Main Event
Date: October 11, 2018
Location: Allstate Arena, Chicago, Illinois
Commentators: Nigel McGuinness, Percy Watson, Vic Joseph
This week focused on the fast pace build towards Crown Jewel and Evolution and for once, Raw was a heck of a show with all kinds of things happening at once. Smackdown on the other hand was a rather dull night with almost nothing that felt important. That could make for a rather interesting combined show so let’s get to it.
Opening sequence.
Zack Ryder vs. Mojo Rawley
Rawley shoves him down to start but Ryder is right back up with some forearms to the face. That just earns him another grounding and right hands, followed by a shoulder for two. The chinlock wastes no time in going on but Ryder reverses a suplex into a neckbreaker. A jumping clothesline and the middle rope missile dropkick give Ryder two but a quick toss into the air gives Rawley the same. The Broski Boot doesn’t work so it’s the Rough Ryder for the pin at 5:02.
Result: Zack Ryder b. Mojo Rawley – Rough Ryder (5:02)
Video on HHH vs. Undertaker from Super Show-Down.
From Raw.
Here are HHH and the still bald Shawn Michaels to talk about spending 25 years climbing a mountain. On Saturday in Melbourne, Australia, they made it to the top. It turns out that they were lied to the whole time and we see a long package on Saturday’s long main event, complete with Undertaker and Kane turning on them. HHH talks about respect, like the kind you get from fighting back to back with someone for years. Or living up to your word when everyone else tells you not to.
Shawn says respect is a two way street. The flight from Melbourne to Chicago is a very long trip and they’ve had a long time to think. He thought about the respect that never was there in the first place but when they landed, HHH asked if he was ready. HHH knows Shawn is ready, but are Undertaker and Kane ready? They reveal the DX shirts because they want DX vs. the Brothers of Destruction at Crown Jewel.
From Raw again.Ronda Rousey/Bella Twins vs. Riott Squad
Liv and Brie start things off as Liv slaps her in the face but gets taken down, allowing Brie to miss a YES Kick. They get into a catfight and fight to the floor for a big staredown. Back in and it’s Rousey taking Morgan down by the arm. The entire Squad runs in fear as we take a break. We come back with Nikki fighting up and hitting her spinning kick out of the corner. Brie comes in and gets caught with an STO on the floor to put her in trouble.
A shoulder to the ribs cuts Brie down again and an ugly hiptoss sets up a running knee to the face. Brie fights up from Ruby’s chinlock but Riott draws Rousey in so the Squad can keep Brie in trouble. A few forearms are enough to bring in Rousey and it’s time to hurt people. The spinning Samoan drop sets up the armbar with the Bellas running interference (including Logan laying down before Brie grabbed her) for the tap at 9:25.
Result: Ronda Rousey/Bella Twins b. Riott Squad – Armbar to Riott (9:25)
Post match the Bellas jump Rousey and laugh at her. Thankfully Rousey shrugs them off and throws them both down, only to get sent into the post on the floor. Some more whips send her into the steps and barricade for a bonus.
From Smackdown.Women’s Title: Charlotte vs. Becky Lynch
Becky is defending and can lose the title via DQ. They’re in the ring for the Big Match Intros with neither getting an entrance so they’re starting fast. Becky works on a wristlock to start before raking Charlotte’s eyes across the top rope. A legdrop sets up the strut from Becky but she misses the spinning version, allowing Charlotte to roll her up for two. They clothesline each other but it’s too early for the Disarm-Her.
Instead Charlotte hits a dragon screw legwhip, only to be taken down into an armbar. Becky gets catapulted into the corner for a trip to the floor, which of course means a dive to take us to a break. Back with Charlotte being slammed off the top for two as Becky works on the arm some more. Charlotte chops away and grabs a belly to back suplex for a double knockdown.
Lynch gets crotched on top but manages to roll off into a cross armbreaker. That’s reversed into a sitout powerbomb and we take a second break. Back again with Becky trying to walk out but coming back in and throwing the belt down. That leads to an argument that doesn’t get us anywhere, so it’s an exchange of rollups, followed by a spear to put Becky on the floor.
Charlotte misses the moonsault though and the Bexploder gets nine. Becky follows her out and gets Bexploded as well, followed by Natural Selection back inside. Charlotte can’t cover though as Becky rolls outside, leading to another brawl for the double countout at 25:12. That might be a record for the longest one fall women’s match.
Result: Charlotte vs. Becky Lynch went to a double countout (25:12)
Post match Charlotte spears Becky through the set.Video on Rey Mysterio.
Crown Jewel rundown.
Heath Slater/Rhyno vs. Revival
Dawson and Slater fight over a wristlock to start with Slater showing off a nice bridge to escape. An armdrag into an armbar has Dawson in trouble and we take an abrupt break. Well cut but you get the idea. Back with Slater in trouble until a neckbreaker puts Wilder down. The hot tag brings in Rhyno to clean house and a TKO gets two on Dawson. Slater follows him in and walks into a DDT. Rhyno comes back in and it’s the Shatter Machine to give Wilder the pin at 7:55.
Result: Revival b. Heath Slater/Rhyno – Shatter Machine to Rhyno (7:55)
One more time from Raw.
Shield vs. Braun Strowman/Dolph Ziggler/Drew McIntyre
It’s a big staredown before the bell until McIntyre runs Rollins over to start. Ambrose comes in for a double suplex and some clubbing forearm shots to Drew’s face. That’s enough of that so it’s off to Strowman vs. Reigns with Roman not being able to Samoan drop him. Reigns gets saved from a double suplex and a double clothesline puts McIntyre and Ziggler on the floor. Strowman thinks better of fighting all three of them at once and goes outside for some yelling instead.
Back from a break with Reigns in trouble until he punches Ziggler out of the air. Strowman comes in and misses a charge into the post, allowing Reigns to hit the Samoan drop. It’s off to Rolling to speed things up but he spends too much time tuning up the band, allowing Ziggler to avoid the Stomp. The Buckle Bomb gets two instead as everything breaks down. Ambrose and Rollins hit the double suicide dives but Strowman is ready for them. Reigns takes out everyone with the BIG dive and we take a second break.
Back again with Strowman cranking on Rollins’ neck and handing it back to McIntyre, who cuts off a hot tag and kicks Rollins in the face. Ziggler gets catapulted into the corner and McIntyre takes an enziguri, only to have Strowman knock Ambrose and Reigns to the floor. Strowman yells at Ziggler, who yells right back until Strowman grabs him by the throat. That brings Drew into Strowman’s face until Rollins knocks McIntyre into Strowman for two. Rollins brings Ambrose in to pick the pace way up, including a suicide dive.
A swinging neckbreaker gets two more on Drew but it’s too early for Dirty Deeds. Ambrose has to elbow Ziggler down, allowing McIntyre to spinebust him for two. Rollins comes back in and suplexes Ziggler to the floor, leaving Dean to slug it out with McIntyre. A double clothesline puts both of them down and Strowman posts Reigns. Dean’s dive onto Strowman is caught so he spins it into a DDT to put both of them down as well. There’s a spear to Strowman but Drew is waiting for Ambrose with the Claymore for the pin at 21:58.
Result: Braun Strowman/Drew McIntyre/Dolph Ziggler b. Shield – Claymore to Ambrose (21:58)
Post match Ambrose walks off on his own, leaving Rollins and Reigns confused to end the show.
Thomas Hall has been a wrestling fan for over thirty years and has seen over 50,000 wrestling matches. He has also been a wrestling reviewer since 2009 with over 5,000 full shows covered. You can find his work at kbwrestlingreviews.com, or check out his Amazon author page with 28 wrestling books. His latest book is the the Complete 2003 Smackdown Reviews.Get the latest and greatest in professional wrestling news by signing up for our daily email newsletter. Just look below for “GET EXCLUSIVE UPDATES” to sign up. We are proud to offer our popular Wrestling Rumors app and encourage you to download it for an optimized user experience. It is available for Android and also on iOS. Thank you for reading!