The problem with only being one note is that eventually that note is overplayed.
Goldberg has been there for quite some time now and it leads to segments like what we got here, where he has to say something and they settle something like this:
“I gotta apologize in front of all these wonderful people and the entire world. I was wrong. You’re not next. When it comes to the Universal championship, I’M NEXT!”
Like, what?!?
That’s supposed to be a slick way of saying he’ll win the title and become the next champion, yeah, I get that, but his doing so doesn’t mean Reigns isn’t next as far as being the guy he has to beat to become that. Both statements are true, and therefore he is not wrong like he claims to be.
I’m giving it this much thought because, again, there’s no other analysis to be made here. It’s just a nothing match, thrown together at the last minute for the Saudi show, a speed bump on the way to a much bigger match that actually has a storyline attached to it.
This sucked.
In hindsight, we always should have known better.
When video from the arena was posted online showcasing a hilariously bad miscommunication between Ronda Rousey and Charlotte Flair, it made for the kind of pro wrestling clip that makes you cringe at how fake it all is. WWE was always going to edit to make it look better, though, and through the magic of television it came off like this:
The wrestlers in the ring aren’t the only pros in WWE!
Meanwhile, this was a fairly standard contract signing that featured Rousey getting a badass line in and the babyfaces standing tall going into the match. The added stipulation that Rousey will have one arm tied behind her back doesn’t do much for me, nor does it make me any more interested in the match itself, but your mileage may vary.
Sami Zayn won the Intercontinental championship on this show and, uh, I wish there was more to say about it?
Zayn set up a fair match last week when he zapped Rick BOOGS and ensured he would still be too injured to interfere on behalf of Shinsuke Nakamura. Sure enough, it was a straight up 1v1 and Zayn came out ahead by being smart enough to avoid Nakamura’s finisher and work over a knee that Shinsuke hurt by running it into the steps earlier in the match.
That’s all well and good, it was just sort of there.
The finish was such that fans in the arena hardly knew how to react to it. It just sort of happened.
All the rest
- Sheamus and Ricochet decided to put on an absolute banger for this taped show, and I ain’t mad at ‘em for it. Ricochet scored the win after Ridge Holland tried to interfere and kinda/sorta got in the way, costing Sheamus. The two had an argument in the ring after. It seems too early for a breakup here, but it keeps things interesting.
- Remember two weeks ago when Jimmy Uso beat Erik in a singles match? We got the opposite this week, with Ivar beating Jey Uso. He won by disqualification, but still. At least the Viking Raiders got their gear back, I guess.
- Drew McIntyre cut a promo where he told a few jokes they dubbed some laughter over, Madcap Moss told another bad joke, and promises were made that Elimination Chamber will be “the night the laughter died.” That’s a line that works well on paper but it was pretty cheesy here, especially coming from the guy who carries a comically large sword he can never use.
There’s some slack to give WWE here, considering they had to tape this to account for traveling around the world but there just wasn’t much to this show.
Grade: D+
Your turn.