A.J. STYLES BECOMES THE NUMBER ONE CONTENDER TO ROMAN REIGNS!

By: Tarron Coalson

WWE’s Monday Night Raw wrapped up 2016’s Wrestlemania weekend & although we’ve gotten reports of major access problems for Wrestlemania Sunday due to problem at the stadium, not WWE (some people waiting 3 hours to gain access to the building) & the mediocre Wrestlemania booking, Monday is a different day!

The Monday Night Raw crowd after Wrestlemania is traditionally one of the most high energy shows of the years & the crowd started out HOT!

Starting out, Vince McMahon comes out & gives his version of a Wrestlemania wrap up & while he criticizes Shane McMahon, he gives him props for his off the top of the cage dive.

Then, Shane comes out & shakes Vince’s hand & thanks the fans & starts to leave. Vince stops him from leaving & decides to let Shane run Monday Night Raw for the night, to the crowd’s delight!

Match 1- NEW DAY (Kofi Kingston & Big E) vs. League of Nations (Sheamus & King Barrett) for the World Tag Team Championships.

The match was 100% better than their Wrestlemania debacle & in a back & forth match, New Day wins with Kofi hits a top rope DDT on Barrett with Big E holding him.

After the match, Sheamus announces that a team is only as strong as it’s weakest link & the L.O.N holds King Barrett as Sheamus Brogue Kicks him & they throw him out of the ring. Then the lights go out & the Wyatt’s appear in the ring & beat up The League of Nations. I guess they’re gonna start Wyatt’s vs L.O.N, with Wyatt’s as the fan favorites. King Barrett has long been rumored to be leaving WWE when his contract was up & it certainly appears so after tonight.

Next-PROMO-Interview with Vince McMahon leaving the arena saying he didn’t want to stay for the disaster of Shane running Raw would be.

Match 2- Summer Rae calls out Sasha Banks…Bad Mistake by Summer..

I’ll be kind & just say that this match shows the incredible difference in work quality by the “Total Divas” & the ladies that are coming up thru NXT. It’s no contest & really unfair. Needless to say, your winner..Sasha Banks

Match 3- Tyler Breeze vs. Apollo Crews

This would be NXT’s Apollo Crews Monday Night Raw debut & my first time seeing him. Strong, athletic kid with a great build. Did a ton of power moves with Breeze but it’ll be interesting how it will translate as he starts matching up with the bigger guys on the main roster. Crews, to me, has a ROH feel to his style with the gymnastics twist. We’ll see how WWE uses him going forward. Crews wins with a Spin Out Power Bomb

PROMO-Reigns & Charlotte on NBC’s Today show….Crowd boo’s heavily whenever Reigns is shown…

Then, Roman Reigns enters the arena & is booed unmercifully by the crowd. Roman seems to play along & then tells the crowd, “I’m not the good guy, I’m not the bad guy, I’M THE GUY!” & the crowd lets him have it even more. Then he issues an open challenge for the WWE Championship & out comes Chris Jericho followed by AJ Styles followed by Kevin Owens followed by Sami Zayn. A four way brawl ensues with Reigns watching & ends with reigns spearing Jericho. Afterwards, Shane McMahon announces a Fatal Four Way with Jericho vs Styles vs Owens vs Zayn with the winner becoming the new number one contender for Reigns belt.

Match 4- Baron Corbin vs Dolph Ziglar

Corbin, fresh off his upset win in the Andre The Giant Battle Royal enters the main roster & is immediately impacting the main roster. In a back & forth match with Ziglar, the match ends in a double countout, but Corbin lands the End of Days on Ziglar on the floor, leaving Ziglar laying.

Match 5- Intercontenental Champ Zack Ryder vs. The Miz (Title match)

This contest matched up the last two in the ladder match finish with Miz saying that he was robbed by Ryder. The two went back & forth with the one time rabid crowd quiet as a mouse for this one… the match was as non interesting as possible until Zack Ryder dad pushed The Miz to the floor, somewhat bringing the crowd out of it’s slumber. Then, the Miz’s wife Maryse shows up & slaps Ryder’s father distracting Zack so that the Miz can hit the skull crushing finale for the 1..2..3. NEW CHAMP—THE MIZ!! So much for the feel good story for Zack Ryder:):)
(Side note- your angle is doomed whenever it involves non wrestling family members to get involved:):))

Then, Kevin Owens does a promo to the crowd’s delight saying he will win the 4 way & then the WWE Championship on his way to KO Mania 2!

Next, all the WWE ladies (& Ric Flair) are in the ring for the new title belt presentation for Charlotte & while she told Becky Lynch (sporting a nice shiner from Wrestlemania’s match) & Sasha Banks, “we did it”, she then said her dad, Ric Flair was the reason for her being the best! All the ladies walked out & she was confronted by Natalia of the wrestling Hart family who locked Charlotte in a Sharpshooter & the Nature Boy pulled Charlotte out of harm’s way. Kind of neat as it appears that it’s the family feud of Flair vs Hart, round 2.

Match 6- The Dudley’s vs The Uso’s in a Tables Match

Another match that the crowd just wasn’t into. I feel the same way about The Uso’s as I do about Roman Reigns. I’m not critical of their work rate…the crowd just doesn’t like them. Never has..they could benefit from a trip to the dark side as well!!

However, this match provided one of my high spots of the night as one of the Uso’s crashed thru a table on a top rope dive. The bellringer rang the bell, visibly angering Bubba Ray who thru the other Uso thru a table & said, “now, it’s over”. Apparently, it’s not enough you go thru a table, your opponent has to put you thru but Bubba was hot at the staffer!!

Next came a Promo by Sami Zayn which was interrupted by Kevin Owens in a vicious attack, power bombing Zayn thru a table back stage.

Meanwhile, The Dudley’s are still at ringside when the music hits & out comes Enzo & Big Cass from NWT to the fan’s delight & they know Enzo’s whole script. It’s truly amazing what Triple H, Dusty Rhodes & Steve Regal (& others) have built with NWT. If only WCW had been as successful (or had the brains to do so) with their Power Plant years ago…

Enzo & Big Cass challenge the Dudley’s who head for ring & fake out everyone powdering out & heading for the back stage while Big Cass called them SSSSAAAAWWWFFTT!!! (Watch NXT if you don’t know what that means!)

Note: it’s announced that the Vaude Villians will debut at Smackdown!

Match 7- The Fatal Four Way for the Number 1 Contender’s Match

Right before the match, it’s announced that Sami Zayn is out due to Kevin Owens pre-match attack…but it will still be a Fatal Four Way match & immediately I’m thinking OK, Cena or Shane himself is coming out. But, the fourth participant turns out to be Cesaro, returning from a shoulder injury.

The match starts with some nice Cesaro/AJ spots & everyone gets their spots with Cesaro throwing Jericho & Owens as they’re attempting to superplex Styles. Nice match all around & in a move virtually no one saw coming after last night’s defeat, AJ Styles gets the pin on Chris Jericho to become the number 1 contender to Roman Reigns.

Overall, the night was good with the crowd into most of the evening. WWE, after last night, which in my opinion was not one of their better Wrestlemania’s seemed to serve notice that they’re hedging their bets with the up & coming new guys who have been building NXT. That’s probably a good move for them as it seems the crowds are hungry for the NXT style. It remains to be seen what will happen with Reigns now that he’s slotted against a “good guy” in AJ Styles. Will the heel turn that I’ve been begging for finally happen? Stay tuned!