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Renee Young interviewed Roman Reigns about his strategy tonight. He said he's proven to the WWE fans that he can be knocked down but he can't be kept down. He recapped the last few weeks and said that he still gets up and tonight, he'll be the man that gets up.
WWE Divas champion Nikki Bella (with Brie Bella) vs. Naomi
Naomi had new music and entrance. She was wearing boots with glowing neon bottoms. How long before she and Cameron are teaming again?
They locked up and Naomi had a lot Nof aggression in trying to force Nikki into the ropes. Naomi was taken down to the mat and locked in an armbar. Naomi stomped her and nailed a suplex for a two count. Brie was working Nikki's corner like a babyface so apparently we all missed a turn.
Naomi continued control and locked in a chinlock. She slammed Nikki as Nikki got to her feet and covered the champion for another two count. Naomi cinched in a front facelock. Nikki tried to escape but was grabbed by her hair and then bulldogged into the buckles for another two count.
Naomi went for the Rear View but Nikki held onto the ropes to escape it. Nikki was still nailed and covered for another two count. Naomi began nailing a series of forearms. Nikki went to the floor. Brie checked on her but was kicked away by Naomi. Nikki was tossed back into the ring but was able to kick away Naomi as she went after her in the corner. Nikki nailed a dropkick and nailed an Alabama Slam of her own for a two count. This isn't really going anywhere.
Nikki missed a forearm but was caught with an inverted DDT for a two count. Naomi went the Hollywood Star Press (split-legged moonsault) but missed. Nikki went for the Rack Attack but Naomi slipped out and drilled Nikki for another two count.
Nikki scored an elbow and a kick in the face for a two count. This is probably going too long. Nikki went after Naomi who grabbed the ropes and the referee backed the champ away. Brie nailed Naomi with a kick as revenge or earlier. Nikki nailed the Rack Attack and scored the pin.
Your winner and still WWE Divas champion, Nikki Bella!
The entire thing was weird. Naomi just turned but Nikki was playing the heel champion in peril. Brie played babyface on the outside, then interfered. The work here was disjointed and I think the crowd wasn't sure who to cheer for, which led to a lot of dead air. They were given a lot of time and I think it was too much.
Backstage, Rusev was berating Lana. He dismissed her and sent her on an errand. She knocked on a door and it turned out it was The Authority's door. I'm guessing we are getting a Raw rematch.
Last Man Standing: Big Show vs. Roman Reigns
Big Show was large and in charge early, working over Reigns. The crowd was all over him with "You sold out" chants. Reigns came back with a clothesline over the top to the floor. Reigns went under the ring to retrieve a table and of course, Chicago loved that. Big Show wiped out Reigns and put the table back, which the crowd booed the hell out of. I thought that was pretty funny. Reigns shoved Show into the ring post set it up,
Show returned to his feet at the five count and slammed Reigns backward into the barricade. Show smashed the table with his fists. Reigns grabbed a Singapore Cane and began nailing Show but Show slammed him into the ring post. The story is that Show is this unstoppable monster but Reigns is putting up the big fight against the odds. Show destroyed the Cane and said he was a Giant, i.e. he doesn't need weapons. Reigns charged but was wiped out and was almost counted down but rolled out of the ring to get back on his feet. Show pulled him back up on the apron but was nailed.
Reigns grabbed a steel chair and drilled it across Show's back several times. Reigns nailed a DDT on the chair. Show returned to his feet at seven, using the ropes for leverage. Reigns pulled another table out, then another, placing both into the ring. Reigns was nailed with the KO punch. Show stood there proud of himself, feeling this was the end but Reigns used the ropes to pull himself up at the nine count.
Show grabbed one of the tables and set it up in the ring. Show called for a chokeslam but Reigns escaped and slammed Show's head into it. Reigns nailed a Samoan Drop through the table, smashing it. The referee began counting both men down. Roman got up at seven and Show rolled out of the ring in order to land on his feet just after eight.
Reigns set up a table in one of the corners but was nailed by Big Show spear. Reigns returned to his feet at eight. Show nailed him and went for a Vader Bomb, squashing Reigns as he came down off the buckles. Reigns returned to his feet. Show went to the top but Reigns crotched him. Show screamed in pain at that one. Reigns went back to the floor for, you guessed it, another table. He set it up, then placed another one next to it.
Reigns went to the top and teased a superplex off the top through the tables on the floor. Show sent him into the ring. Reigns rebounded and went after Show and tossed him into the ring from the top. Both men were down so the referee began the count. They returned to their feet and Reigned cocked, loaded and drilled the Superman Punch Reigns nailed a second, and then went for a third, only to be caught and chokeslammed over the top through the tables to the floor.
The referee began counting Reigns down. Roman got up at the nine count. I thought that was the finish.
Show began re-arranging furniture at ringside by the announcers. Reigns returned to the ring, exhausted, but ducked as Show charged (after Show had mocked Reigns' mannerisms, letting Show put himself through a table. They were each almost counted down but returned to their feet. Reigns speared Show. Show got to the floor outside to return to his feet.
Reigns charged around the ring and speared Show through the barricade on the floor, crashing into the timekeeper's area. Both men were down as the referee counted them out. They each returned to their feet just in time. Reigns got on the announcer's table but Show grabbed him by the throat and climbed onto the table for a chokeslam. Reigns escaped and landed on the floor, then charged and leapt off the ring steps (which were now next to the tables) and speared Show off one table and through the Spanish Announce Table. Show returned to his feet at nine.
Reigns flipped the other announce table over so it landed on top of Show and stood atop of it, trapping Show under the rubble. Show was counted out.
Your winner, Roman Reigns!
I thought they worked really, really hard here but the finish was exactly the same thing that ended the John Cena vs. Bray Wyatt Last Man Standing Match and if they wanted Roman to "arrive" as Michael Cole claimed that he had, it should have been a good, definitive ending. I wll say that the false finish with Reigns being chokeslammed through the two tables to the floor should have been the ending in my mind. That would have been a great way to have Reigns "go down fighting" and give him some sympathy and he continues his quest for another shot at the WWE World Heavyweight championship. Sometimes, the best way to go forward is to go backward. So, while I didn't like the finish (it's something we've seen far too recently, and was therefore repetitive), I praise the work of the guys involved here.
Backstage, Kane encountered Randy Orton. Orton said they've known each other for a decade and they are too of the most dangerous men in WWE. Orton said that Kane put aside his mask and went corporate but he knows as well as anyone that when The Authority are done with him, they will throw Kane away like garbage. Orton said he knows who Kane is, even "you have forgotten."
The announcers were pushing the Tough Enough when Bo Dallas came out on stage. Dallas said there was a sign at his hotel that welcomed him to the "Second City, Chicago." He said it didn't make sense to him because Chicago is number one at...not taking showers, at refusing to being inspired. He said the fans shouldn't be concerned with Extreme Rules but with following the rules. The crowd was all over him so he asked them to "kindly shut their mouths." He told them they need to Bo-Lieve, but out came Ryback. Dallas attacked Ryback as he entered the ring. He repeated his catch phrase but was caught with a spinebuster and the Meathook. Ryback nailed the Shellshock. Nothing really to this. I'm guessing it was designed to allow WWE to clean up ringside before the main event.
Byron Saxton interviewed Rusev. Rusev said Cena never beat him and is a coward. Lana showed up and told Rusev that they will have one final match at Payback, an I Quit Match. Rusev promised that Cena was going to quit.
WWE World Heavyweight champion Seth Rollins vs. Randy Orton: Steel Cage Match, RKO is Banned, Kane is The GateKeeper
No J&J Security when Rollins came out.
They circled each other at the bell but Rollins then tried to scramble up the cage but failed. Orton worked him over but Rollins came back to nail a series of kicks in the corner. He whipped Orton into the buckles but Orton came charging out with a big clothesline. Rollins tried to escape but was pulled back into the ring.
Orton worked over Rollins and whipped him with authority into the buckles, sending him upside down. Randy stomped Seth and catapulted him into the buckles but Seth landed and tried to climb out. Randy nailed him and drilled him with punches in the corner. Rollins, underneath, grabbed Orton and nailed a bucklebomb for a two count.
Rollins ordered Kane to open the door. Kane obliged but Orton cut him off. Seth rolled him up for a two count. Rollins maintained control and sent Orton into the cage several times. With Orton down, Rollins climbed to the top of the cage, only for Orton to meet him and bring him back down. Orton sent Rollins into the ropes but was caught and slammed down as Rollins rebounded.
Rollins nailed a forearm in the corner. Pretty standard so far. Orton mounts a comeback and they battle back and forth inside the cage. The crowd is getting behind the Orton comeback. Rollins is sent into the cage and then clotheslined. Orton went for the powerslam but Rollins nailed him and climbed to the top. Orton caught him and they battled on the top rope, kicking and punching each other. Orton was slammed into the cage and crashed into the ring. Rollins came off the ropes with a knee to head for a two count.
Orton caught Rollins on the top and they sat atop the cage wall, exchanging blows. Orton pulled himself down to the top rope and brought Rollins in with him. Orton was kicked into the ring. Rollins dove off the ropes but was caught with a powerslam in mid-air for a two count. Rollins rolled up Orton for a two count, then kicked him in the jaw for another near fall.
The crowd began dueling chants for Rollins. The champion climbed to the top and made his way across to the outside. Randy caught him to prevent him from climbing down just as J&J Security ran out hoping to help. Their arrival came too late, however, as Orton nailed a superplex off the top of the cage. That was impressive, but it only scored a two count.
J&J Security told Kane "it was time, so let's do it" but Kane stood there stoically and told them to get away Mercury and Noble began scaling the cage but Orton ran Seth into the cage to shake them off. Orton smiled as he continued to work over Rollins and set him up for the hanging DDT. Rollins was able to pull Orton, smashing him into the cage. Seth tried to climb back up, but was exhausted. Orton nailed him and Rollins was crotched on the top rope.
Orton went to the cage door and looked at Kane but didn't trust he would open the door. He went back to Rollins and DDT'd him off the top rope. The announcers noted this was normally where Randy would for an RKO but instead, Orton nailed a Pedigree, sending HHH a message, but Rollins kicked up at the last second. Orton set up for the punt kick but missed. Rollins drilled Orton with a kick out of desperation.
Rollins called for the door to be opened. Kane opened it. He made it to the door but Orton caught him and nailed his backbreaker variation. Orton went to walk out the door but Kane closed it. Rollins went to dropkick Orton, who moved and the door slammed into Kane, laying him out. Rollins tried to escape but Orton caught him and they fought to see who would get out first. Kane slammed the door on both of them.
Kane had enough and took off his jacket. He entered the ring as J&J Security tried to stop him but they each ate a chokeslam for their troubles. Kane teased a chokeslam on Rollins, which the crowd went nuts for but he instead chokeslammed Orton. Rollins crawled out of the cage but was pulled back in...by Kane. Kane chokeslammed Rollins. I guess we'll be seeing some Kane masks very soon. Kane put Rollins on top but Orton kicked out.
Kane was leaving but stopped when he realized Orton kicked out. Kane went for a powerslam but Orton slipped out and nailed a RKO on Kane. Rollins then nailed a RKO on Orton and scrambled out of the cage.
Your winner and still WWE World Heavyweight champion, Seth Rollins!
OK main event with some of the story twists that have become commonplace within the Authority of late. The work here was fine but not an awesome, must see main event. I am guessing the twist with Rollins using the RKO will be that Rollins boasts the move was only banned "for Randy."
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