WWE MIXED MATCH CHALLENGE SEASON 2 EPISODE 13 RESULTS: Going to the Returning Tournament Finals Are…. (December, 11th 2018)
We are literally at the final episode of the Mixed Match Challenges second season and with it, Tuesday night became the night to find out which competing sides would be heading into battle at this Sundays TLC Pay Per View. Fighting for those spots, its Bayley and new partner Apollo Crews battling Alicia Fox and Jinder Mahal and Carmella and R Truth vs the Season One Winners of Asuka and The Miz.
Happening first is the match on the RAW side, Bayley and Crews vs Alicia and Jinder. Apollo was revealed as Bayleys new last minute partner when Original Partner Finn Balor was sent home from the tour due to what is described as an injury (though Ive read illness….so i haven’t got a clue whats going on). Out first is Bayley, joined shortly after by Apollo, this time with no Sasha in sight unlike the prior night on RAW. Alicia and Jinder are out second, again expectedly accompanied by the Singh Brothers.
Jinder and Apollo start off the match, with Alicia and Bayley stepping in later. When tagged in, the veteran Alicia mocks Bayley before they come face to face, with Alicia trying to swing at Bayley who avoids it and goes for an early pinfall, getting a one count. Bayley tries it for a second time, scoring the same result. A Third roll up by Bayley gets her a near fall on the former Divas Champion who is bailing from the ring after. She argues with the Singh Brothers then eventually returns to the ring, trying to clothesline Bayley again but being tripped to the mat via the executed drop toe hold from Bayley. Bayley applies a hold that is broken when Alicia drives Bayley back first into a corner. Alicia hits a few forearms then takes Bayley towards the center, following up the offense with kicks. Bayley resumes her roll up strategy to get another one count on Alicia and to end her prior offense. Bayley sees Alicia charging towards her while regrouping in a corner, dropping her head first on the corners top turnbuckle. Alicia makes her way to Jinder after and its the mens turn to battle.
The women return to the match after Crews takes momentum over Jinder. Bayley comes running in, nailing clotheslines to Alicia, then hitting a running back elbow to Alicia after hurtling her to a corner. Bayley gets herself on the middle rope, hitting the back of Alicia’s head with raining fists, turning herself around after Alicia steps away from the corner and leaping from there before Alicia can attack. Alicia moves from the corner and goes to clothesline again, but misses and instead takes a belly to back suplex. Bayley scores a knee also and tries to grasp Alicia following that offense as Alicia moves to the apron. Alicia blocks Bayleys forearm attempt from behind the ropes and sends her into the nearby top turnbuckle. Bayley comes back with her neckbreaker between the ropes to Alicia, taking advantage of Alicia getting between them. Bayley hits her finisher, going for the cover soon after only for the Singh Brothers to intervene and pull Alicia away from and out of the ring. Crews takes both Singh Brothers to the floor with a double clothesline and apron moonsault, then feeding the brothers to Bayley, who takes both out in the ring with her finisher after they are sent in by Crews. Jinder makes the save for his team with a superkick to Crews before Bayley dives onto the former WWE Champion, taking him to the ringside floor. Bayley takes Alicia to the ring after but once in the ring, she steps into a huge boot from Alicia. Alicia covers and pins the former RAW Women’s Champion. Alicia and Jinder win the match, advancing to the tournament finals at TLC.
Its then to the Smackdown side, as Asuka and the Miz face Carmella and R Truth. Asuka looks more than happy to compete despite the chaos from her match with Charlotte earlier in the evening and makes her entrance, Miz soon joining her. Following their entrance is Carmella and R Truth’s, who got an upset victory lately over the now eliminated team of Charlotte and Jeff Hardy. Following the musical entrance of the other Smackdown pairing, it looks like Asuka is starting off against Carmella. Miz tries to debate Asuka starting off, even winning a battle of fan reaction between her and Miz before dismissing her tag team partner to battle. However Miz still urges Asuka to let him in the match, just as shes about to square off with the only woman to have beaten her by pinfall, Carmella. Asuka gets frustrated at the demands of the Miz and chops her partner, which ends up being an official tag.
Later into their battle, Truth sends Miz all the way to the outside, doing the usual dance break with Carmella after. The crowd are also all for Asuka getting involved, and Asuka obliges, leaving Miz frustrated again. As Miz yells at Asuka, hes taken over the ropes and to the ring by Truth. Physicality resumes from there, with Carmella and Asuka urging to tag much later when a clothesline from Truth takes down both. Truth manages to move over to Carmella, tagging her in thus Asuka is also forced in. Carmella has the upper hand when stepping in surprisingly, clotheslining Asuka multiple times. Carmella also hits a thrust kick to the midsection before sending Asuka face first to a corner and into her foot. Carmella tries to follow with a bronco buster but Asuka moves and Carmella’s move doesn’t hit her intended target. Carmella screams and yells as shes picked up by her waist by Asuka. Asuka releases but its all a trick as she takes Carmella back within moments, going for a potential German Suplex. Carmella gets free and tries to hit Asuka, who dodges, instead having her face dropped into Asuka’s knee. Asuka connects with the Shining Wizard, a pin attempt instantly following that Carmella only just kicks out of. Carmella hits a standing jawbreaker after taking shots from Asuka and after Asuka stumbles to the ropes, Miz tags in.
Carmella and Asuka meet again when Asuka throws herself in between Truth and Miz’s pin. Carmella sends Asuka into a corner, then teases a superkick, not for the suspected target of Asuka but for the Miz. She goes for it but a groggy Miz manages to muster some energy to throw Asuka into the firing line and Asuka is hit by the kick. Miz then tries to roll up Truth, getting a near fall and taking Carmella’s superkick afterward, making up for the last. This helps out Truth to a point, as even hitting the sure finish only comes so far as Miz even kicks out of that. Asuka throws Carmella out of the ring, Miz also pulling the ropes causing Truth to fall out. Miz and Asuka meet in the ring, and Asuka shows how much shes had enough of Miz and his bickering and antics. The season one winners are done as Asuka beats up Miz then lets him take a pin from Truth. Carmella and R Truth win the match, advancing to the final this Sunday where they will meet Jinder and Alicia Fox.
(Jinder Mahal and Alicia Fox w/ Sunil Singh and Samir Singh vs Apollo Crews and Bayley)
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6yumut
(Asuka and the Miz vs Carmella and R Truth)
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6yuns5
(R Truth and Carmella Backstage Exclusive)
(Alicia Fox, Jinder Mahal, Sunil Singh and Samir Singh Backstage Exclusive)
Thoughts On:
Jinder/Alicia vs Apollo/Bayley: If it had not been for the TLC booking, especially if Finn is back by Sunday, this match could have gone either way, but Alicia and Jinder advancing is not only a nice surprise but it truly pits a heel team against a face team. Alicia doesn’t manage to get on every single PPV in a competing role either so it must have been a great feeling for her. I Wouldn’t mind her team winning just so Alicia can get a PPV win and i wouldn’t be surprised if that is booked wholly because they are on RAW, but i also feel Carmella and Truth winning would be a fine move, as they are already a loved unit amongst fans.
Carmella/Truth vs Miz/Asuka: I Liked this match most out of the two this week, not only because Carmella and Truth have been pulling out the most unexpected of wins that would not have been foreseen when the tournament began, but because there was some decent storytelling with it in regards to Miz and Asuka. Asuka can be fun, thats been seen both in and out of the MMC, but that doesn’t take away her brutality and her credibility as a competitor. Shes not going to be bossed around and undermined by the Miz even if it means being truly alone. The team split also leaves Asuka completely focused as a solo competitor heading into TLC, and its not like their alliance would play into it anyway and in turn propels Carmella and Truth into the spotlight on PPV, leading possibly to a big win for the most entertaining team left in the tournament. My question is not just who wins this match, but who does Asuka team with should Season 3 commence? If still on Smackdown by then, im suspecting Shinsuke.
– Catherine
Cattie's Womens Wrestling 