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Kane vs. Zack Ryder
This is the Internet Pre-Game show match. Ryder was precarious towards Kane and avoided him early, running to the floor. Kane followed but was dropkick through the ropes and whipped into the corner. Ryder told the referee to count him out but then worked over Kane when he return to the ring. Kane cut him off and slammed Ryder.
Kane worked over Ryder in the corner. He pulled Ryder out with an Irish whip but lifted his knee, sending Ryder flipping over. Kane mauled Ryder with a series of right hands. Kane locked Ryder in a bear hug.
Ryder worked over Ryder with right hands. Ryder mounted a comeback and avoided a big boot, nailing Kane with a neckbreaker for a two count. He charged Kane in the corner but was sent up and over to the apron, landing on his feet. Ryder dropped Kane over the ropes.
Kane grabbed Ryder for a chokeslam but Ryder used the ropes. He nailed Kane several times and went for the Rough Ryder but was caught and nailed with a sideslam for a two count. Kane went to the ropes but was nailed and fell off.
Ryder set up Kane and nailed the Broski Boot for a two count. Ryder set up for the Rough Ryder but was caught in mid-air with a chokeslam for the pin.
Your winner, Kane!
OK match. Ryder showed some fire but the window where he was hot and the crowd believed in him seems to have passed, which is WWE Creative's fault. But, the work was fine and it was about what you would expect from these two.
The PPV will open with the Battle Royal.
We opened live with the Battle Royal. No opening, just live with the match. Santino Marella and Cody Rhodes are sitting ringside waiting to see which of them will be defending their title kater.
The match is all the usual nxt/Smackdown/Raw undercard types plus Christian, Miz and William Regal.
Order of elimination: Heath Slater, Michael McGuillicuty, JTG, Yoshi Tatsu (who took a suplex over the top to the floor and looked to have broken his ankle in the process), Ezekiel Jackson, Jey Uso, Drew McIntyre, Curt Hawkins, Tyder Reks, Jinder Mahal, Great Khali (tossed out by Miz, Titus O'Neal and Darren Young), Titus O'Neal, William Regal (LOTS of boos when he was tossed).
There was a nice exchange between The Miz and Alex Riley leading to Riley being tossed to the floor when he was caught climbing the ropes and then kicked off. Tyson Kidd unloaded with a lot of dropkicks and kicked David Otunga as he charged. Miz tossed Kidd but Kidd skinned the cat and tried to pull Miz over. Otunga kicked Kidd and sent him to the floor. The 90 seconds they put the spotlight on Kidd was great. No reason not to showcase him more.
The last three were Christian, Miz and David Otunga. Christian tried to fight them off but was overwhelmed. Otunga locked on a full nelson, leaving Christian open for Miz to nail him with running elbows.
They worked over Christian in the corner. Miz missed his running clothesline in the corner. Otunga went for a slam over the shoulder but Christian landed on his feet and tossed Otunga out.
Miz and Christian went back and forth. They each avoided the other's finish. Miz tossed him over the top but Christian landed on his feet. They did a pretty inspired finish where Miz almost kicked him off to the floor. Christian, stil outside on the apron, tossed Miz over the top to the apron, so they were both on the outside. He finally nailed Miz and sent him to the floor.
Your winner, Christian!
Christian, who had a small cut on his nose, pointed to Santino, so that's the match later.
As far as Battle Royals go, a pretty fun match.
The announcers talked about the John Laurinaitis vs. John Cena bout. The storyline is that it's a festive mood tonight as the locker room thinks Ace has to be done.
They went into a video feature on "People Power" and Cena vs. Ace.
WWE Tag Team champions Kofi Kingston & R Truth vs. Dolph Ziggler & Jack Swagger
Interesting to see no major fireworks for the show.
Vickie Guerrero introduced the challengers but not before she hinted she wanted John Laurinaitis' job if he got fired. That was funny.
Swagger and Kingston started out. Swagger grabbed Kingston in a waistlock but Kingston grabbed a side headlock. Kingston was caught in an armwringer but Kingston flipped over, using the ropes for leverage, to reverse it. Swagger went back to the headlock but was sent into the ropes. He shoulderblocked Kingston down. Kingston came back with a dropkick for a two count.
Kingston and Truth nailed a double hiptoss for a two count. Truth nailed a legdrop for a two count, the cinched in an armbar. Swagger tried to toss Truth off but he held on and maintained the hold. Swagger shoved Truth backwards against the ropes and tagged out to Ziggler.
Ziggler continued working over Truth but was caught with a right hand. Kingston tagged in and caught Ziggler with a flying clothesline after he was whipped into the ropes. Ziggler cut off Kingston for a series of near fall. The challengers took turns working over Kingston.
Kingston tried to fight his way out of the corner but was caught and armbarred by Swagger. Truth finally tagged in and nailed a leaping corkscrew elbow, then a facebuster. Guerrero got up on the apron to distract and Swagger nailed Truth. He came off the ropes with the Vader Bomb for a two count.
Ziggler tagged in and stomped the hell out of Truth, then nailed an elbow for a two count. Ziggler ripped at Truth's face. The challengers tagged in and out. Swagger sent Truth into the corner. Ziggler nailed him with a hangman's neckbreaker for a two count. Ziggler tied up Truth on the mat, then floated over into a front facelock. Ziggler went for another neckbreaker but was caught with a backslide for a two count.
Ziggler tagged out and Swagger caught Truth with an elbowdrop. He locked in a surfboard style submission and forced him back into their corner. Truth fired his way out with a series of rights but Swagger caught him with a thumb to the eye. Truth fired up but was caught in another double team for a near fall.
Truth made a comeback and nearly made a tag but Ziggler cut him off and Swagger tagged in. Some nice storytelling here. Truth finally nailed a tornado DDT off the ropes. The crowd was clapping to rally Truth to make the hot tag, a true sign of the psychology working.
Kingston made the hot tag and killed everyone with offense. He nailed Swagger with the Boom Drop and set up for Trouble in Paradise but Ziggler missed. Kingston's SOS was countered but he rebounded off the turnbuckles with a flying bodypress. Swagger just barely made the save. Ziggler drilled Kingston but this time Truth just barely made the save.
Truth hit a nice dive outside on Swagger. Kingston hit the Trouble in Paradise on Ziggler and scored the pin.
Your winners and still WWE Tag Team champions, R Truth & Kofi Kingston!
Best tag match in WWE for the belts in forever. From bell to bell, really good storytelling and near falls. Way better than you would have guessed going in. Fun stuff!
Backstage, Tyler Reks and Curt Hawkins agreed to a job Eve Torres gave them to confiscate anti-John Laurinaitis signs. David Otunga said that it was within legal boundaries as the company can confiscate anything they deem inappropriate.
WWE Divas champion Layla vs. Beth Phoenix
Layla grabbed a headlock early. Phoenix cut her off as she rebounded off the ropes and stomped her. There was a "We want Kharma" chant. Layal slipped out of a slam attempt and turned it into head scissors. She began working over Phoenix and used a cross body for a two count.
Layla continued the assault and scored several more near falls. Phoenix powered her into the corner but was nailed as she charged into the corner. Layla went for head scissors out of the corner but Phoenix was too powerful and slammed her backwards down. Layla's bad knee was hurt. Phoenix began focusing on it, slamming her knee into the ring post.
Phoenix worked over Layla on the floor and tossed her back in. Phoenix nailed a chop block but Layla went down a second too late. Phoenix began slamming her leg backwards against the ropes. Phoenix locked on a half crab and began punching Layla's bad knee.
Layla was able to finally roll over and kick Phoenix off. She rolled the challenger up for a two count. Phoenix was dropkicked off the apron by Layla. Layla fired up with offense but was caught in a press slam. Layla countered it into a spike DDT as she came back down. Nice moment.
Layla crawled to Phoenix for a two count. Layla went for a forward roll but Phoenix rolled through for a two count. Layla and Phoenix went back and forth until Layla nailed a neckbreaker for the pin.
Your winner and still WWE Divas champ Layla!
A lot of neckbreakers tonight! This was eh. You could see the timing was off and they tried but a lot of the time it just wasn't clicking.
Coverage continues on Page Two!
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