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uly 6th
On this day in history in ....
1983 - Ric Flair challenges NWA World champion Harley Race twice in one day. Flair fought Race to a double disqualification in Sumter, SC during a matinee event. That evening, Flair defeated Race by DQ in Greenville, SC.
1984 - Jim Crockett Promotions ran Charleston, SC at County Hall with the following results:
-Brett Hart defeated Doug Vines.
-Rufus R. Jones defeated Bobby Bass.
-Angelo Mosca Jr. & Johnny Weaver defeated the Outlaw & Gary Hart.
-NWA TV Champion Tully Blanchard fought Pez Whatley to a draw.
1984 - Jim Crockett Promotions ran Richmond, VA at The Coliseum with the following results:, 1984
-Tom Shaft defeated Gary Royal.
-Buzz Sawyer defeated Mark Fleming.
-Nikita Koloff defeated Vinnie Valentino.
-Assassin #1 defeated Keith Larson.
-Mr. Olympia defeated Paul Kelly.
-Adrian Street defeated Paul Jones via disqualification.
-Jimmy Valiant defeated Assassin #3.
-NWA World Tag Team Champions Ivan Koloff & Don Kernodle defeated Mark Youngblood & the Renegade.
-Dusty Rhodes defeated Kamala.
-NWA World Champion Ric Flair defeated Ricky Steamboat.
1985 - Tito Santana defeats Greg Valentine for the WWF Intercontinental Title in Baltimore, Maryland in a steel cage match. This marked the first time that a WWF Championship changed hands inside a steel cage, and began Santana's second I-C Title reign.
1985 - The very first Great American Bash event was held in Charlotte, North Carolina at Memorial Stadium, drawing over 25,000 fans. Here are the results:
- Jimmy Valiant defeated Paul Jones in a Dog Collar match.
- Manny Fernandez, Sam Houston & Buzz Tyler defeated Billy Graham, Konga the Barbarian & Abdullah the Butcher when Houston pinned Graham.
- Ron Bass vs. Buddy Landell ended in a draw.
- National Tag Team Champions Ole & Arn Anderson defeated Buzz Sawyer & Dick Slater when Ole pinned Sawyer.
- NWA World Tag Team Champions Krusher Khruschev & Ivan Koloff vs. AWA World Tag Team Champions The Road Warriors ended in a double DQ.
- United States Champion Magnum TA defeated Kamala via DQ.
- NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair defeated Nikita Koloff. David Crockett was the special referee.
- Dusty Rhodes defeated Tully Blanchard in a steel cage match to win the NWA Television Title and the services of Blanchard's valet, Baby Doll, for thirty days.
1987 - Jin Crockett Promotions ran Inglewood, CA at the Great Western Forum, featuring:
-Misty Blue defeated Kat Leroux.
-Mike Rotunda fought Dory Funk Jr. to a draw.
-Chris Adams defeated Black Bart via disqualification.
-Barry Windham defeated Big Bubba in a streetfight.
-Jimmy & Ron Garvin defeated Ivan Koloff & Manny Fernandez.
-NWA World Tag Team Champions The Rock N' Roll Express, Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson defeated NWA U.S. Tag Team Champions The Midnight Express, Bobby Eaton & Stan Lane via disqualification.
-Steve Williams defeated Dick Murdoch.
-Dusty Rhodes defeated NWA TV Champion Tully Blanchard in a non-title match.
NWA U.S. Champion Nikita Koloff & the Road Warriors defeated NWA World Champion Ric Flair, Lex Luger, & Arn Anderson in a steel cage match.
1990 - WCW ran the Norfolk Scope in Virginia with the following:
-Tommy Rich defeated Dutch Mantell.
-Paul Orndorff defeated Mark Callous (The future Undertaker).
-Robert Gibson & Tommy Rich (substituting for Ricky Morton) defeated NWA World Tag Team Champions Doom via disqualification.
-El Gigante defeated Moondog Rex.
-Buddy Landell defeated Tom Zenk.
-Tracy Smothers & Steve Armstrong defeated NWA U.S. Tag Team Champions The Midnight Express, Bobby Eaton & Stan Lane in a non-title match.
-NWA U.S. Champion Lex Luger, the Junkyard Dog, & Paul Orndorff defeated NWA World Champion Ric Flair, NWA World TV Champion Arn Anderson, & Barry Windham.
1991 - WWF ran White Plains, NY at the Westchester County Civic Center, drawing 3,400 fans with the following results:
-Tito Santana defeated Bob Bradley.
-Typhoon pinned Greg Valentine.
-Marty Jannetty & Jim Powers (substituting for Shawn Michaels) defeated Pat Tanaka & Col. Mustafa (substituting for Kato).
-Jimmy Snuka pinned the Barbarian.
-IRS pinned Jim Neidhart.
-The Big Bossman defeated the Mountie in a steel cage match.
1991 - WWF ran Anaheim, CA at the Convention Center, drawing 7,500 fans with the following results:
-Jimmy Snuka defeated Louie Spicolli.
-Shawn Michaels fought WWF Tag Team Champion Brian Knobbs to a double disqualification.
-Ted Dibiase defeated Virgil after Sensational Sherri interfered.
-The Mountie pinned the Big Bossman after using his shock stick as a weapon.
-Bret Hart defeated Paul Roma.
-Bret Hart won a 20-man battle royal by last eliminating Sgt. Slaughter after Hulk Hogan made the save to counter the interference of Gen. Adnan; other participants included WWF World Champion Hulk Hogan, Jim Duggan, and many others.
1991 - WCW ran Norfolk, VA at the Scope, drawing 3,500 fans with the folowing results:
-Johnny B. Badd defeated Bobby Eaton.
-Dustin Rhodes defeated Ricky Morton via disqualification.
-Rick Steiner & Tom Zenk defeated Dick Murdoch & Dick Slater.
-WCW World TV Champion Steve Austin defeated Sam Houston.
-Big Josh defeated Terrance Taylor.
-Tom Zenk defeated the Diamond Studd.
-PN News & Missy Hyatt defeated Terrance Taylor & Paul E. Dangerously.
-Sting, WCW US Champion Lex Luger, the Yellow Dog, & El Gigante defeated Barry Windham, Nikita Koloff, Kevin Sullivan, & the One Man Gang in Wargames; Magnum TA was the guest referee for the bout.
1992 - The Moondogs (Spot & Cujo) defeat Jerry Lawler & Jeff Jarrett for the USWA Tag Team Title in Memphis, Tennessee, ending Lawler & Jarrett's second title reign.
1992 - WWF ran Rochester, NY, drawing 2,800:
-Tito Santana pinned the Brooklyn Brawler at 10:20.
-The Mountie pinned Sgt. Slaughter at 3:26 after using his shock stick behind the referee's back.
-Davey Boy Smith pinned Repo Man.
-Kamala pinned Kerry Von Erich with a splash off the middle ropes.
-The Natural Disasters defeated WWF Tag Team Champions Ted DiBiase & IRS via count-out when the champions left ringside.
-Virgil defeated Skinner.
-The Undertaker defeated the Berzerker.
-WWF champion Randy Savage defeated Ric Flair via reverse decision at 19:42 when the referee caught Flair with a foreign object after Flair hit Savage with it and scored the pin.
1993 - WWF ran a TV Taping in Wilkes-Barre, PA at the Wilkes University Marts Center with the following results:
WWF Superstars taping:
-The 1-2-3 Kid pinned Damien Demento at 3:57 with a DDT and legdrop off the top
-Randy Savage defeated WWF IC Champion Shawn Michaels (w/ Diesel) via reverse decision; Michaels originally won the match via count-out after Diesel threw Savage into the post but Mr. Perfect and another referee disputed the call
-Nikolai Volkoff pinned Barry Horowitz with a clothesine to the back of the head; Volkoff played babyface in the match
-The Undertaker pinned Mr. Hughes with a chokeslam
-Bret Hart defeated WWF World Champion Yokozuna (w/ Mr. Fuji) via disqualification when Fuji hit Hart with the Japanese flag; after the bout, Lex Luger made the save
-Jim Duggan pinned Duane Gill at 2:57 with the running clothesline; prior to the bout, Duggan cut an in-ring promo saying he was proud of the USA and Lex Luger
-Ludvig Borga pinned Tony Dimauro with a clothesline off the top at 1:33 (Borga's debut)
-WWF Tag Team Champions Rick & Scott Steiner defeated Ted Dibiase & IRS via count-out at around the 10-minute mark after IRS suplexed Scott back inside the ring as the two were battling on the apron
-The 1-2-3 Kid defeated Barry Horowitz with a legdrop off the top at 2:43
-The Quebecars defeated Tony Webb & Rich Myers when Pierre pinned Myers following the Boston crab / legdrop off the top double team at 2:33 (the Quebecars' debut)
-Men on a Mission defeated the Brooklyn Brawler & Brian Costello
-Adam Bomb defeated Tony Devito
-Mr. Hughes pinned Jason Headings
-The Headshrinkers defeated Dave Thornberg & Bret Tyler
-Mr. Perfect defeated Glen Ruth with the Perfect Plex at 1:55
-Sensational Sherri fought Luna Vachon to a no contest when Bam Bam Bigelow began insulting Sherri on the mic until she slapped him, with Luna then choking Sherri in the corner; moments later, Tatanka made the save and cleared Bigelow from the ring (Sherri's last appearance for nearly 12 years)
-The Smoking Gunns defeated Well Dunn following a piledriver on Steve Doll (Well Dunn's debut)
-Adam Bomb (w/ Johnny Polo) defeated Chaz Ware
-Doink the Clown pinned Joey Maggs with the Whoopie Cushion
-Tito Santana pinned Barry Hardy with the flying forearm (Santana's last TV match)
-Bastion Booger pinned Mike Bell
1995 - WWF ran Columbus, OH before 2,700 fans with the following results:
-Fatu defeated Rad Radford (Louie Spicoli).
-The 1-2-3 Kid defeated the Brooklyn Brawler.
-WWF Women's Champion Alundra Blayze defeated Bertha Faye.
-WWF World Champion Diesel defeated Psycho Sid in a steel cage match.
-WWF Tag Team Champions Owen Hart & Yokozuna defeated Lex Luger & Davey Boy Smith.
-Shawn Michaels defeated WWF Intercontinental Champion Jeff Jarrett via countout.
-The Undertaker defeated Kama in a casket match.
1996 - WWF ran New Haven, CT at the Coliseum before 4,462 fans with the following:
-Duke Drose pinned Leif Cassidy (Al Snow) with the Trash Compactor at 12:42 after Cassidy missed a moonsault off the middle turnbuckle.
-Salvatore Sincere pinned Barry Horowitz at 9:33 when the momentum of a flying crossbody by Horowitz put Sincere on top.
-Jake Roberts pinned Justin Bradshaw with the DDT.
-Skip & Zip defeated Henry & Phinneas Godwinn and WWF Tag Team Champions the Smoking Gunns in a non-title match.
-WWF World Champion Shawn Michaels defeated Vader via disqualification when Goldust interfered and kissed the champion on the lips.
-Goldust defeated WWF Intercontinental Champion Ahmed Johnson via reverse decision after the champion hit the Pearl River Plunge on three consecutive occasions.
-Steve Austin pinned Savio Vega in a No DQ match.
-Marc Mero pinned Hunter Hearst Helmsley.
-The Undertaker pinned Mankind with the tombstone.
1997 - WWF held their "Canadian Stampede" Pay-per-view in Calgary, Alberta, Canada at the Saddledome. The show, which many consider to be one of the best WWF PPV events ever, was unique in that hometown favorites the Hart Foundation were wildly popular and cheered by the crowd, while the Harts were actually portrayed as the heels on television at the time. Here are the results:
- In a match that aired on the "Free For All", The Godwinns defeated The Blackjacks (Windham & Bradshaw).
- Mankind vs. Hunter Hearst Helmsley ended in a double countout.
- In their WWF debuts, The Great Sasuke defeated TAKA Michinoku.
- WWF World Heavyweight Champion The Undertaker defeated Vader.
- In a ten-man tag team match that lasted almost a half hour, Bret Hart, Owen Hart, Jim Neidhart, Davey Boy Smith & Brian Pillman defeated Steve Austin, Ken Shamrock, Goldust, & The Legion Of Doom when Owen pinned Austin.
1997 - WAR ran Tokyo, Japan at Sumo Hall, drawing 6,000 fans for the following results:
-Tadahiro Ishii, Shoichi Ichinomiya, & Shikeo Okumura defeated Takashi Okamura, Maasaki Mochizuki, & Yoshikazu Taru at 13:49 when Ishii pinned Taru.
-Ryo Myake pinned Battle Ranger at 7:50,
-Rumi Kazama & Michiko Omukai defeated Eagle Sawai & Sayori Okino at 13:32 when Kazama pinned Okino.
-Takashi Ishikawa & Kishin Kawabata defeated Jun Kikuchi & Osamu Tachihikari at 13:27 when Kikuchi forced Ishikawa to submit.
-Arashi & Shinichi Nakano beat Joel Deaton & Tatsuo Nakano at 15:03 when Arashi pinned Deaton.
-Yoshiaki Fujiwara pinned Abdullah the Butcher at 14:19.
-WAR International Jr. Heavyweight Champion Yuji Yasuraoka pinned Masao Orihara at 17:06.
-Koki Kitihara, Lance Storm, & Nobutaku Araya defeated Tommy Dreamer, Koji Kitao, & Nobukazu Hirai at 16:46 when Kitao pinned Hirai; due to pre-match stipulations, Kitihara, Storm, & Araya won the vacant WAR Six-Man Tag Team Championship.
-Genichiro Tenryu pinned Tarzan Goto at 16:59.
1998 - The largest crowd in WCW history attended Monday Nitro at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia. The show, headlined by Bill Goldberg defeating Hollywood Hogan for the WCW World Heavyweight Title, drew 41,412 fans. The show did a 4.93 rating for TNT.
By comparison, Raw that night did a 4.0 on USA Network for a show headlined by The Undertaker defeating Mankind & Kane in a handicap match.
Here are the full results for both shows:
Nitro: WCW Television Champion Booker T defeated Dean Malenko. ... Raven defeated Kanyon via DQ. ... Scott Putski defeated Scotty Riggs .... WCW Cruiserweight Champion Chris Jericho defeated Ultimo Dragon via DQ. ... Chavo Guerrero, Jr. defeated Johnny Swinger. ... Public Enemy defeated Alex Wright & Disco Inferno via DQ. ... United States Champion Bill Goldberg defeated Scott Hall. ... Juventud Guerrera defeated Psicosis. ... The Giant defeated Hacksaw Duggan. ... Diamond Dallas Page defeated Jim Neidhart. ... Lex Luger & Sting defeated Sickboy & Billy Kidman in less than thirty seconds. ... Bill Goldberg defeated Hulk Hogan to win the WCW World Heavyweight Title.
Raw: Savio Vega defeated Brakkus in a Brawl For All match. ...Ken Shamrock defeated Jeff Jarrett via DQ. ...Vader vs. Bradshaw ended in a no-contest. ... The DOA defeated The Headbangers. ... D'Lo Brown defeated Terry Funk. ... Hawk vs. Droz went to a draw in a Brawl For All match ...Val Venis defeated Dustin Runnels via DQ. ... Ken Shamrock defeated Mabel. ...The Undertaker defeated Mankind and Kane.
2002 - WWE Raw ran Frederick, MD at Harry Grove Stadium with the following results:
-Tommy Dreamer, Sean O'Haire, & Shelton Benjamin defeated Justin Credible, Steven Richards, & Crash Holly when Dreamer pinned Crash with the Spicolli Driver.
-D-Lo Brown pinned Shawn Stasiak with the Sky High.
-Jackie & Linda Miles defeated WWE Women's Champion Molly Holly & Jackie Gayda.
-Eddie Guerrero pinned Spike Dudley with the frog splash.
-Matt Hardy pinned Raven with the Twist of Fate.
-WWE European Champion William Regal pinned Bubba Ray Dudley.
-WWE Intercontinental Champion Rob Van Dam defeated Brock Lesnar via disqualification.
-Steven Richards pinned WWE Hardcore Champion Bradshaw to win the title.
-Crash Holly pinned WWE Hardcore Champion Steven Richards to win the title.
-Christopher Nowinski pinned WWE Hardcore Champion Crash Holly to win the title.
-Bradshaw pinned WWE Hardcore Champion Christopher Nowinski to win the title.
-Booker T pinned the Big Show with the Bookend.
2002 - WWE Smackdown ran Mobile, AL at the Civic Center with the following results:
-Sho Funaki defeated Albert.
-D-Von Dudley & Batista defeated Rob Conway & Nick Dinsmore (the future Eugene).
-Billy Kidman pinned Tajiri with a facebuster.
-Lance Storm & Christian defeated Hardcore Holly & Val Venis.
-Test defeated Randy Orton.
-WWE Cruiserweight Champion Jamie Noble defeated the Hurricane and Chavo Guerrero in an elimination match.
-Shannon Moore, Mark Henry, & Farooq defeated Billy Gunn, Chuck Palumbo, & Rico.
-Kurt Angle pinned Rikishi with the Olympic Slam after Rico, Billy Gunn, and Chuck Palumbo interfered.
-Torrie Wilson defeated Dawn Marie in a Bra & Panties match.
-Edge pinned Chris Jericho with the spear.
2003 - WWE Smackdown ran Ocean City, MD at the Convention Center with the following results:
-The Ultimo Dragon defeated Jamie Noble.
-Doug & Danny Basham defeated Sho Funaki & Spanky.
-Matt Hardy defeated Shannon Moore.
-Albert defeated Orlando Jordon.
-Billy Gunn defeated John Cena.
-The Acolytes defeated Johnny Stamboli & Chuck Palumbo.
-WWE Smackdown Tag Team Champions Charlie Haas & Shelton Benjamin defeated Chris Benoit & Rhyno.
2003 - WWE Raw ran Charlottetown, Canada at the Civic Centre with the following results:
-The Hurricane pinned Steven Richards with the Shining Wizard.
-Tommy Dreamer pinned Rosey in a hardcore match with a DDT onto a steel chair, despite interference from Mark Jindrak.
-Rob Van Dam pinned Test with the Five Star Frog Splash; after the bout, Kane came to the ring and hit a chokeslam on several officials as well as Val Venis, the Hurricane, and RVD.
-WWE Women's Champion Gail Kim defeated Ivory and Victoria by pinning Victoria with a hurricanrana off the top.
-Val Venis fought Randy Orton to a time-limit draw.
-WWE Intercontinental Champion Christian pinned Booker T with a roll up and using the ropes for leverage.
-Maven pinned Rico.
-WWE Raw Tag Team Champions Sylvian Grenier & Rene Dupree defeated Bubba Ray & Spike Dudley; after the bout, Tommy Dreamer made the save.
2004 - Ric Flair's autobiography "To Be The Man" is released.
2004 - WWE held their final card at the Arena in Winnipeg, Manitoba with the following results:
-Carly Colon (the future Carlito) defeated Wavell Star
Velocity:
-Rene Dupree pinned Nunzio with the Michinoku Driver at 5:28
-Sho Funaki pinned Sakoda with a sunset flip at 5:17
-Billy Gunn & Hardcore Holly defeated Doug & Danny Basham at around 8:12 when Doug was pinned following the Gunn Holly Bomb
Smackdown:
-Rob Van Dam pinned Mark Jindrak at 5:03 with a split-legged moonsault after knocking Jindrak off the top; Rene Dupree did guest commentary for the bout
-Billy Kidman & Paul London defeated WWE Smackdown Tag Team Champions the Dudley Boyz to win the titles at 8:07 when Kidman pinned Bubba Ray with the Shooting Star Press after London hit Bubba Ray with a superkick.
-Charlie Haas (with Jackie Gayda) fought unknown to a no contest when Smackdown! GM Kurt Angle came out before Haas' opponent and announced that Haas was suspended for one week without pay and would face Luther Reigns the following week (this segment did not air on the broadcast).
-WWE Champion John Bradshaw Layfield fought El Gran Luchador (a masked Paul London) to a no contest at around 7:30 after El Gran slid underneath the ring, a second Luchador came out, obviously a masked Eddie Guerrero, and Bradshaw was knocked out of the ring; after the match, El Gran (Eddie) cut a promo on Bradhsaw defending the title against Eddie the following week in a steel cage match.
-Chavo Guerrero, Jamie Noble, & Akio defeated WWE Cruiserweight Champion Rey Mysterio Jr., Spike Dudley, & Scotty 2 Hotty at 5:13 when Noble pinned Spike with a Tiger Driver.
-WWE U.S. Champion John Cena defeated Booker T via disqualification at 15:17 when Luther Reigns attacked Cena from behind, breaking Cena's cover after the champion hit the FU, after knocking Kurt Angle and Reigns down on the floor; after the bout, Angle stripped Cena of the title in response to Cena putting his hands on the GM.
2007 - WWE Raw ran Mexico City, Mexico at Palacio de los Deportes, drawing 10,490 fans with the following results:
-Bobby Lashley pinned Carlito Caribbean Cool with the spear at 10:13.
-WWE Raw Tag Team Champions Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch defeated Brian Kendrick & Paul London at 10:54 when Cade pinned Kendrick with a lariat.
-Snitsky pinned Super Crazy with a powerbomb at 7:55.
-Val Venis pinned Daivari at 9:03 with the Money Shot.
-Mickie James & Maria defeated Jillian Hall & Melina when Mickie pinned Melina with the DDT.
-Umaga pinned Santino Marella at 5:26 with the thumb strike to the throat.
-Rey Mysterio & Jeff Hardy defeated Booker T & William Regal at 12:51 when Mysterio pinned Regal with the 619 after Hardy hit the Swanton on Booker.
-World Champion John Cena pinned Randy Orton at 24:35 with the FU.
2008 - WWE Smackdown & ECW ran Pensacola, FL at the Civic Center with the following results:
-Ken Kennedy pinned Shelton Benjamin with the Mic Check.
-WWE Smackdown Tag Team Champions John Morrison & Mike Mizanin defeated Jesse & Festus.
-Evan Bourne pinned Mike Knox with the Shooting Star Press.
-WWE U.S. Champion Matt Hardy defeated Umaga and MVP.
-Maria & Cherry defeated Victoria & Natalya.
-The Great Khali defeated R Truth at around the 4-minute mark.
-The Big Show & Finlay defeated ECW Champion Mark Henry & Chavo Guerrero when Show pinned Henry with the chokeslam.
2008 - Mickie Knuckles, who had just debuted as "Moose" on TNA, suffered a broken leg during an IWA Mid-South event in Joliet, Illios. Knuckles would undergo surgery the next day. The surgery and recovery would eventually cost her a planned TNA contract. She would eventually return to the ring under the Kuckles ring name as well as Isabella Smothers, billed as Tracy Smothers' illegitimate daughter.
2009 - Waldo Von Erich passed away suddenly yesterday at the age of 75 in Kitchener, Ontario at Grand River Hospital at the age of 75. Von Erich, real name Walter Sieber, was billed as Fritz Von Erich's brother when they teamed but was not actually related to the rest of the Von Erich family. He and Fritz first met while working for Stu Hart's Stampede Wrestling. Waldo also worked for the WWWF, where he challenged Bruno Sammartino for the championship. Although Lance Von Erich was later billed as Waldo's son in World Class Championship Wrestling, there was no blood relation there either. Later in the life, he trained a number of talents, including current TNA star Eric Young.
2009 - MyFOX Memphis is reporting that Jerry Lawler is thinking of throwing his crown into the ring to become Mayor of Memphis, Tennessee. As a result of Mayor Willie Herenton retiring from office, a special election is being arranged, and Lawler reportedly started during a radio interview that he wants to be part of the growing list of candidates. According to the MyFox Memphis report, Lawler will make an announcement this week. Lawler ran for Mayor, losing to Herenton, in 1999. Lawler garnered 12% of the votes, finishing behind Herenton and Joe Ford. In the end, Lawler decided not to run a second time.
2009 - Rudy Charles, who had been one of the top referees for TNA and had been with the company from 2002 on, was let go by the company.
2009- WWE broadcast Raw is War, featuring Ted DiBiase Sr. as the Guest Host. Richard Trionfo filed the following TV Report:
We are live on tape from San Jose, California and your announcers are Jerry ‘It feels like June’ Lawler and Michael ‘Vintage Live Raw’ Cole.
We start off with the introduction of the guest host, Ted DiBiase and he has his Million Dollar Belt. Ted is joined by his son Ted and Ted’s tag team partner, Cody Rhodes. Ted says that we saw two weeks ago that everyone has their price, so when he heard that there would be guest hosts who would run Raw, and his people made the call and he wrote a check to run Raw. Ted gives his vintage laugh. Ted says that he has a forum to present the greatness that stands before him. He says that he has two of the most naturally gifted and talented stars you will ever see. Ted reminds us that he is talking about Cody Rhodes and ‘his son’ Ted DiBiase. Ted says that there will be no title defenses before Night of Champions so he is going to have some fun. Ted announces that at Night of Champions, the tag titles will be defended by Edge and Chris Jericho against Legacy and Ted says that they will win the titles back.
Ted asks Cody how he felt when Mark Henry defeated Randy Orton last week. Cody says that he hated it and Ted says that Mark Henry needs to be taught a lesson. Tonight, Cody Rhodes will face Mark Henry. Ted Junior wants to know what his dad is talking about but he is here to make an impact. Ted apologizes for not telling his son earlier. Ted says that he knows that Ted told off Randy at The Bash, but he made amends. Ted says that he saw something with Ted. He knows that Randy Orton is holding Ted down. He tells his son that Randy knows that Ted is more talented and that Randy Orton is using him. Ted tells his son that he will have a match tonight against Randy Orton. It is a non-title match because it is going to make a statement and open eyes. It will change careers. Ted does not want to face Randy, but his dad tells him that not only will he face Randy, he will beat him. Ted lets out his laugh before leaving the ring.
Edge and Chris Jericho walk to the ring and they have their title belts to confront their opponents at Night of Champions. We have a stare down as we go to commercial.
We see footage from last week’s title rematch and the tension between Primo and Carlito.
Match Number One: Edge and Chris Jericho versus Carlito and Primo
Edge and Carlito start things off and Carlito works on the arm. Edge with a reversal and an arm bar. Carlito with a knee lift and clothesline for a near fall. Carlito punches Edge and then he kicks Edge but he runs into a big boot for a near fall. Edge with a forearm and Jericho tags in. Jericho with a back elbow and then he draws Primo in. Jericho with a belly-to-back suplex and then he kicks Carlito. Edge tags back in but Carlito punches Edge. Edge with a drop toe hold and elbow to the back for a near fall. The referee admonishes Edge and that allows Jericho to work over Carlito.
Edge with a forearm to Carlito and Jericho is back in the match. Jericho with a snap mare and a chin lock with the arm barred. Carlito with the springboard back elbow and both men are down. Edge and Primo tag in and Primo with a back elbow and clothesline. Primo drop kicks Jericho off the apron and then he hits a head scissors on Edge and gets a springboard cross body for a near fall. Primo punches Edge and then he connects with an elbow. Edge drops Primo on the ropes and then he ties Primo in the ropes and punches him. Carlito tries to get Primo out of the ropes but Edge knocks Carlito off the apron. Primo with a rollup for a near fall. Carlito distract the referee and that allows Jericho to hit the Codebreaker followed by a spear from Edge to get the three count.
Winners: Chris Jericho and Edge
After the match, Carlito grabs Primo and sends him into the ring post and then to the floor. Carlito punches his brother on the floor. We have incoming at the announce table as Carlito throws Primo over the announce table. Carlito goes to the back while the referee checks on Primo.
Ted and Cody are in the locker room and Randy slithers in. Randy wants to know what Ted is going to do. Ted says that his dad is stubborn. Randy says that Ted losing to him will not accomplish anything. Ted acts incredulous that Randy thinks that he cannot beat him. Randy tells Ted that if it was his father, he would tell him no. Ted tells Randy that it isn’t his father and his dad was a lot better than Randy’s dad. Ted says that he will beat Randy. We go to commercial.
We are back and did you know that a lot more people watched Raw than baseball on ESPN?
It is time to recap the new Raw roster members thanks to the Trump Trade.
We see footage of Mickie James winning last week and staring down Maryse.
Match Number Two: Alicia Fox and Maryse versus Mickie James and Gail Kim
Mickie and Maryse start things off. They lock up and Maryse backs into the ropes and she wants the referee to separate them. They lock up again and Maryse works on the arm. Mickie with a cartwheel as she tries to counter but Maryse pulls Mickie by the hair and then Maryse poses before tagging in Alicia. Mickie with a rollup followed by forearms. Mickie with a neckbreaker to Alicia and then Mickie knocks Maryse off the apron. Mickie with a drop kick for a near fall. Gail tags in and works on the arm. Alicia with an Irish whip but Gail with a clothesline and a rana. Gail with a kick as she goes to the apron. Gail drops Alicia on the ropes. Gail with a cross body for a two count. Alicia sends Gail into the ropes and Alicia chokes her. The referee is distracted by Mickie and Maryse kicks Gail in the head but Alicia can only get a two count. Maryse tags in and she throws Gail to the mat. Maryse with a back breaker to Gail for a near fall. Maryse with an Irish whip but Maryse misses a charge and she appears to have hurt her knee. Maryse knocks Mickie off the apron. Gail with the boot to the head for the three count.
Winners: Gail Kim and Mickie James
We go to Ted’s office and he is getting a manicure. Cody enters and Ted wants to know what he wants to talk about. Cody says that Ted is the original Donald Trump and he should have been in charge all the time. Ted takes some money from Cody but says that it is not enough. Cody says that they should focus on the tag titles instead of Mark Henry. Ted says that Legacy is about family and Ted points out that Cody is Dusty’s son. Cody starts to sing his dad’s music. Ted says that he despises Cody’s father because he is a common man. He calls Dusty a bloated and gyrating fool so it is a travesty that Dusty is in the Hall of Fame and not him. Ted tells Cody to leave now or he will put Cody in polka dots. Cody leaves and then Ted says that he might make Cody wear polka dots any way.
We go to commercial.
We are back with the Slam of the Week: Mark Henry versus Randy Orton from last week.
Match Number Three: Cody Rhodes without any polka dots versus Mark Henry
They lock up and Mark with a body block and forearms. Henry with a kick to the ribs. Henry with an Irish whip but he charges into boots from Cody. Cody tries for a cross body but Mark catches Cody and hits the World Strongest Slam and Cody rolls to the floor. Cody gets counted out as he walks to the back.
Winner: Mark Henry
John Cena is shadow boxing in the back and then he puts his hat on as we go to commercial.
Match Number Four: Randy Orton versus Ted DiBiase
Orton with a side head lock take down. DiBiase with a head scissors but Orton escapes the hold. They lock up and Orton backs DiBiase into the ropes and Orton pie faces Ted and asks why. Ted with a punch and arm drag and drop kick as Orton goes to the floor. DiBiase with a baseball slide and we go to commercial.
We are back and Orton with a side head lock. While Orton keeps the side head lock applied, we see footage from during the commercial when Orton sent DiBiase into the ring steps. Orton with a kick to DiBiase. Orton does the Garvin Stomp to DiBiase. Orton misses the leaping knee drop and DiBiase with a rollup for a two count. DiBiase with an inside cradle for another two count. Orton with a forearm that knocks DiBiase to the mat. Orton with a kick to DiBiase while Ted hangs on the ropes. Orton sets for the IEDDT and hits it. Orton gets a series of near falls and then Orton punches Ted repeatedly. Orton hits the leaping knee drop that time. Orton with the side head lock. DiBiase with a belly-to-back suplex to escape the hold. DiBiase with an elbow to Orton and then he hits a clothesline from the turnbuckles and he gets a near fall. DiBiase punches Orton but Orton with the back breaker. Orton with the RKO push ups as he waits to pounce but DiBiase with a backslide for a two count. Orton with a kick but DiBiase with a power slam for a near fall. DiBiase sets for Dream Street but Orton with an arm drag and then he hits a vintage RKO out of nowhere for the three count.
Winner: Randy Orton
Josh Mathews stops Hunter in the back to ask him about his match with John Cena. Hunter says that if you want to see Epic, you only have to see John Cena and Triple H. If you add Randy Orton, all bets are off. He does not care who he has to hurt or get through to get what he wants. That includes John Cena.
We go to commercial.
We are back and Montel Vontavious Porter was at the BET Awards.
It is time for the VIP Lounge with Montel Vontavious Porter and it is Casual Monday in the Lounge. Porter says that he is all about cash money and he talks about the trade spearheaded by his former boss, Donald Trump. Porter brings out his guest, Jack Swagger.
He asks Swagger what it felt like to make his debut as a Raw superstar. He knows that Jack is drooling to get out his answer, but Porter tells Jack that he is not finished with his question. He wants to know how Swagger feels to expose himself as a fraud in his match with Randy Orton getting counted out. Swagger points out that he is a two time All-American. He says that he went to Oklahoma. Swagger says that Porter is a fraud and a con. He points out that Porter has been in prison before. Swagger says that if anyone is MVP of Raw, it is him. Porter asks Swagger if he thinks that he knows him. Porter says that he does not hide his past. Porter says that he got caught up in the game and made some bad decisions. Now he uses his status to tell kids not to go down the same path as him. Porter says that he accepted his sins and paid his debt to society. Porter tells Swagger that he never learned the difference between an excuse and an explanation. Porter says that there is a huge difference between them. Porter tells Swagger that he has never been afraid of a fight. They get face to face and then Swagger backs away. Swagger says that he does not fight people below him and he does not fight criminals. Swagger leaves the ring. Porter says that is obvious that Swagger does not fight at all since he has been on Raw. Porter tells Swagger where he can be found.
The DiBiases are in the office and son tells dad that he was put in an impossible situation. He says that it is all about his dad and trying to steal the spotlight. Son says that it is his time. Ted slaps his dad and leaves.
We go to commercial.
We are back with the WWE Rewind: Big Show versus Kofi Kingston from last week that went to a double count out.
Match Number Five: Kofi Kingston versus Evan Bourne
They lock up and Bourne with a hammer lock into a wrist lock and a side head lock. Bourne stops short of a leap frog and gets a rollup for a near fall. Bourne and Kofi with more near falls. Bourne misses an enzuigiri and Kofi with a single leg crab. Bourne makes it to the ropes. Bourne with a side head lock take down but Kofi with a head scissors. Kofi with a side head lock take down. Bourne with a head scissors and Kofi escapes and gets a near fall. Bourne with a punch and Irish whip but Kofi with a cross body for a near fall. Kofi with a drop kick and then he hits a splash into the corner. Kofi with an Irish whip and Bourne anticipates Kofi with a leap into the corner and blocks it with knees to Kofi. Bourne with the Shooting Star Press for the three count.
Winner: Evan Bourne
After the match, Bourne and Kofi shake hands, but that is stopped when Big Show’s music plays. Show comes to the ring and Kofi stands his ground. Show with a kick and head butt to Kofi. Bourne attacks Show from behind, but he gets swatted away. Bourne with a drop kick to the back and kicks to the leg but Show tosses Bourne aside. Show with a forearm to the back. Show with a spear to Bourne. Show with punches to Kofi. Show with his version of the Camel Clutch to Kingston.
We go to commercial.
We are back and Did You Know that a lot of homes can get WWE programming?
We see footage of John Cena at a 12 Rounds DVD signing.
Josh Mathews is with Mr. Orange Sash himself. Josh asks Cena about Triple H’s comments. Cena says that Hunter was right that all bets are off. That is because Raw has transformed itself into Wrestlemania. You have two of the greatest for a ticket to the WWE Title. Cena says that Hunter will not walk through him to continue his vendetta against Randy Orton. They will lock horns and there will be one person with a chance to hold that title belt at Night of Champions. Cena says that it has been way to long since he has said ‘The Champ is Here’
Match Number Six: John Cena versus Triple H in the Dave Batista Presents Night of Champions Tournament Challenge
The bell rings and Cena looks for the Wrestlemania sign to point at. They get face to face and then Hunter looks away. Cena looks away. They lock up and Cena with a side head lock take down and Hunter with a head scissors but Cena escapes. They return to the stare down and they have a few words for each other. They back off and lock up one more time. Cena with another side head lock take down and Hunter with another head scissors. Cena escapes again. Hunter with punches but Cena responds. Cena with a flying shoulder tackle but Hunter with a knee when Cena tries for the second one. Cena with an Irish whip and Hunter does the Hunter flip to the floor. Cena goes out after Hunter and he gets Hunter on his shoulders but Hunter gets to his feet and he sends Cena into the ring post. We go to commercial.
We are back and Hunter with a hard Irish whip. Cena with a hip toss and punches. Cena with a fisherman’s suplex for a near fall. Hunter with back breakers to Cena for a near fall. Hunter with a suplex to Cena as he continues to work on the back. Hunter with punches to Cena. Hunter with a knee drop to the head for a near fall. Cena punches back and it is time for the yeah/boo punches. Cena with the flying shoulder tackles and now it is time for the Blue Thunder Bomb. I think you can see what is coming next because it is the five knuckle shuffle. Hunter punches Cena and hits the facebuster and a clothesline. Hunter charges into a boot from Cena but Hunter with a spinebuster and time to pose. Hunter with a kick and he tries for a Pedigree but Cena with a back body drop and both men are down. Hunter with a sleeper to Cena and Cena is able to reverse it and put Hunter in the sleeper. Hunter escapes the hold and both men are down.
Time for some punches to get the crowd to cheer Hunter and boo Cena. Cena with a kick and a leap frog neck breaker. Cena goes to the top turnbuckle for the leg drop but Hunter moves out of the way. Hunter tries for the Pedigree but Cena with a jackknife cover. Cena tries for the Attitude Adjustment but Hunter with a near fall. Cena tries to lock in the STF and he gets it applied but Hunter is by the ropes and gets to them. Cena tries to pull Hunter back into the ring. Hunter with an inside cradle for a near fall. Cena blocks another Pedigree attempt. Cena slingshots Hunter into the ring post and then he gets Hunter up for the Attitude Adjustment and Hunter has the rope. Both man hits a clothesline and they are both down. They both get to their feet at nine. Cena and Hunter exchange punches but DiBiase and Rhodes attack Hunter and Cena.
The referee calls for the bell.
Randy Orton interrupts the announcement by Lillian Garcia and he announces a Double Disqualification and that he won’t face either of them at Night of Champions.
Ted DiBiase comes out and he has something to say. Ted says that neither man lost and since his opinion weighs more than Randy’s. At Night of Champions, Orton will defend the title in a Triple Threat Match against John Cena and Triple H.
2010 - WWE broadcast NXT. Richard Trionfo filed the following TV report:
We start off tonight’s show with a look back at last week’s show when we saw the return of the physical challenges and the first elimination as well as the first poll.
We are live on tape from Atlanta, Georgia and your announcers are Michael ‘Vintage Techwood’ Cole and Josh ‘Tough Enough’ Mathews. Your hosts are Ashley ‘not that one’ Valence and Matt ‘Who will be Chopped . . . whoops wrong show with eliminations at 10:00 pm’ Striker.
Matt Striker is in the ring and he welcomes us to NXT. Matt reminds us that there are seven rookies left and then Matt reminds us what is in store for the winner. Matt reminds the WWE Universe that they are important in determining the winner, but so are the pros and they come out. The pros are on the opposite side of the stage this week.
Matt asks Zack Ryder about last week’s poll. Zack says that he doesn’t get it and he asks who voted Titus last. He says that Titus had everything. He had Zack has his pro and the dog bark. Zack says that Titus was robbed.
Matt asks Morrison and John says that it is great that the Universe gets input in the voting. Morrison says that he would have voted off the Miz and Miz mockingly laughs at Morrison for his attempt at humor.
It is time for the rookies to come out to the ring.
Matt says that the rookies know where they stand. Matt asks Husky if he thinks the heat is on him since he is in seventh place. Husky says that Matt should know how dangerous he is and wonders if Matt is seventh. Matt asks Riley about how stunned he was at the rankings. Alex says that he is shocked that he is number four. He thought he was looking for champions. His boss, Vince McMahon gives them the chance to vote on the future and the person in first isn’t tall enough to ride the bumper cars at Six Flags.
Kaval tells Alex that if he thinks it is a fluke, he should listen to the WWE Universe.
Matt tells the rookies that it takes charisma and you need to be able to connect with the WWE Universe. Now it is time for the Talk the Talk Challenge. The winner gets to show their personality next week because they will host their own talk show next week.
Percy Watson is first and his topic is ‘Glasses’. Percy talks about his glasses. He says that you need to have vision to know where you are going in life. You have to know how to get it.
Kaval is next and his topic is ‘chicken’. He says that is something that cannot exist in WWE. He might be the smallest, but he has the biggest heart. He says that he is not chicken.
Eli Cottonwood is next and his topic is ‘mustache’. Eli says that a mustache is a little hair grown over the upper lip. He says that a mustache is for a real man. He says that he has the best mustache of them all.
Michael McGillicutty’s topic is ‘breath’. Michael says that everyone knows about his background. He says that he is the grandson of a legend and the son of a WWE Hall of Famer. By the end of NXT, he will take their breath away.
Husky Harris is next and his topic is ‘doorknob’. Husky says that he used a doorknob to get in here. He says that his father is a former wrestler too. He says that since they voted him seventh, he will not talk to them any more.
Lucky Cannon’s topic is ‘deodorant’. He says that it is to stop smelling and sweating. It has no function without the smell. He needs the WWE and the WWE needs him. Stay with him.
Alex Riley’s topic is ‘pigeon’. Alex says that there are a lot of animals he has come into contact with in his life. Alex says that he is the rooster in this hen house. He is left with six pigeons.
It is time for the fan vote and the winner is Percy Watson.
Cole suggests some names for Percy’s talk show and Josh wonders if he could be somewhere else.
We go to commercial.
Match Number One: Percy Watson with Montel Vontavious Porter versus Michael McGillicutty with Kofi Kingston
They lock up and Michael with a side head lock but Watson with a jumping side kick and side head lock take down. Michael with a knee and then he hits a drop kick after a leap frog that reminds people of his father. Michael with an elbow in the corner followed by a snap mare for a near fall. Michael with a reverse chin lock but Watson with elbows. Michael with a clothesline to Watson for a near fall. Michael with a back breaker and a near fall. Watson with an elbow and drop kicks. Michael with a sunset flip for the three count.
Winner: Michael McGillicutty
It is time to take a look back at last week’s Keg Carry Challenge.
We go to comments on Titus O’Neil. MVP says that he has an imposing look. Kofi says that he is a brick house and is big. Miz and Layla mention that he barks like a dog. Morrison says that it sounds like a walrus. Morrison then says that his ear point is the best thing you will see from him. Porter calls O’Neil a dump truck. Ryder says that O’Neil needs some work. Miz says that O’Neil is awkward in the ring. Miz comments on Titus’ promos. Cody says that Titus could have a lot of charisma but he should brush his teeth.
We go to Titus’ exit promo from last week.
Match Number Two: The Miz with Alex Riley versus Kaval with Layla and Michelle McCool
Kaval with a kicks to the leg and then they lock up. Kaval with a clean break but Miz with a kick to the head. Miz with a knee to the back followed by elbows to the chest followed by a boot to the head and he gets a near fall. Miz chokes Kaval in the ropes. Kaval with punches to Miz but Miz with kicks to stop Kaval’s offense. Miz with punches in the corner and then he chokes Kaval. Miz with the clothesline into the corner and he gets a near fall. Miz with a rear chin lock but Kaval stomps on Miz’s boot. Kaval counters a belly-to-back attempt with a lateral press. Miz throws Kaval out of the ring and Layla and Michelle shield Kaval from Riley as we go to commercial.
We are back and Miz has Kaval in a rear chin lock. We see footage from the commercial break of Miz sending Kaval into the apron. Miz misses a punch and Kaval with a sunset flip into a double stomp and Miz is down holding his chest. Miz with a kick but Kaval with flying elbows and a back kick. Kaval with another kick and then he hits Tidal Crush and gets a near fall. Kaval goes to the turnbuckles but Miz with a punch. Miz tries for a superplex but Kaval blocks it and knocks Miz off. Miz pulls Kaval off the top turnbuckles and he drops Kaval on the top turnbuckle and then hits the Skull Crushing Finale for the three count.
Winner: The Miz
We take a look at Eli Cottonwood. Morrison says that Eli calls attention to himself because of his size. Miz calls Eli scary looking. Michelle and Layla call him tall and scary. Kofi says Eli doesn’t seem ‘all there’ when he talks. Mark Henry says the quietest have the most venom and letting it out will make him better. Morrison says that Eli has some disadvantages. Ryder calls him clumsy. Miz says that he is not intimidated by his size. Henry says that Eli has to realize that he is a big man and he needs to dominate them.
We go to commercial.
We are back with the Raw Rebound.
It is time to get comments about Husky Harris. Cody says that Husky has a lot going for him and a lot against him. Mark Henry says that he is made for the business. He is athletic and he has a bit of a mean streak. MVP says that he has a spark and he is anxious and eager to succeed. Miz says that Husky has an interesting and intriguing look, but he is fat. Cody points out that he is not built like Percy Watson, but he is a Ferrari engine in a tank. Miz says that he has an advantage the way he moves. Kofi says that he is deceivingly athletic and that is a good thing. Michelle says that Husky has the most potential after Kaval. They talk about his heritage but Zack says that he cannot use that to coast through the competition.
Before the match starts, we are told that the Nexus will be on next week’s NXT.
Match Number Three: Husky Harris and Cody Rhodes versus Mark Henry and Lucky Cannon
Lucky and Husky start things off and they lock up with Cannon working on the arm but Husky with a forearm. Cannon with an arm drag and Henry tags in. Cody tags in as well. Rhodes with a dashing forearm but Henry shrugs it off. Henry with a punch and then he press slams Rhodes. Henry stands over Rhodes and he tries for a seated splash but Rhodes moves. Harris tags in and he kicks and punches Henry and gets a near fall. Harris with a front face lock and he tags Rhodes in. Rhodes with punches and he tags Harris back in. Harris with a shoulder in the corner and then he hits a splash in the corner but he is met with a running clothesline from Henry. Rhodes and Cannon tag in and Cannon with elbows to Rhodes. Cannon with a back body drop and he gets a near fall but Harris breaks up the cover. Henry with a body block to Harris. Rhodes with Cross Rhodes to Cannon for the three count.
Winners: Husky Harris and Cody Rhodes
2011 - WWE Raw ran Aucklund, New Zealand. Michael Shale sent the following recap:
The show began with a CM Punk promo where, when he started to ran about Vince McMahon, his mic was cut off. This led to Rey Mysterio coming out. He beat Punk in a great opener.
Kelly Kelly and Beth Phoenix beat The Bellas.
Evan Bourne beat Primo in what was almost a squash.
Jack Swagger beat Zack Ryder.
Dolph Ziggler beat Kofi Kingston to retain the US Title.
Kelly Kelly did the Dance Off segment.
David Otunga and Michael McGillicutty beat Santino Marella and Vladimir Kozlov to retain the WWE Tag Titles.
The Miz did a promo where he trashed Alex Riley. This led to a great street match between the two, which Riley won.
John Cena beat R-Truth in a good, long match to retain the WWE Title. After the match, CM Punk came out and attacked Cena. More heels followed, then the babyfaces made the save. It was a good brawl at the end of the show and capped off the night very well.
2011 - WWE Smackdown ran Cape Town, South Africa. Jef Ericksen filed the following live report:
I was at the first Cape Town show that ended just over an hour ago and, while it wasn't the strongest, it was entertaining. Here's my rundown of the matches. I'm not going to deep-dive into the play-by-play, as the action was fairly standard, but I guess this was to be expected since a lot of the wrestlers only touched down on South African soil this morning. I was third row ringside, so had a good look on the action.
The show kicked off with the (gorgeous!) announcer welcoming the South African fans and giving the regular do's and dont's for the night. We then got right into it with the first match of the night.
1) Kane & Ezekial Jackson vs. Wade Barrett & Sheamus
Kane and Big Zeke came out to a pretty rapturous reception with Kane cracking a smile and Big Zeke grinning from ear to ear, clearly relishing his babyfacedom. Wade Barrett got some cheap heat by wearing an England rugby jersey (our bitter rivals) and got in the face of some of the supporters, but clearly avoiding any direct face-to-face contact ala CM Punk. Sheamus was out next and looked pretty tired - the pale warrior a lot paler than on the TV. The match itself was a very neat and fast-paced opener with the face team obviously coming out on top to get the crowd into the swing of things. Kane and Jackson picking up the win with Kane pinning Barrett after a big goozle while Jackson had Sheamus in the torture rack.
2) Daniel Bryan vs. Jinder Mahal
Absolutely no reaction for Jinder Mahal at first, although this was because his character hasn't been exposed much on the much-cut international Smackdown broadcast we get that's also 3 or 4 weeks behind the US. He cut a decent promo interchanging between English and his foreign tongue, so got the crowd on his back pretty easily there. A decent enough pop for Bryan. I was expecting more from this being a Bryan Danielson fan, but the action was quite tedious at times with the two not really clicking on the night. The Lebell Lock got a massive reaction, but Mahal powered out and then later picking up the win with the Full Nelson Slam. He really needs a different finisher, because it wasn't very impressive and the crowd was flat for the result.
3) Yoshi Tatsu vs. Mark Henry
This was merely a vehicle to expose Mark Henry's monster character as he no-selled a lot of Tatsu's moves and won with the world's strongest slam. Crowd lost interest during this one, especially after another mediocre heel win. I was hoping the next match would pick things up again - it did.
4) Sin Cara vs. Justin Gabriel
Sin Cara came out with the annoying orange glow and no trampoline. Unfortunately the Cape Town wasn't the sharpest with quite a few of the younger fans confusing him with Rey Mysterio - clearly missed the part of this being a Smackdown live event. The biggest pop of the night BY FAR came for Justin Gabriel from his hometown. It was clear that something was going to happen here, because there was no way Sin Cara would lose to the Cape Town boy and vice versa. The match was pretty back and forth with Sin Cara botching one or two moves. The two did look good together and it would be interesting to see some more. A few minutes into the action the inevitable happened with Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase running in. Gabriel got on the mic for another big pop (so weird hearing our accent on an "international superstar") and challenged for a tag team match, which was duly granted.
5) Sin Cara & Justin Gabriel vs. Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase
Rhodes and DiBiase were awesome here in their roles; riling up the crowd with ease and getting some fans pretty vocal in their hatred for them. The four worked really well together. After watching them live, I really hope there are big pushes for Rhodes (more) and DiBiase (less) down the road, because they are natural heels with good ring skills. A nice fast-paced match with Justin Gabriel hitting an awesome 450 splash on DiBiase for the win and the HUGE pop. Gabriel did a nice little spot after by getting on the turn-buckle to mouth "thank you" to the fans.
Intermission
6) Natalya vs. Alicia Fox
Both got a nice welcome. I always thought Alicia Fox was pretty, but she's pretty damn hot in the flesh! The match was surprisingly fun, with two Divas being afforded a lot more time than they get on TV. Fox played to the crowd nicely and got some cheap heat, while Natalya was fawned upon, although I'm not too sure how much of this was the crowd's love for her or her Hart connection (her music got a massive reaction). Natalya picked up the win with the sharpshooter and then celebrated in the ring with some kids that were invited into the ring, which was a nice touch.
7) Big Show vs. Alberto Del Rio
Alberto Del Rio came out to the biggest heat of the night and was awesome as he came down to the ring. He cut a great promo and aimed his remarks at certain audience members. I liked his line where he said, "Why are you booing me? Why? What have I done? SHE likes me!!" and pointed at a girl who could compete with the Miz Girl. I also liked how he dropped the microphone just as the announcer was reaching for it, which got a lot of heat. Del Rio continued for a bit but was interrupted by the Big Show who got a great reaction. The match was set and the two had a decent back and forth with Del Rio aiming his offence at Big Show's knee. Mark Henry ran down for the interruption by smashing Show into the ring steps. It wasn't enough to put Show away and he picked up the win with this chokeslam. I was surprised at the result, as I was envisaging some kind of no-result. A nice action-packed little match, albeit a bit short.
8) Randy Orton vs. Christian with Bret "The Hitman" Hart as special enforcer
Bret Hart was announced and came out to an awesome reaction for the WWE Legend, especially from the older supporters. Unfortunately he didn't address the crowd, as I was hoping, but did play to the fans a bit and cracked a smile or two. Christian came out to cheers at first and looked confused as he came out. He cut a decent promo stressing the Championship should be his. It was great how he worked in the fact that some of his luggage was stolen (as reported on PWInsider). The oddest reaction was how he basically called South Africans thieves...and everyone cheered. Odd one that, but moving on. He also said forget Edge (huge pop) and Hart, and know that he's the greatest Canadian world champion of all time. It was time for Orton and he came out to the second biggest cheers of the night. He was smiling pretty broadly and looked like he was enjoying himself. Bret Hart's presence was minute as he sat ringside for most of the match. Orton and Christian put on a very nice match and showed their tremendous chemistry. They looked like they were having a lot of fun and did one bit where both of them were running the ropes on opposite sides, about 7 or 8 times with Christian cartoonishly feigning confusion and Orton smiling. Orton tried the punt, which looked great. Hart finally got involved, as Christian was removing the turn-buckle, and pushed him aside. The match ended shortly afterwards with the RKO out of nowhere. It really is a great looking finisher. Hart got in the ring and lifted Randall's hand. Orton then left and Hart was alone in the ring with Christian skulking outside (you can see where this is going). Christian got in his face with his back turned on Orton, who was still leaving ringside. He slithered back in, Christian turned around to a right from Orton and then Hart knocking him down to the mat for the sharpshooter. A fantastic pop for that and he got a nice send-off from the fans.
All-in-all it was an entertaining 2 hours with enough action packed in to soothe the South African's hunger for the wrestlers, who hadn't seen them in 4 years. I felt that the action was definitely impacted by their fatigue and none of the matches were anything to rave about. I've got a feeling it will be a while before we see them again. I say this because on every tour previously the announcer or main event winner would get on the mic thanking the fans and vowing to return soon, but that didn't happen this time around. I hope I'm wrong.
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