RAW Reinstates the Status Quo (MITB 2023)

Happy Monday, Enthusiasts!

 

For those who have it off, it may be a good one indeed. I have to say, I’m enjoying kicking my feet up and just having a quiet day at home.  I have a freezer full of food I forgot about and I’m just taking this time to start making use of it. Can’t sit in there forever.

 

As for the Wrestling World, you guys know what the big deal is. Had me checking in on AEW actually just so I can comment and I’ve got a few things to say. Let’s get into it, shall we?

 

So, CM Punk is back and it appears to have gone smoothly. He humbly apologized at the opening of Collision and expressed his heartfelt appreciation for the Chicago fans. They appeared to have taken him back without incident and Punk doubled down on being CM Punk. I don’t really have a problem with it but we’ll see how other towns react and how Punk responds.

 

As for the show itself, it wasn’t bad. I appreciate how AEW is definitely distinguishing itself as a place for pro-wrestling, leaving the sports entertainment to WWE. However, WWE’s presentation remains far cleaner than theirs. It’s akin to the difference between finding a good dive bar versus a bougie bistro in the heart of town. I can see how a patron may not feel like getting all dressed up for the bistro when they can roll into the dive bar in the same T-shirt and jeans they were lounging on the couch in.

 

A lot of fans praised the match between Buddy Matthews/Murphy and Andrade. It was a hard-hitting bout, I’ll give them that. But as I said, far from clean. I found it a bit of a mess but realistically so. We all know that a real fight is far from pretty and they emulated that well. There was also a lot of chatter for  a young lady by the name of Skye Blue who is also a Chicago native.

 

I don’t know much about her but she was cute. I can see why she has a following but their Women’s Division is still quite far removed from WWE’s but wrestlers like Ruby Soho/Riott and Toni Storm served as little beacons of hope for the future.  It always makes me smile when the bright spots on the AEW roster are primarily the former WWE stars. Miro/Rusev impressed for me personally. He was fun yet intimidating and nailed his return. Still wouldn’t mind to have him back over in WWE.

 

As for Punk in the ring, I think he has Samoa Joe to thank as Joe stuck to the rivalry and made it clear he wasn’t going to take any of his shit but Punk’s back and in Chicago so of course he took the match in their 6-Man Tag that closed out the night. WWE still has nothing to really worry about but AEW is certainly becoming a fair alternative. Impact can officially take a backseat but I’ve always been more likely to partake of a bougie bistro. Enjoy the dive bar if that’s your preference.

 

As for the WWE Universe, they get to host Logan Paul again which could seem laughable to some AEW diehards. It’s apparent that Paul will probably have a shot at the Money in the Bank contract. We’ll see if they make that interesting or at the very least funny. There’s also some speculation that Bron Breakker may show up. Seth Rollins has thrown up the Heavyweight Championship to all contenders so, Breakker tossed his hat in. Rollins is set to be on NXT tomorrow night to defend it. Guess Breakker wants to make it clear that jetlag won’t be an issue on the discussion table.

 

The women’s MITB participants will be finalized as Trish Stratus takes on Raquel Rodriguez. Matt Riddle will face Ludwig Kaiser since he’s beefing with Imperium right now. And for some reason, Natalya will face Rhea Ripley again. I guess there’s some unfinished business. For all else, we’ll have to watch. I’ll catch up during the West Coast replay at 8pm PDT. You’re always welcome to join me. I tend to have a great time. I suggest you do the same.

 

See You in a Bit,

-Nicole Alexis (^_~)