WWE Raw: Sami Zayn flirts with the new Bloodline

Thomas Starr

Sami Zayn meets with Solo Sikoa
Sami Zayn meets with Solo Sikoa

Once again, the two-hour format is working for this show. Everything moved at a good pace and even the one bad segment, the Zelina match, was over quickly. A good show overall.

They have built more intrigue with the Bloodline storyline as Jey has rejoined Jimmy and potentially Roman. Sami came across as the voice of reason here and Jey’s response was heelish. WWE had one more turn, however, when Sami was spotted talking cordially with Solo Sikoa.

The Zelina Vega versus Ivy Nile match was embarrassing. I have no idea if Ivy can work, because putting her in the ring with Zelina is not the best position. Zelina can talk and comes off real, but she is a hazard in the ring. She tries too much and regularly botches moves. If they could get her to just do a basic match, she could get by. It is best if she remained a manager and did not get into the ring.

Smackdown and Crown Jewel should be interesting. Where they go with the Bloodline and Gunther and Cody will be interesting to watch. Plus, what is going on with Kevin Owens? There are a lot of intriguing stories in WWE now.

Show open

After a five-minute recap of the Jey Uso-Bloodline drama, Jey made his entrance through the crowd. Still the coolest entrance in wrestling.

Jey called out Jimmy. Jimmy thanks Jey for his help on Smackdown. Jey pointed out that they fought each other at WrestleMania. He said if he is going to team up with Jimmy, they are not going to be anyone’s lackeys. He agreed to meet with Roman Reigns, but then the Bloodline attacked. Jimmy and Jey were able to fend them off.

Thoughts: Good opening. They inject the show with star power and set up a meeting on Smackdown between Jey and Roman. The show can sometimes be paint-by-numbers in its formatting, but you know at the top of each hour something important is going to happen.

Ludwig Kaiser vs. Sheamus

This was a hard-hitting affair as you would expect. Because he is so fair skinned, there were welts on Sheamus’s chest from the chops and slaps. Sheamus won clean with the Brogue Kick.

Winner: Sheamus

Thoughts: I am disappointed that Kaiser is losing clean to Sheamus. Kaiser is talented and deserves a push, but we will see what they have in mind for him. Good match.

Sami Zayn talked backstage to Jey Uso. He asked why Jey was going back to the original Bloodline after everything that happened. Jey said he would not understand, because Sami is not family. Sami has a legitimate point here and Jey came off like a jerk.

Zelina Vega vs. Ivy Nile

Joe Tessitore tried to tell the audience that Ivy Nile has blossomed by being in American Made. I guess she has been on TV more, but this group has been beaten like a government mule. Week after week, they are used as a joke or as fodder for bad gimmicks (The Wyatts).

Zelina missed a series of moves including a moonsault that she missed by a foot. A belly flop onto that pile wood ring could not have felt good. Julius Creed assisted Nile to win.

Winner: Ivy Nile

Thoughts: That was terrible. AEW Women’s Division level bad. I am not sure who thought that match was a promising idea. Zelina tries to do all the modern moves and misses more than she hits. Why try, on national tv, to do moves you cannot do? She should not be in the ring.

Nine o’clock hour

Seth Rollins came out at the strike of nine. He said that Bronson has brought out something different in him. Reed appeared on the screen and invited Seth to fight him in the parking lot. Of course, Seth accepted. He met Bronson next to an equipment truck. Seth hit him with the truck door and then curb stomped him on the hood of a car.

Bronson, the horror movie monster, rose from the top of the car like Michael Myers. Seth and Bronson resumed fighting this time in the truck. Bronson ended up hitting a Death Valley driver through two tables, which had strangely been set up next to the truck and covered with padding. That is convenient.

Thoughts: There were some logic holes here. Why did WWE show Bronson on the screen if they were trying to keep the two men apart? The two tables were obviously a crash pad, which I know they needed it, but could they not find a better way to hide it?

Having said that it was an effective segment to set up their match at Crown Jewel. Bronson looks like an unstoppable monster and Seth is the sympathetic babyface.

The LWO vs. The New Day vs. War Raiders

I am not a fan of these three-way matches, but there is a lot storyline-wise going on in this match. The Xavier Woods slow burn heel turn, the reintroduction of the War Raiders, and the mentor/mentee relationship with Rey and Dragon Lee.

New Day had Dragon Lee set up for a double team move, but Woods decided to abandon it and attack Rey Mysterio. Then Chad Gable grabbed Rey and put him into the anklelock at ringside. The War Raiders took advantage and won the match.

Winners: War Raiders

Thoughts: It took a little bit to get the crowd into this match. These three-way matches are always messy, and this was no exception. The finish was convoluted, but they pulled it off.

Jimmy Uso was backstage looking for Sami Zayn. He and Jey found Sami talking to Solo Sikoa in the parking lot.

Dominik Mysterio vs Damien Priest

Damien Priest was destroying Dom until the Judgement Day interfered. Priest wore them all out with a chair. Dom rolled up Priest from behind for the cheap pin.

Priest then beat Dom with a chair. Damien teased leaving the ring but dropped the straps of his gear and returned to beat Dom some more. Priest hit South of Heaven and stood over Dominik’s desecrated body.

Winner: Dominik Mysterio

Thoughts: The match and angle were nothing special, but it did not need to be. Dom gets a cheap win and Priest looked dominant. Mission accomplished.

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