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There’s a ton of wrestling content nowadays and unless you’re a hardcore pro-graps fan, you have to decide what to watch when and what to consider leaving out. That’s where we come in to help.
Every week, we are going to run down the big in-ring happenings for the easily accessible US wrestling. (“In-ring” meaning no Talking Smack nor Total Divas). This won’t cover your indie needs, but ReverendKain always has you covered in his weekly Sermon on the Mat for that. Ring of Honor won’t be making the weekly recap, but you can always find them on their website. Lucha Underground is on midseason break until the summer.
Bear in mind, matches could be added after this posts that would definitely change how worth a show is to watch.
Monday
Monday Night Raw (USA Network)
Unfortunately, Raw is worth checking out, or at least following, this week for bad reasons. WWE has advertised that they will update us on Seth Rollins’ condition after the knee injury he suffered last week on the show.
We’ll also get Goldberg’s response to Brock Lesnar’s WrestleMania challenge (which will probably be yes).
This is an episode that is worth seeing to find out how WWE plans to reshuffle things after Rollins’ injury and how both the Fastlane and WrestleMania cards start to come together.
Verdict: This is a Raw that will have plenty of information that’s worth following.
Tuesday
SmackDown Live (USA Network)
This is the go home show for the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view (PPV) but it sure doesn’t feel like it, does it? When there’s a big time PPV like the Royal Rumble just two weeks prior, this had to be rushed. There’s not often a great build up for a six person match like the Elimination Chamber, so I don’t expect any explosive angles leading into Sunday’s show.
SmackDown Live is a consistently solid show and you can definitely tune in to see the PPV card fill out and the build for the women’s matches. Plus there’s my favorite part of SmackDown - the Luke Harper break from the Wyatt Family story.
It’ll probably the solid wrestling show it always is, but you likely won’t miss much if if you just catch Elimination Chamber next week.
Verdict: SmackDown Live is good and usually worth watching, but you probably won’t miss anything major if you opt to skip it and just catch the Elimination Chamber.
205 Live (WWE Network)
205 Live still has not done anything to make it a must watch. We still don’t know who’s going to show up on Raw and who is going to show up on 205 Live. The episodes are solid but certainly not must watch unless a title match is announced prior. And with word of Rich Swann out a couple weeks with an injury, there may be some treading water until they can work the title rematch.
Verdict: Skip it unless you’re a fan of the cruisers.
Wednesday
NXT (WWE Network)
This is the true fallout show of TakeOver San Antonio and it is worth checking out to see what the landscape will start looking like heading into Orlando. We will see what’s next for Bobby Roode, who is holding a championship celebration. (There may be a good word to describe it but I can’t think of one right now.) Plus, we may learn how Shinsuke’s knee is and where Kassius Ohno fits in all this.
Verdict: This is probably an episode worth watching.
Thursday
TNA Impact (Pop TV)
There’s nothing yet advertised as of writing this. Well, there’s Aron Rex vs. Robbie E but I’m certainly not recommending an episode of Impact based on that match. (If anything the opposite.) But there are four days till TNA airs and they often wait a couple days to advertise any matches.
In the TNA world Bobby Lashley is champion again (that’s a good thing), Drew Galloway is doing great things as the heel Grand Champion, the Hardys are still crazy, and James Storm’s DCC had some life breathed into them last week. Outside a poor showing a couple weeks ago, Impact has been a solid show.
Verdict: Check it out if you’re curious about TNA, but there’s nothing advertised that’s making it must watch.
After a ton of wrestling worth watching last week with the Royal Rumble and all its fall out, this week seems a bit lighter.
There’s a ton of other wrestling out there and we can’t cover it all on here. So if there’s something you’re particularly excited for this week, let your fellow wrestling fans know in the comments.
See ya next week!