Reverse Hipster’s Highlights
8. (Impact) Tara Returns to Impact
Tara returned to be Giselle Shaw’s partner and challenge for the Death Dollz Tag Team Titles. However, Giselle definitively proved that all the tag team breakups she was involved in were her fault. She got jealous that Tara might get more attention than her and so she didn’t tag Tara in. Tara got fed up and destroyed Giselle so that the Death Dollz could pick up an easy win. It was a pretty satisfying moment in the show.
7. (SmackDown) Rey Mysterio vs. Karion Kross
Kross has been pushing Mysterios buttons for weeks and weeks. Kross has called Rey’s fatherhood and manhood into question. Kross was no different in the ring. He tested Mysterio by punishing him throughout the match and even trying to rip his mask off. However, Rey never gave up and dug down deep and made a heroic comeback. It was fantastic to see Rey win again especially given all that Kross did and said. Also, Scarlett was excellent in this match. She was able to interfere effortlessly and covertly. Her reactions really made you feel like Kross was going to lose because Scarlett looked terrified.
6. (Raw) Bray Wyatt and The Undertaker
It was a really special passing-the-torch moment to see the Undertaker in the ring encouraging Bray Wyatt. Plus, it was amazing to see Undertaker come back on the motorcycle in his American Badass gimmick.
5. (AEW Dynamite) The Acclaimed and The Ass Boys Go to Therapy
The Ass Boys did a great job flipping the script on the Acclaimed. They talked about how Billy didn’t even raise them because he was doing WWE all year, every year. Then after missing so many crucial moments for them, he was there for the Acclaimed. Bowens rebutted well when he said the Ass Boys could have stayed with them and their dad, but they betrayed the Acclaimed cause they were jealous. Points were made on both sides, but the Ass Boys won big by showing there is a deeper logical drive to their Vendetta.
4. (AEW Dynamite) Mark Briscoe vs. Jay Lethal
After the tragic death of his brother Jay Briscoe, it's amazing that Mark could even wrestle right now. Most people would have taken some time off, and that be completely understandable, but Mark somehow wrestled. On top of that, he had a great match with Jay Lethal. He survived a Lethal injection finishing move from Jay Lethal. Also, Mark launched himself from the ring to the announce table on Jay. Mark also turned Jay Lethal inside out multiple times with closelines before beating him.
3. (Impact Wrestling) Rich Swan Becomes Number One Contender
The Golden Six Shooter was a six-man-elimination match of former Impact World Champions and was a great main event. PCO returned and cost Eddie Edwards the match, and Moose and Kip looked really good. However, the biggest headline of this match was Rich Swan winning. It feels like he has been living off the fact that he won the title once for so long. However, finally he reminded people who he is and showed them he was a world-champion caliber athlete. He might just be Champion again when all is said and done.
2. (Raw) Seth Rollins and The Street Profits vs. Imperium
Imperium came out to ruin the DX celebration, but Dx turned the tables when they brought out Seth, The Street Profits to fight, and Teddy Long to make the six-man match official. Then Kurt Angle, who was celebrating with DX, took off his shirt and revealed a ref shirt, and he special guest refereed. The match was really good. All of these guys are excellent wrestlers, and they showed that. The best spot of the match was when Dawkins and Seth reversed a potential double-team move by Imperium. Seth hit a falcon arrow on Vinci, and then Dawkins caught him in the second phase and lifted him up for a blockbuster off the top rope. Seth and the Street Profits win.
1. (Raw) Sami Zayn and Jey Uso vs. Judgment Day/Trial of Sami Zayn
This was already going to be a great match. However, Sami Zayn made it even better. Jimmy Uso got hurt and was told that if he can’t continue, then the Tag team titles would be forfeited. Then Sami Zayn stepped in and told Adam Piearce that this match could continue because Jimmy Uso may be out, but Sami Uso can be in. Jey and Sami wrestled the rest of the match together, and they won. Jey and Sami beat the Judgment Day with a 1D, and it was incredible.
This comes after the trial of Sami Zayn, where he was potrayed by Heyman as a traitor and almost kicked out of the Bloodline and given a Samoan Spike. However, Jey Uso saved Sami Zayn by putting together all of the times they were saved by Sami Zayn, and he was found innocent. Jey asked the crowd how many people want Sami to be in the Bloodline. Both Usos and the entire crowd put their ones in the air. It clearly paid off when Sami helped the Usos retain the titles. The Bloodline Story is the best Storyline in the current wrestling world.
Rob’s Lowlights
3. Drew McIntyre and Sheamus were Eliminated from the tag team tournament, WWE SmackDown
Drew McIntyre and Sheamus were attacked by the Viking Raiders, and Adam Pearce announced they would not be able to compete. The thrown-together team of Ricochet and Braun Strowman took their place, and the whole segment made no sense. Worse, the thrown-together team won and earned the spot in the finals, and it basically destroyed the credibility of the whole tournament.
2. Brock Lesnar, WWE Raw
Austin Theory and Bobby Lashley were working a pretty decent match, but if we’re being honest, something needed to happen to Lashley for him to lose and have it make sense. WWE resorted to the same formula they’ve been leaning on for the last 10 years, as Brock Lesnar returned and got a pop from the crowd. Lesnar is a generational talent, but I’m frankly surprised that the crowd responded positively to this.
1. Bayley and Becky Lynch End Up Not Competing, WWE Raw
The most disappointing thing to come out of the Raw is XXX show was the women not competing. What should have been the main event never even started, and it was a huge failure by WWE. This was their chance to honor the contributions of women on Raw throughout the years. If they won’t stick their necks out to give time to Bayley and Becky Lynch, who will they defend? Sasha Banks and Naomi already proved that the WWE is not immune from talent walking out if they are disrespected, and it seems WWE still hasn’t learned its lesson.
Reverse Hipster's Winner's of the Week
6th Place Rampage
Rampage once again didn't even compete with the other shows. It wasn't noteworthily bad or good. It was just there.
5th Place NXT
NXT was actually pretty entertaining. I love watching the world that NXT has created each and every week to see what's up with all of the characters. The only problem with NXT is that the show hits tons of base hits, but not many home runs and home runs make the highlight reels.
4th Place SmackDown
SmackDown has mostly hovered in this range for me since the turn of the new year. The show use to be my number one WWE show but it has lost its spot. I think the biggest change is in the women's division. Despite Charlottes immense stardom the title is starting to get stale around her waste. The women aren't having as big a impact on SmackDown and that is part of SmackDown that use to give them the edge. Obviously SmackDown suffered because they had a way better go home show last week. However, Charlotte and Sonya didn't have match at Royal Rumble. So they should have been a highlight of SmackDown but they weren't.
3rd Place Dynamite
Dynamite had some truly heartwarming and entertaining moments but overall it was a good show not an elite showing by AEW.
2nd Place Impact
Impact was awesome. The Show had surprising returns exciting matches and shocking storyline developments. What more can you ask for.
1st Place Raw
Despite the terrible way that Raw treated their woman Raw gets the number one spot. Its not because I don't care about what happened with the women. Trust me I was pissed. However, Objectively Raw deserves the win because it had the best highlights of the week.
Rob’s Winners of the Week
6. This was the worst WWE SmackDown in a while, a sort of hold from last week’s SmackDown, which would have been a much stronger go-home show to the Royal Rumble.
5. AEW Rampage was okay this week, with some better matches than usual.
4. NXT put on an average show that proved that their average is actually quite solid, considering some of the different characters and wrestlers they have on their roster.
3. Impact Wrestling is still hot after their PPV, but it was admittedly cooler this week, with a few segments thrown in that just missed the mark.
2. WWE Raw is the hardest show to rank, as it came in with some of the highest highs and the lowest lows. This week that puts it in second place, but the build and talent involved means, by all means, it should have been able to secure first.
1. AEW Dynamite put on an excellent show that proved even when they aren’t going all out, booking their talent with time to wrestle is enough. The highlight of the show was the Jay Brisco tribute match, which had me in tears. I have to give huge credit to Tony Khan for pushing back against the network to make this happen.