandemic and on a more personal level, getting the chance to see the WWE in person is a life highlight. The fact it was the first pay-per-view/premium live event in the UK in 30 year, will make it a moment you'll never forget. As this upload is 'Part 1', I will reserve my opinions on the event for the next part. Here, I'd rather just bask in the glow of the moment for you and live vicariously as you got to see the wrestlers you only ever get to watch on television. They are live and in person and right in front of you. I am truly so happy for you.

Your awesome

That's great news! I'm happy you'll actually be able to see WWE live. It sounds like this channel will be energized because of it.

Good to see you back on this channel!

Here's a rarity, you liked a WWE production more than I did. There were elements of Extreme Rules I liked, but they were overshadowed by the many things I didn't like. In fact, there's no way to avoid using the term, but there were some things about the PPV I truly hated. The unadvertised pre-show match was Kevin Owens vs Buddy Murphy. It was okay, but ended abruptly. The only official title change involved the Smackdown tag belts. Cesaro & Shinsuke Nakamura defeated the New Day in a tables match. This was a well done match and I'm fine with the title switch. I was also okay with Bayley vs Nikki Cross. There are a couple of storylines unfolding here. Aside from the Golden Role Models (Banks & Bayley), there is Nikki's mini losing streak, too. To this point, the PPV was respectable. But it was downhill from here. There was no US title match. MVP gave us a cockamamie story about Apollo Crews being injured by Bobby Lashley last month (which hadn't been mentioned at any point leading up to the PPV). There is speculation Crews has the coronavirus and that is why he wasn't on the show. So MVP declared himself the new US champion, but it doesn't mean he actually is. From here, Extreme Rules fell off a cliff. I hated Seth Rollins vs Rey Mysterio...or more accurately, I hated the Eye for an Eye stipulation. It was ludicrous and disgusting, so I didn't care about how good or not the action was. And, yes, Rey had a fake eyeball in his hand and Seth upchucking was equally phony. Asuka vs Sasha Banks was a good match with a terrible ending, which is all anyone will remember. And, like with the U.S.title, the result we were given isn't necessarily what officially transpired. Bayley isn't a ref and her three count doesn't count. Expect more on tonight's Raw. Drew vs Dolph wasn't bad. I also think they used the stipulation well, but so much had gone wrong in the pay per view to this point, nothing was going to overcome it. The result was predictable, Dolph was never going to win the belt. But it was fine. The main event, such as it was, just made my eyes roll. To have the cinematic thing (it wasn't a match) as the showcase offering was an indictment of the PPV. I have no interest in these concoctions because they aren't wrestling. It was sporadically entertaining, but heavy handed. We had two generic masked men attack Braun for no reason. If WWE had tried, they would've hired Erick Rowan for a one-off appearance, the same as they did for Heath Slater two weeks ago. I had no doubt the Fiend would be coming back but whatever this was, there wasn't a winner or a loser. So that makes three matches where we don't officially know who won or lost. I'm glad you liked it, but I will not remember Extreme Rules fondly.

Smackdown WAS a bad episode, I agree. Usually, I look at things in terms of what I liked and what I didn't. Here, it was a case of what I watched and what I didn't watch. What little I saw of the Karaoke contest was enough for it to be quite possibly considered the worst Smackdown segment of 2020. I can't remember if I've suggested it to you, but I have done so to the guy for whom I write reviews. I'm waiting for Bayley and Alexa to turn on their respective partners and possibly form a new alliance. MizTV was protracted and only Jeff Hardy's heartfelt explanation was of any interest. I didn't rewatch Braun Strowman vs Bray Wyatt from one of the recent pay per views. By the time it got to the Smackdown tag title match, that served as the show's main event, I was barely paying attention. Conversely, Raw was a good show this past Monday. Aside from my disinterest in the Viking Raiders and the news Rey Mysterio vs Seth Rollins will be an 'Eye for an Eye' match at Extreme Rules, I liked what was booked. It had good matches with clean finishes while setting up better storylines.

There is big news out of WWE, with a major shakeup on Raw. Paul Heyman (who will remain Brock Lesnar's advocate) has been relieved of his duties as the brand's Executive Director. Although Heyman still reported to Vince McMahon, he had some hands-on control over the brand and was using it to try and create new stars, like Apollo Crews and Andrade. However, TV ratings have been in decline and, even with the understanding that world circumstances are negatively impacting the business, Vince had lost patience with the process. So, he's consolidating the writing for both the Red Brand and Blue Brand, which will now be run by himself and Bruce Prichard (aka Brother Love, who has been in charge of Smackdown ever since WWE fired Eric Bischoff last fall). It remains to be seen what that will mean for the overall product. I liked Smackdown, mostly because we got a pay per view-quality match in AJ Styles vs Daniel Bryan. They are two of the most complete wrestlers WWE has and put on a clinic of classic wrestling & wrestling psychology. Although the match was technically not the main event (if you subscribe to the belief the last match is always the main event), it was the best thing on the show. I had mixed feelings about the Jeff Hardy / Sheamus segment. It was funny in a crude way, but it was also a reminder Vince McMahon is amused by bodily functions (urine, in this case) or bathroom humour. Remember the short-lived farting Natalya storyline of a couple of years ago? Or the Uso/Revival back shaving segment? Or Drake Maverick urinating on Bobby Roode's robe? The New Day vs Cesaro & Shinsuke Nakamura was a match that fell short of what the teams can do. I mentioned in my last review that Cesaro & Nakamura are much more talented than they're allowed to show. I would've been okay with this being a title match and for there to have been a title switch here and again at Backlash. Currently, New Day are not scheduled for a match at the pay per view and I suspect that will not change. Expect PPVs to be shorter than normal during current circumstances. What we are almost certain to get is a rematch on Smackdown next week...possibly for the belts. I'm not sure quite what the WWE has planned for Otis, Tucker and Braun Strowman. A heel turn is possible, but I don't expect it to be Otis. The WWE seem happy with his babyface character. However, Strowman could be the one who proactively attacks Mr. Money in the Bank. It's also possible Tucker turns because he's annoyed Otis is preoccupied with his cash-in opportunity...not to mention Mandy Rose. The Bayley & Sasha Banks celebration segment has been done many times before. It felt like a by-the-numbers situation, with the festivities being interrupted by talent against whom they will next defend the belts. Backlash does feature a women's tag team triple threat match title match with the three teams involved in this scenario. Matt Riddle strikes me as a Rob Van Dam-type character in that he's laid back and has martial arts capabilities. I do agree with you WWE has a questionable track record with NXT talent that gets promoted to the main roster. Far too many have their characters changed, get put in contrived storylines, get used sparingly or not at all. For every Aleister Black (who has made a good transition) there are a zillion wrestlers like Eric Young, EC3, No Way Jose and Apollo Crews, who get lost and either have start-stop pushes or just never get a chance. Finally, the six man tag was a little underwhelming. Ziggler's pairing with Miz & Morrison came because of his recent history with Otis. The match really didn't increase my anticipation for the Universal title defense at Backlash (Strowman vs Miz & Morrison in a handicap match). I have to say I actually liked Raw better than you this week. Except for the Street Profits/Viking Raiders stuff, the bouts were good and the storylines are keeping my interest. I will comment on your preview after you post it and before the PPV, but exactly when I don't know.

As always, an interesting review with which I agree with some stuff, disagree with others. Overall, I agree it wasn't a great show. I thought last week's episode was better. The wrestling was okay, overall. There was nothing great but no stinker matches, either. But, it was the unfunny Miz/Morrison/Strowman segments and the ad nauseum mentioning of Shorty G. (I like the wrestler, intensely dislike the name) that were off-putting for me. I'm good with the Sheamus / Jeff Hardy storyline, including last week's controversial opening segment. Otis and King Corbin are uninteresting. Styles & Bryan have great chemistry together and Drew Gulak adds another element to the mix. Sonya DeVille and Lacey Evans have had two good matches in a row. Shinsuke Nakamura, Cesaro and Mojo Rawley are an odd trio, especially with Mojo's inclusion. Nakamura and Cesaro are both vastly underutilized talents who can do much more than they're allowed to show. Chad Gable isn't a particularly great fit with the New Day, just an okay one. On the matter of booking the show, that's all about the writers and Vince McMahon. Wrestlers don't decide whom they're facing or when they defend their belts. Again, I get what you're saying about wanting more title matches on television. I would settle for better quality matches on TV, championship or not. I was surprised we had a title switch, with the Boss & Hug connection (as they were once known) winning the ladies tag straps. Expect to hear the phrase 'Bayley 2 Belts' beginning next week. Also, don't be surprised if Alexa Bliss turns on Nikki Cross. Bliss works better as a heel and Cross did cost them their TV match last week. I guess when it comes to my biggest issue in WWE, you got part of it when you asked if it thinks itself as a comedy show like the Big Bang Theory. Yes, I think it does at times -- and nowhere near as funny as BBT. Vince McMahon likes slapstick, gross-out humour, bathroom humour, mocking fat people, food fights, demeaning nicknames and a lot of other stuff that has nothing to do with wrestling. To me it's the worst element of the show. I prefer smarky humour (inside wrestling references) and subtle humour. The Miz/Morrison/Strowman stuff was childish. Otis wearing a half-shirt is puerile Vince humour. Shorty G is Vince again mocking someone who doesn't fit his vision of the ideal wrestler (tall and muscular). That's my viewpoint. Raw had a better show than Smackdown, with only the Street Profits/Viking Raiders nonsense and a weak main event to complain about.

We both agree Raw was better this week than last week. I liked it better than you did. I found that while it had no great moments, there was nothing I hated either. The VIP lounge segment was okay. Even with Asuka, Shayna Baszler and Nia Jax as Raw's women's Money in the Bank participants, I would like WWE to reschedule their match from last week which didn't happen and have them square off in a triple threat bout. The gauntlet match for the final spot in the men's Money in the Bank (which became available with the storyline injury of Apollo Crews) was entertaining. The full order of participants were Bobby Lashley, Titus O'Neil, Akira Tozawa, Shelton Benjamin, Humberto Carrillo, Angel Garza, Austin Theory and AJ Styles. Lashley squashed O'Neil, then squashed Tozawa. Lashley & Benjamin had a decent go at it, but Lashley won again. Carrillo won by DQ after Lashley made contact with an official (you were right on that). As you noted, Carrillo then beat Garza and Theory before Styles beat Carrillo and claimed the spot vacated by Apollo Crews. Styles joins Aleister Black and Rey Mysterio as Raw's participants in the men's Money in the Bank match. I'm liking the Seth Rollins character more than you. I think WWE has toned things down a little because there is no crowd off of which to play. Otherwise, I think Rollins would really be trying to sell himself as the 'master', so to speak. Here, he's framed the argument as it being his destiny not just to win the championship but to lead Raw. In his mind, it doesn't matter who has the belt, he must claim it. Shane Thorne and Brendan Vink did beat Cedric Alexander and Ricochet. I was okay with this, despite hoping the babyfaces eventually get a tag title run. Ever-Rise are a different team. Thorne & Vink worked together on the Australian indies before signing with WWE. Meanwhile, I actually liked the Street Profits vs the Viking Raiders as a match, though I'd have preferred a different ending. I was okay with this being a non-title bout and I suspect we will get a title match either as an addition to Money in the Bank (probably) or for next week's Raw (less likely). I do have to correct you on one matter. Liv Morgan beat Ruby Riott twice in April, on Raw. Morgan did lose to Charlotte on Monday, but she looked good in defeat, giving the Queen a competitive match. Charlotte will forever be one of the top women in WWE. She is currently pulling double duty on Raw and NXT at the moment. But WWE must see something in Morgan. I'm not sure what to make of the MITB ladder matches. I suspect they will be polarizing. Either people will really like them or they really won't. The key will be to keep things from becoming comical. They can have some fun with the surroundings by incorporating office supplies or photocopying someone's face. However, once the match gets to the roof, I want to see spots and risk taking, not just someone lumbering up the ladder and grabbing a briefcase. While I was okay with Drew McIntyre vs Buddy Murphy as a non-title match, I also would have been good with this being a title bout. I guess the argument against it would be WWE would almost never have put the belt on Murphy, so the result would've been a foregone conclusion. Murphy remains Seth Rollins' disciple and I don't yet see them facing each other inside the ring. But WWE is going to have to take some risks to overcome what are historically low ratings. If they are losing long-time fans like you, they are in trouble. I'm willing to bet we get at least one title match on Raw and/or Smackdown next week. Depending on how things end up, we could see a rematch of Braun Strowman / Bray Wyatt, following whatever goes down this Sunday. Another possibility is a Bayley / Tamina rematch, especially if Tamina emerges from Money in the Bank as the new Smackdown women's champion. Finally, on the subject of booking Raw and Smackdown, all roads lead to Vince McMahon. Others may put together the card, but Vince has the final say on whether matches happen, what the show rundowns looks like and who wins.

I guess someone poured vinegar on your Corn Flakes. But that's okay, I'm happy to hear your opinion. I wasn't so annoyed by Smackdown as I was disinterested in it. It was okay, but not better. Daniel Bryan vs Baron Corbin was alright, but they lack in-ring chemistry. I was reasonably entertained by the Firefly Fun House segment. I know you'd have preferred a Universal title match, but wouldn't it come off as unplanned? WWE is building to Braun Strowman vs Bray Wyatt at Money in the Bank. Their logic is not to muddy the storyline with a random title defense. As for Sheamus, it's clear we are building to a feud with Jeff Hardy. I will agree the Celtic Warrior is spinning his wheels, as the buildup to what will be a post-Money in the Bank storyline with the Charismatic Enigma has been protracted. Mandy Rose vs Carmella had no interest for me. The post-match beatdown of Rose by Sonya DeVille was miles better than the match. And Carmella won. Try to imagine how much I care. The tag team match will set up a title defense, now that the Forgotten Sons beat the New Day. This bout was the means needed to justify a defense. It was also one of the evening's better offerings. Miz & Morrison added a little on commentary, too. The Sasha/Tamina/Bayley/Lacey brawl was to set up a tag match next week. I was okay with it. I'd also like to see a clean win next week by either team instead of the continued non-finishes on both brands (Corbin getting DQed, Apollo Crews unable to continue, endless outside interference). Chances are it'll be another tease...probably a no-contest or double disqualification or something similar. There was also the main event, Otis vs Dolph for a men's Money in the Bank spot. As with the rest of the night, there was no real draw to this match. Otis already won the feud and got the girl. Time to move on. I liked your impression of the big guy, though. Raw and Smackdown do need to figure something out to increase viewership. It won't likely be WWE championship or Universal title matches. I expect Sami Zayn will return after the pay per view, so maybe an Intercontinental title bout for the Blue Brand? Jeff Hardy will return on Smackdown. Maybe we also get Kevin Owens on Raw once Money in the Bank is done? There is also the storyline with the silhouetted person promising to tell us the truth. So, there are some possibilities to kick some life into the shows after the pay per view. Next week's PPV go-home shows need to have more life to them.

This Smackdown was absolutely terrible to watch, my favourite part was the moment it went off the air and I knew I wouldn't have to watch it again for a week.

I appreciate your viewpoint, Aiden. I liked Raw better than you but, overall, found it of mixed quality. The biggest issues I had was the tease of Nia Jax vs Asuka vs Shayna Baszler (which I was quite looking forward to) and the screwjob-like ending of the U.S. title match. The VIP lounge was okay, but as soon as Zelina Vega and her charges came out, the result (a six man tag match) was telegraphed from a mile away. The match itself was one of the better show segments. The ladies triple threat match never officially got going, which was a letdown. I expect it will be rebooked for the pay per view. The Bobby Lashley squash matches are boring. WWE have yet to use Lashley in a good storyline since he returned to the company. Liv Morgan vs Ruby Riott had a good finisher but, overall, wasn't memorable. Happy for Morgan but Ruby is a better talent than what she's shown. Maybe WWE works an angle where she needs help to get back on track after her long layoff and seeks advice from someone like Paige or Natalya? WWE is pretending that last week's embarrassing Viking Raiders carpool karaoke never happened. I have never liked the characters, only the men behind them. They will always be War Machine, Hanson & Rowe and WWE would be wise to once and for all drop the Viking gimmick because nobody cares. Jinder Mahal is a decent enough talent, but his matches are generally boring. WWE needs to look past the fact he's Indian (Indo-Canadian, actually) and just concentrate on getting him over as a heel, regardless of ethnicity. They also don't want to push him too hard, just yet. That's what turned people off a couple of years ago, when he went from the lower card to a main event push, as WWE tried to court the large Indian audience. (Eventually they switched gears and turned to Saudi Arabia. Far fewer people but a lot more money.) I quite liked Andrade vs Crews. WWE may finally be giving Apollo a proper push. His career has been marred by start/stop pushes, followed by long periods of absence or irrelevance. I agree with you about the ending (which was actually a victory for Andrade via referee decision Crews couldn't continue, not a DQ). Cedric Alexander and Ricochet are two spotfest wrestlers. They are exciting to watch and would work well with Zelina Vega and her crew. Ever-Rise are an NXT tag team. Before that, they spent a long time wrestling for indie promotions (particularly in Canada). The contract signing was...well, a contract signing. Inevitably, there is a brawl. Reuniting Buddy Murphy with Seth Rollins is a good idea. The heel benefits from having 'weapons' to cut corners against a babyface and Murphy fills that role nicely. Let me take time to address your annoyance with how WWE is booked. I can see both sides of the issue. The point to WWE doing what they do is to draw you to watch the pay per view, for which you need to pay for a WWE network subscription. Raw and Smackdown are available (in the U.S. and Canada, anyway) on cable, which doesn't require a WWE network subscription. Now, if we weren't dealing with current world circumstances, I suspect match quality would improve, though we'd be getting less of them (and more backstage & pretaped stuff). Having said all that, the ratings have been at, or near, record lows. A lot of people would generally agree with you on needing to air better matches on Raw & Smackdown. Specifically regarding world title matches, I think the WWE's logic is to try and keep them special. That doesn't happen if the belts are defended repeatedly on television, as well as at pay per views. But, they are going to have to try something to draw fans back to the product. Putting crazy Vince McMahon on Smackdown was more a novelty than a solution. I was fine with Triple H's 25th anniversary celebration on Smackdown, but having the top 10 moments list on Raw was too much. We are a week and a half away from Money in the Bank. It takes place May 10th at the Performance Center, though some stuff was filmed at WWE headquarters in Connecticut. If you've read what I've read, you'll know WWE appears to have an elaborate taping schedule which will see nothing air live for a couple of months. Some shows will be taped the day of the broadcast, others a week (or more) in advance. Those are my thoughts. Usually, when I compare Raw and Smackdown, it's shows that air the same week. So my comparison between the red and blue brands will be one of the April 27th Raw vs the May 1st Smackdown. Raw wasn't as good last night as the week before and a good Smackdown this Friday could mean I will like it more.

This Smackdown was pretty terrible if we’re being honest, regardless this review was pretty good right here man.

Nice to see you back on this channel making videos. Smackdown was a decent episode. There was nothing great, nor anything I truly disliked. But it ended in truly bizarre fashion. I was fine with the opening segment. The concept of the multi personalities coming to the ring is a standard one, but the Lucha House Party and Forgotten Sons added a little to it. Drew Gulak vs Baron Corbin was fine. Corbin will make a good antagonist in the Money in the Bank ladder match for which Daniel Bryan has already qualified as part of the blue brand's trio of representatives. Raw's contingent is already set, with Aleister Black, Apollo Crews and Rey Mysterio. They're all faces, so a heel was needed. I agree with the you, the Sheamus squashes are boring. I do see the WWE is setting up a Sheamus vs Jeff Hardy feud. I think we are done with the Hardy story videos. If so, time to really ignite the feud next week, with the Celtic Warrior attacking the Charismatic Enigma. I was okay with Lucha House Party vs Miz & Morrison. I have a feeling WWE is laying the groundwork for a possible split of the heel team. Miz has eaten all the losses and Morrison could use it as reasoning to turn on his partner. Not saying it will happen, but don't say you weren't warned. Lacey Evans vs Sasha was okay, but I find I just don't pay attention to the women's matches as much as the men's...unless there is a draw, like Charlotte or Asuka. We ARE seeing the long breakup between Bayley & Sasha, which should kickstart a feud for late spring and throughout the summer. I liked the Braun Strowman 2015 vs 2020 comparison and I think it plays well in advance of his match with Bray Wyatt. However, I didn't much care for the women's tag title match, as it had nothing of note to recommend. Finally, I mostly enjoyed the Triple H celebration. Shawn was funny and the highlight reel of Hunter's Wrestlemania losses -- he's had 13, the most by anyone -- was a good poke at Trips. The phone call segments were when things started to drag. But Vince McMahon's diatribe was just bizarre. He referenced some of the worst WWE storylines in history. The Gobblydegooker and the Alexa Bliss 'This is Your Life' segment about Bayley had zero to do with Helmsley. The Katie Vick storyline (the worst in WWE history IMHO), was very much a Triple H embarrassment. Honestly, Vince came off as ranting and somewhat incoherent and I'm not sure how much of that was character and how much of it is his genuine behaviour. The man really needs to retire, because the last couple of years have seen too many awful decisions, as compared to really memorable moments.

Don't worry about being too busy to make the review. I've been plenty busy myself and have had to push some things back. I disagree with your viewpoint, I actually mostly liked Raw this week. Won't get into why, but I was fine with much of what went down. Crowd was good and that spurred on Kevin Owens. Anyway, thanks for uploading this abbreviated review and whenever you upload next is fine. I will combine my thoughts on Super Showdown and whatever other shows have aired up to the point when that next review comes out.

As promised, Aiden, here are my Super Showdown predictions, listed based on predicted match order. 1) New Day defeat the Miz and Morrison to retain the WWE Smackdown tag titles. 2) Bayley defeats Naomi (not cleanly, either) to retain the Smackdown women's title. 3) AJ Styles wins the six man gauntlet match and takes the Tuwaiq trophy. The OC will play a part in the victory but, afterward, expect a gong and a legend, in that order. 4) Roman Reigns defeats King Corbin in their steel cage match. 5) Seth Rollins & Buddy Murphy defeat the Street Profits to retain the Raw tag titles. 6) The Fiend defeats Goldberg to retain the Universal title. It'll be by referee stoppage due to the mandible claw. This remains the true wild card match and may be key to determining key Wrestlemania feuds. 7) Brock Lesnar defeats Ricochet to retain the WWE Championship. So, I expect no titles will change hands. The event will be better than previous Saudi shows, but that's not really saying much as they are usually among the worst events WWE puts on.

Impressive review. I agree with you on some things, not on others. Overall, I also think it was an okay show. I was fine with the eight man tag but, admittedly, I do like your suggestion of the fatal 4-way championship tag bout better than what WWE booked. I have little interest in the Mandy/Otis/Dolph storyline, I assume it will eventually lead to Heavy Machinery vs Ziggler/Roode. Didn't pay much attention to the Lacey Evans interview, but did remember her talking about going to the back of the line because she'd lost to Bayley recently. I did also like the Symphony of Destruction match. It was noted to only be the second time the bout has ever happened. As a gimmick match, it was better than other similar type bouts (Trick or Street Fight match / Thanksgiving-related match) which usually involve food. One area we disagree on is Daniel Bryan / Heath Slater. I think WWE just don't have anything for Bryan at the moment. With the Fiend winning their feud, WWE is focusing on other talent, but they like Bryan enough to put him in this lower-level 'feud'. Conversely, Slater is nothing more than a low card talent. I don't see him anywhere near the main event or a WWE championship match ever. But, he's a fine in-ring competitor and, perhaps, Drew Gulak and he will form some type of working relationship. It's getting tougher for talent to get time on the red or blue brand. Remember rosters include the likes of the B-Team, Jinder Mahal and the Colons. Been awhile since any of them were on television. Regarding the Moment of Bliss segment, I would put forth the argument the bar is lower for the women to be inducted into the Hall of Fame than the men. Nikki Bella could probably make a reasonably good case to enter the HOF, but Brie was never more than a midcarder and is benefiting from the decision to induct the pair together. I'm also guessing Bliss did the show solo because it would've been too confusing to have include her partner, as two of the three people on set with her would've been named Nikki. We are in agreement of being tired with the Roman Reigns / King Corbin set up. I think Vince McMahon sees Corbin as a top level heel. I'm okay with Corbin, but he doesn't excite me. Too often, he's been either saddled with a position of authority (constable/king) or saddled with Shane McMahon (who need never return to WWE as on-air talent). Shane is a separate issue for me altogether. As for Reigns, while I think Vince McMahon would like for him to be the face of Smackdown, at least, he's also somewhat mindful of a backlash if Reigns ascending to a championship is too obviously telegraphed. That being said, I told my friend -- the one whom I supply reviews to -- months ago we'd be seeing Roman Reigns vs the Fiend at WrestleMania 36 and that Reigns would win the Universal title on 'the grandest stage of them all'. I still think that's the long-term plan. Concerning Sheamus, the WWE seems to recognize they do need to build him back up at a steady pace, one that's not too quick. I think his days as a world champion have come and gone. This may very well be his last run with the company, due to neck issues. I'm fine with him. Conversely, I literally turn the sound down when I hear 'Shorty G'. Can't stand the name or the backstory. I like Chad Gable, but WWE need to let him be himself. After his segment this week, expect an Apollo Crews heel turn and a low-card feud with Gable, post-Super Showdown. Finally, I also liked the final segment. Goldberg cuts better promos than most of the roster. The Firefly Fun House stuff is still a draw. The dual character of Wyatt/the Fiend has also worked out well, overall. WWE did nearly screw things up with the ridiculous Hell in a Cell main event against Seth Rollins. However, I don't believe we are going to see the Fiend put Goldberg over. I expect the opposite will happen, especially in light of Goldberg getting a moment of triumph over the Fiend last night. I think you're looking at the Fiend defeating Goldberg at Super Showdown and retaining the Universal title. That will allow for a clean break from this short-term storyline and the eventual slow build of Roman Reigns vs the Fiend, culminating at WrestleMania 36.

It's great news all around. I'll likely check out Smackdown reviews Saturday afternoon (evening/night by you), after having sent my own review out to the sub for whom I've been doing it for a couple of years. So, rest assured I'll be watching all your uploads, with comments usually coming that evening/night, GMT.