Monday 7 December 2020

WWE Raw Full Show Live Streaming 7 December 2020 WWE Raw Highlights Full Show 7 December 2020

 

WWE Raw 12/7/20



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WWE Raw Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights from December 7

Sana Ejaz Khan
    Credit: WWE.com

    Carnage awaits on the road to TLC: Tables, Ladder & Chairs 2020. The December 7 edition of Monday Night Raw promised clarity on that card, known for hard steel and smashed wood.

    Randy Orton wanted to enter the "Firefly Fun House," inviting himself into the odd parallel dimension in WWE. Bray Wyatt and Alexa Bliss were sure to meet him, but no one knew what The Viper would truly be inside that world.

    Drew McIntyre continued to dodge The Miz's best efforts at taking his WWE Championship while preparing for a big match with AJ Styles. This week, he was set to face Styles, Miz and John Morrison in a handicap match. Only Sheamus was at his side.

    The dominant United States champion Bobby Lashley needed fresh competition. Jeff Hardy has always coveted gold and planned to fight The All Mighty for a chance at his U.S. title.

    Much of the rest of the Raw card was a mystery, but it was certain that Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler would look to torment Lana further, even with Asuka backing her up. New Day also needed fresh competition.

    This December 7 show did not sound exciting on paper, but WWE had to ramp up the excitement to sell TLC. That would begin with this night.

Randy Orton Calls Out Bray Wyatt for a Match Ahead of His Fight with The Fiend

1 OF 8

    The show opened with a tribute to Pat Patterson. Throughout the night, tweets from WWE stars were shown, praising Patterson for all he did for the business. A video package was also shown later for his incredible career and impact on so many.

    Afterward, Randy Orton explained why he is not afraid of The Fiend. He promised to stare Bray Wyatt in the eyes and show him that the true evil was him. He demanded to be let in. Wyatt arrived from the "Firefly Fun House" without Alexa Bliss.

    After Wyatt ran a game show questioning the horrors The Fiend would inflict on Orton, The Viper demanded a match with the "Firefly Fun House" host this night on Raw. Wyatt accepted.

               

    Grade

    B+

                

    Analysis

    This went a little long, but as always, Wyatt makes his segments feel completely unique to anything else on Raw. Given the run time of the show, unique segments are a massive relief. He even managed to sell Orton's familiar brand of drawn-out heel promo.

    Orton vs. Wyatt should have been promoted ahead of time. The match was a potential fun way to sell the feud as The Viper faced the less dangerous version of The Fiend, hoping to get an advantage before competing against the embodiment of evil.

Asuka (w/ Lana) vs. Shayna Baszler (w/ Nia Jax)

2 OF 8

    Backstage, Nia Jax gave Shayna Baszler a pep talk for her match with Asuka. The two then made it clear that they would mutilate The Ravishing Russian for embarrassing them.

    The Queen of Spades targetted the left arm of The Empress of Tomorrow, dealing serious damage. The Irresistible Force went after Lana outside, only to get sent hard into the announce table with a headscissors takedown. Capitalizing on the distraction, Asuka rolled up Baszler for the win.

    Later in the night, it was announced that Lana would face Jax. The Ravishing Russian was terrified backstage. Asuka managed to psyche her up, only for that to get undercut when she saw The Irresistible Force.

              

    Result

    Asuka def. Baszler by pinfall.

               

    Grade

    C+

                

    Analysis

    This was the best segment Lana has been involved in for months. Asuka vs. Baszler did the heavy lifting, and the two should have gotten more time. However, their match was cut short, likely with the intention for a bigger title match in the future.

    That's the goal at least, though it does not help that Baszler keeps getting pinned. Of the two women, The Queen of Spades should be protected more than The Irresistible Force.

    The real important moment was The Ravishing Russian finally taking matters into her own hands. Lana went after Jax after her tormentor tried to attack her again. The headscissors takedown into the announce table is the first time she has felt like a face in this whole story.

Ricochet and Dana Brooke vs. Slapjack and Reckoning (w/ Mustafa Ali)

3 OF 8

    Riddle asked Dana Brooke and Ricochet where The Hurt Business was, but the two were too focused on their fight. Ricochet and Brooke explained what it meant in an interview to beat Retribution.

    Mustafa Ali promised that Ricochet and Brooke were failures and needed to be taken down by Retribution.

    Reckoning planted Dana Brooke with aggressive offense early. However, offense between Slapjack and Ricochet distracted her, allowing Brooke to connect on a sit-out slam for the three-count. Afterward, Ali berated both as losers.

              

    Result

    Brooke and Ricochet def. Reckoning and Slapjack by pinfall.

               

    Grade

    D

                

    Analysis

    There is a potential story to Reckoning failing and breaking away from Retribution, but it does not work based on the stable's build to date. Ali cannot be a ruthless leader, demanding success now, after months of his group losing.

    Mia Yim may make it on the main roster when she gets away from Retribution. However, Yim could have been established as dominant from the start instead. At no point in WWE has she been allowed to thrive as her talent would dictate.

Sheamus and Drew McIntyre Ruin 'Miz TV' Featuring AJ Styles

4 OF 8

    Keith Lee confronted Sheamus backstage, telling The Celtic Warrior that he saw through his act.

    AJ Styles gladly accepted an opportunity on "Miz TV." The focus was Sheamus and Drew McIntyre as Miz and John Morrison threw out terrible Irish and Scottish accents. The Celtic Warrior arrived, followed by The Scottish Psychopath. They were not amused.

    McIntyre went off on Miz and Morrison while The Phenomenal One escaped outside to stand with Omos. The Irishman and Scotsman cleared the ring, and Styles left Miz and Morrison to take the beating. The WWE champion threw Miz's Money in the Bank contract clear to the stage.

               

    Grade

    D+

                

    Analysis

    The attempted jokes in this segment did not land. Honestly, nothing in this worked. Miz and Morrison's accents grated on the ears. McIntyre's comebacks were childish and out of character. Styles barely felt like he was in the segment.

    While the "will he, won't he" tension with Sheamus is always effective, this segment added nothing to that dynamic. These men should have just wrestled in their already-announced handicap match instead.

Kofi Kingston vs. Shelton Benjamin; Kingston vs. Cedric Alexander (w/ MVP)

5 OF 8

    Credit: WWE.com

    Shelton Benjamin seemed to have Kofi Kingston's number early. He managed to tweak the left knee of the former WWE champion. However, Kofi knocked him down on the outside and then caught him with Trouble in Paradise when he returned to the ring to win.

    Cedric Alexander demanded that Kofi face him as well, and the New Day star accepted. Xavier Woods could only watch at ringside as Alexander went aggressively after the knee of Kofi. The tenacity of Alexander was hard for Kofi to match, including a dropkick to the knee and a spinning brainbuster.

    MVP barked out orders at Alexander as his overconfidence almost got the better of him. The two teetered on the top rope, and Kofi fell badly on his knee. Alexander planted Kofi with the Lumbar Check for the win.

              

    Result

    Kofi def. Shelton by pinfall; Alexander def. Kofi by pinfall.

               

    Grade

    B+

                

    Analysis

    Kofi vs. Shelton deserved more time, but it makes sense that it did not get that time because of the second match to come. Kofi vs. Alexander was fantastic, built on the aggressive attitude of Alexander. He looked like an absolute star.

    While New Day vs. Hurt Business has been sloppily built, the talent is selling the feud. It should be fun to see what these tag teams can do with time in their expected clash at TLC. Alexander seems like he's itching for the spotlight.

Drew McIntyre and Sheamus vs. AJ Styles, The Miz and John Morrison

6 OF 8

    Drew McIntyre and Sheamus knew they would have to divide and conquer to win, first brutalizing John Morrison and throwing him over the announce table. AJ Styles refused to get involved with The Scottish Psychopath, so The Miz took a beating as The Shaman of Sexy recovered.

    The heels finally got the WWE champion isolated in the corner, and Styles saw his opening to get involved. Sheamus tried to give McIntyre a reprieve, but he was also isolated and beat down. The Phenomenal One gladly went after Sheamus until he got planted with White Noise.

    McIntyre got a hot tag and teased a Claymore on Morrison, but Miz saved his friend. The Celtic Warrior accidentally hit McIntyre with a Brogue Kick, setting up Styles to hit the Phenomenal Forearm on Sheamus for the win.

    Charly Caruso asked Sheamus about the Brogue Kick backstage, and he made clear it was not intentional. McIntyre got in his face. The two brawled while the locker room cheered on. Pat Buck tried to break them up, and the two men beat down the referee. The two went off to buy a pint.

              

    Result

    Styles, Miz and Morrison def. McIntyre and Sheamus by pinfall.

               

    Grade

    A-

                

    Analysis

    Making up for the awkward "Miz TV" segment, this was an awesome match from all involved. While handicap matches typically are tough to sell, the pace was great. Sheamus and McIntyre shined in bursts, while the heels played smart to isolate and control the action.

    Though WWE oversold the miscue, it is nice to see how the company is keeping McIntyre and Sheamus moving forward. After the WWE champion defeats Styles, it would only make sense for The Scottish Psychopath to give The Celtic Warrior the next shot.

Bobby Lashley (w/ MVP) vs. Jeff Hardy

7 OF 8

    Credit: WWE.com

    Riddle caught Jeff Hardy backstage before his match to ask him about teaming up as the Hardy Bros. The Charismatic Enigma was interested but too busy to say yes.

    MVP reminded Bobby Lashley to go after Hardy's bad back. It worked out for a moment until The Charismatic Enigma showed his veteran instinct with a series of impressive reversals. MVP got involved, but Riddle ran down to even the odds.

    The All Mighty punished The Charismatic Enigma, leaving him barely able to stand. Hardy blocked the Hurt Lock, but Lashley transitioned into a sleeper. With sheer force of will, Hardy fought back up and hit Whisper in the Wind.

    Twist of Fate set up the Swanton Bomb, but Lashley dodged and hit a spear followed by the Hurt Lock. He refused to let go, even after Hardy tapped, but Riddle made the save.

              

    Result

    Lashley def. Hardy by pinfall.

               

    Grade

    A-

                

    Analysis

    This was one of the best performances we have seen from either man in several months. The two brought their all to a fight that showed their veteran instincts. It was back-and-forth, focused on submissions and counters.

    Typical WWE booking might have had Hardy go over to get a future title shot. This was the better outcome. It continues to sell how dominant The All Mighty has been, and The Original Bro looks like the only one who can stop him.

Randy Orton vs. Bray Wyatt

8 OF 8

    Bray Wyatt laughed as he saw Randy Orton stomp around the ring. He kept that smile as he slammed The Viper onto the announce table with a back body drop. He ran off commentary, ready to do more damage.

    Orton turned the momentum around, punishing Wyatt, yet the "Firefly Fun House" host still showed his mirth in every moment. He almost enjoyed the pain. It fueled his comeback as he planted Orton with a running crossbody and DDT.

    The Viper blocked Sister Abigail and thumbed Wyatt in the eye followed by the draping DDT. The lights went out just as Orton hit an RKO, and The Fiend lay next to The Viper. He choked out Orton with a mandible claw to end the night.

              

    Result

    Orton vs. Wyatt goes to a no-contest.

               

    Grade

    A-

                

    Analysis

    It is such a breath of fresh air to watch Wyatt. His matches are so character-focused to the point that every fight feels unique. The way Wyatt enjoyed his fight with Orton sold that he is still one step ahead of The Viper. Orton for his part kept the momentum going, not slowing for a second.

    The close was a brilliant reverse on last week. Orton thought he had the edge, but The Fiend went right back at him. It helped that Alexa Bliss, supposedly Wyatt's weakness, was nowhere to be seen. This story continues to grow more intense


Sunday 6 December 2020

WWE Tribute to the Troops 2020 Full Show Live Streaming WWE Tribute to the troops 2020 Highlights HD

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WWE Tribute to the Troops
2:30 PM -3:30 PM ET
Featuring : Drew McIntyre faces The Miz; Daniel Bryan, Rey Mysterio, Jeff Hardy and The Street Profits face King Corbin, Elias, Sami Zayn, Dolph Ziggler and Robert Roode.

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WWE Tribute to the Troops 2020: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights (Sana Ejaz Khan)

    Credit: WWE.com

    WWE Tribute to the Troops took place Sunday before NXT TakeOver: WarGames at the WWE Thunderdome in Orlando, Florida.

    The annual event that does what the name says, pays tribute to the troops, has been a popular show for years because WWE books it slightly different from its usual event.

    This year's TTTT featured three matches and a musical performance, which has also become a tradition for the show. Country star HARDY, no relation to Matt and Jeff, played for the crowd.

    The Miz took on Drew McIntyre, Sasha Banks and Bianca Belair faced Bayley and Natalya and a big 10-man tag match took place.

    Let's take a look at everything that happened at Tribute to the Troops. 

10-Man Tag Match

1 OF 3

    The show opened with a video package showcasing highlights from past Tribute events from the U.S. and abroad. We went live and saw the Thunderdome screens filled with men and women from the armed forces. 

    The first match was the big 10-man tag bout with Daniel Bryan, Rey Mysterio, jeff hardy and The Street Profits taking on Dolph Ziggler, Robert Roode, King Corbin, Sami Zayn and Elias.

    Mysterio and Ziggler started off with a quick pace as they traded holds and takedowns. Both men got in some offense before Roode tagged in and took over for his team. 

    The Charismatic Enigma came in and regained the upper hand for his team. A huge brawl broke out after Elias took a cheap shot at Hardy right before the break. 

    The same patterns continued after the break with quick tags on both sides. The end came when Montez Ford hit his sky-high frog splash on Zayn for the pin. 

                          

    Grade: B

                            

    Analysis

    When you pack 10 people into one match, it's going to follow a certain pattern. Everybody gets a little time in the ring from each side, and at least one huge brawl will always take place. 

    Every near-fall that happened early in the match was obviously not going to be the finish, so it took away any sense of danger until everybody had been in the ring at least once.

    Those basic criticisms aside, there was a lot to like here. We saw some fun exchanges between different stars, and WWE did a good job balancing the teams on both sides. 

    This bout managed to include a few different storylines, but it didn't do anything to further them. It just reminded us feuds like Elias vs. Hardy exist, which isn't a bad thing. Tribute shows like this are more about putting on a fun show than advancing feuds. 

    This was a solid way to kick off the show even if it was predictable in a lot of ways. 

Bayley and Natalya vs. Sasha Banks and Bianca Belair

2 OF 3

    After a musical performance from HARDY, a push-up contest between Lacey Evans and three marines, and some videos of celebrities thanking the troops, the women came to the ring for their tag match. 

    The former best friends kicked things off for their teams with a furious lockup. Banks brought Bayley down into a side headlock before she brought in Belair. The EST countered a drop toe hold, but The Role Model still cornered her by Natalya.

    Belair got the first near-fall of the match and managed to fend off both opponents. She picked up Banks and threw her into Bayley and Natalya for a nice double-team spot. 

    We returned from a break to see Bayley and Natalya controlling the pace. Belair managed to tag in Banks, and The Boss turned things around with a barrage of offense. She locked The Queen of Harts in The Bank Statement for the submission victory. 

                          

    Grade: C+

                            

    Analysis

    Michael Cole made sure to mention how Bayley and Natalya have had some recent run-ins but also talked about their mutual hatred for their opponents. 

    What was surprising was how little that animosity between Natalya and Bayley came into play. It seemed like Cole brought it up to plant the seeds for a miscommunication to cost them the match, but it never happened.

    The bout was good but felt a little rushed. The pace they worked never allowed anyone to sell anything for long. Belair and Banks made a good team. It would be awesome to see them pursue the tag titles at some point. 

The Miz vs. Drew McIntyre

3 OF 3

    The main event saw McIntyre face The Miz in a non-title match. Mr. Money in the Bank had his contract close by and John Morrison at ringside for support. 

    The Miz got in the first few punches, but the WWE champion quickly cornered him for a thunderous chop to the chest. He threw Morrison over the barricade at one point, and it allowed The Miz to take control momentarily. 

    The Scottish Warrior, which is not as cool of a nickname as The Scottish Psychopath, managed to fend off both his opponent and Morrison before hitting the Future Shock DDT. 

    He lined up and hit a Claymore for the pin. 

                               

    Grade: C

                              

    Analysis

    This was a little too short and way too predictable. They looked good together, but like the tag match before it, they had to rush to make sure they got everything they needed into the match.

    What would have really made this show special was a successful or failed MITB cash-in by The Miz, but when it comes to Tribute shows, the babyfaces almost never lose.


WWE NXT Takeoevr War Games 2020 Full Show Live Streaming HD WWE NXT Takeover war Games 2020 Highlights

 

WWE NxT TakeOver : Wargames 2020 PPV July



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WWE NXT WarGames 2020 Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights

Sana Ejaz Khan

    Credit: WWE.com

    War was hell for the top stars of NXT Sunday night at TakeOver: War Games, where Team Shotzi and Team Candice sought to settle their differences in the most barbaric gimmick match in professional wrestling, while Undisputed Era looked to silence the loudmouth pat macfee and his associates Pete Dunne, Danny Burch and Oney Lorcan.

    Those two matches, taking place inside two rings surrounded by two unforgiving steel cages, headlined a live special that also featured the culmination of top rivalries, hard-hitting in-ring action and storyline developments that propelled the brand forward as 2020 comes to an end.

    Who emerged victoriously and what did it mean for the immediate future of the brand? Find out with this recap of the December 6 live event spectacular. 

Match Card

1 OF 5

    Announced for Sunday's WWE Network special are:

        

    • War Games: Team Shotzi (Shotzi Blackheart, Io Shirai, Ember Moon and Rhea Ripley) vs. Team Candice (Candice LeRae, Dakota Kai, Raquel Gonzalez and Toni Storm)
    • War Games: Undisputed Era (Adam Cole, Bobby Fish, Kyle O'Reilly and Roderick Strong) vs. Pat McAfee, Pete Dunne, Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch
    • Triple Threat Match for the North American Championship: Leon Ruff vs. Damian Priest vs. Johnny Gargano
    • Leather Strap Match: Dexter Lumis vs. Cameron Grimes
    • Tommaso Ciampa vs. Timothy Thatcher

        

    Coverage begins at 7:00 PM.

Women's War Games Match: Team Blackheart vs. Team Candice

2 OF 5

    Credit: WWE.com

    Appropriately, TakeOver: War Games kicked off with the namesake match featuring the most talented women’s division in professional wrestling. Team Candice’s Toni Storm, Dakota Kai, Raquel Gonzalez and captain Candice LeRae battled Team Blackheart’s Rhea Ripley, Io Shirai, Ember Moon and captain Shotzi Blackheart in a match months in the making.

    By way of Blackheart’s win on Wednesday, the babyfaces held the rare one-woman advantage. Shotzi emerged from the locker room on a brand new tank, rebuilding it after LeRae ran it over a few weeks back.

    Moon and Kai started the match for their respective teams, further intensifying their own rivalry.

    Kai weathered the storm of Moon first, raking her face into the mat, but the arrival of Blackheart (toolbox in-hand) brought with it a two-on-one disadvantage for the heels. She found herself on the shoulders of Moon, then flat on the mat following a dropkick from Blackheart. 

    Gonzalez joined the fray next, overpowering both babyfaces and bowling over them with clothesline and big boots. A slam to Moon gave way to a powerbomb into the cage on Blackheart as Gonzalez wreaked havoc. 

    With the help of Gonzalez, Kai launched herself from one ring to the next, wiping out Moon and Blackheart with a double clothesline. 

    Ripley entered the match and immediately came face-to-face with Gonzalez. With Moon and Blackheart immobilizing the heel, Ripley rocked her with a pump kick. A pair of clotheslines and a ripcord dropkick flattened Kai as the Aussie rolled.

    Ripley opened up the toolbox, retrieved a mallet and blasted Kai with it. She strapped in the arms of Captain Kota and womanhandled her right into the cage. Again, Ripley and Gonzalez teed off on each other, the titans of the division engaging in a relentless brawl. 

    Storm entered next for Team Candice and retrieved a handful of kendo sticks. After working on a turnbuckle pad, she joined Gonazlez in punishing Ripley with the stick. She whipped Ripley into the exposed turnbuckle, driving the air out of her in the process.

    All six women in the match came together for a stereo tower of doom spots, leaving the competitors laid out on the mat. Just in time for NXT Women’s Champion Shirai to enter the battle, bringing a ladder with her.

    Gonzalez prevented Shirai from entering, kicking the door back into The Genius of the Sky and knocking her off the apron. Repeatedly, Gonzalez prevented Shirai from entering the match, despite eating a dropkick that drove a chair into her head. 

    LeRae finally entered the match, but came face-to-face with Shirai. Luckily for her, Indi Hartwell attacked from out of nowhere, leaving Shirai lying on the floor. She locked the door to the cage and stuck the key in her shirt, making it difficult for Shirai to enter the squared circle.

    In the ring, the heels took turns pummeling Blackheart with kendo stick shots, obliterating her. LeRae tried for the pin but the referee refused, citing the fact that not all eight competitors had actually entered the ring.

    Shirai, with a garbage can over her head, launched herself off the top of the cage and wiped out all other competitors as War Games officially began.

    The babyfaces came together to unleash hell on the opposition, punishing them one-by-one en route to a moonsault by Shirai to Gonzalez. The LeRae and Co. broke up the pin, though, ensuring the bout would continue.

    Blackheart and Moon trapped Storm in a double submission, but LeRae broke it up. Blackheart unloaded on the heels with a kendo stick until a chair shot from Kai halted her momentum. She followed up with a big kick to Shirai, followed by a top-rope double stomp into the trash can, driving it into the body of the women’s champion. 

    Moon delivered an Eclipse onto two chairs but Storm broke it up with a trash can. Toni delivered Storm Zero to Moon onto a trash can, but Shirai narrowly broke up the fall.

    LeRae wiped out Ripley, but was knocked off a ladder. Blackheart delivered the senton, back came back-first into a well-place chair positioned expertly by LeRae. Shirai delivered a moonsault onto Kai but Storm speared Ripley into the champion, breaking up the pin.

    Shirai tried to deliver a headscissors onto Gonzalez, between the rings, but the unstoppable force powerbombed her through a ladder and scored the win for Team Candice.

         

    Result

    Team Candice defeated Team Blackheart

        

    Grade

    A

        

    Analysis

    Wade Barrett pointed out that Gonzalez’s victory elevated her from the insurance policy to a genuine threat in the women’s division, and he is absolutely right. If the war with Ripley a month ago was not enough, this match served as her coming out party.

    Gonzalez was a star here, overwhelming the competition and obliterating anyone in her path en route to the defining victory of her young career. Do not be surprised for a moment if she channels this win into an NXT Women’s Championship victory over Shirai somewhere in the near future.

    Major props to Dakota Kai, who was very much the glue that held this one together, taking big bumps and popping up just in time to stay relevant throughout, despite being one of the first two competitors into the match.

    While some would insist the babyface team should go over, none of the participants on that side of the match loses anything in defeat. They were all established, while the heels needed a big win to set up challengers for Shirai. The finish was the right call and now, the NXT women’s division has yet another star it can build around.

    Great booking, creative violence and strong performances from the performers involved help make this a fantastic way to kick things off. A late-surging challenger to NXT Match of the Year, for sure.

Tommaso Ciampa vs. Timothy Thatcher

3 OF 5

    Credit: WWE.com

    In what promised to be one of the most physical matches of the night, Tommaso Ciampa battled Timothy Thatcher. The Blackheart of NXT sought revenge for an assault that left him unconscious just five days earlier. 

    Ciampa controlled early but Thatcher quickly turned the match into a ground-and-pound display of joint manipulation and physical punishment. He targeted the throat of Ciampa, which is where doctors entered while operating on his neck.

    Ciampa attempted to mount a comeback but Thatcher caught him with a slap to the side of the throat. The competitors threw hard rights and lefts at each other moments later but a collision to heads left both reeling. 

    The former NXT Champion finally strung together a flurry of offense and brought Thatcher off the top rope with a superplex. The fight spilled to the floor, then back into the ring, where Ciampa applied a tight headlock, looking to sap the fight out of Thatcher. Blood poured from his ear but the mat magician refused to quit.

    He instead answered with a side suplex, then a German, a sadistic look across his face. Thatcher teased a German suplex on the apron while Ciampa sold his injured neck, but The Blackheart fought out. As Thatcher tried to re-enter the ring, Ciampa tried for the draping DDT. Thatcher, instead, hung him up on the top rope.

    Ciampa recovered, applied a guillotine in the ropes and turned it into Willow’s Bell for the pinfall victory.

        

    Result

    Ciampa defeated Thatcher

         

    Grade

    A

       

    Analysis

    If you like good, hard-hitting and incredibly physical pro wrestling, Ciampa and Thatcher gave it to you in this one.

    With the most minimal of build, they went out there and beat the ever-loving hell out of each other for little more than bragging rights.

    The shot that broke Thatcher’s ear open, potentially rupturing his eardrum, was wicked and some of the strikes the combatants unloaded on each other were sickening.

    They had a realistic wrestling match that looked like it hurt, made the viewer believe it did and ended with a resourceful former champion seizing an opening for a much-needed win. The nod from Ciampa to Thatcher after the match was a nice show of respect but the reaction of the heel suggests these two are far from finished with each other.

    That is a good thing for fans, but not necessarily the bodies of the performers.

Strap Match: Dexter Lumis vs. Cameron Grimes

4 OF 5

    Credit: WWE.com

    Dexter Lumis spent an entire month haunting, stalking and terrorizing Cameron Grimes. Grimes spent that same time running, cowering and avoiding his foe. He would not have that opportunity in the third match of TakeOver: War Games as he met the stoic Lumis in a Strap Match.

    He got the jump early, attacking Lumis before the bell and beating him around the ringside area. Back inside the ring, though, he fell prey to the overwhelming fury and strength of Lumis. The bell rang and the enigmatic competitor unleashed on Grimes, sending him crashing into the guardrail on multiple occasions. 

    Grimes finally answered, sending Lumis into the same guardrail and dropping him back-first across it. Lumis recovered, only for Grimes to use the strap to flip him over the guardrail and onto the floor.

    Grimes produced a blindfold, not unlike the one he wore in his most recent match with Lumis. It benefited him until Lumis delivered a spinbuster. He tied Grimes up in the steel rigging structure but Grimes again utilized the strap to his advantage, pulling Lumis into it. 

    He blasted Lumis with a steel chair across the back doing more damage to Lumis than we had seen anyone else inflict to this point. 

    Lumis recovered and sent Grimes flying with a fallaway slam, kipped up and fired off a flurry of right hands on Grimes. Again, Grimes used the strap to pull Lumis to the mat. 

    Late in the bout, Grimes countered Silence twice, only to be driven into the steel chair via the strap. Lumis applied Silence and added the strap around the face for the win.

       

    Result

    Lumis defeated Grimes

        

    Grade

    B

        

    Analysis

    There were a lot of questions heading into this match about Lumis ability to perform up to the level of his opposition in NXT. His character work had been great to this point, but he had yet to deliver that one match that left fans convinced that he was at the level of the rest of the roster.

    Grimes is great. He busted his ass in this to help make it more than a tired old gimmick match and it worked. He was fantastic and really deserves a more prominent position on the roster than he currently has. This was all about Lumis, though, who rose to the occasion and delivered his first real above-average match on a night when he absolutely had to. 

    Grimes can easily recover from the loss and become a main event attraction next week if NXT officials want. He’s that good of a performer and an even better character. Lumis needed the performance, can benefit from the win and hopefully, moves onto a new program that allows him to further explore his character.

North American Title Match: Leon Ruff vs. Damian Priest vs. Johnny Gargano

5 OF 5

    Credit: WWE.com

    Unlikely North American Champion Leon Ruff had been at the center of the rivalry between Damian Priest and Johnny Gargano for weeks. It was in that position that he won the title in the first place. Sunday represented his opportunity to prove that he belonged, that he was the rightful champion.

    To do so, he would have to defeat Priest and Gargano in a Triple Threat Match.

    Ruff used his speed and agility advantage early to evade, then fend off Gargano. Priest tossed Ruff aside and pummeled Gargano. The champion answered with a missile dropkick that earned the wrath of Priest. He set up for a chokeslam on Ruff but Gargano broke it up, then joined the champion in ridding the ring of Priest.

    A slingshot spear downed Ruff but the champ kicked out at two. 

    Frustrated by Ruff’s repeated interference in his battle with Johnny Wrestling, The Archer of Infamy delivered a Razor’s Edge that sent the champion crashing through the guardrail. Trainers helped Ruff out of the arena, leaving familiar foes to battle for the gold. 

    Priest and Gargano resumed their rivalry until Ruff emerged from the back and wiped out both men with a top-rope splash. A springboard, twisting cutter to Gargano for two. He accumulated several near-falls before Priest returned and stood between him and Gargano. He flattened the champion with a big boot, then delivered a double flatliner on Gargano and Ruff.

    Gargano recovered and sent Priest into the turnbuckle. With Priest tied in the bottom ropes of one ring, Gargano applied the Garga-No Escape. Priest freed himself, broke up the submission and rocked Gargano. As action broke down, an army of Ghostface-clad attackers jumped Priest. He fought back, wiped out the costumed cowards on both sides of the ring and caught Gargano with a chokeslam on the ring apron.

    Ruff came from out of nowhere with a big splash, but Priest narrowly broke up the pin.

    The Archer of Infamy leveled Gargano but one more Ghostface, this one with a lead pipe, blasted Priest. Ruff tried for a rollup but Gargano rolled through, delivered a superkick and finished Ruff with One Final Beat for the win and title.

    After the match, the lead Ghostface revealed himself to be Austin Theory.

         

    Result

    Gargano defeated Ruff and Priest

         

    Grade

    B+

        

    Analysis

    At least the Ghostfaces made sense within the context of the story and the foundation that had been laid in the weeks prior to the show.

    There will be some who say they were unnecessary and while those people may have a point, what they did was allow Priest to look like an unstoppable badass as he fended them all off, only to fall prey to one last unsuspected assailant. 

    Ruff looked like a star, despite his smaller stature, as he hung in there with both Gargano and Priest en route to a damn fine showing. Gargano winning probably makes the most sense, and his star power can help bring Theory along, but one can only hope Ruff is not out of the picture entirely.

    Furthermore, that Priest does not lose any momentum as his fantastic 2020 comes to an end.

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