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January 2nd
On this day in history in ....
1958 - Herb Freeman and Henry Lenz defeat Kurt Von Himmler and Juan Oinada for the NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Title.
1959 - Fred Blassie defeats Ray Gunkel in Atlanta, Georgia to win the NWA Georgia Southern Heavyweight Title for the eighth time, ending Gunkel's third reign.
1965 - Sonny Myers defeats Tom Clark for the Central States version of the NWA United States Heavyweight Title in Waterloo, Iowa, beginning his second reign.
1970 - Dick Dunn defeats Rocket Monroe to win the NWA Alabama Heavyweight Title in Dothan, Alabama.
1971 - Ripper Collins defeats Johnny Barend for the NWA Hawaii Heavyweight Title in Honolulu, Hawaii. This ended Barend's second reign and began Collins' seventh.
1979 - Dick Slater defeats Jos LeDuc to win the NWA Florida Heavyweight Title in Tampa, Florida.
1979 - Randy Alls (Randy Rose) defeats Dick Murdoch to win the NWA Central States Heavyweight Title in St. Joseph, Missouri.
1980 - Ox Baker defeats Bruiser Brody for the World Class American Heavyweight Title in San Francisco, California, ending Brody's fourth reign and beginning Baker's second.
1981 - Mike Graham and Barry Windham defeat The Cowboy Connection (Bobby Jaggers and R.T. Tyler) to win the NWA Florida Tag Team Title in Orlando, Florida.
1982 - Jimmy Valiant defeats Ivan Koloff for the NWA Television Title in Hampton, Virginia, ending Koloff's second reign.
1983 - Jacques Rougeau defeats Sabu the Wildman (Coco Samoa) to win the NWA Mid-America Heavyweight Title in Memphis, Tennessee, beginning Rougeau's second reign.
1987 - The MOD Squad (Basher and Spike) defeat Todd Champion and Dave Peterson for the NWA Central States Tag Team Title in Kansas City, Kansas.
1988 - The WWF's 14th "Saturday Night's Main Event" show, which was taped on December 7 in Landover, Maryland at Capital Centre, airs on NBC. The results:
- WWF Tag Team Champions Strike Force (Rick Martel and Tito Santana) defeats The Bolsheviks (Nikolai Volkoff and Boris Zhukov) in a Two out of Three Falls match in two straight falls to retain the titles. Martel made Zhukov submit with the Boston Crab to win the first fall, and Santana pinned Zhukov to win the second.
- Jake Roberts pinned Sika with a roll-up.
- WWF World Champion Hulk Hogan pinned King Kong Bundy with the legdrop.
- Greg Valentine defeated Koko B. Ware by submission with the figure-four leglock.
1988 - I-Ton and Dory Singh defeat Atomic Kid and The Frog for the Universal Wrestling Alliance Tag Team Title in Cloverdale, British Columbia.
1990 - Arn Anderson defeats The Great Muta in Gainesville, Georgia to win the NWA World Television Title. This match aired on the January 13th edition of "Power Hour" and began Anderson's second reign.
1991 - Danny Davis defeats Joseph Magliano (Joey Maggs) for the USWA Junior Heavyweight Title in Memphis, Tennessee, beginning his second reign.
1996 - The Equalizer and George South end The Italian Stallion and Star Ryder's second reign as Pro Wrestling Federation Tag Team Champions in Mooresville, North Carolina.
1997 - Brian Christopher wins his 23rd USWA Heavyweight Title in Memphis, Tennessee, defeating Wolfie D.
1997 - Caveman Broda and Steve Stryker defeat Todd Bullet and Wildman Firpo to win the Canadian Wrestling Federation Tag Team Title.
1998 - Yoshihiro Tajiri and Ryuji Yamakawa win their second BJW Tag Team Title, defeating Gedo and Jado in Tokyo, Japan.
1999 - Samu defeats Sean Evans to win the Pro Wrestling eXpress Heavyweight Title in North Versailles, Pennsylvania, ending and beginning each's second reign.
1999 - Baldo (Matt Bloom) defeats Lance Jade for the Power Pro Wrestling Young Guns Title in Memphis, Tennessee.
2000 - Tomoaki Honma defeats Ryuji Yamakawa to win the BJW Deathmatch Heavyweight Title in Tokyo, Japan, ending Yamakawa's second reign.
2000 - Yasushi Kanda and Susumu Mochizuki defeat Black Dragon and Fantasy in a tournament final to become the first IWRG Intercontinental Tag Team Champions in Naucalpan, Mexico.
2002 - Bison and Rapture defeat Axl Law and Scott Venom to win the NWA PWX Tag Team Title in McKeesport, Pennsylvania.
2003 - WWE holds an event at the Tingley Coliseum in Albuquerque, New Mexico, taping the January 4th Velocity. SmackDown! aired live on UPN, featuring the wedding of Al Wilson and Dawn Marie. The results:
Velocity:
- Jamie Noble and Nunzio defeated Jim Lucas and Jeff Michaels, when Noble made Michaels submit with the Trailer Hitch.
- A-Train pinned Derek Selsvold after a backbreaker.
- Funaki pinned Charles Schipporeit after a tornado DDT.
- WWE Tag Team Champion Chavo Guerrero pinned Tajiri with his feet on the ropes.
SmackDown!:
- John Cena pinned Rikishi with a roll-up.
- Bill DeMott pinned Chuck Palumbo after a reverse neckbreaker.
- WWE Cruiserweight Champion Billy Kidman pinned WWE Tag Team Champion Eddie Guerrero with the Shooting Star Press after John Cena ran in and hit Eddie with his chain.
- Chris Benoit and Edge defeated Team Angle (Shelton Benjamin and Charlie Haas) by disqualification after Angle hit Benoit with his WWE Title belt.
- Nunzio pinned Crash Holly after a flying armbar DDT.
- Brock Lesnar pinned Matt Hardy after the F5.
2003 - Kaori Yoneyama defeats Princesa Sandy for the vacant BJW Women's Title in Tokyo, Japan.
2004 - Great Kosuke (Satoshi Kojima) and Shiryu (Kaz Hayashi) defeat Mr. Gannosuke and Tetsuhiro Kuroda to win the AJPW All Asia Tag Team Title in Tokyo, Japan.
2004 - Red Devil defeats Andy Simmonz in a tournament final for the vacant Italian Championship Wrestling Italian Heavyweight Title in Barzio, Italy. The title was vacated because previous champion Manuel Majoli had been injured.
2004 - Shockwave defeats Kid Krush to win the World of Hurt Wrestling Fusion Cruiserweight and Dynamite Titles in Hudson Falls, New York.
2004 - Craziness defeats Dynamite Dan for the United States Wrestling Organization Television Title in Madison, Tennessee.
2007 - Brian Jennings defeats Jon Moxley to win the Heartland Wrestling Association Heavyweight Title in Cincinnati, Ohio.
2008 - The Associated Press reported the following this evening:
Father of late wrestler says verbal agreement over estate reached
ATLANTA --A verbal agreement has been reached in the fight over the estate of pro wrestler Chris Benoit, who killed his wife, 7-year-old son and then himself in June, Benoit's father said Wednesday.
"In principle, it's there. It just needs to be documented," Michael Benoit said in a telephone interview from Alberta, Canada.
Benoit said the agreement calls for the proceeds from the estate to "pretty much" be evenly split between his son's two children from a previous marriage - a 15-year-old boy and a 10-year-old girl - and the family of his slain wife Nancy. Michael Benoit, who has been acting on the children's behalf, declined to provide the exact terms.
Benoit said attorneys fees and expenses of roughly $500,000 to $600,000 will reduce the ultimate value of the estate, which consists of two homes, several bank and investment accounts and other assets. One estimate of the estate has put its value at $1.5 million to $3 million.
"There's lots of things that need to take place, properties that have to be disposed of, tax returns that have to be filed, a whole number of things over the next three to five months," Benoit said.
Cary Ichter, Michael Benoit's attorney, and Richard Decker, an attorney for Nancy Benoit's mother, did not return several phone calls Wednesday seeking comment.
Lawyers for Nancy Benoit's mother, Maureen Toffoloni, filed a petition in August asking a court to determine the order of the deaths, which they argued could affect whether she was entitled to any of the estate.
Investigators have repeatedly said that Chris Benoit killed his wife, then their son and himself during the weekend of June 22, 2007, at their suburban Atlanta home.
District Attorney Scott Ballard has said the wrestler used a cord to strangle his wife, then killed his son with a choke hold, then placed Bibles next to the bodies and hanged himself on a piece of exercise equipment.
Under that scenario, the estate would pass to Benoit's surviving two children, according to Ichter.
But if the boy was killed first and then the wife, under Georgia law at least some of the estate would pass to Toffoloni, lawyers in the case have said.
That's because of a forfeiture statute that takes into account the fact that Benoit was the killer. As such, the law for purposes of estate distribution would consider Benoit to have died before his wife and son.
Ichter has said that if the boy was killed first, the estate would pass to the wife and, since she was killed, it would then pass to her family.
An attorney for Toffoloni, of Daytona Beach, Fla., has said he doesn't believe the order of deaths is clear, and that is why he asked the Fayette County court to make a determination based on the law.
Michael Benoit said Wednesday he always believed the Toffoloni family should get some of the estate.
"It's beyond me why we needed to spend $600,000 to get here," he said.
Investigators have not given a motive for the killings, but the question of whether steroids played a role has lingered. Anabolic steroids were found in Benoit's home, and tests showed Benoit had roughly 10 times the normal level of testosterone in his system when he died.
Some experts believe that use of testosterone can contribute to paranoia, depression and violent outbursts known as "roid rage."
Benoit's father believes years of head trauma his son suffered while in the ring contributed to the killings.
"It goes far beyond the steroid issue," Michael Benoit said Wednesday.
2009 - In news that could only be described as a complete embarrassment to the professional wrestling world, United States Senator Henry Waxman filed a letter to the Office of National Drug Control Policy's Director, John P. Walters, providing the results of the Congressional Oversight Committee’s investigation into the steroid use within the professional wrestling industry.
In the letter, Waxman noted that he is leaving the Committee to become the chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, requesting that ONDCP examine the widespread steroid abuse within the business and the industry's policing methods and "take appropriate steps to address this problem." That did not happen.
At the time, Waxman's letter noted, among other points:
*Chris Benoit tested positive three times for steroids by World Wrestling Entertainment prior to his June 2006 murder/suicide of his family, but was never penalized by the promotion beyond "only a warning."
*40% of WWE talents tested positive for steroids and other drugs despite being aware they would be tested when the company instituted their "Wellness Policy."
*25% of TNA's talent roster tested positive for steroids during the promotion's first baseline test while 11 talents tested positives for other substances. Waxman went on to note that while the company has instituted a policy, there are "significant weaknesses" within the TNA program.
*Waxman was also critical of WWE making changes to their Wellness Policy several months after instituting it to allow wrestlers to continue to perform (without pay) on TV and PPV events in order to maintain storyline consistency after they were nailed with suspensions. In an interview with Aegis Science's Dr. Black (who oversees the WWE Wellness program), Black noted that change was instituted, "because it was becoming difficult to deal with the talent who were being suspended". Black also noted he was "unaccustomed to programs that suspend and you're not suspended."
*WWE hired five of eight wrestlers who tested positive for steroids and other drugs during pre-hiring tests, despite their positives. It should be noted that according to material given to the Committee by WWE, those talents were only hired after later receiving negative tests at a later period.
*Waxman noted that WWE was allowing "therapeutic usage" of steroids from talents who were using a "testosterone replacement therapy" to combat issues brought on by previous steroid use in their past.
*Despite being a performer within his own company, Waxman noted WWE's Vince McMahon is not subject to the WWE's Wellness Policy testing procedures. Waxman noted McMahon would not comment on his own steroid use and claimed not to know of the damages brought on by long-term steroid use, claiming he was "not a doctor."
Waxman's letter included transcripts of interviews with World Wrestling Entertainment's Vince McMahon, Linda McMahon, and Stephanie McMahon-Levesque, Aegis Science's Dr. David Black, TNA President Dixie Carter, Dr. Tracy Ray (who works with Black on the WWE Wellness program) and Dr. Frederick Feurerbach (who works on the WWE Wellness program's cardiovascular testing). The letter included details on WWE and TNA's drug testing policies.
Amazingly (or perhaps not so amazingly), the investigation went nowhere.
2009 - WWE broadcast Smackdown. Richard Trionfo filed the following TV report:
It is a new year for the WWE and we move closer to the Royal Rumble. We should find out who Jeff Hardy will defend his title against. We should also find out who is in the 30 Man Duck and Boost Invitational. Will Edge and Big Show be able to work together tonight or will there be trouble in paradise?
We are live on tape from East Rutherford, New Jersey and your announcers are Tazz and Jim ‘Hoffa’ Ross.
Vickie Guerrero comes to the ring and she wishes everyone a Happy New Year. She says that 2008 was really great and 2009 will be really fine. Vickie mentions the Royal Rumble and she says that Jeff Hardy will defend his title against Mr. Vickie Guerrero. She also mentions the Royal Rumble match. The Smackdown superstars in the match will be announced later on the show.
Triple H comes out and he has something to drink and to say. Hunter wishes Vickie a happy new year. Hunter says that it is time for the Royal Rumble again. He says that he cannot wait to hear Vickie say his name, but Vickie tells Hunter that he has to wait. Hunter points out that he is impatient and so are the fans. He suggests that the fans could get unruly and follow her around. Hunter has the fans chant “Triple H” and then he gets them to say ‘Suck it’. Hunter is told that if he misbehaves, he will not be in the Rumble match. Hunter says that if he is not in the Rumble, someone from Smackdown will not win and then Vickie will get embarrassed and fired and fall into obscurity. Hunter brings out the Vickie Guerrero action figure. Hunter says that it has the same vacant look on its face and then Hunter comments on Vickie’s physical appearance. Vickie tells Hunter that he is in the match and then he is told to leave the ring. Hunter says that he has one other thing to deal with. Hunter says that he was playing with the action figure and he comments on the size of the action figure. Hunter says that the action figure is hot and he found some nude photos of Vickie on eBay. Vickie says that she does not know about them. Hunter tells Vickie that the auction is about to end in a few minutes and he mentions that he is outbid by someone using the name ChavoG2009.
We go to commercial.
We are back and Umaga will be back soon.
Match Number One: Curt Hawkins and Zack Ryder versus Great Khali and Finlay with Hornswoggle and Runjin Singh
Khali and Hawkins start things off and Hawkins with a forearm to Khali’s chest but Khali blocks a kick and then he brings Ryder into the ring. Khali with a double noggin knocker and then while Finlay was distracting the ref, Hornswoggle with a double noggin knocker. Finlay tags in and he connects with a European uppercut and boots to the hand. Finlay with a slam and a seated splash for a near fall. Finlay with another European uppercut followed by a short arm clothesline. Finlay goes outside and Hawkins tries for a baseball slide but Finlay pulls out the ring apron. Ryder tries to attack Finlay but Finlay with a clothesline. Hawkins with a baseball slide that connects.
They return to the ring and Ryder tags in. Ryder with a snap mare and rear chin lock with his knee in Finlay’s back. Finlay with a knee to Ryder but Ryder sends Finlay into the turnbuckles. Finlay and Ryder bang heads and Ryder goes down and Finlay is staggered. Khali tags in and he chops Ryder. Khali with an elbow to Hawkins and then he sends Hawkins into Ryder and he chops Hawkins. Khali with the vertical choke slam on Ryder for the three count.
Winner: Great Khali and Finlay
After the match, Finlay gives Hawkins the Celtic Cross and Hornswoggle with a frog splash. Then it is time to see some dancing.
We go to commercial.
We are back and Eve is in the interview area with Michelle McCool. Eve asks Michelle about what happened last week and we have footage from the match and the post match activities when Michelle attacked a defenseless referee. Eve asks Michelle if her and Maria are still friends. Michelle says that Maria cost her the title and she got what she deserved. Eve suggests that Michelle apologize to Maria and Michelle tells Eve to mind her own business.
We are in the office and Edge is angry that there are naked pictures of his wife on eBay. Show says that he saw those pictures. Edge reminds Show that it is wife. Show reminds Edge that it is the wife that he hides behind and fights his fights. Show tells Edge that he should be embarrassed. Edge talks about being embarrassed by being knocked out by a flyweight. He tells Show to knock out Jeff Hardy and then try to win the Royal Rumble match.
Match Number Two: Jesse and Festus versus The Brian Kendrick and Ezekiel Jackson
The bell rings and Festus starts punching people. Festus with a flying shoulder tackle to Jackson and then he sends Kendrick into the corner and connects with a Kane-like uppercut. Festus with a slam and then Jesse is tagged in. Festus slams Jesse onto Kendrick for a near fall. Jesse with a snap mare and he applies an arm bar with a cross face. Jesse with a near fall after a knee to the midsection. Festus tags in and Jesse Irish whips Kendrick into an uppercut. Festus with a seated splash on Kendrick. Kendrick gets his knees up. Festus catches Kendrick, but he wrenches his knee. Kendrick tags in Ezekiel and he clips Festus and kicks him in the hamstring. Kendrick tags back in and he goes up top and connects with a boot to the leg. Kendrick with more kicks to the knee. Festus tosses Kendrick away to tag in Jesse. Jesse with a series of running thrusts to Kendrick followed by a reverse atomic drop and running forearm. Jesse with an Irish whip and running clotheslines. Jesse with clotheslines in the corner and hits a snap fisherman’s suplex but Ezekiel breaks up the cover. Festus reinjures his leg. Jesse hits a belly-to-back suplex but Ezekiel tagged in and hits the uranage for the three count.
Winners: The Brian Kendrick and Ezekiel Jackson
We go to commercial.
Match Number Three: Vladimir Kozlov versus Hurricane Helms
Helms with a kick to Kozlov’s leg but Kozlov blocks the next attempt. Kozlov with a hip lock take down into a key lock. Kozlov with knees and then he sends Helms into the corner but Kozlov charges into an elbow. Kozlov with head butts to Helms and then he sends Helms into the turnbuckles. Kozlov with shoulders in the corner. Kozlov throws Helms across the ring and he returns to the key lock. Helms with knees but Kozlov with knees and a forearm. Kozlov puts Helms on his shoulders and then he puts Helms on the turnbuckles and kicks Helms in the chest. Kozlov with a fallaway slam. Helms with a series of kicks to Kozlov and he gets Kozlov to his knees. Helms charges at Kozlov but Kozlov with a head butt followed by a spinebuster for the three count.
Winner: Vladimir Kozlov
We go to commercial.
We are back and it is time to find out who is in the Royal Rumble. Jim Ross is in the ring to make the announcement. Jim Ross tells us that the man who is not ducked and boosted over the top rope will win the match and go to the main event of Wrestlemania and point to the sign. Triple H, Big Show, Vladimir Kozlov, and Shelton Benjamin are announced.
Shelton Benjamin comes out and he wants to interject. He wants to know what is wrong with Jim Ross. He is not to be introduced as a participant, he should be announced as the odds-on favorite to win the Royal Rumble. Shelton tells Jim that he should take his leave from the ring. Shelton says that he has been the United States Champion for six months and he will leave Wrestlemania as the World Champion. He is the Gold Standard for a reason. Nobody in the Royal Rumble can compare to him. He does not care if it is Randy Orton, Chris Jericho, Fit Finlay, or R-Truth because there is no one who compares.
There is a voice from the TitanTron and the Undertaker’s bell rings and he is in the ring after the lights go out and back on. Taker with a choke slam and then he poses. I guess Taker is in the Rumble match. We go to commercial.
We are back and Kizarny is tizalking and he will be there tonight.
Michelle McCool comes to the ring and she says that a friend of hers brought something to her attention and she was right. Michelle says that she owes Maria an apology and it is because of what Michelle did. Michelle tells Maria to accept her apology. Michelle says that there is someone else that she needs to apologize to. She asks Eve to come out. Michelle says that she feels horrible for taking it out on Eve earlier because it is not cool. Eve accepts Michelle’s apology and they hug. Eve leaves the ring and then when Eve talks to some fans at ringside, the Sting transformation is complete as Michelle attacks Eve. Michelle sends Eve into the ring post and then she goes to the back while the referees check on Eve.
Vickie is in the office with Chavo and she likes his idea. Vickie cannot believe the pictures are out there. Chavo says that he has not seen them. Hunter enters the office. Vickie tells Hunter that she demands an apology. Hunter says that Vickie should be apologizing for having nude photos on the internet. Vickie says that Hunter will be in three matches next week, a Tables Match, a Handicap Match, and a Last Man Standing Match. Chavo calls it Triple Jeopardy and Vickie likes it. We go to commercial.
We are back and Montel Vontavious Porter is in the ring. He says to bring out who he has to wrestle so he can get it over with.
Match Number Fizour: Montel Vontavious Porter versus Kizarny
The bell rings and Kizarny goes for the leg. Kizarny with a back slide for a near fall. He follows that with Japanese arm drags and a slam and a leg drop. Kizarny with a baseball slide that sends Porter to the floor and then Kizarny with a suicide dive. They return to the ring and Kizarny with a near fall. Kizarny with a cross body from the second rope for a near fall. Porter with a shoulder to the ribs and then he rolls Kizarny under the bottom rope to the floor. Porter hot shots Kizarny on the ringside barrier and then he gets a near fall. Porter with punches to Kizarny and then he hits an elbow drop. Porter with a waist lock on Kizarny. Porter with a low kick and then he connects with knees to the midsection. Porter tosses Kizarny into the mat and he connects with a knee drop for a near fall. Kizarny punches Porter but Porter with an overhead belly-to-belly throw. Kizarny with a jawbreaker and a drop kick to the knee. Kizarny with a drop kick and then he slams Porter’s head into the turnbuckles. Porter with a facebuster and then he sets for the Playmaker but Kizarny counters and hits a double underhook DDT for the three count.
Winner: Kizarny
After the match, Ken Kennedy comes out and he reminds Porter that he got whooped. It is time for a plug for Behind Enemy Lines: Colombia.
We go to commercial.
We are back and Jim Ross and Tazz talk about next week’s Triple Jeopardy match. We also see the tag titles get defended next week as The Brian Kendrick and Ezekiel Jackson face Carlito and Primo.
Before our main event, Edge has something to say. He says naked pictures or not, you will respect his wife. He says that you will also respect him because he will be the WWE Champion for a seventh time after the Royal Rumble. Instead of respecting him, everyone will blame him because everything is his fault. He says that people thought he was taking advantage of a poor defenseless woman, but he is still in love with Vickie. Then they blamed him for taking out Jeff Hardy the night before the Survivor Series. That is despite the fact that Jeff is a screw up. When the embarrassing, juvenile, and irrational period known as the Jeff Hardy era as champion comes to an end, then blame him.
Match Number Five: Edge and Big Show versus Matt and Jeff Hardy
Matt and Edge start things off and they lock up and Matt with an arm drag. They lock up again and Edge backs Matt into the corner. Edge misses a punch and Matt with another arm drag. They lock up one more time and Matt with an arm bar into a hammer lock. Edge with a side head lock but Matt with a belly-to-back suplex and Jeff is tagged in. The Hardys double team Edge and then they hit a double drop kick to knock Show off the apron. Edge is sent over the top rope and he is caught by Show. We go to commercial.
We are back and Edge punches Jeff and chokes him in the ropes. We see footage during the break of Big Show attacking Jeff from the apron. Jeff with Whisper in the Wind for a near fall. Matt tags in and slams Edge. Matt goes up top for the moonsault but Edge moves. Show tags in and he chops Matt in the corner followed by a head butt. Show with a suplex to Matt and he gets a near fall. Show sends Matt into the corner to tag in Edge. Edge punches Matt but Matt punches back. Edge puts Matt in the ropes and he hits a splash into Matt’s back. Edge with an arm bar. Edge with a knee to the midsection and Show is tagged back in. Show works on Matt’s arm and then he chops Matt as he keeps Matt away from his brother. Show with chops and punches in the corner followed by a head butt before Edge takes over and gets the near fall. Edge with a front face lock as he keeps Matt from making the tag. Edge with a sunset flip and Matt almost makes the tag. Edge with a clothesline to Matt and he returns to the arm bar. Matt punches Edge but Edge with a big boot to Matt.
Show leaves the ring and Edge wonders what is going on. Matt punches Edge but Edge with a knee. Matt tries for the Twist of Fate but Edge counters with a breakdown for a near fall. Edge sets for the Spear but he charges into a boot and Matt with a Side Effect and both men are down. Jeff tags in and he punches Edge and hits a running forearm and reverse atomic drop and double leg drop and drop kick for a near fall. Matt is tagged in and the Hardys hit Poetry in Motion and then Matt with a bulldog. Matt hits the Twist of Fate and Jeff is tagged in for the Swanton and the three count.
Winners: Matt and Jeff Hardy
2010 - SpikeTV announced plans to broadcast the reality series "Half Pint Brawlers", focusing on hardcore midget wrestling. The series ran for one season.
2011 - It was announced that former WCW World champion (we know, we know) David Arquette checked into alcohol rehab on New Years Eve.
2012 - WWE broadcast Raw. Richard Trionfo filed the following TV report:
We begin with a video package of Kane with his promo from last week mixed in.
We are live from Memphis, Tennessee and your announcers are Michael ‘I hope the return is Downtown Bruno’ Cole and Jerry ‘I hope the return is Lord Humongous’ Lawler.
The show starts off with the 2012 debut of John Cena and he makes his way to the ring. We also get the 2012 debut of the Twitter Ticker.
John says that 2011 might not have ended the way he wanted, but it is a new day and a new year. John wishes everyone a Happy New Year. Cena says that it is a time for celebration and resolutions. John says that he will make some changes in 2012. The first resolution is that he will wear less underwear and when he does, it will be unusual. The second resolution is that his father is now banned from WWE. The final resolution will take place at Wrestlemania. After he slaps the face off Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson’s neck and win the biggest match in the history of the WWE, he will prove to Dwayne that he has lost his ladyparts.
There is one thing that will not change in 2012. It is the same thing that has not changed in the ten years that he has been in the WWE. He will remain the same person. Hustle, loyalty, and respect do not fall to pieces because someone throws fire in your face. A man’s character is not judged by how much he is loved, but how he is willing to get up when his back is against the wall.
Cena says that he was emotional last week, but it was not against anyone in the crowd. Everyone has paid their hard earned money and he is not going to prevent anyone from saying what they want to say.
Cena says that his disappointment was in Kane. He was an iconic WWE Superstar and he cannot settle things the way they are done in the WWE. Kane is upset with the way that Cena does things or what he wears. He does not want to settle it in the ring. Kane wants Cena to turn his back on what he loves the most. Cena says no and not tonight, not any night.
Cena says that there is no better feeling than being in the ring in front of everyone. Cena says that he will continue to enjoy any emotion response that he gets. He will start off this year, the way that it should be started and that is to thank everyone.
Before Cena can finish thanking people, Kane’s music plays and he says that Cena can hold off the inevitable all he wants but he will embrace the hate and enjoy the power of hate tonight.
We go to commercial.
Match Number One: Daniel Bryan versus Cody Rhodes
They lock up and Rhodes with a knee and punches to Bryan. Bryan with kicks to the arm in the corner. Bryan with an Irish whip but he runs into a boot from Cody. Cody wrings the arm and then he stomps on the shoulder. Rhodes sends Bryan shoulder first into the turnbuckles and gets a near fall. Rhodes with a knee to Bryan’s midsection followed by a shot to the arm.
Rhodes with a snap mare and then he has Bryan in an arm submission. Rhodes with a hammer lock and he punches Bryan. Bryan with an elbow and punches followed by a flying clothesline. Bryan with a kick to the chest but Rhodes with the drop down uppercut. Bryan sends Rhodes to the floor and Bryan goes to the apron and he hits a running knee off the apron.
Bryan sends Rhodes back into the ring and Bryan goes up top for a missile drop kick but Rhodes moves out of the way. Bryan is sent into the turnbuckles and then Rhodes hits Beautiful Disaster for a near fall. Rhodes with a gourdbuster and then he tries for a second one but Bryan with an inside cradle to counter for the three count.
Winner: Daniel Bryan
After the match, Bryan celebrates on the announce table and then on the ringside barrier around the ring.
We go to footage from last week when R Truth returned to Raw to get some revenge on The Miz.
John Laurinaitis is texting like it was 2011 and Miz enters. Miz wants to know what John is going to do about what Truth did last week. John says that what Truth did last week was unprofessional. Miz wants to know why John isn’t going to do anything about it.
John reminds Miz why Truth acted the way he did. We go back to the night that the Awesome Conspiracy was debunked.
Miz doesn’t know why Truth would want to attack him. John says that he will have people watching for R Truth, especially during Miz’s match. Miz wants to know about the match and John says that he will be facing Sheamus. Miz says that he will be a sitting duck and John says that it is better than being a lame duck.
Miz storms into the hallway and we see R Truth in the foreground flapping and quacking like a duck.
We go to commercial.
We are back with footage from the first Royal Rumble in 1988 which was won by Jim Duggan when he eliminated his UWF foe the One Man Gang.
We see highlights of the Falls Count Anywhere Match from last week’s Smackdown including the footage from the brawl in the elevator. Then we see Randy Orton playing the part of Zack Gowan to Wade Barrett’s Brock Lesnar.
Wade has a smile on his face and he says that he did not want to wish anyone a Happy New Year because he does not care about our new year just like he didn’t care about their old year. Barrett says that it has been a great 2012 because it is a 2012 devoid of Randy Orton. Barrett never planned on throwing Orton down a set of stairs on Smackdown, but it was either him or me.
Barrett says that Orton is another victim of the Barrett Barrage. That is the past and now he is looking to the future and winning the Royal Rumble and main eventing Wrestlemania. After what he did to Randy Orton, there isn’t a person on the planet . . .
Santino Marella interrupts and makes his way to the ring.
Santino wants to know who lasted longer in the Royal Rumble last year, him or Santino. Santino says that the Barrett Garage will get runned over by the Santino Marella choo choo trains.
Match Number Two: Wade Barrett versus Santino Marella
Barrett with jabs to Marella but Santino with a punch. Santino does the split but Barrett does not go through and Barrett with a kick to the head followed by a punch. Barrett punches Santino but he misses a charge into the corner.
Santino sets up the Cobra but Barrett with a back heel kick and then he sends Santino shoulder first into the post. Barrett with the Winds of Change for the three count.
Winner: Wade Barrett
Miz is standing behind the Bellas because he figures they can distract Truth if she sees them. Miz asks if they saw R Truth but they have not.
Miz looks around the corner and walks away but we see R Truth emerge as we go to commercial.
We are back and Miz looks over his shoulder as he makes his way to the ring.
Match Number Three: Sheamus versus Miz
Miz attacks Sheamus before the bell rings and he hits a DDT. Miz ties up Sheamus in the ropes like he was Andre the Giant. Sheamus with a punch and kick to stop Miz. Sheamus with forearms across the chest with Miz on the apron. Miz falls to the floor.
Miz goes into the crowd and Sheamus does not follow.
R Truth gets on the mic and he tells Miz ‘surprise surprise surprise’. Truth says that he was watching from the crowd and he ran into Little Jimmy. Truth asks Jimmy a question and Truth says that Jimmy don’t like Miz. Truth says that Little Jimmy says that Miz needs to get got.
Miz returns to the ringside area and Sheamus with a Brogue Kick to Miz and Miz is down.
Truth comes into the ringside area as well and he stands over Miz. Truth gets a water bottle and he hits Miz in the head with the bottle.
Truth goes back through the crowd. Truth says that this weekly Miz beat down is brought to you by Little Jimmy . . . where you will get got.
We go to commercial.
We are back and it is almost time for the WWE Championship Match. We see highlights from last week when Dolph Ziggler defeated CM Punk despite some smoke and mirrors thanks to John Laurinaitis.
Dolph Ziggler is in the interview area and he is doing a headstand. Josh asks Dolph if he will be able to defeat CM Punk tonight. Dolph points out that he beat CM Punk last week and he is all about proving it. Dolph talks about how Tennessee is the reason why things are so bad in the United States. Ziggler calls himself a surplus of talent. He has everything except the WWE Championship. He tells everyone that they will want to note the time that Dolph Ziggler became WWE Champion.
Zack Ryder is with Eve Torres and he asks Eve if she wants to watch their tag match from last week.
Jack Swagger says that there is an impostor walking around with the United States Chamiponship.
Zack says that just because their names end with ‘er’ he won’t send Swagger to the ‘ER’.
Jack and Zack argue about having match right now, but General Manager Buzzkill says that he won’t reward Swagger with a title match. Jack Swagger will join forces with Mark Henry and Kane and they will face Zack Ryder, Big Show, and John Cena.
CM Punk walks in the back as we go to commercial.
Match Number Three: CM Punk versus Dolph Ziggler with Vickie Guerrero for the WWE Championship
They lock up and he backs Punk into the ropes but Punk with a rollup for a near fall. Punk gets another near fall. Punk with a full nelson into a waist lock. Ziggler goes for the ankle and he takes Punk down and Ziggler with a front face lock and rolls through but Punk escapes.
They lock up again and Punk with punches followed by a back breaker for a near fall. Punk with a cravate but Ziggler backs Punk into the corner and he punches Punk. Ziggler with a punch to Punk and he gets a near fall. Ziggler misses the leaping elbow drop when Punk moves out of the way. Punk with a slam followed by a snap leg drop. Punk with four more snap leg drops for a near fall.
Punk with a reverse chin lock that slips into a sleeper as he works on Ziggler’s neck. Punk with a shoulder tackle but Ziggler with a hot shot but Punk barely hits the ropes completely. Ziggler with kicks and a neck breaker for a near fall. Ziggler with the leaping elbow drop for a near fall.
Ziggler with a reverse chin lock. Punk with punches and a back heel kick that sends Ziggler to the floor. Punk with a suicide dive attempt but Ziggler with a punch to stop Punk followed by a neck breaker onto the apron. Ziggler picks up Punk and rolls him back into the ring and gets a near fall.
We go to commercial.
We are back and Ziggler and Punk exchange punches with Punk getting the advantage until he misses a clothesline attempt. Ziggler tries for the sleeper but Punk counters with a belly-to-back suplex and he gets a near fall. Punk with a leg lariat and Ziggler struggles to get to the corner.
Punk goes for the running knee into the corner but Ziggler with an uppercut. Ziggler charges at Punk and Punk with a power slam for a near fall. Punk tries for a suplex but Ziggler counters and gets a rollup for a near fall. Punk rolls through but Ziggler was in the ropes. Ziggler with a Fameasser for a near fall.
Ziggler with a splash into the corner and then he hits a reverse Exploder suplex for a near fall. Ziggler climbs on Punk’s back but Punk pushes him off. The turnbuckle pad gets removed. Punk with the running knee into the corner followed by the bulldog but he can only get a near fall.
Punk signals for the Go To Sleep but John Laurinaitis comes to the ring and he shows the referee the turnbuckle pad. The referee does not see Punk apply the Anaconda Vice and Ziggler tap because Laurinaitis was distracting the referee.
Ziggler tries for the Zig Zag but Punk moves and Laurinaitis and Ziggler collide. Punk gets Ziggler up for the Go To Sleep but Ziggler with elbows and Punk gets sent over the top rope to the floor when Laurinaitis pulls down the ropes.
Punk cannot get to the ring before the ten count.
Winner: Dolph Ziggler by count out
Ziggler takes the title belt and celebrates but apparently a college education does not mean that you can understand WWE’s rules that you cannot win the title on a count out.
We go to commercial . . . or are we because ‘He is Here’.
We are going to commercial.
We are back with highlights from 1995’s Royal Rumble when Shawn Michaels won.
Match Number Four: The Bellas versus Kelly Kelly and Eve Torres
Brie and Kelly start things off and Brie spanks Kelly but Kelly with a slap and spank. Kelly sends Brie into the turnbuckles and then Kelly with the Stinkface to Brie. Kelly tries for the bulldog but Brie gets away. Nikki tags in and they send Kelly to the mat. Nikki gets a near fall. Kelly with a jawbreaker and Eve is tagged in.
Eve with a clothesline and a single foot drop kick. Eve with a kick and a bicycle kick followed by a clothesline. Eve with the rumpshaker moonsault set up but she takes care of Brie on the apron. Eve with an elbow and a kick to Nikki. Eve goes up top for a moonsault and hits it and Brie breaks up the cover.
Brie rolls Nikki out of the ring because of Kelly’s exuberance. Brie with an inside cradle type maneuver for the three count.
Winners: The Bellas
John Laurinaitis is with David Otunga and CM Punk enters the office. He says that John almost cost him the title this week. Punk says that he will not be disrespectful.
John says that the problem Punk has is with Ziggler. John says that since Ziggler has won twice, he is going to get a title match at the Royal Rumble. John says that he is going to have a special referee.
Punk tells John that if he screws him out of the title at the Royal Rumble, John will need his lawyer to deal with animal cruelty charges because he will beat John like a bitch.
We go to commercial.
We are back and it is finally time to see who the videos that have run the last few weeks are all about.
The cameras are shaking to make it look like something is going to be destroyed. The lights go out and when they come back on . . .
A man in a sparkly jacket posing like Chris Jericho is on the stage and then Jericho’s music plays and it is Chris Jericho.
Jericho does a victory lap around the ring.
Jericho then tries to get the crowd to continue cheering for him once it dies down.
Jericho finally catches his breath and he drops the mic and he does another lap around the ring. If he is trying to be a heel, mission accomplished.
Jericho goes up the ramp to the stage and the fans are starting to get a little fed up with Jericho’s act.
Jericho goes to the back and the crowd is confused.
We go to commercial.
Match Number Five: Big Show, John Cena, and Zack Ryder versus Mark Henry, Jack Swagger, and Kane in an Elimination Match
Kane does not make his way to the ring. Instead we get someone more grotesque looking in David Otunga. David has his coffee and he enters the ring and he tells Justin Roberts something. We find out that Kane is not participating so we have a handicap match.
Cena and Swagger start things off and Swagger with a side head lock. Swagger with a shoulder tackle and Cena with a hip toss and slam. Cena with an elbow drop and he gets a near fall. Cena with an Irish whip and drop kick to Swagger and he gets a near fall. Cena with a front face lock on Swagger.
Swagger with a kick and we go to commercial.
We are back and Swagger with a Swagger Bomb on Cena for a near fall. Swagger with a front face lock but Cena powers out of the hold and back body drops Swagger. Show tags in and he clotheslines Swagger twice followed by an Irish whip and running butt splash followed by a running shoulder tackle. Show sets for the punch and Swagger tags in Henry.
Henry enters the ring and Henry yells at Show and they get face to face. Henry and Show exchange punches and Show with head butts followed by a flying shoulder tackle. Henry rolls out of the ring and Show follows after. Henry gets a chair and Show punches it.
Show hits Henry with the chair and the referee disqualifies both Show and Henry.
Mark Henry and Big Show disqualified
Ryder with a running forearm followed by a clothesline to Swagger. Ryder with the running boot to the face in the corner and then he sets for the Rough Ryder but Swagger counters with a power bomb and then he puts Ryder in the ankle lock and Ryder makes the tag to Cena.
Cena with the two flying shoulder tackles followed by the Blue Thunder Bomb. Cena signals for the Five Knuckle Shuffle and he hits it. Cena with the Attitude Adjustment to Swagger and he hits it and gets the three count.
Winners: Zack Ryder, John Cena, and Big Show
After the match, John Cena celebrates while Ryder holds his ankle.
Kane’s pyro and lighting goes off and Cena goes up the ramp.
Kane has entered through Abyss’ hole in the mat and he attacks Ryder. Kane punches Cena as he tries to get back into the ring. Kane smothers Cena. Kane goes into the ring and Zack Ryder tries to escape but Kane grabs Ryder by the injured ankle. Kane pulls Ryder to HELL.
John Cena recovers to save Ryder from the place where Undertaker took Edge. Smoke emerges from Kane’s portal to hell and we go to credits.
2013 - WWE broadcast Main Event. Richard Trionfo filed the following TV report:
It is time to start the 2013 wrestling year on television and while 2012 ended with the Intercontinental Title on the line, the United States title is being defending in the first match of 2013.
Main Event is in Richmond, Virginia and your announcers are Michael ‘Baby New Year’ and the Miz.
The two Michaels are in the ring and they welcome everyone to the WWE in 2013. Cole says that we have breaking news. WWE doctor Michael Sampson evaluated CM Punk’s injured knee and the decision will air later in the show.
Michael Cole reminds us that Antonio Cesaro won the United States Title at SummerSlam and he has been on a role since. We see a video package for Cesaro. He says that he is taking the United States Title to a level that no American can reach.
Antonio says that video shows nothing. It was put together in minutes to awful music. Typical of American television. There was no nuance.
Miz interrupts Cesaro and says that every week it is the same sob story. Miz tells Antonio if he does not like America, he can take his Swiss Miss Hot Chocolate, his watches, and silk scarves, call SwissAir and get on the first flight out of here.
Cole interrupts and he asks Antonio if he will be able to beat Great Khali since he has not faced a man like him.
We see a Great Khali video package.
Matt is in the interview area with Khali and and Hornswoggle says that Khali will be the next United States Champion. Natalya says that she believes in Khali so much that he reminds her of her uncle Bret. Natalya asks her if he had enough water, did his yoga, and stretched. Natalya asks to hold it when he wins the title.
Khali tells everyone to stop and he says that they stress too much. Khali starts a USA chant and Hornswoggle and Natalya join in.
Antonio accepts the fact that he is the United States Champion for the United States of Antonio.
We see highlights from the battle royal that put Khali in this match.
Match Number One: Antonio Cesaro versus Great Khali (with Hornswoggle and Natalya) for the United States Title
Cesaro with a kick to the leg but Khali blocks a second kick and he sends Cesaro to the mat. Khali with elbows and kicks in the corner followed by forearms. Khali with a chop across the chest. Khali goes to another corner and he chops Cesaro again. Khali clotheslines Cesaro over the top rope to the floor. Cesaro takes his time getting back into the ring.
The crowd resumes its USA chant.
Cesaro goes for the leg and Khali with a chop and he sends Cesaro to the floor. Hornswoggle with a seated splash on Cesaro. Cesaro focuses on Hornswoggle but Natalya gets in the way. Khali pulls Cesaro up to the apron and then back into the ring.
Khali with a clothesline and Cesaro rolls to the floor to regroup. Khali starts to go over the top rope to the floor but Cesaro drops the leg on the top rope. Cesaro with kicks to the hamstring followed by elbow drops. Cesaro drives the elbow into the knee and then he drops down on the leg again. Cesaro with boots to the chest and he gets a near fall.
Cesaro continues to work on the leg but Khali with punches to get out of the hold. Cesaro goes to the apron. Cesaro goes up top and stomps on Khali’s leg before returning to the mat to work on the leg and knee.
Cesaro with kicks to the leg and then he leaps on Khali’s chest. Cesaro with an elbow drop and he gets a near fall. Khali kicks Cesaro away with his good leg and then he chops Cesaro from his knees. Khali with a back elbow and boot to the head as we go to commercial.
We are back and Khali waits for Cesaro to get up for a chop. Cesaro goes to the apron and then he drops Khali on the top rope. Khali with forearms to the back followed by a head butt. Khali with kicks to the chest followed by a chop. Khali with a clothesline in the corner and a short arm clothesline or two. Khali readies for the chop but Cesaro avoids it and hits an uppercut followed by a springboard uppercut. Cesaro tries to get Khali up for the Gotch Style Neutralizer and he hits it and gets the three count.
Winner: Antonio Cesaro
After the match, Matt Striker goes into the ring and commends Cesaro on his strategy in the match. Antonio interrupts Matt and he says that this is not about him hating the United States. It is about him being superior to everyone. After all, this is the land of opportunity. The opportunity for him to grab whatever he wants and there is nothing that you can do about it because you are soft.
If the pudgy little chipmunk has an issue with it, why not stop hiding behind the commentary booth and challenge him like a man.
Miz tells Cesaro to watch who he is talking to because his title reign will end prematurely, just like his baldness.
Cesaro says that he just beat a giant while Miz only cares about his hair and whether his tie matches his shirt.
Miz says that Cesaro just came off the boat. He is going to educate Cesaro. Miz says that Cesaro does not know the first thing about the USA. They like burgers, apple pie, watching television, and sleeping in our own beds. There is not tougher and more resilient group of people than the United States.
Even people who hate him, agree with him because when presumptuous Euro-Trash crosses them, he can bet his man purse that people will come together because that is what they do in the USA.
Miz says that he is not done yet because he ends with a catchphrase, but he is going to do something special. Miz says that Antonio is in America and . . . It’s AWESOME.
We go to commercial.
We see footage of Wade Barrett’s victory over Kofi Kingston to become the new Intercontinental Champion.
We go to commercial.
We are back and we take a look back at CM Punk not being medically cleared by his doctor, but there is NO CHANCE that Vince McMahon would accept a doctor’s opinion.
We have a Tout from Dr. Sampson and he says that Punk is cleared for competition on Raw.
The match will take place on Monday night between CM Punk and Ryback.
Kofi Kingston has joined Miz and Michael at the announce table. Michael reminds Miz that Kofi beat him for the Intercontinental Title. Kofi says that Wade might have beaten him on Monday but he will win the title on Smackdown.
Wade Barrett comes out and he tells Kofi to wait a minute. He wants to know if he heard Kofi right, saying that the victory was a ‘one time thing’.
Kofi says that he respects Wade as a competitor, but Kofi says that he made a mistake that he will not make again. Kofi says that title is part of him because he is a four time champion and he needs it back. The title means something to him, the people in the arena, and the WWE Universe.
Wade says that means that mediocrity won. It is time for a person with prestige to be the champion. A fighter, not a gymnast. Wade says Kofi will never get the title back from him. Wade says that he will challenge anyone to fight him in a gauntlet match. It won’t be for the title, but one by one, everyone falls victim to the Barrett Barrage.
We take a look back at the crap that happened at the end of Raw.
We go to commercial.
Match Number Two: The Wade Barrett Barrage Gauntlet (not for the title . . . of course)
Opponent Number One: Yoshi Tatsu
Yoshi with a few kicks in the air and Barrett with a Bull Hammer for the three count.
Winner: Wade Barrett
Opponent Number Two: JTG
Barrett with punches followed by a hard Irish whip. Barrett chokes JTG in the ropes. Barrett with a suplex for a near fall. Barrett with a reverse chin lock. JTG with punches but Barrett with a knee. JTG with a sliding uppercut followed by jabs. JTG with a flying back elbow and drop kick.
JTG leaps into the corner but Barrett pushes JTG off and then Barrett winds up for the Bull Hammer and connects and gets the three count.
Winner: Wade Barrett
Opponent Number Three: Justin Gabriel
Gabriel with a flying shoulder tackle followed by drop kicks and then he clotheslines Barrett over the top rope to the floor.
We go to commercial.
We are back and Gabriel with an arm drag into an arm bar. Barrett with a punch to Gabriel but Gabriel with a kick and punches. Barrett with a clothesline to send Gabriel over the top rope to the floor. Barrett sends Gabriel into the apron and then he has some words for Kingston before returning to the ring and Barrett gets a near fall.
Barrett with a knee and punches. Barrett works on the midsection and follows with a punch to the head for a near fall. Barrett stretches Gabriel. Barrett with a back heel kick to the midsection and then he sets for a pump handle slam and hits it and gets a near fall. Barrett chokes Gabriel in the ropes and then Barrett chokes Gabriel in the ropes facing him. Barrett with knees to Gabriel and follows with a boot to the chest and Gabriel goes to the floor.
Barrett rolls Gabriel back in and gets a near fall. Barrett goes to the turnbuckles and hits an elbow drop and gets a near fall. Barrett stretches Gabriel again. Gabriel with punches but Barrett with punches. They go back and forth. Gabriel with a series of kicks and then he flips over Barrett’s back and hits a spinning heel kick and forearm.
Gabriel with a cross body into the corner and then he hits a springboard cross body for a near fall. Gabriel goes for the quebrada and he hits it but he lands on the legs and Barrett is able to kick out. Gabriel tries for the STO but Barrett stops him. Barrett puts Gabriel on the apron and Gabriel tries for a slingshot move but Barret gets Gabriel on his shoulders. Barrett hits the Bull Hammer for the three count.
Winner: Wade Barrett
Opponent Number Four: Kofi Kingston
Barrett is in shock. Kofi with a springboard punch followed by clotheslines. Kofi with a drop kick followed by the Superman punch. Kofi with the Boom Drop. Kofi sets up for Trouble in Paradise. Kofi hits Trouble in Paradise and gets the three count.
Winner: Kofi Kingston
Next week, Sheamus will face Dolph Ziggler.
We go to credits.
2013 - WWE broadcast NXT. Richard Trionfo filed the following TV report:
After a week to look back at the Full Sail incarnation of NXT, it is time for some new matches to start off 2013.
We are at Full Sail University and your announcers are . . .
Before we know who is at the announce table this week, The Shield has attacked the two men in the ring and there is pandemonium in the NXT Arena. They continue their assault while the bell rings to get someone to the ring.
NXT General Manager Dusty Rhodes comes out and Dean Ambrose tells him that what he just saw was a taste of what the Shield is capable of. They have caused more waves and shattered more glass ceilings in a short time than anyone else in the business. It is in the name of justice and righting wrongs.
Seth says that they have taken over Raw and Smackdown. They are taking over NXT and there is not a damn thing that anyone can do about it.
Dusty tells them that they should make an impact, but not the way they did. They crowned Seth as the first NXT champion and the person to lead NXT to the Promised land. He has chosen another path. Seth will have a match tonight. He will defend the title against Corey Graves.
Dean tells Dusty that not him, not anybody tells him what to do.
Dusty tells them what they will do in his building. If Seth does not defend the title, he will strip Seth of the title. Dusty tells them to get out of his ring.
Seth tells Dusty that he is right. Corey Graves is a wrong they can right. He will defend the title against Corey. He tells Dusty to be careful what he wishes for.
Roman tells Dusty that it looks like he is paying the Shield rent if he thinks it is his house.
We go to commercial.
We are back and we are welcomed by William ‘The man who should be Announcer of the Year in the PWInsider.com Poll for 2012’ Regal and Tony ‘No relation to Richard’ Dawson.
Tony talks about what we have seen so far with the Shield. Regal says that they said it was only a beginning.
Match Number One Bo Dallas versus Epico (with Primo)
They lock up and Epico with a wrist lock but Bo with a side head lock. Bo with a shoulder tackle and Epico goes into the corner. They lock up and Epico with a waist lock and Bo with a standing switch and side head lock. Bo with shoulder tackles and Primo gives Epico some advice.
Epico with a side head lock but Bo with a side head lock. Epico with a knee to the midsection and then he kicks Bo. Epico with a suplex and then he goes to the apron and hits a slingshot elbow drop for a near fall. Epico with a body scissors but Bo with elbows to get out of the hold.
Bo with a punch but Epico with the boot laces across the eyes. Epico runs Bo’s eyes across the top rope. Epico with a back breaker and he keeps Bo on his knee and stretches him. Epico covers Bo’s mouth to affect his breathing. Bo gets away from Epico. Bo with punches but Epico with an Irish whip and drop kick for a near fall.
Epico punches Bo but Bo does not go down and he wants more. Epico with a punch after coming off the ropes and Bo is smiling. Bo with punches to Epico followed by a running forearm and punch to the head. Bo with a belly-to-belly suplex and then he hits a spear for the three count.
Winner:Bo Dallas
After the match, Epico and Primo have Bo cornered and Michael McGillicutty makes his way to the ring to help out Bo. Epico and Primo leave the ring.
We go to commercial.
Match Number Two: Sasha Banks versus Tamina Snuka
Tamina with a kick and forearms to the back. Tamina with an Irish whip and chop to Sasha. Tamina with a kick to the back and she gets a near fall. Tamina with a kick to the back followed by a knee to the midsection. Tamina with a slam and then she stands on Sasha for a cover.
Tamina with an abdominal stretch. Sasha with elbows to escape. Tamina misses a splash into the corenr and Sasha with forearms and a chop. Tamina with a punch but Sasha holds on to the wrist and hits a double jump arm dragusing the ropes. Sasha with a victory roll for a near fall. Tamina with a Samoan drop and Tamina pulls Sasha to the corner for the Superfly Splash and the three count.
Winner: Tamina Snuka
We go to commercial.
Match Number Three: Kassius Ohno and Leo Kruger versus Tyson Kidd and Justin Gabriel
Kidd and Ohno start things off and they lock up. Kidd works on the wrist but Ohno with a cravate. Kidd returns to the wrist but Ohno works on the wrist. Kidd uses the ropes to flip and reverse things. Ohno with a side head lock. Gabriel makes the tag and after a double leap frog they hit a double hip toss and Gabriel gets a near fall.
Ohno has a kick blocked but he uses the ropes for leverage on a kick. Kruger tags in and Justin with an arm drag and then he takes Leo down with a leg sweep. Gabriel tags in Kidd and Justin holds Kruger’s head up for a drop kick from Kidd and Tyson gets a near fall.
Gabriel tags in and gets a near fall after a sunset flip. Gabriel with an Irish whip and then he tags in Kidd who kicks Gabriel while doing a headstand on the turnbuckles. Kidd with a key lock on Kruger. Kruger with punches and he tries for a sunset flip but Kidd rolls through and Kidd tries for the Sharpshooter but Kruger gets to the apron and then the floor.
Kidd goes for a move to the floor but he sees Kruger and Ohno move so he lands on the apron. Tyson holds the ropes open for Gabriel, who hits a suicide dive onto Ohno. Kidd with a cannonball onto Kruger from the apron.
We go to commercial.
We are back and Gabriel with a wrist lock and Kidd tags in. Kidd and Gabriel with a double back elbow, double snap mare and kicks to the chest and back for a near fall. Kidd with a top wrist lock into a key lock. Kidd with an elbow and then Ohno distracts Kidd long enough to allow Kruger to recover and he hits a spinebuster for a near fall.
Ohno tags in and he kicks Kidd. Ohno with an elbow to the head. Ohno with a chop followed by a slam and then he hits a back senton for a near fall. Ohno with a cravate. Kruger tags in and he connects with a forearm to the back and then he hits a snap suplex and gets a near fall. Kruger with an elbow drop or two and he gets another near fall. Ohno tags back in and he connects with a knee to the back.
Ohno gets between Kidd and his corner and Ohno gets another near fall. Kruger tags back in and he kicks Kidd while Ohno holds him. Kruger with a forearm to the head and then he drops knees across the upper chest and throat. Kruger with a reverse chin lock. Kruger with a forearm to the back and Ohno tags in. Kidd with a kick to Kruger and then one to Ohno. Kidd moves and Kruger goes to the floor.
Ohno holds on to Kidd and Kidd rolls through and Gabriel tags in and hits a springboard cross body followed by a flying shoulder tackle and kicks to Ohno. Kruger makes the blind tag but Gabriel hits the Blue Thunder Driver for a near fall. Ohno sends Kidd to the floor and then Gabriel sends Ohno to the floor. Gabriel with an O’Connor Roll but Kruger kicks out. Kruger hits the Kruger End for the three count.
Winners: Leo Kruger and Kassius Ohno
We go to commercial.
We are back and it is main event time so that means that Jim Ross has joined William Regal at the announce table.
Match Number Four: Corey Graves versus Seth Rollins for the NXT Championship
Rollins and Graves exchange punches but Graves gets the advantage and he sends Rollins into the turnbuckles. Graves with more punches and then he gets a near fall with an inside cradle. Graves with a back slide for a near fall. Graves with kicks to the hamstring to set up for the 13th Step. Rollins gets to the ropes and Graves releases the hold.
Graves with elbows to the knee and he continues to work on the leg. Rollins with a kick and chops to Graves. Rollins with an Irish whip but Graves with a clothesline out of the corner. Rollins holds on to the ropes and Graves tries to bring him back into the ring.
Rollins with a hot shot to Graves and then he slaps Graves in the face. Rollins with a back heel kick and a running single leg drop kick for a near fall. Rollins with a figure four head scissors. Graves bridges to get a near fall on Rollins. Rollins with a clothesline. Graves with punches but Rollins with a slap to the face.
Graves with punches to Rollins but Seth with a kick. Graves with punches to the head. Graves with a dragon screw leg whip but he goes for the knees but Rollins leaps over him and hits an enzuigiri. Graves goes for the knee and then he applies the 13th Step but before Rollins can tap, Ambrose and Reigns attack Graves and the referee calls for the bell.
Winner: Corey Graves (by disqualification)
After the match, Ambrose with elbows to Graves and then Reigns with a punch to the midsection. Ambrose stomps on Graves and then they throw Graves to the mat.
Dusty Rhodes comes out and other wrestlers come to the ring but The Shield takes care of them. It looked like some of the wrestlers were getting the upper hand on The Shield, but the Shield clears the ring of everyone except for Bo Dallas. They signal for the Three Man Spike Power Bomb and hit it on Dallas.
Big E Langston’s music plays and he appears on the stage. Through a cloud of chalk powder, he slowly makes his way to the ring while the Shield waits for him. Langston gets on the apron and The Shield backs off to the other side of the ring.
Dusty tells Seth that he is going to defend his title next week against Big E Langston.
Seth tells Dusty he cannot do that.
We go to credits.
2014 - WWE broadcast WWE Superstars. Richard Trionfo filed the following TV report:
We are in Richmond, Virginia and your announcers are Tom ‘Try the Tom Trifecta’ Phillips and Alex ‘I know this guy’ Riley.
Match Number One: Jack Swagger versus Tyson Kidd
Kidd with a hammer lock when Swagger charges at him. Swagger with a reversal. Kidd gets to the ropes and he ties up Swagger in the ropes. Kidd with a side head lock and then he gets a near fall with a victory roll. Kidd sends Swagger into the corner. Swagger grabs Kidd when he tries for a float over and Swagger hits a wheelbarrow suplex.
Swagger with a knee in the corner followed by a biel that sends Kidd across the ring. Swagger gets a near fall. Swagger traps the arms and then he stretches Kidd. Swagger with a fireman’s carry but Kidd with a kick and sunset flip for a near fall. Swagger with a belly-to-belly suplex and he kicks Kidd in the chest.
Swagger with a clothesline for a near fall. Swagger with a reverse chin lock. Kidd lands on his feet on a belly-to-back suplex attempt and then Kidd sends Swagger into the turnbuckles with a head scissors. Kidd with kicks and a drop kick to the temple. Kidd with a spinning drop kick but Swagger with an Irish whip. Kidd applies the tarantula. Kidd with a slingshot leg drop on the apron and he gets a near fall.
Kidd with a forearm and then he kicks Swagger and goes to the apron. Kidd with an enzuigiri and then Swagger catches Kidd on a springboard move and hits a power slam and then he hits a modified KneeDT and he applies the ankle lock and Kidd taps out.
Winner: Jack Swagger
We go to commercial.
We are back with a look at the Seth Rollins versus CM Punk match on this week’s Raw.
We go to commercial.
We are back with the announcement that Triple H made about the return of Brock Lesnar.
We go to commercial.
Match Number Two: Titus O’Neil and Darren Young versus Jimmy Uso and Jey Uso
Jimmy and Darren start off and they lock up. Young with a waist lock and side head lock. Jimmy with a reversal and shoulder tackle. Young with a discus forearm and reverse atomic drop followed by a boot to the side of the head for a near fall. Young with a front face lock but Jimmy with a side head lock.
Jey makes the blind tag and Jimmy slides to the floor but Young with a Northern Lights suplex and bridge for a near fall. Titus tags in and they hit a double shoulder tackle. Titus with a slam and leg drop. Titus does a dancing dog bark leg drop for a near fall. Titus with a wrist lock and arm bar.
Jey punches Titus but Titus with a shoulder tackle. Darren tags in and Titus drops Darren on Jey with a gourdbuster for a near fall. Jey rolls to the floor and we go to commercial.
We are back and Titus sends Jimmy to the mat on a waist lock take down. They lock up and Titus backs Jimmy into the corner and Darren tags in and he gives Jimmy a side head lock. Jimmy backs Darren into the corner and Jimmy with a chop on the break. Young with European uppercuts and a chop. Jimmy with an Irish whip that sends Young over the top rope to the floor.
Jimmy goes out after Darren and he sends Young back into the ring and Darren holds his elbow. Jey tags in and he connects with an elbow to the injured arm. Jey wraps the arm in the ropes and Jey stops Darren from trying to make the tag. Jimmy tags in and he hits a running forearm into the corner.
Jimmy with an arm drag and arm bar. Young with a forearm and he blocks a kick from Jimmy. Jimmy with a dragon whip and then he tags in Jey who hits an elbow drop and gets a near fall. Jey with a key lock. Young with a knee but Jey with uppercuts and Jimmy tags in. Jey with an Irish whip and splash. Jimmy charges at Young but Darren hip tosses Jimmy into the turnbuckles.
Jey and Titus tag in and Titus with shoulder tackles. Titus with an Irish whip and splash into the corner. Titus barks but Jey with an Irish whip. Titus floats over and then he hits a power slam and gets a near fall when Jimmy breaks up the cover. Jimmy sends Darren to the floor but Titus sends Jimmy to the floor. Jimmy with a super kick to Young on the floor.
Back in the ring, Titus with a Fallaway Slam but Jey lands on his feet. Jey backs into the corner and Jimmy makes the tag. The Usos with a double super kick to Titus and then Jimmy goes up top for the Superfly Splash and the three count.
Winners: Jimmy Uso and Jey Uso
We go to commercial.
We are back with a look at the end of Raw when Daniel Bryan made his decision as it relates to the Wyatt Family.
We go to credits.
2014 - TNA broadcast Impact Wrestling. Stu Carapola filed the following TV report:
Welcome to the Impact Wrestling Report here on PWInsider.com!
We kick the show off with a video package looking at the coronation of Magnus as TNA World Champion and the beginning of a new era.
Kurt Angle comes out to the ring and tells us that his name is Kurt Angle, and 2013 was the worst year of his life, from his feud to Aces & Eights to his personal issues that kept him out of the ring. He turned down the Hall of Fame induction to prove that he can earn it all back again, and people call him a cyborg, but he's not that anymore and he's here to talk about his plans for 2014. Bobby Roode comes out to interrupt and asks if this is really what we're about to witness, and if Angle is really going to walk away and leave Impact Wrestling like Jeff Hardy did last week? Did Angle finally come to the realization, after losing to him over and over, that he just doesn't have what it takes anymore? Roode asks him a favor and says that if he's going to walk away, to look him in the eyes and tell him face to face that Bobby Roode is better than him. Angle tells Roode that he's not leaving, he's here to make it clear that Kurt Angle is going to kick ass in 2014, which is why he's challenging Roode to one more match. Roode can't believe what he's hearing and tells Angle absolutely not because he has nothing left to prove to the fans or to Angle. He's proven that he can beat him time after time, that he's better than him, and that Angle isn't Hall of Fame worthy, and that they are done. Roode turns to leave, then thinks better about it and says that he might accept the challenge, if Angle agrees that WHEN Roode beats him, he leaves and never accepts a Hall of Fame induction in TNA. Angle says he's glad he accepts, and he will face him at Genesis, and Angle has a stipulation of his own: the match will take place in a steel cage! Roode says that if Angle wants Roode in a cage, he's on. They do a staredown, Roode turns to leave, tries to suckerpunch Angle, and they start trading blows while the usual crew comes out to separate them. Spud comes out to lay down the law and gets knocked on his butt, so he gets a mic and says this is Madam Dixie Carter's night, so if they want to fight so bad, they can get partners and go at it in a tag match later tonight.
Speaking of Dixied Carter, she's backstage saying that tonight is her crowning moment because it took her eleven long years to find the perfect champion, and Magnus is going to get his coronation tonight. The director yells cut and Dixie goes inside to get a message from a courier that just says "see you tonight" without a signature. She seems perturbed.
We come back from commercial and Dixie Carter is backstage ordering Spud to find out who sent the message in case it's a threat to her.
We go to the ring for the first Gail Kim Open Challenge of 2014! She hopes she gets some real competition since everyone she's faced has been very unimpressive.
Gail Kim vs Madison Rayne
Kinda saw this coming, but okay. Madison catches Gail with a crossbody right from the bell and proceeds to stomp Gail's face in before spearing her and then ramming the back of her head into the mat over and over. Gail finally takes Madison down with a hair yank, cracks her with a kneelift, then gets on top of Madison and pummels her with forearms. Madison reverses a backdrop attempt to a snap suplex and a rolling neckbreaker, then does COME ON! as the fans tell her she's still got it. Lei'D Tapa grabs Madison's ankle and yanks her out to the floor, then Gail drags her back in and covers for 2. Gail gets a surfboard into a dragon sleeper, but Madison won't tap out, so Gail turns it into a chinlock instead as Madison slips out of the hold. Gail sends Madison into the corner and goes for Eat DaFeet, Madison reverses to a backslide for 2, then they wipe each other out with a double clothesline. Mike Tenay tries to convince us that Jeff Hardy really quit as Madison starts making a comeback, but Madison goes for a victory roll and gets dropped hard on her face. Gail puts the mouth on her (not in the way people would pay to see), goes for Eat DaFeet again, but Madison counters to a grapevine cradle for 3.
Winner: Madison Rayne
Nice finish, but we go backstage to Madison's former partner Velvet Sky putting her lipstick on. Chris Sabin comes in and she starts to talk, but he tells her to zip it because either he's walking out with his X Division Title, or he's walking out without her. She still acts like she cares, which is very cute.
Kurt Angle is backstage telling Gunner that he's turning it around in 2014, and since Gunner has that briefcase, it looks like he'll be World Champion real soon, and that's why he wants him to be his partner tonight. Gunner says it would be an honor, but James Storm comes in, scoffs at Gunner, and leaves.
X Division Title Match: Austin Aries vs Chris Sabin
The smartass fans chant that Shelley's better as they tie up and feel each other out. Sabin backs off and makes Velvet come up on the apron and give him a kiss, and Aries uses the opening to drill Sabin with the IED and cover for 2. Sabin blocks a brainbuster, but Aries drills him with a clothesline and gets him in the Last Chancery. Sabin begs for Velvet to get on the apron, but Velvet refuses, so Sabin gets out of the hold and goes to yell at her. Aries yanks Sabin back into the ring and hits the pump action elbowdrop for 2. Aries with a stump puller, turns it into a pinning combination for 2, then hits a series of quick moves and a Lionsault for 2. Sabin finally dumps Aries with a back suplex and puts the boots to him, then hangs Aries in the Tree of Woe and chokes him with his boot. Aries sits up and nails Sabin with an Ace Crusher out of the corner, then hammers him with a roaring elbow that sends him out to the floor. Aries comes off the top with a big double axhandle, then dumps Sabin back inside and heads to the top rope. The crowd is solidly behind Aries as he connects with a missile dropkick, and Sabin orders Velvet to get on the apron and distract Aries, who tells her to get down before he gets hurt. Sabin kicks Aries low while the referee has his back turned and small packages him for the win.
Winner and NEW X Division Champion: Chris Sabin
Velvet looks disappointed in herself as Sabin grabs her by the wrist and drags her to the ramp, where Jeremy Borash congratulates him on regaining the title. Sabin says he wants to thank the one person he couldn't have done it without...himself! He thanks himself profusely, then continues dragging Velvet up the ramp.
Spud is backstage preparing his introduction of Magnus later on tonight, and his cell phone rings and uses Dixie Carter's entrance music as the ringtone. It's the sixth hangup call today, and he notes the area code (which I assume is wherever AJ lives), and tells someone to get him a tea.
Samuel Shaw vs Norv Fernum
Sam seems preoccupied with Christy as he comes out to the ring, then holds the ropes open so she can step down to the floor before announcing his opponent. Shaw knocks Fernum on his butt with one shot, then whips him hard into the corner as Christy smirks at ringside. Fernum uses his speed to evade Shaw for a bit, but Shaw snaps him over with a powerslam, stops to look down at Christy, and gets the over the back neckbreaker. Fernum tries to drag himself up on Shaw's clothes, and Shaw chokes Fernum out with a head and arm choke.
Winner: Samuel Shaw
Shaw walks over to Christy to stare at her, then walks off as Christy looks uncomfortable.
The mystery cameraman asks James Storm what he thinks of Gunner teaming with Kurt Angle, and Storm says he made his name as a tag team specialist in this company, and all his partners ended up changing. He's not surprised by what Gunner did, but he's going to show Angle that he made a mistake. He goes into a dressing room backstage and tells the occupant that he's just who he was looking for, and we go to commercial.
We're back from commercial, and Roode is in his dressing room asking James Storm why he should take him as his partner tonight. Roode says he doesn't need Storm as his partner, but Storm says he's going to be out there one way or another, either as Roode's partner, or kicking everyone's ass.
We take another look back at the Rise of Magnus, then we're off to the ring for our featured tag match! Jeremy Borash catches Gunner on his way to the ring and asks what happens if Roode chose Storm as his partner, and Gunner says that if that happens, things will get real dangerous and physical.
Kurt Angle & Gunner vs Bobby Roode & James Storm
Wow, this came outta nowhere! The crowd chants for Beer Money as Angle and Storm go at it, with Angle catching Storm with a back elbow and a snap suplex. Gunner tags in and promptly gets nailed with a high knee, then gets tagged by Roode from the apron. Roode comes in and gets destroyed by Gunner, and he tries to ram Gunner's head into the turnbuckle, but Gunner no-sells, ramms his own head into the buckle, and slams into Roode with a charging clothesline and a slingshot suplex for 2. Guner gets in Storm's face and turns his back on Roode long enough to allow him to recover and hit a spinebuster. Storm tags himself in and covers Gunner for 1, then ground and pounds Gunner. Roode and Storm work together to nail Gunner with a double back elbow, then they tag in and out while ramming shoulderblocks to Gunner's ribs. They continue with double team beatdowns on Gunner, who tries in vain to break free before getting beaten back down by the former TNA World Tag Team Champions. Beer Money hits a double suplex as the fans chant their name again, and Gunner and Storm wipe each other out with a double clothesline. Roode distracts the referee and makes him miss Gunner making the tag, he tries to keep Angle out but Angle tears through Storm and Roode anyway. Angle gets Storm in the anklelock, Roode nails him from behind, Gunner gets Roode in the Gun Rack, Storm nails Gunner with the Last Call, and Roode hits the AA for the win.
Winners: Beer Money
Angle goes after Roode after the bell and Roode bails out, and Angle yells at him up the ramp as Storm takes the briefcase and dumps it on Gunner's chest before walking off.
Sting is backstage, and he's...WALKING! Spud runs up and asks if he sent the mystery message to Madame Dixie, and Sting says he's here to talk to Dixie, not her lap dog, and tells him to get out of his face.
We look back at last week when Ethan Carter III pinned Sting to win the main event tag match before Jeff Hardy quit. EC3 says that he had a great 2013, and while people said he's had inferior competition, he pinned Sting as easy as E...C...3. He sent Hardy packing, but wants to fight him like a man and challenges him to a match tonight. Jeff's music plays, but of course he doesn't come out, so EC3 says to ring th bell and starts counting Hardy out, but Sting comes out and berates him, saying he's hiding behind Dixie. EC3 says he beat Sting and he's done with him, but Sting accuses him of being Dixie's lap dog, a chant the fans pick up on. Carter says that he knows what Sting's doing and won't fall for it, and he starts to leave, but Sting says he guesses it's true about him being Dixie's lap dog. That does it for EC3, who says he will fight Sting one-on-one. Sting drops his mic and begins undoing his shirt to fight, but EC3 finishes and says that match will happen in two weeks at Genesis.
Joseph Park is backstage telling Eric Young that he doesn't know about this Abyss stuff and doesn't remember what happened last week. He doesn't know why EY put him in this match, and EY says to trust him, and he was there to help him in Monster's Ball last week, but this time he's got to do it alone. EY leaves, and Bully Ray comes out and reads some of his poetry, then says not to burn for the sins of Ken Anderson. Park asks him what he's talking about, and Bubba takes his sunglasses off and says he's going to set him on fire.
Bully Ray vs Joseph Park
This is Bubba's first match since the end of Aces & Eights, and he just stands in his corner with his sunglasses and hood on as Park dares him to come out and fight. Park doesn't look sure what to do, but bubba finally looks up as Park approaches him, and kicks him in the ding ding. Well, that's a DQ.
Winner: Joseph Park by DQ
Bubba pulls out a bottle of lighter fluid and starts spraying it all over Park, who rolls around on the mat holding his eyes where Bubba apparently sprayed him. Bubba takes out a lighter and holds it over Park, but Ken Anderson runs out to make the save and gets sprayed with lighter fluid as well. Anderson goes after Bubba, but Bubba holds the lighter up and stops Anderson dead in his tracks. Bubba goes out to the floor and walks off as Anderson stares after him.
Dixie and Ethan Carter are backstage with Spud, and they're...PRANCING! Magnus' coronation is up next!
Spud is out with Ethan Carter III to introduce a ceremony he says will top even the wedding of William and Kate, and proclaims Dixie the Queen of Dixieland, a place where dreams come true. But tonight, it's not about Dixie, it's about a man who will change the face of professional wrestling, our World Champion, a real British man, MAGNUS! Spud turns this over to the Master of Cermonies, EC3. Carter says Spud comes from a place where people worship a king and queen, but here in America, we worship the 1%, and last week, he beat Sting clean in the middle of the ring. But what is most important of all is that he's a Carter, and the world needs them, but the true man of the hour is Magnus, because he became the World Heavyweight Champion and now rules the world. But behind every great man is a woman, a queen, his Aunt Dee, and here comes Dixie Carter. Dixie appreciates the warm reception, and she's here to tell one of her favorite stories about being on a flight to New York City and reading a magazine with an article about AJ Styles, then she turned the page and saw a six page feature on an aspiring wrestler who was already a massive superstar on TV in England, and he didn't just have it, he had all of it, and she knew right away that she would sign him to her roster. Five years later, he's overcome every challenge to become the best there is today, and he did it all on his own. Now she wants everyone to stand up, get off their lazy bums, and welcome her new World Champion, Magnus! Magnus comes out to a mixed reaction, sits in the throne they had set up for him in the ring, and he tells us to return our women to their full upright unlocked positions so everyone can listen to him. He thanks Spud and EC3 for their kind words, and special thanks to the one and only Miss Dixie Carter, who truly is the wind beneath his massive wings. He stands before us as the champion of the world, and he has mixed emotions because he's honored and humbled at the same time because he knows the fans thought it would be Bobby Roode, Kurt Angle, or Jeff Hardy standing here with the title today, but it's not because it's him! Everyone doubted him, and when people ask him why he turned his backs on the fans, he says they turned their backs on him, so from here on in, he'll never take a back seat to anybody in the business again, and he intends to be our World Champion for a very, very long time to come. Suddenly, Gunner's music hits and he comes out with the briefcase! We're at commercial!
We're back as Gunner gets in the ring to tell Magnus that history has been made, but his history begins tonight because he's ready to fight and he wants to cash in his briefcase for his title match right now. Dixie says it's not going to happen now, but Gunner clears out Spud and EC3 before going after Magnus. He gets Magnus up for the Gun Rack, but EC3 and Spud jump Gunner and hold him for Magnus, who gets ready to nail Gunner with the belt until AJ Styles runs out of the crowd and clears both EC3 and Spud out before going face to face with Gunner. They hold their belts up at each other then AJ lays his belt in front of him to draw a line and dares Magnus to fight him, but Magnus backs off and heads up the ramp as Dixie says this isn't going to happen. AJ tells Dixie that if he wants her intellectual property back, that he's got it right here, and instead of having her lawyers chase him all over the world, he's ready to fight right now. AJ isn't here because Dixie wanted him to, it's because she screwed the people over by making her World Champion a farce, and he needed to come back here. He tells Magnus that's right, he's a farce and everyone knows it, and he doesn't care if Magnus is wearing a belt, he's not a World Champion until he beats THE World Champion. Magnus asks AJ if he's challenging him, and AJ says there can only be one TNA World Champion. Dixie tells Magnus not to do it, but AJ asks Magnus if he's going to let Dixie drag him around by the nose, because if Magnus wants to prove he's who he says he is, to accept his challenge. The fans will doubt whether he was ever a World Champion to begin with, and he knows Magnus will say he doesn't care what the fans think, but AJ knows he does, and he knows that Magnus will doubt himself as the World Champion. The deal's on the table, but if he refuses, the real title is walking out the door and it's never coming back. Magnus tells AJ something to make it crystal clear: AJ isn't better than him anymore, he never will be again, and if AJ wants to prove it, he'll prove it next week, one-on-one, two belts, one champion. Dixie tries to stop it, but Magnus says that if it's not happening, then he's gone too because nobody is going to doubt him or his championship ever again. Dixie says AJ isn't even under contract, but Magnus tells Dixie to give him a one night contract so he can face AJ, winner take all. Magnus says he's feeling lucky and feels like rolling the dice, and asks AJ if he feels lucky. AJ extends his hand and...we go off the air.
2015 - John Gaburick announcedthat TNA has re-signed Jesse Godderz of The Bro Mans to a new contract.
2015 - WWE broadcast Smackdown. Richard Trionfo filed the following TV report:
This week’s show starts off with a look back at Raw when Edge and Christian returned to host the show and on their watch, Seth Rollins was finally able to get John Cena to do the thing that only he could, he brought back the Authority.
We are in Norfolk, Virginia and your announcers are Michael Cole, John Layfield, and Tom Phillips.
Edge and Christian make their way to the ring and they appear to be okay after their attack on Monday night and their successful return on Main Event.
Michael Cole mentions that Edge and Christian have filed a lawsuit against WWE, Triple H, and Stephanie McMahon.
Edge says he has been running through the events on Raw in his head for the week and the direction that the WWE is going, and he says that he feels it could be his fault. Edge says that if there is something they could do to Seth Rollins, they would tear him apart. He has a huge target on his back and he has a John Cena sized missile aimed at him.
Christian says that they have an amazing Smackdown lined up for tonight.
Edge says the Authority cannot do anything about tonight’s show.
Before Edge and Christian can do anything else, Joey Mercury and Jamie Noble arrive in a limo. Jamie and Joey berate the limo river as they make their way to the ring.
Edge and Christian wonder what has happened and then Seth Rollins’ music plays, but only Joey Mercury and Jamie Noble emerge from the back.
They make their way to the ring and the have some paperwork.
Edge tells them that they might want to go under the bottom rope next time since they are so short. Christian says that his e-mail is working now so he didn’t expect the Geek Squad to show up tonight.
Jamie says that they have a prepared statement from the Authority that they want them to read.
Joey shows them the statement and then he says that Triple H and Stephanie McMahon disavow any knowledge of any premeditated attack by Seth Rollins and Big Show on Edge and Christian. Seth Rollins acted on his own accord and the Authority neither condones nor supports their actions. They apologize.
Edge says that seems convenient, but Joey says he is not finished.
The Authority recognize their right to host Smackdown so they will not interfere with those rights. To make sure that they run the show up to the standards of the Authority, Joey and Jamie will supervise and advise the corporate offices if Edge or Christian do anything inappropriate.
Edge points out that they are still in control so they can make the matches. Edge says the first match they should make is . . .
Edge says J&J Security should face ‘The Big Guy’ Ryback. Edge tells them to calm down and not soil their britches. He will not endanger their lives. Ryback will face The Big Show.
Christian likes that match, but he has one that might be better. Why not make the main event, Rusev versus Roman Reigns.
Edge likes that and Jamie says that he is taking notes of all of this and it will go into their permanent files.
Edge points out he does not work here. Edge says that he won’t host a show for a long time, but tonight it is their show.
Christian tells the dork chops to put it in their permanent files.
They say their show starts Right Now.
Bray Wyatt makes his way to the ring and we go to commercial.
Match Number One: Bray Wyatt versus Erick Rowan
Wyatt gets up from the corner and Rowan takes his time getting his mask off. Wyatt tells Rowan to lay down for him. He says that they were not meant to fight. He tells Rowan to lay down. Rowan does not listen too well and he takes off his mask. Rowan tells Wyatt NO.
Wyatt punches Rowan but Rowan holds on to his mask. Wyatt punches Rowan and Rowan sends Wyatt to the mat. Rowan with a boot to Wyatt followed by a side head lock and he runs Wyatt into the turnbuckles twice. Rowan misses a charge into the corner and he hits the ring post shoulder first. Rowan goes to the floor and Wyatt follows after him.
Wyatt sends Rowan into the ring post and then he asks Rowan why is he doing this. Wyatt puts Rowan’s head against the ring post while he punches Rowan. Wyatt with a splash against the head and the head hits the ring post. Wyatt returns to the ring and he head butts Rowan. Wyatt with a rear chin lock.
Rowan powers out of the hold but Wyatt with a kick and punch. Rowan with a clothesline and then he pushes Wyatt into the corner and he connects with head butts. Rowan with an Irish whip and splash into the corner. Rowan with another Irish whip and splash into the corner. Rowan with another splash followed by a running body block. Wyatt tries to say something to Rowan and then Wyatt takes advantage of Rowan’s passive nature to hit Sister Abigail and get the three count.
Winner: Bray Wyatt
After the match, Bray Wyatt says he gave his only begotten son. He asks Dean Ambrose if he is willing to do that to his own flesh and blood. If he could do that to someone he saved and loved, what will he do to Dean? It has been fun, but all good things must come to an end. Our story ends with you laying on a slab in the back of an ambulance.
Wyatt starts to laugh and he tells us to follow the buzzards.
We go to commercial.
Edge and Christian are in the back and Edge suggests they should practice their five second poses. Christian points out that it should happen for no reason.
Jamie and Joey stop them and they say that they are doing everything tonight, including the five second pose. Jamie and Joey do their five second pose and they are pleased with what they have done.
We go to commercial.
Match Number Two: Adam Rose, Goldust, and Starudst versus R Truth, Jimmy Uso, and Jey Uso
Rose and Truth start things off and Truth wants to know what’s up. Rose tries to get the crowd to respond to him but it fails. Truth with a rollup for a near fall followed by a wrist lock and he tags in Jey who hits a double sledge to the arm from the turnbuckles. Stardust makes the blind tag and he pulls the ropes down and Jey goes to the floor. Stardust stands over Jey and we go to commercial.
We are back and Goldust with a rear chin lock to Jey. Goldust with a front face lock but Jey with a punch. Goldust with an Irish whip but Jey with an elbow and uppercut. Goldust with a power slam for a near fall. Stardust tags in and they put Jey in the turnbuckles and Stardust with a back rake. Goldust and Stardust with a double stomp to Jey and then Stardust chokes Jey in the corner.
Stardust works on the leg and then he tags in Rose. Rose punches Jey and then he drops a knee across the bridge of the nose. Rose chokes Jey in the ropes. Jey with an uppercut and another punch but Rose with a back elbow and he tags in Goldust. Goldust with a punch to Jey but Jey with punches of his own. Goldust keeps Jey from making the tag, but Jey knocks Stardust and Rose off the apron.
Jey back drops a charging Goldust over the top rope to the floor. Jey rolls to his corner and Jimmy tags in and he clotheslines Rose and follows with a thrust kick and uppercut. Jimmy with a Samoan drop and the shirt comes off. Jimmy with a running butt splash to Rose as he avoids Goldust. Goldust has a kick blocked and Truth with a leg lariat to Goldust.
Truth with a plancha onto Goldust. Stardust with the Falling Star onto Truth and Rose gets a rollup on Jimmy for a near fall. Jimmy avoids the Party Foul and Jimmy with a super kick. Jey tags in and hits a Superfly Splash for the three count.
Winners: R Truth, Jimmy Uso, and Jey Uso
After the match, some of the Rosebuds try to get involved but Truth with a clothesline to take care of one of them. The Usos with double super kicks to a few more.
We go to commercial.
We are back with a look at Daniel Bryan’s announcement as to his future in the WWE.
Match Number Three: Ryback versus Big Show
They lock up and Big Show pushes Ryback to the mat. Ryback with shoulders in the corner. Show with an Irish whip and a clothesline that sends Ryback over the top rope to the floor. Ryback struggles to get back to his feet and Show pulls Ryback onto the apron. Ryback with punches and then Show grabs Ryback by the throat. Ryback kicks Show but Show pushes Ryback into the turnbuckles.
Ryback kicks Show out of the corner and he goes to the turnbuckles for a double sledge. Ryback goes back up and he hits another double sledge and Show goes down. Ryback sets fro the clothesline but Show gets out of the ring.
We go to commercial.
We are back and Show with a forearm across the chest followed by a head butt. Ryback with punches to Show but Show with a punch. Ryback sends Show into the corner and he connects with shoulders but Show with a boot and a clothesline. Show pulls Ryback into the corner and Show wrings the leg into the ring post. Ryback with an elbow and Show with a forearm and Show works on the surgically repaired leg with an elbow drop onto the leg. Show pulls off the knee pad and he drops another elbow to the leg.
Ryback with a kick but he does not put too much power behind it. Show with a forearm and he slams Ryback. Show picks up Ryback by the injured leg and he sends Ryback back to the mat. Show continues to work on the leg and then Show with a Haas of Pain but Ryback gets to the ropes and Show releases the hold. Show kicks Ryback and then he slams Ryback with the leg hitting the top rope. Show charges at Ryback but Ryback drops down and Show goes over the top rope to the floor. The referee starts his count on Show while Ryback struggles to get back to his feet. Show returns to the ring and Ryback with a shoulder tackle but Show stays on his feet. Ryback with a Thesz Press and he slams Show’s head into the mat. Ryback with a Warrior Splash and then he goes to the turnbuckles for a belly flop but Show grabs Ryback by the throat and he tries for a choke slam but Ryback escapes.
Ryback with a spinebuster and he sets for the lariat but the Russian flag falls from the rafters and Ryback is confused.
Rusev makes his way towards the ring with Lana and Ryback decides that it is more important to focus on someone not in the match than his opponent. Show with a knock out punch and Ryback is knocked off the apron to the floor.
The referee makes his count and he gets to ten.
Winner: Big Show ( by count out)
After the match, Big Show leaves victorious while Ryback returns to the ring.
Rusev removes his medal and he gives it to Lana. Rusev enters the ring and he stomps on Ryback’s back and he prepares to apply the Accolade, but Ryback powers out of the hold and he clotheslines Rusev over the top rope to the floor.
Rusev has had enough because his plans have been thwarted.
We go to the back where Jamie and Joey want to know from Edge where Christian is. Edge tells them he is going to the bathroom. Jamie storms into the bathroom, but we hear a scream. It turns out that Edge was blocking the sign for the ladies room.
We go to commercial.
We are back and before our next match, we get comments from Tyson Kidd and Cesaro in the Goldman Box. Cesaro says that they are glad that the Authority is back in power. Maybe they will get the recognition that they deserve. Their New Year’s Resolution is to win the Tag Team Titles from the Usos.
Match Number Four: Cesaro and Tyson Kidd (with Natalya) versus Fernando and Diego (with El Torito)
Diego and Tyson start things off and they lock up. Diego with a side head lock and Fernando tags in and Diego with a punch followed by a swinging neck breaker from Fernando for a near fall. Fernando with a wrist lock but Kidd with a back elbow and Cesaro tags in. Kidd with a kick that sends him to the apron but Fernando with a drop kick that sends him to the floor. He does not realize that the tag was made so when Fernando goes for a suicide dive, Cesaro with a European uppercut.
Cesaro rolls Fernando back into the ring and he tags in Kidd. Kidd with a kick to the head followed by punches and he chokes Fernando in the corner. Cesaro kicks Fernando while the referee deals with Diego. Cesaro tags in and they hit a double back body drop for a near fall. Cesaro with a reverse chin lock.
Fernando with punches but Cesaro pushes Fernando into the corner. Fernando tries to make the tag but Cesaro catches him and he tags in Kidd. Cesaro with the Giant Swing with Kidd hitting a drop kick for a near fall. Cesaro tags in and he kicks Fernando and then connects with a European uppercut. Kidd tags back in and Fernando with a kick to Kidd and he sends Cesaro to the floor. Fernando sends Kidd to the apron but Kidd pulls Fernando down. Kidd goes up top and Fernando meets him with a drop kick and both men are down.
Diego and Cesaro tag in and Diego with a springboard chop to the head. Diego follows with a series of flying corkscrew elbows to Cesaro. Diego is sent into the corner but he does a head stand followed by a head scissors. Diego with a chop. Cesaro blocks a rana attempt and he tags in Kidd for the wrist clutch power bomb and Blockbuster combination for the three count.
Winners: Cesaro and Tyson Kidd
After the match, Kidd intercepts a high five intended for Natalya.
Dean Ambrose walks in the back as we go to commercial.
Match Number Five: Curtis Axel versus Dean Ambrose
Ambrose gets into the ring and he goes after Axel. Ambrose with punches to Axel and Axel goes to the floor. Ambrose follows after Axel and he sends him into the ringside barrier. Axel with a kick and punch to Ambrose followed by a kick. Ambrose is sent into the apron but Ambrose rebounds off the ropes and hits a clothesline. Ambrose rolls Axel back in and he kicks Axel and hits the double underhook DDT.
Ambrose demands a mic and he leaves the ring. He tells Bray that he hopes he is listening real good. On Monday night, they will have the first Ambulance match on Raw. What a way to kick off 2015. He will show Bray how he kicks off his new year. He is going to crack the windshield of the ambulance with your face. He will put your face under the tires and he will run you over. He will break all of your fingers and then he will run you over again. He will tie you up and drag you around the building. He will then put your lifeless body in the back of the ambulance and we will go on a ride together into a Happy New Year Hell.
We see the Ascension in the smoke and Viktor says first there were Hawk and Animal, the Road Warriors. Konnor says then there was Ax and Smash, Demolition. They say now there is Viktor and Konnor, the Ascension. Welcome to the wasteland.
We go to commercial.
We are back with footage from the end of Raw when Seth Rollins got his Christmas wish.
Match Number Five: Konnor and Viktor versus Rhett Titus and Lance Anoai
Viktor starts things off and he runs Titus into the corner and he chops him and follows with a Canadian Lifter as he alternates. Viktor with kicks and he tags in Konnor who continues the kicks. Konnor with chops followed by a forearm to the back. Viktor tags in and he punches Titus and kicks him in the corner. Viktor with a Canadian Lifter and Konnor tags back in. They biel him across the ring so he tags in Anoai. Konnor with a splash into both men followed by the Fall of Man for the three count.
Winners: Konnor and Viktor
Edge and Christian are in the office and they are interrupted by Jamie and Joey. Jamie says that they need to get the office ready for the Authority. Christian tells them they have earned their paycheck tonight. Edge asks Christian if he is thinking what he is thinking. They decide to do some art work of their own on the Muscle and Fitness cover that has been put in the office.
They leave the office as we go to commercial.
Match Number Six: Roman Reigns versus Rusev (with Lana) in a Non Title Match
They lock up and Rusev backs Reigns into the corner and Rusev misses a punch and Reigns gets out of the corner. They lock up again and Rusev backs Reigns into the corner again. Rusev with kicks to Reigns in the corner and the referee warns him. Reigns sends Rusev into the corner and he punches Rusev. Rusev with a waist lock take down and Reigns tries to get out of the hold but Rusev takes Reigns back down to the mat. Reigns with elbows to get out of the hold and he punches Rusev.
Reigns clotheslines Rusev over the top rope to the floor and we go to commercial.
We are back and Rusev with a front face lock and Reigns backs Rusev into the corner. Reigns with shoulders in the corner but Rusev with a forearm to the back. Reigns with an Irish whip but Rusev sends Reigns to the apron. Reigns drops Rusev on the top rope but when he gets back into the ring Rusev moves and Reigns hits the ring post with his shoulder. Rusev with a German suplex and then he picks up Reigns for a gutwrench suplex and he gets a near fall.
Rusev with a waist lock and Reigns gets back to his feet. Reigns with an elbow but Rusev squeezes tighter. Reigns gets out of the hold but Rusev with an elbow and then he stomps on Reigns. Rusev returns to the waist lock and he applies a reverse chin lock. Reigns gets to his feet and he punches Rusev. Rusev with a knee but Reigns with an uppercut and punches.
Rusev with a fallaway slam and he gets a near fall. Rusev with a front face lock into a chin lock with the arm trapped. Reigns gets a second wind and he gets back to his feet. Rusev with a knee and he tries to send Reigns into the turnbuckles but Reigns blocks it. Reigns blocks an attempt at a different turnbuckle and Reigns with punches. Rusev with a knee and he sends Reigns to the floor and into the announce table.
Reigns hits the announce table and comes back into the ring and he punches Rusev. Rusev sends Reigns to the floor again and Reigns gets back into the ring and he punches Rusev some more. Reigns with a flying clothesline and then he punches Rusev in the corner. Rusev pushes Reigns away but Reigns with a splash into the corner and a rollup for a near fall. Reigns with an elbow to Rusev and Reigns with a uranage slam for a near fall.
Reigns sets for the Superman punch but Rusev with a drop kick for a near fall. Rusev does his Accolade prep but Reigns blocks a kick and he punches Rusev and hits the Superman punch and Rusev falls to the floor. Reigns tries to bring Rusev into the ring but Big Show has made his way to the ring. Reigns decides that it is more important to attack someone who is not in the match so he hits a Superman punch on Show while knocking down the Russian flag at ringside.
Rusev with a jumping thrust kick for a near fall when Reigns gets back into the ring. Both men struggle to get back to their feet and Rusev is up first. Rusev does his jumping stomp onto the mat but he misses the jumping thrust kick. Reigns with a spear and he rolls Rusev towards the rope to make the cover and Big Show pulls Reigns out of the ring and the referee calls for the bell.
Winner: Roman Reigns (by disqualification)
After the match, Show sends Reigns into the ringside barrier. Show sends Reigns into the ringside barrier and Show with a spear to Reigns. Show goes to the announce table and he decides to give it a new look now that the show is over. Show picks up Reigns by the throat and he is going to choke slam Reigns through the table, but Reigns counters and sends Show head first into the announce table. Reigns with a broad jump drop kick to Show and then Reigns moves when Show goes for another spear and Show goes over the announce table. Reigns pushes the table over onto Big Show and we go to credits.
2016 - Former TNA champion Nick "Magnus" Aldis announced over the weekend via social media that he and longtime girlfriend, former WWE Divas champion Mickie James have gotten married.
2018 - WWE broadcast 205 Live. Richard Trionfo filed the following TV report:
We are in Orlando, Florida and your announcers are Vic Joseph and Nigel McGuinness.
Vic reminds us about Enzo's illness and he is not medically cleared at this time so he will not be on tonight's show.
Match Number One: Akira Tozawa versus TJ Perkins
Perkins sends Tozawa into the turnbuckles and then Tozawa with a waist lock and Perkins backs him into the corner. Perkins runs away from Tozawa after making contact on the break. Perkins with a wrist lock and then Tozawa reverses. Tozawa sends Perkins face first into the mat and then Tozawa makes Perkins flinch and Tozawa with a jab to the head. Tozawa with kicks in the corner. Perkins misses an enzuigiri and Tozawa with a kick and back senton. Tozawa sets for a dive but Perkins with a round kick that stops Tozawa.
Perkins with a hammer lock and he sends Tozawa into the apron. Perkins sends Tozawa back into the ring and he kicks Tozawa in the shoulder before punching him. Perkins with a slam and Perkins goes to the apron for a slingshot senton. Perkins with an arm bar. Tozawa with punches to Perkins but TJ with punches. Perkins hyperextends the arm as he falls back to the mat. Perkins with a kick and then he rakes the face with his boot. Perkins with an Irish whip but Tozawa with a rollup for a near fall. Perkins with a divorce court.
Perkins with a hammer lock belly-to-back suplex for a near fall. Perkins uses the leg for a hammer lock as he applies a rear chin lock. Perkins stretches Tozawa and he follows with a flying clothesline for a near fall. Perkins returns to the arm. Tozawa with a boot to the head and both men are down. Tozawa misses an enzuigiri but Tozawa with a belly-to-back suplex. Tozawa with a forearm to knock Perkins off the apron and then Tozawa hits the suicide dive and he gets a near fall. Perkins with a kick to the shoulder but Tozawa escapes a Detonation Attempt.
Tozawa with a round kick to the head and then he goes up top for the back senton but Perkins goes to the apron. Perkins rakes the eyes and he sends Tozawa into the top of the ring post. Perkins with a Detonation Kick for the three count.
Winner: TJ Perkins
Cedric Alexander is in the locker room and Goldust enters. Goldust says they have a lot to accomplish. Cedric is impressed to have a legend like Goldust having his back. Cedric asks Goldust if he knows he is over 205 pounds. Goldust says with a few tucks, he can be a slim Goldust. Goldust says he is not here for that. He sees Cedric as a friend and he will be there for him the whole way. Goldust is here to help Cedric on his Quest for Gold. He says they are like Thelma and Louise, Tango and Cash, or Turner and Hooch. Cedric reminds Goldust that Hooch was a dog and Goldust says that Cedric is his dawg.
We go to commercial.
We are back and Jack Gallagher says we learned something new. We thought Hideo Itami was here to compete on 205 Live, but he is here to maim. Brian Kendrick knows about that. We take a look back at what happened last week on Raw.
Jack says his pal suffered a broken bone and a broken orbital bone on Christmas. The present he got was 2 months without working. Jack says he has watched that footage over and over again. Jack wants to watch the footage in slow motion.
When he watches that footage, he does not feel empathy. He feels inspired to dissect Itami and he will make Hideo suffer.
Match Number Two: Jack Gallagher versus Hideo Itami
Gallagher tries to hit Itami with the umbrella but he misses. Itami with kicks and punches followed by a spinning back fist. Gallagher hits a charging Itami in the throat with the umbrella. Gallagher punches Itami and we see a pipe come out of the umbrella. Gallagher hits Itami in the back with the pipe.
The referee tries to stop Gallagher but it does not work. Other officials come out and hold their arms out to tell Gallagher to leave.
Drew Gulak and Ariya Daivari are in the interview area. They are asked about the reason for their rematch. Daivari says that they were not expecting Goldust. Drew says they suffered an injustice. Enzo was ill and then Goldust comes out and challenges them. Daivari says they were talking about members of the 205 Live roster. Drew says that since Enzo is not with them, they are going to do this right. They will do this for the person who best represents the cruiserweight division . . .
Goldust shows up and barks at Gulak and Daivari. Drew barks back and Goldust comments on Drew's breath.
We go to commercial.
Match Number Two: Drew Gulak and Ariya Daivari versus Goldust and Cedric Alexander
Daivari and Alexander start things off and they lock up. Alexander backs Daivari into the corner and he gives a clean break. They lock up again and Alexander with a wrist lock. Daivari with a reversal. Alexander tries to escape but Daivari pulls him down by the hair. Alexander with a handspring head scissors followed by a drop kick for a near fall. Alexander with an arm bar. Alexander asks if he should tag in Goldust and he does it. Goldust with a kick.
Daivari with a knee and Gulak tags in. Goldust with an arm drag and snap mare followed by a Goldust set up for a rear chin lock but Gulak escapes. Daivari tags back in and they lock up. Goldust with a side head lock and shoulder tackle. Goldust gets a little winded after running the ropes and he wants a time out. Goldust barks in Daivari's face but Daivari sends Goldust into the turnbuckles. Gulak tags in and he connects with a chop to the shoulder followed by a wrist lock.
Gulak with a hammer lock and Goldust punches Daivari and Gulak. Daivari tags in and he punches Goldust and hits a neck breaker for a near fall. Daivari with a reverse chin lock. Alexander tags in and he connects with a clothesline and elbow. Alexander with a drop kick to the knees when Daivari charges into the corner. Alexander goes to the apron and he kicks Daivari. Gulak is knocked off the apron. Daivari hits the ropes when Alexander goes for a springboard move and Alexander goes down hard.
Gulak tags in and he kicks Alexander while Daivari holds on to the leg. Gulak with more kicks to Alexander and he gets a near fall. Gulak with a forearm to the chest and he gets a near fall. Gulak kicks Alexander in the corner and tags in Daivari. Daivari chokes Alexander in the corner. Daivari with a kick and snap mare followed by a reverse chin lock. Alexander with punches and Daivari sends Alexander to the floor. Daivari sends Alexander into the ring steps.
Daivari with a rear chin lock on Alexander. Alexander with a jaw breaker and back elbow. Alexander with a European uppercut but Daivari stops him. Alexander with a Neuralizer and both men are down. Goldust and Gulak tag in. Goldust with clotheslines followed by a bulldog. Goldust punches Daivari. Goldust with punches in the corner and then he hits a bionic uppercut. Gulak with an Irish whip but Goldust with power slams to both men.
Goldust goes to the turnbuckles but he decides to go down to the bottom rope for a double uppercut. Goldust sets for the Final Cut but Daviari blocks it. Alexander makes the tag and hits a springboard clothesline and then Goldust sends Daivari to the floor with Gulak. Alexander with a plancha onto Gulak and Daivari. Alexander with the Lumbar Check on Gulak for the three count.
Winners: Goldust and Cedric Alexander
We go to credits.
2018 - WWE broadcast Smackdown Live. Richard Trionfo filed the following TV report:
We start off with a look back at last week's main event when Shane McMahon got involved in the main event and it probably cost AJ Styles his non title match against Kevin Owens.
We are in Orlando, Florida and your announcers are Byron Saxton, Corey Graves, and Tom Phillips.
AJ Styles makes his way to the ring and he has something to say.
AJ wishes everyone a Happy New Year and welcomes everyone to Smackdown. He welcomes everyone to the House that AJ Styles Built. AJ says it is a new year and there are new beginnings. He says that there are a lot of people who have made New Year's Resolutions to win the Royal Rumble. AJ says he made a few resolutions. He will take the title to Wrestlemania and walk out of the main event with the title still around his waist. With Shane and Sami getting involved last week, he won't point fingers. His other resolution is to beat Sami Zayn. AJ wonders if Kevin Owens will be allowed to be at ringside with Sami Zayn.
AJ says that person will come out to make his decision.
Daniel Bryan comes out while Byron accuses Daniel of being in Kevin and Sami's pockets while Corey discounts those conspiracy theories.
Before Daniel can say anything, Shane McMahon shuffles his way to the ring.
Shane says he had the best intentions last week when he came to the ring to have the referee eject Sami Zayn from ringside. Shane says we would rather see a match won by the wrestler's abiltiies than by distractions. Shane says he may have caused AJ's defeat and he aplogizes. Shane says he has been accused of having a personal vendetta against Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn. As much as he has a legitimate beef with them, Daniel has a kinship with Sami and Kevin. Why would you let Sami Zayn come to ringside? Shane says he has a bigger question.
Shane asks if Daniel is turning the Yes Movement into the Yep Movement. Shane says that he would not expect to keep Kevin from being at ringside for Sami. Shane says that he will be at ringside as well tonight.
Daniel says that was not what he was thinking. Since you will be at ringside, why not have Kevin Owens at ringside too. If you AND Kevin Owens will be out for the main event, then why not be out here too.
We go to commercial.
We are back and Jimmy says there is a tag team in the ring with a New Year's Resolution to become tag team champions. Standing in front of that team are the champions. Jey says they will be three time tag team of the year.
Match Number One: Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso versus Shelton Benjamin and Chad Gable for the WWE Smackdown Tag Team Titles
Shelton and Jimmy start and Jimmy with a punch but Shelton climbs the turnbuckles for a butterfly superplex and Gable with a moonsault for a near fall. Gable puts Jimmy's leg in the rope and then he takes him to the mat with a dragon screw leg whip. Chad continues to work on the leg. Chad with a knee drop to the leg while Shelton tags in. Shelton with a shoulder in the corner and then he htis a running knee to the leg in the ropes. Shelton with a single leg crab. Jimmy tries to tag in his brother but Shelton pulls him back towards his corner and tags in Chad. Chad with spinning toe holds on the injured leg.
Chad keeps Jimmy from making the tag and he brings Jimmy back to his corner and he tags in Shelton. They hit kicks and a double knee strike for a near fall. Chad with another spinning toe hold. Jimmy kicks Chad and tries to make the tag. Jimmy misses a dragon whip the first time, but he hits a second one and both are down. Jey and Shelton tag in and Jey sends Shelton to the floor and he hits a plancha. Gable is sent to the floor and Jey with a plancha. Jey is tripped by Shelton and he is sent shoulder first into the ringside barrier. Gable is sent to the floor and Benjamin with a knee to Jimmy. Gable hits the Doomsday Clothesline for the three count.
Winners: Chad Gable and Shelton Benjamin
After the match, Jey reminds the referee that he was the legal man in the match.
Another referee comes to the ring and he tells Chad and Shelton to stay where they are. The second referee shows the first referee about the legal man in the match.
The referee apologizes and he restarts the match.
We go to commercial.
Match Number One (Continued)
The Usos knock Gable and Jordan off the apron and then they send them into the ringside barrier. Jey with a super kick and uppercut followed by a Samoan drop. Jey with a running hip into the corner that misses when Gable pulls Shelton out of the way. Chad takes care of Jimmy on the floor.. Shelton with a rollup for a near fall followed by a spinebuster. Jimmy with a super kick to Chad when Jey avoids the clothesline off the turnbuckles. Jey escapes the power bomb. Jimmy tags in and they hit super kicks. Jey tags back in and he hits the Superfly Splash for the three count.
Winners: Jimmy Uso and Jey Uso
Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn walk in the back and Renee Young wishes Sami luck in his match. She asks Kevin about everyone being at ringside. Kevin asks if tonight will be any different than last week? Kevin says he had an omelet last week and he had eggs sunny side up last week. That is different. Last week, they were in Chicago and tonight they are in Orlando. That was different. It will not be different when Sami beats AJ Styles. Sami with a few YEPs.
Sami says that Daniel Bryan is trying to make sure that everything is done right. Kevin says that Sami will defeat AJ and the House that AJ built and tear it down brick by brick.
Match Number Two: Tyler Breeze and Fandango versus Luke Harper and Erick Rowan
Harper and Rowan attack before the bell and they take care of Breeze before hitting a cross body on Fandango.
The Ascension make their way to the ring and they get on the apron. Harper knocks Konnor off the apron and Rowan brings Viktor into the ring. Harper with a super kick to Konnor to knock him off the apron. Harper and Rowan with the T Gimmick on Viktor.
Xavier Woods is getting ready for his match in the locker room blindfolded and Big E takes away his kendo stick. They tell Xavier he has a gift for him. Xavier appreciates the pancakes and he says when he becomes United States Champion, they all become United States champion.
Aiden English and Rusev stop by to interrupt the festivities. Aiden says he wished for every day to be RUSEV DAY! Aiden says that is what is going to happen when he beats Xavier tonight and becomes US Champion.
Rusev says you are children with your fluffy pancakes and candles. Rusev blows out the candle and we go to commercial.
We go to commercial.
We are back and John Cena will be back at the Royal Rumble.
Baron Corbin is in the back and he stares at the camera. He says if there is a fight ever designed for him it is the Royal Rumble match. He says he cannot wait. It is every superstar for himself. He cannot wait. Baron says he is in the Royal Rumble Match and he cannot wait to main event Wrestlemania.
Match Number Four: AJ Styles versus Sami Zayn (with Kevin Owens) also featuring Shane McMahon and Daniel Bryan at ringside
Styles with a clothesline as the bell rings and he follows with shoulders in the corner. Zayn is sent into the turnbuckles. Styles with a suplex and he gets a near fall. Zayn punches Styles but Styles with chops. Zayn with a back body drop and he gets a near fall. Zayn with a chop. Styles with chops and Zayn with a forearm and punches. Styles with a Phenomenal Drop Kick and Zayn goes to the floor. Styles goes to the floor and Shane tells Kevin to back up when Kevin wasn't doing anything. Daniel gets in the middle of things between Shane and Kevin. Styles sends Zayn back into the ring.
Zayn kicks Styles as he gets back into the ring and Zayn with a fisherman's buster for a near fall. We go to commercial.
We are back and Zayn with a rear chin lock. Styles gets to his feet but Zayn takes him back to the mat and holds on to the reverse chin lock. Styles with elbows and Zayn with a forearm. Styles with strikes and a clothesline followed by a flying forearm. Styles with a clothesine into the corner and a pump handle gut buster for a near fall. Styles gets Zayn on his shoulders but Zayn with elbows and he goes to the apron. Zayn drops Styles on the top rope and then Zayn goes up top but Styles crotches him.
AJ gets Zayn on his shoulders and hits the Ushigoroshi but Styles gets a near fall. AJ sets for the Styles Clash but Zayn drops down to a knee. Styles goes for a power bomb but Zayn escapes and Zayn with a Blue Thunder Bomb for a near fall. Zayn sets for a Helluva Kick but Styles meets him in the center of the ring and Styles applies the Calf Crusher. Zayn tries to get to the ropes but Styles pulls Zayn into the center of the ring. Zayn gets to the ropes to force Styles to release the hold. Zayn with forearms but Styles with a forearm of his own. Styles with a Pele Kick after an exchange of forearms. Zayn sends Styles to the apron and Styles with a forearm. Styles sets for the Phenomenal Forearm and he leaps over Zayn. The referee goes to the floor when Styles sets sets for an O'Connor Roll. Styles has a crucifix cover but Zayn kicks out because the referee was not in position.
Shane pushes Owens and the referee sends Owens to the back. Daniel tells Shane if Owens is leaving, he can leave too. Styles kicks Owens and Zayn with a Helluva Kick for the three count.
Winner: Sami Zayn
AJ asks if this is the way it is going to be. AJ says he does not know whose side Daniel Bryan is on, but stop bickering like children. He is the champion and he wants to entertain these people without anyone involved. AJ suggests making a handicap match.
Daniel says at the Royal Rumble, AJ Styles will defend the title against both Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens in a handicap match.
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