Tag: Cedric Alexander

Date: September 2, 2019
Location: Royal Farms Arena in Baltimore, MD 

The Big Takeaway — 

Bayley turned heel and appears to have realigned herself with Sasha Banks. Read more below. 

Steve Austin will host a contract signing on Raw in MSG next week between Seth Rollins and Braun Strowman. They had a contract signing tonight but it was interrupted by the OC and for some reason, they can’t just sign the paper in private. 

The quarterfinal match between Samoa Joe and Ricochet somehow ended in a draw and both men advanced to the semifinals next week. Baron Corbin beat Cedric Alexander to advance and will face both Joe and Ricochet in a triple threat.

Show Recap — 

Universal Championship Contract Signing 

Michael Cole hosted a contract signing between Seth Rollins and Braun Strowman. Both men received good reactions. They shook hands upon entering the ring. Cole asked how they would function as a team. 

Rollins said he was no stranger to defending two titles and would do it again at Clash of Champions. Rollins intended on remaining a double champ after Clash. Strowman said he also intended on beating Robert Roode and Dolph Ziggler, then asked Rollins how awkward it would be when his tag partner beat him for the Universal title. 

Rollins reminded him that he slayed the beast, something Strowman couldn’t do, and at Clash the would slay the monster. Rollins signed the contract, but before Strowman could sign it, the OC interrupted. The crowd loudly chanted for Styles. 

Styles mocked all of this, then wondered why Strowman was getting the title opportunity. It seemed like he only got the shot because he was Rollins’ partner and dumbly stared at the Universal title belt long enough. 

Styles said he should get the next shot by proxy because he was US champion. He wondered who his opponent was going to be at Clash and figured it would be whoever looked at his belt long enough. He then advised his buddies not to look at his belt. He also mocked Roode and Ziggler, then threatened the men in the ring. 

Cole tried to calm him down, then Styles said, “Shut up Michal Cole! I’ll slap your teeth down your throat.” The crowd cheered. Styles ripped up the contract and tossed it in the air. Strowman threw the table at him, then Rollins and Strowman cleared the ring and they abruptly went to break (about 11 minutes into the show). 

Universal Champion Seth Rollins & Braun Strowman defeated Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson (w/US Champion AJ Styles) in a non-title tag team match

The OC worked over Rollins, then chucked him from the ring before he could tag out. Styles levelled him with a clothesline and they went to break. After the break, Rollins made the hot tag and Strowman ran wild on Anderson. He knocked down both opponents with a shoulder tackle, but missed a charge on Anderson and ran into the post. 

Rollins gave Anderson a flying knee, then knocked Styles off the apron. Rollins then countered a schoolboy into a schoolboy of his own for the pinfall win. 

Styles attacked Rollins immediately afterwards, but Rollins fought him off and gave him a suicide dive. Strowman then ran over both Anderson and Gallows with shoulder tackles outside the ring. However, Strowman also ran over Rollins by accident. 

Ziggler and Roode ran out to attack Strowman. The OC joined in and they drove him into the steel steps. Rollins tried to make the save but Ziggler superkicked him and Roode gave him a Glorious DDT. All of the heels except Styles gave Strowman a Magic Killer, then they picked him up so Styles could finish him off with a Phenomenal forearm. 

Charly Caruso interviewed Cedric Alexander, who commented on Baron Corbin playing dress-up last week with the crowd. He was suddenly attacked by the OC who laid him out. Cole and Renee Young wondered why the OC would attack Alexander. 

Robert Roode & Dolph Ziggler defeated Curt Hawkins & Zack Ryder (3:58) 

Ziggler superkicked Hawkins, then Roode gave him a Glorious DDT for the pinfall win. 

There were commercials for Undertaker on Smackdown next week and Becky Lynch on Steve Austin’s show after Raw. 

Lacey Evans defeated Natalya (5:12) 

As Evans made her entrance, Natalya’s music hit and she shoved down Evans on her way to the ring. Natalya was amused with herself and the crowd chanted for her. 

Evans missed a moonsault, then Natalya came back with clotheslines and a snap suplex. Natalya called Evans a “nasty bitch.” As Natalya attacked Evans in the ropes, the referee pulled her off. Then Evans tossed her handkerchief at Natalya and clocked her with the “women’s right” for the pinfall win. 

[Second hour] 

Becky Lynch promo 

Cole plugged Lynch’s match later (Lynch & Bayley vs. Alexa Bliss & Nikki Cross), calling it a first-ever women’s championship showcase. Ugh. 

Lynch said Banks bumbled her way through all of her excuses last week, calling it a bunch of crap. She said Banks had nothing to complain about, noting that Banks was the centrepiece of NXT and main evented all the time once she was on Raw while Lynch was the afterthought. 

Lynch said Banks and Charlotte Flair were paraded around like the frauds that they were, but she showed the Flairs why she was The Man, and it was time to teach Banks that same lesson. The crowd chanted for Becky. 

Lynch said Banks left with nothing after WrestleMania, but Bayley has been doing just fine without her. She said it must hurt Banks that Lynch is the face of the company because it really could have been Banks in that position. 

Banks came out on the stage. Banks said Lynch was right — she was supposed to be in the Mania main event and be on all the posters, but the only reason Lynch got the spot was that Nia Jax broke her face. Banks reminded her that she left her laying a few weeks ago. Lynch dared her to fight. 

Banks said she wasn’t going to fight for free in front of these people. She said the only way she would fight Lynch was for the title at Clash. Lynch said all she had to do was ask and accepted the challenge. Banks said the Man would be the Boss’ bitch. 

Backstage, the Street Profits were speechless over the last segment, then sent us to commercial. 

King of the Ring Quarterfinal Match: Baron Corbin defeated Cedric Alexander (14:27) 

I guess whoever is in charge of this show didn’t think it might be a good idea to switch the order of the KOTR matches to give Alexander some time to recover. 

Alexander was in control until he fell upside down over the ropes and Corbin drove him into the post. After a break, Corbin was in control. Alexander ducked a clothesline and came back with a dropkick but Corbin caught him with a spinebuster for two. Alexander tried a slingshot move but Corbin countered into a Deep Six for a nearfall. 

Alexander avoided a charge and Corbin went shoulder-first into the post. Alexander sent him into the post three more times, kicked away at his shoulder, then hit a flip dive. Alexander caught him with a kick off the top but Corbin kicked out. 

The crowd chanted for Alexander as he reversed an End of Days into a schoolboy for a nearfall. He then hit a Michinoku Driver for another nearfall. Alexander tried a springboard move but Corbin tripped him off the top rope and hit End of Days for the pinfall win. 

This was good. Alexander got a chance to shine and the crowd was into him. It should be noted that whatever happened to Alexander in his match with Cesaro last week was completely ignored. They instead focused on his bum shoulder, which was injured at the hands of the OC earlier. 

They plugged NXT on USA. 

They aired a recap of the Roman Reigns/Daniel Bryan stuff, then showed Bryan’s statement. They also showed Steve Austin’s tweet suggesting that he host a contract signing next week between Rollins and Strowman. 

Caruso interviewed Bayley, asking her about Banks’ return. Bayley said nothing. Caruso asked about Banks’ comment about the tag titles. Bayley said Banks was still her best friend and they’ve talked about it, but she’s keeping that to herself. 

She said Banks did take her ball and go home, but now she was Smackdown Women’s champion and suggested Caruso ask her about that instead. Caruso wondered if Bayley was being overshadowed by Lynch. Bayley said no, the Smackdown title meant as much as the Raw title, and we’d see who was standing in whose shadow tonight. 

The Viking Raiders defeated two jobbers (1:23) 

Before the match, Caruso interviewed the two jobbers who drove here all the way from Pittsburgh for this match. The Baltimore crowd booed them. One of the jobbers said they’d make the Viking Raiders look like a couple of Baltimorons. The Viking Raiders won with the Viking Experience. 

Backstage, Sarah Schrieber (who appeared to be hiding in a corner) approached Banks and asked her if she was rooting for her friend tonight. Banks yelled at her to get out of her face.

Steve Austin will be on Raw next week at MSG to host a contract signing. 

King of the Ring Quarterfinal Match: Samoa Joe vs. Ricochet (15:57) 

[Third hour] 

Joe was in control until Ricochet sent him to the outside and nailed a moonsault off the barricade. In the ring, Joe hoisted up Ricochet, crossed his legs, then drove him into the mat. Ricochet followed later with a Lionsault for two. Ricochet landed awkwardly on his feet, then Joe caught him with a Uranage before driving him into the barricade. 

After a break, Ricochet came back with a forearm, front dropkick, springboard clothesline and standing shooting star press for two. Joe avoided a move off the top and hit a powerslam for two. Ricochet fought back with a superkick and a space flying tiger drop. 

Ricochet went to the top but Joe went up and caught him in the Coquina Clutch. Ricochet countered and sent them both off the top. Each man had their shoulders down and had their arms on each other, so the referee counted to three but didn’t announce a winner. The crowd seemed surprised. 

The referee went to the timekeeper’s area and asked for a headset to talk with someone in the back. I guess he was willing to count the fall but had no idea who won. After talking with someone in the bank, Ricochet asked him what happened and who won. The referee said a ruling would be made later as he left up the ramp. Joe tried to attack but Ricochet fouth him off. This was weird.

Strowman confronted Rollins about Austin being involved next week. He thought maybe they were in cahoots. Rollins noted how ridiculous this was, and how ridiculous it was that Strowman was worried about that after they got jumped by five guys. Rollins let him know that he’s turned his back on his partners before, and also knows what it’s like to get stabbed in the back by his best friend. But Rollins assured him he doesn’t have anything to worry about and was fine with Austin moderating next week. Strowman said if Austin got in his face, he would get these hands. 

Firefly Fun House 

Bray Wyatt thought what the Fiend did to Finn Bálor was super duper rude and apologized on behalf of everyone at the Firefly Fun House. The Vince McMahon puppet appeared and asked how he dares to challenge Seth Rollins or Braun Strowman to a title match at Hell in a Cell. Wyatt let Vince know that he was making something and pulled out a wad of cash. Dollar signs appeared in Vince’s eyes, then Bray fed him dollar bills. The Vince puppet was happy and left. Bray said “see you in hell” as the Fiend mask briefly appeared. 

Backstage, Corbin told Corey Graves that he’s getting a bye into the KOTR final. The referee told him that wasn’t true, that instead, Corbin would face both Joe and Ricochet in a triple threat match. Corbin was displeased. 

Backstage, Rey Mysterio told Caruso that he wasn’t done and he had much more to accomplish. He was doing it for his son Dominick. The crowd applauded. 

The Miz defeated Cesaro (5:07) 

Cole noted that Miz could tie the Intercontinental title record on Sunday if he beats Shinsuke Nakamura. He didn’t mention who has the record. (It’s Chris Jericho.) The announcers also talked about Cesaro’s match at NXT UK Takeover on the weekend. Graves said the match reinvigorated Cesaro. Miz beat him clean with the Skull Crushing Finale in five minutes. 

Raw Women’s Champion Becky Lynch & Smackdown Women’s Champion Bayley defeated Tag Team Champions Alexa Bliss & Nikki Cross via DQ in a non-title match (10:44) 

Bliss wrestled in a t-shirt. Less than two minutes into the match, Banks came out to her music and they went to break. 

Cross and Bliss worked over Bayley. Lynch eventually got a hot tag and attacked Bliss with strikes, a running forearm and diving leg drop but Cross broke up the cover. Lynch gave Cross an Exploder, then kicked her out of the ring. As Lynch booted Bliss, Banks attacked Lynch from behind for the DQ. 

Banks attacked Lynch with a chair until Bayley jumped in and pulled the chair away. Bayley then smiled at Banks and attacked Lynch repeatedly with the chair. The crowd popped for the turn, then erupted in Yes chants. They abruptly went off the air as they ran out of time.