Wrestling Report
WWE comes out swinging after Stomping Grounds
Jun 26, 2019, 5:47 am
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Born with a comic book in one hand and a remote control in the other, Cory DLG is the talent of Conroe's very own Nerd Thug Radio, Sports. Check out the podcast replay of the FM radio shows www.nerdthugradio.com!
Coming out of Stomping Grounds the feeling was that the status quo had been maintained. Some things actually happened though to shake it up, including an interesting booking for Extreme Rules in three weeks. A mixed gender tag match scheduled between Baron Corbin and Lacey Evans vs Becky Lynch and Seth Rollins is now set for Extreme Rules; it's cool because you don't see a lot of mixed gender matches in the WWE but there are all the rage in the indy scene. The Undertaker made a surprise appearance in aiding Roman Reigns against Shane McMahon and Drew Mcintyre, a tag match between those four would be pretty exciting. Having both shows tag team champions on Raw fight The New Day and the Usos in an elimination match was an odd choice and the match between R Truth and Drake for the gimmick 24/7 title was just mean but overall Raw was entertaining.
Smackdown kicked off with a flat promo from Shane threatening the entire Smackdown roster, and then Kofi cut a great promo before it was interrupted by two time loser Dolph Ziggler. Kofi has been incredible for the WWE this week having a cage match Sunday, two matches against Samy and Kevin on Monday and then taking a beating from Samoa Joe before agreeing to another match on Smackdown, but yeah there's no chance of athlete burn out working for WWE or anything. Having the Smackdown tag team champions lose all the time is a really odd way to position the champs but for the second tag fight in a row involving the champs versus The New Day, they lost again. Mustafa Ali cut a promo where he gives his best green lantern impression and tries to seem like a super hero, if he's fighting injustices then why isn't he fighting Shane McMahon or Samoa Joe? Also in the category of odd promos Aleister Black continued his campaign of begging for a fight in a company full of professional fighters, it's confusing.
Overall this was a good week for WWE but there are genuine concerns or there should be genuine concerns about overuse for some of the more important WWE stars like the title holders. The Smackdown tag title holders, the WWE Heavyweight Champion both competed on both shows and on Sunday's big event. So what's the usage plan for these guys, how much longer can guys like Kofi and Daniel Bryant keep it up? The New Day being focused on is a great push for them and I think it's worth staying with for a huge amount of time but not all at once, spread it out and make it a brand specific story, don't burn these guys out in four months.
Feel free to check out my digital short story The Wilson House or buy a shirt from Side Hustle Ts where some proceeds help fight cancer or listen to Nerd Thug Radio. Thoughts, complaints, events and comments can be sent to corydlg@gmail.com.
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The Houston Astros wrapped up yet another series win this week, this time taking two of three from the struggling Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Despite missing several key players and a bullpen that wasn’t fully available, the Astros continued their recent run of success, pushing their record to 52-35.
Manager Joe Espada appeared to be playing the long game in the rubber match on Thursday. After Houston rallied to tie the game in the seventh inning, Espada stuck with reliever Jordan Weems instead of turning to his high-leverage arms. That decision, while frustrating to some fans hoping for the sweep, underscored the team’s cautious approach to workload management as they navigate a long season.
One bright spot continues to be rookie Cam Smith, who delivered again in the clutch with a two-run triple in the seventh inning on Thursday. Smith has been Houston’s most dependable bat with runners on base and is quickly settling into the cleanup role—a rarity for a first-year player but one he’s earned with his poise and production.
Astros cleanup hitter RBIs this season:
Cam Smith: 10 RBIs in 7 games
All others: 28 RBIs in 80 games
— Matt Kawahara (@matthewkawahara) July 3, 2025
Off the field, the biggest storyline continues to be Yordan Alvarez’s injury. After reports surfaced that the slugger had experienced a setback in his return from a fractured hand, the team clarified that the issue is inflammation, not the fracture itself. Astros general manager Dana Brown said Alvarez received injections to address the irritation and is expected to rest for now. Encouragingly, the Astros say the fracture is no longer a concern, and while there’s still no definitive timeline for his return, the overall tone from the club was optimistic.
The transparency around Alvarez’s situation is part of a larger shift. After being criticized in recent seasons for vague injury updates, the Astros have begun issuing daily availability reports. It’s a move that signals the front office is trying to regain some trust with the media and fans after a stretch of frustrating ambiguity around player health.
Now, the Astros head to Los Angeles for a marquee matchup with the defending champion Dodgers. Friday’s opener will feature Lance McCullers Jr. making just his second start since returning from the injured list. McCullers gave up eight runs in his return against the Cubs and will be under the spotlight as he looks to settle back into form. Control will be the key, as walks have long been McCullers’ Achilles’ heel.
Saturday sets the stage for one of the most anticipated pitching matchups of the season: Framber Valdez versus Shohei Ohtani. With both teams fighting for positioning in their respective divisions, this weekend in LA should serve as a measuring stick—and perhaps a postseason preview.
There's so much more to get to! 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.
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