Tag Team Championship Match
The RAW Tag Team Champions took on Matt and Jeff Hardy in a 30 minute Ironman Match. As you would expect, it was a great bout with many close moments. The champions got the first fall in the first ten seconds, with a surprise Brogue Kick similar to WrestleMania 28. After that, the champions got another fall and were up 2-0 with ten minutes gone. Matt and Jeff came back hot with multiple tag team moves and a Twist of Fate, giving them within one pinfall of tying things up. Cesaro and Sheamus were one step ahead, smarter and more controlling. They would go up 3-1 and make it almost impossible for Team Xtreme to come back. They did, and tied things up with two quick falls after some excellent offense, Whisper in the Winds and a Twist of Fate from the top rope. Jeff hit the Swanton Bomb on Sheamus, whom he thought was legal. Cesaro was able to roll up Jeff for a 3 count and go up 4-3. With less than 30 seconds left, Cesaro tried to run out the clock. He got a Twist of Fate, but the clock ran out. The champions retained in a great match.
From the very beginning, you had drama and intensity. These two teams work so well together and know how to sell for the others. If this is the final match, I am going to be a little sad. They have had great matches over the past three months and have worked gimmick matches to near perfection. With a heel tag team in Sheamus and Cesaro, who would be a face team to work with now? If I am WWE, I keep The Hardy Boyz in the mix and add Anderson and Gallows and The Revival. WWE RAW has too many talented teams to let sit on the sideline. If you are looking at this match tonight, you realize that Matt and Jeff are better than ever, while Sheamus and Cesaro have the complete package to be a long-running tag team championship squad.
Alexa Bliss vs. Sasha Banks
A really solid match for the RAW Women’s Championship took place at WWE Great Balls of Fire. Bliss took it to the back and lower body of Banks, but Banks always kicked out and came back stronger. Banks reversed a Twisted Bliss and locked in the Bank Statement. Alexa crawled her way to the ropes and then was able to escape the ring. Alexa would be counted out. The action spilled to the stage, with Banks hitting double knees off the stage, taking down the champion, enraged at the count-out victory.
Alexa is a star and continues to improve each match. She has gotten to a point where her physicality and personality in the ring overshadows the fact that she is about 5 feet tall and 100 pounds. She looks like a scrappy and tough competitor, similar to what AJ Lee was in WWE. Alexa is better and stronger, much improved and continues to add moves to her arsenal. She acts her part and I love how she baited Banks in with her “hyper-extended arm.” With Sasha Bank, she thrives when she is chasing the title. That is how she got to where she is at now and I think another match at SummerSlam is warranted.
