Coverage
Mitchell’s WWE Clash of Champions Results & Report! (9/27/20)
It’s a GOLD RUSH!
Who will reign after the Clash of Champions?
Raw and SmackDown put up all the gold in one night! Will Randy Orton become a 14 time world champion? Or will Drew McIntyre still reign atop the WWE?
OFFICIAL RESULTS
- Kickoff Show – SmackDown Tag Team Championships: Cesaro & Shinsuke Nakamura VS Lucha House Party; Cesaro & Nakamura win and retain the SmackDown Tag Team Championships.
WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships: Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler VS The Riott Squad- WWE Intercontinental Championship Triple Threat Ladder match: Jeff Hardy VS Sami Zayn VS AJ Styles; Zayn wins and is the undisputed WWE Intercontinental Champion.
- WWE 24/7 Championship Wrong Turn at Ref Town: R-Truth w/ Lil Jimmy VS Drew Gulak; Gulak wins and becomes the new WWE 24/7 Champion.
- Raw Women’s Championship: Asuka VS Zelina Vega; Asuka wins and retains the Raw Women’s Championship.
- WWE United States Championship: Bobby Lashley w/ The Hurt Business VS Apollo Crews w/ Ricochet; Lashley wins and retains the WWE United States Championship.
- Raw Tag Team Championships: The Street Profits VS Angel Garza & Andrade Almas; The Street Profits win and retain the Raw Tag Team Championships.
- WWE 24/7 Championship Acceptance Speech Ambush: Drew Gulak VS R-Truth; Truth wins and becomes the new WWE 24/7 Champion.
- SmackDown Women’s Championship: Bayley VS
Nikki Cross???; Asuka wins by disqualification, Bayley retains the SmackDown Women’s Championship. - WWE World Championship Ambulance Match: Drew McIntyre VS Randy Orton; McIntyre wins and retains the WWE World Championship.
- WWE Universal Championship: Roman Reigns w/ Paul Heyman VS Jey Uso; Reigns wins and retains the WWE Universal Championship.
PLAY BY PLAY
It’s the Clash of Champions Kickoff Show!
Join Charly Caruso, Booker T, John Bradshaw Layfield and Peter Rosenberg in reviewing, discussing and predicting all the action about to go down in the #GoldRush!
BREAKING NEWS!
Nia Jax, Shayna Baszler and Nikki Cross have NOT been medically cleared to compete for tonight, the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships and SmackDown Women’s Championship matches will be addressed tonight and tomorrow on Monday Night Raw!
Backstage interview inside the Champions’ Lounge.
The SmackDown Tag Team Champions, Cesaro and Shinsuke Nakamura, are toasting already with Kayla Braxton. She thanks them for letting her in here, but isn’t this premature? NO, Kayla, tonight the victory is guaranteed! Lucha House Party are all great athletes, individually. But together, they’re like oil ‘n’ water. Swiss, Japanese, but in the ring it is Pippin and Jordan! Hobbs and Shaw! Simon and Garfunkel! Hello darkness, my old friend~! Love that song. And tonight, they will take great pleasure in defending the titles, and watching LHP implode.
But they aren’t worried about that time LHP won? Don’t be a Debbie Downer, okay? They let her in without her actually being a champion. Please, do them a favor and show yourself to the door. Will the Swiss Cyborg and King of Strong Style still have their golden tickets to the Champions’ Lounge after tonight?
MVP joins the Kickoff Show via video chat.
Montel Vontavius Porter feels like MVP, aka outstanding. But with Apollo Crews constantly in the way of th eHurt Business, is MVP sick of him? No, MVP is sick of stupid questions. Apollo is not in the Hurt Business’ way. Lashley hurt Apollo’s neck, his feelings, and will hurt the feelings of Apollo’s kids, too. Booker asks how Cedric Alexander doing in the Hurt Business? Oh, MVP has plans for him. Alexander has a college education, amateur experience, and there is a lot of potential there. MVP knows that a veteran can see that potential in younger stars, so MVP just needs to mentor Alexander to greatness.
JBL says the Hurt Business is one of the greatest groups he’s seen in a long time. Business is good, but where do they feel they’ll be in six months to a year? Well, the business is a global conglomerate and will continue to grow. They will expand beyond borders. MVP is the “managing partner” and spokesman for Hurt Business, but he does see lots and lots of title gold in the future. Everyone wants to know their alignment, but the only thing that matters is gold and green.
Charly asks MVP about what happens if Apollo actually wins. MVP wants to rewind back to how they are the Hurt Business, emphasis on business. This is not personal, just business. But Apollo beating Lashley? That’s insanity! That’s like saying Mark Henry will beat up a hurricane. A natural disaster comes, you batten down the hatches and ride it out. That is all Apollo can do tonight against the All Mighty Lashley. Peter asks one last question. We saw Hurt Business fight Retribution, are they going to be a distraction? Absolutely not. It was MVP and his associates that offered to deal with Retribution. There is method to the madness and a plan in place. There are no distractions, but just part of the “business model.”
Charly wishes Lashley luck, but MVP says Lashley doesn’t need luck. MVP wishes luck to the panel instead. But will Apollo throw a wrench in the plan MVP has for the business?
R-Truth is a prospector?
He wants more gold! This is the gold rush, y’all! He sifts his mixing bowl and still has his WWE 24/7 Championship. No, wait, panning for gold isn’t like a frying pan. And that’s a bowl. Truth says it’s a gold rush so he wants gold. No, not that kind of gold rush< Truth. It’s just that there’s all the championship gold tonight. And as 24/7 Champion, he needs to be the most careful. And where did Truth get this costume, anyway? Did the shark attack scare him that badly? Yes, that was the highest of scarestivity. This is scaryology, JBL, you gotta study it. So no concerns about someone coming after Truth’s title? No, he’s minding his own business. Well, then be careful because all titles are on the line. Especially this title. Then get ready for hide ‘n’ seek! Off goes ol’ Truth! Shucky Ducky Quack Quack!
Backstage interview with Angel Garza and Andrade Almas.
The #1 contenders are ready for their rematch with the Street Profits, but how can they make sure they have a plan without Zelina Vega? Garza says playing the field can be a lot more fun. “No one needs baggage weighing them down.” Vega blamed them for their setbacks, but it was Vega instigating things. Almas says that Vega is the past, their future is the gold. If they have each other’s back, how can they lose? No one can measure up to the future Raw Tag Team Champions. They even finish each other’s sentences. The Profits want the smoke, but they need to first extinguish the fire. Will Garza and Almas bring the heat to Montez Ford & Angelo Dawkins?
Sami Zayn interrupts the panel,
He is again upset that HE is not called the Intercontinental Champion and Jeff Hardy is. “PLEASE enlighten me, Charly, and tell me why you didn’t just refer to me as the Intercontinental Champion?” Because Hardy is- Well who pinned Hardy on Friday? And who didn’t lose the title? Sami did both of those things! Sami beat Braun Strowman! Not many people did. Sami faced Daniel Bryan at WrestleMania and Sami won! No one has defeated Sami, so how is it he is not the champion? Just because Styles won the sham tournament like a scab? And then Hardy wins it off Styles!
Sami says Booker knows etiquette, so Booker surely agrees Hardy should’ve thrown away his reign and told Sami to give him a shot at the real title, right? Booker says a champion gone as long as Sami, he could be an interim at best. Sami seems no one understands. If no one is going to show him the respect he deserves, he’s leaving. If he loses tonight, he blames the panel for throwing him off his game!
SmackDown Tag Team Championships: Cesaro & Shinsuke Nakamura VS Lucha House Party!
Not originally meant to be this early, things have been moved around because of the changes to the overall card. Will that barely matter to the Swiss Cyborg and King of Strong Style? Or will this mean LHP has an advantage by catching them unprepared?
The introductions are made, the belts are raised, but which two members of LHP are stepping up? It will be Kalisto and Lince Dorado! They sort out, and Lince starts with Cesaro. Cesaro corners Lince but Lince gets a waistlock. Cesaro spins through to scoop and slam Lince down! Cesaro kicks Lince while he’s down, then stomps him down. Cesaro throws haymakers and Lince flounders to ropes. Cesaro whips but Lince rolls off his back! Lince runs but into an STO! Cesaro goes to cover but Lince blocks with a monkey flip, tilt-o-whirl and headscissors! Lince dropkicks and Cesaro ends up in LHP’s corner! Lince enziguris Cesaro and tags Kalisto! Kalisto gets a boost for the elevated splash! Lince adds his own splash, Kalisto covers, TWO!
Kalisto throws haymakers on Cesaro, but Cesaro pops Kalisto up! Kalisto lands on his feet, Cesaro whips him to ropes but Kalisto tilt-o-whirls into a sleeper hold! Cesaro powers up and rams Kalisto into buckles. Kalisto boots Cesaro, leaps and hits a huricanrana! Tag to Lince, Lince missile dropkicks! Lince hobbles, Cesaro tags Nakamura in and Nakamura brawls with Lince! Nakamura knees and whips Lince corner to corner, but Lince boots back! Lince hops up but Nakamura ROUNDHOUSES him down! Gran Metalik checks on Lince but Nakamura puts Lince on the apron. Nakamura taunts Kalisto before he KNEES Lince into the ring! Nakamura gets in, drags Lince up and bumps him off buckles.
Tag to Cesaro, Cesaro stomps a mudhole into Lince and throws haymakers. The ref backs Cesaro off but Nakamura gets a cheap shot in. Cesaro drags Lince up by the mask and reels him in for a LARIAT! Cover, TWO! Cesaro puts Lince back in the corner, tags Nakamura in, and they mug Lince. Nakamura brings Lince around to KICK him in the chest! Lince wobbles, Nakamura KICKS and KICKS again! Cover, TWO! Nakamura drags Lince up, pushes him to a corner for Bad Vibrations! Nakamura lets up at the ref’s count to then dig his heels into Lince’s head. The ref counts, Nakamura lets off and drags Lince back up. Nakamura snapmares and drops a knee! Cover, TWO! Nakamura tags Cesaro and Cesaro stomps Lince. Cesaro grinds forearms in Lince’s face, covers, TWO!
Cesaro keeps on Lince with a chinlock into a camel clutch of sorts, but Lince endures. LHP and the fans rally up, Lince fights back but Cesaro whips him. Lince rolls for a SNSET BOMB! Cover, TWO, and Cesaro BOOTS Lince down! Cover, TWO! Cesaro grows frustrated but he drags Lince to the corner. Tag to Nakamura, they mug Lince, and Nakamura puts Lince on the top rope. Nakamura runs in but only gets buckles! Lince enziguris then climbs up, for a crossbody! Both men are down and the LHP rally! Lince and Nakamura crawl, hot tag to Cesaro and he BOOTS Kalisto down! Cesaro throws body shots on Lince but the ref counts. Cesaro fireman’s carries and puts Licne on the top rope! Tag to Nakamura, and now Nakamura gets his Top Shelf Knee!
Cesaro gut wrenches Lince off, Nakamura knees Lince into the suplex! Cover, TWO! Lince still lives and Nakamura grows frustrated. Nakamura rams knees into Lince over and over, as well as elbows, and then more knees! Cover, TWO! Nakamura drags Lince up, tags Cesaro in, and they mug Lince more. Cesaro brings Lince around to put in another ocrner for European Uppercuts. Cesaro whips Lince corner to corner but Lince elbows him away! Cesaro back suplexes Lince away from the ocrner but Lince lands on his feet! Lince boots, Cesaro blocks and flips him but Lince lands on his feet! Lince slides under Cesaro, hot tag to Kalisto! The self-proclaimed leader of LHP fires off kicks on Cesaro!
Kalisto whips, Cesaro reverses but Kalisto dodges and tilt-o-whirls to DDT! Cover, Nakamura knees him off! Nakamura intercepts Lince, whips him but Lince handsprings! But Nakamura blocks the Golden Rewind to back suplex, but Lince lands on his feet again! BACKSTABBER! Nakamura gets out, Kalisto aims at Cesaro on the apron. Kalisto kicks and enziguris Cesaro to then slingshot, but the DDT is blocked! Cesaro powers Kalisto up, but LInce DIVES to give Kalisto the spin! DDT! Kalisto kicks at Nakamura, Nakamura blocks but Lince SUPERKICKS him down! LHP is on the same page! They get Cesaro in the ring, Kalisto hits a bottom rope moonsault!
Tag to Lince for the second rope moonsault! Tag back to Kalisto and he’s all the way up, for the TOP ROPE MOONSAULT! Cover, TWO!! Cesaro survives the hat trick and grabs Kalisto’s foot! Kalisto keeps fighting towards his corner, Cesaro drags him away but Kalisto uses that to slide under! Sunset flip, TWO, and Cesaro fireman’s carries Kalisto! Nakamura trips Lince and throws him into barriers! And then INVERTED EXPLODERS Lince over! Kalisto dodges Cesaro, tries another sunset, but Cesaro pops him right up! Kalisto rana roll-up, TWO! Kalisto fires off strikes, SOLIDA but no sol! Tag to Nakamura, EUROUPPER and swinging KINSHASA! Cover, Cesaro and Nakamura win!
Winners: Shinsuke Nakamura & Cesaro, by pinfall (still SmackDown Tag Team Champions)
LHP was on the same page, but it didn’t matter because the champions are just on a different level! Will anyone take over the Champions’ Lounge with these two in charge?
“You’ve worked your whole life for this.”
John Cena narrates as the superstars work hard in and out of the ring to “hold this honor. To be the best. But in the blink of an eye, it could all go away.” For there are others who worked just as hard as the champions. They say it is their turn now to be the one others chase. “So this is it. A clash of champions!” This night ends all the debates in an “all-out gold rush.” Superstars get in the ring with purpose, declare they’re champions, and prove it! Will the Claymore crush the Viper? Or will the Viper remind us all exactly who he is? Will the Big Dog still be the chief? Or will another show he is just as worthy? Will the Role Model’s dominance continue? Or come crashing down? When the moment comes calling, how will you answer? Another chaser? Or as the champion?
WWE Intercontinental Championship Triple Threat Ladder match: Jeff Hardy VS Sami Zayn VS AJ Styles!
The Charismatic Enigma won the title off the Phenomenal One, the Phenomenal One won the title in the tournament, but the Great Liberator says none of that should have happened! Sami Zayn never lost the title, but he wasn’t around enough to defend it! Will Sami “fix” all of that tonight? Or will he have a hard pill to swallow when someone else brings down both copies of the Intercontinental Championship?
The introductions are made, the belts already hang high over head, and we will all see who is THE WWE Intercontinental Champion!
Sami complains again and again about this, so Styles ROCKS him! He and Hardy hit Sami, Hardy hits Styles and whips him away. Hardy hits Sami, and whips him into Styles! Hardy snapmares Styles, brings him up, and bulldog clotheslines Styles and Sami down! Hardy stomps Styles, kicks Sami and goes outside. Hardy gets a ladder already, but Styles dropkicks it into Hardy’s ribs! Styles aims and slingshots to forearm Hardy down! Styles grabs the ladder but Sami mule kicks Styles. Sami uses the ARABIAN PRESS to take Styles down! Sami almost crashed into the ladders but he gets up and walks it off. Sami brings the ladder up and aims at Hardy, to SLAM it on Hardy’s back! Sami taunts Hardy and Styles, and SLAMS the ladder on Styles!
Sami leaves these two behind to put the ladder in the ring. Sami stands that ladder up, but Hardy goes after him! Hardy clubs away on Sami as the ladder leans on ropes. Hardy whips, back drops and sends Sami onto the ladder! Sami writhes while Hardy goes to the ladder. Hardy brings the ladder off the ropes and sets it up, upside-down? Styles comes in, Hardy clubs him first, and suplexes Styles. Styles resists, rams Hardy into a corner but Hardy kicks back. Hardy hops up, Styles throws haymakers but Hardy boots. Styles baits Hardy and Hardy leaps, Styles sends Hardy into the ladder! Hardy and ladder crash down, but Styles picks up the ladder. Styles stands the ladder up but sees the supports broke so he puts that in the corner.
Sami gets up, Styles throws haymakers and then whips Sami into the ladder! Sami bounces around the corner like pinball, and that causes him to crash back down on the steel! Styles goes out to fetch a ladder that’ll stand up while Sami flops out of the ring. Styles stands this new ladder up, climbs it, but Sami returns to stop him! Sami drags Styles down and pushes him away, but Styles PELES him down! Styles returns to his ladder, starts the climb again, but Hardy returns. Hardy climbs the other side to throw haymakers! The two brawl up top, Styles wobbles down but comes back to punch Hardy. Styles throws Hardy down by his hair! Styles reaches for the titles, but Hardy returns to drag Styles back down! Hardy brings Styles back to earth and clubs away.
Styles fires off strikes but Hardy atomic drops, leg trip and leg splitter! Basement dropkick! Styles and Hardy are both down but Hardy crawls to the ladder. Styles is on the apron, Sami goes after Hardy to throw him out! Sami baseball slide dropkicks Styles before climbing the ladder! Styles hurries up and gets Sami off the good ladder to bring him to the bad ladder. Sami blocks the throw to elbow Styles away. Styles swings into an EXPLODER onto the bad ladder!! Styles writhes out of the ring where Hardy is. Sami is alone and climbing! Sami touches the belts but Hardy is back! Hardy clubs Sami down from the top, clubs him some more, then throws him out. Sami drags Hardy out to join him, and throws him into barriers and folded ladders! Styles DECKS Sami!
Styles stalks Hardy, even with his back bothering him. Styles bumps Hardy off the really tall ladder, then pushes him around. Styles makes sure Sami stays down by stomping him. Styles then runs and uses the steel steps to LEAP at Hardy, but Hardy dodges and lets Styles crash into barriers! Hardy comes back, does the same trick, and hits POETRY IN MOTION on Styles! Everyone is down on the outside but Hardy stands first. Sami HELLUVA KICKS outta nowhere! Hardy ends up down and out in front of the ThunderDome screens! Sami hurries back into the ring, hurries to the ladder, but is slowly climbing from his sore body slowing him down. Styles CHUCKS a step ladder at Sami and nails him!! Styles saves his chances by nearly breaking Sami’s arm with that attack!
Styles slowly drags himself into the ring and goes back to the ladder. Hardy flounders in, hurries over and he climbs with Styles. They both swat at each other while reaching for the gold. They start brawling again, but the ladder is wobbly! The ladder tips over, BOTH Styles and Hardy fall out of the ring!! Sami survives hiding inside the corner! Sami gets the ladder back up, climbs up all alone, but Hardy returns! Hardy grabs at Sami, Sami kicks Hardy away, and Sami starts climbing. Styles springboards, but Hardy tips the ladder at the same time! The Phenomenal Forearm gets SWATTED out of the air, but the ladder comes back to BOP Hardy! Sami is again the only one left standing!
Sami stands the ladder back up again, again begins to climb, but Hardy is there, to drag Sami down to a TWIST OF FATE! Now all three men are down! Hardy rises first, drags himself to the ladder and climbs, but Styels goes after him. Hardy kicks Styles away, reaches for the belts, but Sami tips the ladder the long way! Hardy flips over the top to be safe, until the ladder hits the post!! The ladder flips around and scissors Hardy!! Sami hurries after a new ladder but Styles is there to throw haymakers! Styles clubs Sami, makes him let go of the ladder, and bounces him off the announce desk! Styles takes the ladder of his own now, puts it in the ring, but Sami attacks! Sami POSTS Styles then takes ownership of this ladder.
Sami makes a ladder bridge from ring to desk, and brings Styles back. Sami tries to bump Styles but Styles blocks and hits back. Styles bounces Sami off the desk then climbs up. Styles kicks Sami, Sami wobbles, Styles MOONSAULT DDT’s off the desk!! Styles gets up, puts Sami on Sami’s own ladder bridge, but the bridge tips over. So Styles just SLAMS Sami on the desk! Styles resets that ladder bridge, puts Sami on the ladder and clubs away. Hardy returns?! And he RAMS Styles in the face with a ladder!! Hardy sees what’s going on with Sami and the ladder and throws off the shirt! Hardy brings a TALLER ladder over, climbs that, and relives the glory days with a SWANTON BOMB THROUGH SAMI AND THE LADDER!!!
Somehow, Sami and Hardy live! Hardy RAMS Styles with the step ladder before hobbling off after a new ladder. Hardy puts that in the ring, but Styles the ladder that scissored Hardy against him again! Styles knocks Hardy down, gets in the ring and stands the new ladder up. Styles climbs, reaches for the titles, but Hardy returns to tip the ladder over! Styles crashes down, Hardy flounders about, and somewhere, someone chants “This is Awesome!” Wait! Sami rises on rage alone! Sami throws Hardy into barriers! And into more barriers! Sami reaches inside his jacket and has HANDCUFFS?! Sami planned something all along! Sami stomps Hardy, and brings over a short ladder. Sami SMACKS Hardy with it! And then cuffs Hardy BY HIS EAR GAUGE HOLE!! Sami just made that ladder into a huge earring!
Sami puts another ladder in the ring and kicks Styles down! Sami cuffs one of Styles’ wrists, but since Styles resists, Sami kicks him more and more. Sami stands up a ladder, but Styles punches back! Styles bumps Sami off the ladder, reels Sami in, and snap suplexes! But wait, Sami managed to cuff himself to Styles?! When did he do that?! Sami laughs because Styles can’t go anywhere without him now! Styles punches and stomps Sami down for his little “magic trick.” Styles drags Sami with him as he climbs! Hardy carries the ladder that’s cuffed to his ear and heads for the ring! Styles fireman’s carries Sami to make his own climb easier, but Hardy and his ladder are here!
Sami has a key, and while Hardy SMACKS Styles over and over, Sami uncuffs himself from Styles!! Sami is free, and he cuffs Styles to the ladder! Styles is stuck halfway! Sami climbs up and over, and grabs the belts!! SAMI WINS!!
Winner: Sami Zayn (UNDISPUTED WWE Intercontinental Champion)
Still champion? New champion? Guess it doesn’t matter now! Sami has both belts, making him THE champion! And he leaves the key on the ground for the others to fight over now! Kayla Braxton is on stage to interview Sami about this big win. She says Sami recaptured, but he says that is not at all the case. The title was his all along! It should be “And STILL Intercontinental Champion,” Sami Zayn! Will Sami ever lose the belt(s) ever again?
R-Truth is backstage, trying to hide!
Lil’ Jimmy and Truth have wandered into the referee’s room! “My bad. We’re on the wrong set.” Enjoy your snacks, guys. Truth hurries off but the ref asks if he needs anything. Truth says back off! But Drew Gulak gets him! GULAK WINS!!
Winner: Drew Gulak, by pinfall (NEW WWE 24/7 Champion)
The founder of Catchpoint just caught Truth! Truth blames Jimmy for this! SmackDown has the 24/7 Championship, but will they still have it by the end of the night?
Raw Women’s Championship: Asuka VS Zelina Vega!
Originally for the kickoff, the only women’s championship match left untouched happens now! Will La Muneca finally be the one ready for Asuka? Or is there no such thing?
The introductions are made, the belt is raised, and the biggest test in Vega’s career begins now!
Asuka and Vega circle, tie up, and Asuka throws Vega down. Asuka taunts Vega’s talking all this time, and then calls for a test of strength. She partially teases Vega for her shorter height, so Vega kicks. Asuka avoids the kick, too, and dances around. Vega tries again but nope, Asuka still knew it was coming. Vega kicks, Asuka moves but Vega kicks again! That time she catches Asuka, and now Vega gets the knuckle locks. Vega and Asuka have a test of strength, and Asuka runs Vega over! Cover, TWO as Vega gets a shoulder up. Asuka pushes that shoulder down, TWO as Vega gets the other shoulder up. Vega stands, kicks and wrenches to kick the arm! Vega taunts Asuka now, they tie up and go around. Asuka wrenches, yanks on the arm, but Vega wrenches through.
Asuka forearms first, then reels Vega in for a headlock. Vega endures, throws body shots, but Asuka holds tight as Vega tries to power out. Vega tries again, gets free but Asuka runs her over! Asuka dances a little again, then speeds things up. Asuka rolls, Vega side-steps but Asuka blocks the arm-drag to an ARMBAR! Vega moves around, reaches and gets the ropebreak with a foot! Asuka lets go fast, Vega gets to a corner, and Asuka stomps Vega. Asuka hoists Vega up top, clubs her on the back, but Vega hits back. They brawl, Asuka gets the edge, Vega shoves her down! Vega hurries after Asuka but Asuka pushes her away. Vega still wants the arm but Asuka shoves her away. Vega comes back again, Asuka mule kicks her! Vega is on the apron, Asuka runs and hip attacks her off!
Asuka shakes out the bad arm and goes out after Vega. Vega yanks Asuka into steel steps! Vega drags Asuka into the ring, goes after Asuka’s arm with clubbing forearms and stomps. The ref counts as Vega digs her boot in, but she lets off at 4. Vega drags Asuka up to throw her arm first into the corner! Vega wrenches the arm to a hammerlock but Asuka whips free. Vega is in a corner now, Asuka runs in but Vega boots her! Asuka shares that off but runs into an arm wringer! Cover, ONE! Vega keeps on the arm with a hammerlock, Asuka endures but Vega bridges! Vega cranks on the arm, then shifts to a cover, TWO! Vega drags Asuka up, hits a shoulder breaker, then repeats! Asuka blocks the third for a chinlock! Vega pushes off buckles to escape the Asuka Lock, to an ARMBAR!
Asuka kicks around and gets out to get the chinlock again! Vega fights and snapmares free! Asuka mule kicks Vega away! Vega goes to the apron, Asuka hurries over and throws forearms. Vega hits back, Asuka kicks and runs, but the hip attack misses! Vega climbs on for a DRAPING CRUCIFIX! Vega lets go at the count of 4, climbs up top, and reels Asuka in for a huricanrana! Asuka is in the other corner, Vega hits CIEN SHADOWS! Cover, TWO!! Asuka survives and Vega can’t believe it! Asuka gets up, Vega hurries after, but the backstabber is denied! Asuka kicks but Vega ducks to roll her, for the SCHOOL GIRL KICK! Cover, TWO!!
Vega is furious and goes after Asuka, but the rocket kick is blocked! Asuka has Vega, pops her up but Vega wheelbarrows to a victory roll! TWO, Vega reels Asuka into a EUROCLUTCH! TWO, into ASUKA LOCK!! Vega taps, Asuka wins!!
Winner: Asuka, by submission (still Raw Women’s Champion)
Vega had a lot of fight, but it was not enough to dethrone the Empress of Tomorrow! Charly Caruso interviews Asuka and asks if Vega impressed her at all. Vega is “like a firecracker. Small, yet dangerous.” But Vega was NOT ready for Asuka! Vega stands up, and Asuka offers her a handshake. Vega refuses, because she BOWS! Asuka bows, but then Vega attacks! Vega is a sore loser and she throws Asuka down! Asuka gest up in a rage, and shouts, “OI OI! What the hell, huh!?” Vega wants to still fight, huh!? Asuka will fight her again, and rip her apart! Will the Empress give La Muneca another match just so she can teach her a lesson in respect?
WWE United States Championship: Bobby Lashley w/ The Hurt Business VS Apollo Crews w/ Ricochet!
The Rocky Mountain Machine and CEO of the Hurt Business holds the gold that has hot potato’d between the business and Apollo. Will it go back to Apollo in this rematch from Payback? Or will Lashley just put the hurt back on him?
The introductions are made, the belt is raised, and business picks up once again!
Lashley and Apollo circle, Lashley gets a leg and trips Apollo to a cover, ONE! Lashley and Apollo go again, Lashley has the arm, MVP coaches Lashley to break the arm. Lashley wrenches, Apollo throws forearms but Lashley knees low. Lashley runs and runs Apollo over, then waits for him to get back up. Apollo does, they tie up again and Lashley again gets the arm. Lashley wrenches, steps through to trip Apollo up but Apollo kicks back! Apollo boots and clothelsines Lashley out of the ring! Apollo goes to the apron to MOONSAULT Lashley down! Apollo is fired up and Ricochet is fired up with him. Ricochet keeps his eyes on MVP while Apollo rams Lashley into barriers. Apollo puts Lashley in, but Lashley clobbers Apollo on the apron.
Apollo blocks the buckle bump to give the buckle bump then enziguris Lashley away! Apollo climbs, leaps and crossbodies! Cover, TWO! Apollo keeps on Lashley with forearms then a whip. Lashley reverses, Apollo goes up but Lashley stays back to shove Apollo into buckles. Apollo bounces off into the COMPLETE SHOT! Cover, TWO! MVP tells Apollo’s dreams are now nightmares, “nothing you can do about it.” Lashley slams Apollo’s arms on the mat then chokes Apollo on the ropes. MVP asks if they’re doing business right now. Lashley drags Apollo up but Apollo hits back. Lashley rams Apollo into the corner, throws haymakers then digs his forearm into Apollo’s face. The ref counts, Lashley lets up, but then he puts Apollo back on ropes to choke him!
The ref counts while MVP talks trash. Lashley lets up, Ricochet shouts at MVP, but Lashley suplexes Apollo high and hard! Cover, TWO! Apollo flops out of the ring and Lashley goes out after him. Ricochet coaches Apollo but Lashley gets in his way. Lashley fireman’s carries Apollo, but Apollo slips off to POST Lashley! MVP hurries to check on Lashley while Ricochet coaches Apollo. Apollo and Lashley are back in at 9! Apollo starts rallying with forearms on Lashley! Apollo rams Lashley to a corner, rams over and over, then fires up as he goes corner to corner for a SPLASH! Lashley swings but Apollo dodges. Lashley mule kicks but runs into an elbow! Lashley bails out but Apollo leaps from the apron to crossbody again!
Apollo drags Lashley back up and into the ring, climbs up top, but leaps over Lashley. Lashley runs into an enziguri! Apollo gorilla presses and dumps Lashley down, standing moonsault! Cover, TWO! Lashley lives and MVP coaches him up. Apollo goes to a corner, climbs up again, but Lashley throws haymakers! Lashley climbs up to join Apollo, brings Apollo up, for a SUPERPLEX! Lashley crawls to a cover, TWO! Ricochet coaches Apollo up, but Lashley drags Apollo up into the gut wrench. Apollo lands out of the Dominator to kick and STANDING SHOOTING STAR! Apollo goes to a corner, climbs back up, and FROG SPLASH! Cover, TWO!! Lashley lives and Apollo can’t believe it!
MVP and Ricochet are both worried but for different reasons. Apollo waistlocks, Lashley standing switches but Apollo elbows free. Apollo runs, Lashley follows and he picks Apollo up for the ALL MIGHTY SPINE BUSTER!! Lashley stalks Apollo, and gets the HURT LOCK!! Apollo taps, Lashley wins!!
Winner: Bobby Lashley, by submission (still WWE United States Champion)
Business is booming as Apollo is hurting! Will anyone ever take this title from the iron grip of the Rocky Mountain Machine?
Raw Tag Team Championships: The Street Profits VS Angel Garza & Andrade Almas!
There has been much drama and action between these two teams. Montez Ford & Angelo Dawkins have been firmly united but it has been a roller coaster of dysfunction for the Lethal Lothario and El Idolo. But now that La Muneca is out of the way, can Garza and Almas stay on the same page to finally take the gold? Or will their fire be put out for the Profits’ smoke?
The introductions are made, the belts are raised, and the teams sort out. Dawkins and Almas start what could be the final chapter in this rivalry!
Dawkins and Almas circle, tie up, and Dawkins gets the arm. Dawkins wrenches to a wristlock, Almas spins through to wrench, shoulder breaker and wristlock. Dawkins wrenches back but Almas throws forearms. Almas knees, tags Garza and they mug Dawkins. Garza wrenches for a standing armbar, tags Almas back in, and they mug Dawkins more. Almas headlocks, Dawkins tries to power out but Almas holds on! Dawkins tries again and gets free to then run Almas over! Things speed up, Dawkins hurdles and whips Almas to dropkick him down! Dawkins drags Almas up, tags Ford, and they whip Almas for another dropkick! Garza gets in but he gets a dropkick! Almas clobbers Ford from behind and whips him. Ford reverses, leaps up and over but Garza saves Almas from another dropkick!
Garza tags in, whips Ford for Almas to pop him up, into Garza’s kick! Off come the pants! Garza throws them at Ford then grinds Ford down with an armbar. Tag to Almas, Almas climbs up and Garza holds Ford, for a missile dropkick! Almas looms over Ford, stomps him down, then brings Ford up to throw out of the ring. Tag to Garza, Almas goes out after Ford to sit him on the apron. Garza runs to PENALTY KICK Ford at the ropes! Cover, TWO! Garza keeps on Ford with a chinlcok and thrashes him about. Garza shifts to add a half nelson, then he knees Ford in the side over and over. Dawkins coaches Ford as Ford endures. Fans build to a rally, Ford fights up, and Ford powers up to back suplex Garza down! And then kick him for good measure!
Garza kicks Ford back but both men are still down. Garza kicks Ford again but Ford heads for his corner. Ford reaches but Garza anchors a foot. Ford gets free, hot tag to Dawkins! Garza tags Almas but Dawkins rallies with clotheslines and a leaping elbow! Garza runs into a FLAPJACK! Dawkins gives Almas an EXPLODER! Dawkins is fired up, he runs at Almas for a cyclone splash! Dawkins runs but into Almas’ dropkick! Almas has Dawkins in a corner, fires himself up and runs corner to corner. CIEN- NO! Dawkins dodges the knees, shoves ALmas, but Garza tags in! ANOINMENT SPINE BUSTER for Almas, but Garza dropkicks Dawkins down!
Ford tags in and goes up top, Garza intercepts with forearms! They brawl up top, stand up, SUPER SPANISH FLY!! Cover, TWO!?! Ford survives but Garza is too tired to be frustrated! Ford slowly rises but Garza goes after him. Ford DECKS Garza! Garza and Ford both wobble, Ford dodges Garza but Almas trips Dawkins in time! Garza rolls Ford up, TWO! Ford kicks but Garza catches him and KNEES him back! Garza flounders but the ref throws up an X? Almas tags in, blasts Dawkins and gives Ford CIEN SHADOWS! Cover, TWO!?! Ford survives again and Garza looks to be out of this match. But Almas reels Ford in, Ford resists the hammerlock and enziguris! Hot tag to Dawkins! ANNOINMENT! Cover, THREE?! The Profits win!!
Winners: The Street Profits, by pinfall (still Raw Tag Team Champions)
Almas was just a half second too late, according to the ref! But replay shows maybe not? Will Garza and Almas have grounds for one more time around with the Profits? Or are the Profits moving on to new challengers? Can Garza even compete with medics checking on him?
The 2020 WWE Draft is coming!
Yes, it’s once again time to shake things up again! Every superstar on Raw and SmackDown, even the champions, are on the board! October 9th, as part of Friday Night SmackDown, we will see who ends up where in the WWE!
Backstage interview with Drew Gulak!
How did the new 24/7 Champion find himself in that position? Well, as a coach, one of his first rules is “Always be alert.” He wasn’t even scheduled to compete, but he knew he needed to stay loose. Gulak was just doing his lunges up and down the halls of the ThunderDome, and that’s when he spotted R-Truth! Truth’s guard was down, Gulak seized the moment, and now has the title! He’d like to dedicate this victory to a former champion and a former rival, Akira Tozawa, who may have been eaten by a shark. But Truth comes in, CLOBBERS Gulak with that bowl from the kickoff show, and covers! The ref is there, counts, Truth wins!!
Winner: R-Truth, by pinfall (NEW WWE 24/7 Champion)
THIRTY-NINE! Truth has his baby back once again, and said Gulak should’ve had a V8. Gulak didn’t even get to finish his acceptance speech, but will he get a second chance soon enough?
Bayley heads to the ring!
The longest reigning SmackDown Women’s Champion is here, with both belt and chair, to address Nikki Cross being unable to compete. Bayley takes a seat in the chair she used to hurt Sasha Banks and sets her title on it. “Aw man, what sad news about Nikki Cross!” Nikki has to forfeit her title opportunity! That sucks, because Bayley was hoping to see Nikki would prove the world wrong and show she could actually win. Bayley even got new gear for this! But don’t worry, the most dominant champion in WWE would’ve won either way.
But Bayley won’t let us down as our role model. Tonight, she is giving the opportunity of a lifetime to any superstar in the back! It is an open challenge! Anyone? Ding dong, hello? No one here? Well that’ sit then. Cut to the chase, the ref can raise her hand now and declare her the winner! The ref gets in, Bayley runs around to celebrate, but wait. Is that ASUKA?! Well, she is anyone in the back, but the fact that she was still here is a surprise! Is Asuka going to become the Two Belt Empress?!
SmackDown Women’s Championship: Bayley VS Asuka!
The bell rings as Bayley swings on Asuka but Asuka dodges and dances! Bayley rushes Asuka, Asuka dodges to then follow and run her over! Asuka is fired up as she runs at Bayley for a corner hip attack! Asuka reels Bayley in, Bayley fights out but Asuka blocks a kick to GERMAN SUPLEX! Bayley bails out, takes off her jacket and says she is NOT doing this. Champion’s Advantage! But Asuka pursues, puts Bayley back in and hits the sliding kick! Asuka aims from a corner to hip attack again! Cover, TWO! ARMBAR! Bayley kicks and flails, powers Asuka to a cover, ONE! ASUKA LOCK!! Bayley gets the ropes! Asuka lets go, Bayley gasps as she gets to the apron. Asuka drags Bayley up but Bayley hotshots Asuka away!
Bayley rains down rights on the arm, having seen what Vega was doing to Asuka in that match. Bayley SAIDO SUPLEXES Asuka! Cover, TWO! Bayley is frustrated and argues with the ref but she stomps Asuka at the ropes. Bayley wraps the arm around the bottom rope, but she lets go at the ref’s count. Bayley KNEES Asuka in the corner, covers, TWO! Bayley sneers as she toys with Asuka. Bayley is after the bad arm, and hits an armbreaker DDT! Bayley dares Michael Cole to say her name again as she climbs up top. Bayley leaps, into Asuka’s CODE BREAKER! Bayley flops out of the ring and Asuka fires herself up!
Asuka aims from the apron, runs but Bayley blocks the kick to trip Asuka up! Bayley gets back in the ring, runs and baseball slides but Asuka dodges to ROUNDHOUSE! Asuka drags Bayley up for a GERMAN SUPLEX to the floor! Asuka drags Bayley up but Bayley uses a CHAIR!
Winner: Asuka, by disqualification; Bayley is still SmackDown Women’s Champion
Bayley keeps her title and keeps on Asuka with the chair! The Chairwoman keeps that reign going, but someone SMACKS her with a chair!! It’s SASHA BANKS! Sasha, bad neck and all, still gives Bayley a taste of her own medicine! Sasha clubs away on Bayley, Bayley shoves her away and scrambles into the ring. Sasha grabs at her but Bayley kicks her down! Sasha’s neck is still a target and Bayley drags her up to put her in the ring. Bayley tells Cole to shut up now, and she gets another chair! And a kendo stick! Bayley stalks Sasha, has the chair, and sits it up. Bayley gets HER chair, brings it over menacingly, but Sasha kicks her in the knees!
Sasha grabs the kendo stick and SMACKS Bayley on the back! And again! And again and again and again! Bayley crawls, Sasha stands on the chair! Sasha takes the chair for her own, Bayley begs for mercy, but Bayley gets away before Sasha can swing on her! The Boss leaves it at this because of her neck, but she has clearly put fear in the heart of Bayley! Will it only be a matter of time before these two finally put this grudge to bed?
WWE World Championship Ambulance Match: Drew McIntyre VS Randy Orton!
The Viper went after the Scottish Psychopath with THREE punts to the head, and McIntyre had to ride to a hospital in an ambulance. But McIntyre would return the favor and hit Orton with THREE Claymores! Orton also rode in an ambulance, and only became more determined to be the Legend Killer of old. Who takes one more ride in an ambulance while the other rides off with the world title around their waist?
As each man makes his entrance, they look at the ambulance, the final destination of this match. The introductions are made, the belt is raised, and the difference between one man’s first reign and another man’s 14th begins!
McIntyre kicks and punches Orton first! Orton flounders around the ring, McIntyre keeps hitting him, and then CHOPS him! McIntyre stomps Orton in a corner, punches him more and follows him around the way. Orton kicks back, McIntyre throws more haymakers and a CHOP! McIntyre CHOPS Orton again, then has him against the ropes to punch him right down! “Get your ass up, Randy! Get up!” McIntyre drags Orton up, and ROCKS him with a haymaker! McIntyre whips, Orton ducks but the RKO is denied! Orton side steps McIntyre to send him to the apron. McIntyre gets back in but Orton kicks the ropes to hit McIntyre in his claymore! Orton kicks McIntyre again then drags him out for the DRAPING DDT! McIntyre is down and clutching the jaw, which is still a factor.
Orton scowls as he looms over McIntyre, and he backs up. Orton takes aim as McIntyre sits up, but who is that grabbing Orton’s foot? That’s THE BIG SHOW! Big Show drags Orton out and gives him a CHOKE SLAM through the announce desk! No disqualifications means The Giant can get away with this! Show leaves and Orton drags himself from the wreckage. McIntyre hurries after Orton and grins at what happened to him. McIntyre drags Orton up, fireman’s carries and gives him snake eyes to the barriers! The fans cheer as McIntyre stomps Orton then brings him up, for a CHOP! McIntyre bumps Orton off steel steps, then stomps one of Orton’s hands! Orton writhes and curses under his breath but McIntyre brings him up again. McIntyre whips him into more barriers!
McIntyre is having fun now as he stalks Orton. “How does it feel, Randy?” McIntyre drags Orton up by a facelock, clubs him and ROCKS him with another haymaker! Orton flounders on the ramp but McIntyre brings him up to another fireman’s carry. They approach the ambulance, and McIntyre LAWN DARTS Orton into the doors! McIntyre opens the side compartment, and brings out crutches?! And a chair! McIntyre watches Orton rise and he JAMS him with the chair, then SMACKS him on the back! Orton writhes more, McIntyre waits for him to rise. McIntyre wants Orton to look at him for this one. But Orton SMACKS McIntyre with a crutch! And then sweeps the legs with them! Orton grabs the chair and digs it into McIntyre’s jaw!
Orton throws crutches aside and opens the ambulance doors. McIntyre rises and Orton pushes him in. McIntyre fights back, puts Orton in and beats him down! McIntyre just needs to close the doors! Orton boots McIntyre away but McIntyre comes back with haymakers. Orton counter punches right to the jaw! Orton EuroUppers McIntyre, then hobbles after him. Orton brings McIntyre around to bump him off the side of the ambulance! Orton opens the driver side door and is already plotting. The Viper slithers back to McIntyre, drags him over, puts McIntyre in the cab, but McIntyre knows what he’s up to! McIntyre pushes Orton away to HEADBUTT! The Glasgow Kiss hit Orton so hard, he’s drooling in a stupor! McIntyre aims at Orton now, to run and CLAYMORE THE DOOR OFF!? Orton dodges and the door takes the shot!
McIntyre’s leg is hurting now and Orton watches McIntyre writhe as he catches his breath. Orton drags McIntyre up for more EuroUppers, then brings him over to the other side of the ambulance. McIntyre blocks a bump to bump Orton off the hood! McIntyre pursues as Orton crawls away. They go behind the curtain to a backstage area. McIntyre CHOPS Orton, follows him to an arm chair and has him take a seat. McIntyre rains down right hands until Orton flops out of the chair! McIntyre throws things aside and gets his bad leg to work. McIntyre drags Orton up to put him against the wall for a CHOP! Orton is stinging but McIntyre whips him. Orton reverses to send McIntyre into a wall! Orton also bumps into the camera man, but who is this attacking now?
It’s CHRISTIAN! At last, he is on his own two feet again! And he slides Orton across catering! The ref gets Christian to stop so Christian leaves. McIntyre hobbles over to Orton, drags him up and headlock punches him more. And CHOPS him again! Orton stumbles and staggers back to the curtain and McIntyre clubs him through. McIntyre tosses Orton on top of the hood, climbs up to join him, and brings Orton up. Orton rakes McIntyre’s eyes! Both men wobble, Orton throws McIntyre onto the windshield! Orton covers out of instinct but that doesn’t help here. Orton realizes that, and lets off to rest on the hood. McIntyre manages to get up, and he’s climbing up higher on the vehicle! Orton pursues and punches McIntyre to the very roof of the ambulance!
Orton joins McIntyre up there, but McIntyre hits back. McIntyre rocks Orton, but Orton KNEES McIntyre in the head! Orton sits back while McIntyre clutches his jaw. McIntyre ends up at the rear of the ambulance again and Orton punches him. McIntyre is hanging on but Orton stomps his hands! McIntyre clings with one hand but can’t hold on as Orton stands on the fingers! McIntyre lets go and falls to the floor! Orton looks down with a big grin before standing up. Orton turns around into SWEET CHIN MUSIC from HBK!! HBK shoves Orton off the roof and down through spare tables!! And he tells Orton to SUCK IT! Orton’s enemies continue to haunt him until the very end!
Orton drags himself from the wreckage but McIntyre is there to get him! McIntyre drags him up, fireman’s carries him to the ambulance, but Orton fights back! Orton gets off to RKO!! McIntyre is down with a dazed look in his eyes! Orton sits up, crawls over to McIntyre, and hauls him into the back of the ambulance! Orton closes one door, but he takes too long smiling before going to the other door, and McIntyre holds it open! McIntyre forces his way out, rakes Orton’s eyes, and gets out! McIntyre staggers away, aims at Orton, and hits a CLAYMORE!! McIntyre hauls Orton up and into the ambulance, but then thinks what more he can do first. McIntyre drags Orton out part way, and PUNTS Orton!! He finally returns the favor before putting Orton back in and closing both doors! McIntyre wins!!
Winner: Drew McIntyre (still WWE World Champion)
McIntyre literally shuts the door on Orton’s 14th title reign! The Scottish Psychopath holds tight to the gold, but who will come for it next? Wait, who is driving the ambulance? RIC FLAIR!! “I promise not to break the speed limit! WOO~!” Again, the sins of the Viper have come back to haunt him! Will Orton return even a little humbler than before?
WWE Universal Championship: Roman Reigns w/ Paul Heyman VS Jey Uso!
The Big Dog says this is HIS island, HIS WWE, and HIS right as the Tribal Chief! But for once, Jey wants to show he is worthy of the great family legacy! Will this night be that night? Or will the razing, defending, undisputed Universal Heavyweight Champion of the World still be RRROMAN! RRREIGNS?
The introductions are made, the title is raised, and the battle of the Anoa’i Family, by the Anoa’i Family and for the Anoa’i Family begins!
Jey and Roman stare down then circle. Jey says “It didn’t have to go down like this, Uce.” Roman sucker punched him so that’s why this is happening. They tie up, Roman powers Jey to a corner but lets up at the ref’s count. Roman gets in Jey’s face but Jey stares right back. They circle and tie up again. Roman still powers Jey to a corner then throws him across the way! Jey gets up, shakes out the arms and stares Roman down again. They circle again, Roman tells Jey he should’ve just taken the payday. Jey says he wants to get this, too. They tie up again, Roman again puts Jey in a corner and whips him corner to corner. Jey goes up and over and shouts out daddy Rikishi with the pop lock ‘n’ dabbin’.
Roman rushes Jey, Jey gets a waistlock but Roman switches and powers Jey to a corner again. Roman then throws Jey across the way again and Jey tumbles out of the ring. Jey gets up and walks around to cool off. Roman talks smack and asks, “How you gonna be the chief if you can’t stay on the island?” Jey fires himself up and shoulders into Roman! And rocks him with an uppercut! And another! Jey whips, Roman reverses but Jey ducks, only for Roman to hit the leaping lariat! Cover, TWO! Roman keeps his cool as he watches Jey crawl to ropes. Roman chokes Jey on the ropes! The ref counts, Roman says, “I told you!” but he lets off at 4. Jey gasps and Heyman tells the ref to respect the chief. Roman drags Jey up, bumps Jey off buckles, then drags him up to DECK him!
Roman tells Jey he should’ve listened to the chief. Jey gets to the apron, Roman drags him up to choke him on the ropes again! The ref counts, Roman lets up at 4 to ROCK Jey with the uppercut! Jey tumbles down to the ground and Roman paces about. The ring count climbs, Roman goes out at 4 to fetch Jey. Roman drags Jey up to bump him off the apron! Jey flounders about but uppercuts back! Roman uppercuts harder! Jey staggers to the announce desk, Roman hears the ring count and refreshes it at 6. Roman tells the ref he is the chief, he does what he wants. Roman bounces Jey off the desk! Roman says he loves Jey but this is a lesson he has to learn. Roman puts Jey in, covers, TWO! Jey refuses to lose so Roman wraps on a chinlock.
Jey endures, Roman squeezes tight but fans clap to build to a rally. Jey fights up and throws body shots to fight free. Roman headbutts Jey! Roman whips Jey to ropes but Jey kicks back! Jey mule kicks, and uppercuts! Roman rebounds into a SAMOAN DROP! Cover, TWO! Roman is starting to see what his cousin is really capable of! Jey gets to a corner and aims at Roman. “UCE! OH!” Jey runs corner to corner, but into the SUPERMAN PUNCH! Roman takes a moment to catch his breath, but Jey flops out of the ring. Roman watches Jey crawl to the desk before going out. Roman heads over but Jey throws a forearm! Roman actually likes that! Roman forearms Jey, Jey forearms again! “What, b*tch?!” Roman ROCKS Jey with that uppercut!
The ring count is 5, Roman drags Jey up and in at 7. Roman covers, TWO! Jey still won’t stay down and Roman sighs. Heyman tells Jey he should just listen to the chief, he’s only making this harder on himself. Roman told Jey on Friday, this is that ass whooping. Just stay down next time. Roman headbutts Jey again, throws haymakers over and over but the ref counts. Roman lets up, looms over Jey, and tells Jey there are levels to this. Roman lives at this level. “I’ve been doing this.” Jey CHOPS back! Roman ROCKS him with another uppercut! Roman says Jey doesn’t pay attention. Jey crawls to a corner, Roman runs in and clotheslines him down! Roman stalks Jey to another corner, and hits another clothesline!
Jey staggers away to yet another corner, and Roman runs in, to get boots! Jey dodges the uppercut to give uppercuts! Jey shoves and POSTS Roman! Roman gets himself out of the corner and shakes out the arm while Jey gets up. Jey runs in to clothesline Roman out! Jey builds speed to DIVE! Direct hit sends Roman into barriers! Jey puts Roman back in, kicks but Roman blocks, only to get the DRAGON WHIP! Roman stumbles out, Jey DIVES again! Direct hit at the ramp and both men are down! Jey gets up, drags Roman up and brings him back into the ring. Jey goes up, leaps, crossbody! Cover, TWO! SUPERKICK!! Cover, TWO!! Roman survives the rally from Jey but Jey is too tired to be frustrated about it!
Jey goes to the apron, climbs up a corner, but Roman is up! Jey leaps over Roman, rolls, into a LEG LARIAT!? Roman covers, TWO!! Roman brings out something new but Jey survives! Roman seethes as he stands over Jey again. Jey crawls while Roman goes to a corner. Roman aims at Jey, Jey staggers up, but Jey jumps over the spear to roll Roman up! TWO!! SUPERKICK!! Jey goes back up top, USO SPLASH!! Cover, TWO!!! Roman survives again, but wait! The way he kicked out, it was like a low blow! Was it just bad positioning from Jey? Or was that on purpose? Either way, both men are down and somewhere in the ThunderDome, “This is Awesome!” Roman goes back to the corner, Jey stands, SPEAR!! But Roman doesn’t cover?
Roman watches Jey writhe and says, “I told you.” Jey should’ve just taken the payday. But he brought Roman out here. “Say it to me! Tell me. I want you to call me ‘chief.’ Acknowledge me as your Tribal Chief, Uce. Do it now and this is done.” Jey refuses. Roman grabs him by the beard and hair and tells him to say it. Jey still refuses, so Roman whips and SPEARS him back down! Roman keeps saying Jey just has to say it. Tell Roman in front of the entire world. Tell Roman he is the head of the table. Roman makes Jey look into the camera. Tell us that Roman owns it all! “Not today, Uce!” Jey is defiant until the end, Heyman tells Roman he is the Tribal Chief. But it doesn’t matter if Heyman says it. Jey needs to say it! If Jey doesn’t want to, he’ll be made to! Roman rains down furious right hands!
The ref tries to stop Roman but Roman won’t unless Jey says it! Roman pushes the ref aside and is getting frustrated with him. This is Roman’s world, so do not make him address you again or he’ll knock you into next week and into a new job. “This is family business here.” Roman goes back to Jey and again demands Jey acknowledge his place in the family. Roman headbutts and throws point-blank elbows! The ref checks on Jey but Jey says he isn’t quitting. Roman wants the ref to understand, this is how it’s been their whole life. Roman makes Jey look at the camera. The family is watching! Roman’s kids, Jey’s kids, everyone. Roman throws more forearms on Jey, but here comes Jimmy!
Jimmy isn’t cleared but he isn’t here to fight. Jimmy has a towel and tells Jey he’s about to throw this in. Jey doesn’t need to prove himself to Roman! Jey tells Jimmy not to do it, Roman dares Jimmy to do it. Roman says Jimmy needs to bend the knee and tell Roman is the head of the family. That is how this ends. Jey tells Jimmy not to do anything. Jimmy is torn, but he does as Jey says. Roman says they’ve spent their whole lives together and yet Jimmy is gonna listen to Jey? Jimmy wants to throw in the towel, Jey tells him not to, and Roman drags Jey from the ropes for MORE forearms! And haymakers! Jimmy throws in the towel!!
Winner: Roman Reigns, by forfeit (still WWE Universal Champion)
But Roman refuses to stop! Jimmy gets in to shield his brother and tell Roman it’s enough! Is this how Roman wanted to win?! They’re supposed to be family! What is wrong with Roman!? “You the chief, man. You’re the Tribal Chief.” If that’s what Roman wants, then fine. Just leave Jey alone and cool off. Roman not only takes his title, but he takes the lei Jey came out with. Roman is still champion, and is now truly, in his mind, the Tribal Chief of the Anoa’i Family. If Roman brutalized blood, will he only be more merciless towards everyone else?
My Thoughts:
All things being what they are, Clash of Champions was great tonight! Yes, we all know about the COVID concerns in Florida right now, and clearly that hit WWE at a very bad time. We did not get the Women’s Tag Team Championships match, but Raw will address that. Granted, it felt like the Riott Squad was going to lose but hopefully this doesn’t ruin anyone’s chances at these titles. Even if it has to wait for Hell in a Cell, I think that’d be fine. Nikki Cross being out is also a shame, hopefully she (and Killian Dain for that matter, as he is her real-life husband) will be alright.
I imagine much of what we got out of the resulting Bayley VS Asuka match was the same, i.e. the disqualification and Sasha attacking. It’s fine for Sasha to get some retaliation, but I feel like they aren’t really selling her neck all that much by having her back again. Keep Sasha away until the Royal Rumble and she can win to go to WrestleMania. They took the slow burn approach this long, just keep doing it. Asuka of course won against Vega, but it was a good match for Vega. Vega faking Asuka out with the respectful bow was good, but I feel like they’ll just be having a non-title match to settle things from here. And while Retribution didn’t show tonight, I wonder if Mia Yim and Mercedes Martinez, or whatever their Retribution names are, get after Asuka to go for that title.
For that matter, no Retribution during the US Championship match seemed like a missed opportunity. Lashley and Apollo had a good match, and Lashley wins so I bet Dominik “T-Bar” Dijakovic takes him on in singles competition. Odd name and ruined gimmick aside, Lashley VS Dijakovic would be a great match, so long as it’s booked like it’s still Dijakovic. I liked the little bits of the WWE 24/7 Championship we got, including Truth becoming an old timey prospector just to sell the “gold rush” subtitle. Gulak got a quick reign, it’s a shame there wasn’t a third segment for him to get it back. The WWE Draft is coming back, though I REALLY don’t want it to, maybe Gulak and a few others end up on Raw to freshen up the 24/7 Championship scene since it seems just a USA Network thing right now.
The Triple Threat Ladder match opening was a good move, but WOW was it scary! I’m really surprised Hardy isn’t injured in some way, especially from that one particular ladder spot. I did like the creativity of the match, though, such as Sami cuffing people to things. I am also surprised Sami won, but in some way it makes sense, as now Sami gets to explore the midcard, which he didn’t get to do while staying healthy during the peak of pandemic. The SmackDown Tag Team Championship match was really good, and I’m more surprised that LHP didn’t fall apart. I wonder if Sami tries to reunite with Cesaro & Nakamura now that Sami is truly a champion. I wouldn’t mind a Six Man Tag of “Artist Collective” VS LHP and THAT is how LHP falls apart.
I honestly didn’t think Profits would win tonight, but I feel like there was an audible called after Garza went down. I hope his leg isn’t too messed up. There are only so many people on any show because of the many releases AND coronavirus concerns, and even then there are fewer tag teams right now. Ivar went down so Viking Raiders aren’t going to be active, AOP was let go because they kept getting hurt, and now Garza could be out. Almas could go to singles competition, and Almas VS Lashley would also be a great match, but who knows right now.
The top titles had great matches, too. I like that Orton’s victims came back. It didn’t really hurt McIntyre to me, because it’s just natural story that they’d want revenge. Maybe this is a way for Orton to stay away for a moment while Edge recovers, and they can both return to have their tiebreaker at Mania. And Roman VS Jey, incredible story telling! It had incredible pacing as it moved from chippy competition to a serious and even uncomfortable fighting. Roman demanding Jey admit who is in charge, Jey telling Jimmy to stay out of it but Jimmy throwing in the towel, all amazing stuff. It’s hard to comprehend how this storytelling is from the same people giving us the confusing mess that is Retribution. If anything, Retribution was left off tonight so no one could compare them side by side.
My Score: 8.7/10
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The Hollywood A-Lister’s got his own nightmare before Christmas!
Christmas is just a few days away, but things aren’t merry and bright for Raw! The Miz must face his fears as he faces Dexter Lumis 1v1!
OFFICIAL RESULTS
- WWE Women’s Intercontinental Championship Tournament Opening Round Triple Threat: Natalya VS Alba Fyre VS Iyo Sky; Iyo wins and advances to the next round.
- Chad Gable w/ Team American Made VS Akira Tozawa w/ The Alpha Academy; Gable wins.
- Dominik Mysterio VS Damian Priest; Damian Priest wins, by disqualification.
- The Miz VS Dexter Lumis; Lumis wins, by disqualification.
- Sami Zayn VS Drew McIntyre; McIntyre wins.
PLAY BY PLAY
Drew McIntyre walks to gorilla.
The Scottish Terminator makes his way through the curtain and to the stage, and the fans have a mixed reaction as he goes to the ring. McIntyre grabs a mic, and he says, “After Hell in a Cell, I’ve never been so beat up in my entire life. 16 staples in my head, my back almost broken from landing on the steel steps. And I went home to Scotland. The reason I went home, and I haven’t really talked about it publicly, is because a very close family member passed away. Some people probably feeling sympathy right now. Some guys in the back are probably talking to each other, saying, ‘I didn’t know.’ Maybe if you cared enough, you would’ve asked.
“Over these past two months, guess how many people phoned me to check. Not how I was doing mentally but how I was doing physically after Hell in a Cell. ONE PERSON! These past 17 years, I’ve been led to believe we’re all a big happy family in the back. We’re brothers and sisters, we travel the world together, we spend more time with each other than with our actual families, but it’s all BS! My brother, John, in Scotland wouldn’t stab me in the back to take my spot, but people like Jimmy, Jey and Sami 100% would.” The fans boo that, then chant “YEET! YEET! YEET!” McIntyre says that proves his point.
After watching everything The Bloodline did, Jey says he is a changed man. He does a cute hand sign, he says a made-up word, and the fans just forget about it and move on. That’s the other thing McIntyre realized: He has given and given and given all this time, and the fans turned on him for a guy who was gone for years and has told the WWE fans to go screw themselves! McIntyre was fighting for the fans, he thought they believed in him, so he believed in the fans! McIntyre bled out in the cell, and while he was gone, the fans instantly forgot him! The fans boo, that’s not true! But McIntyre says from now on, he gives no more for anybody!
McIntyre will take and take and he will tell the truth! The real villains are Roman Reigns and CM Punk! And if you choose to prop them up, as he already said, Jey, Jimmy & Sami, the things Roman did to you… Roman took a vacation, then simply snapped his fingers and they were by his side again! McIntyre suggests everyone who ever wronged McIntyre should sleep with one eye open. But wait, here comes Sami Zayn! The fans cheer and sing for Sami but Sami says hey, McIntyre is angry, he doesn’t have to believe Sami in place of believing everyone has ulterior motives. Sami doesn’t blame him.
But personally, man to man, Sami did not know what happened with McIntyre’s family. They figured he was recovering from one of the most vicious matches of all time. Sami thought that, all the guys ‘n’ girls in the back thought, and that’s all the fans thought. Believe that or not, fine, but Sami wants to level with McIntyre. Talk about 17 years, Sami has 22 years in this game. Sami’s been through what McIntyre’s been through. Sami’s had losses. Trust him. He has had losses he had to put on the side and go to work that week. The same sacrifices, from birthdays to weddings to funerals that he should’ve been at? Sami’s done it all.
Sami has put unnecessary stress on his wife, on his kid, and why? Because this is the life that they both chose! They are WWE SUPERSTARS! The fans cheer that! And as such, they are LUCKY to be WWE Superstars! And you think this is just your story or Sami’s story? Y’know who else has stories like this? Every single person sitting in the stands. Every single person at home! The kids who struggle at school, the adults who struggle at work, who struggle economically, physically, and they have their losses and sacrifices, but they still get up every day to do what they gotta do to soldier on, without pointing a finger at everyone else!
The fans fire up for that passion. Sami says McIntyre dares pointing a finger at the fans for forgetting him?! They didn’t forget, brother! They MADE McIntyre! And McIntyre still thinks the world revolves around him just because once upon a time, someone told him he was “The Chosen One.” But newsflash, just because you’re mad doesn’t make you special. And now McIntyre thinks everyone else is somehow tied to him? What Jimmy does has nothing to do with McIntyre. What Jey does has nothing to do with McIntyre! What SAMI does has nothing to do with McIntyre!
But McIntyre, if you want to still walk around all angry and pointing fingers at the fans, at Sami, at Jey, at Jimmy, at Punk, at Roman, and still be mad about The Bloodline, fine. No one is stopping McIntyre. But Sami has no problem being McIntyre’s problem and facing him in this ring right now! McIntyre says if Sami wants to know the truth… IT isn’t just anger. McIntyre’s anger comes from pain, and he doesn’t doubt what Sami just said. There was so much truth and passion, but it’s never the whole truth, is it? Sami has a way of spinning things. Because Sami can fly back home every week to his family. McIntyre is halfway across the world from his!
And no one here in Boston ever leaves Boston, they’re with their families 24/7! McIntyre doesn’t have that luxury! The fans boo that veiled insult, but McIntyre says he will remain calm and ask Sami why he wants this fight. They both know the result, we saw it time and time again, Sami has NEVER beaten McIntyre. So McIntyre suggests, given Sami isn’t 100%, and Sami’s wife and kid are here tonight… Sami should just walk back there, take their hands, and leave this arena. Of all those in the Bloodline, Sami is the least of McIntyre’s worries.
Sami says McIntyre is right about a couple things. When it comes to win-loss records, McIntyre has Sami’s number. And Sami is not 100%. Haven’t been since Saturday Night’s Main Event. And yes, the smart thing would be to just go home, celebrate and get healthy over the holidays. But Sami would so much rather do this. Sami fires hands! The fans fire up but McIntyre shoves Sami away. McIntyre swings, but gets caught! Sami lifts but McIntyre fights free, then GLASGOW KISS HEADBUTT! McIntyre takes aim, but here comes JEY USO! The fans fire up as Jey runs down the ramp, slides in, and then dodges McIntyre to SUPERKICK!
The fans fire up as Jey & Sami DOUBLE LARIAT McIntyre up and outta the ring! The fans “YEET! YEET! YEET!” with Jey & Sami Uso! Will the Scottish Terminator’s mission be ended when Sami and/or Jey shut him down?
Adam Pearce is met by Pure Fusion Collective.
The Raw General Manager asks Sonya Deville what he can do for her and she says not much. She knows how stressful this job can be since she once had it. She’s just here to make things easier. And how’s that? Well, Kairi Sane is not cleared to compete, there is an opening in the tournament, and Sonya wants it. Oh, is that so? Y’know, Sonya, that is a terrible idea. They caused this scenario so he’s just gonna reward them? Are they outta their minds? And zip it! Plus, he already filled that vacancy with Iyo Sky. Happy Holidays! PFC is upset by that since Iyo just lost to Liv Morgan, but will there be nothing to stop the Evil Genius now?
WWE Women’s Intercontinental Championship Tournament Opening Round Triple Threat: Natalya VS Alba Fyre VS Iyo Sky!
Just as Pearce said, PFC taking out the Pirate Princess will not mean they get away with murder! The Queen of Harts and the Fire Keeper must now figure out how to handle this change to the program. Will Iyo redeem herself for losing Saturday Night’s Main Event by moving on to the next round?
Raw returns and Alba makes her entrance, Isla Dawn seeing her to the ramp, and then Natalya makes her entrance. The bell rings and Alba kicks Natty then ELBOWS Iyo! Alba whips but Natty reverses and Alba tumbles out of the ring! Iyo rolls Natty, TWO! Iyo whips, Natty dodges in the corner and gets Iyo up! REBOUND SIT-DOWN, and then Natty steps on Iyo, only for Alba to trip Natty up! Alba brings Natty out to send into steel steps! But then Iyo DIVES onto Alba! The fans fire up with Iyo and Raw goes to break.
Raw returns again and Natty brawls with Abla. Alba knees low, but Iyo CROSBODIES them both down! The fans fire up and Iyo SHOTEIS Alba! And SHOTEIS her again! And then DROPKICKS her down! Iyo brings Alba around, whips, but Alba reverses. Iyo goes up and out, then blocks a shot to ROCK Alba! The fans fire up, Iyo spirnboards, and MISSILE DROPKICKS! Iyo handsprings up and the fans fire up again! Iyo gets the fans going, but Alba wrenches and facelocks, TORNADO DDT! Alba gets Iyo up again to GOURD BUSTER her onto Natty! Alba then rearranges them into the drop zone!
Alba goes up, the fans are torn, but Alba grins as she SWANTON BOMBS! Cover on Iyo, TWO! Cover on Natty, TWO! But into a KOJI KLUTCH! Natty endures, flails, fights around, but Alba holds on tight! Natty pushes, stacks Alba, TWO!! Natty has the legs! Alba flails now, but Iyo runs up! Natty trips Iyo onto Alba, and she has them both! Natty turns them both over, DOUBLE SHARPSHOOTER!! Iyo and Alba both flail, both claw at the mat, and Alba gets the ROPEBREAK! No disqualifications so Natty can hold on! But now Iyo drags herself under the ropes, and there’s no room left, so Natty has to let go!
Natty rises up and she stalks Iyo to the apron. Natty drags Iyo up but Iyo HOTSHOTS Natty! Natty staggers, rebounds, but Iyo jumps the baseball slide! Natty hits Alba down, and then Iyo PENALTY KICKS Natty! Iyo fires up and springboards, ASAI MOONSAULT! Direct hit on both targets and the fans fire up! Iyo hurries to get Natty up and into the ring, then she drags Natty into the drop zone. Iyo climbs, but Alba CLUBS Iyo first! Alba snarls as she climbs up, but Iyo holds onto ropes! Natty CLUBS Alba and she adds on! SUPER GERMAN SUPLEX on Alba! But Iyo stays up top to go OVER THE MOONSAULT! Cover, Iyo wins!
Winner: Iyo Sky, by pinfall (advances to the semifinals)
The Genius of the Sky moves on, ready to fly against The Morrigan! Will Iyo be able to get past Lyra Valkyria and head for the title?
Judgment Day sulks in the clubhouse.
Finn Balor tells JD McDonagh that he can’t believe this. This was supposed to be a Merry Christmas, Finn was supposed to be celebrating with two titles, and now he has none! Liv Morgan tells Raquel Rodriguez to tell Finn that the reason she suggested he stay away from Damian Priest is because she knew this would happen. Raquel starts to relay the message, but Finn has JD tell Liv that she’s got her own problems to worry about and to stay off his back. But then Liv tells Raquel to tell Finn that the reason she’s “on his back” is because he lost the tag titles. JD, tell Liv that Christmas is-
Dominik speaks up to stop the arguing. Christmas IS around the corner, and now they’re not even talking to each other? Dom says he’s gonna go talk with Pearce and get a match with Priest! Dom’s gonna step up for this family. Oh, Dom thinks he’s better than Finn? No, it’s not even like that. Dom has a plan. He’ll talk with Pearce then fill everyone in later. Dom heads out, JD prays for one week of no drama while it’s Christmas. Will Dirty Dom make sure The Punisher pays for screwing Finn & JD over? Or will Priest be given the gift of sending Dom South of Heaven?
Sami and Jey regroup backstage.
Sami can’t believe Jey didn’t text or call about the comeback. Jey says, “My bad.” But Sami says it’s fine, he’s happy Jey is back. And thanks for having his back out there tonight and every night, Sami appreciates Jey. Jey thanks Sami for that, and says you know he had to come back for payback. Jey is gonna handle business! Actually, Sami was kinda hoping he could handle McIntyre. Sami talked a big game, he’s gotta back it up. But Sami, you’re not even 100% tonight. Sami knows, but he started something so he has to finish it. Jey says alright. He’s got next! They secret handshake and Jey wishes Sami luck. Will Sami finally get a win on McIntyre in a Christmas miracle?
Chad Gable w/ Team American Made VS Akira Tozawa w/ The Alpha Academy!
As “Master” Gable said last week, it was about time he settled things with his past. Will Gable prove to the world that he was always the reason the Alpha Academy was relevant? Or will he find out he can’t keep up with the Stamina Monster?
Raw returns and the #AlphaBabes make their entrance, showing off that new merch while they’re at it. The bell rings and the fans rally up. Tozawa and Gable tie up, Gable wrenches and talks trash right to Tozawa’s face! Gable CHOPS Tozawa down, stands him up, CHOPS him down again, repeat! Gable whips and CLOBBERS Tozawa, then raises the fist. The fans boo more but Gable talks smack on Otis. Gable drags Tozawa up, suplexes, but Tozawa slips free! Tozawa SOBATS, spins, slides under, and SPIN KCIKS! Gable goes to a corner and Tozawa puts him up! But Gable gets Tozawa for a HANGING ARMBAR!
Otis protests, the ref counts, and Gable lets off at 4. Gable says he didn’t break a rule, and Otis never learns. Gable SLAPS Otis, slides into the ring, but Tozawa victory rolls! TWO, but Tozawa SUPERKICKS Gable down! Tozawa rips the shirt off, goes up top, and SUPER SENTRONS onto knees! Gable saves himself and hauls Tozawa up to GERMAN SUPELX! And then GERMAN SUPLEX again! Gable GERMAN SUPLEXES again! But he isn’t done, Gable spins Tozawa around, and POWERBOMBS him! ANKLE LOCK!! Tozawa flails but he’s so far from the ropes! Tozawa TAPS, Gable wins!
Winner: Chad Gable, by submission
But Gable won’t let go! The fans boo, the ref reprimands, but Gable just drops into a GRAPEVINE! So Otis storms in and he drags Gable off the leg! Otis TOSSES Gable! The fans are thunderous, but Team American Made steps up to support Gable. Gable says Otis never learns! But Otis’ hips are moving! He’s shaking, quaking, and the fans fire up, but American Made backs off. Will Gable finally fight Otis and put this beef to rest?
The New Day talks backstage.
They still don’t understand how everyone here doesn’t see things their way. But then Dirty Dom walks over, clapping with “New! Day Rocks!” Finally, someone who understands! Dom says he never liked Big E, but uh, no, what they did was crazy. Well, whatever, Broke Ass Tom Selleck! Dom says Tom Selleck wishes! Dirty Dom heads for gorilla, ready to fight for the Judgment Day. But will Dom go from “Broke Ass Tom Selleck” to just broken?
Dominik Mysterio VS Damian Priest!
Judgment Day’s history has always been a rocky one, but it has never been rockier than right now. Betraying Rhea Ripley & Damian Priest probably has a lot to do with it, but will Dom be able to smooth things over by taking Damian down? Or will Priest finally beat some sense into #LatinoCheat?
The bell rings and Dom bails right out! Dom dares Priest to come get him, but Priest says Dom needs to get back in the ring. Priest will even give him a free shot! Dom storms up to the apron, steps in, and takes that swing, but Priest blocks it! Then Priest BELL CLAPS Dom, DECKS him, then DECKS him again! Dom staggers around, Priest picks him up to SLAM DUNK! Dom staggers back up, into a torture rack! Priest bends Dom with the Argentine Backbreaker! Priest then THROWS Dom down and the fans fire up. Priest paces around, powers up his arm, and Dom rises. The fans rally and Priest runs, but Dom ducks a lariat!
Dom kicks, CLUBS and KICKS again! SUPERKICK! Then DROPKCIK! Priest staggers but Dom hurries to stalk behind him. Priest sits up first and glares at Dom. Dom panics, but he DUMPS Priest out! Dom builds speed to DIVE, but into Priest’s hands! FLATLINER onto the desk! The fans fire up and Priest drags Dom up to then POST him! Dom falls in a heap, but Priest puts Dom in the ring. Priest then notices a very suspicious Santa Claus. Priest snatches the beard away, and tada! It’s JD! Priest TOSSES JD and the fans cheer! JD wants mercy but Priest SLIDES him across the desk! The fans fire up as Wade narrowly avoids getting hit!
Priest then has a Spider Sense moment, and he looks under the ring! Carlito spits out his apple in surprise! Priest drags Carlito up and TOSSES him into the timekeeper’s area! But then Finn attacks!
Winner: Damian Priest, by disqualification
Finn fires hands, but Priest blocks the desk bump! Priest body shots and SMACKS Finn off the desk! And again, and again! Priest puts Finn in the ring, Dom runs up, but Priest DECKS him! Priest fires more hands on Finn, but the Judgment Day regroups! They mug Priest 4v1 as usual, and JD even drops elbows! The fans boo but the Judgment Day stand Priest up. WAIT! Here comes the War Raiders! Erik & Ivar fire hands on Dom & Carlito, and Priest TOSSES JD! Finn realizes he’s alone, and Priest SUPERKICKS him down! Priest stomps a mudhole into Finn, the Raiders put Carlito and Dom in the ring!
Ivar KNEES Carlito, then feeds him to Erik’s KNEE! The fans cheer, JD gets up, but Priest LARIATS him inside-out! Dom is fed to the WAR MACHINE!! Finn staggers up, but Priest grabs him! And Finn goes SOUTH OF HEAVEN!! The Judgment Day just got further embarrassed, and that’s not even considering JD’s Santa costume. Will the War Raiders be some unlikely allies for Priest in this ongoing war with the Judgment Day?
Sit-down interview with Seth Rollins.
Jackie Redmond thanks The Visionary for taking this time to talk with her, and he says it is his pleasure. Jackie talked with CM Punk and heard what he had to say, what Punk believes, when it comes to Rollins’ hatred for Punk. And we have heard from Rollins, as well, but Jackie’s still just curious. What is the root cause, the driving force, of this disdain he clearly feels for CM Punk? Rollins says the thing is, he has tried to explain how he feels many times over the years, and it sort of… Well, he won’t say he’s talking into the wind, but Rollins just feels Punk has needed the WWE more than the WWE needed him.
And so that hypocrisy from Punk is what just eats at Rollins. It is hard for Rollins to let that go. Jackie mentions how Rollins has talked about getting rid of it by “cutting it out” and fighting through it, and how this fight with Punk has to happen as a catharsis. What does “cutting” Punk out look like? What should we expect from, not even so much a match, that doesn’t feel like the right word now. Rollins says it’ll be fight. That’s what we’re getting, no question. It is the biggest fight in their sport right now, and Rollins needs it now. After Survivor Series, seeing Punk hand-in-hand with Roman Reigns… Roman’s finger in the air, Punk doing the stupid Go To Sleep thing…
Rollins just wanted to throw the remote through his TV, he was so viscerally, internally destroyed. Rollins felt that was it, no more waiting. The world needs to see it. This is perfect. The Netflix debut, the world will be watching. But to answer the question, he doesn’t know what it’ll look like. You might see a side of Rollins that no one’s ever seen. No pun intended, it will be raw, visceral, violent. Rollins needs to exorcise this demon from his soul, he has to cut the cancer out of his brain, or he is going down. Then the only way to process the betrayal is to go through a fight, and we get that on January 6th, Raw in LA for Netflix.
Jackie thanks Rollins for the time and his honesty. Rollins says yeah, he can’t wait. Will Rollins truly #BurnItDown when it comes to fight CM Punk?
The Miz VS Dexter Lumis!
The Hollywood A-Lister has his own history with the man now turned buzzard, and things are only worse now that this is about the Final Testament and the Wyatt Sick6. Will Miz manage to bury the past once and for all? Or will he get no mercy from Lumis?
Raw returns as Miz waits. A message flashes, “I OPENED THE DOOR,” and then the lights go down. And from that mysterious door to the other side, out steps Lumis. He takes off the Mercy the Buzzard mask, then rushes the ring! Miz scrambles right out as Lumis slithers along the mat! The fans cheer Lumis on while Miz tentatively returns to the ring. The bell rings, Miz wants Lumis to hold on, but Lumis swings hands! Miz bobs ‘n’ weaves, then throws a punch! Lumis just glares at Miz! Miz runs away, Lumis gives chase, and they go around the outside, then back inside! Lumis drags Miz out of the ring to ROCK him!
Miz staggers, Lumis THROWS him into barriers! The fans cheer, Lumis ROCKS Miz again, and then Lumis SMACKS Miz off the apron! Lumis pushes Miz into the ring, Miz bails out, but Lumis goes out to the apron. CANNONBALL! The fans fire up and Lumis brings Miz up. Lumis CLUBS Miz, stalks him, then puts him in the ring. Miz again asks for mercy, but then he tries a cheap kick! Lumis blocks and UPPERCUTS! Lumis scoops, Miz slips free and Miz BOOTS Lumis! Miz runs, but into a THESZ PRESS! Lumis rains down fast hands, then runs to AX HANDLE! The fans fire up and Lumis brings Miz up.
Miz breaks free to throat chop! The ref reprimands but Miz runs, only for Lumis to catch him! URENAGE! Lumis storms around, then goes looks to the corner. Lumis climbs, but wait, the Authors of Pain are here! So Lumis CANNONBALLS onto them! The fans fire up but Kross attacks!
Winner: Dexter Lumis, by disqualification
The Final Testament beats Lumis up and puts him in the ring. Miz stands, confident now that he has reinforcements. Kross says they’ve got Lumis where they want him, but Lumis looks to the sky. Seems it’s the other way around! The lights go down, and when they come up, the rest of the Wyatts are here! They brawl with Final Testament and then send them running! Nikki wants uppies, and Erik Rowan pops her up to POWERBOMB her out onto The Final Testament! Nikki is all fired up as the Wyatts stand together! Will The Final Testament be the one buried and forgotten after all is said and done?
The War Raiders regroup backstage.
Erik & Ivar are fired up after getting the better of Judgment Day, and then Priest walks in. He says what’s up, and they give him some pushes and shoves of excitement. Priest says okay, okay, settle down. But that was good, and he appreciates the save. Ivar says hey, they’ve all known each other a long time. And while they haven’t always seen eye to eye, there has always been honor here. They may not be friends, but Priest had their backs in a big way last week and they don’t forget that. They owed him, they got him. Priest respects that. If the War Raiders are at war with the Judgment Day, then he’ll go to war with them.
They all fist bump, and Erik & Ivar say they like the sound of that. Could these three finally tear down Judgment Day once and for all?
The zero symbol returns…
And now it’s joined by a pentagram? What could these clues be leading to?
The New Day barges out to ringside.
And Kofi Kingston tells Joe Tessitore & Wade Barrett on commentary that no no no no! You do not get to speak about them like that! Woods asks what is going on around here? What happened to unbiased journalism? How long has Tessitore even been with the WWE? Not that long, right? Certainly not long enough to know that his job is not to have an opinion but to tell the TRUTH like they have! But it seems in 2024, no one wants the truth! Certainly not these fans. Wade was sympathizing with E as well! Well that’s fine, because Wade and Big E have something in common. They’re not man enough to lace up their boots again and get in the ring!
The fans boo now but Kofi says speaking of getting back int he ring, allow the New Day to do that and continue to tell everyone what they were trying to tell people before. They did NOT put hands on Big E. They could have, laid him out here in the ring, stretchered out of the building again, but they didn’t! So why is everyone so upset!? The fans keep booing but Kofi says this was supposed to be a homecoming for Kofi, and for the woman he bought a plane ticket for to come all the way here to Boston from Ghana, and that is Kofi’s mom! Kofi’s mom is in the front row! Miss Elizabeth Kingston is here, but she doesn’t seem very amused.
Kofi says his mom sat in the middle seat for 20 HOURS, just to see Kofi, and the fans are ruining her experience! This is his mother! The woman who taught him how to be the man that he is today! She does not deserve to see her son get booed out of his own hometown! Woods says they gave the fans ten of the best years of their LIVES…! Kofi steps back outside to apologize to his mom for the fans. She does not deserve this. Kofi doesn’t understand why they’re doing this. Kofi wants a hug. Miss Elizabeth stands up, but she pushes Kofi! She’s upset with HIM, not the fans! Miss Elizabeth takes her coat and leaves! Kofi is confused, what’s this about?
Kofi calls after his mom but she tunes him out. Though, it might be hard to hear over the fans. Will it ever get through to the New Day that they are in the wrong?
The New Day regroups backstage.
And then they cross paths with Rey Mysterio. Woods asks if he’s gonna pile on. Rey says no, it’s not like that. Rey thought about what they said last week, being a locker room leader and all. Rey definitely could’ve handled things better, so he’ll apologize to them. Rey just has the responsibility to help everyone as much as he can. So hey, what New Day did was out of pocket, all foul. And if they want to start fixing things, they can start by apologizing. Whoa, hold up. Them? Apologize to Rey and the locker room? No, they aren’t apologizing, because they didn’t do anything wrong! This is ridiculous!
Rey is just as bad as Big E and everyone else! Why not let Woods pop that mask off again so he can hear them better. New Day did nothing wrong. Rey says okay, fine, que pasa nada. Just don’t say he didn’t try. From this point on, New Day is on their own. And oh, get used to hearing this. “New! Day SUCKS!” With that, Rey takes his leave. After hearing that, will Kofi & Woods have anything but a Merry Christmas?
Sami Zayn VS Drew McIntyre!
The Honorary Uce may have just lost to the Scottish Terminator at Saturday Night’s Main Event, but he isn’t going to give up the fight. Will Sami finally get a win over McIntyre as a Christmas miracle? Or will McIntyre ruin the holidays with a Claymore?
Raw returns and Sami makes his entrance. The bell rings and McIntyre kicks low! McIntyre fires hands, then CHOPS Sami in a corner! McIntyre ROCKS Sami, stands him up, and then CHOPS again! The fans are torn but McIntyre paces while Sami sits down. Sami rises up, and he avoids a chop to fire hands! The fans fire up as Sami CHOPS and fires more punches! The ref backs Sami off, but Sami comes back to stomp and punch! The fans rally behind “SAMI USO!” and Sami whips Mcintyre corner to corner. McIntyre reverses, Sami goes up, but McIntyre KICKS him out of the air!
McIntyre snarls and then he deadlift suplexes Sami! Sami writhes and clutches his back, but McIntyre storms over to him. McIntyre STMOPS Sami’s hands! Then he ROCKS Sami with a right! Sami goes to ropes but McIntyre CHOPS him again! The fans “WOO~!” as that chop echoes out! The fans rally for Sami but McIntyre grins. McIntyre whips but Sami KICKS him in return! Mcintyre comes back but Sami TOSSES him out! The fans fire up and Sami builds speed, but then Mcintyre moves so Sami Arabian Presses to land back inside. Sami smiles as he gets the better of McIntyre, and Raw goes to break.
Raw returns again and Sami is in the corner. McIntyre storms up to stomp away on him again! The ref backs McIntyre off but then McIntyre storms back up. McIntyre drag’s Sami up to the apron, and he suplexes Sami up and into the ring! Sami flounders to the ropes and the ref checks him. Sami says he’s still in this, so McIntyre drags Sami back up. But Sami CHOPS McIntyre! And CHOSP! And fires forearms! Sami whips, McIntyre reverses but Sami ducks ‘n’ dodges, only for McIntyre to tilt-o-whirl BACKBREAKER! Cover, TWO! Sami survives and McIntyre grows annoyed. The fans rally up but Sami writhes form all the damage.
McIntyre stalks Sami to the ropes, eggs him on, and then whips him to ropes. Sami ducks ‘n’ dodges again, and this time Sami tilt-o-whirls to DDT! Both men are down and the fans fire up! Sami and McIntyre both rise up, and McIntyre bails out. Sami storms up to ropes, grits his teeth, and he PLANCHAS! But McIntyre catches him! And then he aims for the desk! Sami fights free, and he DRIBBLES McIntyre off the desk! Sami backs off as the ring count climbs, but Sami goes back for McIntyre. McIntyre stops the step bump to SMACK Sami off the steps! McIntyre refreshes the ring count because he wants to do more damage!
McIntyre stalks Sami up the steps, then lifts him for an APRON BACKBREAKER!! Sami falls and writhes, and McIntyre has a manic look on his face as he watches Sami suffer, but Raw goes to break.
Raw returns once again and Mcintyre has Sami in the Inverted Alabama Lift! INVERTED ALABAMA- VICTORY ROLL! TWO!! McIntyre escapes and runs up, but Sami dodges! McIntyre POSTS himself! The fans fire up as McIntyre flops back, and Sami hurries to the corner! Sami climbs, but his back slows him down! McIntyre ROCKS Sami first! And then CHOPS him! McIntyre climbs up after Sami, fires some shots, then fireman’s carries Sami! SUPER WHITE NOISE! A shoutout to Sheamus and McIntyre covers, TWO!! The fans fire up while McIntyre grows frustrated. Sami stirs but McIntyre watches him closely.
The fans rally and McIntyre drags Sami back up. But Sami cradle counters! TWO! McIntyre GLASGOW KISS HEADBUTTS! Sami falls and McIntyre snarls. McIntyre goes to a corner, and he takes aim at Sami. Here comes the countdown! “THREE! TWO! ONE!” But Sami LARIATS McIntyre! And then a clinch, EXPLODER into the corner! Sami goes to the other side and the fans fire up! Sami aims as McIntyre rises, but that back tightens up. Sami fights through the pain, gets running, but CLAYMORE!! Cover, McIntyre wins!
Winner: Drew McIntyre, by pinfall
That was perhaps the closest Sami’s come, but he was still so far away from victory over McIntyre. 3-0 in 2024, 10-0 overall, and McIntyre stands over Sami to rub it in. Sami is already dazed, but McIntyre rains down fists! The fans boo, the ref reprimands, but McIntyre shoves the ref away to HAMMER Sami down! But here comes Jey, just like earlier tonight! Jey runs in, dodges again, and this time, SPEAR!! Jey has Mcintyre down, but now he goes up! But wait! TAMA TONGA SHOVES JEY OFF THE TOP!! Solo Sikoa & The Bloodline are here! McIntyre is just as surprised, but given the truce they called on Friday, McIntyre takes his leave.
The Bloodline beat down Sami & Jey, which McIntyre loves to see. Tama Tonga rains down fists on Main Event Jey in a corner, but the fans chant for “O T C! O T C!” Instead, Jacob Fatu gets running! But Jey dodges the hip attack! SUPERKICK for Tama! Jey fires haymakers on Jacob! “YEET! YEET! YEET!” Solo steps in to swing, but Jey dodges! Jey ROCKS Solo! Jacob SUPERKICKS Jey! The fans boo as the Samoan Werewolf gets all geeked up! Solo adds his SAMOAN SPIKE!! Solo throws off his jacket, sits Jey back up, but Sami gets in! Sami fires hands, but Tama TACKLES Sami! Tama beats Sami down and fans boo again.
Solo tells Tama to set Sami up, and Tama stomps Sami into the corner. Jacob runs in, to HIP ATTACK! Jacob isn’t done, he puts Sami in the drop zone to go up, up and BEST MOONSAULT EVER! The fans boo but Solo adds on another SAMOAN SPIKE!! Solo roars, then he and his Bloodline stand over the OGs. Jacob adorns Solo with the ula fala, will not even Roman Reigns be able to stop the “Undisputed” Tribal Chief? Will all of the WWE have no choice but to acknowledge Solo Sikoa?
My Thoughts:
A great Raw here to build both the last Raw of 2024 and the first Raw of 2025, aka the Netflix debut. Rollins had a very good interview promo to add just a little more to things, but I feel like there’s little left that they need to say. Very good stuff with Judgment Day, such as the classic “X, can you tell Y…” gag from Finn and Liv. Dom thinking their plan to screw Priest over would work is hilarious, as was how it all fell apart. Priest gets the win from disqualification, but then great save from the War Raiders. Good promo from Priest and War Raiders, love the reference to ROH by saying “honor” there, and that’s a solid Six Man Tag right there.
Fun little bit from Pearce with Pure Fusion Collective, and of course Sonya thought she’d get a second chance, and of course Pearce uses real logic to say no way. Iyo Sky replacing Kairi Sane was announced last week on social media, so I guess Sonya didn’t check between shows. Great Triple Threat from Iyo, Alba and Natty, and of course Iyo won or else why put her in there? Iyo VS Lyra next round will be great stuff, as will Dakota Kai VS Zoey Stark, and whatever combination we get for the title match is going to be great. I don’t think we’ll get DMG CTRL VS DMG CTRL, so if Dakota wins, Iyo loses, and then vice-versa.
Great stuff with American Made and Alpha Academy, but of course Tozawa takes the loss. Otis standing up to Gable & The Creeds was a great moment, and I really hope we get Gable VS Otis for the big Netflix debut. Win or lose, Otis should definitely have a moment where he rallies through Gable and both Creeds, really get the crowd hot before the finish. Miz VS Lumis was good but could’ve been better. With only two hours, I guess they had to trim things down to the basics. Another disqualification finish tonight is a bit much, but I guess it keeps things going until we can come up with some kind of new 8 Man Tag, or even a really wild Mixed 10 Person match so Nikki and Scarlett can get involved legally.
Great stuff with New Day, from their interaction with Dom, then their “interrupting” the show to try and get their point across. It was great to have Mama Kingston there, and I just knew she would be disappointed in Kofi. Good promo with Rey, too, as Rey now leaves New Day out in the cold. I feel like we need a big tag team match to not only have Heel New Day show their stuff against like LWO, Alpha Academy, etcetera, and then they earn their way to a match with the War Raiders to revisit their feud, just with flipped Heel and Face dynamics. That could be some really good stuff as Raw on Netflix paves the road to WrestleMania 41.
And great stuff with McIntyre and the extended Bloodline. He and Sami had a great promo to again bring up family and sacrifice, but also how Roman’s OG Bloodline came back together without Roman ever changing a thing. Great brawls, great saves by Jey, and of course McIntyre won the match. Jey will of course get next, probably also for the Netflix debut, but good stuff with Solo Sikoa and his Bloodline showing up. They beat down Jey & Sami to send a message to Roman, who was obviously not going to be here tonight. There will surely be a response in part on SmackDown, but maybe more verbal than physical.
I feel like the “Transfer Window” will need to put all Bloodline members, old and new, on one brand so the story can be told all on one show. It’d just be easier while Jimmy’s foot is healing, because what can Roman do without backup against Solo, Tama & Jacob? And honestly, still waiting on when and where Hikuleo is going to show up. This is a good time to bring him in with Tonga Loa also hurt, so Solo can get the numbers edge on Roman again.
My Score: 8.8/10
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The Road to the Tokyo Dome goes through KOPW!
As 2024 nears an end, Great-O-Khan defends the KOPW Championship one more time, against a former KOPW Champion in Taichi! Who will be THE 2024 King of Pro-Wrestling?
OFFICIAL RESULTS
- Kickoff – Chase Your Dream Match: Shoma Kato VS Hiromu Takahashi; Hiromu wins.
- Boltin Oleg VS Satoshi Kojima; Boltin wins.
- Triple Threat Tag: Jeff Cobb & Jakob Austin Young VS Ryohei Oiwa & Hartley Jackson VS Ren Narita & Yujiro Takahashi; Narita & Yujiro win.
- DOUKI & Taka Michinoku VS El Desperado & Master Wato; Desperado & Wato win.
- Fatal 4 Way: Kevin Knight VS Robbie Eagles VS Francesco Akira VS “Drilla” Dan Moloney; Eagles wins.
- Six Man Tag: Los Ingobernables de Japon VS Bullet Club War Dogs; LIJ wins.
- Shota Umino & Hiroshi Tanahashi VS Zack Sabre Jr. & Kosei Fujita; ZSJ & Fujita win.
- KOPW Championship Three Stages of Hell: Great-O-Khan VS Taichi; Khan wins and is the definitive 2024 KOPW Champion.
PLAY BY PLAY
After the Triple Threat Tag…
The House of Torture of course cheated to win, but they wouldn’t leave it at that! They waited until the United Empire and TMDK argued with each other to then attack them all! Yujiro Takahashi CLUBS Oiwa down while Narita shoves Cobb into big Hartley Jackson! And then Narita JAMS Cobb with the pushup bar! The fans boo but Narita JAMS Oiwa up, too! The Souled Out Son of Strong Style is so proud of himself as he holds up his NJPW World TV Championship, but wait. Christmas music starts playing? The fans clap along as surprise! Santa and his reindeer are here! Well, one reindeer. But shouldn’t the House of Torture be on the naughty list?
Santa Claus walks over, and he gets the mic. He sounds familiar as he tells, “Narita-san… You have a Christmas present waiting. Would you like it now?” Narita asks what the heck is going on. Santa steps into the ring and offers Narita the little tiny bag. Narita snatches the bag, then he and Yujiro look at it. The fans asks, “Nani nani? <What is it?>” Narita tells them to shut up. Narita gets the bag open and pulls out… Blue sunglasses! With LED lights! The fans cheer as the lights go down! “E! L! P!” EL PHANTASMO IS HERE! The Headbanga has been battling cancer, but he’s here in Korakuen Hall!
Narita is furious but ELP slides right into the ring! Narita & Yujiro run away, but the fans cheer ELP on as he stands side-by-side with Jado Claus. ELP gets the mic now, and the fans cheer him on. ELP takes a moment before saying, in Japanese, “Cancer. Cancer… I’ve beaten cancer! And I love Korakuen!” But ELP asks Jado-san how to say a certain something in Japanese. He whispers it, but then Narita & Yujiro attack! The fans boo these cowards, but then Narita says Merry Christmas! But ELP BOOTS him, ELBOWS Yujiro, then dodges Narita to SUDDEN DEATH! Jado Claus DECKS the Tokyo Pimp!
ELP again asks Jado, and Jado says on behalf of ELP, that ELP is going to wrestle tomorrow night! And… Then he’ll be at the Tokyo Dome! ELP grabs the NJPW World TV Championship! ELP looks it over, and looks to the crowd, and then to Jado, but then Jeff Cobb and Ryohei Oiwa get in the ring. Cobb asks if ELP’s good. ELP is good. Are they good? Then let’s turn it up a notch! FATAL 4 WAY for the TV Championship! Narita snatches his belt, gets out of the ring, and tells everyone to shut up! The odds just got stacked against the House of Torture, will the New Year have a NEW NJPW World TV Champion one way or another?
Shota Umino & Hiroshi Tanahashi VS Zack Sabre Jr. & Kosei Fujita!
Ahead of battling for THE IWGP World Heavyweight Championship, The Roughneck and The Front Man bring some back up! The Ace is also preparing to fight Evil, will he and Shota bring a Once in a Century Paradigm Shift? Or will ZSJ and the Japanese Young Punk prove The Mighty Don’t Kneel?
The teams sort out and Shota starts against ZSJ. The fans cheer this WrestleKingdom preview, and Korakuen duels between “SHOTA! SHOTA!” and “ZAKU! ZAKU!” ZSJ and Shota feel things out, then knuckle lock. ZSJ clinches but Shota fights back with his own clinch. ZSJ slips around to chinbar but Shota wrenches to a wristlock. ZSJ rolls, tries another chinbar but Shota cranks the wristlock. ZSJ bridges, spins, slips around and wrangles Shota! Shota kips up to WRING the arm, but ZSJ UP KICKS! The fans cheer as the two reset. Shota and ZSJ circle, feel things out, and knuckle lock. ZSJ then stands on Shota’s hand!
ZSJ has another hand and twists the wrist! Then he has both arms for a motorcycle stretch but Shota fights up. Shota turns things around, and he fights ZSJ as ZSJ tries to turn them back. ZSJ keeps trying, and he pushes through, but Shota spins things right back around! The fans cheer while Shota digs a foot into ZSJ’s back. ZSJ flips, kips up, spins things around, but Shota spins them back! The fans cheer, and Shota spins ZSJ. ZSJ dodges the lariat, Shota blocks a kick, but ZSJ ducks the enzigiri! Shota avoids the Penalty Kick and arm-drags ZSJ, but ZSJ headscissors! Shota kips free, avoids a leg pick, and the fans cheer!
Shota dares ZSJ to go for the leg but the two reset again. They feel things out, knuckle lock, and each man breaks free of one. They back off, and Shota tags in Tanahashi. The fans cheer, ZSJ tags in Fujita, and Korakuen strongly supports President Ace. Tanahashi and Fujita circle, tie up, and Tanahashi powers Fujita back. The ref counts, Tanahashi lets off slowly, but then Fujita turns things around! Tanahashi turns things around, and repeat! The ref counts, Fujita lets off slowly, but then both men block a kick! They argue over who lets go first, and eventually agree for a mutual break. They set the feet down, but then Fujita holds on!
Fujita CHOPS Tanahashi, then whips. Tanahashi reverses but Fujita ducks ‘n’ dodges to GAMANGIRI! The fans fire up and Fujita aims from a corner. Fujita runs corner to corner but Tanahashi BOOTS him! Shota CLOBBERS Fujita, then eggs ZSJ on! ZSJ runs up, Shota blocks a kick and he sends ZSJ into Tanahashi’s ELBOW! Shota CLOBBERS ZSJ and the fans fire up. Shota pursues ZSJ to the outside and CLUBS him down! Shota clamps onto ZSJ with a chinlock but the ref reprimands. Tanahashi CHOPS Fujita, but Fujita CHOPS Tanahashi! The fans fire up as Fujita storms back up, but he blocks a boot!
Fujita DRAGON SCREWS Tanahashi’s leg! Fujita kips up, ZSJ sends Shota into railing, and Fujita stomps Tanahashi. The fans rally and Fujita brings Tanahashi up to CHOP! Fujita eggs Tanahashi on, CHOPS him again, then CHOPS again! Tanahashi flounders and ZSJ tags in. ZSJ drags Tanahashi up to UPPERCUT! Tanahashi ends up in the TMDK corner, ZSJ UPPERCUTS him again! ZSJ says, “Mada mada!” and he UPPERCUTS again! Tanahashi falls, ZSJ tags in Fujita, and Fujita brings Tanahashi up. Fujita CHOPS again, and then CHOPS again! Tanahashi is stinging and using the ropes for defense while the fans rally up.
Tanahashi storms up but Fujita CHOPS! Tanahashi CHOPS, Fujita CHOPS! Tanahashi falls and Fujita BLASTS Shota! Tag to ZSJ and he grabs a leg. Fujita also grabs one, they drag Tanahashi to center, and then they both go after arms. Then they shift, ZSJ has an arm while Fujita has a leg! Then they both have legs again! Then ZSJ has a leg and Fujita has an arm! Then back to the arms! They both isolate the arms for DOUBLE STOMPS! The fans cheer, the ref reprimands and ZSJ “apologizes” with a bow. ZSJ stands on one of Tanahashi’s legs to then twist the other! Tanahashi endures, even as ZSJ TWEAKS the ankle!
ZSJ twists the foot the other way, flips Tanahashi over, and shifts around to have a headscissor and armlock! Shota stomps ZSJ but Fujita goes after Shota! Fujita TOSSES Shota, ZSJ tags Fujita back in. Fujita stomps Tanahashi, KICKS him in the back, but Tanahashi gets mad! Fujita KICKS Tanahashi but Tanahashi fires up! Fujita KICKS and CHOPS, but Tanahashi fires forearm after forearm! Fujita CHOPS again! Tanahashi grits his teeth but Fujita CHOPS again! And CHOPS again! SHOTEI! Fujita falls but so does Tanahashi! The fans rally up while both men crawl, hot tag to Shota! Shota rallies on Fujita with big forearms and elbows!
Shota whips, Fujita reverses, but Shota dropkicks the legs out! ZSJ runs up and RAMS Shota! Then ZSJ runs, but into Shota’s DROPKICK! The fans fire up and Shota goes to Fujita. Shota whips corner to corner, runs up, and UPPERCUTS! Shota reels Fujita in, FISHERMAN SUPLEX! Bridging cover, TWO! Not quite perfect but Shota doesn’t mind. Shota clinches but Fujita fights the suplex with elbows. Shota runs up, but Fujita wrenches, waistlocks, but Shota ELBOWS free! Shota whips, Fujita reverses and DROPKICKS! Both men are down and the fans fire up again! Fujita crawls, hot tag to ZSJ!
ZSJ runs up to BOOT Shota! Shota stays up so ZSJ runs to BOOT him again! And BOOT him again! Shota roars and ROCKS ZSJ! Shota runs to ROCK ZSJ again! ZSJ UPPERCUTS, Shota eggs him on, repeat! Shota UPPERCUTS and ZSJ roars! ZSJ UPPER- NO, Shota hooks the arm, but ZSJ wrenches out of the backslide to PELE the arm! Then ZSJ basement DROPKICKS Shota! The fans fire up while Shota clutches a leg and an arm. ZSJ kicks him around, scuffs him and taunts him. The fans rally, the ref checks Shota, but Shota is okay to continue. ZSJ stands Shota up to UPPERCUT! And UPPERCUT!
Shota clinches to EXPLODER! Both men are down and the fans rally again! Shota crawls, hot tag to Tanahashi! Fujita runs up, but Tanahashi blocks a kick to DRAGON SCREW! Payback for earlier! Tanahashi runs up at ZSJ in a corner, blocks a boot, and DRAGON SCREWS! Tanahashi put some stank on that one! Then he goes up the corner for a SUNSET SENTON! Cover, TWO! ZSJ stays in this but the fans continue to rally! “GO ACE! GO ACE!” echoes out as Tanahashi runs, but ZSJ catches him into a COBRA TWIST! Tanahashi endures, then throws elbows into ZSJ’s leg. Tanahashi gets free to DRAGON SCREW again!
ZSJ writhes, Tanahashi ties the legs up, but ZSJ kicks at him! Tanahashi blocks a kick to GROUND DRAGON SCREW! And now, TEXAS CLOVER- NO, ZSJ fights the turnover and reels Tanahashi into a TRIANGLE HOLD! Tanahashi endures and the fans rally up, but Shota gets in! Shota stomps away on ZSJ, but then Fujita MISSILE DROPKICKS Shota! Fujita brings Tanahashi up but Tanahashi SHOTEIS him down! ZSJ is after Tanahashi but he avoids the shotei! ZSJ SLAPS Tanahashi, then PENALTY KICKS! Cover, TWO!! Tanahashi survives but ZSJ gives him a NECK TWIST! The fans fire up as ZSJ stand Tanahashi up.
ZSJ scoops but Tanahashi fights that, to a TWIST ‘N’ SHOUT! The fans fire up but Tanahashi isn’t done! TWIST ‘N’ SHOUT! Tanahashi stands ZSJ up again, but ZSJ scoops to ZACK DRIVER!! Cover, ZSJ & Fujita win!
Winners: Zack Sabre Jr. & Kosei Fujita, by pinfall
Shota can’t believe The Ace fell, but this is why ZSJ is the IWGP World Heavyweight Champion! Will ZSJ do this all to Shota when they’re 1v1 in the Tokyo Dome? Or will Shota prove he’s mightier than The Mighty?
KOPW Championship Three Stages of Hell: Great-O-Khan VS Taichi!
The Dominator has, well, dominated as KOPW Champion for a long stretch of 2024, but the Holy Emperor did close out 2023 with this title. Granted, Taichi says that win, lose or draw, this is his final KOPW Championship match. As such, tonight’s stipulation is a sort of “Best Of” compilation as we go Best 2 Out of 3. Part one: a no ropes Sumo Rules match! Part two: Yoshinobu Kanemaru as special guest referee? Well, he would be a neutral party… And part three, if needed, will be a LAST MAN STANDING MATCH! Will Taichi “retire” from this truly freestyle division standing tall? Or will Khan truly conquer KOPW for the United Empire?
The introductions are made, the belt is raised, but Taichi also brings back the trophy for the occasion, and it’s time to end the year in style!
Sumo Rules!
Both men finish preparations with weight belts and some stretching. They square up, the ref says go and they RAM into each other! The fans rally as both men go for those weight belts to use as leverage. They go around, get very close to the ring edge, but then Khan moves things away. Khan THROWS Taichi, but Taichi stays on the ring so the sumo match continues. They reset and go again! Taichi pushes Khan back with both hands, but Khan digs in his heels! They clinch, go around, and Taichi goes for the edge! Khan pulls on Taichi’s leg to get around, but Taichi uses that to steer Khan to another edge! But Khan hits a fireman’s carry takeover!
Khan drags Taichi up but Taichi fights off the throw! They clinch and fight for control again. They each try to lift with the belt! Khan has Taichi near the edge, but then Taichi has Khan near the edge! Khan is teetering and the fans fire up! Taichi THROWS Khan to the floor, Taichi wins the fall!
Khan: 0; Taichi: 1
Special Guest Referee!
The fans are thunderous as Taichi takes the Sumo Rules fall, but now we go to a much more complicated situation. The ropes have to be put back up, sure, but now the Heel Master of all people is going to be the referee! The time it takes to set up the ropes is a reprieve for both sides, especially Khan as he has to catch his breath and refocus. Once the ropes are up, both men wait in the ring. All that is left is the buckle pads, and of course, Kanemaru himself. Kanemaru gets a proper introduction and entrance before he goes to the ring, and wow, he’s even wearing an official NJPW referee shirt with the lion mark on it.
Referee Kanemaru does his check and he even tells Taka Michinoku to watch himself. Kanemaru does a far less thorough check of Khan than Taichi! Did the Empire pay Kanemaru off?! Kanemaru has Taichi cool off, then whispers something to Khan! The bell rings, the fans rally for Khan, and Khan circles with Taichi. They tie up, Taichi powers Khan to ropes, and Kanemaru calls for a ropebreak. Then he has a fast count! Taichi lets off before 4 and argues with Kanemaru! Kanemaru says that’s his count, deal with it. Khan and Taichi reset, tie up, and Khan puts Taichi on ropes. Kanemaru pays more attention to Taka than Taichi!
The fans can’t help but laugh as Kanemaru finally does count, and now it’s really slow! Taichi protests, but Khan pulls Taichi’s arms. Then he CHOPS Taichi and stops at “3!” Khan then goes after Taichi, wrenches and wristlocks, and Kanemaru is asking if Taichi gives up!? Taichi tells him to shut up, but Khan kicks and CLUBS Taichi. Khan whips, Taichi BOOTS Khan down, then covers! Kanemaru strolls over to count! And it’s so slow! “TWO” and the fans cheer. Taichi is upset, but Khan rolls Taichi up! SO FAST!! TWO!! Taichi is getting pissed but Kanemaru backs away. Taichi stomps Khan, and Kanemaru’s untying a buckle pad?!
Taichi stomps Khan around, Khan leaves the pad there loosely, and Taichi whips. Khan reverses, and SURPRISE! bare buckles! Taka protests but Kanemaru SMACKS him with the pad! Khan plays dumb, and then he stands on Taichi’s lower back. Taichi has the ropes, but Kanemaru kicks the arm away! Khan has Taichi’s other arm, Taichi keeps grabbing for ropes but Kanemaru keeps kicking the hand away! Khan drags Taichi up, brings him around, and ROCKS him in the back! Taichi goes to a corner, Khan Mongolian Chops him on the back! And Mongolian Chops again! And Mongolian Chops again! Kanemaru doesn’t bother counting at all!
Taka protests, Kanemaru warns him, but then Khan hops up to sit on his throne! The fans cheer while Taichi endures, and only now does Kanemaru count! Khan asks hold on, hold on, so Kanemaru stops counting! Khan hops down, and then he puts Kanemaru up on the throne! Khan gets the fans to join in on the “Ohh…! HMPH!” Kanemaru isn’t into it so he hops down. Khan apologizes to Kanemaru, then he kicks Taichi around. Taichi gets up to fire hands! Khan kicks low, whips, but Taichi reverses to wrench and HOOK KICK! The fans fire up while both men are down. Taichi stands, and he drags Khan up into SEITEI JUJIHOU!
Kanemaru might be stuck, he can’t ignore Khan tapping. But then Kanemaru drags Khan over to the ropes! Taichi is frustrated with Kanemaru but Kanemaru says that’s a ropebreak. Taichi storms up on Kanemaru, but then Khan waistlocks! Ripcord and SAYANAGI! Both men are down again and the fans rally up! Taichi goes to a corner, Khan runs in, but Taichi dodges! GAMANGIRI! The fans fire up and Taichi snarls. Taichi TAKES OFF THE PANTS! The pants were a bit stubborn, but still. But then Kanemaru “checks” Khan just to stay between him and Taichi! Taichi says move or else! Kanemaru says he’s the ref!
Kanemaru kicks Taichi, CLAWS Taichi’s eyes, then traps his arms! Khan gets up to IRON RIGHT!! Kanemaru “scolds” Khan, then “checks” Taichi. Khan rests in a corner and Kanemaru drags Taichi up for him. Taichi CHOKES Kanemaru! Kanemaru kicks low! Kanemaru whips Taichi into a corner, ELBOWS him, then Khan LARIATS! Khan snapmares and covers, Kanemaru wants more first! Khan sits Taichi up for a BASEMENT DROPKICK! Now cover, TWO!! Taichi survives so Kanemaru hurries to get his whiskey! Khan takes a swig, and Kanemaru sets Taichi up! WHISKEY MIST into Kanemaru! Taichi hits the GEDO CLUTCH, but Kanemaru really can’t count now!
Taichi lets off of Khan since there was no count to be had. Taichi drags Kanemaru up, but Khan WHISKEY BOTTLE SHOTS Taichi! IRON CLAW!! Kanemaru calls for the bell? He just hands the win to Khan without counting, so now we’re all tied up!
Khan: 1; Taichi: 1
Kanemaru has fulfilled the contract, Khan gives him the envelope of money. Khan even makes sure we all see how many thousands that is! Kanemaru heads out, is he going to party hard for the holidays? But that aside, it is time for the final fall!
Last Man Standing!
Taichi gets the mic first, and tells Khan that if that’s how Khan wants to do it, then Taichi will get down and dirty with Khan! No lumberjacks, no special guests, just the straight up ten count, and it can happen anywhere in Korakuen Hall! Khan says bet! The announcement is made for the official rule change, and now we have the final fall! Khan rushes Taichi on the outside, then whips him into railing! And we’re already going into the crowd! Khan throws Taicihi at English commentary, but big Hartley is a solid wall for Chris. Khan then drags Taichi up into the bleachers, and the fans clear out of the way!
Khan CHOKES Taichi with a chair, then lets off to clear chairs out of the way. The Young Lions try to help but Khan gets mad at them and pushes them aside. Khan drags Taichi up, knees him low, and then reels him in! But Taichi fights the sayanagi! Taichi SHOVES Khan, Khan falls to the floor but gets up, only for Taichi to CROSSBODY! Down goes Khan and Red Shoes hurries over. Both men are down but Taichi sits up. The count starts and Khan is still down at 5 of 10! Khan hurries to get up, and Taichi stomps him down! Taichi drags Khan back up into the bleachers, but we go the other way.
Taicih KICKS Khan down, Young Lions keep the fans back again, and Taichi drags Khan along. They keep moving through the crowd, and Taichi shoves Khan into chairs! Khan sputters but Taichi drags him up again. Taichi KNEES Khan, then drags him up. They go back down to floor level, and then Taichi aims at chairs! Taichi whips but Khan reverses and he BOWLS Taichi into chairs! Not quite a strike but he got a good number of those chairs! Khan pops the railing loose from the special corner piece, and he brings that corner piece over! Khan SMACKS Taichi with the steel! Taichi staggers away but he sits in a chair.
Khan starts folding chairs to stack them on the floor. Khan then uses one chair as a leash to drag Taichi over! Khan CLUBS Taichi, adds that one chair to the pile, and then snap suplexes Taichi onto the chairs! Taichi writhes but Khan rises up. Khan roars and the fans fire up! The count begins again but Taichi slowly sits up at 4. Taichi rises up, and he stands at 8! Khan brings Taichi around in a headlock, and they go to the orange bleachers! Khan uses the gate to smother Taichi, then they go up to the higher level! The fans fire up but then fans have to move! Khan KNEES and CLUBS Taichi, then whips Taichi at the exit door!
Taichi tumbles into the hallway! Khan drags Taichi back into the arena and uses the HITSUJIGOROSHI against the chairs! Taichi endures as Khan chokes him, then Khan lets him go! Red Shoes checks on Taichi, Taka coaches him, but the count begins. Khan sits in a chair to relax while he waits. Taichi sits up at 7, and stands at 9! Khan storms up on Taichi to CLUB him on the back! Khan headlocks Taichi, brings him to the other section, and he gets up close to the fans for photo ops. Khan then whips, but Taichi reverses, and Khan is sent into the wall! Taichi leaves Khan behind while the count begins again.
Khan sits up so Taichi KICKS him back down! Taichi drags Khan up, KICKS him again, and Khan falls to his knees. Taichi drags Khan up by his ponytail, and he goes close to the stairs that lead to the back! Khan fights the suplex, and for his life, but then he turns things around! Taichi fights the suplex, throws hands, and then DDTS Khan to the floor! Red Shoes checks both men, then starts the count. Taichi shakes out his arms and sits up at 4. Taichi stands at 6 but Khan is still down at 8! Khan drags himself up at 9! Taichi CLUBS Khan down, then brings him back up. Taichi brings Khan back to ground level, then snapmares him hard for a KICK!
Khan is in agony but Taichi drags him back up. But Khan RAMS Taichi into the railing! Taichi sputters while also sitting in a chair. Khan staggers away to ringside, and he goes looking under the ring. Khan brings out a trolly cart? Khan JAMS Taichi up using his own mic stand, then leaves him behind. Khan brings out a TABLE! Fans rally up as Khan puts the table on the trolly, then he staggers over to Taichi. Khan CLUBS Taichi down, then SHOVES him onto the table trolly combo. Khan has fans clear out, and then he SNOW PLOWS the chairs with Taichi on the cart!! The fans fire up as Khan stands over Taichi.
Khan drags Taichi up, and he brings the table along, too. Khan kicks chairs out of the way as he returns to the upper deck! Khan SMACKS Taichi off the edge, then he clears out space. Khan sets the table up, then he goes up to fetch Taichi. Khan JAMS Taichi up with a chair, then SMACKS him! Taichi writhes, fans rally, and Khan drags Taichi up. Khan vows to end this! IRON CLAW, and ELIMI- NO! Taichi fights Khan off! Taichi stumbles away through the crowd, but then grabs himself a chair. Taichi runs up to JAM Khan right in the face! Taichi then steals Khan’s idea to choke grip and CHOKE SLAM down through the table!!!
Khan writhes and the fans go nuts! Taichi hobbles around while Red Shoes counts Khan. Khan is still down at 5! Still down at 7! 9! KHAN GRABS RED SHOES’S HAND!! Khan survives, and though he has a couple bloody cuts on his back, he crawls his way to the ring. Taichi eggs Khan on and the fans are thunderous! Khan drags himself into the ring, Taichi runs, AX BOMBER!! The fans fire up and the count returns! Khan is still down at 5, stirs at 6, sits up at 7, and he rises at 8! So Taichi just runs up to AX BOMBER!! Khan drops to his knees, flops over, but he’s already pushing himself back up! Taichi runs again, AX BOMBER!!
Khan staggers around but he stays on his feet! Taichi says fine, AX- SAYANAGI!! Khan turns things around, and he AX BOMBERS in return!! Both men are down and the fans rally as hard as they can! The count is on both men, and Khan crawls for ropes at 5! Taichi slowly sits up at 6, and both men go to corners at 7! Red Shoes waits on them to rise up, and then Taichi fires up! Taichi runs up, DOUBLE LARIATS collide! Neither man falls, so Taichi BOOTS! Khan BOOTS back! Taichi URAKENS! Khan MONGOLIAN CHOPS! Taichi SOBATS! Khan BODY BLOWS! Both men drop to knees, but they also grab at each other.
The fans rally as Khan and Taichi slowly rise. They are forehead to forehead, and then Taichi AX BOMBERS! Khan drops to his knees, Taichi BUZZSAWS, but Khan blocks it! Khan ROCKS Taichi with a right! And then Khan reels Taichi in, but Taichi Alabama Lifts! BLACK- NO, Khan fights into a GUILLOTINE! Taichi is stuck in the body scissors!! Taichi flails, even taps out, but that’s not how Last Man Standing works! Khan squeezes tighter and tighter, Taichi fades, and Red Shoes checks! Khan lets Taichi go and the count begins! Khan rises at 6, and Taichi is somehow up at 9!! So Khan clamps on an IRON CLAW!
Khan lifts Taichi, but Taichi slips free! Taichi shoves Khan and ROCKS him! DANGEROUS SAIDO!! But Khan is staggering to his feet?! Khan goes to a corner, flounders along ropes, but he isn’t down yet! The fans rally hard while both men fight to their feet! SUPERMAN PUNCH from Khan! PELE from Taichi! Both men are down again! Red Shoes starts the count on them both, and the fans rally even harder! Taichi is up at 7! Khan grabs Red Shoes at 9 again!! Taichi roars, Korakuen is with him, and he powers up! TENSHI JUJI- NO!! Khan blocks, and he hooks Taichi! Taichi CLUBS away on Khan, but Khan still lifts! ULTIMATE ELIMINATOR!!
Both men are down again and the fans rally as hard as they can! The count is on both men, and they’re both down at 5! At 7! 9! Khan pushes up, but he FLOPS back down!! DOUBLE TEN! IT’S A DRAW!! What does that mean for the belt!? Red Shoes goes out to talk with Abe-san, and then the announcement is made. In the end, with it being 1-1-1, a true draw, it all goes to KHAN!
Winner: Great-O-Khan, by pinfall (DEFINITIVE 2024 KOPW Champion)
Khan flips Taichi off, one last insult added on top. Khan is given the belt back, but Taichi grabs his trophy. Taichi steps up to Khan, and gives him the trophy, saying it is rightfully his now. Taichi shows Khan that respect, and Khan returns it with a handshake. Khan “retires” Taichi from KOPW, what will the Holy Emperor look to do in 2025?
As for Khan, he grabs the mic, and he asks Taichi to wait a moment. “You served this title for three years. We will honor your glory!” The fans applaud that, and Khan asks the previous champion to come closer. No, closer. The fans cheer Taichi on as he steps closer to ringside. Khan says Taichi served this title well, so here is his reward. Khan is giving the trophy back? Taichi says no, he gave that to Khan out of respect. Khan says to Taichi and to everyone to listen well. “We are the last KOPW Champion!” Everyone is a bit surprised to hear that.
Khan says, “As an alternative, on January 4th in the Tokyo Dome… as THE last KOPW Champion, We demand that the January 4th match determine the next IWGP World Heavyweight Championship challenger!” The fans are really intrigued by that idea! Khan throws down the belt, and Chris makes sure English speakers understand what Khan is suggesting. The New Japan Ranbo determining a #1 contender? Khan says that these are the words of the final KOPW Champion, The Great-O-Khan! “HAIL US, PEASANTS!” A New Year, a new era? Will Khan’s revolution bring glory to the United Empire?
My Thoughts:
A very good night for Road to Tokyo Dome, though I did skip a lot just because I didn’t have a lot of time today. But luckily I was skimming through, or I would’ve missed ELP’s great return. Congratulations on him beating cancer, and I like that they’re adding him to the NJPW World Television Championship match. It makes sense given ELP’s beef with the House of Torture, and honestly, why not just have ELP win? Not even so much for getting over cancer (though kind of that, too) but because fans love ELP and it’d help him solidify his singles run with Hikuleo long gone for WWE.
Really good stuff in the other tune-up matches, such as #DespeWado winning and the chaotic end to the Fatal 4 Way. Eagles won to help him and Fujita have momentum, but there is still more to the Road to Tokyo Dome first. Honestly that tag Fatal 4 could really go any which way they want so I’m not sure how the go-home math would even work. And Gedo of course took the loss against LIJ. Yota Tsuji is aiming for David Finlay and the IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship, but who knows how things go before we get to WrestleKingdom.
Very good tag match from Shota & Tanahashi VS ZSJ & Fujita, and it was technically a surprise for Tanahashi to take the loss. This works on many levels, as Tanahashi should be figuratively on the ropes going into his match with Evil, and this gives Fujita equal momentum alongside Eagles. And then great main event, Khan and Taichi really went the distance with this one. And it all makes sense after Khan reveals this is the end of the KOPW Division. Khan wants to make the New Japan Ranbo to basically be the Royal Rumble and that is pretty cool. I think they could keep the belt to represent that contender’s status the same as the G1 Climax having a briefcase, because that KOPW belt actually looks pretty nice.
My Score: 8.8/10
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