Line #55 Wrestling/WWEMixedMatchChallenge


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/backstage_news_on_mix_match_challenge_what_could_happen_with_205_live.jpg]]
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3	''WWE Mixed Match Challenge'' is a ProfessionalWrestling web television series and tournament produced by Wrestling/{{WWE}}, where all matches are mixed TagTeam matches, with male wrestlers teaming up with female wrestlers from both ''[[Wrestling/WWERaw Raw]]'' and ''[[Wrestling/WWESmackDown SmackDown]]''. The teams from both ''Raw'' and ''[=SmackDown=]'' compete in a tournament format and the winner of the tournament wins $100,000 for the charity of their choosing.
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5	The second season was a round robin-style tournament throughout fourteen 30-minute, two match episodes. The winners from the ''Raw'' and ''[=SmackDown=]'' divisions met in the finals at ''TLC: Tables, Ladders, and Chairs''. In addition to the charity money, this year, the winning team received a trip to the destination of their choice and the #30 spots in their respective Wrestling/{{Royal Rumble}}s.
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7	''Mixed Match Challenge'' airs every Tuesday after ''[=SmackDown=]'' on [[Website/{{Facebook}} Facebook Watch]] in the US and the WWE Network in other parts of the world.
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9	[[folder:Teams from Season 1]]
10	!! Raw
11	* [[Wrestling/FergalDevitt Finn Balor]] and Wrestling/SashaBanks (Boss Club)
12	* Wrestling/AlexaBliss and Wrestling/BraunStrowman (Team Little Big)
13	* Wrestling/NiaJax and [[Wrestling/PrimeTimePlayers Apollo Crews]]
14	* [[Wrestling/KanakoUrai Asuka]] and Wrestling/TheMiz (Awe-ska)
15	* Wrestling/MandyRose and Wrestling/{{Goldust}} (Rose Gold)
16	* Wrestling/{{Bayley}} and Wrestling/{{Elias}}
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18	!! Smackdown
19	* Wrestling/CharlotteFlair and Wrestling/BobbyRoode (Robe Warriors)
20	* Wrestling/RusevAndLana (Ravishing Rusev Day)
21	* Wrestling/{{Naomi\|Wrestler}} and [[Wrestling/TheUsos Jimmy Uso]] (Glowish)
22	* Wrestling/{{Natalya\|Neidheart}} and Wrestling/ShinsukeNakamura
23	* Wrestling/BeckyLynch and Wrestling/SamiZayn (Ginger Snaps)
24	* Wrestling/{{Carmella}} and Wrestling/{{Big E\|Langston}}
25	[[/folder]]
26
27	[[folder:Teams from Season 2]]
28	Returning teams are marked with (+).
29
30	!! Raw
31	* Wrestling/EmberMoon and Curt Hawkins [[note]]Wrestling/BraunStrowman was originally Ember Moon's partner, but due to injury he was replaced by Curt Hawkins.[[/note]] (Monster Eclipse)
32	* Wrestling/MickieJames and Wrestling/BobbyLashley (Country Dominance)
33	* Wrestling/{{Bayley}} and Apollo Crews [[note]][[Wrestling/FergalDevitt Finn Balor]] was originally Bayley's partner, due to injury he was replaced by Apollo Crews."[[/note]](B'N'B)
34	* Wrestling/AliciaFox and Wrestling/JinderMahal (Mahalicia)
35	* Wrestling/{{Natalya\|Neidheart}} and Wrestling/BobbyRoode [[note]]Wrestling/KevinOwens was originally Natalya's partner, but due to injury he was replaced by Bobby Roode.[[/note]] (Team Pawz)
36
37	!! Smackdown
38	* [[Wrestling/KanakoUrai Asuka]] and Wrestling/TheMiz (Awe-ska)[[note]]Both have since been drafted from Raw to Smackdown Live[[/note]](+)
39	* Wrestling/RusevAndLana (Ravishing Rusev Day)(+)
40	* Wrestling/{{Naomi\|Wrestler}} and [[Wrestling/TheUsos Jimmy Uso]] (Day One Glow)(+)
41	* Wrestling/CharlotteFlair and Wrestling/JeffHardy [[note]]Wrestling/AJStyles was originally Charlotte's partner, collectively called "Fenomenal Flair." Due to injury, he was replaced by Jeff Hardy and the team renamed "Extreme Flair."[[/note]] (Extreme Flair)
42	* Wrestling/{{Carmella}} and [[Wrestling/RonKillings R-Truth]] (The Fabulous Truth)
43	[[/folder]]
44	----
45	!! Tropes featured:
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47	* BattleCouple: Naomi and Jimmy Uso, and Rusev and Lana; both pairs are married in real life.
48	* BerserkButton: Disrespect Braun Strowman's Mixed Match partner at your own peril. Curt Hawkins learned this [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvLnQ4PI7iY the hard way]].
49	* ButtMonkey:
50	** Two seasons in, neither Carmella nor Natalya has won a match. Poor girls can't catch a break. Though Carmella would eventually win the entire [=MMC2=], Natalya didn't have that luck.
51	** Anyone pitted against Braun Strowman, with particular focus on Sami Zayn in season one (due to his history with Strowman) and Kevin Owens in season two (due to his concurrent feud with Strowman).
52	** Season two, there seem to be two teams on each brand that have yet to win a match: Team Pawz (including the aforementioned Natalya) and Mahalicia on the Raw side, Fabulous Truth (including the aforementioned Carmella) and Ravishing Rusev Day on Smackdown.
53	* BullyingADragon: Ever since Awe-Ska's loss, Miz has been mistreating Asuka, [[NeverMyFault who he solely blames for the loss]]. Berating her and refusing to tag her in as he "no longer trusts her." During their match against The Fabulous Truth, [[KickTheDog Miz uses her as a shield to block Carmella's superkick]]. That was the last straw as [[TheDogBitesBack Asuka attacks the Miz and abandons him]].
54	* CastingGag:
55	** Charlotte teams up with with Wrestling/BobbyRoode in Season One and Wrestling/AJStyles in Season Two. Both men were once two of [[Wrestling/RicFlair her father]]'s [[Wrestling/{{Fortune}} apprentices]] in [[Wrestling/ImpactWrestling TNA]].
56	** Sami Zayn and Becky Lynch have been video game partners on WebVideo/UpUpDownDown a number of times, and their MMC name, "the Gingersnaps" is a reference to their gaming team name, the "Up-Up Beatniks" (where they also employed finger snapping to taunt other teams).
57	** Team B'n'B as well - Bayley and Finn Balor had been campaigning to team up for the first tournament, as they'd been a duo in NXT, participating in a number of mixed tag matches.
58	* DarkhorseVictory: The Season 2 finals were between Mahalicia vs. The Fabulous Truth, two teams who, until winning the qualifiers in the playoffs, lost every match. This was made necessary because of the slew of injuries in season 2, with 6 superstars having to be replaced and the new teams not being as strong as Mahalicia or Fabulous Truth.
59	* DancePartyEnding: Even though Day One Glow/The Fabulous Truth ended with the former team winning, both teams end up dancing as the episode ends.
60	* DefeatingTheUndefeatable:
61	** Charlotte Flair with Jeff Hardy [[note]]Filling in for AJ due to the aftermath of his match with [[Wrestling/BryanDanielson Daniel Bryan]].[[/note]] manages to defeat Awe-Ska, given them their first loss not just this season, but their first loss ''period.''
62	** In a more ironic case, both Mahalicia and Fabulous Truth, [[ButtMonkey teams who were previously unable to gain a win]], manage to defeat their respective Number One seeds Monster Eclipse and Extreme Flair respectively. Some fans even called the latter's victory the biggest upset in Mixed Match Challenge history.
63	* DentedIron: When Wrestling/{{Elias}} fought his first (and only) match, he did so with bandaged ribs, due to injuries sustained when Braun Strowman broke a double-bass over him.
64	* EvilIsPetty: It was implied on Raw that Acting General Manager Wrestling/BaronCorbin chose Curt Hawkins as Ember Moon's new partner in order to spite Braun Strowman and everyone associated with him.
65	* FaceHeelDoubleTurn: Played with in regards to the team of Becky Lynch and the recently-{{Face Heel Turn}}ed Sami Zayn. Various skits between the two of them involve Sami trying to corrupt Becky and Becky likewise trying to turn Sami good again. Ironically enough, Becky Lynch would later turn into more of a heel wrestler (with Sami tweeting her that he [[EvilMentor always knew she had it in her]]).
66	* FightingYourFriend:
67	** Alica Fox and Mickie James faced each other in the match between Mahalicia and Country Dominance respectively.
68	** Naomi and Asuka faced each other in the match between Day One Glow and Awe-ska respectively. More emphasis in "Friend" in this case - they performed a sequence of moves and then high-fived and hugged in glee after.
69	** Sasha Banks and Becky Lynch (filling in for Charlotte) in the semi-finals of season one.
70	* ForegoneConclusion:
71	** Considering how they talked about how Asuka's undefeated streak was on the line, few doubted that Awe-ska would win the first season.
72	** Subverted in season two - everyone had Monster Eclipse (Braun Strowman & Ember Moon) winning the whole thing, but due to injuries to Strowman and Baron Corbin's sabotage of Ember, it went to Fabulous Truth.
73	* HereWeGoAgain: Charlotte's partner in the second season AJ Styles is unable to "Wooo," just like Bobby Roode was unable to in the previous season.
74	* HistoryRepeats:
75	** See HereWeGoAgain. Once again, Charlotte finds herself with a partner who is unable to "Wooo." At least AJ isn't as bad at it as Bobby Roode.
76	** In two consecutive seasons, Braun Strowman has used his size to assist his tag partner hitting her aerial finisher onto her opponent for the win.
77	** Carmella faces off against Awe-Ska (and loses) in her first match in the season.
78	** Apollo Crews is once again added to the Mixed Match Challenge as a replacement only to lose.
79	* HugeGuyTinyGirl: Wrestling/BraunStrowman, a 6'8", 385 lbs. WrestlingMonster, could make ''any'' woman into this, but WWE went one step further -- they paired him with Wrestling/AlexaBliss, a 5' PintSizedPowerhouse. They were set to reprise their partnership in Season 2, but Bliss had to bow out due to injury... so she was replaced with Wrestling/EmberMoon, who is only one inch taller than Bliss.
80	* LateArrivalSpoiler: The superstars partaking in the Mixed Match Challenge was announced in December 2017, including Sami Zayn who was at the time involved in a storyline with Wrestling/KevinOwens, Wrestling/RandyOrton and Wrestling/ShinsukeNakamura in the Clash of Champions pay-per-view. The stipulation of the Tag match against Orton and Nakamura was that if Owens and Zayn lost, they would both get fired. The Clash of Champions PPV aired in December 2017, and the mixed match premiered in January 2018. So WWE basically spoiled that Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens would defeat Randy Orton and Shinsuke Nakamura.
81	* MeaningfulName: A few of the teams.
82	** Team Little Big - Alexa being the little and Braun being the Big.
83	** Robe Warriors - Charlotte and Bobby both wear robes and can be considered warriors in the ring.
84	** Ginger Snaps - Becky and Sami are both redheads and they walk to the ring snapping their fingers.
85	* MyGreatestSecondChance:
86	** Due to fan vote, the Boss Club received a second chance in the tournament as they took on the Robe Warriors.
87	** Subverted with Becky Lynch, who filled in for Charlotte who was out for dental surgery in the aforementioned match in which they won. The following week, Charlotte would return.
88	** Played Straight with Alicia Fox, whose injury kept her from competing in the first season. She is now teaming with Jinder Mahal in the second season.
89	** Due to Kevin Owens' injury, Bobby Roode returns to the Mixed Match Challenge as Natalya's new partner.
90	** Due to Finn Balor's injury, Apollo Crews returns to the Mixed Match Challenge as Bayley's new partner. Sadly, it doesn't last.
91	* NiceJobBreakingItHero: Curt Hawkins, by tagging himself in right as Ember Moon hits The Eclipse on Alicia Fox and then tries to pin her, forgetting (or not knowing) that only the men face the men and women face the women. This would lead to Jinder Mahal hitting the Khallas for the win.
92	* OddFriendship: Some of the pairings felt designed to be ironic.
93	** Bayley and Elias in season one -- a grumpy loner heel with a guitar-playing gimmick paired with a cheerful-as-sunshine hug machine face who'd never played guitar before. (To the point that Elias actually had to teach her.) Hilariously, Elias was actually a replacement for her original partner -- Wrestling/SamoaJoe, who was pulled due to injury, which ''still'' would have been a case of this for much the same reasons.
94	** Becky Lynch and Sami Zayn made sense for some reasons, but it was still a crowd-pleaser face paired with a troll-ish heel. This can be seen when they interact with the audience -- Becky gladly slaps palms and shakes hands, but has to goad Sami into it, and he looks rather annoyed.
95	* TheReasonYouSuckSpeech: After losing to the Robe Warriors, Nia Jax gave a scathing one towards Titus O'Neil and Dana Brooke on how they were more of a hindrance than help.
96	* RunningGag:
97	** Bobby Roode's inability to properly "Woo" in comparison to Charlotte.
98	** Whenever a kick is blocked, expect the kicker to ask for the person who caught the kick to let go of the leg or put it down.
99	** During a number of matches, the female member of one team would frequently attempt to attack the male member of the opposite team, only to be caught and stopped by the ref. Subverted by Bayley, who managed to Bayley-to-Belly suplex Sunil Singh, Lio Rush, and Bobby Roode.
100	* TeethClenchedTeamwork: Mahalicia, though mostly due to [[ItsAllAboutMe Alicia's continuous insistence]] of being TheCaptain while [[OnlySaneMan Jinder just wants the team to be on the same page]]. [[GreenEyedMonster Sunil's jealousy over Alicia getting Jinder's attention]] does not help at all.
101	* ThisIsGonnaSuck:
102	** Kevin Owen's reaction to him and Natalya facing Braun Strowman and Alexa Bliss, given his recent issues with Strowman.
103	** Ember Moon's reaction to Curt Hawkins being her new partner, [[FailureHero given his infamous losing streak]]. Sadly, she would be proven right to worry (See NiceJobBreakingItHero).
104	* ThrowTheDogABone:
105	** After two seasons, Carmella finally wins a match by teaming with R-Truth against Ravishing Rusev Day.
106	** Mahalicia finally wins a match against Team Pawz. Thus eliminating the latter from the tournament.

Context Wrestling / WWEMixedMatchChallenge