If y’all thought I wouldn’t start this commentary by congratulating Jey Uso on his first singles Championship win, you’re sadly mistaken. To say I always believed in him since day one is an understatement. I’m way too happy to contain it into words, so you get the gist of it. A HUGE round of applause for him!
On with tonight, we have the Viper Randy Orton slithering to the stage after he had some business on RAW to deal with. He came up short against Gunther for the World Heavyweight Championship, but that doesn’t change the fact that we still love him. The reason for him being here is to address the baffling union between Rhodes and Reigns at Bad Blood. There aren’t many people Orton trusts, he can only count them on one hand, so he found himself confused as am I. Rhodes came out at his request to explain.
Cody’s perspective is to take Roman at his words that he’ll have the champ’s back, but I feel like that doesn’t fully explain why he’s teaming with him. I imagined the answer to our question would be along the lines of wanting to give Reigns a second chance at redemption to become… friends?? Deep down, that’s what Cody wants. I’m merely speculating here.
Rhodes hopes to kill the Bloodline, and if that means aligning himself with Roman to do so, he will. He genuinely didn’t want to butt heads with Orton. Randy understood that unless Cody turns it into a problem. However, Kevin Owens has more of an opinion on the subject than these two men combined given how long he’s fought the Bloodline.
Owens, once again, barely said a word before the Bloodline marched to the stage. I was left breathless. More interruptions. Great… The amount of booing filled the room almost to the levels of Dominik Mysterio. Ha! Sikoa made it apparent that no matter how many times Rhodes has gone up against the Bloodline, Orton and Owens have failed him. Roman is a last resort, a bizarre one. That’s an angle I didn’t think of. Your friends aren’t doing enough for you, so why not team up with your vile enemy to finish the job.
That’s going to sting.
Kevin issued a Tag Team match with him and Randy versus Solo and Jacob. He mentioned to Cody that he shouldn’t include himself in this match because he has to focus on Bad Blood. Am I the only one who feels like Randy is slowly thrusted in the middle of Cody and Kevin? There’s something brewing there that I suggest we address at some point. Ha! My mischievous self.
Backstage, Nia Jax voiced her frustration towards the fact that Naomi and Bayley are still here despite wanting one of them gone. Jax blamed Stratton for last week’s lost by grabbing her neck, and she’ll accuse Tiffany even more if the upcoming match awards a conclusive winner. Tiffy didn’t seem fully compliant to help Jax that I suspect the looming use of that briefcase. Oooh, ooh.
Naomi vs. Bayley – Number One Contender for the WWE Women’s Championship at Bad Blood
At the start of the match, Naomi was the one who attempted two covers on Bayley that didn’t go anywhere. Just when Bayley should have pulled the trigger with a punch, she didn’t and that could cost her dearly. Side thought: I couldn’t help but say that Naomi looked amazing in her wrestling gear as the human UNO card game. She looked great!
Anyway, Naomi urged Bayley to hit her knowing what’s at stake, that she has to do what she came here to do. Friendship will have to wait till it’s over. So, Bayley fought back by avoiding the Rearview and delivered a clothesline. Naomi retaliated with a Bulldog and went for high risk with a corkscrew over the ropes.
Bayley made a comeback with an elbow to Naomi’s chest as she hung off the middle rope. She continued with a back suplex and a suicide dive. What Bayley didn’t see coming was Naomi’s Rearview that nearly took her out. A slugfest ensued in-ring with Naomi throwing the best exchange. She drove Bayley’s face to the mat, but that wasn’t enough to keep her opponent down.
I’m not sure if Naomi would have won if she simple had stayed on the cover after that blockbuster she delivered, so I can’t really say. Bayley took advantage of that by shoving Naomi away. She provided excellent offensive moves, but in the end it was Bayley’s extra insurance with the flying elbow that granted her the victory.
Winner: Bayley
Carmelo Hayes vs. Andrade Part VI
I.. I don’t know what the living hell is going with Carmelo Hayes, but he felt the need to blindside LA Knight backstage while Andrade was having a chat with him prior to this match. Usually I would laugh, yet I’m left perplexed. That’s nothing new for those who know me. Ha!
This is the sixth match in a series between these two Superstars where Andrade leads 3-2 on Hayes. Andrade performed a stupendous power slam to Carmelo on the apron while being hung up in the middle rope. It was beautiful. Hayes retaliated with a flying clothesline and has taken control of this fight.
A collision mid-ring forced both men to collapse and take a breather. Andrade delivered an elbow to Hayes, then followed that up by twisting Melo’s right leg. Unfortunately, Andrade collided with the First 48. It came out of nowhere when you look at it closely. What a shame. Hayes is seen bleeding from the bottom lip… that says it all.
Andrade picked up the pace with a fast crossbody off the ropes. In the corner, he hit the Meteora to Melo’s collarbone. That almost gave him the win. However, Carmelo surprised Andrade with a move I can’t even name because I don’t know, but Andrade kicked out.
Melo forced Andrade to loose his balance from the top as he took advantage of the situation with a superplex attempt that Andrade managed to escape from. He nailed that double Moonsault that Hayes wasn’t able to avoid the second time. It wasn’t enough, though.
Carmelo thought he had Andrade with that face buster, plus a twisting neck breaker. He soon realized it’ll take more than that to keep Andrade down. Both men were perched on top as Carmelo countered Andrade’s attempt to superplex him with a twisting neck breaker cutter-looking maneuver. It amazingly didn’t finish the job.
Hayes wisely rolled out of the ring after that massive collision of Andrade’s swinging back elbow. It took a matter of a five count before LA Knight appeared due to what happened earlier. A bunch of shenanigans helped Hayes shock Andrade with a roll up. They’re now tied. This led to a small argument between Knight and Andrade.
Winner: Carmelo Hayes
BREAKING NEWS AJ Styles is returning next week!
Michin vs. Piper Niven
Michin went after Niven early to get a head start. Piper did very well to keep her out of her space with a shoulder tackle. That stopped the quick momentum of Michin for a moment until it didn’t, and then it did again.
Niven missed with a Senton as Michin detracted herself with Chelsea Green’s blabbering at ringside, which cost her. Niven knocked Michin off her feet with that sudden bulldozing of hers. Michin incredibly delivered a crucifix driver on Piper just as she wanted to Samoan Drop her, I think. Niven’s shoulders weren’t down properly, so time was wasted and Michin didn’t get the win. Irritatingly for Piper, she couldn’t pin Michin after that spinning slam.
Given how Piper’s latest attempt to pin Michin didn’t work, Chelsea had a different idea to use the garbage bin she brought with her to they’re advantage. While Green had the official occupied, Niven wanted to cannonball Michin against the garbage, yet she emerged unsuccessful. Michin returned inside the ring to dispose of Chelsea, then performed a victorious Eat the Feet.
Winner: Michin
Next week, Michin has a Dumpster match versus Chelsea Green. A WWE Tag Team Championship Triple Threat Ladder match has been officiated where the Tongas battle the Street Profits and DIY. Whoo! Naomi got annoyed by Tiffany’s presence, so she wants a match to cheer her up after her lost.
Jacob Fatu & Solo Sikoa vs. Randy Orton & Kevin Owens – Tag Team match
Owens started things off with Jacob. The slugfest didn’t last long as Fatu easily overpowered Kevin. The Prize Fighter returned fire with a Senton. Due to the strange stand still, Solo demanded to get tagged in, so Fatu obliged. Sikoa made some quick work out of Owens, so he tagged Orton. The fact that neither the Viper, nor the Prize Fighter have pinned a member of the Bloodline is staggering.
Corey Graves suspected that it keeps them up at night and prevents them from enjoying their lives. Oof. That’s quite strong.
Fatu and Orton get into their altercation in-ring, Jacob truly baffled Randy to wobble down. It was lucky for Randy to drop Fatu on the announcement desk, too lucky that Jacob got up with ease like he did with the DDT. Since the first one didn’t work, Randy had to drop Jacob three more times for him to stay down. Sikoa tried to get involved and met with the table.
The tied changed directions as the Bloodline took the lead. Sikoa ventured to superplex Owens, I suspect, and he failed like everybody else. He did get his revenge when he put his knees up just as Kevin came crashing down with a Swanton. Solo dropped Kevin by backing it up in the corner, paying homage to the late-great Umaga. Both Fatu and Sikoa double down on Owens. Orton nearly got disqualified trying to assist.
Kevin was finally able to tag Randy in after multiple beatings he’s endured at the hands of their opponents. Orton applied some control with his vintage DDT to Sikoa after disposing of Fatu with a power slam.
That distraction from Jacob on the outside provided time for Solo to regain his strength and Samoan Drop Randy. Regardless of that, Orton sent Solo on the main floor. Kevin got tagged in and rammed Fatu and Sikoa down. The Swanton may have connected this time, but it didn’t end the match.
To absolutely no one’s surprise, the Tongas arrive on the scene to distract Kevin long enough for Sikoa to perform the Spinning Solo for a near fall. Ha! Earlier, Kevin told Cody not to come out during their match because he has other things to deal with. To contradict that, Orton informed the American Nightmare that he would be glad if he did show up knowing the presence of the Tongas was inevitable.
Orton delivered an RKO to Tama. Fatu super kicked Randy and dived after Rhodes. Just as Kevin managed to stun Sikoa and entered the cover, Jacob shoved Cody into the official’s lower right leg, distracting him from counting. That slightly upset Owens, which led to not seeing Fatu coming with double Super Kicks as Sikoa covered him.
I was right. Randy was forced in the middle. He barely managed to break Rhodes and Owens from arguing further.
Winners: Solo Sikoa & Jacob Fatu
TOP PHOTO: Andrade and Carmelo match card. Courtesy of WWE