Guru Raaj def. Asher Hale
Perhaps Asher Hale is beginning to feel desperate for a win?
The relative newcomer entered Friday’s bout against Guru Raaj on a four-match losing streak after coming up short against the towering Josh Briggs last week, and he turned to some nasty tactics, using his legs and arms to contort his opponent’s neck all while sneering at the WWE Universe inside the Capitol Wrestling Center.
Raaj, who was looking to prove that his excellent showing against Finn Bálor at January’s Superstar Showdown was no fluke, accomplished exactly that, competing with an ear-to-ear smile for large portions of the match, refusing to stay down after Hale took control of the bout.
Hale drove his knee into the midsection and stomped on his Raaj’s hand, but Raaj somehow persevered and caught his opponent with a backslide for the 1-2-3, leaving Hale in disbelief and shaking his head.
Ari Sterling def. Grayson Waller
Ari Sterling typically tends to let his actions speak louder than his words, but given that he was opposed by one of the most profound trash-talkers in WWE, he couldn’t help but trade poignant words with the outspoken Grayson Waller on several occasions.
Waller showed blatant disrespect by slapping his opponent in the back of the head several times, but Sterling responded by doing the same thing to Waller when he took him down moments later.
And after countless more instances of trash talk, mind games and even a shoving match, Waller nearly earned the win when he walloped Sterling with a kick to the head that yielded a long two-count.
Though Waller stood over his foe and shouted “I’m not impressed with your performance,” Sterling nevertheless kicked out of an elbow drop from the middle rope and claimed the victory with a top-rope hurricanrana into a unique slam.
