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DREW & INDUS SHER VS. BOLLYWOOD BOYS & JINDER & MORE: COMPLETE WWE SUPERSTAR SPECTACLE COVERAGE

Welcome to PWInsider.com's ongoing coverage of WWE Superstar Spectacle! 

For those of you in India, Happy Republic Day!   For those who aren't aware, today is the anniversary of the day India's Constitution was officially went into effect back in 1950.

The show opened with Michael Cole welcoming everyone to the Thunderdome.

They went to an excellent video package showing the past connection of WWE and its talents to India before spotlighting all of the new stars of this generation, playing up the importance of India to WWE.

Your announcers are Michael Cole, Corey Graves and Sharoz Ali.

WWE NXT Champion Finn Balor vs. Guru Raaj.

They aired a video feature introducing Raaj.    They noted Raaj almost died at 4 years old in an accident under a tractor and then was almost killled by a stampeding cow while riding a bike. 

They lock up and go back and forth before having a standoff.  Balor shoulderblocked Raaj down.   He cinched in a side headlock.  Raaj caught him with a dropkick.  They noted Raaj wants to build a home with air conditioning for his parents.  Raaj worked over Balor with a side headlock of his own.  Balor tried to escape but was brought back to the mat.  Balor finally escaped and nailed a dropkick to the face.

Raaj fired back with chops and a back elbow, then a senton for a two count.   Balor nailed him as Raaj charged him in the corner and worked him over.  Balor measured him with some hard chops.   Balor nailed him with the Sling Blade.  Balor charged but was nailed with an enziguiri for a two count.  Raaj nailed a series of kicks to the legs before nailing a kick to the head.  

Raaj hit a flying bodypress for a two count.   Balor nailed an inverted DDT and hit a big dropick in the corner.  Balor went to the top and nailed the Coup de Grace.  He stood over Raaj and drilled him with 1916 for the pin.

Your winner, WWE NXT Champion Finn Balor!

A solid match.  The story was that Raaj was a tough competitor who rose to the challenge of Balor but the veteran was too much for him.  They spent a lot of time building Raaj as an underdog.

They aired a video package on Giant Zanjeer.  He lost his parents at a young age and was inspired to become a WWE talent by Great Khali.

Rey Mysterio & Ricochet & Dilsher Shanky & Giant Zanjeer vs. Dolph Ziggler & King Corbin & Shinsuke Nakamura & Cesaro.

They aired a package on Dilsher Shanky.  All the packages on the local talent are very good.

Ziggler started with Shanky, who is BIG.  He tossed Ziggler across the ring.  Michael Cole said they have a goal of launching a WWE Performance Center in India sometime over the next few years.  Shinsuke and Cesaro got involved but Zanzeer splashed them all in the corner.  The babyfaces ran off the heels.

When we returned from commercial, Nakamura was working over Mysterio.  Corbin tagged in and was jawjacking with Shanky and Zanzeer on the apron.  He ripped Rey's face across the ropes.  Ziggler tagged in.  Rey was about to make a tag but Team Ziggler knocked all of Team Rey off the apron.  Rey finally made the tag to Ricochet who cleaned house with jabs and dropkicks to Ziggler.  He nailed a Northern Lights suplex and rolled through into a brainbuster then hit a standing shooting star press for a two count.

Ziggler fought back and nailed a Zig Zag.  Cesaro tagged in but Ricochet kicked out.  Zanzeer tagged in and used his power to slam Cesaro with authority.  Shany tagged in but was triple-teamed.  He took them all out and shoved Baron over the top to the floor. He pressed Ricochet overhead and tossed him down onto everyone on the floor.  Shanky drilled Cesaro and set him up for a Rey 619.

Rey came off Shanky's shoulders (think Andre the Giant and Jimmy Snuka) with a splash on Cesaro for the pin.

Your winners, Team Mysterio!

A very simple good vs. evil tag match with the debuting talents placed into spots specifically designed to present them as strongman monsters.  

They aired a video package on Girl Up.

AJ Styles with Omos vs. Jeet Rama.

They locked up and Rama took Styles down and locked him in an armbar.  They put over Rama's athletic accomplishments in India big-time.  Styles nailed several kicks and nailed a series of shoulderblocks in the corner.  Styles cut him off and tossed Rama to the floor.   Styles hit a dive to the floor as they went to commercial.

Styles was working over Rama on the mat but Rama made a comeback and used his power to toss Styles all over the ring.  He beat down Styles and went for a superplex but Styles was able to slide out, pulling Rama's legs out from under him with Rama smashing into the top turnbuckle.  Styles nailed a DVDR into an over the knee backbreaker for a two count.  AJ called for the Styles Clash but was driven back into the corner.  Styles still maneuvered him into the Calf Crusher.    Rama fought for the ropes but it was really locked in.  They played up that Styles was surprised how long Rama was able to withstand the hold.  Rama grabbed him and slammed Styles' head backwards into the mat, breaking the hold.

Rama went for the kick but Styles grabbed the leg.  Styles was caught and tossed overhead with a suplex variation.  Rama placed Styles atop the ropes and went for a belly to belly superplex but Omos grabbed Styles and held him as Rama crashed to the floor.   Styles nailed the Phenomenal Forearm and scored the pin.

Your winner, AJ Styles!

Another solid bout with the story being that Rama was able to withstand everything Styles had to offer and would have likely scored the win had it not been for Omos.  Everything on the show has a much more simplific level of storytelling, sort of 80s wrestling, designed to get over all of the Indian talents as future stars with fighting spirit.

Styles showed respect to Rama after the match.

The announcers thanked the audience for celebrating Republic Day with them.

They aired a video feature on Indus Sher.

The New Day, represented by Big E and Xavier Woods, came out.  They said it was a beautiful and glorious Republic Day.  They were excited to be part of the Superstar Spectacle and saw some of the greatest talent in the world performing.  They built up a big introduction but The Street Profits came out.  They helped with the introduction for a big dance number from a troupe called Spinning Canvas.

They went to comments from The Great Khali, who wished everyone Happy Republic Day.  

Charlotte Flair & Sareena Sandhu vs. Bayley and Natalya

Natalya and Flair started out going back and forth.  They noted Sandhu started training with Bayley's original trainer.  Sandhu nailed a flying bodypress on Natalya and Baley.  Flair and Sandhu hit sliding dropkicks on them through the ropes.  When they returned from commercial, Flair nailed a head and arms Tazplex on Natalya, then drillled Bayley.

Sandhu tagged in and nailed some deep armdrags.  She nailed a butterfly suplex on Bayley for a two count.  She nailed a neckbreaker on Natalya for a two count.  She locked on a leglock submission on Natalya but Bayley broke it up.  Sandhu went to mae a tag but Natalya took her out and they tagged in and out, working over Sandhu.  

Natalya locked on the Sharpshooter but Flair hit the ring and hit Natural Selection.  Sandhu covered Natalya and scored the pin.

Your winners, Sareena Sandhu and Charlotte Flair!

They played it up like a big upset for Sandhu, which it was.    Of all the new talents on the show, Sandhu seemed like she was the most nervous.

Flair and Sandhu did the strut after the match.

They aired a video piece on Kavita Devi.  When she grew up, she didn't have anyone to look up to and she wants to be the one to give other girls someone to look up to and show that they can accomplish their dreams.  Cole said Devi would be with them in the near future and is "dealing" with her family in India tonight.

Ric Flair came to the ring.  He said it was his honor to be here and it's great to see so many fans from India here tonight.  He said that before he introduces the main event, he wants to wish everyone a Happy Republic Day.

WWE Champion Drew McIntyre & Indus Sher vs. Jinder Mahal & The Bollywood Boyz.

This was Jinder's first match since May 2020.  He began cutting a promo but Drew McIntyre's entrance cut him off.  Drew said you don't ever interrupt Ric Flair when he's talking.  He told Jinder today isn't about you but about the Superstar Spectacle and the fans in India.  He said he's created his own Three Man Band of destruction.

Mahal and Drew were going to start out but Mahal tagged out to Samir.  He slapped Drew.  That didn't go well for him.  Rinku tagged in and wiped out Samir.  That talked up that he inspired the film "Million Dollar Arm" with his baseball exploits.  Saurav tagged in and Indus Sher beat down Samir.  The Bollywood Boyz got wiped out as they went to commercial.

When they returned, Indus Sher remained in control.  Samir began working over Rinku.    Jinder tagged in, changing the momentum of the match.  He tied up Rinku's arm in the ropes, using it as a way to force it into painful positions.  He brought Rinku back into the ring, setting up The Bollywood Boyz's offense, including a big flying elbowdrop.

Jinder worked over Rinku, who finally nailed a suplex and made the hot tag to Drew.  The WWE Champion cleaned house and hit some big suplexes on Mahal.  Drew nailed a leaping neckbreaker.   Drew charged but was nailed with a leaping knee.  Saurav tagged in and wiped out the Bollywood Boyz like he was Hulk Hogan in the 80s wiping out some dastardly cowards.  Indus Sher worked over the Boyz and finally scored the pin.

Your winners, WWE Champion Drew McIntyre & Indus Sher!

They closed with all the Indian talents in the ring celebrating as pyro went off everywhere.

A solid main event.  That was pretty much the show - it was a throwback show with 1980s sensibilities that presented all the Indian stars as future names with legitimate credibility.  This was very much a pilot for a regular show and felt easy to enjoy and digest.  If you are looking for the 100,000 spots a minute style of wrestling, this wasn't that show.  It was a very methodical and logical show designed to be an introductory show for the Indian market.  Very much a solid and enjoyable broadcast.

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