Tag: mixed match challenge

Mixed Match Challenge tournament kicked off as the series debuted on Facebook Watch.

In the first tournament match, Sasha Banks & Finn Balor teamed up to defeat Shinsuke Nakamura & Natalya on a show from Laredo, Texas.  Banks & Balor in the next round face the winners of Asuka & The Miz vs. Carmella & Big E.

Mixed Match Challenge will run for 12 weeks and each episode is scheduled to be 20 minutes long. Raw and SmackDown teams will be matched up in the first round, and a second chance fan vote can save one team by allowing them to re-enter in the semifinals.

The winning team will earn $100,000 for the charity that they’re representing, and each team’s charity will receive $10,000. Banks & Balor are supporting the Special Olympics and Natalya & Nakamura are supporting the Make-a-Wish foundation.

Renee Young and Byron Saxton welcomed viewers to the show as the hosts at ringside. They also closed the show with a wrap-around segement previewing next week.

The commentary team was a three-person booth that included Michael Cole, Corey Graves, and Beth Phoenix. 

Several promos from social media preceded the match on a show that featured some different production elements than other WWE programming. Along with differing graphics and a faster pace, a constant element on the show was the integration with social media. 

More so than they already do on other shows, viewers were encouraged to interact on social media while watching. Likewise, many of the promos used during the show were shot using camera phones and posted on social media platforms.

The build-up to the show also featured wacky candid skits in lead-up to the debut episode. In one Facebook skit, Nattie for luck gave Shinsuke one of her father’s ring jackets. As it turned out, Nattie probably need the luck more since she would eventually tap out in the match.

A lot of Finn and Sasha’s skits leading up to their match featured them doing the too sweet hand gesture as they boasted with confidence.

Finn Balor & Sasha Banks defeated Shinsuke Nakamura & Natalya

Sasha and Nattie started the match but quickly tagged out to let Shinsuke and Finn grapple. They wrestled to a stalemate before tagging out.

The match turned into a fight as Nattie and Sasha picked up the intensity with more of a heel/babyface dynamic than their partners.

Overwhelmed, Nattie took a powder to talk strategy with Shinsuke. Sasha went for a dive through the ropes to the floor, but Shinsuke caught her. He then gently placed sat her on the apron. Shinsuke did his signature hand gesture before he ducked when Sasha jumped off the apron with plancha on Nattie.

Back in the ring, Nattie gained an advantage to start working over Sasha.

Meanwhile, Sami Zayn and Becky Lynch watched on from backstage while also interacting in a “chatroom” on social media.

Balor ran wild after a hot tag for a near fall on Nakamura. 

Shinsuke himself soon fired up, but got caught slipping by Finn. Balor went his finisher, but Nattie made the save by tripping him up on the top rope. 

Sasha dived into the ring to make the save as Shinsuke had Finn covered. A melee began.

Shinsuke went for his finisher, but Finn posted him.

Finn and Sasha did the too sweet hand gesture before stereo dropkicks. 

For the finish, Sasha hit a backstabber and transitioned into a submission. Sasha proceeded to submit Nattie with the Banks Statement.

Promos from next week’s opponents closed the show.

On week two of the Mixed Match Challenge, Carmella & Big E meet Miz & Asuka in another first round matchup.