-Vickie Guerrero (I thought she was done?) opens the show. She says The Authority have taken the night off, leaving her in charge, since she's the Smackdown GM after all. She books The Shield in another 11-on-3 handicap match for later tonight, before introducing Zeb Coulter (w/Jack Swagger) & Paul Heyman (w/Cesaro) for a great managerial debate.
Zeb opens up by complaining about Cesaro aligning with Heyman and ditching the Real Americans. Zeb says Cesaro practically begged to join the RES, and that Zeb had to talk Swagger into it. Zeb gets cut off by a buzzer at about 90 seconds.
Heyman apparently doesn't care about what they came here to debate, because his client Brock Lesnar conquered the streak. Zeb warns Heyman about Cesaro, breaking out the "he'd rather climb a tree and tell a lie rather than stay on the ground and tell the truth" line. Heyman responds to Zeb's question as to why he took Cesaro from him by asking when the last time Swagger won. Heyman says Cesaro was already a Heyman Guy when he won the ARMBaR. Zeb gets upset and calls Heyman out, leading to the two managers having to be separated. It's Swagger VS Cesaro next.
-From Hershey, PA
-Hosts are JBL & Cole
-Match 1: Jack Swagger (w/Zeb Coulter) VS Cesaro (w/Paul Heyman)
-Swagger bum rushes Cesaro at the bell. WE THE PEOPLE! Cesaro fires back with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker and a couple uppercuts. Swagger hip tosses Cesaro out over the top, then knocks him off the apron when Cesaro tries to climb back in the ring. Swagger rolls outside, but runs right into another uppercut, which gets a nice reaction. Cesaro sends Swagger into the barricade, then adds a couple chops and a kick to the face. Back in, Cesaro hits a double stomp to the gut for two. Swagger hits a chop block, followed by a belly-to-belly suplex for two.
Swagger pulls on Cesaro's arm as the crowd starts to rally behind Cesaro, completely destroying JBL's point that the fans don't like anyone involved. Cesaro gets out of the hold, and hits a springboard uppercut followed by a dead lift gutwrench suplex. Swagger, in turn, comes right back with a backdrop and a Swagger Bomb for two. Cesaro fights out of a corner, and sends them both outside via a clothesline as we go to break.
Back from break, Cesaro fights off a superplex attempt, then a running throw attempt, before hitting a diving uppercut from the top for two. Cesaro charges into a back elbow, followed by a big boot for two. Cesaro raises his boot to block a Swagger Bomb, but Swagger manages to get the Patriot Lock. Cesaro escapes, but Swagger takes him down for two. Cesaro scores with yet another uppercut, followed by a Tiger Driver, the CESARO SWING, and the Neutralizer to finish.
***1/2 I really liked this match, and am surprised this was apparently the blow off, unless they go Cesaro/Heyman VS Swagger/Zeb at Extreme Rules.
-The Shield come out through the crowd and Cesaro smartly bails. Swagger is not so lucky, taking a Superman Punch from Reigns, followed by a triple powerbomb, in an attempt to take Swagger out of the handicap match. The Shield warn they are just getting started.
-ON RAW: Kane killed Bryan. Bryan will still be at Raw, and Stephanie is promising a public apology to the champ.
-LATER TONIGHT: Bray Wyatt has a message for John Cena.
-Another video profile on Paige airs.
-Match 2: Tamina VS Natalya
-Just as Cole & JBL hype Tamina, Natalya completely dominates the opening moments of the match. Natalya hits a dropkick to send Tamina to the apron, but Tamina yanks Natalya by the hair and sends her crashing to the floor. Tamina throws her jacket at Natalya, then rolls her back inside before getting a two count. Natalya gets a small package for two, then a discus clothesline for another two count after Tamina fights off the Sharpshooter. Tamina fights off a roll-up, then catches Natalya with a kick to the face for the pin.
** Decent enough, but I have to question Tamina getting dominated for the most part like that before her big title shot.
-A video recaps the Shield/Evolution feud so far.
-The Shield meet up with 3MB backstage. It does not go well for 3MB. Slater's sell of knowing he's about to die is awesome.
-Vickie has a phone conversation with Triple H, who tells her to take the rest of the night off and leave Brad Maddox in charge. She is NOT happy. Maddox says he'll make The Shield RESPECT MAH AUTHORITAH.
-Match 3: Jey Uso (w/Jimmy Uso) VS Curtis Axel (w/Ryback)
-No entrances for anyone. They slug it out to start, then Axel hits an awkward running knee to the head. Axel follows up with a backbreaker and a forearm drop for two. Axel misses a splash in the corner, and Jey makes his comeback. Jey goes up, but Ryback causes a distraction, allowing Axel to regain control, and finish with the Axel neckbreaker.
** Watchable match to build to the tag title match at Extreme Rules.
-Bray Wyatt is next.
-BOLIEVE
-FROM RAW: Cena beats the Wyatts by himself, but gets laid out afterward.
-Bray cuts a sweet promo from inside a cage, with Harper & Rowan also inside. He loves that the WWE Universe would rather see Cena suffer than see him smile. Wyatt claims to be the conscience of a world that has thrown itself away to mortal monsters. Bray says he can see it now: all of Cena's fans turning on Cena to follow him.
-Match 4: Luke Harper & Erik Rowan (w/Bray Wyatt) VS The Brotherhood
-Cody starts with Harper, and hits a dropkick to the knee. Harper grabs Cody's face, but Cody fights back, and tags are made on both ends. Goldust gets Rowan down and tags Cody, who hits an uppercut. Bray gets on the mic and basically asks the crowd "ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?" as the Family take over on Cody. Cody plays FIP, including a spot where Harper knocked Goldust off the apron, so Goldust wasn't there when Cody went to make a tag. Cody hits the Disaster Kick, and tags Goldust. The faces clean house, but Harper sends Goldust into Cody, which knocks Cody off the top into the barricade, then Harper finishes with distracted Goldust with a spinning clothesline.
***1/2 Good ring work coupled with good story telling = a happy Newb.
-The Shield take Maddox out. Ambrose's dive behind the couch to get him some is awesome.
-The Shield beat the shit out of Fandango and triple powerbomb him off the stage, thankfully saving us from Fandango/Layla VS Santino/Emma part 37.
-It's party time...ALL THE TIME!
-The whole murder of Daniel Bryan by Kane from Raw is replayed.
-ON MONDAY: Barrett VS RVD in the finals of the IC #1 Contender's Tournament.
-The Shield make their entrance.
-Match 5: The Shield VS Ryback, Bad News Barrett, Titus O'Neill, Damien Sandow, & Alberto Del Rio
-Ryback immediately takes Rollins down with a headlock. Rollins escapes, and hits a nice dropkick before tagging in Reigns. Reigns pounds away in the corner before tagging in Ambrose. The Shield triple team Ryback, who manages to catch a flying Rollins and slam him before tagging in Titus. Titus hits a slam, but he can't keep the advantage long, and he gets stuck in the Shield's corner. After taking some punishment, Titus powers Ambrose into the heel corner and tags Barrett. Rollins & Ambrose hit a double team suplex on Barrett, then clean house as we go to break.
Back from break, Barrett gets Ambrose in a chinlock. Ambrose gets out, but goes after the other heels instead of trying to make a tag, and walks into a big boot from Barrett, who tags in ADR. After Ambrose fights out of another headlock, ADR sends him outside, where Ryback whiffs badly on a punch to the head. Ryback gets in, and slaps on a headlock. Ambrose uses leverage to send Ryback into the corner, but walks into a huge spinebuster for two. Rollins tries to help, but gets casually tossed aside by Ryback.
Reigns gets the hot tag and cleans house, hitting a modified Blue Thunder on Sandow. Titus & Ryback get involved, then taken out in short order. Reigns hits the floor-to-apron dropkick on Sandow, and calls for the Superman Punch. ADR & Barrett look to get in, but then back off from Reigns before taking a walk. Reigns tags Rollins, who hits a dive on Ryback, then he & Ambrose hit stereo suicide dives on Sandow & Titus. Out on the ramp, Barrett shoves ADR into the path of a Superman Punch from Reigns, who comes out of nowhere. Awesome! Back to the ring. Reigns finishes Sandow with a spear.
***1/2 This was pretty fun. Not up to the best of the Shield tag matches, but it told a good story and made the Shield look like the baddest mother fuckers ever.
-Reigns adds a spear to Titus, then Ryback takes a triple powerbomb to close the show.
-FINAL THOUGHTS: I really liked this show. The in-ring stuff was good for the most part, and there were plenty of good stories being told to build to the near future. Can't ask for more than that.
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