Reviews

TJR WWE Mixed Match Challenge Review: Bobby Roode and Becky Lynch (Replaced Charlotte) vs. Finn Balor and Sasha Banks – Week 11 (Semifinal #2)

By John Canton • Published 28th March 2018
TJR Wrestling

This match took place in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania immediately following Smackdown on Tuesday, March 27th.

The commentary team is Michael Cole, Corey Graves and Beth Phoenix as usual.

There’s no Charlotte Flair this week due to having a dental surgery that caused swelling. Due to the swelling, Charlotte didn’t go on the road this week. Charlotte noted on Twitter that she will be back next week.

A fan vote was conducted on Tuesday where fans got to choose between Becky Lynch, Lana and Carmella as Bobby Roode’s partner for this week. They voted for Lynch of course because she’s the only one of the three that’s a face.

Bobby Roode entered first with Becky Lynch, who is Charlotte’s best friend and is only the temporary replacement for Charlotte.

Finn Balor entered along with his partner Sasha Banks. They already lost in the tournament, but they were voted back in by the fans.

Bobby Roode and Becky Lynch vs. Finn Balor and Sasha Banks

Roode and Balor started the match doing some mat wrestling. Roode did his “Glorious” pose, so Balor did the “too sweet” hand gesture on Roode’s head. The girls tagged in. Lynch got a rollup. Banks came back with a hiptoss takedown with Phoenix noting they were the two women that started the Royal Rumble. They held up the four fingers for the Four Horsemen, talked trash and Banks took her down with punches. Balor tagged himself in, so Roode had to go in the match. Cole busted out his favorite “building momentum” phrase as Balor hit an arm drag on Balor. Roode went for a DDT, Balor got out of it and hit a basement dropkick for a two count. Roode with a running knee to the ribs of Balor for two. Roode with a suplex that got a two count. Balor nailed a kick to the chest, Roode with a boot to the face and Balor nailed his overhead kick. Both guys were out on the mat.

The women were tagged in with Banks hitting a dropkick. Banks with a double boot to the face and Banks with the double knees for a two count. The announcers keep saying “make history” way too much. Lynch with a splash in the corner followed by a Bexploder suplex. Lynch up top with a missile dropkick for a two count. Banks got a rollup for a two count. Banks with a knee to the face , but Lynch came back with a kick. Knee to the face connected for Banks while she was on the apron. Banks up top, but Lynch stopped her with a forearm. Lynch with a superplex as she stood on the middle rope while Banks was on the top. Cole noted that Charlotte said she will definitely be back next week. Balor and Roode tagged back in with Balor hitting a double stomp to Roode’s chest. Roode with boots to the face, but Balor nailed a step up enziguri. Balor with an elbow drop into a slam for a two count as Lynch broke up the pin. Roode went for the Glorious DDT, but Balor drove him to the turnbuckle. Roode with a Blockbuster off the ropes for a two count. Balor got a rollup for two followed by Slingblade. Balor with the dropkick that sent Roode into the corner. Balor wanted to tag in, so Lynch went into the top and Banks with the double knees off the top to take out Lynch. They kicked Roode out of the ring. Banks nailed a suicide dive that took out Roode on the floor. Balor with a dropkick that sent Roode into the barricade. Banks went back in the ring, Lynch with an inside cradle and that was enough for the pinfall win after 11 minutes.

Winners by pinfall: Bobby Roode and Becky Lynch

Analysis: ***1/4 It was a very good match that was entertaining. Some of the other matches in this tournament featured a lot of comedy spots, but not here. This was all business. The reason that Roode and Lynch won is because Banks let her ego get in the way as she hit a suicide dive on Roode that was completely unnecessary because he was out of the ring while the women are only supposed to wrestle eachother. That allowed Lynch to capitalize with the inside cradle for the surprising pinfall win. Good work by all four wrestlers. That was a fun match.

The win means that Bobby Roode and his regular partner Charlotte Flair are going to the finals to face The Miz and Asuka. Their charity is called Girl Up.

The brackets were shown of the finals.

Kurt Angle’s music hit as the Raw General Manager entered to a huge ovation in his hometown of Pittsburgh. There were “you suck” chants of course.

Angle said it was an exciting, yet chaotic night in the Mixed Match Challenge, but the WWE Universe picked Becky Lynch as her temporary replacement. Angle said the finals are next week with The Miz and Asuka vs. Bobby Roode and Charlotte Flair. Angle said the charities are the winners because the winning charity will win $100,000. Angle left.

Roode and Lynch celebrated the win as the show ended.

Analysis: That means the finals will have Asuka and Charlotte face off in the ring just five days before WrestleMania. I think this whole tournament was designed to set up that moment because WWE must have known that was what they wanted to do at WrestleMania, so having them meet in the finals is a big selling point to a lot of fans.

I’ll pick Asuka and The Miz to win. I don’t see Asuka’s undefeated streak ending in this tournament.

Check out all of my Mixed Match Challenge Reviews right here in case you haven’t been following along. I’ll be back for the finals next week.