WWE Mixed Match Challenge
Week 1
#WWEMMC
Original Air Date: January 16, 2018
Event Date: January 16, 2018
(aired live on Facebook watch)
City: Laredo, TX
Venue: Laredo Energy Arena
Hosts: Renee Young, Byron Saxton
Commentary: Michael Cole, Corey Graves, Beth Phoenix
Ring Announcer: Greg Hamilton
Video
Courtesy of @LegitSashaBanks on Facebook, Finn Balor and Sasha Banks are confident in their chances of winning the Mixed Match Challenge.
Video
Courtesy of @NatByNature on Instagram, Natalya and Nakamura act like cats.
Match 1
Mixed Match Challenge First Round Match
Finn Balor & Sasha Banks vs Natalya & Shinsuke Nakamura
(referee: Jason Ayers; watching in the back: Becky Lynch, Sami Zayn)
Result: Sasha Banks forces Natalya to submit to the Bank Statement
Time: 12:49
Match Thoughts
Good match. I liked how it built up to the finish. It started with the women facing each other, but we quickly started to see the cracks in Natalya and Nakamura’s team when Natty tagged out even though Nakamura wasn’t expecting her to. The commentators didn’t call it of course, but that lack of cohesion for Natalya and Nakamura popped up a few times during the match. The men and women each took a few turns before everyone started interacting with each other towards the end. I can’t say I’m surprised with the result, but I did enjoy the match.
Video
New Day and Carmella say they are going to hand Asuka her first loss. The Miz and Asuka are going to win because they are Awe-ska.
Show Impressions
This was a good start. I watched the match after it happened, so I didn’t interact with the chat, but I feel like that would have just been annoying to me anyway. I think it’s a neat idea though, and the interactivity is there if you want it. Although, it’s not so much interactive as it is simply live and reactive. To be interactive the fans would have to affect something on the live show as it happens. And yes, I realize there will be a second chance team voted in by the fans, but that’s not the same thing as being truly interactive. I guess Zayn and Lynch were being interactive in the chat, but that doesn’t hold much appeal to me.