Wrestling
Match Ratings For WWE Monday Night Raw 2/19 From Sean Ross Sapp
Braun Strowman won a gauntlet match
8.75/10
- WWE offers a moment of silence to those lost in last week's school shooting.
- A Fightful.com sign is seen behind Charly Caruso as she briefly speaks to Roman Reigns, who puts over the Elimination Chamber match.
- Rollins is his first opponent, and they work a really slow pace for the first ten minutes.
- Reigns has a nice tilt-a-whirl slam. Rollins always goes from selling his knee to doing two flying moves back to back.
- There's no way Reigns can believe his clotheslines look good. Almost everything he does but those looks great.
- We go to a commercial with a great series where Reigns Superman Punches Rollins after a Buckle Bomb. HE USED THE SPINAL STENOSIS TO HIS BENEFIT!!!!!!!! THE BIG DOG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- Rollins eats canvas on a Frog Splash. This is already at 17 minutes, which I think is great for a gauntlet opener with these two. It goes 20 minutes and Rollins eliminates Reigns with a roll up.
- Cena comes out, but Rollins cracks him with a clothesline and it's pretty slow work from both sides for about ten minutes.
- Cena gets a two on three straight Bayley to Bellys.
- After a commercial, we're 15 minutes in and Rollins counters an AA with a DDT.
- Cena does a fallaway stunner that looked great, but Rollins kicks out. Cena gets a little cocky and both guys trade punches after Rollins fires up.
- This is an insane performance from Rollins. Cena is fitting his role perfectly. He caught Rollins off the rope and teased an STFU but Rollins gets a Slingblade.
- Rollins gets posted from the apron, then Cena eats stairs. This is really great. Both make it in on a double countout tease. Back in the ring, Rollins applies a crossface, counters an AA with a flip and kick and gets two on a Frog Splash!
- FIFTY MINUTES IN Rollins kicks out of the AA. This is amazing booking for Seth Rollins.
- Rollins' second Falcon Arrow! ROLLINS ROLLS THROUGH AND HITS AN AA ON CENA FOR TWO.
- This was a match with zero stakes that WWE added emotion to. Just awesome.
- Cena hits an AA, and then when he rolls through, Rollins gets the Ripcord Knee and the stomp to win! He's 57 minutes deep!
- Elias comes in and gets aggressive, but can't put Rollins away. Rollins passes the hour mark during a commercial.
- We see John Cena backstage in a pretty frank interview that I thought was great. He admitted he was trying to balance a lot.
- A superkick catches Elias for two. Elias lands Drift Away for the win. Rollins out at an hour and five minutes. Great booking and performance.
- Finn Balor is up next and has the unenviable spot of following Seth Rollins. There was a bit of a hangover, and this match reflects that. Fortunately it picks up with good, sound wrestling.
- There's no way Balor doing a front dropkick to the outside of the ring is worth it.
- Eventually, Balor wins with Coup De Grace after about 18 minutes.
- The Miz attacks Balor after Miztourage distracts. The two end up working a solid back and forth, with Balor understandably playing the babyface from underneath.
- Graves calls Cole the best statistician he knows besides Dana Brooke. Cole does unleash nice info on Bruno vs. Waldo going 80+ minutes, though. This passes that match as the longest in WWE history.
- After a distraction, The Miz pins Finn Balor with the Skull Crushing Finale after about 14 minutes.
- Braun is out next and he chases Miz around the ring. We go to commercial as this becomes the first WWE match to go 100 minutes.
- Col couldn't stay silent over Finn Balor's promo while Strowman hit the dropkick.
- Miz fights off Strowman, but Strowman wins with a powerslam. 1 hour, 47 minutes
- Strowman goes back and beats down The Miztourage. This was a two hour segment.
Asuka and Nia
- Asuka is out with Renee Young, and struggles to cut a promo. Brilliant idea, WWE.
- Nia comes out and attacks, but Asuka cuts her off. It doesn't last long, as Nia leg drops her three time.
- Merciful end to this one. Nia looked awkward standing there, then looks bad taking kicks. This was horrible.
Video segments
- We see hype videos for Ronda Rousey and Jeff Jarrett.
- Hardy and Wyatt have dueling segments
Titus Worldwide (w/ Dana Brooke) defeated The Bar
4.5/10
- This is the fourth time this match has happened in a month.
- Michael Cole slips up and calls Apollo by his now absent last name. Then he's sure to not call him that as he says "Apollo" like ten times in the next minute.
- Dana Brooke not wrestling is best for all involved, and I think Apollo needs a new partner, too.
- He pins Cesaro either way. We'll get this a fifth time at the PPV.
Sasha Banks, Bayley & Mickie James defeated Alexa Bliss & Absolution (w/ Paige)
5/10
- Alexa won't wrestle Mickie, and Graves admits she's just trying to use James.
- Mandy Rose cartwheels out of a headscissors attempt. She's really what ROH wishes they had in Mandy Leon.
- Alexa tags herself in to beat on Bayley.
- There's a convoluted false tag spot.
- Mickie James looks awesome in the ring tonight. From physical presence, to execution to selling.
- WWE's production catches James calling spots and Cole covers up saying she was talking to herself. He could have just said she was calling out to her tag team partners, instead.
- Sasha Banks is a house of fire too. Her knee based attacks really fit her and she finds a place for them all the time. She submits Alexa with Banks Statement.
- Absolution attack and Mandy hits a dreadful inverted powerbomb. They tease attacking Alexa, but Mickie makes the save. Alexa and Mickie land a nice looking double DDT.