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January 21st
On this day in history in ....
1946 - Joe Lynam defeats Jack Lipscomb for the Pacific Coast Light Heavyweight Title in Portland, Oregon, ending Lipscomb's fifth reign and beginning Lynam's second.
1953 - Kurt Von Poppenheim and Johnny Cretorian defeat Frank Stojack and Carl Engstrom to win the Northwest Tag Team Title in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, beginning their second reign.
1958 - Johnny Valentine defeats Bill Melby for the NWA Texas Heavyweight Title in Dallas, Texas, beginning his second reign.
1959 - Mr. Moto defeats Reggie Siki to win the NWA Beat the Champ International Television Title in Los Angeles, California, beginning his second reign.
1960 - Sonny Myers defeats Rock Hunter for the Amarillo NWA North American Heavyweight Title in Amarillo, Texas.
1963 - The Medics (Tony Gonzales and Donald Lortie) defeat Eric Pomeroy (Stan Pulaski) and Ray Andrews to win the Mid-America NWA Southern Tag Team Title in Memphis, Tennessee, beginning their fourth reign.
1963 - Bull Curry defeats Tony Borne in Fort Worth, Texas to win the NWA Texas Brass Knuckles Title, ending Borne's second reign and beginning Curry's 11th.
1965 - Ken Lucas and Sputnik Monroe defeat Art Nielson and The Red Raider to win the Amarillo version of the NWA North American Tag Team Title in Amarillo, Texas.
1967 - Dick the Bruiser and The Crusher defeat The Devil's Duo (Angelo Poffo and Chris Markoff) for the World Wrestling Association World Tag Team Title.
1967 - Ray Stevens and Pat Patterson defeat Ciclon Negro and The Mongolian Stomper to win the American Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Title in San Francisco, California.
1971 - The Texas Outlaws (Dick Murdoch and Dusty Rhodes) defeat Mark Lewin and Mario Milano in Sydney, Australia to win the International Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Title.
1971 - Bobby Fields wins his third NWA Mississippi Heavyweight Title, ending the fourth reign of Rocket Monroe in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.
1972 - Don and Al Greene defeat The Avengers for the NWA Tennessee Tag Team Title in Knoxville, Tennessee.
1977 - Victor Rivera and Cien Caras defeat Roddy Piper and The Hangman to win the NWA Americas Tag Team Title.
1979 - AWA Southern Heavyweight Champion Ron Fuller and Toru Tanaka defeated Dennis Condrey and Don Fargo in a tournament final to win the vacant AWA Southern Tag Team Title in Memphis, Tennessee. Fuller won the match on his own after Tanaka left the ring. The title would end up vacant again after Fuller and Tanaka split up, and feud over Fuller's AWA Southern Heavyweight Title.
1979 - The Yamaha Brothers (Kotetsu Yamamoto and Kantaro Hoshino) defeat The Great Kusatsu and Animal Hamaguchi to win the International Pro Wrestling World Tag Team Title in Tokyo, Japan.
1983 - Terry Gordy defeats Kevin Von Erich for the World Class American Heavyweight Title in Dallas, Texas, ending Kevin's fourth reign.
1984 - The WWF ran a show at the Spectrum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The results:
- Eddie Gilbert and Rene Goulet ended in a 20-minute time-limit draw.
- Swede Hanson pinned Paul Vachon after an elbow drop.
- The Invaders defeated Mr. Fuji and Charlie Fulton, when Fulton was pinned after being hiptossed onto his partner.
- WWF Champion The Iron Sheik and Tito Santana were both disqualified after both men shoved down the referee after Sheik brought a steel chair into the ring.
- WWF Intercontinental Champion Don Muraco pinned Salvatore Bellomo with a sunset flip.
- The Masked Superstar defeated Bob Backlund by countout.
- The Haiti Kid and Tiger Jackson defeated Pancho Boy and Dana Carpenter, when Haiti pinned Carpenter. This match aired on the June 25 edition of Prime Time Wrestling.
- André the Giant, Jimmy Snuka and WWF Tag Team Champions Tony Atlas and Rocky Johnson defeated Sgt. Slaughter and The Wild Samoans (Afa, Sika and Samula) in a two out of three falls match. Afa pinned Johnson after a headbutt to win the first fall, Snuka pinned Samula after a Superfly splash off André's shoulders in fall #2, and André pinned Afa after a big boot and a sit-down splash to win the match.
1985 - Legendary wrestler and Florida promoter Eddie Graham commits suicide at the age of 55. He was reportedly very despondent about financial problems (the territory was not doing well) when he suffered of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
1985 - The U.S. Express (Mike Rotundo and Barry Windham) defeat Adrian Adonis and Dick Murdoch for the WWF World Tag Team Title in Hartford, Connecticut.
1985 - The WWF runs at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. The results were:
- Moondog Rex pinned Terry Gibbs.
- Bret Hart defeated Rene Goulet by submission.
- Jim Neidhart pinned Tony Garea.
- Don Muraco pinned Swede Hanson.
- Blackjack Mulligan pinned Moondog Spot.
- André the Giant defeated Ken Patera by disqualification.
- Big John Studd pinned George Wells.
- Bob Orton, Jr. and Roddy Piper defeated The Junkyard Dog (subbing for The Tonga Kid) and Jimmy Snuka in a Texas Tornado match.
- The Spoiler pinned Rick McGraw.
- Tito Santana defeated WWF Intercontinental Champion Greg Valentine by countout.
1986 - Tom Zenk defeats Bobby Jaggers for the NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Title in Portland, Oregon, ending Jaggers' third reign.
1986 - Buddy Landel defeats Koko Ware in Louisville, Kentucky to win the NWA Mid-America Heavyweight Title, ending Ware's sixth reign and beginning Landel's third.
1990 - The WWF holds the third-annual Royal Rumble pay-per-view event at the Orlando Arena in Orlando, Florida. The PPV got a x.x buyrate. The results:
- In a dark match, Paul Roma pinned The Brooklyn Brawler.
- The Bushwhackers (Butch and Luke) defeated The Fabulous Rougeau Brothers (Jacques and Raymond), when Butch pinned Jacques after the two hit the Battering Ram.
- Brutus Beefcake vs. The Genius ended in a double-disqualification. Beefcake locked in a sleeper after referee Earl Hebner was knocked down and then went to cut The Genius's hair. After Mr. Perfect attacked Brutus, Hebner recovered and disqualified both men.
- Ronnie Garvin defeated Greg Valentine in an I Quit match, making him submit with a reverse Figure Four Leglock.
- Jim Duggan defeated The Big Bossman by disqualification, after Bossman hit Duggan with his nightstick.
- Hulk Hogan, the #25 entrant, last eliminated #30 entrant Mr. Perfect to win the Royal Rumble match. The ironman of the Rumble was #1 entrant Ted DiBiase, who lasted 44 minutes and 47 seconds, breaking Mr. Perfect's 1989 mark of 27 minutes and 58 seconds.
1990 - Los Arqueros del Espacio (El Arquero, Danny Boy and Lasser) defeat Black Terry, José Ruiz Feliciano and Shu el Guerrero in Mexico City, Mexico for the Mexican National Trios Title.
1992 - WCW holds Clash of the Champions XVIII at the Kansas Expocenter in Topeka, Kansas, which drew a 3.7 rating on TBS, and featured the WCW debut of Jesse "The Body" Ventura. The results:
- In a dark match, Todd Champion and Firebreaker Chip defeated Bob Cook and Sgt. Buddy Lee Parker.
- The Steiner Brothers (Rick and Scott) defeated Big Van Vader and Mr. Hughes, when Rick pinned Hughes after a top-rope bulldog.
- Marcus Alexander Bagwell and Brian Pillman defeated Tracy Smothers and Terrence Taylor, when Bagwell pinned Smothers with a sunset flip after Pillman dropkicked Taylor out of the ring.
- Johnny B. Badd pinned Richard Morton after rolling through a Morton crossbody.
- PN News pinned Diamond Dallas Page after a top-rope splash.
- Cactus Jack pinned Van Hammer in a falls count anywhere match.
- The Fabulous Freebirds (Jimmy Garvin and Michael Hayes) defeated Brad Armstrong and Big Josh, when Hayes pinned Armstrong after the Freebirds double-DDT'd Armstrong.
- Vinnie Vegas, in his WCW debut, pinned Thomas Rich after the Snake Eyes.
- Dustin Rhodes, Barry Windham and WCW United States Tag Team Champion Ron Simmons defeated Larry Zbyszko and WCW World Tag Team Champions Arn Anderson and Bobby Eaton, when Windham pinned Eaton after hitting him with his hand cast as Eaton came off the top rope.
- Ricky Steamboat and Sting defeated WCW World Television Champion Steve Austin and WCW United States Heavyweight Champion Rick Rude, when both men pinned Austin after Sting hit a crossbody off the top as Austin held Steamboat in the air.
1995 - Mr. Pogo wins his second FMW World Brass Knuckles Title, defeating Atsushi Onita in Miyagi, Japan, ending Onita's third reign.
1996 - The WWF holds the ninth-annual Royal Rumble pay-per-view event at the Selland Arena in Fresno, California. The PPV got a x.x buyrate. The results were:
- In a match airing on the first-ever Free for All, Duke Droese defeated Hunter Hearst Helmsley by disqualification, after Helmsley used brass knuckles. Droese won the match, so he earned the #30 entry spot in the Royal Rumble Match, while Helmsley had to enter #1.
- Ahmed Johnson defeated Jeff Jarrett by disqualification, after Jarrett jumped off the top rope and broke his guitar over Johnson's head.
- WWF Tag Team Champions The Smoking Gunns (Billy and Bart) defeated The Bodydonnas (Skip and Zip), when Bart pinned Zip after Billy helped reverse the Bodydonnas' double suplex attempt on Bart into a small package, to retain the title.
- Goldust pinned WWF Intercontinental Champion Razor Ramon to win the title, after The 1-2-3 Kid came and hit Ramon with a top rope Spinning Heel Kick while Marlena distracted the referee. This ended Razor's fourth and final run with the belt.
- Shawn Michaels, who entered from the #18 spot, last eliminated #22 entrant Diesel to win his second consecutive Royal Rumble Match. The '96 ironman was Hunter Hearst Helmsley, in the ring for 48 minutes and one second.
1996 - Bodyguard becomes the first ECCW Heavyweight Champion in Campbell River, British Columbia.
1997 - WCW holds Clash of the Champions XXXIV at the Wisconsin Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, drawing a 3.5 rating on TBS. The results were:
- In a dark match, Ice Train pinned Mark Starr.
- Dean Malenko defeated WCW Cruiserweight Champion Ultimo Dragon by submission with the Texas Cloverleaf to win the title. This began Malenko's third reign.
- Scotty Riggs pinned Mike Enos after a flying forearm.
- Chavo Guerrero, Jr., Chris Jericho and Super Calo defeated Mr. JL, Konnan and La Parka, when Jericho pinned Mr. JL after a hurricanrana off the top. The match was advertised at the start of the show as Guerrero, La Parka and Calo facing Konnan, Juventud Guerrera and Psychosis.
- Harlem Heat (Stevie Ray and Booker T) defeated Joe Gomez and The Renegade, when Booker pinned Renegade after the Harlem Heatseeker.
- Masahiro Chono pinned Alex Wright after a Yakuza Kick.
- WCW United States Heavyweight Champion Eddie Guerrero pinned Scott Norton after the frog splash, following a Diamond Cutter from Diamond Dallas Page while Guerrero and the referee were knocked out on the floor.
- Chris Benoit pinned Kevin Sullivan in a falls count anywhere match, after Woman hit Sullivan over the head with a wooden chair.
- The Steiner Brothers (Rick and Scott) defeated The Amazing French Canadians (Pierre Oulette and Jacques Rougeau), when Scott pinned Oulette after a double-team top-rope DDT.
- Lex Luger defeated WCW World Tag Team Champion Scott Hall by disqualification after Syxx and Kevin Nash interfered.
1999 - Chip Fairway defeats The Suicide Kid for the IWA Mid-South Heavyweight Title in Louisville, Kentucky.
2000 - Jimmy Angel defeats Scott Venom in North Versailles, Pennsylvania to win the Pittsburgh Wrestling League Three Rivers Title.
2001 - The WWF holds the 14th-annual Royal Rumble pay-per-view event at the New Orleans Arena in New Orleans, Louisiana. Here is Tim Whitehead's original report on the show:
WWF's Royal Rumble (1/21 from New Orleans) was a clear thumb's up show. The undercard was great overall, with just about everyone working hard and the crowd into most everything. The Rumble itself was mostly strong, although the first twenty minutes or so turned into a mess at times. Steve Austin going over to win the Rumble was not unexpected, but was done in a suitably dramatic fashion. There were a few surprise entrants in the Rumble. Commentary from Jim Ross & Jerry Lawler was great.
The broadcast opened with an excellent Rumble promo.
THE DUDLEY BOYZ beat EDGE & CHRISTIAN in 9:58 to capture the WWF World Tag Titles. Edge & Christian bailed out early and tried to leave, but the Dudleys dragged them back. The were doing a gimmick where the Dudleys were wrestling despite having "concussions" from the chairshots E & C gave them on Raw last week. Whenever they took a head blow they'd sell it big. Lawler didn't believe they had concussions because that's a bruised brain and he said the Dudleys don't have brains. The Dudleys doubled on Christian. E & C then worked over D-Von. Christian went to the top rope but D-Von catapulted Edge into him. E & C missed the "concerto" when D-Von ducked and he made the hot tag. Buh Buh Ray mopped up the floor on E & C. Christian took a high backdrop. Edge received the wazzup. Christian tried to use one of the title belts but missed. The Dudleys were about to 3D Christian but Edge speared Buh Buh. E & C tried to do the wazzup but it backfired and Christian took the blow. Edge was then 3D'ed and D-Von pinned him. Good opener. The fans were probably disappointed that no tables were used but it's best not to do the same thing every match.
Drew Carey arrived in a limo.
Vince McMahon said that despite the altercation between Hunter Hearst Helmsley and Steve Austin on Smackdown, neither man will be penalized.
HHH was worried that Stephanie and Trish Stratus might get into it during his match and cost him the World Title. Carey then walked in and was unaware of the current storylines as he was surprised to find out that HHH and Steph have been married over a year. He started talking about Kamala. Steph noted that Carey is supposedly a ladies' man, and sent him to Trish's dressing room, presumably hoping Trish would fall for him and drop Vince.
The Acolytes were playing cards and dinking beer, as usual. They showed each other their Rumble entry number. Bradshaw told Faarooq he'd better have another beer. Crash Holly barged in and said that even though they're friends, he'd be forced to eliminate either Acolyte if they got in his way in the Rumble. Faarooq remarked that Crash must be drunk, which was an inside joke since Crash got reprimanded recently for showing up drunk.
CHRIS JERICHO beat CHRIS BENOIT in 18:42 in a ladder match to capture the IC Title. Benoit quickly went after Jericho's arm that was "injured" on Smackdown. Jericho went for a springboard move but Benoit ducked and Jericho hit the floor. Benoit worked over Jericho on the floor and then got the ladder. They did some standard spots hitting each other with the ladder. Jericho bumped out and Benoit went for a tope but Jericho, in a sicko spot, knocked him out of the air with a hard chairshot to the head. Back in the ring they did some more ladder spots and bumps. Benoit took a teeter-totter ladder shot to the face. They did a neat spot where Jericho hooked an octupus hold on Benoit on top of the ladder. Benoit hooked the crossface. Jericho tapped but it didn't count under the ladder match rules. After a few more ladder spots, Benoit went up and tried for the diving headbutt off the ladder top but Jericho rolled clear and Benoit crashed hard. Jericho went up but Benoit tipped the ladder over. Benoit went up but Jericho tipped it and Benoit went out of the ring and Jericho made it up to get the belt. Real good match!
Carey made a few passes at Trish but she told him she was currently involved with someone. Vince came in and got real protective of Trish. Carey said that he has his own comedy PPV coming up and wondered if Vince had any advice on how to promote it. Vince, to get even with Carey for wanting Trish, recommended that Carey enter the Rumble, assuring Carey it would be perfectly safe. Carey nervously accepted.
Billy Gunn tried to talk Chyna out of wrestling since her neck isn't 100%, but she wouldn't listen.
Jericho did an interview as new IC Champ and said Benoit was a tough bastard but he proved Benoit wrong.
IVORY beat CHYNA by ref stoppage in 3:31 to retain the WWF Women's Title. Not much to the actual match. Chyna weakly tossed Ivory around a little. She also beat up Steven Richards. Chyna did the handspring elbow but both she and Ivory went down, with everyone selling it like the impact damaged Chyna's weak vertebrae. The ref stopped the match with Chyna lying motionless like she was paralyzed below the neck. JR & Lawler sold it as legit, with Lawler actually going in the ring to check on her. Gunn also came out. The EMT's put a neck brace on her and she was stretchered out. Angles like these are a dime a dozen nowadays but this one was handled well and looked very legit (though it wasn't).
Steph went to get her haired fixed and ecountered Trish there. Trish agreed to give Steph her spot since Steph, after all, needed her hair done more. Steph warned Trish not to interfere in HHH's match, and Trish said she has her own "affairs" to worry about.
Harvey Whippleman brought Carey some wrestling gear. Kane walked in and just stared at Carey in an intimidating manner.
Tiger Ali Singh was trying to decide which of his men (D-Lo Brown or Chaz) would get their team's spot in the Rumble. But Vince arrived and cancelled their participation, giving the spot to Carey. Singh didn't know who Carey is.
They did a fan comment segment from WWF New York over who would win the Kurt Angle vs. HHH match. These segments are very good.
KURT ANGLE defeated HUNTER HEARST HELMSLEY in 24:12 to retain the WWF World Title. Trish came out in the fur coat & diamonds Vince bought for her. JR wondered what poor Linda thinks seeing that, and Lawler replied that vegetables don't think. Lawler said Trish is a baseball girl, meaning she won't play without diamonds. The match started off with some standard wrestling. Very good stuff with Angle dominating early as they are trying to push him as tougher than before. HHH sold for him and even bailed out after a suplex. They brawled on the floor. HHH hooked a grapevine hold and JR said it reminded him of Buddy Rogers. Lawler said no one today knows who Rogers is, which sadly is mostly true. They got off on Carey for a minute and Lawler mentioned piledriving Andy Kaufman many years sgo, with JR noting that eight people saw the movie about it. Low blow! Stephanie distracted the ref and HHH used a chair on Angle's knee. He went to work on the knee, including an old-fashioned Indian death lock. When HHH put the figure four on Angle, Trish helped Angle to the ropes, which led Steph to attack Trish for a heated catfight spot. They actually brawled across the announcers' desk and were clawing away when Vince arrived. It took him forever to separate them as they kept fighting with him trapped in the middle. He finally dragged both of them out. This was great! HHH and Angle continued on in the ring with some near falls. Angle did a moonsault but sold his knee. Angle has really become great and his moonsault is in Kenta Kobashi's league. The ref got bumped. Angle slammed HHH off the top but there was no ref to count the pin. The ref revived but was bumped again as HHH and Angle brawled. Angle blocked a belt shot from HHH and hit a suplex. HHH then blocked Angle's belt shot and hit the Pedigree but the ref was still out. Steve Austin ran in and juiced HHH with the belt, and then stunnered him. Angle crawled on top of HHH as the ref revived to count the pin. Great match!
Rock did a Rumble promo, wondering if Undertaker and Kane are now back together as a team.
STEVE AUSTIN won the Royal Rumble at the 1:01:52 mark. The intervals were announced as 2:00 but they were actually 1:45. Jeff Hardy (1) and Bull Buchanan (2) started off. Matt Hardy (3) came in and joined his brother to eliminate Buchanan. They then went at each other. Faarooq (4) arrived but the Hardys quickly eliminated him. Jeff had an off night as he was missing some key spots. Drew Carey (5) waltzed in, wearing glasses and not treating this seriously at all. He lucked out as both Hardys simultaneously eliminated each other. Kane (6) arrived and Carey tried to offer him money. Kane just stared. Raven (7) came in and went after Kane. Carey then eliminated himself, which was super lame. The match became a mess for a while as Raven brought in garbage cans, pans, and other hardcore match gimmicks. Al Snow (8) made his return and went after Raven, hitting him in the crotch with a bowling ball. Perry Saturn (9) went in. Kane was doing a superman act as all three opponents kept trying to eliminate him. Steve Blackman (10) showed up with his martial arts sticks for still more objects in the ring. Grandmaster Sexay (11) went in. Kane then went nuts and eliminated everyone else, leaving only himself in the ring. Honky Tonk Man (12) arrived as a surprise entry. He wanted to sing but Kane broke his guitar over his head and eliminated him. Rock (13) arrived and went after Kane and the match turned serious again. Goodfather (14) went in but was immediately dumped. The same thing happened to Tazz (15). Rock and Kane kept brawling, with their longevity (especially Kane's) one of the stories of the match. Bradshaw (16) went in and lariated the hell out of both Rock and Kane. Over the next few minutes the ring filled up as Albert (17), Hardcore Holly (18), K-Kwik (19), Val Venis (20), William Regal (21), and Test (22) arrived. Regal got eliminated. Up next was another surprise as Big Show (23) came in. He eliminated Test and Kwik and chokeslammed everyone else, including Kane, except Rock. Rock blocked the slam with a low blow and lariated Show over the top to eliminate him. Show was furious and dragged Rock out (through the ropes so it wasn't an elimination). Show pulverized Rock and left him laying. Crash Holly (24) arrived. Undertaker (25) then went in and joined forces with Kane to eliminate every other wrestler except Rock, who was still out on the floor. Scotty 2 Hotty (26) went in looking worried, as he should have been as UT & Kane quickly eliminated him. UT & Kane kept staring at one another. Steve Austin (27) came out to a big pop but before he reached the ring he was ambushed by HHH, who mauled Austin, leaving him literally a bloody mess before a ton of referees dragged HHH away. Rock recovered from his beating and went back in. Rock went at it with UT & Kane. Billy Gunn (28) and Haku (29) arrived. Haku, the former Meng in WCW, was probably a mystery to most of the live fans. Finally, Rikishi (30) went in. Haku got eliminated. Rikishi kicked UT in the chops and he went over for an elimination. Rock evaded Rikishi's ass drop and eliminated him. Austin recovered, and though bloody, went in and eliminated Gunn. Austin and Rock went at it, slugging it out. Austin blocked a Rock Bottom and gave Rock a stunner. Austin tried to throw Rock over. Kane came up behind and dumped both over but only Rock hit the floor for an elimination. Austin held on. Kane chokeslammed Austin. Kane brought in a chair but Austin blocked the blow, hit a stunner, and then sent Kane over the top with some hard chairshots for the win. Overall a solid Rumble, to set Austin us as the WWF Title challenger at WrestleMania.
2001 - Wifebeater becomes the CZW Iron Man Champion for the fourth and last time, in Smyrna, Delaware, by defeating Nate Hatred.
2002 - The WWF airs a live RAW and tapes the coming weekend's edition of Jakked from the BI-LO Center in Greenville, South Carolina. RAW got a 4.6 rating on Spike TV. The results were:
Dark matches:
- Brock Lesnar pinned Rico Constantino after the F-5.
- Randy Orton pinned Ron Waterman with an inside cradle.
Jakked:
- Test and WWF European Champion Christian defeated Albert and Scotty 2 Hotty.
- The Hurricane pinned A.J. Styles after the Vertebreaker, after Styles missed a Shooting Star Press.
- Perry Saturn defeated Funaki.
- Crash Holly defeated Oynx.
RAW:
- Rob Van Dam and WWF Tag Team Champions Spike Dudley and Tazz defeated Booker T and The Dudley Boyz (Bubba Ray and D-Von), when Van Dam pinned D-Von after the Five-Star Frog Splash.
- WWF Intercontinental Champion William Regal defeated Edge by disqualification, after Edge was caught using Regal's brass knuckles.
- Mr. Perfect vs. Val Venis ended in a no contest, after Steve Austin interfered hit Perfect with a steel chair on the floor, then gave Venis the Stone Cold Stunner. Austin then announced his entry into the 2003 Royal Rumble match.
- Billy and Chuck defeated Big Show and Kane, when Billy pinned Show after the Fameasser, while Chuck held down Show's leg.
- The Rock and Triple H defeated Kurt Angle and WWF Undisputed Champion Chris Jericho, when Rock pinned Jericho after the Rock Bottom after Jericho accidentally hit Angle with the ring bell.
2003 - Steve White wins a battle royal in Hanceville, Alabama to become the first Ultimate NWA Heavyweight Champion.
2005 - Chris Sabin defeats Alex Shelley in Oldcastle, Ontario, Canada for the BCW Can-Am Television Title, beginning his second reign.
2005 - J.D. Escalade and The Juggulator defeat Team G.A.Y. (J.C. Lynch and Shane Young) to win the NWA Tri-State Tag Team Title in Parkersburg, West Virginia.
2005 - Porkchop Cash defeats The Psycho to win the NWA Battle Zone Cruiserweight Title in Magee, Mississippi, ending Psycho's fourth reign.
2005 - J.T. Thorn defeats Wavell Starr for the Canadian Wrestling Federation Heavyweight Title in Crane River, Manitoba.
2006 - Arik Cannon defeats Jimmy Jacobs to win the IWA-Mid-South Heavyweight Title in Midlothian, Illinois, beginning his second reign.
2006 - Dean Allmark defeats Robbie Dynamite to win the British Mid-Heavyweight Title in Hanley, England.
2006 - Chris Cline defeats Blackhawk to win the National Wrestling League Cruiserweight Title in Hagerstown, Maryland.
2006 - Pepper Parks defeats Jon Moxley in a tournament final for the vacant Heartland Wrestling Association Heavyweight Title in Cincinnati, Ohio.
2007 - Dragon Gate holds "Primal Gate 2007: Night Four" at Kobe Sambo Hall in Hyogo, Japan. The results were:
- Yasushi Kanda, m.c.KZ and I-J Heavyweight Champion Masaaki Mochizuki defeated Open the Dream Gate Champion Don Fujii, Matt Sydal and The Turboman.
- Cyber Kong defeats Stalker Ichikawa Z and Syachihoko Machine in a three-way match.
- Magnitude Kishiwada defeated Yamato Onodera.
- CIMA, K-ness and Susumu Yokosuka defeated Taku Iwasa, Yuki Ono and Akira Tozawa.
- Genki Horiguchi vs. Ryo Saito ended in a no contest.
- Gamma, Naruki Doi and Open the Brave Gate Champion Masato Yoshino defeat Open the Triangle Gate Champions BxB Hulk, Anthony W. Mori and Super Shisa to win the title, and begin their second reign.
2007 - Ricky Marvin and Kotaro Suzuki defeat The Briscoes (Mark and Jay Briscoe) to win the NOAH GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Title in Tokyo, Japan.
2007 - In another of many crazy Dramatic Dream Team Ironman Heavymetalweight Title changes, champion The Crazy SKB puts his title up for auction in Tokyo, Japan. Naoshi Sano wins the auction, and begins his ninth reign, ending SKB's second. Sempai then wins a battle royal to win the title.
2007 - Ipezzi Grossi (Dragon and Lothar) defeat The Beastie Boyz (Ape Atomica and Il Lupo) for the Italian Championship Wrestling Italian Tag Team Title in Lecco, Italy. At the same event, Kobra ends Manuel Majoli's second reign as ICW Interregional Heavyweight Champion.
2008 - WWE broadcasts their first Raw in HD. Ed Shirreffs filed the following TV report:
The January 21st, 2008 edition of Monday Night RAW comes to us live and in HD! It is the go home show before the Royal Rumble, and comes hot on the heels of Jeff Hardy diving off the stage onto Randy Orton and saving RAW for the second week in a row. This is a non-HD RAW report.
Shawn Michaels is the first to come out on the new set and the first superstar to enter in HD. It's actually a very cool looking set up now. Kennedy is out next. He throws his shirt at HBK, who proceeds to wipe his crotch with it.
Shawn Michaels vs. Ken Kennedy
Kennedy gets HBK down with an arm drag. Michaels takes Kennedy down and gets a front facelock. Kennedy reverses into a hammerlock. Michaels with a shoulderblock and a leg sweep for two. Side headlock takedown by HBK. The two trade reversals. Michaels with two near falls. Rights from Kennedy, who then takes down HBK with a reverse elbow for two. Kennedy with some crossfaces into a chinlock. He punches Michaels in the back of the head and hits a neckbreaker/backbreaker combination. He drives Michaels neck into his knees a couple more times, then pounds him with more crossfaces for two. Kennedy with a right hand. He hits HBK in the corner, then drives his head into another corner. Michaels tries to chop back, and hits a swinging neckbreaker to knock both men down.
They get up at the same time and trade chops. Michaels with a flying forearm and an inverted atomic drop. Some rights and another atomic drop. Scoop slam and HBK goes to the top rope. He drops the elbow on Kennedy and tunes up the band. Kennedy runs out of the ring, but Michaels is quick to follow when he dives over the top rope. Commercial.
Back from the break, Kennedy has the advantage thanks to a slingshot that sent Michaels head first into the ring post. He stomps away in the corner and talks trash before delivering a face wash to HBK. Michaels chops back in the corner. Kennedy whips him hard to the corner, but Michaels rebounds with a clothesline. Kennedy goes for the Mic Check, but Michaels block. Kennedy runs Michaels into the corner. He puts HBK on the top turnbuckle and goes for a superplex. HBK punches him to the mat. He goes for another elbow, but Kennedy gets his knees up. He hits a somersault senton with Michaels on his back, but HBK kicks up at two. Kennedy barely dodges Sweet Chin Music and kicks Michaels off the submission attempt. HBK quickly recovers and hits Sweet Chin Music for the win. Great opener with a good finish that effectively played off Michaels' new finisher.
Your winner, Shawn Michaels!
Randy Orton is in the back nursing his neck. He's upset that he has to shake Hardy's hand tonight, by order of Vince McMahon. Vince says that's exactly what he wants. Orton also nurses his ribs and says he took a vicious fall off the stage before Hardy climbed "thirty feet" to Swanton his unconscious body. He refuses to shake hands. McMahon asks if Orton knows how many hands Vince has had to unwillingly shake, which is why he carries hand sanitizer around. Like USA's Monk! Vince doesn't care if Orton doesn't mean it. He tells Orton to look Jeff Hardy in the hands so that Hardy wonders what he has to do to win...and when he looks into Orton's eyes, he'll realize he can't.
2009 - The New Alhambra (ECW Arena) issued the following statement:
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"Linda, she was obviously in a different position than everyone else," the Grazianos' attorney, George Tragos said. "She was in California at the time of the accident and she did not sign for Nick Bollea's drivers license as Terry did, so she's in a different legal position."
Linda did not comment in the story, although her attorney, Raymond Rayfool commented, "Linda's very pleased. We think the Grazianos are happy."
The article also noted that the Grazianos also settled with Daniel Jacobs, who was allegedly racing Hogan's car at the time of the crash.
The lawsuit continued on with Hulk and Nick Hogan as defendants.
2010 - WWE broadcast Superstars. Richard Trionfo filed the following TV report:
We begin tonight’s show with a Raw match and your announcers are Michael Cole and Jerry Lawler. Since it is a Divas match, you know one of the announcers will be excited.
Before the match starts, Jillian gets on the mic and she says that she is a bit nervous tonight but she turned on the radio and heard a Miley Cyrus song and Jillian starts to sing (or a reasonable facsimile thereof).
Match Number One: Jillian Hall versus Kelly Kelly
They lock up and Jillian works on the arm and wrist. Kelly goes to the turnbuckles and she hits a springboard move into an arm drag. Kelly with a rana for a near fall. Kelly with forearms and then Jillian flips Kelly and hits a clothesline for a near fall. Jillian pulls Kelly by the hair and then tosses her across the ring. Jillian stretches Kelly as Kelly tries to fight out of the hold. Jillian gets a near fall and then slams Kelly’s head into the mat before going back to working on Kelly’s back. Kelly escapes the hold and kicks Jillian. Kelly with a few clotheslines followed by a vintage tilt-a-whirl head scissors. Kelly tries for a victory roll but Jillian drops down and gets a near fall. Jillian with a kick followed by a forearm. Jillian with an Irish whip and then she tries for the handspring back elbow but Kelly with boots to block it. Kelly with the leg drop off Jillian’s back for the three count.
Winner: Kelly Kelly
We go to commercial.
It is time for some ECW action and your announcers are Josh Mathews and Byron Saxton.
We see footage of the issues between Vance Archer and Shelton Benjamin leading to tonight’s match.
Match Number Two: Shelton Benjamin versus Vance Archer
They lock up and the referee has to separate them against the ropes and they break. They lock up again and they go into the corner and the referee separates them again. Archer with a punch but Benjamin punches back. They exchange punches with Benjamin getting the advantage and then he connects with an elbow and more punches. Archer with a forearm to Benjamin’s head. Benjamin with a knee to Archer but Archer with a kick. Benjamin with a double leg take down and he punches Archer. Archer backs into the corner and then he pulls Benjamin into the turnbuckles. Archer with a clothesline and then he tries for the inverted DDT but Archer takes too long and Benjamin gets a near fall with an inside cradle. Archer tries to throw Benjamin out of the ring and Benjamin skins the cat and takes Archer to the floor with a head scissors.
We go to commercial.
We are back and Benjamin is sent into the turnbuckles and he floats over but Archer with a big boot for a near fall. Archer with a reverse chin lock. Archer punches Benjamin while the referee warns him. Archer chokes Benjamin in the ropes and then he connects with a splash to the back. Archer gets a near fall and then he returns to the neck. Archer with a reverse chin lock and body scissors as he tries to wear down Benjamin. Benjamin gets back to his feet and he connects with some elbows but Archer with a forearm to the back and then he tries to slam Benjamin but Benjamin gets to his feet and he hits a dragon screw leg whip. Benjamin punches Archer but Archer with a forearm. Benjamin with a flying forearm off the turnbuckles and then he hits a running double sledge. Benjamin with a dragon whip for a near fall. Archer kicks Benjamin away but Benjamin with a German suplex and bridge for a near fall. Benjamin with a punch but he misses a drop kick when Archer holds on to the ropes. Archer with a hard Irish whip and then he puts Benjamin on the top turnbuckles and then the Tree of Woe before he chokes Benjamin with his boot. Benjamin with a kick while Archer charges into the corner and Benjamin gets the three count with an Oklahoma Roll.
Winner: Shelton Benjamin
It is time to Ask the Divas.
We go to commercial.
We are back and did you know that this week’s Did you know has relevance because it mentioned that Kane and Shawn Michaels have been in the most Royal Rumbles.
We have a Miz video package.
Since the main event comes from Smackdown, Todd Grisham and Matt Striker have the honor of doing the rest of the broadcast. They run through the card for the Royal Rumble.
We go to commercial.
Match Number Three: Chris Jericho versus Kane
Jericho takes his time getting into the ring as the match starts. He finally gets into the ring but he goes to the floor as soon as Kane gets close to him. They lock up and Kane pushes Jericho away and Jericho goes back to the floor. Jericho with a slap to Kane and Kane punches Jericho and kicks him. Kane picks Jericho up and hits an elbow to the head followed by more punches. Jericho with a kick and punch followed by a forearm. Jericho continues the attack on Kane until he comes off the ropes and Kane with an uppercut. Kane with a snap mare and drop kick to Jericho for a near fall. Kane works on the arm and then he punches Jericho in the corner. Kane with an arm bar as he takes Jericho to the mat. Jericho rolls through but he cannot escape Kane. Kane turns it into a key lock but Jericho gets to the ropes. Jericho with a kick to Kane’s midsection followed by a forearm and drop kick that sends Kane to the mat. Jericho with crossfaces to Kane and then he kicks him in the ribs. Kane with a punch to Jericho followed by a kick and another punch. Kane with an elbow but he charges at Jericho and Jericho ducks down and Kane goes over the top rope to the floor. Jericho with the springboard drop kick that knocks Kane off the apron and we go to commercial.
We are back and Jericho kicks Kane in the head. Jericho with a knee and then he punches Kane on the turnbuckles. Since Kane is not his brother, he only pushes Jericho off. Jericho with another knee to the midsection. Jericho tries to send Kane into the turnbuckles but Kane blocks it and sends Jericho into the turnbuckles. Kane with an Irish whip but Jericho gets the boots up. Kane catches Jericho off the turnbuckles and then Kane charges at Jericho in the corner but Jericho moves and Kane goes into the ring post. Jericho chokes Kane in the ropes. Jericho with an arm bar and chin lock and then he turns it into a modified choke but Kane with a hip toss. Jericho with an enzuigiri for a near fall. Jericho argues with the referee about the speed of the count. Jericho with a sleeper on Kane and Kane tries to get to his feet but Jericho takes him back down to the mat. Kane backs Jericho into the turnbuckles to get out of the hold. Kane runs into an elbow from Jericho and hits the bulldog but Jericho takes more of the impact than usual. Kane with punches and uppercuts followed by an Irish whip and running clothesline into the corner and the side slam for a near fall. Kane gets up and he goes to the turnbuckles for the flying clothesline but Jericho hits a drop kick as Kane comes off and Jericho gets a two count. Jericho with a bulldog and then he tries for the Lionsault but Kane moves and Jericho lands on his feet. Jericho runs into a big boot from Kane but Jericho kicks out at two. Jericho clips Kane and then he tries to put him in the Walls of Jericho but Kane powers out of the hold. Kane misses a charge into the corner but Jericho is pushed off when he tries for the Codebreaker. Kane sets for the choke slam and Jericho escapes the hold and leaves the ring and the referee counts him out.
Winner: Kane by count out
2010 - TNA broadcast Impact Wrestling. Stu Carapola filed the following TV report:
We being with a look back at Genesis and we are told that change is coming. We see some highlights from the pay per view and Bobby Lashley.
We see a limo arrive and A.J. Styles and Ric Flair emerge from the back. They are accompanied by a few women. They walk to the Impact Zone.
We are live on tape from Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida and your announcers are Mike ‘Cast Member since 2002’ Tenay and Taz.
Ric Flair comes out to the ring with two of the women he was in the limo with upon arrival at the Impact Zone. Taz and Tenay debate A.J.’s actions on Sunday night.
Flair asks if everyone noticed that some things in life never change. Flair woos and he says that he thinks he loves TNA, but he wants to get down to business. There are three reasons why he came to TNA and he will talk about them briefly and as fast as possible. First, he hates Hulk Hogan and the feud will never be resolved until it is taken care of in TNA. Flair says that he will not let Hogan get away from him. Second, people have asked him for the last twenty years who the next Nature Boy will be. The answer was nobody until six months ago when he started watching TNA and saw the great TNA and saw Kurt Angle, the greatest wrestling technician. He saw Sting and he says that Sting is great, but he isn’t Ric Flair. A month ago, he saw a young man in the ring who he will work with until he is out of the business. That man is A.J. Styles. Flair has a story to tell everyone. He says that he was at the Hard Rock Hotel and it was a cool spring night. He made a phone call and through the revolving door a beautiful Southern belle made eye contact. They went to the biggest suite in the hotel for a candlelight dinner. At midnight, all you could hear was a woman screaming at the top of her voice and Dixie Carter gave him a contract. She told him to sign it and put whatever amount you want. Flair said that he would be back.
Flair brings out the man he says will be the greatest heavyweight champion of all time, A.J. Styles. A.J. is accompanied by the other woman who came out of the limo. A.J. takes the mic and he reminds us that he is the world champion. A.J. asks everyone if they have a problem with what they see in the ring. A.J. says that it doesn’t matter if they have a problem because he sees three beautiful women. He says that he has been here for almost eight years, but no matter what he has done, this has never been known as the Building that A.J. Styles Built. A.J. says that he is a TNA original and he was one of the first to be signed by TNA. A.J. says that he is the only grand slam champion in TNA. He asks if they give the credit to him for putting this company on the map. The credit was given to Jeff Jarrett, Samoa Joe, Mick Foley, Kurt Angle, and Sting. A.J. says that he is not going to be in the background any more. A.J. channels Flair and runs through his catchphrases.
Kurt Angle comes out and he is on the stage and he has Hulk Hogan behind him and Hogan is not as well dressed as Angle, Flair, or Styles. Hogan says that it looks like one big happy family in the ring. Hogan says that he gave Angle his last title shot at Genesis for 2010. Hogan says that because of A.J.’s alliance and Ric Flair sticking his nose in World Title business, Hogan says that he has changed his mind because he can. Hogan tells Ric Flair that he doesn’t run the show brother, because he does. Hogan says that because of Flair’s interference, Kurt Angle gets another shot at the title and it will happen tonight. He says that if Flair gets near ringside brother, he will take the belt from A.J. and give it to Kurt Angle. He tells A.J. to get his game face on brother because brother Angle has another title shot. Hogan steals Angle’s catchphrase and says that it is real.
We go to commercial.
We see Mick Foley enter the Impact Zone and he is destroying the chairs in the back. He is calling for Bischoff.
Mike and Taz go through the card for tonight including the TNA debut of the Nasty Boys.
Match Number One: Hernandez and Matt Morgan versus The British Invasion for the TNA World Tag Titles
Morgan and Williams start off and they double team Morgan as they try to eliminate Hernandez on the apron. Williams chokes Morgan and the referee warns Doug. Wiliams kicks Morgan but Morgan with a back elbow. Morgan with the elbows in the corner and then he throws the pads in the crowd as he connects with more elbows. Morgan with a splash into the corner and then he drops Williams from a side slam position. Morgan puts Williams on the top rope and he hits a splash onto the back. Magnus is stopped by Morgan but that allows Williams to hit a drop kick that sends Morgan to the floor. Morgan is returned to the ring and Williams with a series of knees to Morgan. Magnus tags in and hits a slingshot elbow for a near fall. Magnus with a reverse chin lock. Morgan grabs Magnus by the throat but Magnus escapes the hold. Morgan with a clothesline to Magnus and both men are down. Hernandez tags in and he hits a slingshot shoulder on Williams followed by a splash and then he pounces Magnus. Hernandez with a dominator for a near fall. Hernandez catches Williams but Magnus with a kick into a German suplex for a near fall. Rob Terry gives Magnus the brief case and he waits to hit Hernandez but he accidentally hits Williams and Hernandez gets the three count.
Winners: Hernandez and Matt Morgan
After the match, Magnus yells at Terry for what happened. Terry gets in the ring and he checks on Williams. Mick Foley comes to the ring with a chair and he hits Magnus, Terry, and Williams with it. Foley tells Bischoff to schedule an appointment for him because he is coming to see Bischoff later tonight.
We go to commercial.
We are back and we go to audio from Bubba the Love Sponge’s attempt to call Jeff Jarrett last week on the radio. Bubba gets a good laugh at Jeff’s refusal to be put on the air.
We go to the Hogan office and he is with Eric Bischoff. Hogan says that there are two things to deal with. First, they need to deal with Cactus Jack. Eric says that he has that. Hogan says that he will take care of the second thing. Nash enters the office. Hogan talks about what Hall and Waltman did on Sunday. Nash mentions that he is working with Eric Young tonight. Nash says that he is friends with Young but the other guys are his brothers. Hogan says that he loves those guys too but you only get one shot. If they are clowning, then they aren’t working. Nash says that he will do it for Hogan. Hogan says that he wants them here too. Hogan says the party is over.
D’Angelo Dinero is in the back with Christy Hemme and she asks him about his match with Orlando Jordan. Dinero says that he feels good about this match because he has been studying Whoopi’s videos. He runs through a handful of Whoopi movies and then he says that he is going to expose Whoopi tonight. He says that he sees two pimp slaps in the future.
Match Number Two: Orlando Jordan versus D’Angelo Dinero
They lock up and Jordan with an arm drag. They lock up again and Dinero with a waist lock into a cravate. Jordan grabs Dinero’s leg and then he takes Dinero down but Dinero holds on to the waist lock until Jordan gets to the ropes. Jordan slaps Dinero in the face and Dinero with a double leg take down and he punches Jordan in the head. Dinero with chops and a forearm. Jordan goes into the ropes and Dinero with the splash onto the back and he goes into the crowd. Jordan with a forearm followed by a dragon screw leg whip on the injured knee. Jordan with a Flatline for the three count.
Winner: Orlando Jordan
Christy Hemme is in the back with Kurt Angle and she asks him about his rematch tonight. Angle says that we shouldn’t be seeing this match tonight, but we are seeing a new A.J. Styles. Angle says that it makes him sick to see what Flair has done to A.J. Angle says that justice was served when he got another shot at A.J.
We go to commercial.
Angelina Love is stretching and fixing her hair in the back as she gets ready for her return to the ring. We go back to commercial.
We are back with more of Bubba’s phone war with Jeff Jarrett. There is more to come later.
Nash is in his locker room and Eric Young wants to know if Kevin is with him or with them. Nash says that they are friends and Nash says that he chose to be with Eric. He says that he didn’t know that they would be back. Nash says that they have a history. Eric says that he doesn’t want to talk about history, he wants to make history. Nash tells Young that he should fit in well with them.
We go back to October when Velvet and Madison told us that Angelina Love was gone. We then see Lacey Von Erich join the group. Then we fast forward to last week when Angelina came back and attacked Velvet and Madison.
We see Angelina Love and Madison Rayne walking in the back in split screen. We go to commercial.
We are back with more between Bubba and Jeff Jarrett.
Eric is in his office with Bobby Lashley and he wants to know why Bobby wants the meeting. Bobby says that it has gotten way out of hand and he wants to talk to Eric man to man. He says that he wants to wrestle and be in TNA. He says that TNA is a great organization and he wants to be here. Eric says that it takes a big man to admit when they made a mistake. He says that the smartest thing that Bobby did was not let his wife run his business. Eric says that he is impressed by Bobby. He calls Bobby a world class athlete. Eric says that it has been tough on him and Hulk to watch things. He tells Bobby that he needs to talk to Hulk and wants Bobby to be here next week for an answer.
Match Number Three: Madison Rayne (with her dance routine absent her two partners) versus Angelina Love
Angelina goes after Madison and Madison with a forearm and then she punches Angelina. Madison with another forearm but Angelina throws Madison to the mat and she punches Madison and kicks her in the chest. Angelina sends Madison into the turnbuckles. Angelina with a bicycle kick for the three count.
Winner: Angelina Love
After the match, Angelina removes Madison’s top and she chokes Madison. Lacey and Velvet come into the ring and Angelina takes care of Lacey and Madison. Velvet wants to hit Angelina but Velvet stops. Velvet distracts Angelina long enough to allow Madison to grab Angelina. Lacey hits Angelina with the ugly stick and then Lacey and Madison choke Angelina while Velvet slaps her.
Bubba is in the back with Scott Hall and Syxx Pac. Bubba wants to know what they were thinking at Genesis. Waltman says that is the kind of stuff that draws ratings. Hall says that Hogan and Eric made it simple. They made a difference. Hall says that they will be leaving with official TNA contracts.
Hogan and Bischoff are walking in the back as we go to commercial.
We are back for a second and Hogan and Bischoff are standing there waiting for something to happen or another commercial break.
We are back and the brain trust of Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff come to the ring.
Hogan has something to say and he says that there is some momentum and things are going quick with the TNAmaniacs. He says that there is a lot of business that they have to do. He says that there are a handful of things that need to be taken care of right here and right now. As they move forward, he is tired of the clowns doing the rock, paper, and scissors. He wants to see them wrestle and not fool around.
Hall, Nash, and Waltman come out and Hogan tells them to stop on the stage. He says that he is tired of the rock, paper, scissors crap and pulling people out of the crowd. Since they don’t work here, they need to hit the road. Security gets in the way as Hogan tells Kevin to talk them down brother. Hogan tells them it don’t work that way any more brother.
Mick Foley makes his way to ringside and Bischoff has security keep Foley away from the ring. He tells security to put Foley in his office and we go to commercial.
We are back and security is keeping Hall and Waltman from getting back near the ring. Nash says that he will fix it as Hall and Waltman leave.
Match Number Four: Nasty Boys versus Eric Young and Kevin Nash
Young and Sags start things off and Sags punches Young but Young gets into the ropes. They lock up and Young punches Sags. Sags with an Irish whip and Young does the Flair flip and then comes back in but he is met with an elbow from Sags. Sags with punches in the corner. Sags with an Irish whip and a running clothesline into the corner. Knobs tags in and they hit a double running shoulder tackle. Knobs misses an elbow drop and Nash tags in. Nash with knees in the corner. Nash with an elbow followed by an Irish whip and a running clothesline. Knobs with a back elbow and Sags tags in and hits a clothesline for a near fall. Nash with a big boot and Young is tagged in and he hits an elbow from the top for a two count. Knobs sends Nash into the ring post and Knobs and Sags attack Young and Young is sent into Knobs arm pit. Knobs is sent into the corner and he splashes Young. Sags with a pump handle slam for the three count.
Winners: Nasty Boys
Ken Anderson is walking in the back as we go to commercial.
We are back and we se see footage from the commercial break when Team 3D attacked the Nasty Boys in the back. Ray welcomes them back to pro wrestling and then Devon tells them to testify.
We see footage of Abyss being outweaponed by Ken Anderson.
Ken Anderson comes out and he comes to the ring. The mic drops and he has something to say. He says that he is not here because of the Twitters, e-mails, and text messages. He says that he is here because Hulk Hogan called him personally and said ‘I believe in you . . . brother.’ He says that he would be given an opportunity that he might not have been given elsewhere. He says that he could run his mouth and say that he is the biggest, the baddest, or the toughest and then he talks like an adult in a Charlie Brown cartoon. He says that he lives by something that his father told him. That is that actions speak louder than words. He talks about his actions on Sunday and he says that they were really loud.
Abyss comes up behind Anderson and Anderson does not realize that. Anderson says tat he is not finished as he talks about beating the monster Abyss. He says that he heard of Abyss and he did not realize how tall Abyss is. He didn’t realize how stupid, idiotic, moronic, and clumsy Abyss was. He says that he took advantage of it and beat the stupid, idiotic, moron clean. Anderson says that actions speak louder than words but words can be very loud when they come from a guy like . . .
Abyss taps Ken on the shoulder and punches him. Abyss with a splash into the corner and then he wants to hit the Black Hole Slam but Anderson holds on to the ropes and he leaves the ring.
We go to commercial.
We are back and Abyss apologizes to Eric Bischoff. Eric tells Abyss that Hogan may like him and he says that is the only reason why Abyss has a job. Eric says that this is the second time that Abyss has ruined his show. Abyss has a question for Eric. He wants to know if Abyss will be okay. Eric says that it depends on Mick Foley. Abyss apologizes again as Eric goes into Foley’s office.
Eric enters his office and Foley is being held back by a gaggle of security members. Foley says that he has a few things to say ‘executive to executive’. Eric asks Foley if he has stage fright. Foley says that he has a few things to say that are just for Eric’s ears. Eric tells security to take a break and get some coffee. Eric says that he will be okay despite Foley’s claims about his condition. Foley says that he hates what Eric is doing to his office and his company. Foley says that he will stop Eric by force if necessary. Eric wants to know if Mick is threatening him. Eric says that it is getting a bit tense and he wants everyone to leave. The door closes as Foley yells at Bischoff.
Match Number Five: Kurt Angle versus A.J. Styles for the TNA World Heavyweight Title
Your referee is Earl Hebner.
Styles attacks Angle before the bell but Angle responds with punches and European uppercuts. Angle with more uppercuts but Styles with a knee and chop. Angle with a back body drop and Styles goes to the floor. Styles punches Angle as they return to the ring. Styles with forearms but Angle with a tilt-a-whirl back breaker for a near fall. Angle with a suplex and a few near falls. Angle sends Styles into the corner and punches him. Angle kicks Styles in the corner and the referee warns Angle. Styles with an Irish whip but he comes out of the corner with a clothesline. Angle waits for Styles to get up and he tries for a German suplex but Styles holds on to the ropes and the referee was not looking as Styles connects with a back kick to the groin. Styles kicks Angle as we go to commercial.
We are back and Angle punches Styles but Styles with the phenomenal drop kick. We go back to commercial.
We are back and Angle punches Styles. Styles with a thumb to the eyes and Styles clips Angle. Styles puts Angle in the figure four leg lock and Styles gets a few near falls when Angle’s shoulders are on the mat. Angle makes it to the ropes and Styles releases the hold. Angle with punches followed by clotheslines. Angle with an Irish whip but he runs into a boot. Angle with an overhead belly-to-belly suplex and then he tries for the Olympic Slam but Styles with an arm drag. Angle with the Three Rivers German suplex combination for a near fall. The straps come down and he waits for the Olympic Slam but Styles avoids it again and Styles with the Pele kick. Styles tries for the Styles Clash but Angle counters and turns it into a sunset flip and Angle applies the ankle lock. Styles tries to get to the ropes and Angle pulls Styles into the center of the ring. Styles reverses and the referee immediately calls for the bell.
Winner: A.J. Styles
Styles and the referee leave the ring and Ric Flair comes out. Angle cannot believe what just happened to him. Hulk Hogan comes out and Angle yells at Hogan and says that it is ‘bull****’ and he can go back to the WWE. Angle says that he quits and then he spits in Hogan’s face. Angle continues to swear as he says that he will go back to Vince.
We go to commercial.
We are back with a bleeping Moments Ago Moment from the break. Then we see Kurt Angle attack the announce table and he grabs Mike Tenay’s chair and destroys the brand new set.
Mike and Taz wonder if Hulk Hogan is involved. Taz wonders if history has repeated itself.
We see Eric Bischoff walking into the Impact Zone and he is bleeding from the forehead. Eric goes to the ring and he tells Mick Foley that he is fired.
2011 - WWE Raw ran Trenton, NJ. Billy Krotchsen filed the following results:
WWE Raw results from Trenton, NJ:
*WWE United States champion Daniel Bryan defeated Ted DiBiase, William Regal and Tyson Kidd in a Fatal Four Way.
*Mark Henry defeated Mason Ryan by DQ when the Nexus interfered. Yoshi Tatsu and Vladimir Kozlov made the save, setting up....
*The Nexus' Mason Ryan, Husky Harris, Michael McGuillicuty, and David Otunga defeated Mark Henry, Yoshi Tatsu, and Vladimir Kozlov in a four on three bout.
*John Morrison defeated Sheamus.
*Tamina & Eve Torres & Gail Kim defeated Alicia Fox & Maryse & Melina.
*John Cena pinned CM Punk.
*WWE champion The Miz defeated Randy Orton after Alex Riley interfered. The Raw GM emails and orders Riley back into the ring for a No Holds Barred match against Orton. Orton wins with the RKO to send the crowd home happy.
2011 - ROH taped ROH on HDNet. Stu Carapola filed the following TV report:
Welcome to PWInsider.com's live coverage of the first of two final nights of TV tapings for ROH On HDNet!
-Slyk Wagner Brown & a partner whose name I did not catch (but was physically imposing nonetheless) defeated Bobby Shields & Jay Freddy in a pretty solid dark match.
-Jim Cornette opens the show by coming out to address the Philadelphia fans and thank them for coming out tonight and asked us for our patience while they took care of the lighting issues. The Kings Of Wrestling came out to interrupt Jim Cornette and got a big ovation from the crowd. Shane Hagadorn grabbed the mic out of Cornette's hand and puts over the Kings for their record-setting reign as the ROH World Tag Team Champions, and he'll be damned if the All Night Express take the title from them. Claudio says they have been all over the world and seen many cities, and the worst city he's ever seen is Philadelphia because they have absolutely nothing to be proud of. They have the worst sports teams in the nation, and they should bow down to them just for being there. Chris Hero tells the fans they should be ashamed for showing him such disrespect, because they've made history in ROH, they personify perfection in professional wrestling, and they are going to destroy Rhett Titus & Kenny King at the final HDNet tapings. Chris Hero says King has some fancy moves, but he's going to kick him in the face over and over and Claudio is going to defeat Rhett Titus and they will once again walk out victorious, and it's because Kings reign supreme.
-The building is packed tonight, and the crowd is really into the show.
-Christian York defeated Mike Sydal in a less than stellar dark match. York looked completely different than the last time I saw him, he's put on a lot of muscle mass and has dreadlocks. This was neither man's best match, their timing was off and they just didn't seem on the same page. In fact it seemed to get worse and worse as it went on as they repeatedly blew spot after spot, one would do a move while the other guy would sell a different move, and it went on FOREVER. York mercifully put Sydal away with a Flatliner type move.
-As a note, HDNet was having generator problems that were causing issues with the lighting, and spent the previous segments trying to correct it so everything prior to the next match was dark.
-In the opener proper, El Generico & Colt Cabana defeated the Bravado Brothers. Usual Cabana comedyh match until the Bravados hit an enziguiri combo on Generico and took advantage. Generico made the hot tag and Cabana came in and cleaned house with Bionic Elbows and the crowd popped huge for that. Cabana with a flying Butt Butt for 2, but the Bravados with a double flapjack for 2. Generico went for the Running Yakuza but Lance caught his boot and Harlem hit an enziguiri for 2. Generico hit the running Yakuza a second time and hit a brainbuster for the win. Crowd went insane for Cabana and Generico.
Cabana cut a postmatch promo asking the crowd if they like what they're seeing, and he says that for all of 2010, El Generico went to hell and back and Kevin Steen is gone, but one man who is still in ROH holding his head high and shooting for the top of ROH is El Generico. Cabana says that in 2011, Generico is going to be the best professional wrestler in the world. He's seen Generico wrestle all over the world and he doesn't get the credit he deserves, and he guarantees that 2011 is the year of El Generico.
-Steve Corino came to the ring and told the crowd that he's spent 17 years trying to entertain us and being a professional wrestler, but for 17 years he hasn't really been proud of himself. 2010 saw Kevin Steen go crazy and an old, beat up man named Steve Corino try to get one last run by manipulating people. When he saw Kevin Steen pack his things and leave at Final Battle, he realized that he was the only one to blame. He's been coming to this building for 12 years and said some of the nastiest things to the fans here, but the reality is that he was each of those things he said to them. He doesn't expect anyone to forgive him, and he apologizes to Bobby Cruise for hardly talking to him anymore. Like a drug addict or an alcoholic, he's an addict, and he's addicted to being evil, and he doesn't do anything they can cheer, but in 2011 he's going to make a change because he was born in Winnipeg, but his home is Philadelphia. He points to the banners of the Hardcore Hall Of Fame and says he loved each of those guys, but he's not up there and he wants to change and do good by them. He tells Paul Turner to disqualify him if he breaks any rules, and says that 2011 is a new era for Steve Corino.
Corino calls out Devon Storm and says that Storm, Christopher Daniels, and himself were trying to get an opportunity up at WWE, and Jim Cornette asked him who he wanted to start his redemption with and he chose Devon Storm because he wants Storm to be part of Ring Of Honor. Everyone looked up to Storm because he paved the way for lots of people like the Hardys and CW Anderson, and Corino says tonight, no rules breaking and they want to tear the house down. Storm says it's his privilege and honor to wrestle him, and he saw what Corino did to Kevin Steen, and he's happy Corino turned over a new leaf and he's very proud of him...but he's still a scumbag. He takes Corino down and stomps him in the groin, and the bells rings to start the match as they head to the outside.
Storm sets Corino against the barricade and dropkicks him in the face, then they head back into the ring and continues working him over. Storm with a front powerslam and a springboard Vader Splash out of the corner for 2. Storm with a seated abdominal stretch, then whips Corino into the ropes and hits a back elbow for 2 and then a legdrop for 2. Corino gets an abdominal stretch of his own and goes for the thumb, but thinks better of it and Storm capitalizes by hitting a jawbreaker and gets Corino in a Dragon Clutch. Storm with a series of jabs and then used Corino's t-shirt to toss him across the ring and then they headed back to the outside. Storm whipped Corino hard into the guardrail, then sits him in a chair and hits a running clothesline off the apron. They head back in and Storm goes for a backdrop but Corino gets a DDT and then starts coming back with chops and a Bionic Elbow. Corino with a running chop in the corner and then hits an STO for 2. Corino with a hammerlock Flatliner but Storm gets his foot on the ropes, so Corino goes for the lariat, Storm ducked and hit a Sky High for 2. Storm with a top rope splash for 2 and then goes back up, but Corino shakes the ropes and Storm tumbles to the mat. Corino with a lariat, Storm blocks a second, and Corino lariats him with the other arm, then goes for the abdominal stretch and teases the thumb, but instead rolls Storm back into a guillotine for the win. Excellent match, and Storm looked great after being out of the spotlight for some time. Corino thanked the crowd after the match.
-Next up was a prelim match featuring two guys working a basic dark match and then Michael Elgin came running out of the back with Truth Martini and destroyed both men, delivering a simultaneous Samoan drop/fallaway slam, then a Regalplex and a spinning powerbomb. Truth Martini came in the ring and introduced him as the newest member of the House Of Truth.
-In the first television main event, . Feeling out process to start until Homicide hit the facewash in the corner and took over the match. They fought on the top rope but Homicide fought Mark off and hit a Patriot Missile for 2, then locked him in a hammerlock/headscissors combo. They wound up out on the apron and jockeyed for position until Homicide knocked Mark to the floor and hit the running somersault dive to the outside. Mark hit a top rope sunset flip and then powerbombed Homicide into the corner for 2, then went for the Gargoyle Suplex but Homicide blocked and hit an Ace Crusher. He tried the lariat, Mark ducked and hit the Gargoyle Suplex and covered for 2 but Homicide got his foot on the ropes. Mark went for the Cutthroat Driver, Homicide escaped and went for the Cop Killa, but Mark escapes that and hit a nasty German Suplex that legitimately seemed to rattle Homicide. Mark covered and Homicide got his foot on the ropes, so Mark went for the Cutthroat Driver again, Homicide blocked so Mark hit a back suplex instead and went back up top for a big leaping elbow that got 2. They went up top again and Homicide hit a top rope Frankensteiner and then turned Mark inside out with a lariat, but only got 2. Homicide quickly picked Mark up and hit a bridging T-Bone Suplex for 2. They wound up on top AGAIN and Homicide hti a top rope Ace Crusher for the win. Great match and it gave Mark a rare chance to shine as a single. Homicide flipped Mark the bird on his way out of the ring.
-The seven announced participants in the Top Prospect Tournament come out to the ring, and are joined by Jim Cornette, who introduces the tournament and each of the participants, and then finally the mystery eighth entrant, Mike Bennett. Bennett says he didn't want to deprive the fans of his own separate entrance, and thinks his chances of winning this tournament are pretty good. He doesn't know why he's even in this tournament, becuase there's no doubt who the Top Prospect is, and he is Ring Of Honor. Bennett is aghast at being thrown in the ring with this lineup, saying they look like the lunch line at the local school cafeteria. Bennett says make no mistake, he'll give these guys their five star matches, but he's winning this tournament because he's the Prodigy and he has more talent than anyone else in this tournament and he's just that good.
-We go right into the first round of the tournament, as Kyle O'Reilly took on John Gresham, who may have actually usurped Grizzly Redwood's spot as the smallest guy on the roster. Gresham ducked and dodged around O'Reilly's offense, and then gave O'Reilly several of his stiffest chops before O'Reilly unloaded with kicks and a legsweep for 2. O'Reilly with a Butterfly Suplex into an armbar, but Gresham made the ropes. Gresham gets a pair of stiff kicks to the face and a Butterfly Suplex for 2. Gresham outmaneuvered O'Reilly and caught him with several quick rollups, but O'Reilly hit a Regalplex for 2 and Gresham tried several more rollups, but O'Reilly got ahold of him and got a triangle choke and threw in elbowstrikes until Gresham tapped. O'Reilly shook Gresham's hand afterward.
After the match, Kyle Durden interviews Steve Corino (who he had been sitting at ringside with for the previous match) and Corino tells O'Reilly that he's a great wrestler and it's his time to shine, and wishes him luck in the second round. They take their seats back at ringside, so I guess Corino's going to involve himself in the rest of the tournament somehow.
-Next up was Bobby Dempsey vs Michael Elgin in another first round match. This was straight power vs power, with the two exchanging shoulderblocks until Dempsey hit a big tackle to drive Elgin down and followed that up with a charge in the corner, but Elgin dodged and picked Dempsey up in a fireman's carry and hitting a Samoan Drop for 2. That was really impressive. Dempsey recovered and hit a series of clotheslines and a Boss Man Slam for 2. Dempsey climbed up for what looked like a moonsault attempt, but Elgin got under him and carried him out to the center of the ring and hit a powerbomb for the win. VERY impressive match, Elgin clearly has a lot of power. Kyle did his postmatch segment with Steve Corino, and Corino said this was an impressive match and told Elgin that he doesn't need the truth, he needs to follow his own path and wishes him luck in the second round.
-We take a break from the tournament to see Devon Storm back out for the second time tonight to challenge Christopher Daniels for the TV Title. Feeling out process to start until Storm hit a double overhook suplex for 2, and then went for several pinfall attempts off a Greco-Roman knucklelock. Daniels with a leg lariat for 2, but Storm choked Daniels on the top rope in a hangman type move and then hit a running crossbody that sent both men tumbling over the top to the floor. Storm picked Daniels up in a fireman's carry and dumped him on the barricade, then rolled him back in and covered for 2. Storm with a Dragon Clutch but Daniels slipped out so Storm unloaded with jabs and went for a kick but Daniels grabbed the leg and hit a jackknife rollup for 2. They exchange punches and Daniels hits a series of running elbows and a leg lariat, then an enziguiri and an STO for 2. Daniels goes for Angel's Wings but Storm sweeps the legs and gets a Northern Lights Suplex for 2. Storm with a slingshot legdrop for 2, but Daniels bulldogs Storm into the second turnbuckle, then hit a uranage and the BME for the win to retain the TV Title.
-Back to the Top Prospect Tournament as Andy "Right Leg" Ridge took on Grizzly Redwood. Ridge opened up with the kicks early, but Grizzly responded with chops to the legs, then tripped Ridge with a drop down that sent Ridge tumbling to the floor. Grizzly went for a dive but Ridge hit a leaping kick from the floor and came back in, but Grizzly got a rollup for 2. Ridge nailed several stiff kicks in the corner but Grizzly turned it around and hit some stiff chops and a leaping enziguiri. Grizzly with an abdominal stretch and turns it into a crucifix for 2, but Ridge with a loud spinkick and a running Yakuza Kick for 2. Ridge hangs Grizzly up in the corner and hits a running dropkick for 2, then several kicks to the chest and goes to finish with a thrust kick, but Grizzly blocks and turns Ridge inside out with a double axhandle. Grizzly with a 619 and goes for a crossbody out of the corner, but Ridge catches him coming in with a thrust kick to get the win and advance in the tournament, and it may turn out to be important to note that this was the only match in the tournament that Corino wasn't at ringside for so far. He comes out after the match and takes a seat at ringside as we go into the final first round match.
-We wrap up the first round with Mike Bennett taking on Adam Cole. Bennett blows off Cole's handshake and Bennett outwrestles Cole and then piefaces him. Cole responds with an inverted atomic drop, a slap to the face, and several chops but Bennett bails out to the floor to take a siesta. Cole goes for a dive and Bennett moves, but Cole lands on the apron and Bennett tries to sweep Cole's feet, but Cole jumpropes over Bennett's hands and hits a Frankensteiner to the floor. Cole continues beating Bennett around ringside but gets shoved into the guardrail and hits hard, and Bennett capitalizes by going after Cole and slamming him on the floor. They head back into the ring where Bennett covers for a 2 count and then chokes Cole in the corner with his boot. Cole tries charging Bennett but Bennett just lifts him in the air and tosses him backwards into the corner. Bennett tries elevating Cole again but Cole counters to a DDT and then comes off the second rope with a leg lariat for 2. Cole tries a crossbody off the second rope and Bennett catches him, but Cole slips out and slides to the floor where he hits Bennett with a leaping enziguiri, then goes up top and finally hits that bodypress, but only gets 2. Cole tries a German Suplex but Bennett holds the ropes so Cole superkicks him in the back of the head and gets the German Suplex for 2. Bennett hits a Side Effect out of nowhere and gets the win.
The Quarterfinalists have been determined, and it will be Kyle O'Reilly, Michael Elgin, Andy "Right Leg" Ridge, and Mike Bennett coming back tomorrow for a chance to win the Top Prospect Tournament. Durden asks Corino if he's got any advice for Bennett, and Corino says that overconfidence can cost you matches and be your worst enemy because this is Ring Of Honor and anyone can beat him. Bennett tells Corino to sit down in his chair and leave the wrestling to the real athletes.
-Claudio Castagnoli defeated Rhett Titus. Titus frustrated Claudio early by outmaneuvering him, but Claudio hiptossed Titus over the top to the floor and then dumped him on the guardrail to take control. Claudio hit a windmill backbreaker onto the ring apron and tried to get the countout, but Titus beat the count so Claudio viciously put the boots to him and hooked in a Cobra Clutch. Titus escaped and tried a bulldog, but Claudio put on the brakes and hit the UFO for 2. Claudio goes for the Ricola Bomb but Titus escaped and hit a sweet dropkick, then a leapfrog bulldog and top rope double knees to the gut for 2. Shane Hagadorn tripped Titus as he came off the ropes and Claudio hit a hard clothesline for the win. Kenny King came out to protest the decision, but Chris Hero came running out and attacked King from behind but the ANX turned the tables and sent the Kings Of Wrestling to the floor. King went after Hero to start their match.
- King and Hero brawled around ringside with Hero getting the advantage, but King hit a twisting dive off the guardrail to wipe Hero out and then they head back inside. King works Hero over until Hero catches Kings boot and delivers a Yakuza Kick to the face and a vertical suplex for 2. Hero with hard chops in the corner but King hits an awesome twisting sunset flip out of the corner for 2, but then gets dumped to the apron and Hero boots him in the face to send him back to the outside. The referee tries to back Titus away as Sara Del Rey and Shane Hagadorn put the boots to King on the floor and roll him back in where Hero covers for 2. Hero continued working King over with hard shots until King ducked a moonsault and hit a quick double spinning kick to the face of Hero. King nailed a series of clotheslines and a leaping leg lariat, then the handstand kick and a spinebuster for 2. King with a springboard Blockbuster for 2 then went for Shotgun Knees, b ut Hero hit a Yakuza and then a roaring Yakuza for 2. Hero hit a running powerbomb for 2 and then Sara distracted the referee while Hagadorn held King for Hero, but King moved and Hero nailed Hagadorn, allowing King to crucifix Hero for the win. The Kings Of Wrestling, Hagadorn, and Sara all run in the ring and beat Titus and King down and the Jobber Patrol tries to run in and help, but as you might expect, the KOW and company fight them all off while continuing to attack Titus & King. Finally, Colt Cabana & El Generico run in and fight the Kings Of Wrestling off and then have an awkward staredown with the ANX until the ANX give them the pound to thank them.
And that's a wrap.
2012 - ROH on Sinclair TV was broadcast on the Sinclair Broadcast Group's collection of syndicated networks. Richard Trionfo filed the following TV report:
We begin this week’s show with footage from Final Battle 2011 and the main event between Davey Richards and Eddie Edwards that saw Davey retain the World Title. We then see Kevin Steen’s comments after the match when he promised that he would win the ROH Title in 2012.
We are live on tape from Baltimore, Maryland and your announcers are Kevin Kelly and Nigel McGuinness.
Kevin and Nigel are in the ring and they welcome the people of Maryland to Ring of Honor. They talk about the new tag team champions and an injury suffered by Rhett Titus at the hands of the Young Bucks.
We go to comments from Mike Mondo.
Mike says that Eddie Edwards is coming off the biggest loss of his career and that is where he wants Eddie. He is vulnerable and doesn’t know what to do. That is where he takes advantage. He is not out to beat Eddie Edwards. He is out to make a reputation for the ROH audience. After he beats Eddie, he is going to embarrass and humiliate Edwards. Mondo says that the fans wouldn’t want ‘Die Hard’ to ‘Cry Hard’ and then Mondo laughs at his pun.
Eddie Edwards says that he is not going to cry about Final Battle and he is going to do what he always does. He is going to pick himself up and work harder to get back into the title picture. The next time, the outcome will be different. It is not about how hard you hit, it is about how hard you can get hit and move forward. Tonight Mike Mondo is in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Match Number One: Eddie Edwards versus Mike Mondo
They lock up and Mondo with a waist lock but Eddie with a wrist lock. Mondo with a reversal but Edwards with a reversal of his own. Mondo with a leg sweep and side head lock. Mondo with a shoulder tackle but Edwards with a series of arm drags into an arm bar. Mondo with a forearm and Irish whip but he runs into a boot. Edwards puts Mondo into the tree of woe and Edwards with a hesitation drop kick.
Edwards goes into the crowd to high five a fan and then Edwards has to wait for a camera man to stop taking spontaneous crowd shots so he can hit a baseball slide from the floor to Mondo who is still in the tree of woe. Edwards gets a near fall.
Edwards with a chop and then Mondo uses the referee as a distraction for a poke to the eye. Mondo with a shoulder breaker and then he kicks Edwards in the arm. Mondo with an arm wringer and he slams the arm into the mat. Mondo gets a near fall.
Mondo with another arm wringer but Edwards rolls through and he chops Mondo, but Mondo with a knee to the injured arm. Edwards with an Irish whip. Edwards with another Irish whip and he hits a running chop into the corner. Mondo with a knee but Edwards responds with a knee of his own and Edwards gets a near fall.
Edwards with chops to Mondo and then he goes Kobashi before a final chop. Edwards with an Irish whip but Mondo floats over and then Mondo with a kick to the arm followed by a leaping divorce court for a near fall. Mondo puts Edwards on the top turnbuckle and he connects with a forearm before trying to give Edwards a superplex. Edwards fights Mondo off the turnbuckles with a head butt and then he hits a double stomp and then he hits Die Hard for the three count.
Winner: Eddie Edwards
We go to commercial.
We are back and Kevin and Nigel talk about the main event between Kenny King and Matt Jackson.
We go to footage from the match during Final Battle of Charlie Haas and Shelton Benjamin against The Briscoes for the Tag Titles when the Briscoes became the new Tag Team Champions.
We go to pre-recorded comments from Haas and Benjamin. Charlie says that it is safe to say that they made a rookie mistake. The New York crowd got to them and they fell into the trap that Mark and Jay said. They got out of their game and were not wrestling. That cost them the tag titles.
Shelton says that the Briscoes did everything to paint themselves as underdogs with their videos and tweets. Shelton says that the New York fans are not that smart because they fell for it.
Charlie says that Mark and Jay got what they deserved. Charlie says that they did exactly what they said they would do. He wants to know why there is an outroar. He wants to know where the outroar was when the Briscoes were injuring them. They got fined $5,000 and got chewed out by Cornette after the show.
Shelton says that he takes it as an insult that the fans treated them this way. They were the same fans who cheered for them last year when they faced the Kings of Wrestling, but they were booed against the Briscoes. He says that the fans turned on them like a pack of rabid dogs.
Haas says that if anyone doesn’t recognize that they are the world’s greatest tag team, then they can go straight to hell.
Jim Cornette talks about how the New York fans were behind the Briscoes at Final Battle and he cannot explain it. The fans of Ring of Honor are entitled to boo or cheer who they want.
Jim says that they are not going to tolerate chair shots to the head because of the studies about head trauma. Cornette mentions that he fined the Briscoes when they did it in the past.
From this point forward, it is an automatic $5,000 fine for hitting someone in the head with a chair.
Jim Cornette is in the ring and he brings out the Briscoe Brothers.
Jay says that Haas and Benjamin got fined for hitting them in the head with steel chairs. Jay wants to know who gets that money. Jay says that since they got hit with the chairs, they should get the money. Jay says that if they $5,000 every time they get hit in the head with a steel chair, they can bring down the whole locker room so they can have one hell of a retirement fund.
Jim asks them about the reaction that Haas and Benjamin got from the New York crowd. Jay says that they cannot tell people how to think, but the people love Dem Boys. Jay says that they keep it real with the fans and they are seven time tag champions. Jay mentions that they have wrestled in Baltimore before.
Jim mentions the challengers lining up for the tag title.
Mark says that they are like ducks on the pond and that they will knock them down.
We go to commercial.
Match Number Two: Ricky Reyes versus Roderick Strong with Michael Elgin and Truth Martini
They lock up and Strong with a knee and side head lock and shoulder tackle. Reyes with a hip toss and arm drag into an arm bar. Strong backs Reyes into the corner and Strong with ann elbow. Reyes with a kick and a pump handle fallaway slam for a near fall. Reyes with a kick and chop but Strong with a chop of his own.
Reyes with forearms but Strong with chops. Reyes with a forearm and he hits a running forearm into the corner. Reyes with an Irish whip and then Strong sends Reyes into the turnbuckles and hits a lungblower and gets a near fall. Strong with a waist lock but Reyes with elbows. Strong with a knee and a gutwrench suplex for a near fall.
Strong with a belly-to-back suplex for a near fall. Strong returns to the waist lock but Reyes with elbows to escape the hold. Reyes with a rollup for a near fall. Reyes with a flying back elbow followed by a swinging neck breaker for a near fall.
Strong with a knee and chop but Reyes with a forearm. Reyes with an enzuigiri and then he hits a DDT for a near fall. Reyes runs into a boot and then Strong with an enzuigiri. Reyes with an O’Connor Roll but Strong rolls through and gets the three count with a handful of tights.
Winner: Roderick Strong
We go to commercial.
We are back with Inside ROH and it is time to talk about Kevin Steen, the Embassy, and a new pay per view.
We are told that Kevin Steen injured Steve Corino, Jimmy Jacobs, and El Generico at Final Battle with the package piledriver.
Steen says that he hates to have to give Jim Cornette any credit but he was right that people got injured. Steve Corino, Jimmy Jacobs, and El Generico all got hurt. Steen says that he is wearing the old Steen and Generico t-shirt to show support for his former tag team partner. Generico’s injury could have been avoided if Cornette had been a man the whole time. What is done is done. Generico, Steve, and Jimmy are out. The worst part is that was just one night from him and it is going to get worse. In two weeks, he will be on television and he will show the world what to expect from Kevin Steen. He will show why he is pro wrestling’s worst nightmare and why he belongs in Ring of Honor. Steen says that he will take ROH hostage in 2012 until he gets exactly what he wants.
We go to Prince Nana with Tomasso Ciampa and R.D. Evans. Nana says that the Embassy is one of the greatest factions in Ring of Honor because of him. R.D. Evans says that the focus has shifted to Tomasso Ciampa. He says that he has made connections throughout the world and a business associate of his saw Ciampa and he wanted to be part of this. He says that a multi-national corporation is involved with the Embassy now.
The Tenth Anniversary show on March 4th will now be an internet Pay Per View.
We go to commercial.
We are back and we are in the locker room with Veda Scott and she is interviewing Kyle O’Reilly and Davey Richards. She asks Davey about teaming with Kyle against Cedric Alexander and Caprice Coleman next week. Davey says that is looking forward to a fight. Davey says that he doesn’t do too many tag team matches any more because he is preoccupied with the World Title. Tag Team Wrestling is where he made his name and he has had issues with his former partner so he is moving on with Kyle and Team Ambition is looking for a fight.
Kyle is asked about his Future Shock tag team partner Adam Cole and Kyle says that Adam is cool with this. Kyle says that we might have the new American Wolves next week.
Davey tells Kyle to take it one step at a time.
Before our next match, we see footage of why Rhett Titus is on crutches thanks to the Young Bucks.
Match Number Three: Matt Jackson with Nick Jackson versus Kenny King with Rhett Titus
Matt mocks Titus’ injury and then they lock up. King with a clean break and Matt continues to mock Titus. They lock up again and King backs Jackson into the corner. They lock up again and Matt with a side head lock and shoulder tackle. King with a drop toe hold into a side head lock and front face lock. King with a suplex and he floats over and punches Matt.
King charges into the corner but Nick pulls Matt to the floor so King stops short. Matt returns to the ring and King with a waist lock but Matt with a hammer lock. King with a Japanese arm drag and an American arm drag into an arm bar. King slams Jackson and then he goes to the apron for a slingshot move onto Matt, but he sees Nick trying to interfere so Kenny hits a slingshot corkscrew pescado onto Nick on the floor. Matt with a baseball slide through the ropes onto King and we go to commercial.
We are back and Matt with a facebuster and then he kicks King in the head. We see footage of King getting a near fall with a sunset flip and backslide during the commercial break. Matt sends King into the turnbuckles followed by a snap mare followed by knees to the back. Matt with a rear chin lock. King with elbows but Matt blocks a kick. King tries for the spinning wheel kick but Matt counters with a super kick.
Matt misses a kick and King hits a t-bone suplex and both men are down. Matt charges into the corner and misses a splash. King with clotheslines to Matt followed by an STO, an elbow drop, and a standing moonsault for a near fall.
King tries for a uranage slam but Matt escapes. King is able to hit the spinning wheel kick followed by a spinebuster for a near fall. King gets Matt up on his shoulders but Matt with elbows to get loose. King goes into the corner and Matt avoids him. Matt with a super kick followed by a moonsault into a DDT. King goes to the apron and Matt with a double jump DDT onto the apron and both men go to the floor.
Matt rolls Kenny back in and he gets a near fall. Matt yells at Kenny and then he goes to the turnbuckles but he misses a 450 splash. King sets for the uranage side slam and he may have hit the move, but the cameramen focus on Nick attacking Titus on the floor. King gets a near fall and we have a crutch battle between Nick and Titus. King goes over the top rope and drops Matt on the top rope. King goes for a springboard move onto Matt but since the referee is involved in a detailed conversation with Titus, he does not see Nick hit King in the back and Matt gets the three count.
Winner: Matt Jackson
We go to credits.
2013 - WWE broadcast Raw. Richard Trionfo filed the following TV report:
Many men have had dreams over the years. In the WWE, the dream is to be in the main event of Wrestlemania. That dream can be realized by winning the Royal Rumble on Sunday night. Other than the Royal Rumble, CM Punk will defend the WWE Title on Sunday night against The Rock. With only two major television shows before the pay per view, what will the Rock do tonight? What will CM Punk do tonight? What will the Shield do?
We begin with a clip from Martin Luther King Junior’s ‘I Have a Dream’ speech.
We are in San Jose, California and your announcers are Jerry ‘Any chance for one of the spots in the Rumble Match’Lawler and Michael ‘Somehow, I got in the Gutcheck’ Cole.
Vickie Guerrero makes her way to the ring accompanied by Paul Heyman. Vickie introduces herself and she tells us her role on Raw. She tells everyone that it is her job that everyone is entertained by this show. She says that you may not like her personally, but she is a professional and she will always do the right thing.
Doing the right thing is not necessarily the popular thing, especially when it comes to the Rock.
Paul introduces himself and he says that whether you like it or not, he is here in a show of unity and solidarity with Ms. Guerrero. Last week on Raw, one man took it upon himself to defame not only his character, but the character of the best general manager and the sexiest general manager in the history of this or any other television show. That person is The Rock.
Vickie wants to show everyone how atrocious the Rock’s behavior was towards Paul Heyman.
Paul says that it is one thing to pick a fight with him because in six days, The Rock has to answer to the current WWE Champion, CM Punk. To pick a fight with Vickie, a poor defenseless widow. It is vile and contemptible. Rock said things that even he would not repeat in San Jose. He says that the footage speaks for itself.
We go to the Rock’s song for Vickie.
Vickie says that she is so glad that everyone enjoyed how the Rock embarrassed them last week. That will not happen tonight. Even though the Rock is in San Jose tonight, he has officially banned him from entering the arena. If Rock enters the arena, he will be arrested by the police.
Vickie is told that the Rock is here and we go to a camera outside the building.
Rock is on the TitanTron and he is being stopped by the police. Rock thinks about what to do and he says that Vickie bars him from being in the People’s Ring. She is screwing the people. She is probably in the ring looking like she swallowed stink pickles.
Rock tells the security that there is not an entity or force on this planet that will keep him from getting in the ring tonight.
The police tells Rock that they will have to arrest him if he tries to get into the ring.
Rock says that there are a lot of people they should arrest first. They should arrest CM Punk for impersonating a champion. He is like Manti T’eo for having an imaginary sack. He says that Heyman should be arrested for not wearing a bra. Vickie Guerrero should be . . . she shouldn’t be arrested. She should be asked what her intestines look like. Rock says that Vickie has her head shoved up her ass if she thinks that Rock will not get in the ring tonight.
Rock says that they know him. He is relentless. There ain’t no way that he won’t get in the ring. It not a matter of if, it is a matter of when.
Vickie asks everyone if that was funny. She says that Rock may talk a tough game. The only song that Rock will sing if he gets in the arena is Jailhouse Rock. Vickie wants you to smell what she is cooking.
There will be a beat the clock challenge. The wrestler who wins the fastest will get to pick their spot in the Royal Rumble.
We go to commercial.
Match Number One: Antonio Cesaro versus Randy Orton in a Beat the Clock Challenge Match
They lock up and Cesaro with a rollup for a near fall. Orton with a side head lock but Cesaro with an Irish whip and Orton with a rollup. Orton with a side head lock and shoulder tackle for a near fall. Orton with a side head lock but Cesaro with a reversal. Cesaro with a side head lock take down but Orton gets a near fall. Orton with punches.
Cesaro with a shoulder tackle and a near fall. Cesaro returns to the side head lock. Orton with a reversal. Cesaro with a punch and European uppercut. Orton with a Thesz Press for a near fall. Orton with punches and then he runs his knee across the face. Cesaro blocks a suplex attempt and he gets a near fall with an inside cradle.
Orton with a drop kick and he gets a near fall. Cesaro goes to the floor and Orton with a clothesline. Cesaro is returned to the ring and Orton gets a near fall. We go to commercial.
We are back and Cesaro puts Orton on the turnbuckles and he sets for a superplex. Orton blocks the superplex attempt and he sends Cesaro to the mat with a head butt. Orton with punches but Cesaro knocks Orton to the floor.
Cesaro with a front face lock and he rolls Orton back into the ring and gets a near fall. Cesaro with a dead lift side salto and he gets a near fall. Cesaro with a reverse chin lock but Orton with a European uppercut. Cesaro with a power slam for a near fall. Cesaro leaps on Orton’s chest and gets a near fall. Cesaro with a reverse chin lock.
Orton with punches and an Irish whip but Orton runs into a boot. Orton with two clotheslines. Cesaro misses a clothesline and Orton with a power slam. Orton sends Cesaro to the apron for the IEDDT but Cesaro gets to the ring and he gets a near fall with a jackknife cover.
Cesaro with Swiss Death for a near fall. Cesaro gets another near fall and then he picks up a lifeless Orton and sends him shoulder first into the ring post and Orton goes to the floor. Cesaro goes to the floor to bring Orton back. Cesaro sends Orton back into the ring and Orton with an RKO for the three count.
Winner: Randy Orton (Time to Beat: 11:36)
Michael Cole reminds us that the Hall of Fame will take place at Madison Square Garden. In case you were wondering where the Mick Foley video was on last week’s Raw, here is what aired on Smackdown.
We go to the Shield Cam on the floor. Dean Ambrose says that it is time for the WWE Universe to open their eyes. Seth Rollins says that they will open them for them. We see footage of the Shield’s carnage. They introduce themselves. They say that everyone is accountable. They are about principles and honor. Sheamus fights for fun, but they fight for justice. We see what they have done to Orton, Miz, and Ryback.
They don’t work for anybody. They are the Shield. They didn’t just talk about injustice. They rectified it. You will believe in the Shield.
We go to commercial.
We are back and we see how Alberto Del Rio won the World Title from Big Show two weeks ago on Smackdown.
Michael Cole tells us that Big Show will face Alberto Del Rio in a Last Man Standing Match.
Brad Maddox leaps over the ringside barrier to join Jerry and Michael.
Match Number Two: Big Show versus Zack Ryder
Show with punches and a slam. Show sets for the knockout punch and he connects. Show gets the three count.
Winner: Big Show
After the match, Big Show gets on the mic and he says that he wants to give everyone a preview of the Last Man Standing Match with Alberto Del Rio. Show starts to count to ten but he gets pissed off at the whats from the crowd.
We go to commercial.
We are back and Paul Heyman is on the phone and he says that there is no way the Rock will get into the building tonight.
Brad Maddox enters the locker room and he says that he wants to be famous. There is nothing he wouldn’t do to keep his dreams alive.
Paul says that he admires Brad’s ambition. He says that he was wrong about Brad. He tells Brad that if he sticks with him, he will make Brad famous.
Match Number Three: Ryback versus Heath Slater (with Jinder Mahal and Drew McIntyre)
They lock up and Ryback sends Slater into the turnbuckles. Slater with a kick to Ryback and punches but Ryback blocks a punch and then he hits a body block on Slater. Ryback with a spinebuster and then he sets for the lariat and he hits it. Ryback stops Drew from interfering and he brings Mahal into the ring and then sends him into McIntyre on the apron.
Ryback picks up Slater and hits the marching muscle buster for the three count.
Winner: Ryback
After the match, Ryback says damn his job is fun. On Sunday, it is his first Royal Rumble match and it is a match that he was made for. It is a match that he will thrive on. It is the match that will lead him to the main event of Wrestlemania. He demands to be fed more.
Rock is in the back and he says that he needs to get in the ring after being out there for an hour. Rock tells them to Protect and Serve. They are not here to protect and serve Vickie Guerrero. They are here to protect and serve the people. Rock says that it is about the people. They work hard for what they earn. Rock says that the people will blow the roof off the building.
One of the cops says that he had tickets for tonight and his wife and kid is out there. Rock is about to ask for the officer’s ticket.
Vickie demands that they arrest the Rock, but they don’t want to do it because he is not doing anything wrong.
Vickie tells Rock that while he is outside, CM Punk will be inside the ring. Vickie tells Rock that he can get in the building if he apologizes to her.
Rock says that he will get in the middle of the People’s Ring on his terms. He tells Vickie that she still looks horrible tonight.
Vickie storms away.
Rock asks the cops who they serve and we go to commercial.
We are back and Raw Roulette is back next week.
CM Punk makes his way to the ring and he is joined by Paul Heyman but Punk has the title belt as he goes to the ring.
Punk says that what he has here, he holds more dear to his heart than most men hold their families. Punk says that this is his life’s work and for 428 days, he has proven that he is the man. That is just a fraction of the time it took to get to this point. He has taken half his life to reach this point and get the biggest title in the WWE. He will not let the Rock or any man take it from him.
Rock is here to entertain. He is here to electrify. Rock is here to sing songs and tell jokes. Punk says that he is here to hurt people and be the champion. He will not allow the Rock to leave the Royal Rumble the WWE Champion because this is why he is here. He has made it important and prestigious because he has made it that way.
What is prestigious to the Rock is the most insignificant thing, the people. The people, the cheers, the chants, the signs, and the adulation. Rock is proud to be the People’s Champion. He is almost as proud as Punk is proud to be a real champion. He will not allow The Rock to become WWE Champion because he has been in the ring with him and looked into his eye and his soul. He saw why Rock is so proud of being the People’s champion. It is because he cannot be this.
Punk says a long time ago, he was forced to make a choice between hypocritical humility or honest arrogance. He chose Honest Arrogance while the Rock foolishly chose the people. You can call Rock electrifying. You can call him the Brahma Bull. You cannot call him the champion. The title is something you earn with blood, sweat, and tears. He has done that for 428 days. He has earned the right to call himself champion and be the man.
In six days, Rock is on a collision course for this. He tells the Rock to enjoy being the People’s Champion. He tells him to enjoy the chants and the signs. He wants Rock to look at all of the fans. Punk says the people do not matter. The title is all that matters. In six days at the Royal Rumble, it does not matter if he smells what the Rock is cooking. What the people cannot give Rock will remain around the waist of the Undisputed WWE Champion.
We go to commercial.
Match Number Four: Dolph Ziggler (with AJ Lee and Big E Langston) versus Miz in a Beat the Clock Challenge Match
Miz with a drop kick and he gets a near fall in an attempt to get a quick win. Miz with a rollup for a near fall. Miz with a side head lock and shoulder tackle for a near fall. Miz with a rollup for another near fall. Ziggler with a kick and rollup for a near fall. Ziggler with a side head lock.
Miz with a shoulder tackle for a near fall. Ziggler with a near fall of his own. Miz and Ziggler go back and forth with near falls. Ziggler with a drop kick for a near fall. Ziggler with a neck breaker and he gets a near fall. Ziggler with a reverse chin lock. Ziggler gets on Miz’s back to add extra pressure to Miz. Miz escapes a sleeper and Miz with a double leg take down and punches.
Miz with a kick to Ziggler and he goes for the knee to get ready for the figure four leg lock. Miz with an elbow drop to the leg but Miz is thrown to the floor by Ziggler. Ziggler distracts the referee and Langston sends Miz into the apron. Ziggler sends Miz back into the ring and Ziggler gets a near fall.
We go to commercial.
We are back and Ziggler with a reverse chin lock and we are down to four minutes left in the match. Ziggler tries for another neck breaker but Miz with a near fall with a back slide. Miz with a sunset flip followed by a kick and he gets another near fall. Ziggler and Miz go back and forth with kicks and then Miz with punches in the corner and the referee pulls Miz out of the corner.
Miz with the Awesome Clothesline and then he goes up top for the double sledge to the head and he gets a near fall. Miz tries for the Skull Crushing Finale but Ziggler with a rollup for a near fall. Ziggler with a DDT for a near fall. Miz tries for Reality Check but Ziggler avoids the second neck breaker. Miz applies the figure four leg lock and AJ gets on the apron to distract the referee to allow Langston to pull Ziggler to the ropes.
Ziggler rolls to the floor and we are under a minute to go. Miz returns Ziggler to the ring and he gets a near fall. Ziggler uses Langston’s distraction to hit the Zig Zag and get the three count.
Winner: Dolph Ziggler (Time to beat 10:56)
Michael Cole talks about the Royal Rumble Fan Fest this weekend. There will be a panel talking about the Montreal Screwjob and there will be one about DX.
We go to commercial.
We are back with a look back at Damien Sandow and Cody Rhodes insulting Dr. Shelby last week during the Anger Management Reunion Special.
Dr. Shelby is in the ring and he introduces himself because everyone has to introduce themselves. He welcomes everyone to the Anger Management Graduation Ceremony for Kane and Daniel Bryan.
Kane and Bryan go to the ring in their gowns.
Dr. Shelby wants to see how far they have come. Kane was a maniacal mask wearing monster who preferred hurting to hugging. Daniel was a tightly wound little man-child who would snap if they said anything about his goat face or that his beard looked like a hotel for rats.
Now they are calm, peaceful, and ready to graduate.
Dr. Shelby gives Kane his diploma and cap and then he does the same for Bryan. The tassel is moved to the other side so they are graduates.
Dr. Shelby says that the top student is usually declared the valedictorian and they get to talk and speak about their feelings. Shelby asks Kane and Daniel who the valedictorian should be. Kane says that Daniel should be the Valedictorian. Bryan says no and says that it should be Kane. Daniel says that Kane wants to talk about his feelings. Kane says that Daniel never had a problem shutting his mouth.
Kane and Daniel tell each other that they are the valedictorian.
Dr. Shelby freaks out and asks if a hug would make him feel better. Daniel says maybe. Kane is asked if a hug will make him feel better and he says I guess. Dr. Shelby wants everyone everywhere to hug at the same.
Daniel and Kane don’t like the idea of people glomming on their hug and they ask about Jerry and Cole. Cole and Lawler hug. Bryan wants Dr. Sampson and Justin Roberts to hug and they hug.
Kane wants three guys at ringside to hug and they appear to like it a bit too much. Daniel wants two people in the front row to hug. We go to a giant hug.
We go to commercial.
We are back with the WWE Rewind: Kaitlyn defeating Eve to become the new WWE Diva’s Champion and Eve quitting WWE.
Match Number Five: Alicia Fox versus Kaitlyn in a Non Title Match
Alicia sends Kaitlyn into the turnbuckles a few times. Kaitlyn with a kick to the knee and Alicia goes down. Kaitlyn sends Alicia to the floor and hits a baseball slide on Alicia. Kaitlyn with a shoulder tackle off the apron.
Kaitlyn returns to the ring but Alicia with a knee. Alicia tosses Kaitlyn by the hair. Alicia misses the scissors kick but she connects with a clothesline for a near fall. Alicia with a reverse chin lock. Kaitlyn with a snap mare.
Alicia misses a kick into the corner and then Kaitlyn hits a spear and gets the three count.
Winner: Kaitlyn
Paul Heyman tells CM Punk that he has a skybox for CM Punk. Paul says that he wants Punk to watch what Paul has to say. He calls it a PaulBomb.
We go to commercial.
We are back and Paul Heyman is in the ring and he tells the champ that this one is for him.
A lot of people might not know this about him. Not only is he the voice of the voice of the voice of the voice of the Voiceless. He is a friend, advocate, and advisor for the WWE Champion. Much of what CM Punk said went over the heads of many of the viewers. That is why he will act CM Punk’s interpreter. He will keep . . . it . . . simple for them.
So many think that it is fait accompli. Paul apologizes and says that many think it is a foregone conclusion that Rock will be winning the WWE Title. Vince McMahon is a tyrant who wants someone to beat CM Punk. January’s flavor of the month is The Rock.
The Rock might be concerned about what he might allegedly not have down there instead of what he has up there. Rock is focusing on Paul, not CM Punk, the longest reigning champion of the last 25 years. Just like the people, the Rock is stupid.
Rock’s music plays and he makes his way into the arena, showing that he does not care about rules. Rock shows a ticket and he makes his way to the ring.
Punk checks his imaginary watch to find out when Dwayne will be done.
Rock thanks the San Jose Police Department for the ticket.
Paul says that the ticket does not entitle him . . .
Rock interrupts Paul and tells him to get out of the ring.
Rock tells CM Punk for 428 days he has been WWE Champion. It is incredible and historic. He knows how badass and dangerous Punk is. It does not change the fact that tonight on Raw, it is the last night on Raw that he is WWE Champion.
Rock says that Punk is obsessed with how the Rock entertains the people and Rock says that he is. When it is all taken away, you have a man who will stand in the ring, outside the ring, outside the arena and he will rip Punk’s face off.
Rock says that he has waited for ten years for this shot. He says that he has earned respect over the last ten years. Rock says that he has a dream to go to the mountaintop and the promised land one more time to become champion. If you looked into the Rock’s soul like Punk says that he did, Rock promises to beat Punk at the Royal Rumble for the WWE Title. When that is done on Sunday, every man, woman, and child will be saying free at last . . . free at last . . . thank God almighty we are free at last.
Rock says that it is time to smell what he is cooking.
The lights go out and The Shield are attacking The Rock but Rock fights back for a moment. The Shield work over Rock and they get Rock up for the Three Man Power Bomb and they hit it.
Punk tells Rock he has some bad news. On top of that mountain, there is room for just one man. Punk says that you have to pay a price for your freedom. Punk says that it is cute that Rock has a dream, but you have to wake up from it. The truth is that the Great One was not great enough to beat the Best in the World.
We go to commercial.
We are back and we see the Shield’s attack on Rock.
Match Number Six: Sheamus versus Wade Barrett in a Beat The Clock Challenge Match
They lock up go around the ring. Sheamus with a side head lock take down and shoulder tackle. Barrett with a double leg take down and he applies a front face lock. Sheamus backs Barrett into the corner and gives a clean break. Barrett with a kick and we see Ziggler, AJ, and Langston watching in the back.
Sheamus with a kick and forearm followed by a punch and shoulders in the corner. Barrett with an Irish whip but Sheamus with a double sledge and he hits the rolling fireman’s carry slam for a near fall. Sheamus puts Barrett on the apron but the referee pulls Sheamus away. Barrett drops Sheamus’ arm on the top rope but Sheamus with a knee. Barrett with a clothesline that sends Sheamus over the top rope to the floor.
Barrett wants the referee to count while we go to commercial.
We are back and Barrett with a knee to the midsection and he gets a near fall. Barrett with a suplex and he gets a near fall. Barrett with a Fujiwara arm bar. Sheamus punches Barrett but Barrett kicks Sheamus in the arm. Sheamus with two running double sledges followed by a shoulder in the corner and a running knee lift.
Sheamus sends Barrett to the apron and connects with the ten forearms across the chest. Sheamus suplexes Barrett from the apron and he gets a near fall. Sheamus gets Barrett up for White Noise but Barrett gets back to his feet. Barrett with knees. Sheamus misses a Brogue Kick and Barrett with a back heel kick and super kick for a near fall.
Barrett goes to the turnbuckles for an elbow drop and he connects. We have less than two minutes to go. Barrett gets Sheamus up for Wasteland but Sheamus escapes and he gets Barrett up for White Noise and he hits it. Sheamus gets ready to pound his chest for the Brogue Kick but AJ Lee, Dolph Ziggler, and Big E Langston come to the ring and distract Sheamus.
Barrett with the Blackpool Slam for a near fall and Ziggler was ready to get in the ring to break up the cover. Barrett sets for the Bull Hammer but Sheamus with the Brogue Kick but time runs out.
No Contest
Dolph Ziggler celebrates his victory in the Beat the Clock Challenge with Langston and AJ.
We are back and Vickie Guerrero is in her office and Dolph Ziggler says that he won the Beat the Clock Challenge so he gets to pick his spot in the Royal Rumble. Dolph kisses AJ and tells her that she looks wonderful.
Dolph says that he might pick 30, but number 27 has won four times. Vickie tells Dolph that he gets to choose either number one or number two.
We take a look back at the attack on The Rock by The Shield.
CM Punk and Paul Heyman are walking in the back and he tells Punk that it is time for Rock to know his role and shut his mouth.
Vince McMahon asks Punk and Paul if they think they are clever. Punk says that they are clever but they had nothing to do with what the Shield did.
Vince says that if the Shield gets involved in Punk’s match, he will take severe consequences. Punk says that he has had nothing to do with it.
Paul suggests that cooler heads could prevail. The Shield has attacked many people. There is no evidence against CM Punk.
Vince says that if he finds evidence of Punk’s involvement, he will strip Punk of the title.
We go to commercial.
We are back and Michael Cole reminds us what Vince McMahon just said before the commercial break.
Match Number Seven: Alberto Del Rio (with Ricardo Rodriguez and bucket) versus Tensai
Tensai with a kick and punch followed by a shoulder and forearm. Tensai with head butts in the corner followed by a hard Irish whip. Tensai goes to the turnbuckles for a Vader Bomb and then he goes up for a second one and Tensai gets a near fall. Tensai runs into boots from Del Rio and then Del Rio with a rana.
Del Rio with a German suplex and then he goes for the step up enzuigiri in the corner. Del Rio goes up top for a moonsault and he hits it and gets the three count.
Winner: Alberto Del Rio
After the match, Alberto gets on the mic and he tells Big Show there will be a count of ten after their Last Man Standing. It will not be Big Show doing the counting, it will be him and it will be in Spanish.
We have our second inductee into the 2013 Class of the WWE Hall of Fame. It is Bob Backlund.
John Cena is walking in the back and he is going to talk when we get back from commercial.
We are back and John Cena makes his way to the ring.
John says that it looks like everyone had a good weekend and got to rest. The seventh day is to rest and you can do things on Sundays. Kids have a day off of school so you go out and play with your friend . . . kids don’t go outside or use the phone, they play video games.
John turns his attention to a female in the crowd and suggests that her Sunday is reliving her Saturday. John then mentions that the guy that she met is sitting over there.
Everyone does different things on Sunday, except for this Sunday. Everyone knows that this Sunday is the Royal Rumble. Everyone watching this show knows that if you win the match, you get a golden ticket to Wrestlemania.
This Sunday, Superstars can be born and history can be made. It will be an all out war. The video games will be on pause and the hangovers will have to wait until Sunday night because all eyes fall on the Royal Rumble.
On Sunday, the world will find out what he already knows. He will win the Royal Rumble.
Sheamus comes out and says that it was a bizarre and passionate speech from Cena. Sheamus says that the man who won last year will win this year.
Darren Young and Titus O’Neil interrupt Sheamus and Titus wants to know what Sheamus is talking about.
Randy Orton’s music interrupts Darren Young and he says that he is not out here to dance or talk about déjà vu. He is going to win the Royal Rumble.
Miz is the next person to come out and say that he will win the Royal Rumble.
Kane interrupts the Awesome and he comes out with his fellow graduate, Daniel Bryan. Daniel tells Kane that all of these people are arguing over who will win the Royal Rumble. Kane says that he was thinking the same thing because he will win the Royal Rumble. Daniel says that he will win.
Antonio Cesaro says that everyone is wrong because the Greatest United States Champion will win the Royal Rumble Match. He will dedicate his victory to his home away from home, the United States of America.
The 3MB come out to remind us that someone has to be eliminated during the match. Drew calls everyone in the ring delusional. Jinder says that one member of 3MB will record his name in history after winning the Royal Rumble.
More wrestlers come to the ring and we have pandemonium. People are bring thrown out of the ring, just like they will on Sunday night. We go to creditsChristy Hemme was the ring announcer and did her usual dodgy job.
Chavo Guerrero and Hernandez defeated Kazarian and Daniels to retain the tag titles. Daniels got a huge reaction and was the star of the show. Excellent back an forth match. Chavo got huge "Eddie" chants when he did the usual routine. He got the win with a frog splash. Really good opener.
Velvet Sky and Brooke Tessmacher defeated Tara and Gail Kim. The usual from the knockouts. The biggest reaction of the night went to Tara's butt cheeks, which was chanted for the majority of the match. Velvet got the win with the pedigree like manoeuvre that she does. A side note.. Brooke Tessmacher is hotter than hell.
TNA X Division title RVD defeated Zema Ion. Earl Hebner came out and did the usual routine where he reveals the "Damn right I did" t shirt... At this point things got crazy... While Earl strutted like Bret wearing pink shades a fan jumped the guard rail and lunged for Earl. He was seconds away from hitting him when security dragged the man out of the arena. The Montreal screw job obviously still strikes a cord with people. Ether that or some people are too stupid for their own good. I'd say its the latter.
The match started with RVD stealing Zema's hair spray and having fun with the ringside fans. The match itself was great. Some nice fast paced action with RVD eventually hitting the frog splash for the win.
James Storm defeated Austin Aries and Bobby Roode. Aries got on the mic and said he was part Irish and that we were all fat beer drinking wastes of space. Storm then got on the mic and defended the Irish obviously and sprayed beer on the ringside fans. The match was great with the heels working together for the most part. Aries is in a league of his own at the minute. Storm won with the Last Call on Aries.
TNA President Dixie Carter then came out to thank us and promote British Bootcamp. She was interrupted by Magnus. Being from England he naturally got the biggest heat of the night.. With chants such as "British wanker" directed at him. He said he wanted to be shown respect and foolishly called the Irish ginger, which got a massive "Sheamus" chant. Bully Ray interrupted and demanded that Dixie lift his suspension for the night.
So, Bully Ray defeated Magnus No DQ. The crowd went wild chanting for tables. The match was solid. Ray introduced the table and won with a spinebuster through it. A huge pop for this!
Sting and Kurt Angle defeated D.O.C. and Devon in a steel cage match. We had a 15 minute intermission to set up the cage. The match would have been fine without it. Angle and Sting obviously got deafening responses. Before Angle could enter the cage he was jumped by Mike Knox, which left Sting two on one. The beat down went on until Angle took out Knox, got in the ring and cleaned house allowing Sting to hit the Scorpion Death Drop for the win. A masked member of Aces and 8s also got involved (it was obviously D-Lo), as did the ball pain hammer. Angle and Sting left straight away after the win. Aces and 8s teased unmasking D-Lo but it didn't happen. They hugged it out in the ring to end the show. It was a bizarre ending as there is usually some sort of babyface speech to close the show. I'd have liked more from Sting and Angle.
Overall though, a fantastic show and miles better than WWE at the O2 in November. The atmosphere in the small venue makes it all the more special.
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