Review: Big night of action as WWE comes to Birmingham
When the WWE comes to town, it's a fun night full of colourful characters and top quality wrestling.
The superstars of Monday Night Raw descended on the Utilita Arena in Birmingham for the third date of its week-long tour of the United Kingdom.
It was the first time many of the superstars on the show had been able to wrestle in the UK since the start of the coronavirus pandemic and they showed no signs of taking it easy in front of a packed and expectant crowd.
Fans of all ages were enthralled by a seven-match card which saw five championships defended and some of the biggest names in the company putting on a show.
It started with a fatal fourway match for the United States Championship between the champion Damien Priest and three of the best workers in the company, Finn Balor, Kevin Owens and Seth Rollins.
With WWE live events, they are very different to the televised product as there aren't restrictions on crowd interaction or what can go on in a match and this match show what happens with no restrictions.
All four men showed off their best moves and played the crowd, with Rollins doing his best to antagonise those in attendance through using underhand methods to attack all three competitors.
Priest won the match to retain his championship in an excellent match, which set the trend for the evening.
The first of two women's matches saw Carmella, dubbed "the most beautiful woman in WWE," scream louder and louder as she failed to put away Liv Morgan, with the sparky Morgan gaining a popular win.
The third match brought a veteran in "America's moist wanted" John Morrison up against up-and-coming star Austin Theory, with Theory providing a good cowardly bad guy to Morrison's high-flying good guy.
The first half ended with a triple threat match for the Raw Tag Team Championships, pitting the popular Street Profits against veterans Dolph Ziggler and Robert Roode and the champions RK-Bro, Riddle and Randy Orton.
The match was a great example of one that works with a live crowd, with Randy Orton in particular having fun with doing flips over the ropes, even getting the referee to do one to a great reception.
Once the match got started, it proved to be a thrilling match, with all three teams having periods on top and gaining near falls, before Riddle and Orton both hit Orton's signature RKO cutter finisher for the win, getting the best reception of the night.
Local boy Drake Maverick was in action next, taking on 24/7 champion Reggie for the championship.
Maverick, who wrestled for years in the UK as Rockstar Spud, drew boos from the crowd by saying he didn't miss a city of chavs and mingers and said he was proud to live in Orlando instead.
After an entertaining match, which Reggie won to retain his championship, Maverick took to the mic again to berate the crowd for booing him and insisting that if they didn't start cheering, he would not leave.
He was made to leave after Scottish wrestler Doudrop came out for her match and flattened him with a Michinoku Driver.
She was then joined by Bianca Belair and Raw Women's Champion Becky Lynch for a championship match, with the popular Irish woman trying to antagonise the crowd by saying she was disappointed not to be in Manchester instead.
The match was a great showcase for the women's division, with all three woman using their big moves and telling a story in the match, which ended with Lynch throwing Belair out of the ring and pinning Doudrop to retain her title.
The main event pitted two of the biggest stars in the company in a Birmingham Street fight for the WWE Championship.
Former champion Bobby Lashley took on current champion Big E in a match which featured kendo sticks, chairs and tables and saw both men take trips through the tables.
Big E won the match and stayed champion after dodging a spear attempt from Bobby Lashley and, after Lashley went through a table, hit him with his big ending finisher for the win.
The night saw some of the best wrestlers in the world put on a show and entertain the fans, with many taking time after their matches to slap hands and pose for photos.
The WWE put on a show wherever they go and create memories for all those in attendance, with this night being a good example of why people love going to the wrestling.
