The Big Takeaway:
The main focus of the show was to build up the Big Show vs. Brock Lesnar match at Madison Square Garden this Saturday. The main event was built up to be the final battle between Roman Reigns and Bray Wyatt, but instead it ended with a couple of big spots that will carry the program over to Hell in a Cell. The biggest was Reigns spearing Wyatt through the announcer’s table, moments after Wyatt had speared Reigns through a barricade.
Show Recap:
John Cena started the show with the return of the open challenge for the U.S. Championship. When Cena asked for the challenger, Xavier Woods could be heard playing Cena’s theme song on his trombone as the New Day came out. Big E. mentioned the New Day’s tag team title defense against the Dudley Boyz at Madison Square Garden this Saturday on the Network. New Day had an idea for a new Cena slogan “Hustle, Loyalty, Bootee” and attempted to get over the catchphrase “at the same damn time.” A stoic Cena cut them off and said there was a time to be entertaining and a time to be funny. That’s coming from John “titles come and go” Cena. Woods stepped up to be the challenger.
John Cena (C) defeated Xavier Woods by DQ, so Cena retained the U.S. Championship (9:22)
Cena had Woods in the STF when Big E. and Kofi ran in for the DQ. The Dudleys ran down for the save. Woods used the Gail Kim Eat Defeat for a near fall. There appeared to be a botched spot where Woods was supposed to be caught on Cena’s shoulders, possibly for the AA, but it got twisted up. Cena was visibly upset about it. Big E. and Kofi Kingston threatened to interfere, so the referee sent them to the back in the opening two minutes.
This set up a six-man with the Dudleys and Cena against the New Day. Michael Cole claimed the match was set up by Corporate Kane, though we never saw that because they were in a commercial. So Kane’s dual personas will continue.
The New Day defeated The Dudley Boyz and John Cena (6:38)
The Dudleys gave Kofi Wazzup and tried to set up the 3-D, but Woods tripped Bubba Ray. As Devon was distracted, Kofi hit Trouble in Paradise for the pin. Cena was taken out of the picture moments beforehand when Big E. gave him a shoulder block and they crashed to the floor.
HHH and Stephanie talked with a woman named Ashley from Human Resources. Corporate Kane walked in. Stephanie said an anonymous complaint had been lobbied against Kane so Ashley would observe Kane tonight. Seth Rollins walked in and said he couldn’t believe someone would send an anonymous complaint about Kane. Rollins sold nothing from being dragged under the ring by Demonic Kane last week.
Dean Ambrose was backstage with Roman Reigns and told him that he didn’t think facing Bray Wyatt tonight one-on-one was the best idea. Ambrose said he would have Reigns’ back tonight. Reigns said Randy Orton could help Ambrose, who didn’t sound too happy about that idea. Orton walked in. Ambrose said after what happened with Chris Jericho at Night of Champions, he wasn’t too keen on outsiders trying to help them. Orton wondered if Reigns and Ambrose could handle their business against the Wyatt family alone.
The Big Show defeated Mark Henry (2:38)
Simple booking as the Big Show won quickly look make him a formable challenger for Brock Lesnar on Saturday night. Show slammed Henry repeatedly and pinned him with the knockout punch.
MizTV with Becky Lynch and Charlotte. The Miz asked them about the drama regarding Paige. Charlotte wanted Paige to come down. Lynch threw the Miz’s microphone on the ramp. Team Bella came out. Nikki Bella said Charlotte was going to be a hot mess by the time they wrestled again. Isn’t that the other company’s champion? Charlotte challenged her to come in the ring. Nikki said Paige didn’t start the Divas Revolution, it was her. Somehow, Charlotte said the fans were responsible for the Revolution. They started to square off when Paige came out to a noticeable pop. Paige took credit for putting NXT on the map for being the first NXT Women’s Champion. Nikki said with friends like Paige, who needs enemies? Paige shot back with if you have two boyfriends like yours, who needs ambition? In a segment that was overly scripted, that was a good line. That started a massive brawl with Team PCB fighting together again clearing the ring of the Bellas. This set up our second impromptu trios match in less than an hour.
Nikki Bella, Brie Bella and Alicia Fox defeated Charlotte, Paige and Becky Lynch (7:43)
Charlotte attempted the Figure 8 on Nikki, who kicked Charlotte into Paige. That led to Paige walking out. Natalya confronted Paige and they argued. Natalya acted like she was going to replace Paige, but Paige came back down and tripped Natalya onto the apron. Charlotte was distracted and it led to Nikki pinning Charlotte with the Rack Attack.
Very good video piece regarding the Lesnar-Show match. It contained footage of Show’s victory over Lesnar from Survivor Series 2002.
Rollins talked with Human Resources Ashley when Corporate Kane showed up carrying a big gift package. Rollins looked scared to open it, but it turned out to be the severed head of Rollins’ statue. Kane explained that he went to a Baltimore landfill to dig it up. Ashley found that charming, but Rollins didn’t want any piece of it. While this may be a ripoff of a TNA idea, Corporate Kane is entertaining in his role.
Braun Strowman and Luke Harper defeated the Prime Time Players via submission (4:17)
Braun Strowman made Titus O’Neal pass out with the head and arm choke. It’s clear how limited Strowman is because he didn’t set foot in the ring until the finish. Still, he was the focal point of the match as Darren Young and O’Neal bounced off of him while he was on the apron.
Neville defeated Stardust by DQ (2:32)
King Barrett, looking like he’s lost about 10 pounds of muscle, walked in for the DQ and gave Neville a Bullhammer Elbow. Then he gave Stardust a Bullhammer Elbow, as well. Barrett said “All hail the return of the King.”
Director of Operations Kane, coming out to Demonic Kane’s music, was in the ring with HR Ashley. As she was about to present her report, Rollins came out and said Kane wasn’t the man he pretends to be. Rollins showed a video of Demonic Kane choke slamming person after person over the past 18 years, including Rollins, who implored Ashley not to keep Kane around as Director of Operations. Otherwise, the carnage that Kane will inflict will be on her head. Rollins said Kane tried to drag him to hell last week. But Rollins said people like him don’t go to hell, he’s going to heaven. Rollins claimed to have a private session with Pope Francis last week, and the Pope informed him he was going to heaven.
Then Kane showed Ashley yet another video of Rollins mistreating various people who worked with him this year. Finally, Ashley read her report and said Kane was sound of mind and capable of fulfilling his duties as Director of Operations. She said Kane was the perfect WWE employee. She said if anyone needed to be evaluated, it was Rollins, because he was crude, paranoid and the most unprofessional person she’s ever met in the WWE.
Rollins went into the ring and came unglued, shoving Kane and screaming he was out of his ind. In the midst of his tantrum, Rollins dropped his belt. Kane started to pick it up, but Rollins gave him a pedigree. Then Rollins picked up a chair and hit Kane on his injured ankle, and threw several more shots across Kane’s back to leave him laying. Rollins put the chair around Kane’s bad ankle and stomped on it, though the announcers never called it the Curb Stomp. That was what we thought it was supposed to be. A doctor came into the ring and called for a stretcher. Rollins ran down Kane as he did a stretcher job and said he would never get close to him again.
Kane was loaded into an ambulance and it drove off. Rollins talked some more, but then the ambulance reappeared on the TitonTron filled with smoke. Demon Kane emerged limping heavily towards the ramp, then he planted his bad leg and walked normally to the ring.
Rollins met Demonic Kane with a chair shot to the leg again, something that Demonic Kane no sold. Demonic Kane let loose with punches, which was meant to be a babyface spot. Crowd had a mild reaction. Kane choke slammed Rollins. Some fans could be heard chanting “Russo.” Kane teased a tombstone, but Rollins escaped. Kane looked at the WWE World Championship belt.
Wyatt did a promo talking about Harper and Strowman victory earlier. However, Wyatt told Reigns he would face him one-on-one. Wyatt said he and Reigns were the Alpha and Omega and only a fool would believe he could look into the dragon’s eyes and not be burned.
Bo Dallas came out and mentioned that members of the Buffalo Bills were at ringside. They were almost an inspiration, except they didn’t have a Super Bowl. All they had to do to win one is Bo-Lieve.
Randy Orton defeated Bo Dallas (1:56)
Orton with the draping DDT and RKO in a squash.
Kevin Owens and Rusev went to a no contest (:45)
Kevin Owens threw Rusev into Ryback, who was at ringside doing commentary. This led to Ryback and Rusev brawling. Owens and Rusev joined forces to toss Ryback into the ring steps. Dolph Ziggler ran down for the save.
In the WWE’s Campaign Against Pediatric Cancer, Ellen Degeneres was shown asking people to videotape themselves dancing. This led to Daniel Bryan challenging Brie Bella. It led to Paige, Becky Lynch, The New Day, Jon Stewart (who was sucker punched with a chair shot by his son) Naturally, Stewart challenged Stephanie McMahon, who challenged the WWE Universe.
They aired a promo of Total Divas where Ziggler teased he had feelings for Nikki Bella. Like he
Paul Heyman came out for a promo regarding Lesnar’s Road to Hell Tour. He said this Saturday night, hell would descend on Madison Square Garden when Lesnar fights the Big Show. He said he knows Show better than anybody else. He said Show has grown complacent because no one except Lesnar can push the Big Show to his limits. He said Lesnar would take Show to Suplex City.
Show came out and took issue with being called complacent. Show did a Heyman impression talking about beating Lesnar. Heyman walked out. Show stopped him and said he wanted Heyman to think about a future without Lesnar. Heyman looked concerned. I can’t imagine they would turn Heyman against Lesnar to help Show because they made that same mistake a decade ago.
Roman Reigns and Bray Wyatt went to a double countout (12:59)
Another match where Reigns didn’t get the heat of a future main eventer. Crowd was mainly dead as it feels like this program is long in the tooth. It turned into a brawl into the crowd where Wyatt threw a planted stage hand onto Reigns. Then Wyatt charged at Reigns and they charged through a barricade. After selling it for a minute, Wyatt stood on top of the announcer’s table. Then Reigns got up and did a spear on Wyatt through the table. Crowd did pop big for that as both men were laid out, side-by-side as the show ended.
SUMMARY: Not much of a show. Nothing great in terms of matches. The show closing angle may help light a spark to the Reigns-Wyatt program.
Also, check out the Non-Raw Results 9-28 from tonight as well!
