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Tag: Sami Zayn

  • WWE Pikeville, KY, live results: Sami Zayn vs. Rusev; Big Show & Kane main event

    By Shawn Burkett

    – Enzo & Cass defeated The Dudley Boys

    Match was a simple television tag match. Nothing special. The crowd was hugely hot for Zo and Cass. 

    – Apollo Crews defeated Bo Dallas

    Crews broke out a finisher that I hadn’t seen before: a belly to back alley oop to a sit down power bomb. Decent match. Much better than expected. 

    – Sasha Banks defeated Summer Rae

    Once again, the crowd was hot for Sasha. Match was a snoozer, though. 

    – Golden Truth defeated Breezango

    Boring match aside from Breezango playing their parts perfect. 

    – Sami Zayn won a 15 man battle royal, last eliminating Cesaro

    After it was down to Cesaro and Sami, they basically had a 5-7 minute singles match which totally lifted the whole battle royal. Good match.

    – I-C Champion The Miz w/ Maryse defeated Darren Young to retain

    Really good match. Darren can always go when given the chance. About 10-15 minutes of back and forth, solid. 

    – US Champion Rusev w/ Lana defeated Sami Zayn

    Probably the best match of the night. Lana got tossed for interference. Match was about 20 minutes. There at a point you would really think Sami was about to win the title, but with it being Pikeville, that wasn’t happening. Both guys played their parts well, and got in their key spots.

    Big Show & Kane defeated The Wyatts

    Bray actually wrestled this match, but not very much. Bray got in some of his usual offense, then Rowan and Strowman took it from there. Rowan ate the pin after a double choke slam, so everyone could go home happy. 

    Thanks also to Kevin Slone and Vick Kavelish for also sending in notes

  • WWE Smackdown results: Seth Rollins vs. Sami Zayn; Cesaro vs. Alberto Del Rio

    – Air Date: June 23, 2016
    – Location: Tucson Convention Center in Tucson, AZ

    – The Big News:

    There was no acknowledgement of the Roman Reigns wellness policy violation or suspension. There was also no mention of what happened with Jerry Lawler this week. Smackdown did feature Sami Zayn vs. Seth Rollins for the first time ever, and it delivered.

    Show Recap:

    They started with a video package recapping Dean Ambrose’s night at Money in the Bank and Raw. They officially announced Ambrose vs. Rollins vs. Reigns at Battleground. The commentary team was Mauro Ranallo, Byron Saxton and David Otunga. The Raw/Smackdown podiums were on the stage too, even though they were never used.

    Seth Rollins Promo

    Rollins said all of our parents told us that we can accomplish our goals if we work hard, but MITB was proof that they’re all liars. Nobody works harder than him and he proved it when he came back early from his injury and pinned the paper champion Roman Reigns. Rollins said Ambrose snuck up behind him and stole his title.

    Rollins said he would prove again that he was, and always will be, the best member of the Shield. Tonight, he wanted to prove he was the man and issued an open challenge, which brought out Sami Zayn. Rollins asked him of his master Kevin Owens let him off his leash. Rollins was taking Zayn lightly and called him the perfect opponent.

    Before Zayn could say anything, Dean Ambrose interrupted. Ambrose called for the production guys to bring his Ambrose Asylum set into the ring, which they did. Ambrose has a cactus now. He also (poorly) drew the WWE title belt on the bristol board sign. Rollins thought this was crap and didn’t want to be a guest on his show, but Zayn played along, acting overly excited and honoured to be on.

    Ambrose’s first question was for Rollins, asking him why he’s such a jackass. Rollins didn’t want to be there, so Zayn challenged him to a match right now. Rollins was pissed about this whole thing and stormed off. Ambrose announced the match for the main event, and Ranallo called it a first-time ever match. Perfectly fine opening segment.

    Cesaro beat Alberto Del Rio via pinfall

    They went to commercial one minute into the match. The story behind this was that Del Rio blames Cesaro for costing him the ladder match. Cesaro won an 8-9 minute match after reversing the armbar into a Neutralizer. Really good match and the crowd got into it the more it went.

    Sheamus beat Apollo Crews via countout

    Otunga said he understood Sheamus’ position because when Otunga himself was out, he was afraid somebody else would take his spot, and Sheamus must be worried about the same thing.

    Crews had control until Sheamus gave him a rolling senton on the outside. Sheamus grabbed the steel steps, stood them up, and eventually hit Crews with a Brogue kick, sending him into the steps. This was somehow not a DQ, and Sheamus got in the ring as the referee counted out Crews.

    The announcers discussed the Draft and the AJ Styles/John Cena program.

    Backstage with The Club

    Gallows said there’s no better feeling than beating Cena, which Styles did. Anderson said there was no better feeling than beating up Cena, which they all did on Raw. The Usos interrupted and told Styles he can’t win without his boys “Head and Shoulders.” Styles couldn’t tell the Usos apart. Jimmy said they’ve fought Gallows and Anderson before, but not Styles one-on-one, and challenged him.

    Styles agreed to a match and would take him on without the Club at ringside. Jimmy wanted to shake on it, but when Styles went to shake his hand, Jimmy pulled his hand back and dabbed. The crowd laughed. They cut to Ranallo who said the match was made official, even though the segment literally just ended a second earlier. Whoever runs Smackdown works quickly, I guess.

    AJ Styles beat Jimmy Uso (w/Jey Uso) via pinfall

    Otunga picked Jimmy Uso to win this match. He also mentioned listening to the Stone Cold podcast and thought Styles was insecure about his size, which is why he hangs out with such big guys. Amazing. As Styles held a headlock, the younger portion of the audience chanted “AJ sucks.” Jimmy made his comeback and hit a superkick.

    At this point, Gallows and Anderson ran down through the crowd  to attack Jey. Jimmy nailed them both with a dive, and Styles followed with slingshot forearm on Jimmy. Styles pushed him back in the ring and hit a Phenomenal forearm for the win. The action was good but this was too short. The story, of course, was that Styles won thanks to the Club.

    Non-title: WWE Tag Team Champions Kofi Kingston & Big E (w/Xavier Woods) beat The Vaudevillains via pinfall

    New Day won very quickly after hitting Gotch with Midnight Hour.

    After the match, the Wyatts appeared on the screen. Bray said the measure of a man is what he does with power, but New Day used their power of positivity to interrupt the eater of worlds and that would be a grave mistake. New Day falls… Run.

    There was a new segment with Bob Backlund and Darren Young. Young said his goals were to win a singles title and main event WrestleMania. Backlund said his era was called the “Bob Backlund era” and this will be the “Darren Young era.”

    Backstage Interviews

    Sami Zayn told a new interview man that it was time to move on from Kevin Owens, which is why he accepted Rollins’ challenge. He said the earlier segment may have been fun and games, but it was time to get serious. Zayn said he wouldn’t be worried about Owens tonight, and he hoped Rollins wouldn’t be worried about Ambrose, because Zayn would kick his face off. This was great.

    Elsewhere, Renee Young asked Charlotte and Dana Brooke about Sasha Banks, which led to “We want Sasha” chants in the background. I missed Charlotte’s response. I’m sure it doesn’t matter. Brooke said she would beat Carrot Top Becky and playtime was over. One of the announcers (or someone) coughed into their mic during this segment and they didn’t bother editing it out.

    Dana Brooke (w/Charlotte) beat Becky Lynch via pinfall

    After Lynch hit a reverse DDT, Charlotte jumped on the apron, so Lynch knocked her off. The distraction allowed Brooke to apply a small package for the win in less than 2 minutes. Stupid. Another short women’s match and it was the only one on the show.

    Afterwards, the heels doubled teamed Lynch. Lynch gave Brooke an Exploder, but Charlotte nailed her with a big boot. Sasha Banks came down for the save. Charlotte bailed and Brooke attacked Banks from behind, but she gave Brooke the Bank Statement as she stared at Charlotte.

    Backstage, Rollins walked toward Gorilla when Ambrose showed up behind him. Ambrose said he wasn’t about to miss this match and casually walked along behind Rollins. Rollins was annoyed and responded by just walking really fast to get away. Funny.

    Seth Rollins beat Sami Zayn via pinfall

    Dean Ambrose joined commentary. Ranallo called him the new kingpin of WWE, and Ambrose really liked that. There were dueling chants of “Let’s go Rollins” and “Sami Zayn.” After a break, Rollins stomped a mudhole into Zayn. They each tried to hit a vertical suplex, but Rollins got the better of it and hit a Falcon Arrow.

    Ranallo asked Ambrose what it was like to get “You deserve it” chants. Ambrose said you can’t outsmart the people and, “to quote John Cena, even though I don’t want to, real recognizes real.”

    Zayn began making a comeback but Rollins escaped to the outside. Zayn went right after him with a clothesline, followed by a crossbody back in the ring for two. Zayn then hit a Blue Thunder Bomb for a near fall.

    Zayn went for the Helluva kick but Rollins countered with a jumping kick and turnbuckle bomb. Zayn countered into a school boy for two, then reversed a Pedigree into a tornado DDT. Zayn went for Helluva kick again, but again Rollins escaped the ring. Zayn hit a flip dive, but as they re-entered the ring, Rollins immediately hit the Pedigree for the win. Very good match, although it was only about 12 minutes.

    After the match, Rollins confronted Ambrose, but when Ambrose got in his face, Rollins backed off. Ambrose went to sit back down so Rollins gave him a cheap shot. With Ambrose down, Rollins celebrated, but Ambrose wildly attacked him. Ambrose went for a Dirty Deeds in the ring but Rollins bailed.

    – Final Thoughts:

    Based on normal Smackdown standards, this show was pretty good, especially with what felt like a light crew. Del Rio vs. Cesaro and Zayn vs. Rollins were both really good and the talking segments were entertaining too. I love that Seth Rollins seems like he’ll be perpetually annoyed as long as Dean Ambrose is WWE champion. 

  • WWE Money in the Bank: Picks & predictions for Reigns vs. Rollins, Cena vs. AJ

    It’s time once again for a briefcase to be put on a run as WWE’s Money in the Bank event is upon us!

    The big story over the last month? Well, six guys are having a ladder match, and the winner gets the briefcase. That’s essentially the story. Meanwhile, Stephanie and Shane McMahon are bickering over the upcoming brand split and have no real idea what they’re doing or what they are going to do when the time comes. But hey, John Cena and AJ Styles have had a hot start to their feud! After turning on Cena in a swerve, Styles looks to bring his A-game against Cena, who considers himself the measuring stick of WWE. Will Styles prevail in this first-ever encounter, or will Cena overcome the odds as usual?

    We also have a big main event as a returning Seth Rollins looks to take the title he never lost when he faces champion Roman Reigns. Rollins won’t go down without a fight, and neither will Regins. Will we see a decisive conclusion, or is this just the begining of a long program?

    Current Scoreboard

    • Kyle S. Johnson (Wrestling columnist) (27 points)
    • Steve Khan (WWE Smackdown reporter) (26 points)
    • Alan O’Brien (WWE RAW Hits & Misses columnist) (26 points)
    • Bryan Rose (New Japan Pro Wrestling reporter) (23 points)
    • James Cox (WWE Superstars reporter & WWE DVD reviewer) (22 points)
    • Gary Mehaffy (Interviewer/Columnist) (16 points)
    • Karl Stern (DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Audio Show) (13 points)
    • Dan “Peach Machine” Velten (Astronaut Florist) (10 points)
    • Brian Hoops (Daily Pro Wrestling History) (9 points)
    • Jeremy Peeples (Lucha Underground reporter) (7 points)
    • Ryan Frederick (UFC reporter) (new to contest)

    Dolph Ziggler vs. Baron Corbin

    Bryan Rose: Is there even one person out there who remotely cares about this match? The blow off should have been two months ago but we’re still getting matches. Why? What did we do to deserve this?

    Winner: Baron Corbin

    Alan O’Brien: As Bryan says above, there is no rationale whatsoever for this match’s existence. None. One meaningless pre-show match is enough, thanks. Corbin to win by non-Roshambo means.

    Winner: Baron Corbin

    James Cox: There is very little to be excited about here. Ziggler won last month at Extreme Rules, so 50/50 booking says Corbin goes over.

    Winner: Baron Corbin

    Jeremy Peeples: This is a feud over basically nothing and it refuses to end. Dolph got the better of Baron via a low-blow on Raw, so I’ll give Baron the win here since he should get revenge and he’s taller.

    Winner: Baron Corbin

    Peach Machine: Corbin by second round submission. Head and arm choke.

    Winner Corbin

    Steve Khan: I could see Ziggler winning since both Rusev and Miz could need opponents soon, but the last thing that happened with these two was Ziggler kicking Corbin in the nuts, so…

    Winner: Baron Corbin

    Kyle S. Johnson: Hey, this match is happening! It really, really should not be happening, but it is. Corbin would probably have been better off to win the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal, disappear back to NXT for a few months with the trophy, and then reemerge during the draft with some actual purpose. Instead, he’ll get another somehow-even-more meaningless win over Ziggler, and hopefully (HOPEFULLY) get shuffled off into another feud.

    Winner: Baron Corbin

    Ryan Frederick: I’m probably in the minority in liking Baron Corbin but this feud has done nothing for him. He should get the win in a blow off to the feud as Dolph’s role should be to put him over.

    Winner: Baron Corbin

    Brian Hoops: If they ever plan on doing anything with Corbin, he absolutely has to win and move on to another feud. He needs a clean and decisive win.

    Winner: Baron Corbin

    Apollo Crews vs. Sheamus

    Bryan Rose: Crews is another example of being called up because you have a good look, but beyond that creative has nothing for you. I think this should be fine, as Sheamus is a good worker and Crews has tons of potential as a worker, but who knows if they will even be given enough time to showcase that. Let’s give Crews the first win just because.

    Winner: Apollo Crews

    Alan O’Brien: Crews has schlepped around on the C-shows since Wrestlemania, spinning his smiley wheels against the flotsam and jetsam of the WWE roster. I seriously doubt that Vince will allow this guy, looking the way he does, to lose his first serious (-ish) match. Especially on the pre-show, where babyfaces usually go over.

    Winner: Apollo Crews

    James Cox: Although Crews ought to win here and Sheamus in mid-card hell, I think they’ll go with Crews. But Crew needs to extend his move-set and they need to do something with him fast.

    Winner: Apollo Crews

    Jeremy Peeples: It’s another feud that hasn’t really been built up well. They’ve done a bit on Raw with Sheamus as a bully who is afraid of Crews, but haven’t made anything personal. Sheamus began the year as WWE Champion and now he’s in what feels like a pre-show feud – so he should win this to regain something resembling momentum, but Crews also shouldn’t be losing programs right now.

    Winner: Sheamus

    Peach Machine: I just recently watched the first four Rocky movies, and as I recall, Apollo Creed never lost a match and nothing bad ever happened to him, which makes this a no brainer.

    WInner: Apollo Crews

    Steve Khan: This could go the way of Ziggler/Corbin, with Sheamus getting the first win for no reason. Crews humiliated Sheamus last time they were on TV, but I’ll still go with Crews.

    Winner: Apollo Crews

    Kyle S. Johnson: The only reason for this feud seems to be realizing the idea that throwing these two together for a bit showcases Apollo on a PPV (or before it, anyway) with a guy who is pretty well established and gives him a win over a former world champion. I don’t really have much of an expectation for the quality of this match, but I expect Apollo to win clean and hope that this feud is more of a launching pad for Apollo and less the seemingly endless mid-card nothing crawl that Ziggler vs. Corbin has become.

    Winner: Apollo Crews

    Ryan Frederick: They’re finally doing something with Apollo Crews and Sheamus is a good place to start. Sheamus is in a place of going nowhere and Crews should be built up for something bigger. Here’s hoping they can have a solid match, and Crews shouldn’t be losing right now.

    Winner: Apollo Crews

    Brian Hoops: Sheamus’ best days are past and Crews is getting his first major feud on the main roster. It would be complete insanity to beat him now, which may happen, but shouldn’t.

    Winner Apollo Crews

    United States Championship: Rusev (c) vs. Titus O’Neil

    Bryan Rose: I like O’Neal as a talker, and he’s always doing good things in public which is nice. I’m really sure he is father of the year, for all I know. But in the ring, he’s not much, and that is putting it lightly. There might be some chemistry here I’m unaware of, but beyond that I’m not expecting much, and since Rusev has more upside as a wrestling talent, he should probably get the win here.  

    Winner: Rusev

    Alan O’Brien: This is just a title defence for Rusev. The build up has been so paint-by-numbers that it’s plainly obvious how little they care about Titus. That makes two of us.

    Winner: Rusev

    James Cox: Rusev to win in what is a very weak match for a ppv. If they really wanted to pull the trigger on Titus O’Neil they would have done it by now – he’s 39.

    Winner: Rusev

    Jeremy Peeples: It’s good to see Titus involved in a title program right after his suspension. However, he doesn’t have any momentum as a singles act and his limitations stand out more in one on one matches. This should be a short powerhouse vs. powerhouse match, and Rusev should go over clearly.

    Winner: Rusev

    Peach Machine: You don’t take the steam off of Rusev right now, and certainly not with the Real Deal Dad of the Year.

    Winner: Rusev

    Steve Khan: I really doubt O’Neil wins the title. I could see Rusev getting himself DQ’d and they do this again later.

    Winner: Titus O’Neil (Rusev retains)

    Kyle S. Johnson: Rusev is probably one of the three or four best things going on the main roster right now, and taking the belt off of him a month after winning it to put it on dead-in-the-water Titus O’Neil makes no sense — even if they think they’ll get some kind of pub for putting it on the Mega Dad of the Year. Of course, they could do it, if only because it’s been shown for the past several months that WWE really has no idea what to do with the U.S. Championship when it is around the waist of anyone not named John Cena. I’m just really going to hope that they do not, because with the brand split imminent, building Rusev up as a monster and having him rejuvenate that title sure sounds like a ball to run with.

    Winner: Rusev

    Ryan Frederick: Rusev is entertaining and should be hot for the brand split as he can be an effective top heel if creative plays their cards right. Nice to see Titus getting some TV and PPV time but he really shouldn’t have a title around his waist. Keep this short and put Rusev over strong.

    Winner: Rusev

    Brian Hoops: How cool of a story would it be to have the “father of the year” win the title on Father’s Day? For that reason, Rusev retains the title. WWE would never do that simple and awesome storyline, they have to be cute and creative.

    Winner: Rusev

    WWE Women’s Champion Charlotte and Dana Brooke vs. Natalya and Becky Lynch

    Bryan Rose: I dunno. They’re already teasing dissention between Brooke and Charlotte about a month into their partnership. I mean, yeah, this might be a case of bait and switch, but can you save that angle a few months down the road? I think this is all placeholder until they start the Banks stuff, but in the meantime I guess Natty and Lynch should get the win, and maybe build to a Lynch/Charlotte match at the July PPV? I dunno, wishful thinking.

    Winner: Natalya and Becky Lynch

    Alan O’Brien: Very difficult to call. I think the likeliest outcome is a heel victory with Charlotte nipping in to take the pinfall from Dana. Hard to see the babyfaces go over, as neither is being heated up for a Summerslam tilt at the belt.

    Winner: Charlotte and Dana Brooke

    James Cox: Honestly, I haven’t been following this one. They can beat Charlotte and it won’t matter because she’s in a tag match, but I think She and Dana aren’t breaking up, despite the tease on Monday.

    Winner: Charlotte and Dana Brooke

    Jeremy Peeples: Three weeks into the partnership, they’re teasing issues between Dana and Charlotte – so I think the faces win here when Charlotte is either distracted or has plausible deniability for an injury and Dana drops the fall.

    Winners: Natalya and Becky Lynch

    Peach Machine: Charlotte has won a match in the last 11 PPV’s and they pointed that out last time. I think they want that to be Charlotte’s “16 time…”.

    Winner Char-dawg & Dana

    Steve Khan: I’m guessing this is leading to a 3-way at the next PPV, whatever that is, so the babyface team should win.

    Winner: Natalya & Becky Lynch

    Kyle S. Johnson: Why they are angling to build tension between Dana and Charlotte just a month into their alliance, one can only guess. (I would blame ineptitude, first and foremost.) If the plan is to slot in Becky as a holdover challenger until Summerslam (where one can only presume Sasha will be rolled out as the top contender), it would make sense for her to get the pin here over Charlotte after Dana makes some match-ending mistake. Still,

    Ryan Frederick: Unfortunately it seems like this match is to build up a split between Charlotte and Dana, and that is a wrong move to make if there ever was one. Dana doesn’t deserve the spot opposite Charlotte but it seems we are going that direction. I sense issues will be teased but they will end up getting the win.

    Winners: Charlotte and Dana Brooke

    Brian Hoops: Way too early to break up Charlotte and Dana Brooke and they just teased this same storyline with Styles and the Club. It would be perfect since to have the champion pinned in a tag match to build up a singles challenger. Probably why it won’t happen.

    Winners: Natalya and Becky Lynch

    WWE Tag Team Championship: The New Day (c) vs. Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows vs. Enzo Amore and Big Cass vs. The Vaudevillans

    Bryan Rose: I think New Day retains and breaks the tag team title record. They’ve been the most popular tag team in years here in the WWE so it only makes since. I don’t see Vaudevillans winning and while eventually Amore and Cass should get the titles, I don’t see it happening. They could put them on Anderson and Gallows, but I think that’s the next tag team title program for New Day anyway so it should last another month at least.

    Winner: New Day

    Alan O’Brien: Vaudevillains are not going over, and they’ll want to save Enzo and Cass’ big title win for a singles feud. I can easily see New Day retaining, but I think it’s more likely that The Club will succeed with their first shot at the gold.

    Winner: Anderson and Gallows

    James Cox: Feels like we should have a shake up here, but I still The New Day win here. A babyface win is important looking at this card.

    Winner: The New Day

    Jeremy Peeples: They’ve been pushing the near record-setting reign of the New Day on commentary, which is usually a bad sign. They have three teams in this that probably shouldn’t lose, and the Vaudevillains. The New Day should win just to keep things stable until the draft, but I could see The Club winning just to go them some momentum. If they make a second set of tag titles, they can just give The Club one of them – so I’ll go with New Day retaining here.

    Winners: The New Day

    Peach Machine: I think the New Day has long since jumped the shark. Get the belts off those clowns.

    Winner: The New Day, because that’s how they book.

    Steve Khan: New Day have had the titles so long, losing in a 4-way would be lame. Gallows & Anderson can certainly win to build momentum for the Club, but I see New Day getting the fall over the Vaudevillains.

    Winner: The New Day

    Kyle S. Johnson: A four-team match that includes an obvious fall team seems like a great opportunity to make a title switch. The New Day do not need the belts to stay over, and I can’t help but shake the feeling that Cass is going to wind up going to singles well before he and Enzo reach their shelf life as a tag team. Anderson and Gallows, on the other hand, could probably really use a dominant championship run to prove the mettle of The Club as a force to be reckoned with. I’ll go with Guns and Gallows getting the belts after stealing a pin away from one of the babyface teams.

    Winner: Anderson and Gallows

    Ryan Frederick: I would like to see them switch the belts and have New Day chase to freshen up the act just a little, give them something to fight for. The fact they’ve been pushing the length of the reign isn’t a good sign. The question is who to give it to if they are switching. Enzo & Cass is a great act and the titles could benefit them, but I think putting them around Anderson and Gallows would be the right move in getting them over with AJ as the top heel act. I expect a fun match.

    Winners: Karl Anderson & Luke Gallows

    Brian Hoops: The New Day act has run its course. Lots of ways they could go here with a 4 way, but I look for Anderson & Gallows to win the belts with Vaudevillians getting pinned. Would freshen things up if Anderson and Gallows take the titles with programs with New Day and Usos, who can claim previous victories over the new champions.

    Winners: Anderson & Gallows

    AJ Styles vs. John Cena

    Bryan Rose: Hmm, very interesting. Cena shouldn’t win the first bout. I mean if we’re going to have the usual Cena feud, he should at least lose the first match and win the other two. As far as the match goes, Styles is one of the best in the planet and Cena works his butt off. Should be great.

    Winner: AJ Styles

    Alan O’Brien: AJ’s self-inflicted banning of his buddies from ringside is a red herring. He needs a big win, and getting it on his own will make it all the more significant. Sure, Cena will win the next two, a la the Owens feud, but hey, I’ll take it.

    Winner: AJ Styles

    James Cox: This will be match of the night. Despite all the rhetoric about AJ Styles being a big deal in the company, he’s clearly only a big deal when it suits them, otherwise they wouldn’t have had him lose so much. Cena to win; they’re not in the habit of beating him on ppv.

    Winner: John Cena

    Jeremy Peeples: This has been the best-built program of the entire PPV. AJ has been cutting the best promos of his career and is seemingly getting out any bitterness he might have had over the years at the same time. Cena has been putting AJ over huge as well, and I can see AJ winning this one to set up a bigger match at Summerslam that Cena wins.

    Winner: AJ Styles

    Peach Machine: Gotta be Cena. Vince isn’t gonna put his top guy under while his supposed top guy is floundering at best.

    Winner: Cena

    Steve Khan: The Club might not be there, but Styles can still cheat to win. I can see John Cena winning because he’s John Cena, but Styles badly needs a big win.

    Winner: AJ Styles

    Kyle S. Johnson: AJ has lost three straight PPV matches, and with so much of the (excellent, excellent) build for this match being about him needing to get it done here, I cannot fathom an outcome that does not see him beating John Cena. Cena can get his win back down the line (probably even as soon as next month, given the way things tend to go), but AJ needs to win here to make him a credible main-event-caliber guy for one of the two shows moving forward. This should be a superb match, and I expect that AJ gets it done — whether it is cleanly, by nefarious means, or with the help of a former ally not named Doc or Karl.

    Winner: AJ Styles

    Ryan Frederick: Anything other than a win by Styles here is the wrong move. Cena doesn’t need it and Styles is arguably the biggest star in the company at this moment. He is also arguably the best wrestler in the world. I am looking forward to this one as Styles always shows up and Cena is great with top workers. This could be a classic if given time and the crowd should be hot.

    Winner: AJ Styles

    Brian Hoops: For the sake of AJ Styles career, he has to win over Cena here. He lost in the Rumble (Cena promo), got beat by Kevin Owens and lost last PPV matches to Jericho and Reigns twice. Another loss here makes him just like everyone else in the WWE. A loss for Cena wont hurt him and they can build the feud to culminate later this summer.

    Winner: AJ Styles

    Money in the Bank Ladder Match: Sami Zayn vs. Cesaro vs. Chris Jericho vs. Dean Ambrose vs. Alberto del Rio vs. Kevin Owens

    Bryan Rose: This could go to anyone. If I had to pick who would benefit more with the briefcase, probably Owens as he’s the guy with the most potential as a future WWE champion. Ambrose is also another possibility, anyone else I just don’t see it happening (Cesaro, Zayn) or sounds lame (Jericho, del Rio). Should be a great match regardless of who wins.

    Winner: Kevin Owens

    Alan O’Brien: Owens is the guy. The briefcase is a heel gimmick, and who better to attach it to than the best on the roster.

    Winner: Kevin Owens

    James Cox: Everything says it ought to be Owens, but it really is a match anyone could win. I’m sticking my neck out, but ultimately it should go to heel and I think we might be about to see them re-launch Alberto Del Rio. Orton could return, take a seventh spot and win, but I don’t know if he’s ready.

    Winner: Alberto Del Rio

    Jeremy Peeples: Owens has been dropping a lot of falls, but would make a fantastic challenger for Roman Reigns – so I’ll go with him winning here.

    Winner: Kevin Owens

    Peach Machine: Owens. No doubt.

    Winner: Vin Owens

    Steve Khan: They could throw us a curveball like they have in ths most, but this match is far too important. It comes down to Ambrose and Owens, and given the way they’ve booked the past few weeks, Owens looks like the leading candidate. I’ll play it safe and go with Owens, who’s perfect for this gimmick.

    Winner: Kevin Owens

    Kyle S. Johnson: This is Owens’ match to win. Cesaro, Sami, or Dean would be reasonable dark horse picks, and putting the briefcase with Del Rio or Jericho would be a mistake. Owens will win and, one can only hope, be treated as one of the company’s top heels thereafter.

    Winner: Kevin Owens

    Ryan Frederick: Kevin Owens is ready to be the top heel in the company, and he should get the briefcase. I can only really see Jericho as the only other option as they’ve pushed him as the creator of the match but him having never won it. Owens has been losing too much lately and logic says that means he’s winning.

    Winner: Kevin Owens

    Brian Hoops: Owens is the one that benefits the most from winning the briefcase and eventually cashing it in to win the world title. No one else makes sense, which makes the Owens pick shaky.

    Winner: Kevin Owens

    WWE Championship: Roman Reigns (c) vs. Seth Rollins

    Bryan Rose: Reigns isn’t losing the title anytime soon, and I already feel a rematch is set for Battleground regardless of who wins. I think it’ll be a great match as Regions has improved tremendously, and Rollins should be aching to have a killer match. Fun stuff ahead!

    Winner: Roman Reigns

    Alan O’Brien: What a disaster this has been. It’s unlikely that they will switch the title at this juncture, with Roman likely to be the figurehead of RAW. Rollins could win by DQ, but I imagine Reigns will pin him after some kind of schmoz finish.

    Winner: Roman Reigns

    James Cox: I can’t see them about to play hot potato with the title this close to the brand split. The story ought to be Seth taking back what he never lost, but they chose Roman Reigns and they’re sticking with him.

    Winner: Roman Reigns

    Jeremy Peeples: This feud has been built up very strangely. In theory, Seth should be coming in as a really hot act. Instead, he had one great night and has been pretty cold since then. They’ve teased Dean winning in cashing in – so he’s probably doomed. Seth has no momentum and shouldn’t be winning with this character as it is now.

    Winner: Roman Reigns

    Peach Machine: Some schmoz. Disputed finish. Reigns retains.

    Winner: Reigns

    Steve Khan: I’m not sure what to expect. Reigns won’t lose the title yet, and Rollins can’t lose clean in his return. I also don’t see a cash-in, and they’ve built this too big for a screwy finish. So, I’ll go with Reigns barely squeaking out a win.

    Winner: Roman Reigns

    Kyle S. Johnson: This angle has been outclassed by the build for AJ and Cena at every turn, and while the match itself is probably going to be great, it feels very much like an afterthought on this show. I imagine that this is going to have some kind of inconclusive finish since I cannot see either guy taking a pinfall at this stage — perhaps even something as far-fetched as Lesnar showing up and wrecking both guys to stake his claim as the true champion. Either way, the title won’t change hands, and this feud will continue in some form or fashion.

    Winner: Roman Reigns

    Ryan Frederick: This feels like the first match of a program, and probably one with Dean Ambrose getting involved, possibly leading to the long-anticipated Shield three-way at Summerslam. That means a likely BS finish. I think Rollins gets the win but Reigns retains due to a DQ. The crowd reactions for this will be fun.

    Winner: Seth Rollins but Roman Reigns retains the championship

    Brian Hoops: Another feud they have totally botched. Rollins should be the returning babyface to challenge and reclaim the title he never lost. It was a perfect storyline they have completely pissed down their leg. Now, they have their hottest potential babyface turned back heel and no one wants to boo him and their champion babyface, no one cares about and wants to cheer. Beating Rollins clean would make any remaining fans disgruntled so that makes no sense. Taking the title off Reigns and putting it on the heel also makes no sense after shoving Reigns down everyone’s throats.

    Winner: Rollins by DQ

    Live coverage from Dave Meltzer begins later tonight with the pre-show!

  • WWE Smackdown results: AJ Styles, Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson vs. Roman Reigns and The Usos

    – Air Date: May 5, 2016 
    – Location: Sprint Center in Kansas City, MO 

    – The Big News:

    Roman Reigns and the Usos got some revenge over AJ Styles, Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson. Also, The Vaudevillains vs. The New Day was made official for Extreme Rules. 

    – Show Recap: 

    Chris Jericho came out for the Highlight Reel. He said Dean Ambrose thought he could be funny and zany when tangling with him, but it got serious when Jericho smashed the 20-pound pot over Ambrose. Jericho claimed that Ambrose spent the night in a St. Louis hospital with contusions, whiplash and bulging discs. 

    Jericho said Ambrose wasn’t here tonight, wasn’t going to run out to make a surprise appearance, and he should stay home for good. Jericho said it is a new era in WWE – his era. The crowd chanted “You suck” at Jericho, who introduced his guest Sami Zayn. 

    Jericho said his good friend Kevin Owens beat Zayn fair and square but Zayn continues to attack him, which makes him a sore loser. He also called Zayn a thief for posing with The Miz’s Intercontinental title. Jericho asked Zayn what kind of human being he is, and Zayn responded, “Actually, I think I’m a pretty good human being, honestly.” Zayn thought people would agree, just like they would agree that Jericho’s scarf makes him look stupid. 

    Zayn said he didn’t have a problem with Owens beating him, he had a problem with Owens slapping him in the face after the match and tossing him out of the ring like garbage. He also wasn’t trying to steal the IC Title. Miz interrupted. 

    Miz said he’s the only one who’s earned the right to hold the IC title belt and called Zayn a serial coattail rider. Miz warned Zayn not to lay a finger on the title again, so Zayn repeatedly touched the title with his finger, which was funny. The crowd chanted for Zayn. Jericho said if someone laid a hand on his $15,000 jacket, he would do something about it, and told Miz he should do something about it. 

    Zayn couldn’t believe Jericho spent $15,000 on his jacket. Jericho started raging, tossed his stools down and left. Zayn called them jackasses. Miz said Zayn has no respect and called himself the biggest, baddest shark in WWE. Zayn touched the title again and challenged Miz to a fight, but Maryse got in his face. Zayn challenged him to a fight again but Miz bailed. 

    This segment was good enough. The biggest positive was that Sami Zayn, surprise surprise, came off very likable. 

    Non-title: Sami Zayn beat IC Champion The Miz (w/Maryse) via DQ 

    Miz tried tossing Zayn into the barricade, but Zayn leapt onto the barricade and nailed a moonsault. The highlight of that spot was the reaction of a girl in the front row. Kevin Owens came out (to his music) and joined commentary after a break. 

    Mauro Ranallo asked Owens what brought him to ringside and Jerry Lawler responded, “Obviously his legs brought him down here Mauro, don’t be an idiot!” Owens enjoyed that. Owens then mocked Miz for hitting an axe-handle off the top, calling him a great “athlete.” Zayn hit a dive to Miz on the outside, then got in Owens’ face. 

    Zayn went back after Miz, but Owens jumped Zayn from behind for the DQ. Miz and Owens double teamed him but Cesaro made the save (he stripped off his suit as he ran to the ring). Cesaro did the uppercut parade to both Miz and Owens, while still wearing sunglasses. Cesaro also caught Zayn with one by accident, which knocked him out of the ring. Cesaro tried to swing Miz but both Maryse and Owens got in the way and all the heels bailed. Cesaro posed with the title. 

    They showed a replay of the main event angle from Raw. Backstage, AJ Styles asked Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson if they were ready for round two. Anderson said Styles would have broken the chair over Roman Reigns if this was back in the day. Styles said it wasn’t, and reminded them he beat Reigns twice at Payback before Reigns beat him. 

    Styles said he would become champion, but would do it his way. Gallows and Anderson said Reigns may not see it that way after he put Styles through a table. Styles decided to go have a chat with Reigns. Anderson and Gallows were happy to hear it. 

    Promo for Primo and Epico. They also replayed the footage of Enzo Amore being knocked out, and announced The Vaudevillains vs. The New Day at Extreme Rules for the Tag-Team titles. 

    The Vaudevillains beat Curtis Axel & Bo Dallas via pinfall 

    The Vaudevillains did an inset promo, calling the New Day clowns and called themselves real men. They won in under two minutes with the Whirling Dervish. 

    Afterwards, Big Cass came out to tell the Vaudevillains they look like they came off the set of Sherlock Holmes. He said he was going to give them a whooping and called them soft. He knocked both guys out of the ring, when Axel jumped in and called them soft too. He tried to buddy up to Cass, but Cass hit him with the swinging side slam. Axel was pretty amusing here. 

    Natalya & Becky Lynch beat Emma & Women’s Champion Charlotte (w/Ric Flair) via submission 

    They worked over Natalya until she made the hot tag to Lynch, who ran wild on Emma until she was pulled out of the ring by Charlotte. They double teamed Lynch to gain control and worked her over until she made the hot tag to Natalya, who hit Charlotte with clotheslines, a low dropkick, and discus clothesline. 

    Natalya applied the Sharpshooter but Charlotte crawled to her corner and Emma tagged in. Emma knocked down Natalya and hit a running crossbody. Lynch broke up the cover and knocked Charlotte off the ring. Natalya applied the Sharpshooter to Emma who tapped. Average match that went about 10 minutes. Emma didn’t need to be in this match. 

    Backstage, Reigns and the Usos were chatting when they were interrupted by AJ Styles. Reigns told Styles he had guts coming in there. Styles told Reigns he had him dead to rights on Raw. He took the high road, but he won’t next time. Styles asked if Reigns was going to be in the Usos’ corner in the main event. Reigns called himself the champ, called the Usos family, and he would be wherever he wanted to be. Styles said he would see them out there. 

    There was a really bizarre vignette with Darren Young. Young spoke about searching for a life coach. He said the answer was right in front of him, when the screen split and Bob Backlund appeared. Young asked Backlund if he would be his life coach. 

    Backlund said yes, he would be his “wrestling coach.” Young was glad, but he wanted a life coach, not a wrestling coach. Backlund screamed that the first lesson was “wrestling is life.” The segment ended with the words “Make Darren Young Great Again” on the screen. No idea what to make of this. 

    Rusev (w/Lana) beat Zack Ryder via submission 

    Ryder didn’t get an entrance. Also, Charles Robinson was the referee. Ranallo said Rusev claimed he would eat Kalisto’s big heart, and Rusev beat Ryder in just over a minute with the Accolade. The only thing to note was Rusev developed a hematoma after being sent face-first into the steel post. Lana wasn’t happy about that. 

    Afterwards, Kalisto ran in and attacked Rusev for basically no reason. They claimed it was because Lana was mocking the Lucha chants. He hit Rusev with a few kicks, springboard corkscrew crossbody, and then he left to pose with his title on the stage. Rusev vs. Kalisto should be pretty great. 

    The announcers plugged Camp WWE by reading the same script the announcers did on Raw. 

    Backstage, Fandango taught Goldust some new dance moves. After some “comedy,” Fandango challenged Truth and Tyler Breeze to a tag match next week. This is so dumb. 

    Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson (w/AJ Styles) beat The Usos (w/Roman Reigns) via DQ 

    As Gallows and Anderson made their entrance, Ranallo put them over as one of the best teams in Japan and Lawler responded, “Who cares about Japanese wrestling?” After Jey Uso was sent outside a couple minutes into the match, Reigns went to check on him, at which point Anderson used his boot to face-wash Reigns. Reigns jumped in the ring and attacked Anderson for the DQ, which led to a big brawl. 

    A bunch of officials ran down to break it up. Styles grabbed a mic and said, “I thought this was a new era – or his that just for Raw? This is Smackdown, and we’re going to finish what we started, now!” Normally these setups to turn a singles match into a tag match (or a tag match into a six-man in this case) feels really phony, but this was done well and the crowd was into it. It was chaotic and the fans just wanted to see them fight. 

    WWE Champion Roman Reigns & The Usos beat AJ Styles, Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson via pinfall 

    Reigns and Styles started as they did on Raw, and there were dueling chants from the crowd. Reigns seemed to be getting the better of it until Styles backed him into the corner for Anderson to make a tag. Reigns and the Usos triple-teamed Anderson but he eventually backed Jey Uso into the corner for Gallows to make a tag. The Usos double teamed him, but Gallows gained control with a big boot on Jimmy Uso. 

    Reigns made a hot tag and hit Anderson with a jumping clothesline and clotheslines in the corner. He knocked Styles off the apron with a right hand as well. Reigns superman punched Gallows off the apron. He tried to hit Styles with one as well, but Styles hung him over the top rope, and Anderson followed with a school boy for a near fall. 

    An Uso hit Gallows with a suicide dive and Reigns hit Anderson with a superman punch. Reigns went for a spear but Styles cut him off with forearm. An Uso dragged Styles out of the ring and Anderson made a cover on Reigns for a close near fall. Anderson followed with a spinebuster for another near fall, but Reigns popped back with a spear for the pinfall win. 

    Styles tried to make the save before the pinfall, but was held back by an Uso. As soon as Reigns got the 3 count, he and Styles stared at each other, perhaps acknowledging how close this was. After they showed a replay of the finish, Styles and Reigns were still in a staredown. Styles pointed at the title saying “That’s mine” and Reigns held it up to end the show. 

    – Final Thoughts: 

    This was a mostly mundane show again until the main event stuff, which I thought was really good. Not a fan of Gallows/Anderson losing already, but at least it was to the champ. 

  • WWE Payback live results: Roman Reigns vs. AJ Styles; Kevin Owens vs. Sami Zayn

    WWE’s first big event since Wrestlemania plays out Sunday night with Payback where an Internet fan favorite battles an Internet scourge for what was once the biggest prize in the business in the main event. Five titles will be on the line tonight at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, IL, outside Chicago. This is the fourth Payback event in company history, and Reigns has been in the main event for the last three.

    Pre-Show:

    DOLPH ZIGGLER VS. BARON CORBIN

    Corbin took most of the match, had Ziggler up for a power bomb but flipped him backwards instead into the post.  Corbin then started stalling and celebrating and they were totally teasing the idea that Corbin was taking it for granted.  Corbin got in the ring and Ziggler pinned him with a schoolboy.  It was fine for a preshow match.   

    U.S. CHAMPION KALISTO VS. RYBACK

    They went really fast and did a lot of near falls ending with Ryback missing a splash off the top rope and Kalisto pinned him with Salida del Sol.  A few botched spots but it was okay.  Kalisto did a tope and some spinning moves. 

    New Day did an interview saying they were going to be at ringside for the tag team tournament final later tonight.

    Main Card:

    WWE TAG TEAM TOURNAMENT FINALS: ENZO & CASS VS. VAUDEVILLAINS

    There was a legit injury a few minutes into the match. Simon Gotch threw Enzo Amore out of the ring.  Amore’s left arm caught the middle rope as he was sliding and his head hit the middle rope and then the back of Enzo’s head hit the apron and he fell to the floor.  Ref Dan Engler immediately put up an “X” and they stopped the match.  It was legit as the cameras quickly went to the announcers while medical personnel were working on Enzo and he was carried out.  No announcement was made and JBL and Byron Saxton looked pretty concerned.

    They said that Enzo can move his extremities and is talking and was rushed to the hospital.

    SAMI ZAYN VS. KEVIN OWENS

    Excellent match.  Owens, who a bloody nose, won clean with a superkick and the pop up power bomb.  Owens stepped on him after the match.  Owens slapped him in he face and threw him out of the ring when it was over.   They worked this more like a Japanese match than a WWE match with the pacing and Zayn popping up from moves as opposed to long term selling.  The crowd was going pretty nuts in spots, particularly the usual Zayn dive from the floor into and out of the ring with the DDT on the floor.  Owens did a cool frog splash.

    Owens wanted Byron  Saxton to come in the ring.  Owens teased opening the ropes for him but then didn’t.  Saxton asked if the rivalry was over.  Owens said he beat Zayn.  Owens said he finally put to rest the question after 14 years, he’s the better man.  Now he wants the IC title back.  Saxton noted the match was next.  Owens said he didn’t know the match was next but he’s staying to do commentary in the match. 

    I-C CHAMPION THE MIZ VS. CESARO

    The match was good.  It was a set up for a four-way program for the title with Owens and Zayn.  Zayn ran down to ringside during the match.  Zayn attacked Owens.  They were fighting.  In the ring Cesaro used a giant swing and had the crossface on.  Miz was tapping but ref John Cone was distracted by breaking up Zayn and Owens.  Cesaro let go of the move and knocked both Zayn and Owens off the apron and Miz schoolboyed him for the pin to keep the title.

    After the match, Cesaro laid out Miz with the neutralizer.  Owens superkicked Cesaro.  Owens also power bombed Zayn again and went to power bomb Miz, but Maryse pulled Miz out of the ring to safety.  Owens grabbed the belt.

    They announced Enzo was in the hospital and able to communicate with the medical staff and move his arms and legs.  He was knocked out at one point before waking up backstage before they rushed him to the hospital.

    CHRIS JERICHO VS. DEAN AMBROSE

    Another excellent match.  Ambrose did a tope and may have hit Jericho head first because he came up bleeding from the nose.  Jericho also hit the back of his head on the German table.  Ambrose won clean with Dirty Deeds after Jericho went for the quebrada but Ambrose got his knees up and threw a seris of knees to set up the finish.  This was more Americanzied than Zayn vs. Owens.  There were several spots coming off the  Walls of Jericho used.

    Mauro Ranallo interviewed A.J. Styles, and he asked about Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson.  He said it’s one-on-one tonight.

    They showed Shane McMahon talking to Sasha Banks. 

    WWE WOMEN’S CHAMPION CHARLOTTE (WITH RIC FLAIR) VS. NATALYA (WITH BRET HART)

    The match was going well when they redid the 1997 Survivoir Series finish.  Charlotte put Natalya in the sharpshooter and ref Charles Robinson called for the bell even though Natalya didn’t submit  After the match, Bret Hart knocked down Ric Flair, Charles Robinson ran off, Natalya put Charlotte in the sharpshooter and Flair and Charlotte both tapped.  Natalya was doing a great job of selling the knee most of the way refusing to submit to the figure four.  The match was designed to build a rematch more than be a great match building to a conclusion.  Not sure if there weren’t better ways to get where they were going but that’s the way they know.

    Vince McMahon called out Stephanie and Shane.  Will update later as we had technical issues on the site but the end result was Vince chose that both would have to get along and run Raw together and it starts a new era.  Obviously they needed a shock and change to Raw with the ratings the way they were, but more McMahons isn’t new but the same thing they’ve been doing for two decades.  Stephanie did a big speech about all she accomplished.  Shane had newspaper clippings claiming he was doing a great job and Vince said he didn’t care what the media thought or anyone thought.

    – Enzo had a concussion but all other tests have come back negative. He is believed to be out of the hospital right now.

    WWE CHAMPION ROMAN REIGNS VS. A.J. STYLES

    The match was designed to get over Stephanie and Shane.  Fans hated Reigns of course with “Roman sucks” chants.  After Reigns got to the ropes after the calf crusher, he was out of the ring.  Styles did the springboard forearm to the floor and they all went through one of the announcers tables.  It was an amazing spot, particularly in slow motion. Styles barely got up, tried to get Reigns in the ring but Styles couldn’t get him in, jumped in himself and won via count out. 

    Shane came out and restarted the match as a no count out match. They went about two minutes and Styles came off the top rope into a punch by Reigns which was low.  The ref DQ’d Reigns so again Styles won but didn’t win the title. Of course, Stephanie came out and restarted the match.

    The third match had some cool stuff.  Styles kicked out of a Superman punch.  Reigns hit a second Superman punch and Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson ran in and pulled Styles out of the ring.  They double teamed and laid out Reigns with the boot of doom since this was a no DQ match.  Then they left.  Styles hit the springboard forearm but Reigns got his foot on the ropes.  The Usos came out to fight Anderson and Gallows.  Styles went to the top rope but Reigns shoved him off and Styles flew to the floor but landed on everyone.  Reigns then did a running dive over the top.  The match continued and Styles hit a springboard 450 but  Reigns kicked out.  Styles went for the Styles Clash, but Reigns backdropped him over the top rope.  Reigns went for a  Superman punch but Styles snapped his neck on the top rope.  Reigns then speared Styles and pinned him.  The announcers put over how Reigns earned the win.

    It felt more like a TNA main event with all the overbooked stuff at the end.  Styles was excellent in his timing.  When it was over, the stars were the McMahons who were all together and Vince said the match was great, asked Stephanie & Shane if Styles deserved a rematch, they both said he did, and it’s an Extreme Rules match in three weeks on the Extreme Rules PPV. 

  • WWE Richmond, VA, live results: Sami Zayn vs. Kevin Owens, Reigns & Ambrose team up

    Submitted by Andy Clark

    – AJ Styles defeated Tyler Breeze with the Phenomenal Forearm

    Good match, crowd was into AJ.

    – Hype Bros defeated The Ascension with the Hype Ryder.

    Mojo Rawley is from Virginia so he had lots of support, including what appeared to be a pretty large friends and family section.  Nice that he was able to work this show.

    – The Miz defeated Jack Swagger after an eyepoke and the Skull Crushing Finale

    Fun match, much better received as  a house show match than it likely would have been at a TV taping.  Miz called us all sweathogs and then did the Rick Rude gyrations to disrobe. Swagger responded with JYD mannerisms.  Fun stuff.  Saw rumors of a Miz injury but he didn’t appear hurt.  

    – Becky Lynch & Sasha Banks defeated Team B.A.D. with a stereo Banks Statement/Dis-Armer tapout

    All four women were pretty well over, I’d say Becky probably the most so.  Becky and Sasha spent a good amount of time with the fans at ringside afterward.

    – WWE Tag Team Champions The New Day (Kofi Kington & Xavier Woods) defeated the Dudley Boyz and The Usos in a Triple Threat Match to retain

    Usos were the most over of the group, but New Day was pretty popular as well.  New Day pretty much played heel here, with a running gag of Xavier getting slapped in the back repeatedly for the first part of the match.  Finish came when Kofi stole the pin after an Uso hit the top rope splash on a Dudley (I believe D-Von).

    – WWE Divas Champion Charlotte defeated Natalya in a non-title match via rollup

    Finish was a little sloppy, Natalya slapped Ric Flair on the apron and Charlotte rolled her up for the win.  The crowd really liked Natalya and gave her a really nice response after the match.

    – Sami Zayn defeated I-C Champion Kevin Owens by DQ

    Best match of the night (surprise), even if it started a bit slow. Owens had Sami in the Tree of Woe and was DQed for not breaking on the five count while attacking him. Post-match Owens got on the mic and reminded everyone that he made his main roster debut in Richmond, and wanted to ruin Sami’s first Richmond appearance.  He went for the pop-up powerbomb but Sami hit a dropkick and the Helluva Kick.

    – Roman Reigns & Dean Ambrose defeated Sheamus & King Barrett when Reigns speared Barrett

    Reigns was VERY over here,  I’d say the crowd was 90-10 in favor of him, if that bad.  Standard house show main event tag, but everyone got to hit their spots, and the crowd was happy to see Reigns & Ambrose win.  Both men spent plenty of time with fans and ringside on the way out, with Reigns being the last guy through the curtain. 

    Very fun house show overall, good atmosphere.   I feel like our show got a significantly better deal on star power than the show in Trenton.

  • NXT Wauchula, FL, live results: Sami Zayn vs. Manny Andrade; 3 title matches

    Submitted by Erik Wilkinson

    Rich Swann defeated “The Drifter” Elias Samson with a rollup

    Before the match, Samson sang a heelish song about “Wachulula,” to ring announcer Dasha Fuentes, only to be interrupted by Swann’s music.  Average opener, with Samson milking the crowd for cheap heat by insulting the young children in the crowd and Swann playing a strong babyface with his comebacks.

    Nia Jax defeated Carmella with her legdrop finisher

    Carmella got a great reaction from the kids in attendance, but needed the 20 or so hardcore NXT fans in the crowd to help with her catchphrases. The attendance was under 200 for a venue set up with 230 seats, so chants were difficult to sustain all night.  Carmella’s in-ring presence has gotten stronger with time, but Nia Jax appears to have peaked after the Takeover match with Bayley in London.

    Tye Dillinger defeated Riddick Moss with his single-knee facebreaker finisher

    Dillinger is a talented live performer, engaging an audience that was not as familiar with him as the bigger stars on the card.  The “10” chant works as a hook in telling a story, and Moss was a good foil as they built to the finish.  If there was an award for “Biggest Overachiever” tonight, Dillinger would earn my vote.

    – Aliyah came out for a promo. Unlike the other mid-card promos that recent Tough Enough contestants and new signees have been making, this ran under 30 seconds in length. She sounded like she was suffering from a head cold.  After she mentioned the Bayley/Asuka NXT women’s title match at TakeOver: Dallas, Aliyah said that she would be lined up for a title shot.

    – NXT Women’s Champion Bayley defeated Emma with the Bayley-to-Belly

    As my favorite performer in NXT, I continue to marvel at the phenomenon that Bayley has become at live events.  Her merchandise sells strongly, the number of fans who bring signs for her (especially young kids) are plentiful, and the connection she makes with an audience is special.  Well-worked match by both women, building to a dramatic closing sequence.  

    – Sami Zayn defeated Manny Andrade with the Helluva Kick

    Excellent mat work and counter wrestling from these two, as none of the performers were taking any unnecessary risks.  Both teased dives to the outside, but stuck to the basics.  Andrade is adapting well to the WWE style, after seeing him a number of times since his arrival.  After the match, Zayn put his opponent front and center with a handshake, retreating backstage for Andrade to get a warm reception from the crowd.

    – American Alpha (Jordan/Gable) defeated The Revival (Dash/Dawson) by DQ in an NXT Tag Team Championship match

    These two teams have crafted a solid story for their match at Takeover: Dallas, and I presume we saw the basic beats of that match, minus a few highspots to protect the participants.  Well-worked match, leading to the champions being disqualified for pulling the referee out of the ring after Gable/Jordan hit their finisher.  

    – NXT Champion Finn Balor defeated Samoa Joe & Baron Corbin in a triple threat match with a double foot stomp onto both men, pinning Corbin

    Big reactions for Joe & Balor as they entered, followed by a by-the-numbers Triple Threat match.  Baron Corbin is getting more comfortable in the main event slot, playing off of the crowd without losing his place in the match. Creative finish, as Balor gave the foot stomp to Corbin while Joe had him in the Kokina Clutch.

    Following the main event, Finn Balor paid tribute to Sami Zayn, disclosing that this was his last appearance in front of an NXT crowd in Florida.  Zayn returned to the ring to a rousing ovation and gave a very sincere speech about how much NXT has meant to him, his feelings about performing at Wrestlemania, and how lucky the crowd was to see so many future stars on one night.  A classy sendoff to a world-class wrestler.

  • NXT Coral Gables, FL, live results: Finn Balor vs. Samoa Joe; Sami Zayn, more

    Photo: @TripleH

    Notes from Ernie Quincosa from University of Miami’s BankUnited Center

    – Sami Zayn beat Baron Corbin

    They kicked this house show off with a match that could have been near the top of the card. Crowd was pretty hot for Sami and heckled Baron throughout. Typical Sami Zayn match, Baron got quite a bit of offense in, more than Sami, and looked much much more experienced than he has recently, he came across to me as a main event of NXT caliber heel for the first time. Sami won with a Heluva Kick to the corner and a pin.

    – Carmella and Aliyah beat Emma and Billie Kay

    Match was flat. People tried to get behind Carmella and booed Emma, but this was the quietest they were all night. Everything looked very soft and not very stiff, but all the women in the match did look like great athletes. Emma and Billie Kaye worked over Aliyah and Carmella got the hot tag and submits Billie Kaye with her neck choke finisher.

    – Rich Swann beat Riddick Moss

    Crowd liked Rich Swann but kept heckling through the match.  Very back and forth match, and Swann won with a 450 splash. Riddick Moss seems to be improving, and Rich Swann seems like a solid baby face.

    – NXT Tag Champions The Revival vs. American Alpha ends in a draw

    This felt like a dry run of a pay-per-view match. Match started slow with Chad Gable getting a lot of shine. Revival tries to cheat, start cutting the ring in half with Gable. Jordan gets a very hot tag and goes to town with the spot where he pulls his singlet straps down, pulls them up, and pulls them back down. Crowd loses it. Match ends with pinning trade-off between Dawson and Gable, ending in a double pin. Referee calls the match a draw, Jordan asks The Revival to go five more minutes and they refuse and try to jump American Alpha. Jordan and Gable get a come back and hit Grand Amplitude, then soak in the applause from the crowd.

    – NXT Women’s Champion Bayley beat Nia Jax

    Big contrast between this match and the earlier women’s match. Every time Nia hit Bayley, the crowd gasped. Nia dominated Bayley for most of the match, until Bayley had a comeback and hit the Bayley-to-Belly suplex and pinned Nia. 

    – Manny Andrade beat Tye Dillinger

    Surprisingly, it seemed like a good amount of the crowd knew of La Sombra, and there were multiple Sombra chants during the match. Manny seemed VERY popular with the crowd, which garnered multiple chants in Spanish. A lot of the crowd was Latino, but it’s also important to remember Miami has a lot of Cubans and Central Americans, and not so many Mexicans specifically. This match got the first (and possibly only) “This is Awesome” chant of the night. Dillinger and Andrade went back and forth, lots of chops and reversals in this match. Much more high-flying than I’ve seen in an NXT match before. Andrade won with a very impressive moonsault from the corner to standing into a standing moonsault.

    – NXT Champion Finn Balor beat Samoa Joe

    This was more or less the same match these two have had before. The pacing was a little different, however. Samoa Joe seemed like a monster throughout the match, dominating Finn early with a very physical style. Finn won with a brainbuster, however he was not able to lift Joe all the way up and so it ended up being more of a face slam. Samoa Joe was very popular with the crowd, who sang happy birthday to him during the match without prompting. After the match, Finn led the crowd into singing happy birthday to Joe again, and then sang “Danny Boy” for the crowd, it being St. Patrick’s Day. 

  • WWE NXT results: American Alpha vs. Vaudevillians, Shinsuke Nakamura debuts

    The BIG News: Sami Zayn will face the debuting Shinsuke Nakamura at Takeover: Dallas

    The Medium News: Bayley will defend her championship against Asuka at the afore-mentioned Takeover: Dallas show

    The Little News: American Alpha became the new #1 Contender’s to the NXT Tag Team Title and will theoretically face The Revival at Takeover: Dallas

    Sami Zayn is out to kick off the show. I wonder when they taped this segment since theoretically it was taped minutes after the last show ended, but Sami looked refreshed.

    Zayn put Joe over, but said his focus is still the same and his goal is to still become a 2x NXT Champion. One thing does bother Zayn and that’s that he does not have a match at Takeover: Dallas.

    This brought out Mr. William Regal, who agreed that Sami deserves something special at Takeover and he deserves to face one of the best in the world. Mr. Regal announced Sami Zayn vs Shinsuke Nakamura for Takeover. Now I can officially say how much I am marking out.

    They had a video with Nakamura saying he will see Zayn at Takeover. The fans chanted “Holy sh*t” as the announcers put over Nakamura huge.

    The Hype Bros defeated Angelo Dawkins & Kevin Crawford

    They announced American Alpha vs Vaudevillians for later. They did that last week and instead the opening match went 45 minutes. I will go out on a limb and say this match will not go that long.

    Dawkins and Crawford looked good working with Ryder. Mojo still hasn’t improved to do more than just the basic Mojo spots. Mojo did break out a discus punch to the face and the Bros won with a Hype Ryder in decidedly less than 45 minutes.

    -Dana Brooke and Emma were walking backstage when Deonna Purrazzo suddenly appeared. Emma told her the beating she’s going to get tonight is worst than the one Asuka gave her. Deonna said she would win and the heels laughed at her.

    Emma submitted Deonna Purrazzo

    Could they please change Deonna Purrazzo’s name? This match was not very good and downright clumsy at times. I know it’s important to get new girls on tv, but I feel bad if Purrazzo is the best of the next group of girls.

    The entire match seemed to telegraph a flash pin for Purrazzo. Emma hit several big moves and wouldn’t go for falls and act so cocky. Plus the announcers were blatantly pointing this out. It was all set up for Purrazzo to pin Emma, but before that happened Emma submitted her with the Emma Lock.

    Tommaso Ciampa defeated Jesse Sorensen

    Ciampa stampeded to the ring and got there before the ring announcer even introduced him. Ciampa ran across the ring and hit move after move on Sorensen. Ciampa hit a running knee in the corner and a discus clothesline for a 2 count.

    They went to the mandatory rest hold before Sorensen made his comeback. Sorensen went for the 10 punches of doom, but Ciampa tripped him up and kneed him in the head. On the mat Ciampa hit several knees to the head before submitting Jesse with a rolling armbar.

    Bayley & Asuka defeated Eva Marie & Nia Jax

    Izzy, the little girl who dresses like Bayley, was now moved to dead center in the front row, as opposed to by the ramp. I only noted that because Bayley didn’t go over near her and the announcers didn’t even bring it up. Nia started the match, Eva tagged in and quickly got caught in the ring with Asuka. I never felt so bad for Eva as Asuka beat the heck out of her.

    Nia blind tagged herself in and they got the heat on the champ when Nia laid her out with a Samoan Drop. Eva did that wacky stretch where you pull your opponents arms behind her back with your knee pressed into the back, but Eva forgot the second part.

    Eva slapped Asuka on the apron and then Nia accidentally legdropped Eva. This was not Eva’s night. Eva got a kick to the back of the head by Asuka before being pinned with a Belly to Bayley Suplex.

    – After the match Mr. Regal walked out, congratulating both Bayley and Asuka on winning before booking them against each other for Takeover.

    – We had a split screen interview where the announcers interviewed Austin Aries. Aries said he is happy to be here, but it’s too bad his debut got ruined by Baron Corbin. Aries said he told Mr. Regal, who apologized, that he should feel sorry for Baron. Aries said Baron will soon find out why Aries is the greatest man who ever lived.

    In a NXT tag team #1 Contender’s Match, American Alpha defeated The Vaudevillians

    Main event time! One of these two teams will become the #1 Contender’s to the NXT Tag Team Championship while the other team will move to the back of the line. Corey Graves alerted us to Dan Gable recently giving props to Chad Gable.

    Gable and Gotch worked really well together and made me wish I could see a match just between the two of them. Coming back from commercial the heels had cut off Gable and were wearing him down. The crowd wasn’t dead for this match, but they weren’t as psyched as they have been for Gable in the past.

    Jordan hot tagged in and suplexed everyone on their heads. Gable tagged himself in and had English pinned with Chaos Theory, but Gable broke it up. Jordan gave Gable a belly to belly overhead suplex on the floor and American Alpha won with Grand Amplitude.

    That does it for this week! Takeover is now 16 days away and the card is fricking amazing. Until next week when Asuka faces Emma, remember to say your vitamins and take your prayers.

  • WWE Montreal live results: Sami Zayn vs. Dean Ambrose vs. Kevin Owens; BROCK

    Submitted by Patric Laprade

    – Enzo Amore & Big Cass w/Carmella def. NXT Tag Champions The Revival Dawson & Wilder in a non-title match

    Their act wasn’t as over as in some U.S cities, but the S-A-W-F-T had a decent reaction and they got a “How you doin?” chant at the beginning of the match. Good opener. Enzo and Big Cass won with the Rocket Launcher.

    – Jack Swagger b Stardust

    Dead spot, but it was what it was. Swagger won with the Patriot Lock.

    – Goldust b Viktor

    Okay match. Viktor rolled up Goldust while holding the ropes. The referee caught him, Goldust reversed him for the pin. After the match, Ascension beat up Goldust until R-Truth did the save. 

    – Brock Lesnar b Bray Wyatt & Luke Harper in a handicap match 

    Bray did a promo saying that Brock would have to face both Bray and Luke Harper. Heyman cut a short promo and announced Brock from Saskatchewan, Canada. He sure doesn’t know much about Canadian politics! 

    Brock beat Harper with the F-5 in a short match, something like five minutes. Brock got a great reaction from the crowd as did Heyman especially when he took the mic from Jojo, who’s the ring announcer tonight. Crowd chanted “na na na hey hey good bye” to Harper. 

    – Divas Champion Charlotte w/Ric Flair b Natalya

    Charlotte won with her feet on the ropes. Good match. Flair got a good pop. Crowd was into it. 

    – WWE Tag Team Champions The New Day (Kofi Kingston & Big E) w/Xavier Woods b League of Nations (Sheamus & Wade Barrett) by DQ 

    Good match. The finish saw Kofi pinning Sheamus, but Barrett broke the pin with the trombone. After the match, Xavier and Big E hit the Midnight Hour on Barrett. 

    – Pat Patterson came to the ring and thanked the crowd for the homage he got the last time. He said that Montreal was the best wrestling town. He thanked Jojo and said she was beautiful and good!!

    – Sami Zayn vs. I-C Champion Kevin Owens vs. Dean Ambrose

    Zayn got a huge “ole ole” chant when he revealed his Montreal Canadiens jersey. He was at the hockey game last night, got a 30 seconds interview on the giant screen and got a jersey from the team with his name on the back. Kevin Owens got a bigger pop than Zayn which is normal since he’s been on Raw and SmackDown for a longer time. Owens refused to shake hands with Patterson. 

    Owens and Zayn got a lot of time only the two of them in the ring. This is awesome chants early in the match. Package piledriver into a side suplex. Blue Thunder Bomb by Zayn for a two count. Crowd was really into it. Owens super kicked both Zayn and Ambrose before Ambrose got Owens with the Lunatic Lariat. Another this is awesome chant. Zayn got a close pin too. Dirty Deeds on Zayn. Owens broke the pin with a Senton Bomb and pinned Zayn for the win. Very good match. Best match on the card. By far. 

    Ambrose and Zayn stayed in the ring after the show. He said that everyone should be inspired by Zayn. Zayn was a bigger local star by the end of the match. Sami chants. He said that him and Kevin started from the bottom here in Montreal and now they are main-eventing the Bell Centre and he thanked the fans. He said that sooner or later he would beat Owens for the IC title, maybe at WrestleMania. Good babyface promo. He was just missing some French to get the crowd even more behind him.

    Biggest pops:

    • Kevin Owens
    • Sami Zayn
    • Brock Lesnar

    Biggest heat:

    • Bray Wyatt
    • Dawson & Wilder
    • League of Nations