-From Birmingham, AL
-Hosts are Cole, King, & JBL
-The WWE roster, including Vince, stand on stage, most wearing Warrior t-shirts. Jerry Lawler introduces a pretty nice video tribute. After that, the bell is tolled ten times, and his music is played as the crowd cheers, then chants "Warrior".
-TONIGHT: Clips from Warrior's career, plus The Usos VS Orton & Batista, The Authority vow to strike back against The Shield, and the start of an 8 man tournament to determine the #1 contender to the Intercontinental title.
-Match 1-Intercontinental Championship #1 Contender's Tournament First Round: Alberto Del Rio VS RVD
-Poor ADR gets jobber intro'd. ADR goes on the attack, but RVD fires back with a monkey flip and a cross-body for two, before kicking ADR out of the ring. ADR comes back with a kick to the ribs, then absorbs some of RVD's trademark shitty punches (some which miss by a mile) before hitting a running enziguiri for two. ADR pulls RVD's head under the ropes, then kicks him in the head. RVD sends ADR outside, but misses a moonsault off the apron, and ADR catches RVD with a clothesline before sending him into the barricade as we go to break.
Back from break RVD gets a near-fall, but then walks into a kick to the ribs, and ADR follows up with a DDT for two. RVD botches landing on the turnbuckles off a slingshot, then badly misses a back kick, which kills an "RVD" chant. ADR gets his knees up on a split-legged moonsault, then follows up with a Backstabber for two. ADR goes up top, but gets caught with a heel kick on the way down. RVD takes a moment before going up top, allowing ADR to crotch him and hit another running enziguiri for two.
ADR loses his cool as RVD actually sells a move other than his own finisher. ADR goes for the cross-armbreaker, but RVD counters into a rollup for two. ADR goes up top, but RVD knocks him down, and finishes with the Five Star Frog Splash.
** Some of the ideas were fine, but RVD is getting pretty bad these days, and it dragged the match down quite a bit.
-LAST WEEK: The Shield keep Triple H from winning the world title.
-HHH shakes hands with Orton & Batista, then talks to them about something we can't hear.
-ULTIMATE MOMENT #1: Warrior squashes Honky Tonk Man to end his record IC title reign at SummerSlam '88.
-After a break, Triple H reveals that Daniel Bryan is not here tonight (on his honeymoon), and tells Batista & Orton that they have to take care of The Shield or else none of them are getting close to the WWE title. HHH says no one can stop The Shield, but Steph says she sees three guys that can, and HHH takes the bait. Batista & Orton only care about the title, and tell HHH he is on his own. They leave, and Stephanie has an idea.
-Match 2: Rybaxel VS The Brotherhood
-Axel starts with Goldust, who counters a leapfrog with an inverted atomic drop. Goldust slugs Axel down, then tags in Cody, who hits a front suplex. Cody gets a rollup for two, then prevents Axel from tagging before working on the arm and tagging Goldust back in. Goldust drops a knee, but only gets a one count. Goldust hits a kneeling uppercut on Axel, but stops to take care of an interfering Ryback, which allows Axel to clobber him from behind and take control before tagging in Ryback. The heels hit a back elbow/avalanche combo for two.
There's a small "Goldberg" chant as Ryback works Goldust over. Ryback tags Axel before hitting a splash, and Axel follows up with a sledge off the second rope for two. Back to Ryback, who kicks Goldust in the chest for two. Axel talks smack, and you can hear it because the crowd is silent. Goldust hits a back elbow as Cody tries, and fails miserably, to get the crowd into it. Cody gets the tag and cleans house, before trying a moonsault that Ryback fails to catch him on. Ryback takes a powder, and Cody follows with a dive that Ryback thankfully does catch him on.
Back in, Cody hits a springboard missile dropkick for two. Goldust goes after in interfering Axel, but gets knocked outside. Cody hits Axel with the Disaster Kick, but a second try on Ryback is countered with the Meathook Clothesline for the pin. Hey, remember when The Brotherhood were in a hot angle and beating The Shield?
**1/2 The match was good despite the botch by Ryback, but had no heat whatsoever.
-BOLIEVE
-Paige makes her entrance with Alicia Fox standing in the ring, then her winning the Divas title last week is shown again.
-Match 3: Alicia Fox VS Divas Champion Paige
-They have a shoving match, then Paige grabs Alicia by the hair and gives her a headbutt. Alicia comes back with a three nice backbreakers. Fox hits a Northern Lights suplex for two as a small "Let's Go Paige" chant comes and goes. Fox applies a chinlock, then yanks Paige down by her hair. Paige scores with a nice kick to the midsection, then a series of three short-arm clotheslines, followed by a dropkick and the Scorpion Crosslock for the submission.
** The match was alright, but I question the logic of having your new Divas star get beat down for most of the match against a jobber. That better not be the formula laid out for her, because it will get old fast, especially if it's against other jobbers.
-LAST WEEK: Batista & Orton destroy the Usos. The rematch is next.
-Match 4: WWE Tag Team Champions The Usos VS Randy Orton & Batista
-The Usos immediately hit stereo dives. Orton & one the Usos slug it out, then Orton hits the Orton Backbreaker (glad that move is back) before tagging Batista. The heels dominate one Uso, then Orton goes after the other until The Shield come out of nowhere and attack Orton.
1/2* Why does it have to be the tag champs being made to look like jokes?
-Reigns floors Batista with a Superman Punch, and Orton pulls Batista out of the ring so they can leave.
-WARRIOR MOMENT #2: Winning the WWF title at WrestleMania VI.
-Orton & Batista are walking backstage, where they run into HHH & Stephanie. Triple H gives them an "I told you so" look.
-Paul Heyman comes out to cheers until he mentions that he's the advocate for Brock Lesnar. Heyman gloats about Brock's win at WrestleMania before bringing out Cesaro, who still does not have entrance music.
-Match 5-Intercontinental Championship #1 Contender's Tournament First Round: Cesaro VS Mark Henry
-Cesaro tries to match strength with Henry and...it doesn't go well. Cesaro confers with Heyman, who tells him to go to Plan 2. Cesaro lands a bunch of uppercuts, but can't get Mark down. Henry shoves Cesaro down and hits a clothesline for two. Cesaro finally manages to knock Henry down with a flying uppercut, then finishes with the Neutralizer.
*3/4 Not much to this one, but the psychology was solid, and it was all about the finish. I predict Jack Swagger costs Cesaro his semi-final match against RVD.
-Brad Maddox (he's still the Raw GM in case you forgot) gets instructed by Triple H and Steph to find The Shield and tell them they're in the main event, but not who their opponents are.
-Lana now has her own entrance music. RESISTANCE IS FUTILE! YOU WILL BUILD MONUMENTS IN HIS NAME! Awesome introduction.
-Match 6: Alexander Rusev (w/Lana) VS Xavier Woods (w/R-Truth)
-Yeah, this isn't going to go well for Woods. Rusev quickly kicks the crap out of Woods, hits a spinning front slam, and finishes with the camel clutch.
SQUASH When does he start getting "Goldberg" chants?
-R-Truth tries to help his buddy. Lana holds Rusev back until Truth turns his attention to Woods, then orders Rusev to attack, and he lays Truth out with a kick. Well there's his next step up the ladder.
-WARRIOR MOMENT #3: Beating Rick Rude in a Cage Match at SummerSlam '90. I'd say getting paid much more than Rude and making him do all the work is the bigger accomplishment.
-Match 7-Intercontinental Championship #1 Contender's Tournament First Round: Jack Swagger (w/Zeb Coulter) VS Sheamus
-Poor Sheamus. Was meant to be the next Cena, but it doesn't work out, then he gets injured, and comes back to get stuck in midcard purgatory. Swagger opens up with several knees to the gut, but misses a clothesline, and Sheamus slugs away. Sheamus hits a couple clotheslines, then sends Swagger outside. Swagger goes for the Irish Hand Granade (I will always use that name for that move), but Zeb provides a distraction, and Swagger catches a leaping Sheamus with a takedown to the floor, which ends up getting a two count. Swagger gets a short-arm clothesline for two, and pulls back on Sheamus' arms.
Sheamus fights out and hits the Irish Hand Grenade, then follows up with a flying shoulderblock for two. Sheamus tries a slingshot shoulderblock, but Swagger side steps it and applies the Patriot Lock. That was pretty slick. Sheamus escape, but Swagger plows over him, sending Sheamus through the ropes. Swagger follows, and sends Sheamus into the steps. Swagger rolls Sheamus back in then rushes to follow up, running right into a Brogue Kick for the pin.
*1/2 This wasn't particularly good. That one counter by Swagger was pretty neat though.
-Sheamus decides to wait until after hitting his finisher to sell the bad leg.
-Adam Rose is still partying.
-WARRIOR WEEK: A 4 part special presentation starts on the network today.
-Damien Sandow says he is deserving. Of what he doesn't get to explain, as Big Show comes out. Sandow says it doesn't matter who is coming out, because he is not finished, and will say what he has to say no matter what. Sandow says that when he comes out, the fans should be begging to touch him, because he has earned that. Sandow gets in Show's face, and gets KO'd for it. So there's a start of a series of matches that Sandow will lose all of.
-The Wyatts are...next.
-ON MAIN EVENT: Big Show VS Jack Swagger
-As promised, here comes the Wyatt Family. Clapping along to their music is now apparently a thing. Bray sees and hears the opposite of everyone else. You can call Wyatt whatever you want, but he has never lied to you, while Cena has made a career of lying. Wyatt says not to worry, because he will push Cena until he reveals the monster in him. Wyatt doesn't want to slay that monster, not yet, he just wants it to come out and play.
Here comes Cena to respond. Cena says the monster won't come out because he doesn't exist. Cena can't understand why The Wyatts are so serious, and he wants to have some fun with them. Cena interjects the always "funny" photoshopped pictures into this serious feud. Cole makes it worse by laughing. Wyatt rightfully no-sells all this and points out that whenever a serious threat gets in Cena's face, joking is his defense mechanism. Cena says he can be serious, and as Wyatt found out at WrestleMania, when Cena gets serious, Wyatt gets beat. Cena says the tables are now turned, and now Wyatt has to fight for everything, since he can talk, but not fight by himself. Cena looks to shows this again by challenging Bray to a cage match. Wyatt accepts, and says the world belongs to him.
-Match 8: Santino Marella & Emma VS Fandango & Layla
-An inset promo from Fandango shows that he considered his relationship with Summer Rae strictly professional, but he doesn't blame Summer for falling in love. The men start and Santino almost gets the Cobra right off the bat. Layla tags herself in to prevent that. Emma promptly gets her in the Dil-Emma. Santino cuts off an interfering Fandango, but that distracts Emma, allowing Layla to yank her off the turnbuckles and pin her. OK then.
1/2* Short and to the point.
-Stephanie gives Kane the business. She wants to know what happened to the old Kane. Isn't that a question that gets asked every couple years or so now? Kane glares at his mask as the crowd, oblivious to what this might mean for their hero Bryan, cheers for him to put it on. Kane grabs his mask and promises to send Bryan to the depths of hell. Good luck with that.
-BOLIEVE
-WARRIOR MOMENT #4: His speech from last week.
-Adam Rose wins an intense game of Hungry Hungry Hippos, then has to cheer up the bunny.
-Match 9-Intercontinental Championship #1 Contender's Tournament First Round: Dolph Ziggler VS Bad News Barrett
-JBL acts surprised that Barrett is coming out when the match has been hyped all night long via the tournament, including just before the last commercial break. They go to the mat right away. Barrett tries to get a "Bad News" chant started, then slugs Ziggler down. Barrett stomps away in the corner, then hits a suplex for one. Barrett misses a knee drop, and Ziggler gets a side headlock. Barrett escapes, then delivers a hard Irish Whip for two. Barrett uses the ropes to choke Ziggler, but gets caught with a nice dropkick. Ziggler follows up with a Cactus Clothesline to send both guys to the floor. Barrett alley-oops Ziggler into the post in a spot I don't think I've seen before as we go to break.
Back from break, Barrett works a chinlock. Ziggler gets out, and the crowd amuses themselves by chanting for Punk. Ziggler hits a cross-body followed by corner punches and a neckbreaker for two. Barrett avoids a famouser, and hits Wasteland for two. Ziggler slides out of a pumphandle slam, and gets the famouser for two. Barrett avoids a charge in the corner, but stops to taunt the crowd, and gets caught on the top rope. Barrett blocks a superplex (*sigh*), and dumps Ziggler, but Ziggler runs the ropes and hits an X-Factor off the top for two. The crowd turns and starts chanting "This is Awesome". Ziggler charges into the Winds of Change for two, and I love it when guys freak out after not getting the pin with a move they've never pinned anyone with.
Barrett goes for the Bull Hammer, but Ziggler counters into a schoolboy for two. Barrett tosses Ziggler into the air, then catches Ziggler as he gets back to his feet with the Bull Hammer for the pin.
*** Good match that got the crowd into it after losing them earlier. Nice to see Barrett getting a push, as I've always liked him.
-Barrett has some bad news: he is the next Intercontinental Champion. That's actually my prediction.
-Cole assures viewers that Bryan will be back next week before a video profile on Kane is played. Well that was put together quickly.
-ON SMACKDOWN: Sheamus VS Batista
-Match 10: The Shield VS ???
-ADR, Swagger, Fandango, 3MB, Titus O'Neill, Rybaxel, Rusev, & Barrett come out to make it 11-on-3. The Shield pull Slater into the ring, and work him over to start the match. Rollins hits a flying kick for two, as Barrett saves. Rollins gets caught in the heels' corner, despite Ambrose's attempt to prevent it. Titus gets in and tosses Rollins around before tagging in Rusev. Rusev drops some elbows and a headbutt before tagging in Swagger. Swagger drives some knees to the gut before tagging in Ryback.
Ryback hits a gorilla press into a powerslam before taunting Reigns & Ambrose. Ryback tosses Rollins outside and follows suit, but takes a spear from Reigns. The heels all jump Reigns, and the bell rings for some reason.
* More of an angle to set up what follows than an actual match.
-The heels swarm The Shield for a group beatdown. Evolution come out, to the old group music, but sans Flair to add to it. Triple H orders everyone out, and Evolution attack Rollins. Reigns tries to help, but takes an RKO for it, followed by a Batista Bomb. Rollins takes an RKO, then a Batista Bomb after Triple H & Orton cut Ambrose off. Ambrose gets a Batista Bomb/RKO combo to finish him off. Triple H tells Reigns to "believe in Evolution" before hitting him with a Pedigree to end the massacre. Evolution stand triumphant as the show ends.
-FINAL THOUGHTS: A good angle to close out a mediocre show. There was nothing particularly memorable for the first 98% of the show, and the crowd was dead for most of it. I can appreciate the IC title tournament to make it more important, especially with all the former world champions in it, but most of the matches weren't good. I am excited about the upcoming Shield VS Evolution war, but I'll believe War Games is coming when I see it officially announced.
On another note, I am getting REALLY annoyed with all the blocked superplex spots.
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