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WWE Smackdown Women's Champion Bayley (with Sasha Banks) vs. Nikki Cross (with Alexa Bliss)
Bayley's heel persona is awesome. They locked up and Bayley arrogantly shook off Cross' attempts. The story was that Cross was trying to overcome her doubts and that Bliss believed in her. Cross shocked her with a neckbreaker for a surprise two count early on. She nailed a bodypress off the ropes for a two count, then hit a second one. Another near fall.
They went to the floor, where Cross was sent into the apron, then the plexiglass barricade. That camera shot looked great. Bayley brought her back into the ring and scored a two count following an elbowdrop. Bayley worked over the challenger for a long time, including trapping her inside the ring skirt to beat her with right hands. She went for a Bayley to Belly but Cross fought her way out of it and locked on a crossface. She slipped out and nailed the Bayley to Belly. Cross kicked up, which should ha.ve been treated like a bigger moment than it was, in my opinion.
Bayley stomped her and regained control, placing Cross on the top. She went for a superplex and nailed it. Cross rolled her up for a two count. Bayley nailed her with a knee. They went to the floor. Bayley tried to hit a sliding kick through the corner but was caught and spun into the ring post. Bayley was brought back into the ring for an inverted DDT, scoring a two count. Cross rebounded off the ropes and nailed a flying forearm. Cross nailed a running clothesline and ascended to the top rope.
Cross came off the top but Bayley moved out of the way. Bayley was caught with a ripcord neckbreaker for another two count. Cross scored several near falls but Bayley kept kicking up. Cross went to the buckles again but Bayley cut her off. Bayley kept working her over but missed a charge in the corner and throttled herself into buckles. Cross hung her off the apron and turned it into a neckbreaker to the floor. Cross brought her back to the ring and scored a two count with a big clothesline.
Banks handed Sasha her rings that read BOSS and Bayley drilled Cross with it, then scored the pin.
Your winner and still WWE Smackdown Women's Champion, Bayley!
This was an old school underdog babyface vs. arrogant champion story and they hit all the points you would expect. It seemed there were moments where time stood still for a second or two but overall, it was OK. Bayley is obviously in the zone as a heel champ.
We go an episode of the Firefly Funhouse with Bray Wyatt dressed like an old horror movie host. What, they couldn't book Svengoolie? He said he was going to show us the most disgusting, scary footage ever. They showed the Smackdown Karaoke for a moment. He then said it was going to be the footage of the Swamp Fight when his monster, Braun Strowman, comes home.
They announced the WWE United States title bout would not take place as Apollo Crews did not pass a pre-match physical due to an injury suffered against MVP. They are saying Lashley putting him in a full nelson last month led to a bulging disc, even though he was willing to compete.
MVP and Bobby Lashley came to the ring. MVP said that was a lesson to anyone foolish enough to step into the ring with Lashley. MVP said he and Lashley have an issue they have to come to terms with. Lashley can't do the full nelson so hard that it hurts MVP's career. They both laughed about it. MVP declared himself the new Champion via forfeit. It was played up as MVP making the claim more than an official title change.
Pretty lame they were just promoting the title bout during the Kickoff match.
EYE FOR AN EYE MATCH: Seth Rollins vs. Rey Mysterio
Seth Rollins pulled pliers out of his ring jacket. Well, that's one way to pluck an eyeball!
Rey snuck in and attacked Seth from behind with a dropkick. No Dominick with him. Rollins went right after the healthy eye of Misterio, ripping at it through the mask. Rey had the brightest yellow outfit EVER. Rey nailed a rana into the buckles and grabbed the plyers. Seth tried to escape. Rey pulled a tool box from under the ring and grabbed a piece of rebar, but Rollins nailed him with a kendo stick.
Rey went for a standing moonsault off the ropes but was caught and bounced back to the outside. Rey drilled him and set up for the 619 but Rollins kicked him off and tried to run Rey into the corner. Rey elbowed him to escape. Rey went for a rana to the floor but Rollins held onto him and nailed a Falcon Arrow on the outside of the ring apron. That was a crazy spot.
Rollins tore at Rey's left eye. He yelled, "I'm gonna get that eye!" Rollins swung at Rey with the rebar but Mysterio ducked and he nailed the ring post. He followed up and nailed Rey in the mid-section. He grabbed Rey and tried to force his face into the corner of the ring steps. Rey nailed a low blow to escape but was shoved backwards into the ring barricade.
Rey was tossed back in the ring. Seth tried to grind the kendo stick into Rey (think Magnum TA vs. Tully Blanchard at Starrcade '85) but Rey fought him off. Rollins tossed him to the floor and grabbed a chair. He tried to force the leg of the chair into Rey's face. Rey fought him back and grabbed the chair, drilling Seth in the mid-section. Rollins kicked him off and grabbed a spike out of the tool box. Who owns this box? Kevin Sullivan? Rey avoided and sent Seth into the corner of the announcers' table.
Now it was Rey going for Seth's eye with the chair. He dug into the tool box but that allowed Rollins to smack him across the back with the chair. Rollins grabbed tag ropes from the box and began tying Rey's arms to the bottom rope. He trapped one arm but Rey fought back and used a head scissor with his leg to send Rollins into the ring post. Rey freed himself.
Seth cut Rey off and drilled him with the Kendo stick. He placed the stick on the corner and wanted to run Rey into it but Rey saved himself and nailed a seated senton off the ropes. He ascended to the top turnbuckle and nailed the frog splash. Rey kicked at Rollins' eye. Rey went for a Code Red but Rollins caught him and flipped him up into a flapjack variation. Mysterio came back to block a move and nailed a tornado DDT off the ropes. Rey went for the Kendo stick but Seth nailed him. He grabbed Rey in an Electric Chair position but Rey throttled him in the face with the stick and nailed two sunset flip powerbombs into the barricade.
Rey broke the Kendo stick over his knee and dug it into Seth's eye. Rollins covered his face and rolled around on the mat, shoving away the referee. He nailed Seth with a 619. Seth went to the floor. Rey went for him but Rollins grabbed him and tried to force his face into the corner of the ring steps. Rey pushed back and stomped on Seth. Rey grabbed Seth and forced his eye into the corner of the ring post. Rollins kicked him low. Rollins recovered and superkicked Rey, who was leaning against the barricade, in the face.
Rollins nailed the stomp on the floor. He told Rey that he did this to himself and tried to bring him back to the ring steps. Rey desperately tried to save himself but Rollins overpowered him and ground the same bad eye into the ring step. Mysterio screamed in pain, black out, and then began screaming for help. The announcers said the eye was out but thankfully we didn't have to see it. Dominick and several officials ran out to help Rey to the back as he screamed.
Rollins stood there looking around, almost puzzled, as the crowd booed and chanted for Rey.
An entertaining brawl even if the stipulation was obviously over the top ridiculous in nature - but that's what they wanted to sell, a spectacle. The finish was pretty lame. I joked in the Tip Sheet they should call Lucasfilm for some CGI and I wish they had! Rollins and Rey really worked hard though. I could have done without the Seth vomit.
Kayla Braxton interviewed Bayley. She said she was a huge fan of Rey Mysterio growing up. She said that she wanted to tell him that he wasn't seeing double vision because she's still Bayley Dos Belts. That was funny. She introduced Sasha Banks. Bayley cut a great self-serving promo about how great they were. Banks promised she was about to become Two Belt Banks.
Coverage continues on Page 3!
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