Bobby Lashley vs Braun Strowman
Last Man Standing
07/14/2019
Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
(reviewed 10/03/2019) WWE booked a Last Man Standing match with guys I don’t hate so I’m contractually obligated to watch it. This one ain’t bad even if it’s more of a Falls Count Anywhere match than anything in line with the themes and tropes of the LMS format. These guys spend almost no time at all in the ring, electing to wander around the arena and toss things at each other or toss each other at things for a while. Sometimes it’s great, especially whenever Lashley decides that he’s not actually a massive human being and he can bump around like a mad man, but for the most part it’s pretty tame. All but two or three of the bumps are pretty sloppy, the weapon usage leaves a lot to be desired, and the environmental spots range from hokey to bland. The finish falls into that last category with Strowman bursting through a fake wall to win the match in a spot that would be a lot of fun had the rest of the match not pulled its punches so hard. To make a comparison, so much of this feels like WWE trying to imitate Lucha Underground but landing on season 4 instead of season 1 or 2. That might still sound appealing to you, dear reader, but I was hoping for something a little more grounded and gritty.
