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On the pre-game show, R-Truth beat King Barrett. It shouldn’t shock anyone. King Barrett loses to a lot of people.
The big story from the pre-game was the passing of the Great Dusty Rhodes. The video they showed was so damn touching. Little did I know that the open of the show, with all of the company’s stars, plus Vince McMahon himself, standing on the stage, would be so much more powerful. Like I said on Twitter, if you are a fan and watched that open and it didn’t hit your heart like a sledgehammer, well you are just a lot different than me. Wow, that was wonderful and sad, all at the same time.
The show is opening with the MITB ladder match.
I am guessing you all know the participants. I am still kind of recovering from the open. Early on, guys were going full tilt. On thing standing out is Roman is still getting booed. He shouldn’t win yet. Make him keep being the fighter, it will get over down the line. … The first major spot was Roman hitting a powerbomb on Kofi on a ladder prone over the bottom rope. Then he powerbombed Neville onto the prone Kofi, who was still on the ladder. Roman went for the briefcase, but Kane stopped him by hitting a chokeslam off of the ladder. He went for the briefcase but Randy Orton stopped him with a RKO. Orton then hit one on Kofi. Neville jumped over Randy but Randy hot the RKO out of nowhere on Neville while he was on the ladder. As Orton went up, Sheamus came in and they fought. … Sheamus got rid of Orton and the Ziggler came in and they fought on the ladder, trying to get the case. Ziggler, in Ohio, was over. Sheamus went for White Noise on the ladder but Dolph turned it into a sleeper. They both hit the canvas. Neville hit Red Arrow out of nowhere on Sheamus as the crowd chanted for NXT! … Neville and Dolph set up the ladder. Up they went. At the top, they slugged it out. Neville knocked off Ziggler but Kane came in and stopped him from getting the case before he could chokeslam Neville. Dolph and Neville worked together with a ladder on Kane but he used it against them. Reigns hit the big punch on Kane but there was no ladder. Reigns did a crazy jump splash over the top to the floor on everyone. At that point the rest of the New Day came out. The put Kofi in the ring and gave him a ladder. As he set up, they blocked the ring. But Roman hit them with a dropkick out of nowhere. He grabbed Kofi, but kept getting fought off, until he powerbombed him into the people on the floor. Randy Orton came in and Reigns hit the Spear. As he went up the ladder, Bray Wyatt came in and knocked him off of the ladder and his Sister Abigail. Then, my feed went out. I booted up my iPad and all I know is somehow Sheamus won. … So they made, IMO, the right call and not having Roman win it. Let the people get behind him getting close and “earning itâ€. On the replay, Sheamus beat Neville up the ladder. … Overall, great action and a great way to start the show.
Paige did a good promo saying that tonight she would create change for the Divas division. She said she would do it for Dusty. The champ, Nikki Bella came out first, by herself. Paige came out next. The WWE Divas Title match is next.
Early on, Paige was in control and the announcers were selling how Paige said the Divas division needs change. I can only hope. After that, Nikki went to work on Paige. … They showed the other Divas in the back, watching. Natalya heeled Nikki. … Nikki then worked over Paige for a while. They sold how she has had the title for so long. It was Nikki dominating. … Paige finally came back and got a submission but Nikki made the ropes. They showed the Divas in the back. After some back and forth, Paige hit the Rampaige but only got a two. Nikki went to the floor, where the Bellas did Twin Magic. Brie tried to roll up Paige but Paige rolled through. She got the pin. But then Brie got up and pulled tissue out of her top. She pointed to her crotch tats. Point being, she wasn’t Nikki. Nikki then came from behind and hit the Can Slam and go the pin, so the ref that counted the first pin counted the second one. Nope, he didn’t DQ Brie. It was insipid. Ridiculous. From a work standpoint, they did a solid job. The finish blew chunks.
Miz did a promo and went to ringside to help call the IC Title match betwen Ryback-Big Show, which is next.
Click to page 2 for more thoughts on tonight's show.
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