WWE’s round-robin tournament continues next week with two more mixed tag team matches from Manchester, England. The Raw block has Mickie James & Bobby Lashley vs. Bayley & Finn Balor. Likewise, Carmella & R-Truth vs. Naomi & Jimmy Uso meet in the SmackDown block match.
Last night on the show from Atlanta, Charlotte Flair & AJ Styles continued their undefeated streak with a win over Lana & Rusev. Lana & Rusev remain winless in the SmackDown block. In the Raw block on last night’s show, another undefeated team faced a winless pairing. Ember Moon & Braun Strowman defeated Alicia Fox & Jinder Mahal as the tournament rolled on.
James & Lashley and Asuka & The Miz are also undefeated in the tournament.
This season of Mixed Match Challenge will culminate with the finals being held at TLC on December 16, where the team that wins the Raw block will face the winners of the SmackDown block. Here are the updated standings:
The mixed match tag team tournament continued from Atlanta with two more round-robin matches. Two teams improve their undefeated records in the tournament with three wins each in their respective blocks. Two other teams drop to three losses as their winless streaks continue.
Ember Moon & Braun Strowman defeated Alicia Fox & Jinder Mahal (w/ The Singh Brothers)
Strowman pinned Mahal after delivering a powerslam. Monster Eclipse remain undefeated, and Mahalicia are still winless in the tournament.
Strowman was overpowering Mahal at every turn when the women tagged in. For some reason, Fox began running the ropes with Moon just watching her do so. Fox gassed out and drank water. The Singhs then caused a distraction that allowed Fox to give Moon a neckbreaker.
The next few minutes were the heat spot, a hope spot, and the babyface comeback. Strowman cleaned house on Mahal. Moon wiped out the Singhs with a tope to the outside. Meanwhile, Strowman was mauling Mahal when Fox confronted him in the ring.
Fox was wearing a hat when she rhetorically asked Strowman, “Who do you think you are?” Fox started chest bumping Strowman while also proclaiming herself as captain. Strowman stole her hat, put it on his head, and proclaimed himself captain. This spot would have been much funnier if it took place on the Jericho cruise — or at least somewhere on water. Here it was just wacky and nonsensical.
Leading into the finish, Moon swooped in to hit Fox with the Eclipse. Strowman then powerslammed Mahal to score the pinfall.
On the next episode in the Raw block, Country Dominance (Mickie James & Bobby Lashley) meet B’N’B (Bayley & Finn Balor) in the tournament.
Raw block standings —
Ember Moon & Braun Strowman (3-0)
Mickie James & Bobby Lashley (2-0)
Bayley & Finn Balor (2-1)
Alicia Fox & Jinder Mahal (0-3)
Natalya & Bobby Roode (0-3)
Charlotte Flair & AJ Styles defeated Lana & Rusev
Flair submitted Lana with the Figure Eight leglock. Fenomenal Flair improves to three wins, and Ravishing Rusev Day dropped to three losses.
The match began with Rusev and Styles grabbing signs from fans at ringside. They held up the signs in a “yay/boo” spot. A chop-off developed next in the match. Rusev earlier in the week had challenged Styles to a chop-off. They all traded chops. Charlotte then challenged Rusev to a chop-off.
Charlotte was chopping Rusev when Lana attacked her from behind for a cheapshot. Lana hit an X-factor for a two count. Lana was mocking Charlotte when she fired up on Lana. Styles was a house of fire when he tagged in. He executed an ushigoroshi on Rusev, but Rusev kicked out at two on a subsequent lateral press.
Lana jumped in at one point for a Russian leg sweep on Styles. Charlotte cut off Lana and climbed the turnbuckles. Rusev sacrificed himself to save his wife by stepping in to take the moonsault from Charlotte. Lana tried for a schoolboy, but Charlotte kicked out. For the finish, Charlotte applied the Figure Eight, and Lana then tapped out.
Next week in the SmackDown block, Fabulous Truth (Carmella & R-Truth) face Day One Glow (Naomi & Jimmy Uso).
The round-robin mixed tag team tournament continued with more comedy and gaga on the show from Newark, New Jersey. One team on the Smackdown block remains undefeated in Mixed Match Challenge while another team from the Raw block is still winless.
Bayley & Finn Balor defeated Natalya & Bobby Roode
Balor pinned Roode with the Coup de Grace. Team Pawz is winless in the tournament. B’N’B improves to two wins and one loss. This match pitted babyface teams against each other.
The match began with comedy based on Balor and Roode trading their jacket and robe with each other. Roode could not take Balor’s jacket off so he tagged out. Bayley and Nattie started chain wrestling. Nattie teased doing a dive, but Roode made a blind tag to “save” her. They briefly bickered about whether Nattie could do a dive. Nattie insisted she can dive. We may never know if she can thanks to Roode.
Out of nowhere, Naomi and Jimmy Uso were shown stretching backstage. Okay, whatever. Meanwhile, Bayley jumped off the backs of Balor and Roode for a crossbody on Nattie. That led into the finish.
Roode taunted Balor as he climbed the turnbuckles to attempt a double foot stomp. Balor rolled out of the way to avoid the move. Balor then fired up on Roode. Jumping off the top rope, Balor hit his own version of the double foot stomp for the pinfall.
Asuka & The Miz defeated Naomi & Jimmy Uso
Miz pinned Uso after a Skull Crushing Finale. This match continued the comedic tone of the show. The winners of the inaugural mixed tag tournament — Team Awe-ska — remain undefeated. In this particular matchup, Asuka is on opposing sides against her Smackdown tag team partner — Naomi.
Asuka and Naomi were wrestling each other when they both attempted a hip attack for a stalemate. They danced together and hugged, which greatly upset Miz. Uso challenged Miz to hug it out. Miz begged off and powdered. Uso gave chase and caught Miz in a bear hug.
Naomi moments later ran wild on Asuka — and Asuka soon fought back. Miz saved Asuka on an attempted split-legged moonsault from Naomi. Day One Glow cleaned house on Team Awe-ska to set up stereo Umaga splashes in opposite corners.
Leading to the finish, Naomi did a plancha to the outside on Asuka. Miz rushed into the ring to deliver a Skull Crushing Finale on Uso for the deciding pinfall.
On the next episode of Mixed Match Challenge, Ravishing Rusev Day (Lana & Rusev) against Fenomenal Flair (Charlotte Flair & AJ Styles) is the Smackdown block match. In the Raw block match, Mahalicia (Alicia Fox & Jinder Mahal) meets Monster Eclipse (Ember Moon & Braun Strowman) in the ongoing round-robin tournament.
The fourth week of the ongoing mixed tag team tournament continued the round-robin gaga. For the second week in a row, one of the two matches on Mixed Match Challenge featured a dance-off. On this week’s episode from Indianapolis, things got groovy — but not for everyone.
Injuries continue to plague the tournament. A most recent development is an injury to Kevin Owens. An announcement of him being injured leaves Natalya without a tag team partner for the tournament. In a promo on the show, Natalya said she needed two new paws for Team Pawz. She wondered out loud who would be her mystery partner for a match next week.
In matches on this show, Fenomenal Flair faced Fabulous Truth. Likewise, B’N’B met Monster Eclipse in the show opener. Once again, gaga was prevalent in what had the tone of house show matches.
Ember Moon & Braun Strowman defeated Bayley & Finn Balor
Strowman pinned Balor with a running powerslam. The women started the match before Strowman began mauling Balor. Trying to chop down a proverbial redwood, Balor fought back to no avail. Strowman toyed with him like a cat playing with a ball of yarn. That built to a hot tag. Strowman missed a charge into a corner — and Balor tagged out.
Bayley ran wild on Moon — but Moon soon turned the tables to gain an advantage. Moon springboarded into a flying crossbody for a near fall. Bayley used a running knee strike for a two count. Moon went to the top rope, but Bayley tripped her up. A Bayley-to-Belly led to Strowman breaking up a pinning attempt.
Strowman posted himself when missing a charge into a corner. Balor jumped off the top rope to deliver a double foot stomp onto Strowman’s back. The monster fell for the first time in the match. Bayley dispatched Moon at ringside. Meanwhile, Strowman recovered to powerslam Balor for the pinfall.
Charlotte Flair & AJ Styles defeated Carmella & R-Truth
Styles pinned Truth with a roll-up. Carmella and Truth rapped a duet together before the match. Charlotte was selling her injuries from a stunt at the finish of her match with Becky Lynch on SmackDown. In storyline, she was medically cleared but “banged up” for this match.
They all played to the crowd early on with dueling chants of “Wooo” and “What’s up” going back and forth. Truth and Styles started the wrestling match when a dance-off developed.
The lights dimmed and the ring turned into a nightclub. Everybody was dancing to the music. They all did the splits. Styles was last — and he sold his groin upon trying the splits. He blamed it on his age and having kids. Everyone laughed at him.
Carmella caught Styles with a flying headscissors to break up the dance party. Carmella begged off from Charlotte. A chase ensued around the ring. Moments later, Carmella applied a headscissors submission — only for Charlotte to power out for a tag to Styles.
Styles cleaned house on Truth. They traded near falls with Carmella and Charlotte each making a save. Styles attempted a sunset flip, and Carmella grabbed Truth’s hands to keep him from going over into a pinning combination. Charlotte rushed over to pull Carmella off the apron. Truth lost his grip and Styles then rolled him up for a pinfall.
The second season of the mixed tag team tournament continued with two more bouts and even more gaga in the third week of first round matches. This episode of WWE Mixed Match Challenge from Portland featured platonic friends battling a team plagued by dissension in the Raw block match. In the Smackdown block, the battle of married couples turned into an impromptu dance-off.
Bayley & Finn Balor defeated Alicia Fox & Jinder Mahal (w/ Sunil Singh)
Bayley pinned Fox with a belly-to-belly suplex. The tension within Mahalicia continued as Fox and Singh argued during the match. That would ultimately benefit the team known as B’N’B. They go to 1-0 while Mahalicia drops to 0-2.
Fox and Bayley squared off at the outset. Fox teased wanting to fight Balor instead, and she called him chicken. After she chopped Balor, Bayley rolled her up for a two count. Fox got a near fall off a roll-up a few moments later. Fox briefly worked over Bayley before a hot tag.
Balor cleaned house after tagging in. A slingblade and a shotgun dropkick set up Balor climbing the turnbuckles. Fox shook the ropes to trip up Balor. Fox tagged in only to meet the fury of Bayley. A high cross body netted Bayley a two count.
Fox was sent outside where she began arguing with Singh. That led to Bayley giving Singh a belly-to-belly suplex. Balor went flying over the ropes into a tope con hilo. Then, a Bayley-to-Belly suplex on Fox allowed Bayley to score the pinfall.
Naomi & Jimmy Uso defeated Lana & Rusev
Naomi pinned Lana with a roll-up. The match between married couples was mostly gaga. Much of the story revolved around a dance contest. No official winner for the dance-off, but Day One Glow still won the match over Ravishing Rusev Day. Lana & Rusev debut in the second season going 0-1. Naomi & Jimmy improve to 1-1.
Naomi taunted Lana early on with her dance moves. Lana fired up before breakdancing. She also twerked. Uso then suggested a dance-off. Rusev agreed as the fans chanted “dance-off”. The lights dimmed and a dance battle was on.
Naomi and Lana took turns dancing. There was more breakdancing from Lana. Naomi answered with a worm. Rusev declared his wife the winner. Uso did the same for his wife. Rusev and Uso would then have their own dance-off — or so it seemed.
Meanwhile, Aiden English in the comments section on Facebook posted a link to the supposedly scandalous video from Milwaukee.
Uso broke out his dance moves. Rusev looked to follow suit. They teased doing the Rikishi-Too Cool dance routine. Uso put shades on Rusev like he was Rikishi. Rusev then heeled on him with a cheapshot kick.
Naomi ran wild on Lana. Rusev rushed in to break up a pinning attempt — only to eat a superkick moments later. Lana used an X-factor for a near fall. Uso caused a distraction by getting on the house microphone to taunt Lana. Naomi with a schoolgirl rolled up a distracted Lana for the pin.
On the next episode of Mixed Match Challenge, Monster Eclipse (Ember Moon & Braun Strowman) face the team of B’N’B (Bayley & Finn Balor) in the Raw block match. For the Smackdown block, Phenomenal Flair (Charlotte Flair & AJ Styles) meet Fabulous Truth (Carmella & R-Truth).
The gaga was plentiful on the second episode in season two of Mixed Match Challenge. The round robin tournament continued in Denver with two more matches from the first round.
The winners of the inaugural tournament returned as Asuka & The Miz faced the budding new act of Carmella & R-Truth in the Smackdown block. Team Awe-ska got a win while Fabulous Truth looks to be getting over.
In the Raw block match, Mickie James replaced an injured Sasha Banks in teaming with Bobby Lashley against Alicia Fox & Jinder Mahal. Fan voting decided the team name for James & Lashley. The team now billed as “Country Dominance” went on to win their first match in the tournament against the team known as Mahalicia.
Mickie James & Bobby Lashley (w/ Lio Rush) defeated Alicia Fox & Jinder Mahal (w/ Sunil Singh)
Lashley in his hometown pinned Mahal after a delayed vertical suplex. The story of the match revolved around teamwork — or lack thereof. While Country Dominance gelled well as a team, Mahalicia not so much as they argued. Fox had issues with Sunil Singh being at ringside. In the opposite corner, the involvement of Lio Rush would lead to victory.
Rush gave a grand introduction to Lashley by portraying as the returning hometown hero. Lashley carried James to the ring on his shoulders. That set the tone for their chemistry. Their opponents entered in a different manner. They argued their way down the ramp. Although James and Fox are aligned together on Raw in a faction with Alexa Bliss, that was mostly ignored in this match except for a brief mention on commentary that tried to quickly dismiss the notion.
Early on in the match, Mahal challenged Lashley to a push-up contest. Lashley was outdoing Mahal when Fox rushed into the ring to jump on Mahal’s back to increase the difficulty of the challenge. With James also laying across her partner’s back, Lashley easily again outdid Mahal. Singh jumped in to add a third person on Mahal’s back. Mahal crumpled to the mat under the added weight. Mahal & Fox yelled at Singh.
Fox got heat on James leading to a hot — or rather mild — tag. Lashley cleaned house on Mahal. Upon a double down, Singh confronted Rush at ringside. Rush dropped Singh with an enzuigiri. Mahal gave chase for a cat-and-mouse game with Rush. Lashley cut off Mahal, and then lifted him into a delayed vertical suplex that led to a pinfall.
In a backstage skit following the match, Fox & Mahal argued. Mahal insisted Fox work on her breathing techniques for their tournament match next week. Fox says they are doing things her way instead. She then uninvited Singh for being in their corner next week. The plot thickens in a love triangle of sorts.
Asuka & The Miz defeated Carmella & R-Truth
Asuka submitted Carmella with the Asuka Lock in a match where R-Truth was over like a million bucks. The match itself had a lot comedy along with plenty of walking and talking. This felt like a house show match with the teams playing to the crowd more so than with normal televised matches in WWE.
A dance party broke out at one point. Miz stopped the record to say he could moonwalk. It was a comedic swerve. He pantomimed like he was walking around the moon in a spacesuit. Moments later, Carmella and Truth showcased the Michael Jackson version of the moonwalk. The crowd loved it. Truth specifically was over huge with the crowd. A “Truth TV” chant broke out numerous times throughout the match.
Miz & Asuka bickered at times, but that was more of an odd couple dynamic as opposed to Mahalicia arguing in the previous match. Asuka and Carmella picked up the intensity in the match during the closing minutes, trading near falls. Miz broke up a pin attempt and was working a spot with Carmella when Truth made the save. Truth was then sent over the top rope to the floor. Carmella superkicked Miz out of the ring. Asuka then caught Carmella to trap her in the Asuka Lock. Carmella tapped out as the Team Awe-ska remains undefeated in Mixed Match Challenge.
Next week in the Smackdown block is the battle of married couples when Ravishing Rusev Day (Lana & Rusev) collide with Day One Glow (Naomi & Jimmy Uso). For the Raw block match, Mahalicia returns for a second straight week in the ongoing tournnament. Alicia Fox & Jinder Mahal face B’N’B — Bayley & Finn Balor — on the next episode.
WWE is partnering with Facebook for a 12-episode in-ring series that will debut next month.
It was announced today that WWE Mixed Match Challenge would be airing on Facebook Watch on Tuesday nights over those 12 weeks. The show will premiere on January 16th, with it set to air live in the United States at 10 p.m. Eastern time and run for 20 minutes. That means that it will be taking place after SmackDown on Tuesdays, though WWE didn’t indicate what that will mean for 205 Live while Mixed Match Challenge is going on.
The concept for the show is a single-elimination mixed tag team tournament that will pit Raw against SmackDown, and the winning team will receive $100,000 to support a charity of their choice. WWE is hyping that the series will have interactive elements, including the ability for fans to engage with wrestlers during the show and “have the opportunity to select matchups, match stipulations, and more, on Facebook.”
Fans will be able to vote for the final member of the Raw roster that will be part of Mixed Match Challenge, along with which New Day member will be on the show. Those final additions to the lineup will be revealed on January 4th.
WWE has yet to announce the teams for the tournament, but here are the wrestlers who will be taking part in it:
Raw —
Alexa Bliss
Alicia Fox
Asuka
Bayley
Braun Strowman
Enzo Amore
Finn Balor
Goldust
Nia Jax
Sasha Banks
The Miz
A wrestler who will be selected by fan vote
SmackDown —
Becky Lynch
Bobby Roode
Carmella
Charlotte Flair
Jimmy Uso
Lana
Naomi
Natalya
Rusev
Sami Zayn
Shinsuke Nakamura
A member of The New Day (to be selected by fan vote)
Watch WWE’s announcement video for Mixed Match Challenge below:
