RUSEV vs. BIG CASS (4:30): I'm still a little confused about the title of this show. The "End of the Line" moniker I kind of get because it's the last ppv of the year (and since the WWE network is now killing off the ppv buys I should probably stop calling these shows pay per views). The "Roadblock" name, though, seems superfluous. I guess they ran out of names now that there's usually two ppv's a month? Or they're just lazy and/or creatively empty. Either way, this match was on the pre-show and was forgettable. Cass got counted out after they brawled in the crowd. And Lana used to get a ton of heat for being pro-Russia and pro-Putin, but since Trump won and he loves Putin and a good majority of wrestling fans adore Trump...will Lana still get boo's and heat for that? Will they have to change that? I'm probably thinking too deep about a show with grown men fake fighting. 1/2* (out of ****)
CESARO & SHEAMUS vs. THE NEW DAY (10:10): This was the best match on the show. The New Day broke the record for consecutive days as tag team champs last week on RAW. They made a huge deal out of it, having TND wrestle to open RAW and close RAW (the main event, with TND vs. Rollins & Reigns vs. Jericho & Owens, was fantastic). So of course The New Day loses their titles tonight on their first defense post-record. There were a ton of near-falls and a ton of interference and it was pretty wild. Good opener. ***
SAMI ZAYN vs. BRAUN STROWMAN: This was a ten-minute match. If Zayn could last ten minutes he would win. Foley came out at the 7 minute mark ready to throw in the towel but didn't. There were no pins. I guess it makes sense for the WWE to build up a wrestler like they're doing with Strowman. Hell, they never seem to do it with anyone. But does anyone believe Strowman is this indestructible force? No. Who has he actually beat? If you want to build him up, have him beat Reigns or Owens or someone. This was pretty dull. Maybe they should throw Zayn into the cruiserweight mix. Both Zayn and that division need all the help they can get. *
SETH ROLLINS vs. CHRIS JERICHO (17:05): Jericho has been more entertaining lately than he's been in years. Sadly, that's only on the mic. In the ring he's gotten old. This was too long and just okay. Owens came down and interfered but it didn't help. *1/2
RICH SWANN vs. T.J. PERKINS vs. BRIAN KENDRICK (6:00): I loved this division for like two weeks. Now it's a bore. I'm not sure what happened. The silent arenas while they wrestle? That there's these three guys and kind of no one else of consequence? This was short and average at best. *1/2
CHARLOTTE vs. SASHA BANKS "IRON WOMAN MATCH" (34:45): The last ten minutes were great. But, like most "Iron Man" matches (why the WWE didn't call this an "Iron Woman" match is beyond me), they started off like they were milling about in quicksand. It's a 30 minute match. You don't have to be super-slow and do arm bars for ten minutes. Banks got destroyed in this match. She either wrestles like a rag doll or was truly hurt most of the time. She took a wicked bump off the apron onto her head and hands onto the steps. She had her nose busted open in the over-time and the lower half of her face was a bloody mess. Sasha was up 2-1 with one minute left to go but was in Charlotte's Figure Four. With three seconds left she tapped which led to OT. Charlotte won when Sasha tapped in OT. Charlotte has now won every ppv match this year. Which is good, except the fact that Sasha beat her for the title 3 times on RAW. I'm not sure why they're doing these see-saw title changes. Stick with one champ, dudes. **1/2
KEVIN OWENS vs. ROMAN REIGNS (23:20): This was just okay. Owens did a Frog Splash through Reigns on the announce table. It didn't break so he tried it again and it broke. Jericho came down and gave Owens a Code Breaker. The ref called for the DQ and Owens won and retained his title. But it was a ruse! Jericho and Owens are still pals. So Rollins ran out and him and Reigns put Jericho through a table and then put Owens through the announce table up on the stage. The post-match stuff was fun but the match was so-so. I truly hate this company split because I'm already tired of all of these matches we've seen a million times. Owens vs. Reigns. Owens vs. Rollins. Jericho vs. Reigns. Jericho vs. Rollins. I'm fucking bored. **
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