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After a commercial, WWE World Heayweight champion Roman Reigns came to the ring. The crowd was pretty merciless. He said he's not a good guy, he's not a bad guy, he's the guy. He said AJ Styles is a tough guy, a great technical wrestler and a world traveled veteran. He said that all these things make his phenomenal. He said that Styles is going to try and out wrestle him but at Payback, it's not going to work because Roman is bringing the big fight. He said he's going to bring the big guns and the era of The Roman Empire is here to stay. The crowd was mocking him when AJ Styles' theme music hit and Styles made his way to the ring.
Styles said Roman has power and is aggressive, so Styles is going to have to have the match of his life to defeat Roman. But, he said having the match of his life is what he does. It's why WWE came calling and it's going to make him champion. The crowd chanted, "Yes!" Roman said he felt everything Styles said because he had the match of his life at Wrestlemania when he beat Triple H. London did not agree. Roman said the entire world likes AJ and he digs that but the world isn't going to like when he beats AJ. Roman said they will respect him. He'd rather be respected with the championship instead of being liked without it. Styles said he'd rather be liked and respected as the champion. Styles' music hit and he headed out.
As Reigns watched Styles leave, Gallows and Anderson hit the ring from the crowd and laid out Reigns. Styles had a serious look on his face and it wasn't clear he approved.
When they returned from commercial, they replayed the incident. Roman was walking in the back. He got his ass kicked and the crowd still booed him. Roman was about to be interviewed about what happened when Styles walked in and said, "I didn't know that was going to happen. I swear to God." Roman said he knows the history and last week, they jumped his cousins and now tonight, it's him. He asked AJ to change his story. Styles said they were his boys but he doesn't need his friends to beat Roman for the belt. Roman told him to bring all his friends. "One vs. All."
The Styles-Reigns story is already more interesting than HHH vs. Roman EVER was. Some nice promos and a good sense of mystery here. That means they are building anticipation, which is what the game is. I like it.
Baron Corbin vs. Fandango.
Dolph Ziggler is at ringside doing commentary.
Corbin backed Fandango in the corner but missed a right hand. Fandango unloaded with strikes but his whip into the opposite corner was reversed. Corbin drilled him with a big forearm and sent Fandango to the floor. Corbin followed and sent him into the ringpost. He tossed Fandango over the announcers' table into Ziggler. He kneed Ziggler in the mid-section and tossed Fandango back in the ring. Corbin nailed End of Days and pinned him.
Your winner, Baron Corbin!
Good squash.
Ziggler hit the ring but was immediately cut him off. Corbin nailed him with the End of Days on the floor and stalked off. Looks like they will face off at Payback.
Backstage, Miz and Maryse were on their way to the ring. There was a spilled soda on the floor. She made a random guy in the hallway take off his jacket and place it over the spill before they would continue their way to the ring. MizTV is next!
MizTV time. Maryse introduced Miz. He ripped on the UK fans. Cesaro came out as guest. He had quite the fetching suit. Miz knocked him for thinking he was the IC contender and the Swiss Superman. Miz did a bunch of Liam Neeson lines about having a special skill set. This led to Cesaro whipping out the legendary Roddy Piper's line from "They Live" about being all out of bubble gum and kicking ass. I have to tell you, I popped for that. They faced off. The League of Nations came out. Cesaro said he would face them with his partners and revealed he had a New Day shirt on underneath.
WWE Tag Team champions The New Day & Cesaro vs. The League of Nations & WWE Intercontinental champion The Miz
The League worked over Kofi, who kept kicking out. Kofi nailed a double stomp on Del Rio as Alberto charged. New Day took control on Del Rio, working with Cesaro to keep him off balance in their corner. Sheamus was able to tag in and cleaned house on Xavier. Now it was the League who was working on him . Rusev tagged in and tagged him with kicks. They beat on Woods on the floor as they went to commercial.
When they returned, ADR trapped Woods in an armbar on the ropes. Miz tagged in and worked on Woods, who finally backdropped him. He went to make a tag but the League took out Big E, Cesaro and Kofi. Rusev splashed Woods in the corner. Cesaro finally made the tag and cleaned house with uppercuts for all. He set up for the big swing on Cesaro but was kicked in the face. Sheamus nailed a spinebuster but New Day broke up the pinfall. Everyone began hitting finishers in rapid fashion. It ended with Cesaro nailing the Neutralizer and scoring the pin on Sheamus.
Your winners, New Day & Cesaro!
Not a bad match at all. Some decent action.
Backstage, Mauro Ranallo interviewed Women's champion Charlotte and Ric Flair. She knocked Mauro's line of questioning and said she was the champ and no one else matched up to her. Natalya showed up and said she was getting a title match at Payback. Charlotte said it was going to end the same way it always does, with Natalya losing. Natalya said she was bringing someone with her at Payback, WWE Hall of Famer Bret Hart.
The announcers talk about today's announcement of Total Bellas coming this Fall.
Natalya & Sasha Banks & Becky Lynch & Paige vs. Women's champion Charlotte & Team Bad & Summer Rae.
Team Paige worked over Naomi early with double team maneuvers and a big high knee from Paige. Paige nailed a Fall Away Slam. She nailed a flip off the apron to the floor on Naomi and Tamina. Charlotte tried to get involved but Becky took her out. They went to commercial. When they returned, Tamina was trashing Becky as the crowd chanted for her. Team Charlotte worked over Lynch. Tamina cinched in a side chinlock. Naomi nailed a dropkick in the corner and grinded her down with a side chinlock. Lynch sidestepped her, sending Naomi to the floor.
Lynch fought to make a tag but was caught and pulled away. Lynch kicked her away and finally tagged Natalya. Natayla snapped Rae with a Side Russian Legsweep. She nailed a slingshot suplex and a dropkick to the face but was cut off with a spinning heel kick. Charlotte tagged in but was caught by Natayla. Everyone brawled, Charlotte went for the Figure-8 but Charlotte was turned around into a Sharpshooter and the champion tapped out.
Your winnes, Natalya & Sasha Banks & Paige & Becky Lynch!
Solid match. The finish made sense to set up the PPV.
They showed Styles talking to Anderson and Gallows in the back.
Another vignette to showcase Primo and Epico.
WWE Tag Team championship contender's tournament: The Usos vs. The Vaudevillains
Jey Uso's shoulder was taped up from the attack last week from Gallows and Anderson.
Simon Gotch started with Jimmy Uso. He had control and tagged out to Aiden English. Jey Uso tagged in and drilled English with a superkick for a two count. Jimmy went for a sliding kick outside but was taken out by Gotch. Jey nailed a dive but hurt his shoulder. English slammed the bad shoulder into the ringpost. Gotch and English nailed the Whirling Derbish to score the pin.
Your winners, the Vaudevillains!
Solid match. It felt more like an introduction to the Vaudevillains more than anything else.
It will be Enzo and Cass vs. Vaudevillains to earn a title shot at Payback.
They aired a feature on Apollo Crews. It was shortened version of what was a great NXT profile.
Apollo Crews vs. Heath Slater
No reference to Adam Rose at all. The story was that they invited Crews to join the Social Outcasts if he lost. It was all power early for Crew, holding a long vertical delayed suplex. Slater cut him off and cinched in a side chinlock, drilling knees into Crews' back. Crew fought his way out and used a series of rights and a big elbow. Crews was sent to the apron, where he nailed Slater then hit a moonsault off onto the other members of the Outcasts. I saw a Taz Show sign in the front row, Someone in London has good taste. Crews came back and nailed the sit-out powerbomb for the pin.
Your winner, Apollo Crews!
Solid showcase for Crews.
As Crew was leaving, Kevin Owens' music hit and he made his way to the ring.
Kevin Owens vs. Dean Ambrose
They brawled back and forth. Owens cinched in a rear chinlock. Ambrose knocked Owens to the floor and nailed a dive to the floor. Ambrose was sent over the announcers' table. They brawled around the table with Ambrose getting the better of the exchange as they went to commercial.
Ambrose nailed a bulldog as they returned from commercial. Owens came back with a chinlock. Ambrose made a comeback and drilled Owens with several right hands. Owens sent him to the floor and nailed a frog splash off the apron to the floor. Ouch. The referee began counting out Ambrose who made his way back to the ring. Owens and Ambrose brawled. Owens went for a superplex but Ambrose fought him off. Owens went to the floor but returned. Ambrose nailed the rebound lariat for a two count. Owens went to the top but was caught and superplexed into the ring.
Owens went for the Popup powerbomb but Ambrose turned it into a rana. Owens caught him with a superkick. Owens went to the top but Ambrose nailed him. Owens caught him with a fisherman's buster off the ropes. Ambrose missed a cannonball and Ambrose scored the pin.
Your winner, Dean Ambrose!
Decent main event.
Chris Jericho hit the ring and nailed a Codebreaker on Ambrose. Jericho glared down at him as Raw went off the air.
That's it folks!
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