WWE Wrap-Up
This week in WWE: Braun Strowman absolutely destroyed everyone and everything
Jan 17, 2018, 2:56 pm
Braun Strowman made Kurt Angle pay for his foolish mistake of firing him. Photo by WWE.com
This is a weekly look at the action in the WWE:
Raw
Braun Strowman opened Raw giving fans a “story with a happy ending”; a story where Strowman wins the Universal Championship at the Royal Rumble. An upset Kurt Angle came to the ring to fire Braun Strowman for his actions last week. Strowman did what any irrational, pissed, giant would do and absolutely destroyed the security who tried escorting him out of the building. Just when it looked like The Bar was going to defeat Titus Worldwide, Jason Jordan came out and caused a distraction. Crews rolled up Sheamus allowing his team to pick up the win. Braun Strowman continued his backstage rampage destroying Angle’s office and any wrestler in his sight. Cedric Alexander, with Goldust on his side, defeated Tony Neese with a Lumbar Check. Strowman continued his rampage backstage when he flipped over a production truck. Yup, a production truck. Angle found him and promised him he would still be in the match if he stopped destroying things, but that did not stop Strowman from chunking lead announcer Michael Cole into security.
Asuka and Nia Jax faced off. Asuka did the smart thing of trying to ground her with different submissions. None of them worked, until Nia got stuck in-between the steps. Asuka was ruled the winner as Jax could not finish the match. Jason Jordan pitched a match between Seth Rollins and Finn Balor to Kurt Angle. The Rival defeated an unnamed Tag Team in an enhancement match. Elias had a new song for the San Antonio crowd, of course, the song insulted the Spurs.
Roman Reigns took on The Mizterouge in a handicap match. No matter how hard Miz tried to throw off Reigns, it was not enough for his Mizterouge to steal the match up. Sonya Deville upset Sasha Banks pinning her after a monster kick. Matt Hardy defeated Heath Slater with a Twist of Fate. A promo package aired to reveal Goldberg will be the first entrant into the 2018 Class of the WWE Hall of Fame. Seth Rollins and Finn Balor were the main event, and, boy was it a great match. The Bar raced down to get some payback on Jordan, who was ringside supporting Rollins, but ended up brawling with Gallows and Anderson. Jordan swept Balor’s leg and Rollins hit him with a Curb Stomp to win the match.
Highlight of the night: The First hour was absolutely amazing. Braun should get fired every week. Him destroying everything and everyone in his way was awesome. Flipping over the production truck was the freaking cherry on top.
SmackDown Live
A semi final match in the United States Championship Tournament, Jinder Mahal vs Xavier Woods, opened the show. The New Day chased off The Singh Brothers, and Woods put off a valiant effort, but it was not enough to defeat the former WWE Champion. Mahal advanced to the final after pinning Woods with a Khallas. AJ Styles promised to put an end to Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens’ “Yep Movement” at the Royal Rumble. Mojo Rawley dominated the early part of his semi final match against Bobby Roode. The Glorious one was able to pick up the win, though, with a nasty Glorious DDT. The Singh Brothers congratulated him with a blindsided attack. Mahal promised to beat Roode in the final next week, but Roode said he did not want to wait until next week. Daniel Bryan decided Roode had the right idea and decided to move the match to this week’s main event.
The Riott Squad defeated Charlotte, Becky Lynch and Naomi in a Six Woman Tag match. Naomi avoided getting rolled up by Morgan, but was met with a kick to the face by Riott allowing Morgan to pin her for the win. The Usos were promoting their Royal Rumble match when they were attacked from behind by Benjamin and Gable. Jinder Mahal worked Roode’s core to gain an advantage in the early part of their main event match. They do not call him the Glorious one for nothing, though. Roode was able to endure his injuries and, one glorious DDT later, picked up the win to become the new United States Champion.
Highlight of the night: Bobby Roode finally wins his first title on the main roster. He was, without a doubt, one of the most prolific characters on NXT. Lets see what he does now as a United States Champion.
How do they compare?
Another week, another “that’s it?” episode of SmackDown Live. I’m not going to place all of the blame on the show itself, though, it had to face the duty of having to promote the Mix Max Challenge that premiered that night on Facebook. The tournament matches were good, and Roode winning was an awesome moment, everything else just felt like more of the same. Now, look at how insane the first hour of Raw was. Are all the creative fluids going to the red show? Possibly. Raw has an interesting week ahead of them. Not only will this be their Go Home Show, they will also be celebrating the 25th anniversary of Raw. It’s going to be another great week for the show. As for SmackDown? I am not sure what to expect at this point. At best, we get some gems of wrestling matches. At worst, it is a rehash of the week before. Hopefully things turn around as we approach Wrestlemania.
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The 2025 season hasn't gone according to script for the Houston Astros. Injuries, slumps, and a retooled roster have left fans asking whether this version of the Astros is underwhelming—or if, given all the turmoil, they might actually be overachieving.
When Houston dealt Kyle Tucker, a franchise cornerstone, the move raised eyebrows. Tucker was a consistent producer and an anchor in right field. In return, the Astros received infielder Isaac Paredes, pitcher Hayden Wesneski, and third baseman now outfielder Cam Smith—players who didn’t bring the same star power but offered versatility and upside.
Paredes has delivered as advertised. He’s brought steady production at the plate and the ability to play a solid third base. While he may not be with the team beyond 2027 if the front office sticks to its recent pattern of letting players walk in free agency, his presence right now is stabilizing an otherwise inconsistent lineup.
Then there’s Cam Smith, who might be the real key to this deal. After a slow start and questions about whether he or Zach Dezenzo was the better option in right field, Smith has surged. Over the past 30 days, he’s hit north of .300 and shown signs of becoming a long-term fixture. The biggest question now is positional: Is he Houston’s future in right field, or could he eventually slide over to third base if/when Paredes departs? That decision will ripple through future roster planning and could define how this trade is remembered.
In the meantime, however, he’s shown flashes of being a quality everyday player. But it’s not uncommon for young hitters to take a step back after an initial surge. The Astros need him to keep proving it, but the potential is unmistakable.
Underwhelming or overachieving?
Elsewhere on the roster, the results are mixed. Players like Jake Meyers and Victor Caratini, who came into the season with modest expectations, have performed admirably. Meanwhile, stars like José Altuve, Christian Walker, and Yainer Díaz have underperformed, leaving the offensive output uneven. Add in the extended absence of Yordan Álvarez and the loss of three-fifths of the starting rotation, and it's fair to say Houston has had more than its share of adversity.
King of the hill
One area where the Astros have arguably found a diamond in the rough is Bryan King. With a 1.52 ERA in 2025, King has passed the eye test as a potential long-term solution in high-leverage relief situations. He’s been more than capable, building on a solid 2.39 ERA in 2024. His performance has solidified his place in the bullpen, and he’s taken on ownership of his role. However, it’s important for the Astros to temper expectations, especially after the lessons learned from the Rafael Montero signing. King looks like the real deal, but he still has a ways to go before being considered a true elite option out of the 'pen.
What should we make of the Alex Bregman quad injury?
Bregman’s injury doesn’t really change the conversation around whether the Astros should have extended him. If anything, it highlights the complexity of roster decisions. Houston could’ve kept Bregman, shifted Paredes to first base, and potentially avoided spending big on Christian Walker. But injuries are part of the game—Yordan Álvarez has missed nearly half the season, and no one’s suggesting the Astros should regret signing him. Kyle Tucker missed significant time last year, too, and he’s about to land a massive contract. Players get hurt. That’s baseball.
Moving forward
While the Astros have struggled with injuries and inconsistent performances, they have managed to remain competitive—perhaps even overachieving given the circumstances. The team's depth, the surprising performances from certain players, and the emergence of promising new talent have allowed them to hold their ground, currently possessing a Wild Card spot in the AL if the season were to end today.
There's so much more to discuss! Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
The MLB season is finally upon us! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday!
*ChatGPT assisted.
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