Submitted by Erik Thibault from the Target Center
– WWE has upgraded its live event entrance ramp since the last house in MPLS last spring. Two larger HD screens and a small ramp lined with LED lights.
– Before the show started, The fans voted on a Wrestlemania match to be shown on the big screen. Bret Hart vs Austin won. Taker vs HBK second, Rock vs Cena third.
– NXT ring announcers Greg Hamilton and Eden Stiles were our emcees.
A.J. Styles beat The Miz (12:50)
Loud A.J. Styles chants before the match. Miz got huge heat trying to take off his sunglasses after the bell rang. Miz did the Ric Flair fall-on-his-face bump at one point. Miz got the heat kicking the middle rope as A.J. was entering the ring. A.J. hit a nice pump handle into a gut buster for a near fall. Miz hit the Skull Crushing Finale but A.J. kicked out of the believable near fall. A.J. Hit the springboard flying forearm for the win. Really fun match. Miz was a great heel.
Darren Young & Jack Swagger beat Adam Rose & Curtis Axel (7:20)
Match was sloppy and crowd was dead for most of it, even with the hometown guy Curtis Axel. Heels worked over Darren Young. Swagger with the comeback. Hit the Swagger Bomb, match broke down and Swagger made Rose tap to ankle lock.
– Bray Wyatt cut a spooky promo on the big screen. He said he was going to change the world, he wasn’t afraid of anyone and he was a god.
Ryback beat Neville (8:30)
Ryback got a stronger reaction than Neville. Not necessarily a face reaction but more of a shocked reaction that this was Neville’s opponent. Crowd was chanting Feed Me More and Goldberg during the match. Ryback took most of the match. Neville hit a standing enziguri, a few strikes and the asai moonsault and that was about it for his offense. Neither man worked like a heel. Good finish. Ryback caught Neville after a springboard. Neville escaped and rolled Ryback up for a near fall. Ryback then hit the meat hook, which flipped Neville, and a shell shock for the win.
WWE Tag Team Champions The New Day beat the Usos (8:50)
Both teams got a huge reaction. New Day cut a pre-match promo saying Minnesota was poorly educated and everyone was ugly. They sang We Are The Champions…really badly. New Day’s antics are outrageous but are extremely entertaining. Let’s Go Usos/New Day Rocks dueling chants. Crowd really into the match. Kofi missed Trouble in Paradise and Jey Uso hit two superkicks. However, Xavier distracted the ref as the crowd counted to three. Kofi then hit Trouble In Paradise for the win. Really fun match with a hot finish.
Dean Ambrose beat Intercontinental Champion Kevin Owens (c) via DQ (9:30)
Ambrose easily received the biggest pop of the night. Owens attacked Ambrose before the match started. Owens brought a chair into the ring and Ambrose rolled up Owens for what the crowd believed was the finish. Owens was trying to walk out for the count out finish but Ambrose brought him back. Owens had Ambrose in the tree of woe and wouldn’t break the five count for the disqualification. Crowd hated the finish. Owens announced himself as the champion and said “The Kevin Owens Show has just begun.” He went to pick up Ambrose but Ambrose hit Dirty Deeds for the huge pop.
Divas Champion Charlotte vs Becky Lynch went to a no-contest (5:32)
Charlotte did some Ric Flair spots such as the flip over the ropes in the corner, and Becky mocked the Ric Flair strut a time or two. Becky rolled Charlotte into the ring and hen everything stopped. The ref checked on Charlotte, Becky sat aside and doctors came to the ring. They stopped the match when Charlotte was busted open hard way. It looked like it was either when Becky charged Charlotte down the aisle and hit her or when Becky rolled her into the ring.
United States Champion Kalisto (c) beat Sheamus (roughly 13 minutes)
Sheamus stood on the middle rope in the corner for nearly a minute before the match to aggravate the crowd. They stalled a lot pre-match. Sheamus was bumping everywhere for Kalisto. Sheamus rammed Kalisto back first into the post for the heat. Kalisto hit a big moonsault during his comeback and kicked Sheamus square in the face. Ref put the gloves on. Sheamus hit White Noise from the middle rope for a near fall. Sheamus missed a Brogue Kick, Kalisto rolled to the apron, hung Sheamus on the top rope and hit the Salina del Sol for the CLEAN PIN. Crowd popped for the finish and I forgot to stop my timer because I was shocked Sheamus was pinned clean.
Kane beat Bray Wyatt in a street fight (13:10)
Kane received a solid pop and many fans stood for his entrance. 90 seconds into the match they brawled in the aisle. Kendo stick was introduced by Wyatt when Kane tried bringing him into the ring. Wyatt beat the hell out of Kane with the kendo stick but Kane whipped Wyatt pretty good when he took it away. Wyatt then brought a chair into the match DDTd Kane on the chair.
Kane went for a chokeslam, Wyatt hit a low blow and a slightly botched Sister Abigail but Kane kicked out. Wyatt kicked out of a chokeslam. Crowd chanted “Table Table Table” and Kane got one. Kane set up a table and choke slammed Wyatt for the clean pin. Crowd popped huge for the spot and most instantly hit the exits. Show ended about 10:15 pm local.
Kane cut a promo afterward. “I’ve been in WWE for a long time. Minneapolis is still one of the greatest cities that we come to. Thanks for being such an awesome audience.”
