Welcome to this week’s edition of the Quick Hits Recapatory for 3/13/19 for WWE Raw and SmackDown Live! This is a series done by co-editors Mark Blake and Brandi Wagner, along with editor-in-chief Marc Madison. Last week, my fellow co-editor Mark Blake was in the hot seat. Now, it’s my turn! We here at the Pro Wrestling Post are always looking to highlight the good things going on in the wrestling world. That’s exactly what we’re going to do here, look at Raw and SmackDown Live and point out the highlights. First up? Monday Night Raw!
Opening Segment: You had a lot going on in the opening segment of RAW. First, you had the Shield coming out through the crowd together. Roman cut the feel-good promo and brought up what each member would be moving onto next. He and Ambrose left the ring, and Seth Rollins cut a promo about his road to WrestleMania. Enter, the Advocate. The banter between Seth and Paul Heyman was wonderful and entertaining. The following match between Shelton Benjamin and Seth Rollins is also worthy of watching as well. And as if that wasn’t good enough, Paul Heyman joins the commentary team for this one.
Quick Hits Recapatory for 3/13/19
Triple H & Batista – Face to Face: Over halfway through the show, we get what had been advertised for a week. Triple H, dressed in jeans, a t-shirt, and his signature leather jacket made his way to the ring. Batista came out and stood on the stage, flanked by security guards (independent wrestlers/extras). Triple H had an incredible line about Batista being surrounded by the guardians of the independent scene. Batista demands a match with Hunter at WrestleMania. Triple H happily obliges after being worked up in a tizzy. He also ups the ante by making it a no holds barred match. Definitely worth the price of the Network to see this match!
Kurt Angle Announcement: RAW took place in Kurt’s hometown of Pittsburgh, and he came out to the ring to the loving “You Suck!” chants. Kurt thanked the WWE Universe and announced that his final match will take place at WrestleMania. It’s been a year of bittersweet announcements such as these in wrestling. Kurt Angle has sacrificed so much for us fans, he’s well deserving of hanging up the boots and calling it a great, great career. His opponent for Mania was not announced, but he did wrestle for his Pittsburgh faithful. He took on Apollo Crews (mysteriously has his last name back), who is well known to have looked up to Kurt for many years.
Main Event: Roman Reigns came out for his first singles match but was attacked by Drew McIntyre. McIntyre laid him out with a couple of vicious Claymore Kick, the second of which sent him into the ring post. Seth Rollins comes out to check on Roman, who says he’s fine. Not taking any chances, Seth accompanied him to the back and to the trainer’s room. Dean Ambrose was there in the back as well, and he ran into Triple H.
Quick Hits Recapatory for 3/13/19
Ambrose demanded a match with McIntyre, right then and there; no rules falls count anywhere. Triple H gladly obliges here as well, and we go back to the ring for this fight. While Dean may have had the best of intentions defending his brother, McIntyre’s fury could not be tamed. McIntyre brutalized Dean all over the arena, ending with a Claymore Kick against a railing. Ambrose also got up after the finish, so McIntyre laid him out with another Claymore. It’s clear the Scottish Psychopath is on a mission.
That’s it for RAW, let’s move over to the blue side of things and look at SmackDown Live!
Shane Explains It All: The show opens with Shane McMahon in the ring, along with his Best in the World trophy. After forcing ring announcer Greg Hamilton to redo his introduction with more “meaning”, Shane explains why he attacked The Miz. He said that all his life, people have been trying to get the rub from him and see what that could get for them. He’s tired of that, and now he’s going to do things for himself. Shane then makes a match between himself and The Miz at WrestleMania.
The Man Returns, Triumphant: Becky Lynch makes her way to the ring to cut a promo as only the Man can. She talks about how she’s made her way into the main event of WrestleMania twice, despite Mr. McMahon and the addition of Charlotte Flair. Becky also mentions how she got Ronda to do her bidding and make getting in again easy. Charlotte crashes the party and faces off with her former best friend.
Becky got a handout, Charlotte says, and still makes it out as she earned it. The second-generation Flair says it will be the queen who reigns supreme. Becky ends things with “We don’t need a queen, probably never did, we need The Man.” WrestleMANia is certainly going to be off the charts for these three women.
Quick Hits Recapatory for 3/13/19
Kofi’s Last Stand: Mr. McMahon comes out and says he has a WWE Championship opportunity for Kofi Kingston. The New Day comes out to confront the Chairman of WWE. Big E and Xavier Woods plead their case for their friend, their brother. Vince dismisses their claims, saying Kofi is a B-plus player…sound familiar? Kofi finally gets to say his piece. He says he’s been in WWE for 11 years, never asked for anything, just busted his ass and did everything that was asked of him and more. He’s missed holidays, birthdays, trick or treating with his children for WWE.
Kofi then asks Mr McMahon what he needs to do to prove that he’s worthy of a title shot. Mr. McMahon gains a villainous grin as several Superstars come to the ring; Randy Orton, Samoa Joe, Rey Mysterio, Daniel Bryan, Rowan, and The Bar. Next week on SmackDown Live, Kofi Kingston must run the gauntlet if he wants a WWE Championship shot at WrestleMania. All these stars attack the ring, and The New Day is able to beat them all back and stand tall as we go off the air.
Next week, RAW will be explosive. Brock Lesnar is going to be at the show, and so is Seth Freakin Rollins. Dean Ambrose is sure to be on the warpath for Drew McIntyre after what went down in their match. Ronda Rousey will most likely show up and call wrestling fake some more, or some such nonsense. The Road to WrestleMania is just heating up!
Onto SmackDown, we have the ominous gauntlet for Kofi to face. The similarities to the infamous run of Daniel Bryan in 2014 are strong and welcome. Kofi Kingston is deserving of such great heights. The Miz will probably have a response for Shane McMahon, he does like to talk too. Perhaps we’ll also see more of the cracks forming in the friendship of Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville. What I do know, is that we will be back here next week with another dose of the Recapatory!
Sound off with your feelings in the comments or on any of our social media channels.
