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June 26th
On this day in history in ....
1936 - Everett Marshall defeats Ali Baba for the NWA (National Wrestling Association) Heavyweight Wrestling Title Marshall was already the Midwest Wrestling Association Heavyweight Champion.
1942 - James J. Dillon (real name James Morrison) is born in Trenton, New Jersey.
1961 - Hard Boiled Haggerty defeats his former partner, Gene Kiniski, for control of their AWA World Tag Team Title in St. Paul, Minnesota, ending their second reign together. Haggerty chose Bob Geigel as his new partner.
1968 - Peter Maivia and Billy White Wolf defeat Curtis Iaukea and Ripper Collins to win the NWA Hawaii Tag Team Title in Honolulu, Hawaii, ending Iaukea and Collins' third reign.
1970 - Gordon Scozzari, who promoted the original version of the American Wrestling Federation (AWF) in the early 1990s, is born.
1971 - Ripper Collins and Mad Dog Mayne defeat Sunni War Cloud and Steven Little Bear for the NWA Hawaii Tag Team Title in Honolulu, Hawaii, beginning their second reign.
1973 - Johnny Valentine defeats Ron Fuller for the Florida version of the NWA Southern Heavyweight Title in Tampa, Florida.
1974 - Former WWE star and Lucha Underground lead announcer Matt Striker is born.
1975 - Antonio Inoki defeats Tiger Jeet Singh to win the National Wrestling Federation World Heavyweight Title in Tokyo, Japan, beginning his second reign.
1977- Mark Jindrak is born.
1978 - The WWWF runs its monthly Madison Square Garden event. The results:
- Stan Stasiak defeated Special Delivery Jones.
- Chief Jay Strongbow defeated Baron Mikel Scicluna.
- Jack Brisco defeated Butcher Vachon.
- Mil Mascaras defeated Ken Patera.
- George Steele defeated Tony Garea.
- Andre the Giant and Ivan Putski defeated "Crazy" Luke and "Superstar" Billy Graham.
- The Yukon Lumberjacks (Eric and Pierre) defeated Dino Bravo and Dominic DeNucci to win the WWWF World Tag Team Title.
- Bob Backlund defeated Spiros Arion to retain the WWWF World Heavyweight Title.
1982 - Bret Hart wins his fourth Stampede North American Heavyweight Title, defeating Leo Burke, ending his seventh reign.
1982 - Invader I and Pierre Martel defeat The Kangaroos (Don Kent and Johnny Heffernan) for the WWC World Tag Team Title in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
1983 - The Sheik's Army (Jerry Blackwell and Ken Patera) defeat The High Flyers (Jim Brunzell and Greg Gagne) in Minneapolis, Minnesota to win the AWA World Tag Team Title. This ended The High Flyers' second reign, which lasted just over two years.
1987 - Frank Lancaster and Eric Embry defeat The Fantastics (Tommy Rogers and Bobby Fulton) to win the World Class Tag Team Title in Dallas, Texas, ending the Fantastics' second reign.
1988 - Bull Nakano defeats Yumiko Hotta in the finals of the fourth-annual AJW Grand Prix Tournament in Tokyo, Japan.
1992 - The original "Nature Boy", Buddy Rogers (born Herman Rohde, Jr.), a former NWA World Champion and the first WWWF World Champion, dies a short time after suffering three strokes, two of which happened on the same day. Rogers was on life support following this, and passed away. He was 71 years old.
1992 - New Japan Pro Wrestling holds an event at Tokyo, Japan's Budokan Hall. The results:
- Satoshi Kojima and Hiroyoshi Yamamoto defeated Koji Kanemoto and Osamu Nishimura.
- Super Strong Machine pinned The Pegasus Kid (Chris Benoit).
- Kokina and Samu defeated Scott Norton and The Killer Bee (Brian Blair), when Kokina pinned Bee.
- El Samurai pinned Jushin Liger to win the IWGP World Junior Heavyweight Title, ending Liger's fifth reign.
- Keiji Mutoh and Hiroshi Hase defeated Black Cat and Takayuki Iizuka, when Hashimoto pinned Cat.
- Hiroshi Hase pinned Kensuke Sasaki.
- The Steiner Brothers (Rick and Scott Steiner) defeated Big Van Vader and Bam Bam Bigelow, when Rick pinned Bigelow, to begin their second IWGP World Tag Team Title reign.
- Riki Choshu pinned Masahiro Chono to retain the IWGP World Heavyweight Title.
1995 - Yoshiko Tamura defeats Misae Watanabe for the vacant AJW Junior Title in Sapporo, Japan.
1995 - Billy Jack Haynes defeats Brian Christopher for the USWA Southern Heavyweight Title in Memphis, Tennessee. This ended Christopher's 17th run with the belt.
1996 - Masato Tanaka, Kouji Nakagawa and Tetsuhiro Kuroda defeat Super Leather and The Headhunters (A and B) to win the FMW World Street Fight Six-Man Tag Team Title in Tokyo, Japan.
1997 - J.C. Ice defeats Tyrin for the IWA Mid-South Light-Heavyweight Title in Louisville, Kentucky.
1997 - The Masked Maniac defeats Chris Michaels for the USA Pro Wrestling U.S. Heavyweight Title in New York.
1998 - Buck Quartermaine defeats Freedom Ryder for the Indepenent Pro Wrestling Heavyweight Title in Pinellas Park, Florida.
1999 - ECW held "Hostile City Showdown" at the ECW Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The results were:
- Rhino pinned Christopher Daniels.
- Spike Dudley pinned Rhino.
- Skull von Crush pinned Lance Diamond.
- Danny Doring and Roadkill beat Nova and Chris Chetti when Roadkill pinned Nova.
- El Mosco pinned Kid Kash.
- Little Guido pinned Super Crazy.
- Taz defeated Yoshihiro Tajiri by submission to retain the ECW World Heavyweight Title.
- Rob Van Dam pinned Balls Mahoney to retain the ECW World Television Title.
- The Impact Players (Justin Credible and Lance Storm) defeated Sabu and Jerry Lynn in a Death match when Storm pinned Lynn.
2000 - WWF RAW is WAR solidly defeats WCW Monday Nitro in the Monday Night War this week. RAW, featuring WWF Champion The Rock defeating Triple H and Kurt Angle in a three-way non-title match in the main event, scored a 6.4 rating. That edition of RAW also included former WWF Commissioner Shawn Michaels appointing Mick Foley his successor. Nitro would only muster less than half of RAW's rating, getting a 2.8. That show featured a main event of WCW World Champion Jeff Jarrett defeating Kevin Nash, Goldberg and Scott Steiner in a four corners match.
2000 - Mick Foley was named WWF Commissioner during an edition of Raw. Here is Tim Whitehead's original report on that show.
The 6/26 RAW aired live from the Worcester Centrum......Rock came out with the WWF World Title belt to a huge ovation. He said Vince McMahon should consider himself lucky that he still owns a multi-million dollar company, a big house, expensive cars, and his penile implant. He said the era of the McMahon-Helmsley Faction is over and the Rock era has begun. Vince arrived and congratulated Rock on his title victory. He said that as he lay there on the mat, a beaten man at the hands of Rock, he realized that the reason Linda has been throwing so many obstacles in his path is because she loves him. He said he loves Linda, too, and from now on he'll give Linda all the love she can handle, either soft & tender or rough & ready. He said he thinks Linda wants another baby and called himself a "genetic jackhammer" and said he's going to go home and give her total attention. Vince offered to shake Rock's hand. Rock shook it but then said that no matter what Vince says, he's still a total asshole. Rock left Vince laying with the Rock Bottom......A limo arrived and Shawn Michaels emerged......Vince limped out to his limo with Stephanie wondering what he was doing. He said he was going home and to tell Hunter Hearst Helmsley that he's sorry. Stephanie just looked baffled, which is understandable since it really was baffling.......Rikishi defeated Chris Benoit in 2:25 by DQ to retain the IC Title. Clips were shown of Benoit "injuring" Rikishi's shoulder at the PPV. Rikishi kept selling the bad shoulder in this match. Tazz made his return, running in and hitting Rikishi with a chair for the DQ. Jim Ross & Jerry Lawler wondered aloud why Tazz would hit Rikishi instead of his rival Benoit. After the match, Benoit mauled Rikishi's shoulder more, including a diving headbutt onto it.......HHH arrived and Stephanie tried to explain to him about Vince's behavior and conveyed Vince's "I'm sorry" message. HHH was seething and looked angry enough to explode.......X-Pac beat Chris Jericho in 2:43. Clips were shown of Jericho kissing Stephanie at the PPV. Jericho described it by saying that kissing Stephanie was like kissing roadkill and said "Kirk Angel" owes winning the King of the Ring to a bottom feeding (etc.) ho. Stephanie was with X-Pac instead of Tori, who suffered a shoulder injury at the PPV. Jericho tried to kiss Stephanie again but Road Dogg made the save. Jericho hit the lionsault but Stephanie distracted the ref. Dogg walloped Jericho and rolled X-Pac on top as the ref returned to action for the pin. Afterward, Dogg & X-Pac held Jericho and Stephanie slapped him and kicked him in the balls.......Kurt Angle was polishing his crown backstage and bragging about himself.......They cut to the WWF restaurant in New York where Godfather arrived with four cute hos. They later showed them partying there.......Val Venis defeated Eddie Guerrero by DQ in 2:55 in a European Title match. Trish Stratus kept interfering. She didn't get caught, but Chyna did when she interfered and Eddie was DQ'ed, but retained the belt. Eddie & Chyna double DDT'd Val afterward and Chyna gave Trish a killer powerbomb. The heat for this was great and Chyna looked like she was really enjoying herself. She and Eddie hugged before leaving.......Kurt Angle had an arena employee with him, boring the guy (whom he called a commoner) by asking whether he should call himself King Angle or King Kurt.......Shawn Michaels came out and destroyed the throne they had set up for the King of the Ring coronation by shoving it off the ramp. Michaels said he has business to take care of before any coronation can take place, and that the announcement concerned the #1 contendership to the WWF Title. HHH suddenly arrived. He reminded Michaels that they were old friends and said that surely it must hurt him to know that he (HHH) was screwed out of the belt at the PPV since he wasn't pinned. He complained that people had been pointing at him all day and saying "loser". HHH was confident that Michaels would do the right thing and make him top contender. Michaels agreed that HHH had a point and should be #1 contender, but reminded him that he is no longer commissioner. He then introduced Mick Foley, to a huge pop, as the newly appointed commissioner. Foley came out with his new short haircut and a "commissioner"" T-shirt. He told HHH that he now has a lot of power courtesy of Linda and that with Vince apparently gone he'll have even more power. He said he was going to see to it that no one ever has to listen to boring 20 minute HHH promos again. HHH was furious and said he'd beat the hell out of Foley if he didn't give him the contendership. Foley said he won't be intimidated and would make the decision based on who was most deserving. Kurt Angle arrived with crown and scepter. He said he deserves the contendership by beating three guys and becoming King of the Ring and that even the commoners in Worcester (he pronounced it War-ches-ter) know it. Foley laughed at Angle's regal outfit. He then ruled that there will be a three-way match later on the show between HHH, Angle, and Rock. If Rock wins, then both HHH and Angle are eliminated as contenders, but if either HHH or Angle win, they will get a title shot at Rock on Smackdown. HHH slugged Angle and hurled him from the ring.
Hour two saw Dean Malenko shooting pool as several babes fawned over him. Terri was worried about the upcoming match where she would have to strip if Malenko loses. As incentive, she promised him a private viewing if he wins. Malenko was so excited he missed a shot...... Kat promised Jerry Lawler that if he wins, she'll give him the bronco ride he's been wanting........Lawler beat Malenko in the strip gimmick match in 3:15. The rules were that every time a man went over the top to the floor, the gal he represented had to remove an article of clothing until someone was topless. Both guys bumped over twice and the girls stripped accordingly. Malenko then bumped over and Terri had to take off her top but Stevie Richards came out wearing a suit and looking very clean-cut and held up a sign that said "censored" so no puppies could be seen. Everyone, including me, hated Richards, who I assume will do a prude gimmick.......Edge & Christian told Foley that they want their own locker room like Rock has now that they're World Tag Team Champions for the second time. Foley didn't treat their request seriously at first, but finally got them a room of their own.......Lawler was furious that Richards had "censored" Terri's puppies......Edge & Christian were in their room, talking like Foley was some kind of pushover since he gave them their request so easily. He came in and they told him to get them some sodas. Foley shocked them by announcing that he had scheduled them for a non-title match against Undertaker & Kane. ....... The Acolytes won a tag team battle royal in 3:52 to become top contenders to the tag titles. The other teams were the Hardy Boyz, the Dudleys, Too Cool. Al Snow & Steve Blackman, Perry Saturn & D-Lo Brown, Test & Albert, and Taka Michinoku & Sho Funaki........They promoted the USA Weekly "Wrestling vs. Baseball" special featuring Rock. They also showed the clip of Donald Trump at the Madison Square Garden house show again.......Foley brought Edge & Christian each a soda to try and be a nice guy. They acted like they wouldn't agree to fight UT & Kane but Foley said he'd strip them of the belts if they didn't.........Undertaker & Kane beat Edge & Christian in 1:26. Edge & Christian whined about it being unfair that they had to wrestle them and cancelled their pose in protest. The match didn't last long with UT & Kane pinning both foes with chokeslams. .......Footage aired of Jerry Toliver winning a drag race in Madison, IL in the WWF racer.......Rock beat HHH and Kurt Angle in the three-way in 8:54. Rock got a huge ovation again. The match was pretty good though much of it was the usual routine where the third man breaks up any pin attempt. HHH almost had it won when he Pedigreed Angle but Chris Jericho broke up the pin and snapped HHH's neck on the top ropes. The ref didn't see this since he was arguing with Stephanie. Hmmmm. Anyway, HHH staggered back and Rock gave him the Rock Bottom for the pin. Overall an okay show which elevated Angle to the top and brought back the much-needed Mick Foley.
2001 - At a SmackDown! taping at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York, Albert defeated Kane to win the WWF Intercontinental Title.
2001 - Tom Howard defeats Tony Jones to win the UPW Southern California Title in Santa Ana, California.
2001 - Albert (A-Train) defeats Kane for the WWF Intercontinental Title in New York City at Madison Square Garden during a taping of Smackdown.
2002 - Andrew McManus' World Wrestling All-Stars canceled their July dates for Ireland, Germany, and Switzerland. The tour is off due to poor advanced ticket sales for most of the cities of the tour, although Ireland was said to have had a very good advance. Germany as a country at the time was a hard sell for entertainment acts as the economy was not in a strong place. The WWA tour had a double whammy going in as there is very little interest in professional wrestling there right now, with nothing airing on free television and only one hour of wrestling (old WCW tapes) airing on Pay station Premiere World. When the talent for the tour was informed of the cancellation, they were not given any word on whether the dates would be rescheduled. A tour for Great Britain was postponed and rescheduled for November. From all accounts, McManus and the WWA wanted to move ahead with this tour and it was the local promoters in Germany who opted that it was best not to run based on the advances.
2002 - TNA Wrestling's second weekly pay-per-view event, which was taped one week prior along with TNA's first-ever event which aired live, airs. Mike Johnson filed the following PPV report:
NWA TNA WEEK TWO, HOUR ONE RECAP
The second episode of NWA Total Nonstop Action, from Huntsville, AB began with highlights of Jeff Jarrett's incidents with Toby Keith, Jackie Fargo, and the Gauntlet for the Gold match, culminating with the crowning of Ken Shamrock as the new NWA champion defeating Malice, Jarrett attacking several of the NWA legends, and the announcement of Jarrett vs. Scott Hall with Fargo and Keith in Hall's corner for tonight.
We went to the building, with lots of pyro to open the show as Mike Tenay welcomed everyone. Tenay previewed the matches for tonight's episode including K-Krush vs. Brian Christopher. Ed Ferrara discussed Sterling Marlin and Hermie Sadler from NASCAR being in Christopher's corner. Don West talked about how much he was looking forward to the women's lingerie battle royal to crown the first Miss NWA TNA.
Our opening contest saw Jeff Jarrett taking on Scott Hall, accompanied by Jackie Fargo and country music star Toby Keith. Jarrett challenged all three to come to the ring, as he didn't want to wait to later to wrestle. Jarrett tried to get under Hall's skin, but fled the ring after a Fall Away Slam. Jarrett retreated from Toby Keith and was tossed back into the ring by Fargo. Jarrett hit several dropkicks on Hall. Hall fired back with several rights, but Jarrett locked on a sleeper. Hall reversed the sleeper, but Jarrett hit a back suplex. Jarrett got a two count off the move. Hall battled back and got a two count with a lariat. Hall went for the Outsider's Edge but K-Krush came to the ring and saved Jarrett. Brian Christopher chased Krush off. Jarrett beat down on Hall but was preoccupied with Toby Keith. Keith got in the ring and along with Hall, both men slammed Jarrett headfirst into the mat. Hall scored the pin with Keith still standing in the ring.
We go to the NWA TNA girls dancing as the announcers go over the contestants for the Miss TNA Lingerie battle royal later tonight and a clip of the catfight between Electra and Francine from last week's episode.
Out came Cheeks, a very heavyset African American wrestler, accompanied by the Brown-Eyed Girl. Tenay said that he claimed to be trained by the Andersons. His opponent, Frank Parker, was in the ring. Tenay said Parker was trained by Jimmy Valiant. As the match began, they announced that on next week's episode, Brian Christopher and Scott Hall will face K-Krush and Jeff Jarrett. Cheeks slammed Parker. Cheeks rammed himself, butt first, into Parker, who was sitting in the corner. Alicia came to ringside and began talking to ring announcer Jeremy Borash. Cheeks hit a big splash for the pin. Borash paid Alicia money, just like referee Mark Johnson the week before.
As the TNA Girls danced, Mike Tenay announced there would be a NWA Tag Team championship tournament on next week's episode. They then went to footage from last week of K-Krush confronting the NASCAR drivers Sterling Marlin and Hermie Sadler, which led to Brian Christopher coming out and confronting Krush.
K-Krush made his way to the ring. Brian Christopher then came to the ring with Marlin and Sadler. Krush opened up the bout beating in Christopher in the corner. Tenay mentioned Krush was trained by Manny Fernandez. Christopher hit a bulldog but only got a two count. He went for another but Krush threw him into the turnbuckles. Krush suplexed Christopher over. They went back and forth, culminating with Krush hitting a leg lariat. Christopher kicked up at the two count. Krush cinched in a side chinlock, but Christopher battled out of the move. Christopher fired off with a series of rights and an enziguiri. Christopher hit a stunner on Krush and went to hit Krush in the corner, but was hit with an inverted atomic drop. Krush went to leave the ring but the NASCAR drivers grabbed the middle rope and critched Krush with it. Christopher went to the top rope, hit the Hip Hop Drop off the top rope, and scored the pinfall.
Don West said that next week K-Krush would get a chance for retribution when he teamed with Jeff Jarrett against Christopher and Scott Hall. Tenay announced that the Rainbow Express would be in action later and NWA champion Ken Shamrock would appear. They then went over the competitors for the X Division championship match later on in the evening.
They went to the ring for the Miss TNA Lingerie Battle Royal, with the winner being the last woman who doesn't have her clothes torn off. Tenay said that the winner would receive an NWA TNA contract. Borash announced Francine, but it wasn't her. The announcers said he was a little distracted. The women came out wearing pajamas over their lingerie. Electra ripped Tyler's clothes off, so she was eliminated. She had a bathing suit on underneath. Next out was Sasha by Shannon, formerly WCW's Daffney. The women all teamed up on Francine and ripped her bottom off, then her top. So, the Queen of Extreme was next out. Miss Joanie was then eliminated. Francine was shown upset at ringside over losing and Ed Ferrara left the announce table to console her. Francine got on her knees and removed Ferrara's belt, with the implication something more was going to happen, but instead began whipping him with the strap. Daffney and Alex Larey were out next. It came down to Taylor Vaughn and Electra with Taylor winning. Francine laid her out and began whipping her with the belt. The referee pulled Taylor from the ring and assisted her to the back as an upset Francine was left in the ring.
We went backstage to Goldilocks, who was interviewing Nuevo Gran Apollo. Apollo said that now he lives in Florida, when Bobcat jumped into the screen. She said that they should be interviewing David Young, her charge, not Apollo. Bobcat accused Goldilocks of being jealous of her, and Goldilocks cut off the interview.
David Young vs. Nuevo Gran Apollo was next. Young failed with several shoulderblock attempts and Apollo hit a powerslam slam on Young. Apollo hit a double underhook suplex. Tenay mentioned that Young has been wrestling for 13 years, starting as a pro at the age of 16. Apollo hit a hard knife-edge chop in the corner on Young, then hit a charge into the corner. Bobcat kept hitting on Borash at ringside. Young was distracted by this, and was nearly pinned with a schoolboy. Young hit a enziguiri and locked on a rear chinlock, but the announcers noted he was distracted by Bobcat's actions. Apollo used the ropes to springboard into a tornado DDT. Young hit his finishing move, a spinebuster but didn't go for the pin because he was distracted by Bobcat and Borash. He went for a moonsault off the top but Apollo moved. Apollo hit a superkick and a TKO for the pinfall. Your winner, Nuevo Gran Apollo.
Joel Gertner did one of his patented ring introductions and brought out Lenny and Bruce, the Rainbow Express. Gertner said that people keep asking why he is with them, since they are gay and he is not. Gertner said that just because they are gay doesn't mean that they don't live better lives than the fans. He said that he doesn't care what they do in their hotel rooms as long as they are all business in the ring. They noted that Bruce was taking the place of Lodi, who was out with a neck injury, but Lodi would be back shortly. Their opponents are the Dupps, with Fluff Dupp. Tenay noted that the Dupps defeated Joey Matthews and Christian York last week. The Dupps didn't come out, so we went backstage to the Dupps, who refused to wrestle "them hippies." Bill Behrens approached Chris Harris and James Storm, who were entering the backstage area of the building, and offered them the match. They agreed and went to the ring in their street clothes.
Harris sent Bruce over the top rope with a top rope clothesline. Lenny Lane hit a tornado DDT on Storm but couldn't get the pin. Bruce tagged in and got a two count with a sunset flip after Lenny hit a clothesline as Storm battled it off. All four battled in the ring. The match went back and forth until Storm and Harris scored the victory.
They went to the ring, where Ricky Steamboat, wearing a referee's shirt introduced NWA champion Ken Shamrock. As he came to the ring, Tenay and the others discussed Shamrock's win in the Gauntlet for the Gold last week. Steamboat discussed the legends who have held the NWA championship in the past and that Shamrock has added his name to the list. Shamrock said that he will defend the belt with honor, and that he's been around the world for MMA and pro wrestling and has risen to the top. He says that as NWA champion, he has risen to the top again. Shamrock thanked those who support him.
Minister Jim Mitchell came out and said he was on a mission from "His God" and that was why the members of his New Church would make sure that his organization controls the NWA championship. He says that Shamrock is supposed to be the world's most dangerous man and challenges Shamrock to defend the NWA title against a member of Mitchell's new church next week. Shamrock smiled and Mitchell introduced Slash. Shamrock asked if this was a joke, and said that instead of waiting for next week, he would let Slash come to the ring and try to take the belt from him. Mitchell said that he had someone else in mind for Shamrock, and Malice attacked and chokeslammed Shamrock from behind. Malice choked Shamrock down as security and officials hit the ring. Mitchell called off Malice, saying to leave a "piece of his carcass for next week." NWA champion Ken Shamrock vs. Malice next week on NWA TNA.
They then went to highlights of last week's X Division six man tag team match. They discussed that the ideals behind the X division and previewed the four way match scheduled to crown the first X Division champion with Jerry Lynn, Low Ki, Psicosis, and AJ Styles.
The match began with Psicosis and AJ Styles. Styles hit the Styles Clash for a quick first pinfall. Low Ki hit the ring and began hitting his kicks and moves on Styles. He flipped Styles off the top rope and trapped him in a Dragon Clutch submission. Low Ki hits several kicks to the face but missed another. Styles hit a facebuster to pin Low Ki and hand Ki his first defeat.
Jerry Lynn entered the ring and battled with Styles. Lynn was able to hit the cradle piledriver to hand Styles his first defeat in the match. Psicosis returned to the ring. Psicosis hit a top rope missile dropkick. Lynn got a two count with a bulldog off the top rope. They went to the floor and Psicosis hit a somersault dive over the top to the floor. Lynn and Psicosis continued to battle back and forth. Tenay said that when they get down to the final two men, Ricky Steamboat will officiate. Psicosis took to the air but Lynn hit a dropkick. Lynn hit a cradle piledriver for a three count, eliminating Psicosis from the move.
Low Ki hit the ring and kicked Lynn. They noted Lynn has no defeats while everyone else is one loss away from being eliminated. Low Ki hit an elbow and then chopped Lynn in the corner. Low Ki hit a forearm but was caught with a kick when he charged Lynn in the corner. He went for a top rope huracanrana, but rolled through. Ki hit a stiff kick to the chest, but Lynn hit a forearm smash. Ki missed a kick, and Lynn hit an enziguiri. Both men were down and struggled to get to their feet. They made their way to their feet and battled back and forth. Lynn hit a huge backdrop on Low Ki. He clotheslined Low Ki twice, and hit a guillotine legdrop on Ki. Lynn went for the cradle piledriver, but Ki was able to grab Lynn for a armbar submission. Lynn battled back and slammed Ki down, but only got a two count. It was a close count. Lynn went for a suplex, but Low Ki reversed it. It appeared he was going for his Ki Krusher finisher, but Lynn turned it into a DDT. Lynn hit a piledriver and handed Low Ki his second pinfall, eliminating him from the match.
AJ Styles hit the ring and took Lynn down. Styles hit a spinning leg kick on Lynn for a two count. Styles chopped away on Lynn but Lynn hit a tilt-o-whirl backbreaker. Lynn tried to sunset flip Styles, but he broke the effort and hit a springboard twisting splash on Lynn. Lynn hit a tornado DDT for a two count. They noted that Lynn has to be defeated twice for Styles to win, while Styles only needs to lose one fall for the match to end. Styles got a near fall on Lynn. Lynn hit a running sit down powerbomb on Styles, who kicked up. Lynn went for the cradle piledriver, but was backdropped. Styles hits the Styles Clash to pin Lynn and even the match up.
Ricky Steamboat entered the ring to officiate the final fall, which would crown the first NWA TNA X Division champion. Lynn and Styles battled back and forth. Lynn hit a sunset flip variation out of the corner after leapfrogging a charge in the corner for a two count. They went into a series of two counts and reversals, culminating with a backslide attempt. The pinfall attempts went back and forth until both men hit a clothesline. Steamboat began counting both men out on the mat. They got to their feet and Styles hit a dropkick on Lynn. Lynn took out Styles and dragged him to the floor. Styles was whipped into the guard rail twice. Lynn slammed his head into the ring apron and tried to drag him back inside the squared circle. Styles hit a back kick and a moonsault off the apron to the floor. Styles hit an inverted DDT on the floor. Styles tossed Lynn back into the ring for a near fall. Styles moonsaulted off the ropes and tried to grab Lynn for a move, but Lynn flipped him backwards, dropping him chest first across the top rope. Lynn got a near fall, but Styles was able to kick up. Lynn locked on the Gori Guerrero Especial, but Styles escaped. Styles put Lynn into a fireman's carry, then dropped Lynn's neck down into his knee. He got a two count for his effort. They battled to see who would win a suplex effort, with Lynn hitting the move and getting a two count. Lynn locked on a sleeper, and brought down Styles to his knees. Styles hit a jawbreaker to escape the move. Styles went to the top but Lynn cut him off. Lynn went to the top rope and hits a superplex into the ring, but only gets a two count. Lynn hurt his back hitting the move. Lynn draped Styles atop the top rope and climbed the turnbuckles. Styles shoved him off and hit an awesome twisting splash into the ring for the three-count. Your first NWA TNA X champion, AJ Styles. Pyro exploded and confetti rained down as Styles was awarded the belt by Ricky Steamboat.
They reviewed the high points of the match and the heart and work ethic of all involved, then previewed next week's matches to close the show.
2002 - WWE issued the following press release, announcing their quarterly earnings:
STAMFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 26, 2002--World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE:WWF - News) today announced financial results for its fourth fiscal quarter ended April 30, 2002.
Total revenues for the quarter increased to $135.9 million from $131.1 million in the prior year's quarter. Income from continuing operations was $16.0 million as compared to $17.0 million in the fourth quarter last year. Earnings per common share from continuing operations were $0.22 for the quarter.
Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) were $28.5 million versus $26.1 million last year. EBITDA included expenses of approximately $2.0 million associated with the Company's name change to World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. Free cash flow (income from continuing operations plus depreciation and amortization less capital expenditures and payment of long-term debt) for the current quarter was $17.4 million as compared to $9.6 million in the prior year quarter.
"During the quarter we continued to make progress on the implementation of our brand extension and international expansion initiatives," said Linda E. McMahon, Chief Executive Officer. "Our international tours, in particular, were well received by our fans in Asia and Europe where we performed to sell out crowds across both continents. We recently announced new licensing and sponsorship agreements in Europe, Australia, and New Zealand as we continue to replicate our successful domestic business model overseas," added Ms. McMahon.
Fourth Quarter Results
Total revenues increased 4% to $135.9 million compared to $131.1 million in the prior year quarter due to increased revenues in the Live and Televised Entertainment business segment.
Live and Televised Entertainment
Total revenues for our Live and Televised businesses for the quarter increased 6% to $105.0 million from $99.3 million in the same period last year.
Branded Merchandise
Total revenues decreased approximately 3% to $30.9 million for the quarter versus $31.8 million last year.
Profit Contribution
Total profit contribution for the quarter was $59.5 million as compared to $55.7 million in the prior year quarter. Total profit contribution margin increased to 44% from 43%.
The profit contribution margin for the Live and Televised businesses was approximately 44% versus 45% in the fourth quarter last year.
The profit contribution margin for the Branded Merchandise businesses was 44% as compared to 35% during the same period last year. In the fourth quarter 2001, the Company recorded additional inventory and return reserves which impacted the margins in our Branded Merchandise business segment.
Selling, General and Administrative Expenses
SG&A expenses for the quarter increased 5% to $31.1 million as compared to $29.6 million last year. The increase was primarily due to costs associated with the Company's name change as well as increased expenses at The World. These increases were slightly offset by lower professional fees.
Fiscal Year Results
Total revenues were $425.0 million as compared to $456.0 million in the prior year.
Live and Televised Entertainment
Total revenues for our Live and Televised businesses were $323.5 million versus to $335.7 million in the prior year.
Branded Merchandise
Total revenues were $101.5 million for the year versus $120.4 million last year.
Profit Contribution
Total profit contribution for the year was $164.8 million as compared to $197.0 million last year. The profit contribution margin decreased to 39% from 43% last year.
The profit contribution margin for the Live and Televised businesses was approximately 40% versus 44% last year primarily due to the decline in our pay-per-view business.
The profit contribution margin for the Branded Merchandise businesses was 35% as compared to 41% in the prior year.
Selling, General and Administrative Expenses
SG&A expenses increased to $109.6 million from $104.1 million last year. This increase was primarily due to increased advertising and promotion costs associated with our television programs and pay-per-views, expenses associated with our name change, and increased expenses at The World. Included in Fiscal 2001 SG&A expenses was a charge related to the settlement of an outstanding lawsuit.
Guidance for Fiscal Year 2003
As part of its ongoing business operations, the Company has provided the following guidance for fiscal year 2003. This guidance is subject to various risks and uncertainties outlined in the forward-looking statement included in this release and other Security Exchange Commission filings of the Company. In addition to the information contained herein, the Company has posted a detailed breakdown of its revenues by business segment on its business web site www.wwecorpbiz.com in an effort to provide additional useful information for public dissemination. This information will remain on the Company's web site for a period of 10 days.
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc.
Consolidated Statements of Operations
(dollars in thousands, except per share data)
(Unaudited)
Three Months Ended Year Ended
April 30, April 30, April 30, April 30,
2002 2001 2002 2001
--------- --------- ---------- ---------
Net revenues $ 135,917 $ 131,108 $ 425,026 $ 456,043
Cost of revenues 76,369 75,374 260,218 259,000
Stock option charges - - - 760
Selling, general and
administrative
expenses 31,090 29,628 109,571 104,122
Depreciation and
amortization 5,418 2,790 13,113 7,180
-------- -------- ---------- ----------
Operating income 23,040 23,316 42,124 84,981
Interest income, net
and other income, net 1,601 4,040 17,418 15,060
-------- --------- ---------- --------
Income from continuing
operations before
income taxes 24,641 27,356 59,542 100,041
Provision for
income taxes 8,671 10,320 21,947 37,144
-------- --------- ----------- --------
Income from continuing
operations 15,970 17,036 37,595 62,897
-------- --------- ----------- ---------
Discontinued Operations:
Loss from XFL operations,
net of minority interest
and applicable income
tax benefits - (21,827) - (31,293)
Estimated (loss) income
on shutdown of the XFL,
net of minority
interest and applicable
tax benefits - (15,617) 4,638 (15,617)
-------- --------- ------------ ---------
(Loss) income from
discontinued operations - (37,444) 4,638 (46,910)
-------- --------- ------------ ---------
Net income (loss) $ 15,970 $ (20,408) $ 42,233 $ 15,987
======== ========= ============ =========
Earnings (loss) per share
- Basic and Diluted
Continuing operations $ 0.22 $ 0.23 $ 0.52 $ 0.87
-------- --------- ------------ ---------
Discontinued operations $ - $ (0.51) $ 0.06 $ (0.65)
-------- --------- ------------ ----------
Net income (loss) $ 0.22 $ (0.28) $ 0.58 $ 0.22
======== ========= ============ ==========
Weighted average common
and common equivalent
shares:
Basic 72,848,551 72,929,392 72,861,797 72,025,222
========== ========== ============ ==========
Diluted 72,911,498 72,994,444 72,865,624 72,216,870
========== ========== ============ ==========
Forward-Looking Statements: This news release contains forward-looking statements pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which are subject to various risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties include the conditions of the markets for live events, broadcast television, cable television, pay-per-view, Internet, food and beverage, entertainment, professional sports, and licensed merchandise; acceptance of the Company's brands, media and merchandise within those markets; uncertainties relating to litigation; risks associated with producing live events both domestically and internationally; uncertainties associated with international markets; and other risks and factors set forth from time to time in Company filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual results could differ materially from those currently expected or anticipated.
2002 - WWE held a conference call to discuss their earnings. Involved with the call were Vice President Of Investment Relations Tom Gibbons, Chief Financial Officer August Ligouri, and Chief Executive Officer Linda McMahon.
- They put a positive spin on the current WWE in a prepared statement, saying they were looking to create the "optimal creative formula".
- They stated that the new "WWE" name put the emphasis on "E for Entertainment", and that international plans are unencumbered as a result.
- They claimed that having two brands gave them two "unique" sets of storylines and content and double what they offer fans.
- They put over the Asian and European tours, and the upcoming Australia date.
- They claimed to be looking to drive casual fans back to the product.
- Linda claimed ratings have fallen due to increased competition on television and alternatives like video games. Specifically named "The Osbourne's", "Survivor", and "Spongebob Squarepants" for taking a piece of their demographic.
- They reviewed the numbers, which you can read at the link above. One of the more interesting statements to come from this portion of the call was that while the amount of tickets to live events sold went down, the prices for the tickets were raised an average of 10%.
At this point, the call was opened to questions from investors:
- When asked about their level of satisfaction with the new shows, Linda stated that the shows were new titles and content, but were not occupying new hours. She pointed out that Confidential has been getting great reviews, and that they and TNN are pleased with the format change from Excess to Velocity and Confidential. They are pleased with the format of those shows, and the recap shows that air in syndication. She stated that they are always tweaking the content of the shows.
- A well-informed investor questioned the ratings falling due to competition, and asked directly how much of the ratings fall could be attributed to bad storylines, hot shotting angles, and the loss of Steve Austin. Linda said that the first obligation of WWE is to the fans, through their creativity. She said that they expected to take a "half step backwards" due to the brand extension, but that they are working on it, and that the split will eventually add more PPV events and that it allows them to tour more internationally. She also stated the softening in ratings could be pointed out as contributing to the softening in attendance. She said that sometimes storylines miss, but that they have a proven track record of success over three generations. When pressed, she said that when Steve Austin was injured, the Rock took his place. Now, with Rock making movies, she said they have Brock Lesnar, Triple H, Undertaker, Chris Jericho, Rob Van Dam and Booker T to take his place. She said "Stone Cold had a short term impact, not a long term impact." She compared WWE to a football team putting in a new quarterback, and that the team needs time to learn to play together. She said it took two years to build The Rock.
- Linda stated that Stone Cold is on a suspension for his conduct, and The Rock is splitting time between movies and wrestling, and will be filming "Heldorado" at the end of the summer. The WWE will have a producers fee paid to them and profit sharing from the film.
- Linda put over the popularity of "The Scorpion King" in Mexico City, and how they will now be running a live show there in September. She said WWE received $2 million as an executive producer of the film, and that they will be sharing in the profits of the film, although those numbers were not solidified yet.
- Linda said she was "not pleased" with the staff restructuring from November yet, but that they were working in it.
- They ended with a brief statement thanking the investors.
2002 - NWA: TNA announced the signing of Christopher Daniels:
Press Release from J Sports & Entertainment
Los Angeles (June 26th)-- J Sports and Entertainment is proud to announce the signing of "The Fallen Angel" Christopher Daniels to its roster. Daniels comes to NWA Total Nonstop Action with an international reputation as one of the best ring performers in the business today. Daniels is expected to join the ranks of performers competition in NWA TNA's popular "X-Division."
"In a very short time, NWA TNA has proven that showcasing true ring talent is a priority. The competitors in the X-Division are pound for pound the best athletes in the sport today, and I am honored to be a part of that division," said Daniels today from his home in California.
Daniels is expected to start with NWA TNA in the very near future.
The X-Division Daniels is speaking of crowns it's first champion tonight. The X-Title match between Jerry Lynn, AJ Styles, Low Ki, and Psicosis headlines tonight's NWA Total Nonstop Action PPV as the show's main event in what is already being called a match-of-the-year candidate by wrestling experts.
To see an exclusive sneak preview of this contest, check out the photos now on NWATNA.com
Witness this incredible match for yourself tonight, contact your local cable or satellite provider and order NWA Total Nonstop Action. The show begins at 8pm Eastern at $9.95.
2003 - Texas Trailer Trash (Harley Johnson and Rogue) defeat ReGex (Tejas and Mace) in Fort Worth, Texas for the vacant NWA Texas Tag Team Title.
2003 - WWE releases Roddy Piper following an HBO Real Sports segment on professional wrestling deaths where Piper is critical of the company. WWE issued the following statement in regard to Piper's release:
"Since March 31, 2003, World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (“WWE”) and Roderick Toombs, p/k/a “Roddy Piper”, have attempted to negotiate the terms of an arrangement for Roddy to appear on WWE programming through August of this year. The parties have been unable to reach a mutually acceptable agreement.
On Tuesday, June 24, Piper appeared on an HBO program and revealed disturbing facts about his own personal drug use. Piper stated that he used drugs for many years while working in professional wrestling and that he does not like the person that he becomes when he actively performs as a professional wrestler.
In view of WWE’s inability to reach agreement on a contract and to assist Piper from engaging in any self destructive behavior, the WWE is ending any further discussion with Piper regarding a contract.The WWE sincerely hopes for Piper and his family that Roddy can find happiness."
In, 2005, less than two years later, WWE inducted Piper into their Hall of Fame in Los Angeles. Piper has been making regular appearances for the company since.
2003 - WWE broadcast Smackdown, including Piper's final WWE appearance for that run. Michael Askounes filed the following TV report:
New York City… let’s go!
We start off with a recap of the events that have chronicled the McMahon vs. Gowen feud culminating in last week’s angle where Sable and Vince played a prank on Zack. Stephanie didn’t like that… I love it when she gets angry.
Michael Cole and Tazz introduce themselves and announce tonight’s main event: a six-man tag match with Lesnar/America/Angle vs. Show/Haas/Benjamin.
Cena’s music hits, and John makes his way down to the ramp in a Boston Celtics uniform. He cuts a freestyle saying he’s going to main event WM20. He says that over the course of only one year, he’s become the most respected Smackdown veteran. He mentions that he got his break by accepting an open challenge from Kurt Angle. He says he’s going commemorate that event by offering his own open challenge to any rookie in the back.
Out comes… Orlando Jordan. Before Orlando comes in the ring the camera focuses on Billy Kidman (with his new short haircut) hanging at ringside with a couple of ladies who aren’t Torrie Wilson.
Cena cuts on Jordan and New York City, when Orlando surprises Cena with a hard clothesline. The bell rings…
Match #1: John Cena vs. Orlando Jordan
Jordan lands left hands and then hits a back body drop on Cena. Jordan then hits Cena with several lariats before delivering a cross body block off the ropes. Jordan tosses John into the ropes, but runs into a high boot from Cena. Cena rushes Jordan, but Jordan turns the attack into a scoop powerslam of his own for the 2 count. It’s all Jordan thus far…
Cena tries to set Jordan up for a move, but Jordan reverses it into an enzugiri. Jordan goes for a headlock, but Cena hits some back elbows to stop the move before landing a spinebuster of his own. Cena picks up Jordan and goes for the “F.U.”, but Jordan manages to land on his feet and nails a standing drop kick knocking Cena out of the ring, followed by a baseball slide under the bottom rope
Jordan throws Cena back in to the ring and climbs to the top rope. Cena lands a punch and the two brawl before Jordan pushes Cena to the canvas and then lands a high flying cross body. Cena rolls through, grabs the tights, and pins Jordan for the 1-2-3.
Result: Cena d. Jordan via pinfall
After the match, Cena refuses to accept the refs hand and hits an “F.U.” on Jordan. Cena continues the beat down when all of a sudden, the Undertaker’s music hits and Big Evil rolls down the ramp on his Harley.
Taker climbs into the ring… Cena climbs right out and retreats up the ramp. Take hovers over the prone Jordan, who looks surprise to see the Dead Man when he finally comes to. Taker backs him into the corner, but then gives the rookie a show of respect before playing to the crowd.
[commercial]
Taker is still in the ring when the APA comes out! “No Sleep Till Brook…” erm… the FBI’s music hits and we’ve got our second match. Ring the Bell…
Match #2: Undertaker and The APA vs. The FBI
The match starts off with Taker and the cigar-chomping Palumbo dancing around the ring until they lock up in the center of the ring. Chuck puts a headlock on the big man, and then hits a big shoulder block on Taker. Palumbo goes for another one, but Taker moves out of the way and scores a drop toe hold, bring Smoky down to the mat. Taker puts Palumbo in a wrist lock, but Chuck fights his way out with a few elbows. Taker throws Chuck into the ropes to set up a back body drop, but Chuckie puts on the brakes and lands a kick to the midsection. Chuck ducks under a Taker clothesline and lands a right of his own. Palumbo then misses a clothesline himself, and Taker comes off the ropes and falls into Chuck, taking the Italian down.
Taker puts on another wrist lock, and then walks the ropes “old school” before coming off the ropes with a flying clothesline. Johnny Stamboli comes in, but Taker clears him out in short order. Nunzio tries to sneak in, but hops right back out as soon as the Dead Man gets the little guy in his sights. Palumbo takes advantage of the distractions and lands a few punches and kicks in the corner. The FBI members beat on Taker from the outside, and Chuck tags Stamboli into the ring.
The Bull lands a few big rights to Taker’s face, and runs the ropes to set up a big clothesline. Taker intercepts Johnny, and nails a swinging DDT in the middle of the ring. Nunzio comes off the top and lands a solid kick to the Undertake before rolling back out of the ring. Taker recovers before The Bull, drags Johnny over to his corner and tags in Ron Simmons. Simmons works over Stamboli in the corner and covers him up for a 2 count…
Stamboli gets up and rakes Simmons’ eyes. Johnny runs the ropes, only to run right into a spinebuster delivered by The Artist Formerly Known as Faarooq. Simmons stands above The Bull, when Palumbo comes in a nails Simmons from behind. Not that there’s anything wrong with that…
Palumbo drags the limp Simmons back to the FBI’s corner, and leaves him there for Stamboli while the ref chases America’s Newest Blonde Bombshell Bradshaw out of the ring. Stambolis stomps on Simmons before tagging in Palumbo. Stamboli and Smoky put Simmons (alliteration, anyone?) in a double hip lock, and then nail a double-team slam on the veteran. Palumbo covers for the pin, but Taker comes in to break up the count.
Palumbo delivers a right to Taker, and then drags Simmons back over the FBI’s corner where he and Stamboli work over Simmons. Chuck tags in Nunzio who does the Ali Shuffle before delivering some right hands to Ron’s head. Simmons blocks a punch, but Palumbo comes in from behind and knocks Simmons back to the ground. Nunzio tags back in Chuck, who immediately puts Simmons in a modified Camel Clutch. The crowd starts the hot tag clap, but Palumbo gives ‘em the ol’ “Broad Street Salute” and tells them to shut up before putting Simmons back into the Camel Clutch.
Chuck tries to deliver another blow to the prone Simmons, but Ron turns around and connect a knee to Palumbo’s naughty bits that slows the ex-Mr. Gunn down. Simmons manages to crawl over and tag Bradshaw, while Chuck tags in Stamboli.
Bradshaw comes in like a house of fire, and lands all the “Contractually Obligated Hot Tag Manuevers®” including a shoulder block and a big boot to The Bull’s face. He continues the onslaught by kicking Palumbo in the face, before turning around and throwing Stamboli out of the ring, Texas style…
Bradshaw sprints across the ring to land a running clothesline and a high knee on Palumbo in the corner. The Blonde Bomber continues working over Smoky in the corner, while the Dead Man tosses Stamboli back in the ring. Bradshaw switches corners, and delivers a hard clothesline to Stamboli before hitting “The Last Call” – which is just pretty much a fallaway slam. Nunzio tries to interfere by coming off the top rope, but the ex-footballer from Texas makes the catch and sets up for another Last Call. Unfortunately for Bradshaw, Palumbo comes in and breaks it up with a superkick. Unfortunately for Palumbo, Taker hits the ring and delivers a big chokeslam. Unfortunately for Mr. Calloway, Johnny “Da Bull” knocks him out of the ring with a clothesline over the top rope. Unfortunately for Stamboli, Bradshaw bounds off the ropes and hits Stamboli with a Clothesline From Hell for the 1-2-3 and the win. Decent match… Bradshaw looked especially good in there.
Result: APA/Taker d. FBI via pinfall
We see an Ultimo Dragon promo, before we go to…
[commercial – Ren and Stimpy is back!!!]
Outside of MSG, Jamie Noble and Nidia signing autographs for a person who was only trying to get directions to the subway. Noble tells the tourist to go find a taxi. A guy in a suit, who is a lawyer (he’s got a suit, you know…), tells the ex-Cruiserweight champion that he’s just inherited $827,000 from an “Aunt Lucille.” Noble almost hyperventilates, and tells NIdia to give the lawyer “one of those special kisses”. Nidia goes to unzip the lawyer’s pants, when Noble clarifies that that’s not quite what he meant. Noble says that they’re going to celebrate their windfall by going to… Applebee’s.
Oh, did you know that Wrestlemania XX is in New York?
Backstage, in Big Steph’s office, Sable is seductively looking over some paperwork and lusciously fawns over a day-timer. Big Vinnie comes in, and Sable offers an apology for last week, and then tells Mac that she finds him VERY attractive and that she can’t keep her hands off of him. Wonder who wrote this promo…
Sable tries to seduce Vinnie “How Much For The Daughter” McMahon, but Vince says “not tonight.” He’s got something important to do. Like go to a…
[commercial]
Ooh yeeeaaaahhhhhh! Here comes Version 1. Matt fact: Matt has better abs than Rikishi.
Match #3: Matt Hardy vs. Rikishi in a U.S. Title Tournament Match
Rikishi and Hardy stare each other down in the ring, as Michael Cole tells us that Chris Benoit and Rhyno are going to be on Velocity instead of tonight’s show.
Rikishi hits a DDT right off the bat for a 2 count. Kish hits a big clothesline on Hardy in the corner, but Hardy smartly rolls out before the big Samoan can deliver the Stinkface. Rikishi follows Matt to the outside, but Hardy rams Rikishi into the steel ring post, before somehow shoving the big guy back in the ring for a 2 count.
Hardy locks in a submission hold, but Rikishi fights his way back up nails Hardy with a clothesline. Rikishi then sets up for a belly to belly suplex, but Hardy head butts his way out. Hardy goes for a running clothesline, but Mr. Booty grabs Version 1 and hits a side suplex. Rikishi lands a few rights. Hardy goes for a twist of fate, but Rikishi counters it and throws Hardy in to the ropes. Kish picks Hardy up and hits a WICKED (and I mean WICKED) looking sitout piledriver. (that’s right… I said piledriver). Rikishi rolls on top of Hardy for a near fall…
Rikishi gets up and drags the “lifeless carcass” of Matt Hardy into the corner, and climbs to the top rope to deliver the Rumpshaker. Hardy counters the move with a knee to the groin, and than hits a Twist of Fate for the 1-2-kick out!
Hardy gets fired up, and goes to the corner to expose a turnbuckle. I yell at the TV for Matt to realize that he’s probably going to be the one to run into the exposed steel – but he doesn’t hear me. Hardy and Rikishi trade blows before Kish lands a high kick to Hardy’s head. Rikishi goes to “back that *ss up*, but Matt Hardy gets out of the way leaving Rikishi to ram his back into the exposed steel turnbuckle (guess I was wrong…). Hardy hits another Twist of Fate for the 1-2-3.
Result: Hardy d. Rikishi via pinfall to advance in the U.S. Title tournament.
[commercial]
There’s Billy Kidman again. Josh interviews him, and Billy whines about how hard it is to sit at home while his friends get to play in the ring. Kidman says he should be the Cruiserweight champion, and that he can’t wait to get back. After this interview, I can’t wait for him to get back in the ring and away from a microphone either.
The bagpipes come through the speaker, and out comes a smiling Roddy Piper (back in the Garden) and his main man Sean O’Haire.
“Viva la rasa.” Suene la camana…
Match #3: Eddie Guerrero and Tajiri (C) vs. Sean O’Hare and Roddy Piper for the Tag Team Championship.
O’Haire hits Guerrero trade punches in the corner, and than Latino Heat hits a quick back elbow to the big man and then nails a hilo from outside the ring. Eddie lands a couple of rights, and tags in Tajiri. The Buzzsaw hits a few chops followed by a springboard back elbow, lightly sautéed with a martial arts kick, and lovingly smothered in a near fall.
The two trade moves before Tajiri locks the big man into the Taratula, which Piper breaks up with a few kicks to the head. O’Haire delivers some hard knees to Tajiri before picking up Yoshi and tossing him across the ring. Tajiri recovers with a martial arts kick, but O’Haire shows his martial arts background with a kick of his own. O’Haire tags in Roddy “Whiter than a milk bottle in the snow” Piper, who picks up Tie-jeerie by the hair and lands a chop for a 2 count.
Piper slaps around Tajiri, and then O’Haire relieves Roddy of duty and nails Tajiri with a kick to the back. Sean locks Tajiri in a rear naked choke hold, but Tajiri fights his way out. O’Haire hits a knee to the face and goes for a running powerbomb, which Tajiri nicely reverses into an inverted bulldog (thanks, Tazz). As both men struggle to get up, I take the opportunity to tell my spell checker that “Tajiri” and “Buzzsaw” should now be part of the standard dictionary.
Both men tag in their partners, and Piper and Guerrero exchange right hands. Eddie gets the upper hand, but runs right into an O’Haire boot. O”Haire picks Eddie up for a powerbomb, but Eddie counters with a drop kick. Piper takes advantage of the distraction to land a right to Guerrero, which Eddie sells as if he’d been hit by a Mack Truck on Jupiter filled with lead weights. Piper strolls over to the side of the ring to admire his handiwork, but Tajiri sprays the old man with the Green Mist and bounces Roddy’s head off of the top rope, leaving him prone in the middle. Really a perfect opportunity for a…
Frogsplash off of the top rope by Guerrero, and the 1-2-3. Felix and Oscar retain the titles.
Result: Guerrero/Tajiri d. Piper/O’Haire to retain the Tag Team Titles
I Tivo past a bunch of stuff regarding the buildup to tonight’s main event, but stop to see VinnieMac strutting his way down the ring. Vince grabs the mic, and I have a feeling it’s time for a long drawn out promo.
McMahon invites Zach Gowen and Steph out to the ring. They comply, and I’m left to ponder how the heck that girl can possibly stand up without falling forward on to her face.
Vince says that Stephanie’s comments from last week hurt him, and that she’s always been the “apple of his eye” and “Daddy’s little girl.” The crowd says “what” (they’re certainly innovative in the Big Apple), and Vince tries to shut them up.
Vince goes on and on about how cute Steph was, and how he asks Steph to close certain business deals for him when she was 17, which should give us Internet fans something to moan about all week. At this point, I also realize that I should’ve been a contractor in Stamford when Miss Mac was a teenager…
Anyhoo… Vince says that he know realizes that he stole his little girl’s innocence. He then says that it’s almost as if he personally deflowered her (ooh… the ‘Net will be buzzing with ethics and moral experts tomorrow) – although he does make it clear that he doesn’t mean that in a literal sense. Vince says that he’ll never forgive himself for that. Steph looks disgusted at her father, and he turns his attention to Zach.
Vince says he’s realized that he wants to be Zach Gowen. He says that although he’s a freakin’ billionaire and has accomplished nearly everything. But Zach has done something he’s never done – he’s looked death in the eye and spit in Her face. Vince reiterates that he wants to be Zach Gowen. Vince asks Zach to accept his apology and allow him to “wipe the slate clean.”
Zach considers Vince’s offer, and replies “No”. Vince is stunned that Gowen refused his apology, and then demands that his apology be accepted. Zach says “No” again. Gowen calls the Big Guy a son-of-a-b*tch, and goes on to cut a promo that everyone in the locker room should’ve watched for pointers. Gowen says he’s sick of the way he’s been treated, and he’s not going to let it happen any more. Steph looks on like a proud mommy.
Zach continues saying that while he won’t accept Vince’s apology, he would accept a WWE wrestling contract. Vince says “you’ve got it… but under one condition – Zach has to join the “Kiss My Ass” club. Vinnie drops trow, and puts his rear end over big before Zach wonders what to do. Steph whispers something in Gowen’s ear. Zach kneels behind Mr. McMahon, low blows Vince and throws his cane at him. Steph smirks at Daddy Dearest, Zach retreats up the ring, and the production editors completely remove any evidence of Vince nailing a spectator with Zach’s cane – which is what actually happened at the Garden.
[commercial – The Mullets]
Who’s that jumping out they sky? R-E-Y! He’s out to assume the color position for the upcoming Ultimo Dragon match against Shannon Moore, who is already in the ring waiting to be beaten by the newcomer.
Dragon’s entrance video hits, and the masked man comes out to a blaze of pyro and some cheesy in-house Japanese-style heavy metal music. Mysterio is intently scouting Dragon’s pyro for future consideration. Dragon’s entrance also contains a…
[commercial]
Hey, there’s Billy Kidman again…
é˜ã‚’鳴らã—ãªã•ã„
Match #4: Ultimo Dragon vs. Shannon Moore
Dragon and Moore waste no time trading quick moves. The two circle one another, followed by Moore applying a wrist lock on the Dragon. Ultimo somersaults through the hold, and then reverses into a wrist lock of his own which Shannon kips-up out of. The two continue trading moves, and Dragon corners Shannon. Moore lands a kick to the midsection, but Dragon counters the subsequent over-the-shoulder head toss (a little help, Tazz?). Dragon runs the ropes but misses a clothesline, and winds up have to battle out of a Moore hold with several rear elbows to the face of the M.F.’er.
Dragon hits a handspring back elbow which knocks Moore out of the ring. Dragon feigns following that up with a plancha, instead pulling out of the move by moonsaulting back towards the middle of the ring. Moore gets back in and hits a clothesline followed by a drop toe hold and a 2 count.
Moore hits a side suplex for another 2 count, and then applies a choke submission hold on Ultimo. Dragon tries to fight out, but Moore nails another clothesline. Moore goes for another suplex, but Dragon reverses it with a leapfrog huricanrana. Dragon blocks a charging Moore with a boot, and then follows up with a spinning heel kick. Shannon tries for a neckbreaker, but Ultimo counters it with a nice back sweep takedown. Dragon lands some martial arts style kicks for a 2 count.
Dragon continues on the offense, and manages to get Moore out of the ring where Dragon hits the move named after him – the Asai moonsault. There’s Billy Kidman. Dragon throws Moore in the ring for the near fall. Dragon lands some chops and kicks, but Moore lands an elbow and climbs to the top rope to try and unmask the Dragon. Dragon turns around and lands some knife-edge chops before landing a chinbuster off the second rope. Dragon lands several knees to the sternum of Moore. Moore goes for a back drop, but Ultimo reverses it into an indescribable move that looks like a mix between a neck breaker and a leg drop. Dragon scores the 1-2-3.
Sloppy debut from Dragon, but solid work by Moore.
There’s Billy Kidman.
Result: Ultimo Dragon d. Shannon Moore via pinfall.
Mysterio and Dragon shake hands in the ring, while Kidman half-heartedly claps for the two masked men. Looks like Kidman’s coming back as a heel.
[commercial]
Angle comes out to his music. Lesnar comes out to his music. Here comes Mr. America. Look… there’s Team Angle. Oh hey… it’s the Big Show. And look – here comes another
[commercial]
All six participants get ready in the ring. Hogan – erm… America shoves Haas. The crowd chants “Hogan”, but Tazz points out that Hogan is not in attendance. The crowd chants “U.S.A.,” but Tazz smartly points out that everyone in the ring is an American. I think Tazz’s IQ might have just reached the limit of what is acceptable for a WWE announcer.
Ring the bell one more time, Mr. Timekeeper.
Match #5: Kurt Angle/Brock Lesnar/Mr. America vs. Charlie Haas/Shelton Benjamin/Big Show
Angle and Haas lock up in the center of the ring. Angle bulls Haas into the corner, and then breaks the hold when the ref tells him to. The two lock back up, and Angle applies a rear chin lock to the former tag team champion. Haas fights out, but Angle executes a hammerlock takedown into a headlock. Haas battles out again, but runs into shoulder block followed by a hip toss from the Olympic hero. Angle than hits Haas with an arm drag, followed by another arm drag to Benjamin before Haas knocks Angle into the corner with a club to the back. Haas works over Angle in the corner, but Angle reverses an Irish whip into a back body drop. Angle bulls Haas into the corner, where Haas tags in his partner Shelton Benjamin.
Team Ex-Angle throws Angle into the ropes and then nail him on the return trip with a double drop kick. Benjamin picks up his former captain and lands a few right hands. Angle reverses an Irish Whip and nails a back elbow to Shelton’s face. Angle lands a few hard rights, but Benjamin fights out with an eye rake. The two run the ropes until Kurt hits Benji with a cross body block, and pulls him into the corner where he tags in Hul… I mean Mr. America.
America lands a right hand followed by a poke to the eye (!). America than runs over to the enemy corner and punches out both Big Show (who I think was flagging down a hot dog vendor) and Charlie Haas. Mr. America then forgets he’s not in the nWo any longer and applies an eye rake (!!) to Benjamin, followed by a rear elbow for the 2 count.
America hits Benjamin with a flurry of rights to the top of the head, and then applies an illegal choke hold on the rookie before tagging in Lesnar. The two babyfaces hit a double clothesline on Shelton, who looks like he could use a V-8 at this point. Lesnar pulls his former roommate up and delivers some hard shoulder blocks in the corner. Benjamin manages to counter out of a couple of moves, but Lesnar eventually lands a nasty looking clothesline for the 2 count.
Shelton lands some punches and kicks before tagging in Haas. Haas goes to work on Brock, but Brock picks Haas up into a military press and slams him to the mat. Lesnar backs into the corner where America tags in. America delivers some kicks and punches to Haas, followed by a clothesline in the corner. America suplexes Haas for a near fall.
America applies a wrist lock followed by an elbow before tagging back in Brock Lesnar. Lesnar continues beating on Haas, and delivers more shoulder blocks and a vertical suplex. Brock taunts Big Show, and Big Show responds by queuing up a
[commercial]
Back in the ring, Lesnar delivers a spinebuster to Haas and then throws Benjamin out of the ring. Lesnar picks up Haas for the F-5, but Benjamin comes in for the save. Haas gets up and tags back in Benjamin. Haas holds up Brock against the ropes, while Benjamin leapfrogs over his partner into Lesnar’s back. Benjamin tags in Big Show.
Show picks up Lesnar for a body slam. Show nails Lesnar with a head butt. Show lands a knife-edge chop. Show thinks about a nice thick juicy Porterhouse. Show stomps on Lesnar’s neck. Show goes for some more chest slaps, but Brock reverses Show into the corner and delivers yet another round of shoulder blocks. Lesnar lands a kick to the midsection and goes for the F-5, but Show counters it with a club to the back which knocks down the champion.
Show misses a clothesline, and Lesnar counters that with an impressive back suplex. The two men lie stunned on the mat before beginning their slow crawl to their respsective corners. Haas and Angle get tagged in, and Angle lands all the “Contractually Obligated Hot Tag Manuevers®” include the clothesline and the lariat. Angle runs the ropes and hits a flying cross body on Haas. Benjamin comes in the ring, only to be greeted by a not-so-friendly release German suplex. Haas tries to sneak up on the Olympic Hero, but Angle hits yet another release German on him. Benjamin comes charging at Angle, but Angle spins around and hits a belly to belly. Haas finally slows things down with a boot to the midsection, but Angle replies with a drop toe hold into an Ankle Lock. Big Show breaks it up with a boot to the back of the neck, and Lesnar charges in and knocks Show out of the ring with a clothesline.
Back in the ring, Haas and Benjamin double team the helpless Angle. Benjamin sets up for a superkick, but he nails Haas on accident. Angle hits a Russian leg sweep on Shelton Man… that Angle guy can really rassle!
America and Big Show get tagged in, and America starts “hulking up”. He nails Show with a number of rights around the ring, and then hits a big clothesline in the corner. America goes for the big boot on Show, but Show holds on to the ropes, while Haas and Benjamin double team the Hulks… erm... Mr. America. Lesnar and Angle decide that turnabout is fair play, and drag Big Show to the outside to do some double-teaming of their own.
After dispatching the giant, Lesnar and Angle run in and attack Haas and Benjamin. The referee is apparently on some sort of pain medication at this point. Brock hits the F-5 on Benjamin. Angle hits the Angle Slam on Haas.
Hey… where did Billy Kidman go?
Show gets back in the ring, and hits a double chokeslam on Lesnar and Angle. While Show gloats over his victims, Mr. America comes in the ring and starts “hulking up”. He does the point thing, and then that punch thingy followed by the leg drop thing followed by the…
Whoa… that’s Vince McMahon shouting his way down the ring holding a helpless Zach Gowen under his arm. Mr. America turns his attention to McMahon, and Vince throws Gowen to the ground, and starts kicking him in the stomach as he continues shouting at Mr. America. Big Show takes advantage of the distraction and clubs America in the back. Show continues the assault, and chokeslams Mr. America for the 1-2-3.
Result: Show/Haas/Benjamin d. America/Angle/Lesnar via pinfall.
McMahon says “cut the music” and continues assault Gowen on the ramp. Vince says that while Zach wants to be a wrestler, it seems to him that he can’t quite cut the mustard. Steph comes out, and puts her body between her dad and Zach. She begs Vince to stop.
Vince then decided that he is going to put Zach in a wrestling match. And his partner is going to be Stephanie McMahon. And they are going to face… The Big Show. If they win the match, Gowen gets a contract.
So that’s why Big Steph’s been working out!
The Big Show looks menacingly at Steph, and we fade to black.
2004 - Terry Taylor defeats Preston Paradise for the Spinebuster Championship Wrestling Heavyweight Title in Valdosta, Georgia. At the same show, Taylor would lose the title to Erik Watts.
2004 - The CyberSpace Wrestling Federation (later known as NWA Cyberspace and currently as NWA Shockwave) runs an event in Rahway, New Jersey. The results were:
- Mike Tobin defeated Danny Jaxx.
- Julio Dinero defeated Danny Doring.
- Mike Kruel defeated Michael Shane.
- America's Most Wanted (Chris Harris and James Storm) defeated Rob Eckos and Matt Stryker for the CSWF Tag Team Title.
- Crazy Ivan defeated Josh Daniels.
- April Hunter defeated Traci Brooks.
- Sonjay Dutt defeated Nick Berk, Grim Reefer and Ken Scampi in a four-way match.
- Slyck Wagner Brown defeated Darkbird (Chris Kanyon) to win the vacant CSWF Heavyweight Title.
2004 - Mikael Yamaha defeats GeeStar to win his second Carolina Wrestling Federation Mid-Atlantic Television Title in Burlington, North Carolina.
2004 - Rocky Reynolds defeats J.D. Escalade for the NWA Tri-State X Division Title in Mannington, West Virginia.
2004 - WWE ran Madison Square Garden in NYC. Mike Johnson filed the following live report:
World Wrestling Entertainment returned to Madison Square Garden for the first time since Wrestlemania XX on Saturday 6/26 with a Raw house show.
The show opened with Howard Finkel introducing Lillian Garcia, who began singing the national anthem. La Resistance's music began to play and they came to the ring. This led to the first bout....
*WWE World Tag Team champions La Resistance defeated Rhyno and Yoshihiro Tajiri in a really good opener. Tajiri and Rhyno got a sizable "ECW" chant from the crowd when they hit the ring. This was a good back and forth bout, and probably the best match Resistance has had in the company thus far. Tajiri hit his trademarks including the springboard elbow off the ropes and the baseball slide kick in the corner. La Resistance knocked Rhyno off the top to set up getting a lot of heat on him. Tajiri finally tagged in and cleaned house. Resistance tried to bring in the flag, but Tajiri got it. The referee took it away, setting up a doubleteam on Tajiri for the pin. Really fun opener.
After the match, La Resistance began singing the Canadian national anthem, which led to Eugene Dinsmore (making his Garden debut) coming out and saluting while holding the flags. When they realized he was there, he got scared and accidentally hit Robert Conway with the flag pole while turning. Conway bumped off of it. La Resistance threatened Eugene but Eric Bischoff came out and calmed them down. La Resistance left. Bischoff told Eugene that he could have a match with anyone on the roster tonight that he wanted. Eugene picked.....Uncle Eric. If you had told me in 1996 I'd be watching Bischoff wrestle in MSG, I'd have asked you to tune into Reality FM, but here we were in 2004 with the in-ring debut of Uncle Eric. Eugene and Bischoff wrestled for several minutes with Dinsmore obviously outclassing Bischoff. This led to Jonathan Coachman coming out and taking Bischoff's place....
*Eugene Dinsmore pinned Jonathan Coachman. It wasn't an awesome wrestling match inside the ring, but the crowd was into it and really seemed to like the Eugene character. William Regal pulled Bischoff off the apron to stop him from interfering. Dinsmore finally scored the pin with the People's Elbow and hit a stunner for good measure after the pin. Cute. Eugene was originally booked to wrestle Garrison Cade, but they switched the show up and this worked.
Lita came out and said that after everything that happened on Raw, Matt Hardy won't speak to her. She said that she wasn't going to leave the ring until he came out and spoke to her. I know that when I need to have a private discussion, I always wait until I have 8,000 witnesses to have it. Hardy came out but before they could talk, Kane's music hit. He stepped into the ring and rubbed Lita's belly. Hardy attacked him leading to....
*Kane pinned Matt Hardy with a chokeslam. Hardy was working hard here, but the crowd has no emotional attachment to him whatsoever at this point. Hardy hit the Twist of Fate but Kane kicked out of it. Kane caught him coming off the ropes in the goozle and hit the chokeslam for the pin.
*Hurricane Helms and Maven defeated Test and Garrison Cade. With that haircut, Cade looks like Steve Austin in 1991 WCW. This was the first match on the show that the crowd seemed less than interested in. Hurricane got a nice reaction coming out but for the rest it was just filler time in the eyes of the crowd. They did a good false finish where Test hit the pump handle slam on Hurricane but he kicked up at the last second. Maven didn't seem to be very involved, so I am wondering if he was a little banged up. He was originally scheduled to work a singles match (Maven vs. Test, Hurricane was originally booked against Tyson Tomko.)
They did a bit where Eugene came to the ring to help them shoot T-shirts out of a gun into the crowd. It ended up with Eugene having trouble with the gun, setting up a T-shirt to the nether regions for Dave the T-shirt guy. Crowd liked it.
Chris Jericho pinned Batista with a rollup and a hook of the tights. This was a decent match with some good back and forth stuff. I don't think Batista gets as much credit as he deserves for his hard work. He'll never be Ric Flair but he does seem to be working hard. Jericho hit his old springboard dropkick onto Batista, who was standing on the apron. Batista sold that he was shocked he got pinned while Jericho scurried up the aisle.
*After intermission, WWE Intercontinental champion Randy Orton pinned Edge with his feet across the top rope. Orton has the look and the swagger, but something felt flat here. They did a bit where Orton tried to walk out but Edge attacked him in the aisle. This was decent but nothing that would stand out. Orton is really hit or miss in the ring, although his persona is awesome.
*WWE Womens champion Trish Stratus pinned Victoria with her feet on the ropes. The same finish twice in two matches? That was odd. Stratus tried to get heat on the ring mic before the match but the crowd didn't really seem to hate her. Victoria's new music is horrible but at least she stopped dancing. Steve Richards saved Victoria after the bout, wearing a red wig and a dress. Why ask why? This was OK. Tyson Tomko worked in Trish's corner.
*WWE World champion Chris Benoit forced Triple H to tap out to the Crippler Crossface in the main event. From entrances to exits, this was about 45 minutes total but it wasn't the blowaway match that I think a lot of fans would assume it was considering the names involved. H had both of his knees taped up under his kneepads. Triple H got a huge reaction while Benoit got a big respectful one. His current run reminds me of Bret Hart in 1993 in terms of crowd response. They did a lot of mic work and Triple H stalling for a good portion of the early minutes. In a funny moment, Ric Flair asked the crowd to show some respect for the best wrestler in the world, but instead of booing Triple H, they all serenaded Flair with a "Wooo." The fans were chanting "You tapped out" so they played off that for a long time as well. They did a lot of back and forth mat work with H escaping from the crossface. Mike Cioda got bumped after H accidentally clotheslined him in the corner. Flair and Batista interfered but Benoit kicked out. Benoit bumped them and finally locked on the crossface. Triple H tapped out in the middle of the ring. After the match, Benoit got on the house mic and declared he was, "For Real." I suspect this may have been a match that would have gotten over better on television, but live it was too much stalling for me for a lot of it. I understand it's just a house show and they had another few days on the road, but it's still MSG. That said, the crowd was into it.
Notes: The crowd looked to be in the 7,000-8,000 range....Perhaps as an effort to make up for lost revenue the night of the PPV (where they sold out of these), WWE was selling Wrestlemania programs for $10. In comparison, the official Raw program was $15. They also had the Eddie Guerrero Wrestlemania plaques marked down to $100 at the house show, plus Steve Austin merchandise as well....They aired that awesome Chris Benoit video on the big screen of the Garden during intermission. As I watched clips of Benoit wrestling in the ECW Arena, I realized how wild it is that more people were actually watching it right there then actually witnessed that bout live....They were pushing the 7/31 Smackdown house show at the nearby Continental Airlines Arena, but oddly enough not the Vengeance PPV in CT....Dave Finley sat at ringside all night watching the matches....If I had to pick best match, I'd go with the tag title opener, although the entire first half was entertaining overall. The show seemed to stall out a little after intermission.
2005 - WWE holds its "Vengeance" pay-per-view at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. The show got a 0.92 buyrate. The results:
- In a match airing on Sunday Night Heat, The Hurricane and Rosey defeated The Heart Throbs (Antonio and Romeo), when Hurricane pinned Romeo, to retain the World Tag Team Title.
Buck Woodward filed the following PPV report:
Vengeance opened with a video highlighting Cena vs. Christian vs. Jericho and Triple H vs. Batista.
The entrance set has a Las Vegas theme (they are in Vegas, after all) and WWE is using a three-man announce team with Jim Ross, Jerry Lawler and Jonathan Coachman.
Intercontinental Champion Carlito Caribbean Cool vs. Shelton Benjamin.
They locked up to start, with Shelton breaking clean in the corner. Shelton took Carlito down with a fireman's carry for a quick two count, and Carlito backed away. Shelton grabbed a side headlock and took Carlito down to the mat. Carlito grabbed a headscissors, but Shelton turned it into a rollup for another two. Carlito came back with some forearms, but Shelton downed him with a clothesline, then chopped and punched him in the corner. Shelton hit a knee to the gut for another two, but Carlito elbowed him in the head. Carlito hit a shoulderblock, but Benjamin kipped up and hit a clothesline. Carlito rolled to the floor to regroup, and teased that he was leaving. Benjamin went after him, knocking Carlito back down the ramp.
Shelton tossed Carlito back in the ring and hit a snap suplex for two. Carlito hit a thumb to the eye, and went for a whip. Shelton reversed it, then charged. Carlito ducked, but Shelton jumped onto the top rope, turned around, and hit a top rope clothesline for a near fall. Shelton pounded Carlito in a corner, but Carlito returned fire, then scraped his boot across Shelton's face. Carlito choked Benjamin against the ropes and then kicked him to the floor. Back in the ring, Carlito got a two count, then slammed Benjamin twice. Some fans were chanting for Carlito. Carlito gave Benjamin a third slam and got a two count. Carlito complained about the count, and Shelton rolled him up from behind for a two count.
Carlito applied a reverse chinlock. Shelton elbowed out, ducked a clothesline and hit a back elbow. Both men were slow to get up, and Carlito began punching Benjamin. Benjamin reversed a whip and hit a Samoan Drop for two. The announcers played up that they thought Shelton had a concussion. Shelton and Carlito traded punches, with Shelton getting the better of it. Benjamin hit a series of clotheslines and a backdrop. Benjamin hit a backbreaker for a two count. Benjamin went to climb the ropes, but was having trouble. Carlito met him on the ropes, and they battled, with Shelton jumping to the floor and yanking Carlito chest first across the top rope. Shelton hit the springboard bulldog for a very close fall. Fans booed the two count. Carlito pulled the cover off a top turnbuckle, to loud boos, as Shelton went after him in the corner and the referee would back him up. Carlito got a two count with a side slam, but Benjamin came back with a spinning heel kick. Shelton went for a Stinger Splash, but Carlito moved and Shelton hit the exposed turnbuckle. Carlito pulled the trunks and got the pin at the thirteen minute mark.
Winner: Carlito Caribbean Cool.
Triple H and Ric Flair were shown arriving at the building.
The events leading to Christy Hemme vs. Victoria were shown.
Victoria vs. Christy Hemme.
Victoria bailed out of the ring as Christy came out, and made Christy chase her around the ring. When they got in, Victoria nailed her, but Christy came right back with chokes and punches. Victoria turned thinks around with a Hot Shot, then gave her a Hangman, using the hair. Victoria choked Christy in the corner, and threw her down to the mat for a pair of two counts. Victoria worked Christy over with a rear naked choke, and Christy tried to float into a rollup, but Victoria shrugged it off. Victoria went for the Widow's Peak, which Christy tried to counter into a sunset flip, but Victoria was too strong. Victoria rammed Christy into a corner, then went for a second rope moonsault. Christy rolled out of the way, and Victoria crashed to the mat. Christy threw Victoria to the mat by the hair a few times. A lot of fans were booing. Christy hit a DDT for a two count. Christy tried a sunset flip out of the corner, but Victoria dropped down and grabbed the ropes for leverage to get the pin at the six minute mark.
Winner: Victoria.
Todd Grisham interviewed John Cena, and it was revealed that Todd Grisham once peed his pants in high school (I kid you not). Cena talked about being the "new kid" on Raw, and compared it to being the new kid at school. Cena promised to keep the WWE Title.
The events leading to Kane vs. Edge were shown.
Edge, with Lita, vs. Kane.
Edge had his "Money In The Bank" briefcase with him. Kane chased Edge around the ring at the start, and Edge started stomping Kane as they got into the ring. Kane pounded Edge in the corner with lefts and rights, then slugged him to the mat. Kane backdropped Edge, then choked Edge against the middle rope and kept up the assault. A "We want Matt" chant rang out as Kane whipped Edge across the ring. Kane clotheslined Edge to the floor, then went after Lita on the outside. Edge tried to sneak up behind Kane, but Kane nailed him and tossed him back into the ring. Kane pounded Edge, while fans chanted "She's A Crack Whore" at Lita. Kane hit an elbowdrop then choked Edge. Edge poked Kane in the eyes, but Kane tossed Edge to the ring apron, rammed him into the connecting cable on a turnbuckle, then punched him to the floor. More "We want Matt" chants.
Kane rammed Edge back first into the security wall, then lifted him for a slam, but Lita grabbed Edge's legs to help him float over. Edge rammed Kane into the ringpost, then hit a spear on the floor. Edge got back in the ring, as the referee got to nine on a countout before Kane got on the apron. Edge hit a baseball slide to knock Kane to the floor. Kane made it back in, and Edge stomped him and kicked him in the gut and back. Edge hit a shoulderblock in the corner on Kane. "You screwed Matt" chants now. Edge choked Kane and dropped a series of knees to the midsection near the ropes. Edge pounded Kane, who psyched himself back up, then dared Edge to hit him some more. Kane finally fired off some punches and went for a slam, but Edge floated over and pulled Kane to the mat by the back of the head. Kane sat up. Edge dropkicked him, but Kane sat up again. Edge elbowed a charging Kane, then went to the second rope, but Kane nailed him with a right hand as he came off.
Kane hit Snake Eyes in the corner, and followed with a clothesline for a two count. Edge kicked away a backdrop attempt, but Kane nailed him with a side slam. Kane went to the top rope for a clothesline, but Edge nailed him with a dropkick on the way down. Edge measured for a spear, but Kane hit him with a boot to the face. Kane set for a chokeslam, but Gene Snitsky ran down and got on the apron. Kane booted him off the apron. Kane grabbed Edge for the chokeslam again, but Lita came in with a chair. Kane saw her, and Lita dropped the chair. Lita tried to play up to Kane and then leave, but Kane choked her to the mat. Kane put the steel chair over Lita's head, with the idea that he was going to break her neck. Snitsky hit Kane with a boot to the face (referee was getting the chair off of Lita). Edge got a two count. Kane grabbed Edge by the throat. Snitsky went to the top rope (Lita distracting the referee) but Kane grabbed him as he came off and set him up for a chokeslam. Edge grabbed his briefcase and went to hit Kane, but Kane ducked and Edge hit Snitsky. Kane then chokeslammed Edge for the pin at the eleven minute mark.
Winner: Kane.
With Edge and Snitsky down, Kane smiled at Lita, who had backed up the rampway.
The events leading to Shawn Michaels vs. Kurt Angle was shown. Michaels was interviewed and told about Angle's comments from earlier on Heat, and how Angle promised to make Michaels tap out again. Michaels was confident that wouldn't be happening.
Kurt Angle vs. Shawn Michaels.
Huge "HBK" chant before the bell rang. They locked up, and Angle broke clean in the corner. Angle grabbed a waistlock and they went to the mat, with Michaels making the ropes. Michaels looked frustrated. Michaels grabbed a side headlock and they went to the mat, then Angle pushed them to the corner, where there was a clean break. Angle went for a single leg takedown, but Michaels grabbed the ropes. An "Angle Sucks" chant rang out. Angle grabbed a side headlock, and hit a shoulderblock. Michaels hit a hiptoss and an armdrag, then applied an armbar. Angle pulled Michaels to the mat by the hair and slapped on his own armbar. Angle went into a top wristlock on the mat, then drove his knee into the arm. Michaels went to the floor to shake it off.
Angle dared Michaels to get back into the ring. Michaels ducked a punch and hit a pair of chops. Now it was Angle who rolled to the floor for a breather. Angle grabbed a single leg takedown, but Michaels scooted out of the ring before Angle could do anything. Back in the ring, Angle kept grabbing at Michaels' leg, with Michaels trying to kick him away. Angle applied a half Crab, but Michaels made the ropes. Angle took his time breaking, and the referee admonished him. Michaels put Angle in a corner and hit some chops. Angle reversed a whip, but Michaels booted him as he charged in. Michaels hit a reverse bodypress into a sunset flip off the second rope, but Angle rolled through it into an ankle lock. Michaels rolled through it, sending Angle to the mat. Michaels clotheslined Angle over the top rope and to the floor.
They battled on the outside, trading chops and punches. They teased an Angle Slam on the floor, then Michaels teased throwing Angle into the ringpost, when Angle suddenly grabbed Michaels and gave him a German suplex into the Spanish Announce table. Michaels landed hard and rolled to the floor behind the table. Angle rolled into the ring to break the count, then went and got Michaels. Angle covered Michaels for a two count. Angle gave Michaels a kneelift, then a reverse neckbreaker for a series of two counts. Angle choked Michaels against the middle rope, then choked him with his boot in the corner. Angle stomped Michaels down, then picked him up and hit a European uppercut. Angle hit a second, and there was some blood under Michaels' eye.
Angle and Michaels started trading punches, but Angle hit a kick to the gut then powerbombed Michaels into the turnbuckles. Angle covered Michaels for a two count, then dropped an elbow to the back of the neck, then one to the chest as Michaels rolled over. Angle gave Michaels a vertical suplex for a two count, then applied a reverse chinlock. They replayed the powerbomb into the corner over and over. Michaels battled back and hit some chops, but Angle dodged a charge in the corner and gave Michaels a German suplex for a two count. Angle went for an Angle Slam, but Michaels reversed it into an armdrag. Angle came right back with a clothesline for a two count.
Angle sat Michaels in a corner and set up for a belly to belly superplex. Shawn blocked it, and hit some forearms, knocking him to the mat. Shawn went for a second rope axhandle, but Angle caught it and hit an overhead belly to belly suplex for a two count. Angle applied a reverse chinlock, and Angle was bleeding from his lower lip. Michaels struggled in the chinlock, starting to fade, and slumped to the mat. Angle maintained the hold, shifting Michaels so his shoulders would go on the mat. Michaels avoided being pinned, battled back up, and broke out with a back suplex.
Both men were slow to get up, and when they did, they exchanged punches. Michaels began throwing chops, and then hit a flying forearm. Both men were down again, and as Angle rose, Michaels did his kip up. Michaels hit a series of rights, decking Angle each time. Michaels hit a reverse atomic drop, a clothesline and a bodyslam. Michaels went to the top rope, then hit a flying elbowsmash. Michaels measured for the superkick, but Angle charged him with a lariat for a two count. Angle went for an Angle Slam, but Michaels spun out of it and turned it into a swinging DDT for a two count. Michaels kept his arm on Angle for two more near falls, but Angle kept popping his shoulder back up. Michaels went for a vertical suplex, but Angle floated over and hit a German suplex. Angle maintained his grip, but Michaels blocked a second and elbowed out. Angle ducked a right hand, and Angle hit the Angle Slam for a two count.
Angle grabbed for Shawn's foot, but Michaels turned it into a small package for a two count. Michaels went to pick Angle up off the mat, but Angle grabbed the ankle lock. Michaels rolled through it, and Angle crashed into the referee. Michaels charged Angle, but Angle backdropped Michaels over the top rope and to the floor. Michaels hit hard on the floor and began grabbing his knee. Officials came down to check on Michaels, but Angle grabbed Michaels and tossed him back into the ring. Angle grabbed a single leg and applied the ankle lock in the center of the ring. Michaels rolled over and kicked Angle, but Angle fell with it and maintained his grip. Angle got back to his feet. Michaels twisted his body around, but Angle rolled with it and maintained the ankle lock. Michaels went for the ropes, but Angle dragged him back to the center of the ring and yelled for him to tap. Michaels rolled through again, and sent Angle shoulder first into the ringpost.
Angle got out of the corner and moved towards Michaels, who was just regaining his feet, and Michaels fired a superkick right to Angle's jaw, then collapsed on the mat. Both men were down, and the referee got to a nine count before Michaels managed to drape an arm over Angle for a two count. Michaels clutched at his knee on the mat, and Angle rolled to the ring apron. Angle slowly climbed up the ropes and jumped off, but Michaels caught him with a superkick as he came down. Michaels scored the pin at the 26 minute mark.
Winner: Shawn Michaels.
After the match, and after Michaels had exited, Angle was helped out by the referee, and appeared to be crying.
Jonathan Coachman interviewed Batista, saying the "odds weren't in his favor" against Triple H tonight, and that Batista only kept the belt at Backlash due to "bad officiating". Coachman said Batista looked scared. Batista called Coach an "ass-kissing suck up" and said he wasn't afraid of anything. Batista said Triple H would have to "kill him" to take the title. Triple H entered, and went nose to nose with Batista. Triple H said no one beats him in Hell In A Cell. They started shoving each other, and officials broke them apart.
A couch was in the ring, and Lilian Garcia was introduced. Lilian said it had been a "whirlwind" couple of weeks. She introduced Viscera, who came to the ring in a very stylish smoking jacket. Lilian said that she was scared of Viscera at first, but now she knew what a loving and sexy man he could be. Lilian had Viscera sit on the couch, and said she wanted to sing for Viscera. Lilian sang a song for Viscera, proclaiming her love for him. Lilian then got down on one knee and asked Viscera to marry her. Viscera said that was "heavy" and that he would "take it under consideration" when suddenly, some familiar music started playing.
The Godfather, complete with a bevy of Ho's, came to the ring, to a big pop!
Godfather got on the mic and said that Vis was a "Pimp in training". The Godfather said there were lots of ladies in Vegas that wanted a piece of the "500 pound lover", and they were surprised to hear he was thinking about getting married. Godfather said it was nothing against Lilian, but he asked Vis if he really wanted to be with one woman for the rest of his life, or if he wanted to "take a ride on the Ho Train". Viscera stumbled on his words as he checked out the Ho's, and a "Take the Ho's" chant rang out. Viscera went back to Lilian, then said he only had one thing to say: "All aboard the Ho Train!" Viscera and the Godfather then danced with the Ho's, while Lilian cried. Vis left with the Godfather and the Ho's, while Lilian cried away in the ring. Viscera looked back from the stage and said "I'm sorry" then left with the Ho's.
The events leading to John Cena vs. Chris Jericho vs. Christian was recapped.
WWE Champion John Cena vs. Chris Jericho vs. Christian, with Tyson Tomko.
At the bell, all three men were trash talking each other in the center of the ring. Jericho slapped Cena, who tackled Jericho, but Christian then stomped Cena. Christian and Jericho shoved each other out of the way to be the one to kick Cena in a corner. Jericho chopped Cena in the corner, then whopped him hard to the opposite site. Christian then chopped Cena and kicked him down in a corner, but Jericho decked Christian and hit a back elbow. Jericho hit a pair of elbowdrops on Christian, then Tyson, after failing to pull the ropes down low enough to get Jericho to fall out of the ring, pulled Jericho out under the bottom rope. Cena hiptossed Christian and worked him over in a corner. Tomko got on the apron and decked Cena behind the referee's back. The referee, who figured out what happened, ordered Tomko away from ringside.
Cena gave Christian a flaphjack and teased an FU, but Christian held onto the top rope, so Cena dumped Christian to the floor. Jericho hit Cena with a top rope reverse elbow for a two count, then hit a suplex and a dropkick. Jericho and Cena traded punches, and Jericho chopped Cena against the ropes. Jericho ran into a Cena boot, and Cena punched Jericho in a corner. Jericho reversed a whip and hit a bulldog, then went for the Lionsault. Cena moved, but Jericho landed on his feet and hit a reverse elbow. Jericho gave Cena a baseball slide, sending him to the floor. Jericho whipped Cena into the security wall, then rammed him into a chair. Jericho cleared off the Spanish announcers table, and there was an "ECW" chant. Jericho went to suplex Cena through the table, but Cena blocked it and DDT'd Jericho on the title belt on the floor.
Christian attacked Cena and rolled him into the ring. Christian pounded Cena, then choked him, then applied a reverse chinlock. Cena mounted a comeback, hitting clotheslines and a shoulderblock. Christian kicked away a backdrop, but Cena grabbed a back suplex into a powerbomb. Cena went for a fistdrop, but Jericho pulled him out of the ring and threw him into the steps. Christian gave Jericho a baseball slide kick. Back in the ring, Jericho went for Walls of Jericho on Cena, but Christian kicked him away, and into Cena, who was on the apron. Cena fell to the floor, and Christian rolled up Jericho in a small package for two. Christian went to the top rope, but Jericho met him there and went for a superplex. Cena got in, and powerbombed Jericho as he superplexed Christian. The spot got a big pop from the crowd.
Cena crawled onto Jericho for a two count, then crawled onto Christian for another two. Cena worked over Jericho with punches, then went back and forth, clotheslining both opponents. Cena slammed Jericho, then gave Christian a drop toe hold, and Christian collided heads with Jericho on the mat. Cena gave Jericho and Christian a double Five Knuckle Shuffle fistdrop. The three men went into a series of rollups, counters and reversals, ending with Cena and Christian clotheslining Jericho, then clotheslining each other. There was a "Cena" chant. Jericho went to the top rope, but Cena crotched him, then sent Christian into Jericho in the corner, knocking Jericho to the floor. Cena rolled up Christian for two, then went for the FU. Christian eyeraked out, then hit a reverse facebuster for two. Christian went for the title belt, but while the referee stopped him, Tomko ran back out and nailed Cena. Christian covered for a two count.
Christian charged Cena, but Cena backdropped him to the floor. Jericho came in and tripped Cena, then put him in the Walls of Jericho. Christian got on the apron, and Jericho gave him a springboard dropkick to knock him down. Jericho put Cena back in the Walls. Christian came in and rolled up Jericho for two. Christian went for the Unprettier on Jericho, but Jericho blocked it and shoved Christian towards Cena. Cena lifted Christian for the FU. Jericho charged, and Cena swung Christian so his legs would wipe out Jericho. Jericho rolled to the floor, and Cena hit the FU on Christian for the pin at the fifteen minute mark.
Winner: John Cena.
The events leading to the Hell In A Cell match were shown.
Hell In A Cell: World Champion Batista vs. Triple H, with Ric Flair.
Ric Flair returned to the back after Triple H's entrance. Triple H trash talked Batista as soon as the champion came out on the stage. JR wondered if Triple H could lose three "high profile" main events in a row to Batista. The cell was lowered, and the match began. Triple H pounded Batista in a corner with right hands, but Batista reversed a whip in the corner and hit a clothesline, then followed with a side slam. Triple H went to the floor, and when Batista followed, they teased going into the steel, but both men blocked attempts by the other. They returned to the ring, and Triple H grabbed a headlock. Batista came out on the winning end of a Triple H shoulderblock, then tackled him in a corner and clotheslined him to the floor. Batista rammed Triple H into the cage, and whipped him into the mesh. Triple H came back by whipping Batista into the ringpost.
Batista threw some punches from the apron, but Triple H yanked him throat first across the top rope. Triple H charged, knocking Batista off the apron and into the steel mesh. Back on the floor, Triple H whipped Batista into the cage and hit a clothesline. Triple H tossed Batista back into the cage, then went under the ring and pulled out a chain. Triple H whipped Batista across the back with the chain twice, and Batista rolled to the apron. Triple H then wrapped the chain around Batista's throat and choked him against the ropes with it. Batista tried to punch out of it, but Triple H kneed him off the apron and hung him with the chain. Batista got his feet back under him on the apron, and dropped Triple H throat first across the top rope to break free.
Now it was Batista's turn, as he whipped Triple H twice across the back with the chain. Triple H rolled to the floor, and Batista whipped him with it again. Batista picked up Triple H and rammed him back first into the ringpost, then the mesh, then the ringpost, then the mesh again. Batista then rammed Triple H face first into the cage. Triple H was bleeding from the forehead as Batista threw him back in the ring. Triple H reversed a whip and hit a spinebuster. Triple H went under the ring, and pulled out a chair wrapped in barbed wire. Triple H hit Batista across the back with the barbed wire covered chair. Triple H hit Batista across the back again, and there was blood on his back. Triple H's face was a bloody mess. Batista mounted a comeback, but Triple H hit a facebuster on a knee.
Triple H charged Batista, and Batista decked him with a clothesline. Batista picked up the barbed wire chair and hit Triple H in the head with it. Batista then grinded the barbed wire chair into the forehead of Triple H. Triple H rolled to the floor, and Batista followed, ramming him into the ring steps, then rubbing his face across the steel mesh. Batista picked up Triple H over his shoulder and rammed him face first into the steel. Triple H collapsed on the floor. Back in the ring, Batista rammed Triple H in the corner with shoulderblocks. He backed up to charge, and Triple H moved, and Batista went shoulder first into the ringpost.
Triple H went for a Pedigree on the barbed wire chair, but Batista backdropped out. Batista scooped up Triple H and powerslammed him on the barbed wire chair for a two count. Batista went back to the chain, wrapping it around his fist. Batista lifted Triple H up off the mat, but Triple H grabbed him with a DDT into the barbed wire chair. Batista rolled out of the ring and to the floor. Triple H had trouble standing up, and went to ringside. Batista was now bleeding from the head. Triple H rammed Batista into the cage wall, then rubbed his face across the mesh. Triple H tossed Batista into the ring, then went under it again and pulled out the sledgehammer. Batista staggered to his feet. Triple H advanced, but Batista kneed him in the gut, and Triple H dropped the sledgehammer. They traded punches, and Batista set up for a powerbomb, but Triple H backdropped him.
Triple H went for the sledgehammer again, and as Batista charged, Triple H hit him with it. Triple H covered Batista, but the champion kicked out at two. Triple H picked up the hammer again, but Batista, from the mat, kicked Triple H in the groin. Batista picked up the sledgehammer, and glared at Triple H. Batista charged Triple H with the sledgehammer, but Triple H beat him to the punch, decking him with the chain (which he had wrapped around his fist off camera). Triple H covered Batista for a two count. Triple H wrapped the chain around his hand again and got on the second rope. Triple H jumped off the ropes, and Batista pulled up the sledgehammer, hitting Triple H in the jaw. Triple H spit blood, then flopped to the mat. Both men got to their feet, and Batista knocked Triple H to his knees and battered him with right hands.
Batista whipped Triple H into a corner, and Triple H flipped over the turnbuckles and crashed to the floor. Batista threw Triple H into the ringsteps, then pulled off a section of them. Batista rammed Triple H with the top section of the steps, then put the bottom half of the steps in the ring. Batista propped the steps in the corner as Triple H got back in the ring. Batista rammed Triple H repeatedly into the section of steps. Batista then whipped Triple H back first into the steel steps. Batista gave the "thumbs up, thumbs down" signal, and set up for a powerbomb, but Triple H hit him with a low blow. Triple H hit the Pedigree, but Batista kicked out at two.
A "Batista" chant rang out. Triple H set the lower section of ringsteps in the ring, and set up for a Pedigree on the steps. Batista blocked it and gave Triple H a slow spinebuster on the steel steps. Batista grabbed Triple H and set up for the powerbomb. Triple H grabbed the sledgehammer. Batista lifted Triple H for the powerbomb, and Triple H prepared to hit him with the sledgehammer, but Batista drove down the powerbomb before Triple H could hit him with the hammer, and got the pin at the 27 minute mark.
Winner: Batista.
Triple H was laid out, the hammer still in his hand, as Batista celebrated in the ring with the World Title belt to end the show.
2007 -The first-ever Florida Championship Wrestling event was held at the Dallas Bull in Tampa , FL. Michael Spears sent the following results for the brand new WWE developmental territory:
Johnny Curtis pinned Robert Anthony.
Don Rodman & Tyson beat Mike Knox & Derrick Neikirk.
Nattie Neidhart (Natalya) defeated Shantelle (Shantelle Taylor, later to be known as Taylor Wilde in TNA) and Krissy Vaine in a 3-way match.
Keith Walker & Ryklon Stephens beat Eric Perez and Kofi Kingston.
G-Rilla (the future Brodus Clay) pinned Shawn Osbourne.
Harry Smith (DH Smith) & TJ Wilson (Tyson Kidd) defeated Afa Jr (Manu) and Sonny Siaki.
Rene Dupree pinned Steve Madison.
Harry Smith won a 21 person battle royal to win the Florida Championship Wrestling Southern Heavyweight Championship.
Notes: Jim the Anvil Neidhart was in attendance and was cordial to fans who approaching him, singing autographs and taking pictures....Steve Keirn, Mike Bucci and Tom Pritchard were all in attendance since they run the promotion....ROH's Roderick Strong was also at the event.
2007 - WWE issued the following press release in the wake of the Benoit tragedy, noting the text messages Chris Benoit sent this weekend, as well as reviewing the timeline that had been posted on WWE.com earlier in the same day:
WWE(R) Shares Internal Timeline And Details Relating To Chris Benoit Tragedy
Tuesday June 26, 10:39 pm ET
STAMFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--World Wrestling Entertainment today released additional details of what it knows concerning communication with Chris Benoit and authorities before and after the tragic double homicide-suicide involving Benoit, his wife Nancy, and his son, Daniel.
WWE's timeline of events began on Saturday:
On Saturday, June 23, Chris Benoit was slated to appear at a WWE live event in Beaumont, Texas. That afternoon, Benoit contacted WWE to inform them that his wife and child were ill, and that he would not be able to attend the show.
WWE executives rebooked Benoit's flight for the following morning, allowing Benoit to miss the Beaumont event and making alternate arrangements for him to attend the pay-per-view event in Houston on Sunday.
WWE employees attempted to confirm with Benoit his travel plans but were unable to contact him.
Early Sunday morning, between 3:51 and 3:58 a.m., Benoit sent five text messages to co-workers:
Text Message 1 to two co-workers (sent 6/24 at 3:53am)- Chris Benoit's cell phone "My physical address is 130 Green Meadow Lane, Fayetteville Georgia. 30215" Text Message 2 to two co-workers (sent 6/24 at 3:53am)- Chris Benoit's cell phone "The dogs are in the enclosed pool area. Garage side door is open" Text Message 3 to two co-workers (sent 6/24 at 3:54am)- Nancy Benoit's cell phone "My physical address is 130 Green Meadow Lane. Fayetteville Georgia. 30215" Text Message 4 to two co-workers (sent 6/24 at 3:55am)- Nancy Benoit's cell phone "My physical address is 130 Green Meadow Lane. Fayetteville Georgia. 30215." Text Message 5 to one co-worker (sent 6/24 at 3:58am)- Nancy Benoit's cell phone "My address is 130 Green Meadow Lane. Fayetteville Georgia. 30215"
Throughout the day on Sunday, WWE made numerous attempts to contact Benoit both at home and at local hospitals in the Atlanta area. As of 11:00 p.m., WWE officials were unable to establish contact with Chris Benoit.
At 12:30 p.m. on Monday, June 25, WWE officials were notified of the text messages sent to the co-workers the previous day. By 12:45 p.m., WWE had contacted Fayetteville County Sheriff's office requesting they check on the Benoit family.
Fayetteville County Sheriffs office made contact with WWE at approximately 4:00 p.m. advising that they had entered the house of Chris Benoit and found three deceased bodies - an adult male, adult female and a male child. WWE was told that Benoit's home was now considered a major crime scene.
The decision to cancel the live event scheduled in Corpus Christi that night was made between 4:00 and 5:00 p.m. In keeping with company policy, and with limited knowledge regarding facts of the case, WWE choose to air a memorial dedicated to the career of Chris Benoit. As facts emerged surrounding the case, all tributes to Chris Benoit were removed both on-air and on WWE.com.
WWE was stunned and saddened by the details released today by local authorities and is continuing to monitor the ongoing investigation.
2007 - Chris Benoit's name is uttered for the final time on WWE TV during the opening of ECW on Scifi. Mike Johnson filed the following TV report:
ECW on SciFi Report 6/26/07
ECW on SciFi opened with Vince McMahon stating that last night, Monday Night Raw was a tribute show to the late Chris Benoit. He then stated that 26 hours later, "the facts of this "horrific tragedy are now apparent." McMahon said that after his comments, there will be no mention of Benoit's name and the show will be dedicated to everyone affected by the Benoit tragedy. McMahon said, "Tonight will be the start of the healing process and WWE performers will do what they do better than anyone else in the world - entertain you."
ECW champion Johnny Nitro vs. WWE champion John Cena
WWE champion John Cena's music hit and he came to the ring for what was announced as a "champion vs. champion" match. Joey Styles pointed out that Cena was on ECW for the first time in over a year. Nitro entered the ring second. Cena took Nitro down with a side headlock and controlled the action. Nitro caught him with a back elbow, but Cena caught him with a fisherman's suplex for a two count. Cena pounded him into the turnbuckle but missed a charge into the corner. Nitro ducked a shoulderblock attempt, sending Cena to the floor. Nitro whipped him into the ring steps on the floor. Nitro continued to work over Cena. Nitro elbowed Cena and caught him with a clothesline. He ducked a Cena charge and Cena went over the top to the floor. ECW went to commercial.
When they returned, Cena was on the top rope as Nitro worked him over. Nitro went for a superplex but was shoved off. Cena tried to prepare for a move off the top but Nitro dropkicked him and he bumped to the apron, then the floor. Nitro continued to punch and pound Cena, who started to pysch himself up. Cena came back with a flurry of offense. He nailed the five knuckle shuffle and went for the F-U but Nitro escaped. Nitro nailed a kick off the ropes but Cena kicked out at two. Nitro climbed on Cena's back and cinched in a sleeper. Cena escaped and drilled Nitro into the mat. Cena nailed a top rope legdrop across the back of Nitro's neck, the cinched in the STFU for the submission.
Good back and forth match. The one thing that really stood out was the live crowd, especially ringside, was into everything and trying to enjoy themselves.
Joey Styles announced CM Punk vs. Elijah Burke in a Best of Three Falls match to determine the top contender for the ECW title will be held later tonight.
They aired a video feature on the Vengeance PPV. It was only two nights ago, but it sure feels like it was years ago.
Roddy Piper made his way to the ring, which would technically be his ECW debut. Piper said, "So this is ECW, eh? Hardcore." Piper said he doesn't consider someone hardcore unless you've had your hearing taken away by a Dog Collar (Greg Valentine reference) or wrestling Paul Orndorff. Matt Striker's came to the ring with a birthday cake. Piper asked him if he wanted to get hardcore. Striker introduced himself as your teacher. Piper said he wasn't his sex education teacher. Striker said that it's that wit that makes it an honor to be in the ring with him. Striker said today is a special day because it's his birthday. He said a lot of Superstars want to throw him a party. He asks Piper to sing him Happy Birthday and says Piper is his all-time favorite. I am pretty sure Striker was telling the truth on that one. Piper says he's never let the audience down and asks the crowd to sing "to the mark." He sings the song, then forgets Striker's name. He asked Matt who it is, and when Matt answers, Piper shoves cake in his face and leaves.
As if that wasn't enough. Boogeyman's music hit and he popped up in the ring. Striker backed out to the floor but Piper tossed him back in. Boogey hits the his finisher and worms Striker. Lucky us.
Promo for the Miz.
They discussed Johnny Nitro's ECW title win.
Joey Styles interviewed ECW champion Johnny Nitro. Nitro claimed he was suffering from a cold and fever but still fought. He said he would be watching the next match.
CM Punk vs. Elijah Burke - Best of Three Falls
The match started slow with some back and forth wrestling. Punk shoulder tackled Burke for a quick near fall. Punk nailed a series of hiptosses and worked over Burke with a headlock on the mat. Punk caught Burke with a legdrop for a two count. Burke slammed Punk's face into the turnbuckle and worked over Punk's back with knees and kicks. Elijah went for the Elijah Express but was caught with a leg lariat for a two count. Punk went to the top but Burke crotched him. Punk fell forward upside down, hanging in the corner. Elijah drilled him with the Express and scored the pin for the first fall.
Elijah tried to roll up Punk quick for a pinfall but Punk kicked out. Elijah peppered him with punches. Punk made a comeback and charges Burke, who drops down and grabs the top rope. Punk sails over and lands on the floor. He's nearly counted out but gets to the apron. Burke tries to suplex him in but Punk escapes and rolls up Burke, scoring the pin. It's evened up.
Burke worked over Punk with a surfboard, but Punk used a flip out of into a mule kick to escape. Burke grabbed Punk and slammed him backwards into the mat. Burke tried to come off the top with an elbow, but Punk rolled out of the way. Punk rolled Burke into a small package but only got a two count. Burke drilled Punk with an uppercut, scoring a near fall. Burke rebounded off the ropes but Punk nailed him with a clothesline. He flipped Burke over the top but Burke landed on his feet. Burke went to the top and dove off, but Punk nailed a spin kick. The referee counted them down but they got to their feet, exchanging strikes. Punk hits a running knee lift in the corner followed by a bulldog. Elijah kicked out at the last second. They battled on the top rope. Punk nailed a tornado DDT but Burke kicked out. Punk went for the GTS but Burke kicked him. He slapped Punk. They went into a series of two count reversals, a la Malenko-Guerrero. Punk escaped a backslide attempt and hit the GTS for the pin.
As Punk celebrated, Johnny Nitro came down the aisle and held the ECW title in the air. Joey Styles noted that Punk was coming for the title.
Due to the nature of the show and the events of this week, I'm going to refrain from thoughts.
2008 - Harvey Whippleman releases and autobiography "Wrestling with the Truth."
2009 - Former WWE star "Grandmaster Sexay" Brian Christopher , real name Brian Lawler (son of WWE Hall of Famer Jerry Lawler) was arrested and charged with public intoxication in Madison County, TN. Lawler fell outside a convenience store at 3 AM Friday morning, then entered the establishment. When authorities arrived on the scene, Lawler became argumentative and threatened one of the responding officers.
2009 - Ring of Honor ran Detroit, Michigan. Aaron McMann filed the following results:
*The show opened with a 10 bell salute to Mitsuharu Misawa.
*Grizzly Redwood defeated Silas Young with a rollup.
*Rhett Titus & Kenny King defeated Brent Albright & Erick Stevens when King rolled up Albright. Albright was busted open in the back of the head hardway early on.
*Ric Flair came out and cut a short promo putting over ROH, Cary Silkin and Detroit.
*Nigel McGuiness fought Claudio Castagnoli to a double countout.
*Kevin Steen & El Generico defeated The House of Truth, Christian Able & Josh Raymond with Truth Martini. So far, the best match of the night.
*ROH champion Austin Aries won a non-title Six Man Mayhem bout, pinning Joey Ryan. Also competing were Delirious, Petey Williams, Sami Callihan and Rasche Brown.
*Colt Cabana defeated D'Lo Brown after using the ring bell. A lot of comedy.
*ROH Tag Team champions The American Wolves defeated KENTA & Roderick Strong.
*Tyler Black defeated Jimmy Jacobs in a Steel Cage Match. After the match, a collection of masked men hit the ring and destroyed Jacobs as screaming played over the sound system.
2010 - CZW held their ninth annual Tournament of Death in Townsend, DE. Mike Johnson filed the following report:
Combat Zone Wrestling, as a promotion, has been in an interesting position in recent months. In the early part of the decade, it was the promotion that really kicked off the revival of independent wrestling in Philadelphia and the former ECW Arena. It featured a new and fresh crop of talents, some of whom were extremely violent brawlers and some of whom were equally entertaining wrestlers. The shows drew, especially at first, and it would have seemed like they were poised to conquer the scene and then expand onward. It didn't really happen that way. In hindsight, the infrastructure wasn't prepared in the least. Injuries, age and personal problems would catch up to a number of roster members. Some like former TOD champion Nick Mondo, retired. Some, like Lobo, were forced to bow out due to injuries. Others, like the Briscoes, moved on to other places.
The Pennsylvania Commission began cracking down on the violence and weapons aspects of the show. Bookers changed. Fans moved on. The wrestling business cooled overall. CZW Television moved from a weekly series to nothing to a semi-regular special broadcast. CZW changed venues before returning to the Arena. PPV projects and national DVD releases were attempted. Momentum was lost and for every great event or moment, there were others that didn't follow up to maintain the buzz. One step forward, one step back. Over time, founder John Zandig eventually sold the company to DJ Hyde, who had worked his way up from student to eventual owner of the company, a decision that had to be heartbreaking for Zandig.
Since that time, Hyde has worked to find a balance between good wrestling and the violence that has become known as CZW's calling card. It's been an ongoing process, but the company is still hanging in there and trying to build itself back up at a grass roots level. Such things take time, effort and money - three things Hyde has slowly been pouring into CZW. It's certainly a trial and error process, especially in the current economic state of the world, not to mention a wrestling business that has cooled considerably from the height of CZW's hype and buzz.
All that brought up to Combat Zone Wrestling holding their Tournament of Death 9 event on Saturday 6/26 in Townsend, Delaware on the estate owned by CZW owner Dave "DJ Hyde" Markland's family. To say the experience was one of a kind goes without saying. It was a surreal scene, standing in a field on farmland with mother nature serving as the background for the most violent event of Combat Zone Wrestling's year. Surveying the scene through a heavy nicotine haze, one couldn't help but shake their head and laugh while thinking what someone who wasn't a wrestling fan would think if they suddenly stumbled out of those woods and arrived upon this gathering - breaking glass, insane bumps, blood running deep in every match and some unique, twisted characters populating the ring and the audience alike.
CZW's Tournament of Death is sort of the wrestling equivalent of a punk rock festival. If you like the style and the scene, you are home. If not, you'll never understand it. That is certainly the best way to describe the show. If you are into the extremely violent Death Match style matches, this was the show for you. If blood, crazy (and sometimes contrived) spots, all out violence and weapons shots aren't your thing, this certainly was not the show for you, not in the least and you would have hated every minute of it. Perhaps another CZW event would have been for you, but not this one. It was all or nothing when it came to the violence and CZW delivered in that regard.
The show opened with a ten bell salute for former CZW star Michael "Trent Acid" Verdi. I believe DJ Hyde made a speech about Verdi, but I hadn't arrived yet due to traffic issues, so I'm not sure what was said.
CZW TOD Round One: In a Lighttube Bundles and Structures match, JC Bailey pinned Havok with a Michinoku Driver onto a ton of light tubes. Lots of back and forth brawling and a tons of light tube destruction. Bailey hit a double stomp off the top through tubes as well. He continued beating down with tubes after the match, leaving him laying. Really violent and entertaining opener setting the stage for the carnage from what I saw.
CZW TOD Round One: In a "Weapons of Mass Destruction" match, Big Japan Wrestling's Abdullah Kobayashi pinned Nick Gage in what was Kobayashi's first ever appearance in the United States. Gage took the mic before the match and said that he's beat the hell out of everyone who's ever come into CZW, so now they want to bring a Japanese P**** into the company. He said he was going to kick Abdullah Kobayashi's teeth down his throat. When Kobayashi came to the ring, Gage warned him he was in the ring with him and who did he think he was. Kobayashi screamed his name in response. Gage hit Kobayahi over the head with a light tube. He no sold it and then ate one. Sick! He smashed another one over Gage's back and ate the remnants. He dropped Gage over broken shards then r ipped at his face with a piece. Gage came back with several kicks to the groin. Gage drilled him in the back with a barbed wire chair. He smashed a keyboard over Kobayashi's head, then smashed him with a giant plastic water jug with Christmas ornaments. Gage nailed a diving attack off the top for a two count. Kobayashi came back with a dropkick and a shining wizard, then dropped an elbow for a two count. Kobayashi nailed a belly to back suplex for a two count. Gage put a Tekken, which has a LOT of tiny little spikes and is used to hold flowers in place on Kobayashi's head, then drilled it into his head with a chairshot, Then, he repeated it. SICK! Kobayahi has done that in Japan before but seeing it live was a hell of a sight. Fans began chanting for CZW. Gage then tried to pull them out but they were too deeply embedded. He nailed Kobayashi with a plastic bat that had thumbtacks glues around it. He went to use the jug but Kobayashi stole it and beat Gage with it. He drilled Gage with a leaping DDT, then placed a number of tubes on Gage's chest and stomach. Kobayashi came off the ropes with an elbow and pinned Gage. Crowd didn't like that and a lot of people were catcalling about it. Kobayashi screamed into the mic he loves Death Matches and American people. Gage warned him if he ever sees another Big Japan talent in CZW again, he was going to f*** them up. Since the plan is to bring others in, I guess Gage will be doing a lot of f***ing them up. Great stuff - this was my favorite Gage match in sometime.
CZW TOD Round One: Thumbtack Kick Pads and Panes of Glass Martch: Scotty Vortez pinned Vortex. They choppd the hell out of each other early. Dysfunction suplexed Vortez into a plane of plexiglass but it didn't break. So, he powerbombed him into it. Glass showered the audience. That would be why I don't sit ringside for these things. Dysfunction nailed Vortex with an over the knee backbreaker. Vortex came back with a diving kneedrop off the top through a glass pane bridged between two chairs. Dysfunction was killed but came back with a superkick. Dsyfunction sat Vortex on his shoulders and slammed him down through a pane. He drilled Vortex with a chair, then set up another pane between two chairs. They battled on the top until Vortex hit a Flux Capacitor off the top through the glass for the pin. Decent with some incredible bumps.
CZW TOD Round One: Masada pinned Drew Moore, who substituted for John Zandig. Masada came out first but when Zandig's music hit, out came Devon Moore driving a farm vehicle. Masada demanded to know why he was there but there was no explanation and they rang the bell. The reality was Zandig has been dealing with a bad back injury for well over a year stemming from a car wreck where he was hit by a woman driving with such force it flipped his truck. The morning of the TOD, he woke up in such pain, there was no way he could have worked the date. The promotion probably should have made an announcement before the show. Zandig wasn't at the event. Moore went for a discus clothesline but bounced off. Masada tossed him out of the ring and called for Zandig. The crowd was deflated by no Zandig. Moore returned to the ring and hit a flip dive over the top to the floor. Masada returned to the ring and backdropped Moore over, then clotheslined him to the floor. Masada beat Moore around the outside. Masada set up several chairs near the station where the announcers were set up. He knocked off some wood from the structure and set it between the chairs, then suplexed Moore through it. Fans began chanting, "This is bullsh**" but I don't know if it was because of bad sightlines or no Zandig. Moore hit a shooting star press off the station. They battled back to the ring where they destroyed a car windshield. Masada pinned him with a stiff clothesline. The crowd never gave this a chance in my eyes but it was OK.
In a non-tournament match, Joe Gacy and Sami Callihan beat DJ Hyde and Greg Excellent in a great a Fans Bring the Weapons Falls Count Anywhere match. Callihan and Gacy attacked their foes in the aisle and they immediately brawled all over the field through the crowd. They used a wood backboard stretcher that the EMTS the company had hired had with them on Hyde's back. They worked over Hyde and whipped him into a wooden fence, which collapsed. They ripped a branch off a tree and whipped Excellent with it. They dragged Excellent back to the ring and worked him over with weapons. Hyde returned and they worked him over and hit him with a watermelon, which didn't break. Hyde speared them and then destroyed them with the melon. They went back and forth with some crazy weapons shots. Hyde was sent off the apron through some nutty barbed wire construction a fan brought. They finally powerbombed Excellent off the top through a barbed wire glass pane that was placed atop a TELEVISION. That was a pretty sickening bump and Excellent looked to be badly hurting after the match but later on seemed to be moving around OK. Really, really fun brawl.
*TOD Semi Final: In a barbed wire board and log cabin lighttubes match, JC Bailey pinned Abdullah Kobayashi. Kobayashi was all bandaged up from earlier. Bailey used headbutts early but Kobayashi fought back with chops. Bailey nailed him over the back with a chair and peppered him with rights. He placed a log cabin across his chest and then did a double stomp off the top on Kobayashi. He began beating Kobayashi with the remnants of the tubes. Bailey set up another on Kobayashi and went to the top but Kobayashi escaped and threw a steel chair in Bailey's face. Kobayashi hit a Samoan Drop then put a log cabin over Bailey, then splashed off the ropes, destroying the structure. Bailey was bleeding hard from the chest. Kobayashi placed a circular structure over Bailey's body and used shooting kicks to destroy it. So it was 2-1 for Abdullah. Bailey and Kobayashi carved each other with tubes. Kobayashi got the better and went to the ropes for an elbow. Bailey fought him off and superplexed Kobayashi through a log cabin, tying it up. They faced off with chairs with Bailey getting the better and killing Kobayashi with two stiff shots to the head. Bailey finally nailed a back senton off the top through a log cabin for the win. The crowd went from apathetic for Kobayashi to loving him over the course of his two appearances, with a large crowd lining up for photos later in the day. I've always loved his work so it was really cool to get to see him do his thing live.
*In a Barbed Wire Boards Death Match, Scotty Vortex pinned Masada. The story here was Masada beat the holy hell out of Vortex to make him "earn" the win. Vortex caught him with head scissors early. They battled back and forth. Masada hit a reverse suplex through a barbed wire board propped in the corner. Masada slammed a cinder block over the remnants of the board, then covered Vortex for a two count. Masada nailed a butterfly suplex onto the board wire for a two count. Outside, Masada stiffly powerbombed Vortex through a glass tubes board. Masada's manager Bill Gram got into it with the referee and shoved him The ref shoved him back, knocking Gram into a barbed wire board. Masada bridged another barbed wire board between the guard rail and the apron, then used it as a teeter totter as Masada came off the top with a chair, slamming it into Vortex's head. Masada beat Vortex with light tubes. Back in the ring, Vortez mounted a comeback with a series of chops. Masada returned in kind. Masada nailed a charging elbow in the corner. He pulled several cinder blocks into the center of the ring and slammed Vortex onto them several times. The first slam was nasty as hell and I can't see how Vortex wouldn't be feeling that tomorrow. Vortex kept battling back but Masada caught him with a kick to the back for a two count. Masada leaned a barbed wire board against two chairs in the middle of the ring. He tried to powerbomb Vortex, but Vortex escaped. Vortex fought off Masada, then hit diving knees, drilling Masada through the board. Bill Gram attacked Vortex who got the better of him, nailing him with a kid's bat surrounded by thumbtacks, then killing him with light tubes. The ref tossed Gram, who was possibly the bloodiest mess out of everyone all day, out. His long hair got caught up in barbed wire and some of it was ripped out. Ouch. Masada went for a powerbomb but Vortex slipped out. He nailed him a second time. Masada called for his manager to be taken to the back. Vortex caught him with a kick to the head and used a forward cradle for the pin. Masada shoved several fans on the way out. I know he's a heel and all but perhaps getting physical with fans while on the property of the owner of the company (who would be completely liable if anything happened) wouldn't be the smartest of ideas.
*In a Taipei Death Match, Brain Damage pinned Drake Younger. For this world, Damage is one hell of a great brawler and has this intense look. He spit in the face of a woman as he made his way to the ring. Wow. They punched each other. Younger filled Damage's mouth with glass and punched him. Younger came off the ropes but got punched in the face for a two count. Damage tossed him to the floor. Damage beat Younger down with a pair of water jugs connected by a stick (think an American Gladiator-like joust). Younger made a comeback but was kicked down. Younger fought off Damage and splashed him with a light tube. Younger nailed a Death Valley Driver for a two count. Damage nailed a Michinoku Driver on light tubes for a two count. Damage went to the top rope but Younger fought him off and nailed a superplex onto light tubes and another water jug jousting stick. Younger went for a Gringo Killer on tubes but Damage came back with a powerbomb through them for a two count. Damage nailed a package piledriver for the pin. Intense brawl.
TOD Finals: Scotty Vortex pinned JC Bailey in a Tables, Ladders, Light Tubes and Anything Else Still Left in the Back Match. Vortex pushed Bailey off the top through a table covered in light tubes. They battled on the floor. Back in the ring, Vortex covered Bailey with light tubes around the groin, then slammed a ladder into them. Bailey fought back with kicks and Vortex responded in kind. Bailey got the best and nailed a fisherman's buster suplex into the broken glass. Bailey was whipped into the corner, where he ran up a ladder but was caught with a back suplex. Vortex brought a table into the ring and set it up. At the same time, Bailey set up a ladder. They began battling and Bailey got the better of it. Bailey set up another ladder. Bailey put a log cabin light tube on top of the table. He clobbered Vortex with a light tube over the head. Bailey dragged Vortex up the ladder then hit a Side Russian Legsweep through the table and log cabin. Both men were down as the referee began counting them out. They got up right before the 10 count. Vortex came back with several light tube shots to the head and chest. Bailey caught and stopped Vortex,then kicked one into Vortex' chest. He grabbed a light tube contraction wrapped in barbed wire and set it up over Vortex's chest, then nailed a double stomp for a two count. They battled back and forth with punches, forearms and headbutts as fans chanted back and forth for each man. Bailey slid a light tube between Vortex's legs and shattered it. Vortex made a big comeback and set up Bailey on the top rope. He grabbed a massive amount of light tubes and smashed them over Bailey's head. He finally superplexed Bailey in and scored the pin. They were obviously tired and from the standpoint of a climactic moment, this didn't have that but given all they went through in the course of the show, you can't fault them one bit.
Notes: JAPW's Steve Mack was in attendance...The promotion was heavily pushing the 7/10 Acidfest Memorial Event...They were also plugging upcoming dates in North Carolina and Germany...While it was a hot, humid day, everyone really worked hard and if you enjoy that style of wrestling, this would be one hell of a DVD purchase....For more on CZW, visit www.CZWrestling.com.
2011 - Ring of Honor held their Best in the World iPPV, featuring Davey Richards capturing the ROH title at the Hammerstein Ballroom in NYC. Mike Johnson filed the following live report from the PPV:
We are live at the Hammerstein Ballroom for Ring of Honor Best in the World 2011! There were less than 300 tickets left this morning, so it appears the company will end up with a sellout as there is a HUGE walk-up.
Announcing for the PPV tonight will be handled by Kevin Kelly and Eric Santamaria. They entered the ring and did a live pre-game show inside the ring.
Kelly and Santamaria previewed the main event and introduced ROH champion Eddie Edwards, who came to the ring. Kelly said it was the biggest match in his career and the first time that the champion has ever challenged the challenger and asked for his thoughts. Edwards said that he challenged Davey Richards not because he disliked Richards or has a problem with Davey, but one with himself. He said that he asks himself if he deserves the championship and whether he's better than Richards. He said that at an event titled "Best in the World" they are going to leave it all in the ring and find out who the better man is. Edwards said that ROH is going to show everyone why they, the company, are the best in the the world tonight.
Generation Me vs. Adam Cole & Kyle O'Reily
Generation Me got a huge "welcome back" chant from the NYC faithful, followed by a louder "F*** TNA" chant.
O'Reily and Jeremy started out. O'Reily nailed him with some offense. Cole and Kyle double teamed Jeremy with some hot, fast attraction. Jeremy ended up on the outside and O'Riley went for a running dive off the apron but Max grabbed his leg. He kicked off Max and Cole hit a dive to the outside on Max. O'Riley then hit a running dropkick off the apron on Jeremy. Huge "ROH" chant.
The former Bucks took over and hit a dive on Cole. They took turns working over Cole, tagging in and out. Jeremy stomped away at Cole and cinched in an armbar. He brought Cole over to the corner and Max came off with a double stomp to the arm, screaming "Yoshino" as he did it.
Gen Me continued double teaming Cole as O'Riley rallied the crowd for his partner. Cole nailed a jawbreaker and made the hot tag. O'Riley nailed a kick to Jeremy sending him to the floor. He nailed both Bucks with a series of kicks and nailed a double Dragon Screw legwhip on both at the same time. He then nailed a missile dropkick on Max for a two count. The crowd chanted, "This is awesome."
O'Riley nailed a series of butterfly supleses. Cole hit a German on Max for a two count. Max backdropped Cole to the floor and hit a twisting springboard Ace Crusher on O'Riley for a two count. He tried to nail a sunset flip bomb on Cole who fought it but was nailed by Jeremy and finally Max hit it. The Bucks nailed O'Riley and Max hit a 450 splash for a two count.
Max accidentally nailed his brother on a charge. O'Riley drilled him with a kick. He nailed a tornado DDT. Cole superkicked Max as he was picked up for a suplex. Cole and O'Riley sunk in stereo guillotine chokes but before anyone could tap, the Bravado Brothers.
Winners by DQ, Generation Me!
The other teams dispatched the Bravados. The crowd chanted, "Let them fight" but it was not to be. They all shook hands and showed respect to each other. The crowd applauded but you could hear some people yelling, "Bullsh**" as well.
Dave Prazak is now at ringside, so he is doing announcing tonight after all.
Jim Cornette and Cary Silkin came to ringside to a big pop. Cornette joined the announcing team in the ring.
The PPV opened with all three in the ring. Kelly welcomed everyone. Cornette said that for everyone in the Hammerstein Ballroom for being the biggest crowd in ROH history. He said that it's not only the biggest crowd in company history but the early indications are that today's PPV is the most watched company event in history.
Cornette said that thanks to all the support of the fans around the world, today is a new era for ROH. He said that for everyone that thinks pro wrestling is dead and it's all sports-entertainment now, he has a message for them and that's, "kiss my bit fat white butt."
Cornette asked the crowd if they were ready to see the ROH wrestlers set the ring on fire and said let's get to it.
Colt Cabana vs. Tommaso Ciampa (with Prince Nana, RE Barrister andErnesto Osiris)
No Princess Mia Yim.
They locked up and Cabana got the better of the early exchange. Ciampa grabbed an arm but Cabana reversed it and maneuvered him into an elbow to the mush. Cabana played games with Ciampa's head and rolled him up for a two count. Cabana began working over his leg but was kicked in the head.
Cabana continued to thwart Ciampa's offense until turning his attention to Nana and Osiris, kicking at them. That allowed Ciampa to nail a flap jack, hanging Cabana on the ropes and nailing him with a dropkick.
Ciampa worked over Cabana, including stomping him hard in the corner. He nailed a running knee to Cabana's face for a two count. Ciampa drilled him with a right hand and slammed him facefirst into the turnbuckles. Ciampa snapmared Cabana over and cinched in a side chinlock.
Cabana fought his way out and nailed a series of rights. He went for a quebrada but Ciampa saw it coming and pulled his knees up. Cabana kicked him off from a charge. He Hotshotted him into the turnbuckles. Cabana nailed a series of rights and did some clubbering.
Cabana nailed the Butt Butt on Ciampa and went to whip him into the corner. Ciampa reversed and sent Cabana into the corner. He positioned Cabana on the second rope and nailed a bridging German suplex for a two count.
Cabana tried to go for the Billy Goat's Curse but Ciampa grabbed the ropes. Cabana went for the Flying A****le but Ciampa kicked him. He nailed his finisher, the powerbomb over the knees and it didn't look smooth but did the job.
Your winner, Tommaso Ciampa!
Decent opener. I liked it.
Mike Bennett (with Brutal Bob Evans) vs. Jay Lethal
Lethal got a huge welcoming committee as the ring was showered with streamers. He looked surprised by that. Big "welcome back" chant followed by a "F**k TNA" chant followed by a "F*** Hulk Hogan" chant.
The crowd then began chanting, "Randy Savage." Lethal did the Savage finger twirl.
They locked up and Bennet forced Lethal into the corner. He gave a clean break in a condenscending way and laughed at Lethal. They locked up again and Bennett grabbed an arm. He again did the clean break, mocking Lethal.
Lethal shoulderblocked him down, evaded a leapfrog and nailed a hard chop. Lethal nailed the cartwheel into the dropkick and covered Bennett for a two count. The crows chanted for Lethal as he chopped away at Bennett in the corner.
He whipped Bennett into the corner but was lifted up and over. Lethal came back into the ring with a leaping rana that sent Bennett to the outside, then followed up with a great suicide dive.
Bennett kicked off Lethal as he returned to the ring. Evans grabbed him and nailed a sideslam on the apron. Bennett worked over Lethal on the floor and posed, mocking him. Bennett tossed Lethal back into the ring for a two count.
Bennett continued to work over Lethal with chops and headbutts. Lethal fired back but was kicked in the gut. Bennett nailed a nice vertical suplex for another two count. Bennett used a surfboard to try and force a submission but Lethal forced his way to his feet and out of the move. Bennett maneuvered him back into it and twisted Lethal's back.
Lethal elbowed his way out but Bennett drilled him. Lethal escaped a charge in the corner and unloaded with a series of hot moves, including a springboard handspring elbow. Lethal went to the middle rope and nailed a leaping leg lariat for a two count. Lethal went to the top rope but Evans distracted him. Lethal nailed him but Bennett drilled Lethal and superplexed him into the ring for a two count.
Bennett went to the top rope but missed an elbow. Lethal nailed a superkick and went to the top for the flying elbow, scoring the pin.
Your winner, Jay Lethal!
Very good back and forth match. This may have been the best Bennett has looked to date in ROH. Lethal's homecoming was a great one.
Lethal led a huge "Macho Man" chant before heading out.
Ghetto Street Fight: Homicide vs. Rhino
Homicide took the mic and told Nana and Rhino to get out and get his ass kicked in the best city in the world - "F*** Michigan!" Rhino hit the ring and they brawled. Rhino drilled him with a monster shoulderblock. Homicide came back with a Lucha armdrag. Rhino went to the outside where he was nailed with a tope con hilo to the floor.
They returned to the ring, where Rhino sent Homicide into the air and crashing to the mat. Homicide rolled to the outside where Rhino nailed a pescado to the floor. That's so damn impressive for him to pull that out.
They battled on the outside. Homicide tried to piledrive Rhino through a table but instead was backdropped through it. Rhino pulled a ladder out from under the ring and tossed it into the ring. Homicide nailed him and drilled Rhino with a series of punches in the corner on the outside and bit him in the face. Homicide chased Nana around the ring but was nailed by Rhino. Rhino whipped him into the railing and charged him.
Back in the ring, Rhino drilled Homicide with the ladder. Rhino worked him over with punches and kicks. He went for a suplex but Homicide reversed it and sent Rhino down across the ladder. Rhino reversed a whip attempt and hiptossed Homicide onto part of the ladder.
Rhino pressed and dropped Homicide onto the ladder. Homicide kicked up at two and Nana screamed at the referee. Homicide went for him but Rhino attacked him. They battled back and forth. Homicide nailed a drop toehold into the corner and went to the middle turnbuckle for a flying shoulderblock, getting a two count.
Homicide continued working over Rhino but was caught and spiked with a piledriver. Rhino covered him but Homicide got his shoulder up at the last second. The crowd chanted, "F**k you Rhino." Rhino set up Homicide for a superplex in the corner and drilled him with a right. Rhino went for the superplex but Homicide nailed a series of headbutts and took Rhino down to the mat. Homicide went a frog splash but Rhino got his knees up.
Rhino went for the gore but Homicide kicked him in the face and nailed the Ace Crusher. Rhino kicked up at two. Rhino pulled another table from under the ring. Fans began chanting for fire. Yeah, good luck with that. Homicide was cut off. Rhino set up the table in the corner for an eventual gore.
Rhino nailed a belly to belly suplex and geared up for the gore. He went for it but Homicide sunset flipped him and scored the pin.
Your winner, Homicide!
Homicide got his hands on Nana and drilled him with a right hand but Rhino charged and gored hm through the table. A number of referees and trainees came out to check on Homicide's condition. He was carried out.
Steve Corino (with Jimmy Jacobs) vs. Michael Elgin (with Truth Martini)
Corino took the mic and introduced himself. He said he was an evil person, but each day, Jimmy Jacobs and himself are trying to get a little better. He said that for the last six months. he's been trying to become a better person and thanked everyone for cheering for him. He said Jacobs came to him and said they needed to make a change, and they are trying to do just that. He said there is someone else that wants to make a change and wants his own redemption. The fans chanted, "Mr. Wrestling."
Corino apologized to the ROH officials and new owners, but everyone needs a new chance. He introduced Kevin Steen, returning for the first time sine Final Battle. Steen was in the balcony of the Hammerstein and got a big reaction. Steen ran down to ringside but when he tried to hop the railing, Jim Cornette and an army of officials stopped him. Steen saluted the fans and stopped trying to get into the ringside area. He's lost a ton of weight.
Elgin tried to attack Corino who sidestepped him and flew to the outside. He nailed a shoulderblock into the ring. They went back and forth with chops and punches. Elgin drilled him with a series of shoulderblocks in the corner but missed a charge.
Corino nailed him with a back suplex but Elgin popped right up. He challenged Corino to hit him. Corino nailed a lariat and locked in an abdominal stretch, then stuck a thumb in the rectum. Elgin was sent to the outside and drilled with a sliding kick. Corino went a dive but was caught by Elgin. Elgin nailed a running Oklahoma Slam into the railing and then hit a running powerslam on the floor. That' insane.
Back in the ride, Corino kicked off several attempts at a charge by Elgin but was finally nailed and run into the corner, then hit with a Northern Lights suplex for a two count. Elgin went for Kevin Steen's package piledriver finisher but Corino backdropped him. Corino was sent into the ringpost corner first. Elgin locked in a Boston Crab while on the ropes.
Elgin drilled Corino with a series of clotheslines. Corino fired back with a spinning backfist. He went for a running lariat but Martini tripped him. Jimmy Jacobs chased and caught Martino but Elgin went for him. Corino rolled him up for a two count, then nailing a running knee .
Elgin caught Corino and nailed him with a TKO and a high knee. He grabbed Corino, who was on his knees and pulled him into the air for a vertical suplex. This guy's power is insane. He powerbombed Corino down for a two count. The crowd rallied Corino but Elgin powerbombed him into the corner, then nailed a sitdown powerbomb for the clean pin.
Your winner, Michael Elgin!
Elgin and Truth worked over Corino. Jacobs hit the ring but was overwhelmed. The crowd chanted for Steen. Elgin powerbombed Jacobs hard in the ring. Corino covered Jacobs to protect him. Steen finally charged the rail and hit the ring and the place exploded. Steen and Elgin brawled. Steen ended up powerbombing him and superkicked Martini out of the ring.
ROH officials and Jim Cornette hit the ring and went to throw him out of the building. Corino took the mic and asked them to wait and said that Steen deserved to talk. He led a chance to "Let Kevin Talk."
ROH officials and Jim Cornette hit the ring and went to throw him out of the building. Corino took the mic and asked them to wait and said that Steen deserved to talk. He led a chance to "Let Kevin Talk."
Steen took the mic and said that he won't take long. Steen said he's thankful for the chance to stand in the ring. He said that he wanted everyone to know how sorry he was for everything. He said that he wanted to thank everyone, like Cary Silkin, Jim Cornette and the new owners for having the chance to say what he needed to say.
"My name is Kevin Steen...and F*** Ring of Honor!"
Corino went after Steen, who drilled him and nailed a Package Piledriver. Everyone from ROH grabbed him and dragged him out of the building. Jim Cornette took the mic and swore on his mother's grave that was the last time we'd ever see him in an ROH building again. The crowd still booed him for that.
They went to intermission as they attempted to help Corino out of the ring.
They just announced a return to the upstairs Ballroom on Saturday 9/17.
ROH TV champion Christopher Daniels (with Truth Martini) vs. El Generico
Daniels drilled Generico with a big boot as they kicked off the match. He worked over Generico and drilled him with a leg lariat. Daniels ran Generico into the turnbuckles but Generico is able to block a second one and drilled Daniels. They go into a nice sequence that ends with Daniels taking headscissors to the outside.
Generico nailed a dropkick through the ropes to the outside. Generico whipped Daniels hard into the railing. Daniels nailed Generico and whipped him into the railing but Generico jumped up and moonsaulted off the railing onto Daniels. That really brought the crowd up.
Generico sent Daniels into the ringpost and then tossed him back into the ring. Daniels begged off and asked for a handshake. Daniels wants a handshake? Generico took his hand and then slapped him hard. Generico worked him over with punches in the corner.
Daniels drilled Generico with a clothesline and then peppered him with right hands on the mat. Daniels choked Generico against the buckles with his boot. He strangled Generico against the ropes, then came down across his back. Daniels did the Jeff Jarrett strut to get heat and the crowd was all over him with a "F*** TNA."
Daniels snapped Generico on the ropes and forced his knee down on Generico's chest. He deposited Generico rudely to the floor. Generico sunset flippped Daniels for a two count. Daniels caught Generico and locked in a scissor choke using the ropes. Daniels kicked Generico down and stalked him. Daniels covered him for a two count, then cinched in a side chinlock.
Daniels locked on a Cobra Clutch. Generico fought out of it but was slammed down. Daniels nailed an Arabian Press. Daniels chopped Generico but Generico made the comeback. He sent Daniels to the outside and scored with a huge flip dive to the outside.
Generico tossed Daniels into the ring and nailed a flying bodypres for a two count. Generico nailed a Blue Thunder Driver for another two count. Generico went for a move but was caught with an STO and then rolled into the Kokina Clutch. Generico tried to fight his way out of it. Generico got his foot to the rope, forcing a break.
Daniels nailed a jawbreaker and an enziguiri. He went for Angel's Wings but Generico backdropped his way out of it. Daniels then caught him with Last Rites but Generico kicked up at two. Daniels popped him with a right. They battled back and forth. Daniels caught him with a palm thrust but Generico nailed a big boot.
They battled into the corner. Daniels went to charge but Generico nailed him with a running Yakuka Kick. He drilled Daniels with a brainbuster for a two count. The crowd began chanting "Ole Ole" for Generico. Generico tied Daniels to the tree of woe and nailed a flip Van Terminator. Daniels again kicked out at the last second.
Generico followed Daniels, who had rolled out to the apron. He tried for the brainbuster but Daniels nailed him and shoved him off into the barriers on the floor. Daniels suplexed him on the floor. Daniels grabbed the TV title belt and wrapped it around his waist, as if he expected to win while Generico was being counted out.
Behind him, Generico rolled back into the ring, surprising Daniels. Generico chopped him hard but was caught with an Uranage. Generico fought back and got his legs up during a BME attempt. Generico nailed the turnbuckle brainbuster and scored the pinfall.
Your winner and new ROH TV champion, El Generico!
A very good match. They had some great near falls towards the end and it built well.
ROH Tag Team champions Charlie Haas & Shelton Benjamin vs. Kings of Wrestling (with Sara del Rey and Shane Hagadorn) vs. Briscoes vs. All Night Express
KOW were rapped in by the guy that does their music. Titus and Haas started the match. Haas gave his hat to a kid in the front row. The NYC crowd chanted "Little Jimmy". Haas and Titus went back and forth. Haas caught him with a big kick. He took down Titus and began working over his leg, then tied him up on the mat.
Titus slipped out and locked in an abdominal stretch variation. Haas hiptossed his way out of it and backdropped Titus to the apron. Titus nailed him and went for a slingshot splash but Hass pulled his knees up. Kenny King and Shelton Benjamin tagged in.
They locked up. Benjamin and King went back and forth. King scored with a high dropkick. They had a great back and forth until Benjamin hit him with a cross bodyblock for a two count. Haas tagged in and slammed King for another two count. One of the Briscoes took a shot at King, who fired back. King drilled Haas but Claudio blind tagged in and nailed him with a big forearm.
Claudio rolled him down on the mat. He forced King into the corner and tagged in Hero. They nailed a double boot to the face. Hero drilled King with a chop. Briscoe tagged King with a punch and goit punched again. They allowed Hero to work on him but King made a comeback. He monkeyflipped Hero out and Titus dropkicked him.
Titus and King double teamed Hero. The fans chanted, "Let's go Hero." The ANE continued beating on him and getting a two count. Hero regained control and tagged in Claudio, who cinched in a side chinlock. Titus fought his way out but was shoved into the Briscoes' corner. They started working him over. Haas tossed Jay out of the ring and hit a pescado to the outside. Titus hit a flip dive to the outside on them.
Mark looked to do a dive but was jumped by the Kings. He backdropped Claudio out of the ring and went to the top for a moonsault to the floor. King was going to do a dive but Hero laid him out with a running forearm, then hit a moonsault backflip out of the ring to the floor. King went to the top to do a move but was cut off by Claudio, who drilled him wth a forearm.
Claudio went for a Ricola Bomb off the top. They battled on top when Benjamin leapt to the top and suplexed them both off the top. Briscoes jumped Benjamin and began doubling him, clearing the ring. The Briscoes took control of the match and covered Benjamin several times. They beat down Benjamin in their corner. Jay drilled him with a high knee as Benjamin rebounded off the ropes.
Jay locked in a chinlock on Benjamin, who tried to fight his way up but was forced back down. Jay tagged in Hero. The Kings made a wish with Benjamin's legs several times. Claudio cinched in an armbar and worked over Benjmamin's arm. Benjamin tried to force his way up to his feet and did, forcing Claudio into a corner. Unfortunately for him, it was the Briscoes' corner and they blindtagged in and continued beating down Shelton.
Haas finally made the hot tag and clotheslined everyone, then drilled the Kings in the corner. He nailed a back suplex on one of the Briscoes. Titus tagged uin and worked over The Briscoes. Mark caught him with a nasty throw and Jay drilled him with a killer clothesline. King and Jay traded blows and Jay took King's head off with a running boot.
The Briscoes went for the Doomsday Device but Titus nailed a forward roll for a near fall. The Briscoes killed Titus with several moves but he kept kicking out. King jumped into the fray as did Mark. King drilled Jay with a nice dropkick in the corner and hit a backbreaker. The ANE hit a varation on the old Demolition finisher, except Titus nailed a flying kneedrop.
Titus pinned Jay, eliminating the Briscoes.
Half the crowd sang "Nah Nah Nah Nah, Hey Hey Hey Goodbye" while others were chanting "Bullsh**."
Titus waited to see who would challenge him next and it was the Kings' Claudio. Hero tried to attack Titus from behind asnd he fired against them both with chops. King chased Hero to the floor. Claudio tagged Benjamin and left. The Kings acted like they were brilliant since they were safe from being eliminated and the other teams would destroy each other.
Titus battled Benjamin. He went for a big dropkick but Titus held onto the ropes. Hero tagged in and nailed a back senton splash. Hero drilled Benjamin into the turnbuckles. Claudio came off with a big axehandle. Claudio locked in a Camel Clutch, trying to force the submission.
Benjamin fought out of it and used the Electric Chair. He tried to tag out but Claudio caught his leg and tagged Hero. Hero nailed Haas and then started working over Benjamin on the mat. Haas tried to get in but was held back by the referee. That distraction allowed Hero the chance to nail Benjamin with a stiff jumping kick for a two count.
The Kings whipped Benjamin hard into the buckles for a two count. Benjamin caught Claudio with a back elbow and ducked down, sending Hero out of the ring. Claudio tried to prevent a tag but was nailed with a kick. Benjamin went for the tag but Hero pulled Haas off the apron, stopping the tag.
The Kings went for their double boot but Benjamin nailed them and tagged in King. King nailed some nice offense, including a standing moonsault for a two count, Claudio attacked but was caught with a Sidewalk Slam. King nailed Hero with a Fisherman's suplex for a two count. ANE double teamed on Hero, who kicked up after a series of kicks.
Hero came back with a kick to the head and a roaring elbow for a two count on Titus. Some fan threw streamers from the balcony. NYC pointed him out and chanted, "what a d***." Hope he gets tossed. Claudio tagged in but was caught by ANE with a double team move. Hero drilled him with a loaded elbowpad and Claudio covered Titus.
The ANE is eliminated.
Hero continued working over Haas, getting several near falls. Claudio and Hero tagged in and out, nailing Haas with double team maneuvers. Haas ducked a move and forced the Kings into each other, then hit a release German suplex on Hero.
Benjamin made the hot tag and nailed the Stinger Splash, then a bulldog off the ropes. Hero and Claudio went for a double suplex but Benjamin turned it into a double DDT. Haas and Benjamin set up Hero for their patented double team hanging splash. Haas hit the Olympic Slam for a two count.
Haas charged Hero in the corner but was nailed with a high knee and a leg lariat. Claudio tagged in and covered him for a near fall. Claufio went for the airplane spin and nailed it, then covered Haas for a two count.
Claudio nailed the big swing into a Hero dropkick for a two count. The Kings went for their finisher but Haas escaped and Hero accidentally speared Claudio. Haas and Benjamin drilled Hero with a double sidewalk slam and scored the pin.
Your winners and still ROH Tag Team champions, Shelton Benjamin and Charlie Haas!
Lots of really good wrestling here.
After the match, The Briscoes returned to blast the champions with chairs to the head. Hero and Claudio were challenged but instead sat on the turnbuckles and offered the champs up to the Briscoes. Briscoes beat the hell out of the champs with chairshot after chairshot. The KOW left the ring. The ANE hit the ring, tossing a trash can in while wielding sticks.
ROH champion Eddie Edwards vs. Davey Richards
Lots of back and forth chanting as they faced off. They locked up and went back and forth trying to gain an advantage. Edwards was forced against the ropes and they broke clean. They locked up again and this time they broke clean. Richards tried to throw a kick but Edwards evaded it and they faced off.
They went back and forth wrestling and went for a test of strength. Richards was forced down to the mat but forced his way back up. He then forced Edwards back up and Edwards forced his way back up. Richards snapmared him over and drilled him in the back. Edwards responded in kind. They began battled back and forth. Richards drilled him with a running kick to the chest. Unbelievably stiff.
Richards nailed a snap suplex for a two count. He tied up Edwards on the map and used a Texas Cloverleaf variation. Edwards escaped and fought back with sit-out F5. Edwards tagged Richards with a kick and a gutwretch suplex.
Edwards locked on an armbar but Richards made it to the ropes to break it. Richards fired his way out of the corner with massive shots but was taken down by Edwards and covered for a two count. Edwards drilled him with a headbutt and a kick to the face. He tagged Davey with a chop. He whipped Richards into the corner but was tossed up and over to the floor. Richards went for a kick off the apron, but Edwards ducked. Richards tagged him on the rebound, then hit an inside suicide dive to the floor.
Edwards was tossed bacck into the ring and Richards nailed him with a missile dropkick. He charged Eddie but was kicked off Edwards hit a leaping enziguiri. Richards rolled him over in a crossarm breaker but Edwards escaped. Richards locked in a Kimura.
He forced Edwards into the corner and tagged him with a series of stiff kicks to the chest. Edwards was hoisted to the top rope, where Richards went for a superplex. They battled back and forth with headbutts. Richards was sent to the mat but rebounded with a leaping kick. He nailed a superplex with both standing on the top and then pulled him into a cross arm breaker. Edwards broke the move and turned it into a Boston Crab.
Richards made it to the ropes and they tagged each other with hot slaps. They continued to go back and forth with near falls. Incredible stuff. Richards drilled Edwards with another kick to the chest. He went for a handspring elbow but was caught and tossed, landing rudely on his face.
Edwards nailed a running knee to the face. Richards cut him off but was caught with a fisherman's buster for two count. Edwards, now selling his arm, chopped Richards with the other one. Richards tried to pull himself together and nailed a hard knee to Edwards' bad arm. Edward fired back but was caught with a rolling cross armbreaker.
Edwards slipped out and stomped away on Richards, who fired back and caught him with an armbreaker. They went back and forth beating the hell out of each other. Edwards drilled Richards with a hard kick to the back, sending him to the floor. Edwards nailed a moonsault to the floor, crashing into Richards and the guard rail in a scary moment.
Edwards killed Richards with a missile dropkick. Richards chopped away at Edwards. Edwards caught him with a back suplex for a two count. They fired away with forearms. Richards started to stagger. They battled back and forth with strikes like an MMA match. Edwards drilled Richards with a flying knee. This pretty much a war of attrition.
They battled to the outside, where Edwards attempted a suplex. Richards nailed several kick. Edwards nailed a 2K1 Bomb on the apron. That was insane. They teased a double countout but both returned at the 17 count. Edwards nailed a double stomp off the top through a table on the floor. The crowd chanted, "You just killed him."
Back in the ring, Edwards nailed another double stomp off the ropes but Richards kicked up. Edwards tagged him with slaps but was nailed with a kick. Edwards' leg was caught up in the ropes but Richards came off the top with a big knee drop.
Richards locked on the anklelock in the center of the ring but Eddie made it to the ropes. He drilled Richards with a kick. The crowd chanted, "This is awesome" and they were right. This was just all out pro wrestling greatness with kickass physicality.
They battled on the ropes. Edwards nailed several back elbows sending Richards to the mat. Richards returned and was sent off again. A third time, Richards beat the hell out of him with headbutts. Richards tossed him with a back superplex. Richards drilled him with an awesome superkick and locked on the anklelock. Edwards rolled through and locked in one of his own. Richards reversed and locked in a heel hook. Edwards reversed but Richards rolled through with an anklelock. Edwards finally made it to the ropes.
They battled atop the announcing table with Richards beating down Edwards. They exchanged kicks. Edwards ducked and Davey kicked the ringpost, going down. They recovered and each climbed the turnbuckle, battling. Edwards was shoved off and landed on the apron. He rolled into the ring and went after Richards, who was still on the top. Edwards tried to go for a top rope rana but Richards caught him for a powerbomb. In mid-air, Edwards turned it into a rana.
Edwards followed up with a powerbomb for a two count, then a massive lariat. He nailed Davey with a 2K1 Bomb for a two count, then locked on a single legged crab. Richards rolled over and began beating Edwards in the face with kicks but was forced back over. Edwards then locked in a full Texas Cloverleaf.
He covered Richards for another two count. He pulled Richards up but was caught with a nasty back suplex. Edwards then returned the favor with one of his own. They were almost counted down on the mat but returned to their knees, then their feet. They battled back and forth with forearms and chops, then kicks. They were showing their exhaustion but didn't let up. Richards tagged him with a kick to the gut and a hard lariat that sent Edwards spinning for a two count.
Richards tagged Edwards with hard punches and clothesline but he kicked up at one and fired up. Richards KILLED HIM with stiff kicks to the face but Edwards kicked up. Richards repeated the assault but Edwards kicked up at the last second. Richards drilled him with a hard running punt kick to the head and scored the pin.
Your winner and NEW ROH champion, Davey Richards!
OFF THE F**KING CHARTS, HARD HITTING MATCH. Unbelievably sick main event.
A number of wrestlers and ROH officials came out to check on both men, who took a long time to recover. Fans chanted "Match of the year" and "Best in the World." Richards and Edwards, spent, embraced each other. Edwards left the ring and Richards put on the title he's been chasing for the first time.
Fans began chanting his name as Richards took the ring mic. Edwards returned to the ring. Fans chanted Edwards' name. Richards said that this is his moment and said the fans and the boys are all the family he has. He told them they were there for him when his grandparents dying and his marriage ending and they are all his family. Richards said he has nothing but ROH and this and he thanked everyone for giving him a reason to get up when everything bad had gone down in his life and given him a reason to live. He said that the title means everything to him. He thanked Richards for setting the example and showing what a good person in. Edwards took the mic and told him that Richards is always talking about how good everyone else is but Edwards wouldn't be here right now if Davey hadn't believed in him. He thanked him and told him to take his moment and raise his arm like the champion he is.
Richards took the mic and apologized to everyone for doing this but he always wanted to and closed out saying, "Hey grandma. Hey grandpa. I did it!"
Incredible emotional, real closing to the evening. Hell of a main event, going 36 minutes and what a final scene. Off the charts.
That's it from NYC!
2011 - The Urban Wrestling Federation debuted on PPV with First Blood. Mike Johnson filed the following PPV report:
URBAN WRESTLING FEDERATION ‘FIRST BLOOD’ PPV REPORT
The Urban Wrestling Federation’s “First Blood” PPV opened with a “news report” from AllHipHop.com’s Gina Torres, who told the audience that Brooklyn-based rapper Uncle Murda was arrested after an altercation with a Miami rapper and a pro wrestler. Torres said, “He was last seen being taken away, saying over and over, it’s a man’s game now.”
We then went into an opening montage that looked great. Think the old ECW open in an alternative hip hop universe, Steve O'Neil produced this well.
We go to a vignette where Steve The Hustler (UWF owner Steve Karel and NO ONE was more shocked to see him as an on-camera personality then yours truly.) telling two large thug types that they weren’t making money anymore on the street, so they had to reach out to all the crews and tell them “the ring is the new block” and make the money in wrestling. Somehow, this would take down all the renegades in the hood. They ran down the different crews they should invite to be part of this gathering of well,Warriors, I guess. I guess that makes Steve Karel Cyrus? Of all the people to open this PPV, the last person I expected was Karel!
We go to the Hammerstein Ballroom. Ring announcer Larry Legend introduces us to the UWF.
Lowlife Louie Ramos comes out and says the UWF has brought the streets to the ring. He says it’s all about Uncle Murda’s crew. Music starts playing and Ramos asked who has beef. Murder-One hits the ring from the crowd and attacks Ramos, destroying him with BRUTAL (and trust me, these were BRUTAL) chairshots to the head. Ramos is busted open. Murder One brandished a shank and started stabbing Ramos in the head and the arm. He drilled Ramos with a big boot and an Ace Crusher.
Murder One cut a promo saying he drew first blood and was doing it in the name of Atlanta. He told Murda that if he thinks he’s got a hard crew, no one has seen a hard crew until we’ve seen his and introduces Big Block with his tag team, Grim Reefer and Ruckus. Block said he was there to get that money.
This brought out Uncle Murda, who brought out his team, The Dirty Rotten Scoundrelz. Ruckus tried to throw a chair at EC Negro, who caught it and threw it back in the ring. Murda said this was his town and they were going to give them a NYC ass-kicking.
This brought out Brisco and his team of Dope and Creed. He said while everyone else was out partying, he was f***ing all the Atlanta and NYC b***hes. As you can guess, the show will be syndicated on the Hallmark Channel.
Ghetto Mafia vs. Dirty Rotten Scoundrelz vs. Grimm Reefer & Ruckus
All six brawled around and inside the ring. KC Blade hit a nice powerslam on one of the Mafia, Reefer and Blade chopped back and forth. Reefer missed a clothesline but nailed a secind one. Negro nailed a nice cobra clutch slam. One of the Mafia ducked a charge and Negro took a bump to the floor.
One of the Mafia hit a nice pescado to the floor on everyone as they brawled. Reefer went to the top and hit a springboard flip into the chaos. Ruckus hit a backflip moonsault off the apron, followed by Reefer hitting a splash to the floor on a DRS member. He tossed Negro back into the ring and worked him over with a series of rights.
Reefer hit a flying headscissors into a crippler crossface on Negro but Blade broke it up. DRS drilled Reefer with his finisher but The Mafia returned to the ring and broke up the pinfall. The fans began chanting "Let's go New York." Murda started chanting it on the mic
Mafia tried to work over Negro, who fired back against both. They nailed a variation of the old Demolition finisher on him. Ruckus and Reefer returned to the fray. Ruckus hit the Razzle Dazzle on a member of the Mafia. Reefer worked him over with chops. The Mafia made a comeback and worked over Reefer, nailing a double powerbomb into the corner.
DRS attacked and threw the Mafia out of the ring. They nailed a spike reverse tombstone on Reefer. Blade played to the crowd as Negro sold an arm injury, allowing the Mafia to score the pinfall.
Your winners, The Ghetto Mafia!
Reefer attacked Blade and they brawled backstage. Hard working, chaotic tag match.
Backstage, Brisco and his team celebrated their win and said, “F*** New York.”
Somewhere in Brooklyn, Red Café and the SAT cut a promo. Café said they were here to take over the UWF and the gloves were off. Will Maximo said when it comes to wrestling and Urban, they are the best. Joel Maximo said that when you cross the bridge in Brooklyn, you have to pay the toll and when it’s time to fight, they fight. Café said they are going to get all the money because they have to eat.
In a limo, Brisco met with Cuban Links, paying him off to bring in some muscle through his connection to help him get the UWF championship. The muscle in question will be Ricky Reyes.
Billy Blue’s crew were hanging out. Blue showed up and asked Bestia if he had Blue's money. Bestia, who looked worried when Blue showed up, said he had it and started rifling through his bags. Blue told the woman who was with him that it was her shopping money and she started looking through the bags. Blue accused Bestia of trying to make him look like a clown. He told Bestia he had an hour to get his money, and told Buck Chyld that if Bestia didn’t come back with it, it was going to be Buck’s problem as well.
Big Block was backstage macking on a hottie (I think this show is starting to rub off on me) when Rache Brown arrived. He told Block that he had his back and anything Block wanted him to do, he would take care of it. He said all the other crews were nothing compared to Block.
Uncle Murda told his crew that his crew is not to lose. He told Homicide that he was the only shot they have for the UWF title and Homicide was to whip Eddie Kingston’s ass. Homicide told him no problem. Murda told Wagner Brown that he’s heard something about Red Café getting involved in their business. He told Brown that if he can find him, “smoke him.” He said they were all about the street money and now they are here for the PPV money.
Buck Chyld was on the phone talking up Bily Blue to someone when Rasche Brown approached him in the hallway and laid him out, slamming his head against the wall and nailing a running kick to the face. Brown walked off.
As Chyld was out cold, Façade walked past him and entered a locker room. “Security footage” showed him entering, only to find Bestia rifling through bags, obviously stealing the money he owed to Uncle Murda. Façade chased him out and down the hall.
Larry Legend was making announcements as Facade and Beastia 666 brawled out of the entranceway and onto the floor. Facade got the better of their brawl , backdropping Bestia on a ladder propped against the stage. They brawled to the ring.
UWF Title Tournament: Facade vs. Bestia 666
Facade hit a springboard into a Lucha armdrag but was backdropped over the top. He skinned the cat and returned to the ring, only to be nailed with a clotheslines. Facade nailed one of his own and then hit an Asai Moonsault for a two count.
Facade chopped away at Bestia. He whipped Beastia into the ropes but was shoulderblocked down. Bestia nailed a twisting rana. He avoided a legsweep and hit a leaping kick then a sunset flip legdrop for a two count.
They battled to the outside where Bestia sent Facade into the railing with a rana, then picked up and dropped him across the railings, which broke apart. Beastia set up a table at ringside. Facade nailed him and drilled Bestia with a chair. He slammed Bestia into the table and tossed him into the ring.
Facade leapt to the top rope and nailed a double springboard into a missile Van Daminator. Bestia kicked up at two. Facade hit a springboard into a bulldog. He nailed a springboard split legged Asai moonsault for a two count
Facade went to the top rope and walked the ropes, trying to nail a move. Bestia grabbed him from underneath for a powerbomb and nailed a sitdown piledriver through a table. He pinned Façade on the floor.
Your winner, Bestia 666!
A little scatterbrained, but never boring. When the spots hit, it looked good. When it didn't hit as smoothly, you could see they were off the beaten track and trying to get back to what was planned. They were absolutely working to the best of their ability.
Billy Blue and his crew came out. He told the crowd that usually you celebrate a winner but all he sees is someone who owes him his money. He demanded to know where his money was and told Bestia that his crew was going to reward him. Steve Mack, Black Jeez, Buck Chyld worked him over. They tossed him back into the ring. Mack was going to press Bestia out of the ring but Blue told them not to kill him. He asked Bestia if he understands how he does business now. Jeez kept working Bastia over but Blue told him to stop. Mack carried the beaten Bestia out of the ring.
Somewhere, Steve the Hustler met with Melle Mel. Steve said Red Café’s boys are here but Café didn’t show yet. Steve got a phone call from Red and something happened that would prevent Red from appearing. Mel took the phone and told Red he would take care of the business for him while Red dealt with his situation. Mel said he tries to stay away from the young dudes since he and Steve are older and hang on yachts with the “hos.” Mel said that if Red wants him to take over the crew, it’s going to cost him. Red asked to speak to Eddie Kingston, who took the phone. Red told them “to ride with Mel” and the crew agreed.
Somewhere, Blk Jeez was doing a drug deal (yes, sir) when Wagner Brown approached him and challenged him for “f**ing with Murda’s sh**.” Jeez asked him what he meant. Wagner asked if he was Jeez. Jeez told him to stop playing because Brown knew who he was. Brown told him he was the “chosen one from the streets of Brooklyn”. He said their “products” went missing and they are hearing it was Billy Blue’s crew starting the problem. Jeez told that if they are having problems, they should look to the other side of Miami. Wagner said “other side of Miami, eh?” and walked off. He and Jeez stared each other down.
Backstage, Homicide cut a promo on Kingston. He said Kingston may be saying he’s old but Homicide gets more b***hes than Kingston and it’s his hustle, his block and he gets everything while Kingston will get nothing.
Melle Mel was with Eddie Kingston. He said the fight was about the UWF title but more than that, it was about that carjacker Homicide. He told Kingston that Homicide had carjacked Kingston’s career. Kingston said that no matter where he goes, all he gets asked about is Homicide and tonight’s going to end all that.
UWF Title Tournament: Homicide vs. Eddie Kingston
Kingston attacked Homicide and threw him to the floor. Homicide fought back and tossed him into the rail. He went for a tope con hilo but Kingston walked away. Homicide went to the apron and nailed a flip off to the floor on Kingston.
They chopped the hell out of each other oin the floor. Homicide tossed him back in the ring and nailed a running knee to the prone Kingston in the corner. He nailed a Facewash. Kingston was placed on the top rope but tried to scrape his way out. Homicide got the better of the exchange and tossed him into the ring. Homicide and Melle Mel started going at it, jawing with the other so Homicide ripped at Kingston's face, holding him in front of Mel.
Kingston made a comeback and nailed a gourd buster. He ripped at Homicide's face and stomped on his chest. Homicide tried to fight back but ate a thumb to the eye. Kingston chopped away at him in the corner. Homicide fought back and slammed him into the buckles. Homicide nailed a running clothesline but was caught and slammed into the mat.
Kingston locked on a waistlock, trying to wear Homicide down. Homicide began to fight his way to his feet and reversed Kingston into a pinning combination for a two count. Kingston slipped out and cinched in a side chinlock. He whipped Homicide into the corners. The second time Homicide grabbed his arm and went down. Kingston scissored Homicide's body with his legs, trying to force a submission. Homicide made it to the ropes and help Kingston's leg as he went to the floor, slamming his leg over the apron.
They battled on the floor. Homicide ran a section of the barricade into Kingston's chest and then threw it atop of him. They battled back to the ring. Kingston went for the rapid fire chops in the corner but they only fired Homicide up. Homicide nailed several leaping forearm smashes in the corner. He went for another but was caught with a Yakuza kick. This is good stuff!
Kingston avalanched him in the corner. He whipped Homicide to the opposite corner but was caught with a drop toehold when he charged. Homicide slammed him and nailed a flying headbutt off the top for a two count. Homicide nailed a hangman's neckbreaker for another two cout. He went for an Ace Crusher but was sent into the corner and nailed with a backdrop driver. Homicide kicked up at two.
Kingston caught Homicide with a lariat but again, Homicide kicked up. Kingston was getting frustrated. He made his way to the ropes but was caught by Homicide. Homicide nailed the Ace Crusher out of the corner and the Gringo Killer. He covered Kingston for the pin.
Your winner, Homicide!
Very good match and thus far, the best thing on the show. I really enjoyed this one.
Uncle Murda said that Homicide "was the one" and proclaimed Brooklyn's dominance.
Somewhere, The SAT were walking the streets. Wagner Brown came up to them and said that he hears Café Red caused problems with Uncle Murda’s product. He said that everyone expects them to be cool because they are all from Brooklyn but when Murda has a problem, Slyck has a problem. That means they have a problem. Joel told them they have nothing to do with any problem and anything that comes from the South, goes through Miami and Wagner needs to do the math. Wagner walked off.
Backstage, Kingston ranted “F*** you” about Homicide and warned him that Kingston is still here and standing. He said he just got an idea and laughing maniacally.
The Dirty Rotten Scoundrelz came across a drug dealing friend and asked him if he wanted to make real money. He said he does. They told him the Miami crew is trying to take money and run game on Uncle Murda. They told they needed a favor. They told him to get them to the spot. He said that he had it covered.
Outside the Hammerstein, Bestia said he can’t believe he got beat down by his own crew but understood he didn’t have the money.
Dope and Creed declared their tag team dominance in the UWF. They bragged about beating the hell out of DRS and now they are on DRS’ own turf making money. They said Brisco’s crew was the most dominant and Brisco was going to be the most dominant. DRS’ friend came up to them and said he wanted to get some. They asked him if he had money and he flashed it. Creed went to go “get the product”, leaving Dope alone with him. DRS and their friend attacked Creed and laid him out. They then jumped Dope at the car, beat the hell out of him, stole the “product” and dumped him in the trunk of the car, before running off.
In a club, Homicide and Wagner were talking trash on the Atlanta crew when the crew showed up. Homicide kept talking trash and one of the Atlanta crew flashed a gun. Yes sir, a gun. Homicide and Wagner ran out of the club to a parked car and drove off. The Atlanta crew shot at them as they fled.
THE END.
THOUGHTS:
Well, they were going for different and they certainly went for the juggular with that. While I am hardly the demographic they were aiming for with this show, I enjoyed the wrestling aspect, especially seeing guys like DRS, Reefer, and Lowlife Louie, who have been killing themselves on the independents and really needed a break like this if they hoped to get to the next level. The matches were all different and unique from each other. Nothing on the wrestling side was boring, although I hated seeing Ramos taking those shots to the head for a short segment that really meant nothing here - although it leads to more with Murder One down the line.
I can see that a lot of people are going to hate the guns and the drug dealing in the storylines but the idea here is not that this is a wrestling company but more of an urban movie using wrestling in place of the shoot-outs. So, as long as you throw out your ideas of what wrestling is normally, it's easier to get used to.
With the exception of the Brooklyn shots at the end where DRS beats down Dope and Creed, the show looked really good. They did a great job of hiding how empty the Hammerstein. There was a different feel to everything from the ring to the entrance to even the referees. In a day and age where branding is king, this was a good first step.
The biggest problem with the show was the one hour time slot. They tried to introduce DOZENS of characters all at once. It was impossible to keep track of the rappers and the crews without background knowledge or a scorecard. So, if you weren't well versed, a lot of the names and faces started to blur together after awhile. The same thing I hate about TNA I also hated here - there was so much thrown at me, that I was getting confused half the time. Why were these wrestlers loyal to these rappers? If they were dealing drugs, why did they need to wrestle? Why do they respect Steve The Hustler so much that they aren't just taking each other down once and for all? By just throwing us into the battles without an explanation, you leave wondering why you should care about what's going on.
In my opinion, UWF needs to either expand the show to 90 minutes (and $15 for a one hour PPV is a lot to ask) or do less on the show. The only way this thing can ever take off is it viewers get emotionally connected to the characters and you can't do that if you are watching the show on fast forward. I enjoyed the wrestling when it was taped live in NYC. I didn't feel the outside vignettes added to that enjoyment as much as I was trying to figure out who was with what crew and why things were going down. I'd almost advise each crew have their own garb but then you run dangerously close to looking like you have Smackdown and Raw in the same t-shirts, diluting all the personalities.
Of the rappers, Uncle Murda and Melle Mel came off the strongest to a new viewer, especially Mel since he looked so distinctive and different from everyone else on the show. Homicide and Kingston had the best wrestling match but I thought this was the best I've seen DRS look in a long, long time. BLK Jeez stood out as an evil little jerkoff pr**k. Wagner showed some good intensity in his segments, but it was hard to figure out where the hell he was supposed to be with all the Miami references. At one point, I thought he was in Miami and then back in Brooklyn. One thing I can say is that everyone wrestling worked their asses off in the ring and that was what I wanted to see out of a wrestling show.
It's an interesting look into an alternative pro wrestling universe but be prepared to be playing lots of catch up if you want to try and decipher what is going on. They took their first step. Now, if they can tighten things up going forward and get people interested, they might just be onto something. Time will tell.
2011 - ROH announces that Charlie Haas and Shelton Benjamin have been signed by the company.
2011 - With a few days to spare, Ric Flair avoided going to jail by finally paying Highspots.com the $35,000 that he owed the company.
On their Facebook page, they posted the following: "Letting our own social media get the scoop, we have FINALLY been paid by Ric Flair for the debt dating back years ago. No jail time for Naitch. Whichever Angel pitched in the $ for him THANK YOU."
With the NWA title belt now sitting in Triple H's office, it became pretty obviously who paid the money in question.
2012 -TMZ.com reported that CM Punk has obtained a restraining order against his estranged mother. He stated that she tries to get money from and threatens to kill herself if he turns her down. He filed court documents stating that he aims to sever his relationship with her "due to repeated financial demands and years of abusive, harassing and threatening behavior." He says that he has tried to help her in the past, giving her more than $100,000, but states she is bipolar and acts abusively towards him. The judge in the case granted a temporary restraining order on June 10. Punk is looking to extend the order for several years according to the story.
2013 - WWE broadcast NXT. Richard Trionfo filed the following TV report:
We are in Winter Park, Florida and your announcers are William ‘Is it our week’ Regal and Tony ‘I think so, where is the Hardee’s burgers’ Dawson.
Match Number One: Big E Langston versus Aiden English
Langston sends English into the turnbuckles but he ands on the turnbuckles and poses. Langston with a back drop and then he hits a running body block and then the straps are down and it is time for the Big Ending and Langston gets the three count.
Winner: Big E Langston
After the match, Langston picks up English for another Big Ending and then he makes his own five count. Langston leaves the ring but before he turns up the ramp, he turns around and goes back into the ring because English is still moving. Langston wants to please the fans and he picks up English one more time and then he dumps English to the mat with a Big Ending and another five count.
We go to commercial.
We are back and Renee Young is with Emma and Emma is shooting bubbles while ignoring Renee’s question about her match with Aksana. Emma says that she almost has the bubbles and she is ready for the interview. Renee asks her question again and Emma says that she is going to win because she is going to take the Emmalution around the world. She tells Renee that she cannot have her bubbles because they are hers. Emma asks Renee to hold her bubbles but she won’t let Renee release any from the gun.
Match Number Two: Aksana versus Emma in an NXT Women’s Title Tournament First Round Match
Emma dances around the ring but Aksana pulls her to the mat by her hair. Aksana chokes Emma in the ropes and then she hits a side slam and Aksana slinks around the ring and she kicks Emma in the head and gets a near fall. Aksana with more near falls. Aksana with an Irish whip but Emma makes it to the apron and she connects with a shoulder and rolls through for a near fall.
Aksana with a back elbow for a near fall. Aksana with a boot to the midsection followed by a leg drop to the midsection and then she gets a near fall. Aksana with more near falls but Emma rolls over and slams Aksana’s head into the mat.
Aksana with a clothesline and she applies a figure four head scissors and she rolls Emma over and drives her head into the mat and she gets a near fall. Aksana with a few chops to Emma in the corner but Aksana loses her focus and Emma with a shot to the back.
Emma escapes a slam attempt and Emma with the Muta Lock and Aksana taps out.
Winner: Emma (Advances to face Summer Rae in Semi Finals)
After the match, Emma brings some young fans into the ring to dance with her.
We go to commercial, but first a Leo Kruger video.
Match Number Three: Dante Dash versus Leo Kruger
Kruger takes his time getting out of the corner and they lock up. Dash with a clean break but Kruger with a knee to the midsection and he sends Dash into the corner followed by chops. Kruger with a rolling mare followed by knees to the shoulder while he has the arm in a hammer lock. Kruger with a wrist lock as he manipulates the fingers.
Dash with a punch but Kruger works on the shoulder and then he sends Dash shoulder first into the ring post. Kruger sends Dash shoulder first into the opposite ring post. Kruger with a hammer lock snap suplex and then Kruger with The Slice and then he applies the GC3 and Dash taps out.
Winner: Leo Kruger
We go to commercial.
We are back with an Ascension video featuring Conor O’Brian saying that they will rise again.
As Bo Dallas makes his way to the ring, we see Leo Kruger still squatting at ringside.
Match Number Four: Bo Dallas versus Mickie Keegan in a Non Title Match
They lock up and Keegan with a side head lock into a hammer lock. Bo with a fireman’s carry for a near fall. Dallas with an atomic drop followed by a reverse atomic drop. Dallas with a drop kick. Keegan with an elbow but Bo with a side head lock. Keegan with a belly-to-back suplex and he gets a near fall.
Bo with a running forearm or three followed by a punch to the midsection and a boot to the head. Dallas with a bulldog using the ropes for extra leverage. Bo with a hip toss slam for the three count.
Winner: Bo Dallas
After the match, Bo celebrates but Leo Kruger enters the ring and he gives Keegan a wrist clutch hammer lock suplex. Kruger then hits The Slice on Keegan.
Leo kicks Keegan out of the ring and we have a stare down between Kruger and Dallas. Kruger touches Bo’s title belt and he says something to Bo, probably in Afrikaans.
Kruger leaves the ring and Bo looks confused.
Match Number Five: Kassius Ohno and Corey Graves versus Scott Dawson and Garrett Dylan (with Sylvester Lefort) in a Number One Contenders Match
Dawson and Ohno start things off and they lock up. Dawson with a wrist lock but Ohno with a reversal and he takes Dawson to the mat and he drops a knee on the arm. Graves tags in and he connects with a double sledge to the arm and he continues to work on the wrist and arm. Ohno comes in when the referee deals with Dylan and he might not have made a tag. Ohno continues to work on the arm.
Graves tags back in and he kicks Dawson in the arm and he applies an arm bar. Dawson tries for an arm drag but Graves lands on his feet and he connects with an arm drag of his own. Graves follows with a Japanese arm drag. Graves returns to the arm bar.
Dawson with a punch to the midsection but Graves with a punch. Dawson tags in Dylan and he kicks Graves. Dylan with a forearm to the back. Dawson tags back in and he kicks Graves. Dylan tags in and he kicks Graves and we go to commercial after Dylan hits a neck breaker and gets a near fall.
We are back and Dawson continues to work over Graves and he connects with a leg drop. Dawson gets a near fall. Dylan tags back in and he kicks Graves in the ribs. Graves with punches but Dylan with a forearm and a reverse chin lock.
Dylan with a knee and Dawson is tagged back in. Dawson with a European uppercut for a near fall. Graves gets back to his feet and hits a jawbreaker. Ohno tags in and he connects with punches and forearms followed by a slam and a back senton followed by a baseball slide to the head and a suplex for a near fall.
Ohno with a cravate but Dawson is able to tag in Dylan. Dawson with a spinebuster and Dylan goes to the turnbuckles for the sit out double sledge but Graves breaks up the cover. Dylan punches Ohno in the head. Dawson tags back in and he punches Ohno. Dawson with an elbow drop and he gets a near fall. Dawson with a kick to the head followed by a short arm clothesline for a near fall.
Dylan tags back in and he kicks Ohno in the chest and he works on Kassius’ neck. Dylan continues to work on the neck and he punches Ohno. Ohno with punches and he tries to make the tag but Dylan stops Ohno from getting to his corner. Ohno with a punch to Dylan but Dylan with a knee to the midsection.
Ohno with punches and he tries for a sunset flip but Dylan stays on his feet. Ohno is inches from making the tag but Dylan grabs him. Ohno with a forearm and he tags in Graves. Graves with punches to Dylan and Dylan goes down. Graves with more punches and then he hits a leaping knee to the chest.
Graves with an Irish whip but he runs into a boot from Dylan but Graves is able to grab the leg and he puts it in the ropes. Graves with a figure four leg lock using only the ropes. Graves gets Dylan on his shoulders and then he hits a back breaker but Dawson breaks up the cover.
Ohno with a knee to take care of Dawson and they go to the floor. Graves dives for the knee and then he applies the 13th Step and Dylan taps out.
Winners: Corey Graves and Kassius Ohno
After the match, The Wyatt Family makes their way to the ring and they go after Ohno and Graves. Graves and Ohno are able to fight off the champions and Bray Wyatt for a moment bu the numbers are too great. Wyatt hits Graves from behind.
Adrian Neville makes his way to the ring and he takes care of the Wyatt Family but Dawson and Dylan stop Neville. William Regal leaves the announce table to go after the members of the Wyatt Family. Dylan and Dawson attack Regal and then the Wyatt Family go after Regal as well.
Regal tries to fight off all five men but they are too much for him. Wyatt wit a splash into the corner and then Wyatt kneels before Regal in the corner and he stares into Regal’s eyes.
Wyatt chokes Regal and he tells Regal that he is the king around here.
We go to credits.
2013 - WWE broadcast Main Event. Richard Trionfo filed the following TV report:
We are in Columbia, South Carolina and your announcers are Josh ‘We Wrestle on Wednesday’ Mathews and Miz.
Match Number One: Chris Jericho versus Cody Rhodes
They lock up and Jericho backs Rhodes into the corner but Cody escapes. They lock up again and Rhodes with a side head lock and shoulder tackle. Jericho with a drop kick and he clotheslines Cody over the top rope to the floor. Jericho with a baseball slide to Rhodes and then he goes to the floor and sends Cody into the ringside barrier. Jericho with a chop and he sends Cody back into the ring.
Jericho runs Cody into the corner and he connects with punches but the referee is out of position to miss a thumb to the eyes by Rhodes. Cody works on the face of Jericho and the referee holds Rhodes back to check on Jericho.
Jericho with chops but Cody with a kick and snap mare. Cody misses a Shining Wizard and Jericho with a rollup for a near fall. Jericho with chops but Cody with a kick and he sends Jericho shoulder first into the ring post as we go to commercial.
We are back and Rhodes with a reverse chin lock. Jericho sends Cody to the mat but Cody with a drop toe hold and Rhodes gets a near fall. Rhodes with punches to the head and Jericho continues to have trouble seeing. Rhodes with a gourdbuster for a near fall.
Rhodes with a forearm to Jericho followed by a kick. Jericho with chops followed by an Irish whip to the sternum. Jericho with a forearm to the back and then Cody goes up top for a moonsault and he connects but can only get a two count. Rhodes punches Jericho.
Cody with a cross face on Jericho but Jericho with a shoulder tackle or two. Cody sends Jericho over the top rope but Jericho goes up top and hits a double sledge. Jericho goes for the Walls of Jericho but Cody escapes. Cody hits Beautiful Disaster but Jericho kicks out at two.
Jericho with an elbow and then he goes up top and hits a cross body but only gets a two count. Jericho with chops. Cody with an Irish whip and Jericho tries to float over and Cody catches him and hits an Alabama Slam but only gets a two count. Cody with a punch but Jericho with a Northern Lights suplex for a near fall.
Jericho with a kick and he hits the bulldog. Jericho goes for the Lionsault but Cody moves and Jericho lands on his feet. Cody hits Cross Rhodes but Jericho kicks out at two. Jericho with a Codebreaker and both men are down.
Jericho takes too long to make the cover and Rhodes is able to get his foot on the ropes. Jericho gets another near fall. Rhodes with a punch and rollup for a near fall. Cody with a boot to the head and the referee warns him. Jericho with a double leg take down and Jericho tries to get Rhodes over for the Walls of Jericho and he succeeds and Cody taps out.
Winner: Chris Jericho
Now that it is out on DVD, we get to see the same The Call video package with Halle Berry that aired when the movie was released in theaters.
We are back and Antonio Cesaro and Zeb Colter come out. Zeb introduces himself and Antonio. It is fitting tonight that they are in a state whose school mascot is called a Gamecock. Someone asked him what a gamecock is and he did not know. He said that he looked on Google and it was a fighting chicken. It will help him make a point. The first thing a chicken does is it gets up at the crack of dawn and it tells everyone to wake up.
On Friday night, two things are scheduled. One is a Dublin Street Fight and the other is a Fiesta Del Rio. The last time he looked, they were living in the United States. You don’t hear English any more. He hears people speaking in different languages and he calls it gibberish. If you computer breaks down and you have to call customer service and you are calling India or Pakistan and it sounds like the Great Khali.
For all of the people guilty of what he talks about. If you don’t read, write, or understand English ‘Adios Amigos’. He translates and says that it means hit the road Jack.
Antonio is more ‘Real American’ than 95 percent of the people watching tonight.
Antonio says that he is everything that the people want to be. Instead of having a sense of entitlement waiting for a hand out, he has a sense of pride. He did not sneak across the border like a criminal or have a big company help him, he did it the right way. He knows what it is like to start at the bottom and work hard to get to the top, no matter who or what stands in your way. That is the American Way.
The freedom that everyone takes for granted, he embraces and it makes him the personification of the American Dream.
Zeb says that he wants his country back. With Antonio’s help, we will take it back.
We go to commercial.
Match Number Two: Christian versus Dean Ambrose in a Non Title Match
The bell rings and Ambrose goes to the floor and Christian follows. Ambrose attacks Christian when he returns to the ring. Ambrose with punches and then he runs his forearm across Christian’s face. Ambrose with an Irish whip but Christian with an elbow and then he tries for the Killswitch but Ambrose escapes.
Ambrose goes over the top when Christian ducks down. Christian follows to the floor and Ambrose with a clothesline. Ambrose returns Christian into the ring and he chokes Christian in the ropes. Ambrose with punches against the ropes and Ambrose hits a drop kick with Christian against the ropes and Ambrose gets a near fall. Ambrose works on the legs and then he stomps on the midsection.
Ambrose returns to the legs and he applies a chin lock with the legs trapped. Ambrose tries for a belly-to-back suplex but Christian lands on his feet and he punches Ambrose. Christian with a forearm and he goes to the turnbuckles and hits a sunset flip for a near fall. Ambrose with a knee to the midsection and Christian goes to the apron.
Ambrose misses a punch and Christian drops the back of Ambrose’s head on the top rope. Christian goes up top but Rollins comes out and attacks Christian. The referee calls for the bell.
Winner: Christian (by disqualification)
After the match, The Shield attack Christian and The Usos come to he ring and they take care of Rollins and Reigns.
We go to commercial.
We are back with the Raw Rebound.
We are reminded that Curtis Axel and CM Punk will face Darren Young and Titus O’Neil.
We go to commercial.
We are back and it is official that we will get a six man tag match with Christian and The Usos facing The Shield.
Match Number Three: Darren Young and Titus O’Neil versus Brodus Clay and Tensai (with Cameron, Naomi, and Jo Jo)
Clay and Young start things off and Young goes after Tensai on the apron. Young goes to the floor and Tensai with a clothesline on the floor and he sends Young back into the ring. Young argues with Tensai and Clay clotheslines him over the top rope.
Titus tags in and so does Tensai. Tensai barks to mock Titus and Titus with a side head lock and Tensai with a shoulder tackle. Titus with punches and kicks but Tensai with a shoulder tackle. Tensai with an Irish whip and Titus floats over and he kicks Tensai and then he punches Tensai. Young tags back in and he walks on Tensai’s chest and then Titus drops Young on Tensai with a gourdbuster and Young gets a near fall.
Titus tags back in and he sends Young into Tensai. Titus with a shoulder tackle and he shows Tensai how to bark. Titus has something to say to Clay while Tensai tries to get up. Titus with a splash into the corner. Titus misses a second splash and Tensai with a waist lock and he sends Titus over the top rope to the floor while Tensai struggles to get across the ring to make the tag.
Clay tags in and he clotheslines Titus a few times. Clay with a Sheeeplex to Titus followed by a splash into the corner. Clay with a power slam but Young breaks up the cover. Tensai sends Young to the floor but Clay misses a splash into the corner and Young sends Clay shoulder first into the ring post.
Titus with the cover and Young holds down the leg and Titus gets the three count.
Winners: Titus O’Neil and Darren Young
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