Smackdown was taped on Tuesday and if you’re reading this: SPOILER ALERT!
– Sheamus def. Dean Ambrose clean in a a singles match for the 1-2-3.
– Bad News Barrett & Cesaro def. Big E & Rob Van Dam with Paul Heyman on commentary and he’s talking about Brock Lesnar Conquering Undertaker’s Streak at Wrestlemania.
– Rusev def. Kofi Kingston in a squash match.
– Fandango & Layla def. Santino Marella & Emma in a short match. Layla pinned Emma after Fandango caused a distraction or the loss.
– Roman Reigns def. Mark Henry
– Los Matadores & El Torito def. 3MB in a comedy match.
– Batista def. Seth Rollins via count out after a great match. Seth Rollins lost because he missed a diving attack to the outside, knocking himself out.
– Wyatt Family def. John Cena & The Usos in the main event of the evening. Luke Harper pinned one of the Usos. During this match, the crowd was hot with Cena chants and Uso Chants.
Smackdown will air Friday 5/9/2014 and has been taped on Tuesday 5/6/2014.
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Rey Mysterio, a longtime WWE/WCW veteran has been injured once again as his contract expires very soon.
Hi, my name is Quadree(WrestlingFanFury92) and I am a new writer for TheSportMatrix. I will be writing Pro Wrestling news, previews, results, and many other wrestling articles. Follow me on Twitter here.
Mysterio has suffered successive knee injuries
Mysterio’s future in WWE is bleak as his contract expires and he has been injured once again.The aging has caught up with Rey and he has suffered many injuries during the past few years as well, mainly his knee. Reportedly, Rey Mysterio will work on a very limited schedule and will become more of an ambassador for WWE more so than a full time wrestler. Rey Mysterio has injured his knee once again. Will he wrestle one final match and retire? I believe he will be inducted into the Hall of Fame for sure when he finally retires. What are your thoughts on this situation? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
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After an incredible WrestleMania spectacle in New Orleans, Smackdown came to invade Lafayette, LA. Here are the complete spoilers for the show.
After a thrilling WrestleMania extravaganza, the WWE Universe were in for a good week of action on both Raw and Smackdown, and they didn’t disappoint. So, let’s get started. Here are the complete spoilers for this week’s edition of Smackdown.
John Cena kicked off the show, and cut a promo about his victory over Bray Wyatt at WrestleMania 30. He talked about how he was the “measuring stick” of the WWE, until The Wyatt Family interrupted Cena and vowed that he will not be smiling soon, and said they will both go to the extreme.
Paul Heyman came out and cut a promo about being the greatest manager of all time, and then introduced his new client, Cesaro to the ring for his match against Big Show. Cesaro beat Show via. DQ after Jack Swagger attacked, and applied the Patriot Lock to the “King of Swing”. Big Show got rid of Swagger, but then got flattened by a Neutralizer from Cesaro.
Ryback and Curtis Axel def. Los Matadores.
Rob Van Dam came out to the ring and cut a basic promo, then defeated Damien Sandow.
Hulk Hogan appeared and talked about WrestleMania 30, and then brought out the newly crowned WWE World Heavyweight Champion, Daniel Bryan. The leader of the “Yes Movement” talks about winning at WrestleMania, and also spoke about his upcoming wedding with Brie Bella, this weekend. Bryan and The Hulkster posed while the Real Americans theme song plays.
Bad News Barrett def. Kofi Kingston.
Fandango w/ Layla def. Santino Marella w/ Emma.
Daniel Bryan and The Usos squared off against Randy Orton, Batista, and Kane. The match ended in a double countout. Orton and Batista laid out The Usos, and Kane about to do the same thing, until The Shield came down to the ring and saved The Usos. Bryan kit Kane with the running knee to close the show.
Do you give this week’s edition of Smackdown a thumbs up or thumbs down? Be sure to share your thoughts in the comment box below!
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In the final show before SmackDown, Kane and Bray Wyatt brawled, Christian made a bold statement to Alberto Del Rio and Daniel Bryan prevailed after a chaotic main event.
Bray Wyatt addresses his SummerSlam opponent Kane The mysterious Wyatt Family entered into the arena in San Jose, California. When the lights were back on, Bray Wyatt was in the middle of the ring in his rocking chair, with the other Wyatt Family members Luke Harper and Erick Rowan beside him. Bray Wyatt talked about Kane – the man who he will face in a Ring of Fire at SummerSlam. Wyatt discussed Kane’s childhood, and how he found another being behind his mask. The final quote summed up the fearless mentality of Kane’s Ring of Fire, “…one man’s hell is another man’s paradise.”
Fire came up from the ring poles and Kane’s music hit. The Wyatt Family anticipated his arrival, but Kane would in fact appear from behind them, attacking Luke Harper and Erick Rowan before setting his sights on Bray Wyatt. The two had a huge stare down before Wyatt charged at Kane. The Big Red Monster got the upperhand in exchanges, but then the numbers game caught up and Kane found himself the recipient of another attack.
Kane turns his attention to Bray Wyatt after momentarily eliminating Harper and Rowan. (Image Courtesy: WWE.com)
Review: Really strong segment to kick off the show. The final hype for the Ring of Fire match shows that Bray Wyatt is a danger, and now more questions about the outcome on Sunday are arising. Seemed like Wyatt and Kane collided heads when Bray charged at Kane but they recovered well. Opening a segment like this just fits well on SmackDown. Bray Wyatt gets the better of Kane as the number’s game catches up. But at SummerSlam, it will be one-on-one with a ring surrounded by flames. What will be the outcome on Sunday? Damien Sandow vs. Christian Mr. Money in the Bank Damien Sandow battled World Heavyweight Championship #1 contender Christian in an interesting contest between two people of who play a vital role in the current World Heavyweight Championship title picture. Damien Sandow put Christian through a lot of tough punishment. While Sandow may be gracious outside the ring, his aggression had no exception for Captain Charisma. The match majorly consisted of Sandow punishing Christian including throwing him into the steel steps, crashing hard on the outside and taking a lot of torso damage. To conclude the match, Christian went to win with the Kill-Switch, but Sandow wonderfully escaped into a cartwheel before sending Christian crashing to the mat. Sandow was preparing for his Elbow of Distain, only for Christian to move out the way and get the roll-up pin on Damien Sandow. Christian exemplified his win with an emphatic spear to Damien Sandow, before World Heavyweight Champion Alberto Del Rio got involved and attacked Christian. The Cross-Arm Breaker was eventually reversed into a Killswitch, and Christian made a bold statement ahead of SummerSlam. Review: On Main Event, Alberto Del Rio defeated Cody Rhodes and now Christian defeated Damien Sandow. Although both victories seem cheap in a way (Del Rio pulling the tights to his advantage and Christian with the roll-up pin) it definitely undermines the Cody Rhodes vs. Damien Sandow match. Again, Christian is made to look an underdog, this is an interesting persona that is being built towards his match against Del Rio considering that he is a veteran. Christian finishes on top going into SummerSlam, while Damien Sandow looks strong although picking up another loss. Christian prevails over the World Heavyweight Champion Alberto Del Rio on this encounter. Is this a little of things to come at SummerSlam? AJ Lee & Layla vs. Kaitlyn & Natalya A short Divas match saw AJ Lee and Kaitlyn battle in a tag team match ahead of SummerSlam, with Layla teaming with AJ and the Natalya teaming with Kaitlyn.
Layla and AJ used numerous cheap tactics to get the advantage, and ultimately did so in the finish, when Layla kicked Kaitlyn’s leg setting AJ Lee up to finish it with the Shining Wizard.
Quite an enthralling tag match, and Rob Van Dam picked up huge momentum going into SummerSlam as he pinned Ambrose following the Five-Star Frogsplash, set up by Big Show’s WMD Knockout.
The Miz vs. Jack Swagger Quite a meaningless match which saw The Miz prevail against Jack Swagger. The host of WWE SummerSlam picks up a win, been quite a long time since we have seen him wrestle.
Curtis Axel vs. Zack Ryder Intercontinental Champion Curtis Axel faced Zack Ryder in a short squash match. The only purpose it really served was allowing Paul Heyman to cut a promo after, further hyping the SummerSlam showdown between CM Punk and Brock Lesnar.
Wade Barrett vs. Daniel Bryan Barrett and Bryan squared off for the third time in two weeks, and it seemed just a messy match. Things got chaotic in the end with Vince McMahon taking out the referee replacing him for Brad Maddox, but Bryan still kicked out. Then Triple H got involved and became the referee to get the pinfall for Bryan after a diving headbutt.
Chaos, further added to by Randy Orton, looking on from the stage with the briefcase in hand.
Introducing WrestleWeek – the article that delivers coverage, news and much more content from the week’s wrestling action including WWE and TNA. Exclusive to TheSportMatrix.com, Wrestling Weekly is the ultimate convenience for any wrestling fan, as it brings the best news around the web and gives you complete coverage of the week’s wrestling action. Please also share this among the Internet to support TheSportMatrix.com and deliver this to wrestling fans by sharing on social media. THIS WEEK: Brock Lesnar and CM Punk engage in ferocious brawl; Daniel Bryan receives ‘Corporate Makeover’; Randy Orton makes bold statement to Bryan and Cena; The Shield win in Six-Man Tag Team chaos on Main Event; Tweet
WWE Monday Night RAW – 5th August 2013 (Episode 1054) Tweet
Stephanie McMahon opened the show in Green Bay and she discussed the corporate makeover that Daniel Bryan went through before showing a video package of his makeover. Daniel Bryan was then introduced, with a beard still in tact, but wearing a suit and his hair slicked back. The crowd were not a fan of the new look as they responded with boos when Daniel Bryan asked them if they liked it. The #1 Contender then went on to mock John Cena saying that his merchandise was useless, and he said he would make John Cena tap out at SummerSlam, until the boss Vince McMahon made an entrance. Mr McMahon made fun of the new look, and even gave a reference of Daniel Bryan looking like a mini Mick Foley. One last thing however was needed to complete the makeover, and that was to lose the beard. With the crowd fully vocal chanting NO! NO! NO! a barber chair was sent down to the ring and Daniel Bryan gingerly made his way to the chair, before Wade Barrett was revealed as the barber to shave the beard. Daniel Bryan would distract Wade Barrett before hitting him and putting him in the barber’s chair. Barrett’s beard was partially shaved off before Bryan attacked Wade Barrett then left to the stage and told Vince McMahon he would remain the same before revealing an awesome “The Beard is Here” shirt in the same format of John Cena’s t-shirt.
Review: Really strong segment to kick off Monday Night RAW, the corporate makeover was highly anticipated by people watching RAW and this had a good ending. Fans get what they want as Daniel Bryan keeps the beard, hopefully Wade Barrett won’t be solely used as a prop but have more meaning. Vince McMahon as a heel is really working. Great start to RAW.
Mr McMahon attempts to convince Daniel Bryan to shave his beard. (Courtesy: WWE.com)
World Heavyweight Champion Alberto Del Rio faced Rob Van Dam, and Rob Van Dam was seeking retribution after Alberto Del Rio faked an injury to defeat Rob Van Dam a few weeks ago on SmackDown.
With the returning Ricardo Rodriguez back in his corner, Alberto Del Rio dealt well with Rob Van Dam’s high-flying game although not entirely. Rob Van Dam’s second attempt of the Rolling Thunder was successful but a moonsault attempt was countered. Ricardo Rodriguez attempted to give Alberto Del Rio the advantage by setting up the bucket in the corner of the ring, but Rob Van Dam threw Del Rio into it and picked up the win.
After the loss, Del Rio was irate and took his frustration out on Ricardo Rodriguez. He attacked him with the bucket then threw him outside of the ring, and kicked his head that was behind the steel steps leaving him in a bad way.
Review: Alberto Del Rio and Rob Van Dam had quite an entertaining and well-matched athletic contest. The win for Rob Van Dam is important although it does not really damage Del Rio’s status. Plus, Del Rio’s attack on Rodriguez showed that he is still danger but the spot when his head was kicked in the steel steps did not really go well.
Rob Van Dam performs his signature taunt as he looked to wrap up the match. (Courtesy: WWE.com)
Cody Rhodes was in the ring and he addressed the situation between himself and Damien Sandow. Rhodes had also brought a box into the ring.
Cody Rhodes revealed the contents of the box and it was a beaten up briefcase of which was thrown into the Gulf of Mexico a few weeks ago. Damien Sandow came out to collect the briefcase and told Cody Rhodes to leave the ring. When Sandow was back in the ring collecting the briefcase Rhodes attacked him off-guard and Sandow retreated. Cody Rhodes opened the briefcase and took out the ruined contract, before the two had a distant staredown. Damien Sandow vs. Cody Rhodes is OFFICIAL for SummerSlam
Review: The feud between Damien Sandow and Cody Rhodes is awesome. This leads to an SummerSlam match and I cannot wait for it. One of the best midcard feuds in years, both men are doing the job perfectly. Another great segment between the two.
Damien Sandow attempts to get the briefcase but Cody Rhodes capitalizes to attack. (Courtesy: WWE.com)
Leviathans of Power Ryback and Mark Henry battled in a rematch from WrestleMania 29, but again it would not end smoothly.
The short action consisted of Mark Henry hitting a shoulder block, responded to by a chop block that sended Mark Henry to his knees. The World’s Strongest Slam then went for a power slam but Ryback escaped the ring and got himself purposely counted out. Mark Henry won, but not in the way he wanted.
Review: This match definitely pleased the crowd, as they were chanting “BORING” as the two squared off. These would have got longer as the match continued so the quick finish seems quite pointless of the whole match itself. It is surprising that The Shield did not attack but this could just be used as something to build up for Mark Henry. Pointless segment though overall.
Backstage, The Bella Twins were discussing the success of E!s New Reality Show Total Divas, and they almost got into a dispute of who was the star before agreeing that they both were stars. New Diva Eva Marie appeared and discussed Natalya before Natalya came backstage. Natalya slapped Brie Bella in the face after she insulted Natalya. Just an advert to show things are heating up on Total Divas, nothing really relevant.
John Cena was all seriousness when he cut a promo in reponse to what Daniel Bryan said earlier in the night, he was fired up to say the least.
The WWE Champion spoke about his loyalty to the WWE and also said that Daniel Bryan is not the first nor last to mock him. After quite a serious promo, things get even more serious with the arrival of Randy Orton. The Viper said that it does not matter who wins at SummerSlam because he would beat whoever wins.
The Shield show up and surround John Cena and Randy Orton but Daniel Bryan evens the odds, before a main event is scheduled for later in the night, The Shield vs. Daniel Bryan, Randy Orton and John Cena.
Review: Quite a serious promo by John Cena and this was definitely better than some of his other promos. The Shield made things exciting with their arrival and the announcement of the main event built some excitement and speculation about what would ensue with the combustible elements teaming up.
Randy Orton declares that he will be WWE Champion. (Courtesy: WWE.com)
The Wyatt Family dished out another dominating defeat after they dismantled Tons of Funk, but then Kane issued a huge challenge to Bray Wyatt.
Luke Harper and Erick Rowan were savagely beating down Tons of Funk before scoring the pinfall, then the hypnotic Bray Wyatt entered the ring. Wyatt would finish off Brodus Clay before delivering another subliminal and subtle message to Kane.
But then then fire went up in the ring and Kane showed up on the titantron. He had his own message for Bray Wyatt, telling him that at SummerSlam his own family won’t be able to save him surrounded in a “Ring of Fire”.
Bray Wyatt vs. Kane in a “Ring of Fire” is OFFICIAL for SummerSlam
Review: Compelling segment, the Bray Wyatt and Kane feud is another epic feud. The possibility of an inferno match has everyone abuzz, this is going to be huge.
The Wyat Family look on as fire rises in the arena before Kane delivers his message. (Courtesy: WWE.com)
Kaitlyn was left distraught again at the hands of Layla as she lost to her in a Singles match when AJ Lee got involved.
The former Divas’ Champion was hell bent on hurting Layla but then she was distracted by AJ Lee. Layla took advantage to pick up the win with the Chick Kick, and Layla and AJ skipped off in triumph.
Review: Just like the crowd the match had no interest until AJ Lee got involved. This feud is interesting but are we really going to see Kaitlyn vs. AJ Lee again? Something else must be introduced.
Christian defeated Heath Slater in a quick and comical matchup where the #1 contender to the World Heavyweight Champion would outwit the 3MB.
After seeing off other 3MB members and stringing together some signature offense, Christian hit a huge spear to win.
CM Punk squared off with Curtis Axel in what was a very compelling match but ended in a No Contest, and the arrival of a Beast.
CM Punk nails a suicide dive. (Courtesy: WWE.com)
Following an enthralling battle including some back-and-forth action, Curtis Axel was on the apron and Paul Heyman was attempting to give him advice when CM Punk grabbed Paul Heyman, and prepared to attack him.
Then, The Beast Arrived.
Brock Lesnar made his way to the ring and CM Punk awaited him, but as Lesnar got into the ring, CM Punk was pulled out of it by Curtis Axel. He went to attack CM Punk but found himself on the receiving end of a GTS, before CM Punk went to take on Brock Lesnar.
CM Punk almost slayed the Beast, but his attention was turned to Paul Heyman allowing Brock Lesnar to take control and dish out a beating on The Best in the World.
Brock Lesnar looks on at CM Punk after delivering a Belly-to-Belly suplex. (Courtesy: WWE.com)
Then in a backstage segment, Brock Lesnar had words for CM Punk at SummerSlam before saying “Paul, say something stupid” allowing Heyman to speak. Heyman announced he wants to fight CM Punk next week.
I’m calling my insurance person not to save 15% but to take out a policy on @HeymanHustle who has challenged @CMPunk next week on #WWERaw. — Jim Ross (@JRsBBQ) August 6, 2013
Review: EPIC segment. CM Punk and Curtis Axel had some great action in the ring, then the Lesnar and Punk brawl was great. I cannot wait for SummerSlam. By the way, “Paul, say something stupid” is the line of the night.
Kofi Kingston made his return after being injured at the hands of Ryback and got straight onto winning ways scoring a victory over Fandango.
Kingston – debuting new attire – would tango with a very game Fandango who came close to defeating CM Punk last week on SmackDown. After back and forth exchanges for the pinfall, a Trouble in Paradise hit home for the victory.
The Real Americans Jack Swagger and Antonio Cesaro were accompanied by Zeb Colter as they faced The Usos in a terrific tag team match.
Zeb Colter bashed the Green Bay Packers prior to the match, and we saw some great team work by all combatants. The Usos managed to fight off Swagger and Cesaro’s isolation tactics to put together a flurry of explosive offense but back in the ring Jey Uso received a cheap shot from Jack Swagger that lead to a very well-executed Neutralizer to give the Real Americans the win.
Review: Great tag team match, teamwork personified. I enjoy watching both of these teams in action and it was a really good contest. Hopefully The Usos only suffer this loss as some sort of rarity, but the Real Amercans needed the win more. Tag team divison is getting fun to watch.
Big E Langston and Dolph Ziggler battled once again after their match last week had an uneasy finish, but chaos would ensue yet again.
Dolph Ziggler got off the mark to begin things with a superb drop-kick, before the two went back-and-forth until Big E Langston established his dominance. But after Langston hit hard on the canvas after a splash was missed, Ziggler came near to the win but it was just a near fall. AJ Lee observed the ring before Kaitlyn came out and the two brawled and it even went inside the ring, of where Ziggler attempted to split things up. However he became the recipient of a huge shot by Langston followed by the Big Ending to finish things off.
Review: This Big E Langston and AJ vs. Dolph Ziggler and Kaitlyn is heating up. Chaos has ensued in all encounters and this is leading up to a match at SummerSlam, I would guess a mixed tag team match. Big E Langston and Dolph Ziggler had some great action in the ring and Dolph Ziggler puts over Langston without looking too weak in the process. Nicely done.
Big E Langston’s hand is raised after a chaotic end to the contest. (Courtesy: WWE.com)
In the main event, The Shield battled the combustible elements of Randy Orton, John Cena and Daniel Bryan in a six man tag team match, but it would ultimately conclude in a disqualification.
Randy Orton takes control of Seth Rolins. (Courtesy: WWE.com)
Momentum was going for the team of Orton, Cena and Bryan early on, but The Shield managed to maintain control and isolate Daniel Bryan before throwing him into Randy Orton, and The Viper would strike back later on. Bryan would then manage to get the YES! Lock on Seth Rollins, but the other members of The Shield broke it up and suffered the disqualification loss.
John Cena and Randy Orton then fought off The Shield, followed by Randy Orton making an emphatic statement with RKOs to both Daniel Bryan and John Cena. Then the WWE Universe in Green Bay were on their feet when Randy Orton was on the brink of cashing in, only to be halted by The Shield who attacked Daniel Bryan and John Cena as Randy Orton looked on.
Randy Orton leaves as The Shield attack Bryan and Cena. (Courtesy: WWE.com)
Review: Randy Orton has set in stone to turn heel, a good ending to the show that sets up the SummerSlam match really well and shows the delicate balance of the WWE Championship situation.
Overall Show Review: Awesome RAW, many notables including the makeover, brawl between CM Punk and Brock Lesnar, six-man tag team match, briefcase battling between Rhodes and Sandow, Kane’s challenge to Bray Wyatt and more. Cannot wait for SummerSlam!
Randy Orton holds the briefcase that puts him in line for a shot at the WWE Championship, that is all that matters to The Viper as The Shield beat down his potential opponents. Chaos ends as an opportunity for Big E Langston to defeat Dolph Ziggler. Kane and Bray Wyatt will step into a “Ring of Fire” at SummerSlam. Cody Rhodes got one-up on Sandow, but now they will face at SummerSlam. And much more from Green Bay in a great episode of RAW. Tweet
WWE Main Event – 7th August 2013 (Episode 45) Tweet
The Shield, Mark Henry and The Usos engaged in an enthralling six-man tag team match on the featured contest on Main Event. The Usos and Mark Henry dominated the majority of the match, thwarting any attempts from The Shield to gather momentum and this resulted in The Shield having to resort to their typical tactics. With the referee’s eyes of the action momentarily, the Hounds of Justice capitalized on the opportunity to pick up another win.
Also on Main Event, Natalya showcased her excellent wrestling skills when she defeated Aksana in Singles Competition, and Intercontinental Champion Curtis Axel would defeat Sin Cara after he diverted his momentum against him.
Review: Featured contest of The Shield vs. Mark Henry and The Usos was very well booked and seemed to have much more meaning and anticipation than that of what would have been on RAW or SmackDown. Diva’s Matches could solidify a place on Main Event with a spot for action, but Curtis Axel vs. Sin Cara was predictable and we have already seen too many encounters with the two – all of which Curtis Axel has won.
TNA Impact Wrestling – 8th August 2013 (Episode 487) Tweet
The Aces & 8s began the show and quickly enforced their ruthless power, as Taz told commentator Mike Tenay to get lost. In his replacement, Jeremy Borash would call the action, but he would also be the recipient of some harassment by The Aces & 8s.
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Introducing Wrestling Weekly – the article that delivers coverage, news and much more content from the week’s wrestling action including WWE and TNA. Exclusive to TheSportMatrix.com, Wrestling Weekly is the ultimate convenience for any wrestling fan, as it brings the best news around the web and gives you complete coverage of the week’s wrestling action. Please also share this among the Internet to support TheSportMatrix.com and deliver this to wrestling fans by sharing on social media.
THIS WEEK: Daniel Bryan and John Cena face friend and foe; The Wyatt Family attack again; CM Punk almost gets his hands on Paul Heyman; Wade Barrett back to winning ways on WWE Main Event;
Brad Maddox apologized for allowing John Cena to pick his SummerSlam opponent, but it was obvious that this was not on his own doing, but by the enforcement of Vince McMahon.
The Chairman proceeded to run down Daniel Bryan and indicate that he was not worthy of being the WWE title challenger at SummerSlam, much to the disarray of the WWE Universe in Laredo, Texas.
But the atmosphere would quickly change as Daniel Bryan himself would interrupt, and everyone in the Laredo Energy Center was on their feet embracing the YES! YES! YES! chants that filled the arena abuzz.
Vince McMahon stated that he did not like the idea of either John Cena or Daniel Bryan as WWE Champion, and wished that there would be a combustion between the two when they lock up at SummerSlam, and that is the way that Vince himself would win.
Daniel Bryan did not show much care for that bizarre prediction, but had the WWE Universe shouting YES! YES! YES! once again as he left the ring.
Vince McMahon all serious as he speaks to Daniel Bryan, but the #1 contender is far from interested. Courtesy: WWE.com
Review: Strong segment to start off the show because it got the crowd fired up. Daniel Bryan is really being used well to do this and this has an effect on the viewers watching as they enjoy it. The content of the segment is somewhat mislead, but still it has development with Vince McMahon being heel and the General Manager being caught in the situation.
Six man tag team action was next on RAW, as The Shield looked to settle their differences with The Usos and Mark Henry, after burning rivalries had reached a tipping point.
The Shield attacked Mark Henry previously, but then on consecutive occassions, The Usos would back him up on the verge of other attacks and see of The Shield. However, The Shield would be the ones leaving with the upper hand as they picked up the victory.
Mark Henry dominated The Shield in the early goings of the bout, but the Hounds of Justice saw an opening to team up on The Usos, using the tactic of reverting back to their corner to prolong damage.
Seth Rollins would also pay for his actions, after taunting Mark Henry, Jey Uso caught him off guard and was able to tag in Mark Henry who came near to dismantling Seth Rollins, until a spear by Roman Reigns cut this short.
Dean Ambrose and Jimmy Uso were left in the ring, and the SuperFly Splash that was thought to end it was blocked by the knees of Dean Ambrose, who followed this up with a bulldog driver to pick up the victory.
It was not ended there, as it left the World’s Strongest Man fuming, he attacked The Shield who managed to flee, but judging by that, this may not be the end of it.
Mark Henry and The Usos stare down The Shield prior to the bout. Courtesy: WWE.com
Review: The Shield’s booking on the card I think is quite positive as a whole because they produce great matches especially in six-man tag team action. They produced another entertaining match tonight with The Usos and Mark Henry. Many thought this match would happen at SummerSlam, but maybe there could be bigger plans now that The Shield prevailed. It is intriguing to see what unfolds next between Mark Henry and The Shield.
Ryback was featured in a backstage segment where he threatened one person who was having food at catering. The Human Wrecking Ball was very aggressive and threw the man threw a table, fitting the theme of his tables match later that night. I and many others found the segment rather comical but it is some fun that also adds to his character and is set up well for the Tables match.
Following a video package showing the Wyatt Family’s recent actions in the WWE, Kane intruded into Brad Maddox’s office and asked for the whereabouts of the Wyatt Family – he was obviously very angry. Maddox responded by saying that they were not there and told Kane he could send them a message in the main event against Daniel Bryan.
Rob Van Dam was the victor after he tangoed with Fandango in a match that ended in a countout.
Both competitors were very agile and flexible and showed this with constant back-and-forth jumps, kicks and the distraction from Summer Rae, who stopped Fandango from acquiring too much damage.
Rob Van Dam was on a roll with the Rolling Thunder and Monkey-Flip, but after Fandango untangled himself from the loss that was becoming an inevitability, he was about to be the recipient of a high flying move from Van Dam, but Summer Rae stopped it allowing Fandango to flee the ring, and he lost by countout.
Fandango spoke from the mic to pronounce his name correctly before dancing away. Meanwhile, Rob Van Dam embraced his victory.
Rob Van Dam hits a sensational high kick sending Fandango to the canvas. Courtesy: WWE.com
Review: It’s great to see Rob Van Dam being used to face such fresh talent such as Fandango, and Wade Barrett previously. Van Dam is performing very well and picking up wins whilst also allowing his opponents. Fandango’s drastic increase of spotlight can only mean bigger and better things for Fandango, and many fans should be intrigued of what could be to come.
Divas Champion AJ Lee and Kaitlyn’s storied rivalry continued as they battled in Singles competition.
Throughout the match the former friends showed that they knew each other very well, as it consisted with a lot of counters and reversals.
Out of nowhere when AJ Lee came off the ropes Kaitlyn hit a spear to pick up the victory.
This left AJ Lee in another breakdown, Big E Langston tried to calm her down to no avail, then Dolph Ziggler showed up and added insult to injury by further making the situation worse.
Then he laid out another challenge, he wanted a match vs. Big E Langston, right that moment.
Big E Langston locks in a chokehold on Dolph Ziggler. Courtesy: WWE.com
An impromptu match between former allies would commence as Dolph Ziggler squared off with Big E Langston.
A fast paced matchup between two prime athletes proved for some great entertainment… for the time it lasted.
Dolph Ziggler’s tactic of outwitting Big E Langston included side-stepping him to throw him over the top rope.
AJ Lee then engaged in a moment of madness as she attacked Dolph Ziggler, pulling his hair and getting Big E Langston disqualified.
Ziggler looked on from outside the ring as an irate Langston shouted at AJ, but then Dolph Ziggler hit the ZigZag on Langston from behind and kept Showing Off.
As Michael Cole put it, “everything is falling apart around AJ.”
Review: The Divas match was good and there is uncertainty about whether AJ will be in action or not at SummerSlam. Meanwhile I expected Dolph Ziggler vs. Big E Langston to take place at SummerSlam, but this could still be a possibility with the uncertain conclusion. This feud is dramatic but also gives Big E Langston the spotlight to show his talent.
World Heavyweight Champion Alberto Del Rio was in complete shock after he lost to Christian when he was dominating Captain Charisma.
The major turning point in the match was when Alberto Del Rio seriously damaged Christian’s arm with the steel steps, he would take a threshold in the match thereafter with vicious attacks dominating Christian.
Christian had minor glimpses of fighting back but none really materialized, it looked like Del Rio would finish it with a Cross Arm Breaker, but Christian reversed. The roll-up pin got the win for Christian and Alberto Del Rio was livid after his loss.
Alberto Del Rio launched countless attacks on the arm in a vicious manner. Courtesy: WWE.com
Review: A standard match that was booked to put both of the stars in action obviously. Alberto Del Rio is definitely struggling to impress the fans but this match may have been different because it was not as basic. It had more of a triumph for Christian’s win and Del Rio lost in an upset, an interesting setting for the World Heavyweight Champion.
Cody Rhodes and Wade Barrett took to the ring in quite a relatively short match.
Rhodes took some early punishment from brutal shots by Barrett, but with knees to the face of Barrett he regained control to deliver some perfectly executed finesse moves.
Cody Rhodes reigned victorious, but Damien Sandow would have an input of negativity, with a mockery of his family name that left him irate. As the Money in the Bank briefcase sinks somewhere in the Gulf of Mexico, the Damien Sandow and Cody Rhodes saga is far from a culmination.
Review: Wade Barrett is suffering from many losses currently in the WWE, hopefully this will change soon and he will gain some momentum. Cody Rhodes and Damien Sandow’s rivalry is great as it showcases younger talent. The match was quite short, but it did not need to be long as it did not really serve a purpose accept for leading it onto the next part of the Rhodes and Sandow feud.
Daniel Bryan and Kane squared off in one of two main event matches on RAW, in a clash of former tag team partners.
Daniel Bryan continued his great roll picking up the win after the match spanned for a few minutes. Unlike Daniel Bryan’s previous matches it was not as high paced, however this is understandable because he was in the ring with a big guy like Kane.
Daniel Bryan on-point with a kick to Kane. Courtesy: WWE.com
The Big Red Monster managed to thwart Daniel Bryan’s attempts of the kicks at times and came close to sealing the match with a Chokeslam, but Daniel Bryan was able to reverse and got the inside cradle to pin Kane and win the match.
Kane was extremely frustrated following his loss, and delivered a Chokeslam to Daniel Bryan.
Then, the Wyatt Family came an attacked Kane again. Kane held off for longer than previously but it was the same outcome, and Kane was told to “Follow The Buzzards”.
VIDEO: The Wyatt Family attacks Kane on RAW
Review: Daniel Bryan continues to impress, this guy is on a great roll as of late and a win against Kane has tremendous value. Meanwhile the loss from Kane did not harm him much because of the situation with the Wyatts following the bout. I can’t wait to see what happens next with Kane and the Wyatt Family.
Brie Bella defeated Natalya in a Singles match, tensions boiled over prior to the match with the Bellas insulting Natalya’s looks. Natalya was distracted during the match by Nikki Bella, and Brie Bella capitalized to pick up the win.
Intercontinental Champion Curtis Axel was in action against R-Truth, but CM Punk would effect the final outcome and almost got his hands on Paul Heyman.
They matched up well for the start of the match, before Axel gained the upperhand. CM Punk then had an input and took out Curtis Axel momentarily before going after Paul Heyman.
However, the Mad Scientist would just manage to escape after Curtis Axel fought off Punk for the time being. Paul Heyman has got himself in trouble with the Straight Edge Savior.
CM Punk gets his hands on Paul Heyman… but not for long. Courtesy: WWE.com
Review: This was a great segment because it showed how fired up CM Punk was. I did not care much for the match itself, but when CM Punk went after Paul Heyman it was great, and you get the feeling it is becoming inevitable as to when Paul Heyman will get punished.
Vince McMahon, Stephanie McMahon and Triple H were backstage discussing Daniel Bryan. Vince McMahon said he wanted “someone like Triple H… but 23 years younger”. Stephanie McMahon managed to sink tensions by suggesting a ‘corporate makeover for Daniel Bryan’.
It was tables galore in the main event as Ryback battled the WWE Champion John Cena.
The match was very physical with Ryback enforcing his dominance early on, but John Cena’s grit and determination allowed him to get back in it.
Ryback came close to winning when he had the table leaned against the turnbuckle, and he attempted to drive John Cena through it but John Cena sidestepped him and Ryback managed to thwart his own momentum.
But John Cena was able to hit the Attitude Adjustment sending Ryback crashing through the table, the WWE Champion picked up a huge win.
Daniel Bryan then appeared chanting YES! YES! YES! and he held John Cena’s belt, before Cena took it away and the two stared down once again.
Daniel Bryan could be the guy to end John Cena’s title reign, it is going to be interesting to see come SummerSlam.
John Cena and Ryback both utilized steel steps and tables to defeat one another. Courtesy: WWE.com
Review: Very physical tables match up, it is a rarity having these matches on RAW and it was great to see. There was a good end to the match and then when Daniel Bryan showed up he had glimpses of a heel character in my opinion. They have really maxed up on Daniel Bryan to show he poses a huge threat at SummerSlam.
Overall Show: Surprisingly entertaining for a taped show. Interested to see how Daniel Bryan’s corporate makeover unfolds, plus the situation between the Wyatt Family and Kane. Although nothing significant unfolded, the show was well booked and proved for some good wrestling. Good edition of RAW.
Wade Barrett got back to winning ways as he defeated R-Truth in Main Event from Houston, Texas in the featured match.
R-Truth frustrated Wade Barrett during the match, as he mocked the Bare-Knuckle Brawler causing him to revert to an aggressive comeback, but eventually Barrett stated his dominance over the Truth. It was a swift turn in momentum where Wade Barrett picked up the win. Following a flurry of offense by R-Truth, he looked to dive through the ropes, but Barrett hit the Bullhammer Elbow and picked up the win.
VIDEO: Wade Barrett vs. R-Truth
In the other matches, The Usos defeated the Prime Time Players in a terrific tag team contest, a relentless offense by the twin brothers got them the win. Also, Drew McIntyre was destroyed by Mark Henry in a quick singles match.
Mark Henry pins Drew McIntyre Courtesy: WWE.com
Review: While the featured match between R-Truth and Wade Barrett did not seem as appealing at first, Main Event proved to be a good show. The best match was the tag-team match, it was some great stuff. Meanwhile Mark Henry squashing McIntyre shows that he is raging to take on The Shield. Well booked Main Event. Tweet
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It was an incredible week of wrestling last week. Randy Orton and Damien Sandow secured Golden opportunities winning the Money in the Bank Ladder matches; Rob van Dam and Chris Jericho put on an extraordinary match; The Shield attacked Mark Henry, but he and The Usos got revenge on SmackDown; Brock Lesnar and CM Punk engaged in a compelling brawl; John Cena picked Daniel Bryan as his SummerSlam opponent; Chris Sabin was crowned the new TNA World Champion at Destination X; Vince McMahon announced Vickie Guerrero as SmackDown General Manager and much more. What a week for wrestling fans.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Chris Jericho reveals that he is taking a hiatus from WWE, Tweets farewell to the WWE Universe
So long to @WWE for now…2013 was one of my favorite in ring yrs ever! Thx for always sticking w Y2J & see u on the road soon w @FOZZYROCK! — Chris Jericho (@IAmJericho) July 17, 2013
It was a great year in-ring for Chris Jericho, and many in the WWE Universe seem certain of his return, even though it will catch us by surprise. After shocking the WWE Universe with an appearance at the Royal Rumble, he has went on to have some great matches, and his best was undoubtedly with Rob van Dam on RAW. Catch him on the road with Fozzy very soon!
Opening the show LIVE from Austin, Texas was newly-appointed RAW General Manager Brad Maddox. He overlooked the contract signing for SummerSlam’s main event match-up between Daniel Bryan and John Cena for the WWE Championship. Brad Maddox questioned John Cena’s decision to pick Daniel Bryan as his opponent, hinting that he was not really worthy of a title shot. This set up for the interruption of Bryan himself, who had the WWE Universe in the Frank Erwin Events Center in a YES! YES! YES! frenzy, before Bryan confronted Maddox.
Daniel Bryan and Brad Maddox engage in a YES! NO! war as the WWE Champion looks on. (via WWE.com)
When Cena was involved again, he said to Bryan, “You are the best competition in this company & I will prove at SummerSlam that even the best isn’t good enough.” Cena stated that Bryan deserved the shot, but he would not go easy on him. And then it became official, the contract was signed and they were ready to collide at SummerSlam. But before they did engage in the SummerSlam showdown, the General Manager announced that Daniel Bryan would compete in “multiple matches” on the night’s RAW.TweetOpinion: Quite an off-key start to RAW that had some interest but was not executed perfectly. Still, this has some excitement for Daniel Bryan running the gauntlet, plus hopefully as this builds things will get more intense between Daniel Bryan and John Cena. Brad Maddox may not be needed between these two, he just seems irrelevant.
It was a rivalry renewed as Sheamus battled Alberto Del Rio in Singles Competition. The two had previously battled over the World Heavyweight Championship from May to September 2012. This time it was the other way round as Alberto Del Rio was World Heavyweight Champion.
Sheamus makes Del Rio a victim to vicious chest shots. Picture: WWE.com
Sheamus was back in action following Money in the Bank where he picked up a nasty leg injury and it showed with a huge bruise on his left leg. Del Rio would exploit this by constantly damaging the injured leg. It was quite an action-packed match and a gutsy display by Sheamus, but Del Rio’s presence of mind allowed him to capitalize when Sheamus’ leg buckled when attempting White Noise, and went for the roll-up pin to score the victory over a previous foe. Opinion: At first when we found out about this match I was not pleased. But it was a decent contest and Del Rio may gain a lot with a win over Sheamus. Meanwhile Sheamus could get some time off with that nasty injury.
Del Rio beats Sheamus CLEAN! Wow! Nice win! #Raw — Graham Mirmina (@SAVE_US_GSM) July 23, 2013
Captain Charisma Christian took to the ring next as he faced Titus O’ Neil from the Prime Time Players. Despite being the recipient of a physical onslaught by O’ Neil, Christian was able to win via the Killswitch, continuing a great run of form, as he looks for One More Match… Opinion: Good showcase of talent but I hope WWE will utilize the Prime Time Players better soon rather than just losing matches. Maybe their good showings in matches will be something of more to come in the future. Decent match but maybe too formulaic for one’s liking.
Mark Henry was in the middle of the ring and he was present to address The Shield. Mark Henry got straight down to business and called out The Shield, he was ready to fight. The three men made their entrance to the ring, and surrounded to attack Mark Henry. Henry did well to fight them off for a few seconds before the numbers game caught up and Mark Henry was in trouble. But to even the odds, The Usos made an entrance, reminiscent to that on SmackDown, by helping out Mark Henry to fight off The Shield, who retreated. We all know however though, that the fight has only just begun. Tweet Opinion: I think this is a nicely developing rivalry. Many see this leading up to a six-man tag team match at SummerSlam, and that would be a great contest. Mark Henry and The Usos find deserving relevance on the cards with a rivalry with The Shield, good stuff.
Jimmy Uso lands a Superkick on Roman Reigns. Picture: WWE.com
The Show-Off Dolph Ziggler stepped into the ring as he battled Darren Young. Ziggler and the Prime Time Players were fresh of recent run-ins and were to put on a good match. Ziggler picked up the victory but his celebration was short-lived, as Big E Langston and AJ interrupted. Big E Langston went to attack Ziggler, but Ziggler was able to outwit Langston with his speed and prevail with the last laugh… for now.
Showing Off: Ziggler triumphant following the victory. Picture: WWE.com
Opinion: Dolph Ziggler helped Darren Young to put on a good showing in the contest, and the Prime Time Players are getting more TV time which is a good thing. Langston and Ziggler’s feud is developing steadily.
The Miz hosted Miz TV with the Total Diva’s Cast and after introducing them, he handed it over to Jerry Lawler to host Miz TV, but as he welcomed himself to Eva Marie, who slapped Jerry Lawler! Miz felt the need to finish Miz TV off there with a final plug to promote Total Divas, but to spare you of telling you again, I need not tell you when it airs… Fandango took on Cody Rhodes whilst Damien Sandow observed ringside. The two showed great talents in the ring to put on an entertaining match. Sandow was almost successful in his attempt to cause Cody Rhodes the loss but this was thwarted and backfired, with Cody Rhodes picking up the win. As Sandow looked on at the ramp clutching his Money in the Bank briefcase, Cody Rhodes was fired up.
Two For One: Cody Rhodes kicks Fandango but the damage appears on both Sandow and Fandango. Picture: WWE.com
Opinion: Great booking of both Fandango and Rhodes, an interesting match-up to watch. Damien Sandow and Cody Rhodes is a great rivalry and I hope this leads to a match for the briefcase at SummerSlam.
After the brawl that ensued last week between CM Punk and Brock Lesnar, CM Punk was in the ring and he had some choice words for both Paul Heyman and Brock Lesnar. He talked about how Lesnar may be the “Beast”, but he is the “Best”, and he laid out the challenge for a blockbuster match for SummerSlam.
CM Punk fired up for SummerSlam. Picture: WWE.com
He told the World, “I am not afraid of Brock Lesnar” and then Heyman appeared via Satelite and eventually accepted the challenge. There you have it, The Best vs. The Beast, it is official, what a match we will have at SummerSlam. Opinion: Excellent promo by CM Punk as always and this seemed even more meaningful which sets up this match really well. Cannot wait for Lesnar vs. Punk at SummerSlam!
Rob Van Dam continued his roll in the WWE with a win over Wade Barrett. The Bullhammer Elbow was not enough to ground Rob van Dam but it was an interesting matchup and a good showing by both competitors.
Rob Van Dam hits the Frogsplash. Picture: WWE.com
Opinion: Decent effort by Barrett, I hope to see more of him on RAW. Meanwhile Rob Van Dam is on a roll, and I am waiting to see which rivalry it will land him in heading towards SummerSlam. It was then time for Daniel Bryan to run the Gauntlet. He had a message to prove and to show that he deserves to be the WWE Championship challenger and SummerSlam. And no doubt he did by putting on a superb performance in his three matches, but it was an unfortunate ending. Jack Swagger took on Daniel Bryan first and gave Bryan a tough challenge, but he managed to pull through and make Swagger tap out.
Daniel Bryan shows he can be ‘Very European’ as he hits the German Suplex. Picture: WWE.com
Then, it was a clash of former Ring of Honor Champions as Antonio Cesaro battled Daniel Bryan. As expected, it was an amazing match with both technically sound competitors, but Bryan would manage to prevail following a classic contest.
It seemed all odds were against Daniel Bryan as his final opponent was Ryback. Daniel Bryan put on another great match with Ryback but physicality was key with Bryan fatigued and Ryback capitalizing on this. Bryan did not give up, he continued to go but Ryback then introduced the table, and managed to dodge Bryan outside the ring and powerbomb him through a table and Bryan won via Disqualification.
Bryan crashes through the table via WWE.com
The assault was poised to continue, but John Cena came to Bryan’s aid and fought off Ryback before challenging him to a tables match. This match was scheduled as next week’s Main Event by General Manager Brad Maddox, and then McMahon prompted the inclusion of Daniel Bryan, who was announced to face Kane next week too – a double main event on the cards for next week.
Bryan finished in the ring with the Texan crowd chanting “YES! YES! YES! and Bryan continues to be on top again.
One year ago on #Raw, Daniel Bryan was a laughing stock, He was marrying AJ. One year later, He closes Raw with three awesome matches. — Team John Cena™ (@OfficialCenafan) July 23, 2013
YES! via WWE.com
Daniel Bryan could very well be the next WWE Champion. His wrestling excellence culminates another fine edition of RAW, it may have had its low and poor points, but strong segments including the CM Punk promo and Daniel Bryan’s gauntlet kept it going. Enjoyable as we move forward to SummerSlam.
Jack Swagger and Sheamus engaged in a brutal contest in the featured match. Sheamus’ leg injury was still a factor throughout and Swagger played this to his advantage by focusing numerous attacks on the injured leg. But the Celtic Warrior was able to fight back and put up an impressive stand against the Real American, and following an enthralling brawl he put things away with a Brogue Kick to secure the victory.
Sheamus lands a vicious Clothesline sending Jack Swagger crashing to the canvas. Picture: WWE.com
Meanwhile, the other contests on the night featured Sin Cara in action as he defeated Drew McIntyre whilst throwing off other members of 3MB, and Mr Money in the Bank Damien Sandow was able to ground Justin Gabriel just enough to pick up another win and garner further momentum.
You’re Welcome: Sandow in the best of moods following his victory. Picture: WWE.com
The Main Event Mafia were standing by to kick off yet another excellent edition of Impact Live. They were in the ring to congratulate newly crowned TNA World Heavyweight Champion Chris Sabin who captured the Gold on the previous week at Destination X. Kurt Angle then welcomed Sabin to the ring who thanked the Main Event Mafia for eradicating the threat of the Aces & 8s, but his address to the TNA fans present was cut short when Bully Ray – former World Champion – made an appearance flanked by his attorney. A bombshell was dropped, as his attorney announced that Bully Ray was unfairly lost of the title and it must be given back to him by the end of the show, or action would be taken.
Manik prevailed in a three-way Ultimate X match to be crowned the new X Division Champion. It was a fantastic contest to watch, which saw all superstars shine and show the quality of the X Division. Many thought it was over for Manik when he crashed his head of the steel following a huge move by Greg Marisciulo. Meanwhile, Marisciulo and Sonjay Dutt had IMPACT fans on edge as they battled on top of the structure, but Manik was able to recover and capture the Gold after throwing Marisciulo to the ground whilst Dutt was stuck in the structure. Manik was able to retrieve the title belt and become the X Division Champion.
Tweet Mr. Anderson picked up more points in the Bound For Glory series following a victory over Hernandez. Mr. Anderson was under pressure from Aces & 8s president Bully Ray to get the win and he picked up the win managing to outwit the power game from Hernandez to solidify more points in the Bound For Glory series.
The Knockouts Championship was on the line as Mickie James defended against Gail Kim. Gail Kim indeed brought the fight to James, but when tensions neared an epitome with referee ODB and Gail Kim, Mickie James managed to take advantage by getting the roll up pin to win the match and retain the title. After her loss, Kim was irate with the referee and just as things would develop into a possible brawl, Knockouts commissioner Brooke Hogan reminded Gail Kim that ODB was an active wrestler, and then Gail Kim retreated to avoid further confrontation.
Tweet More vital Bound For Glory Series points were up for grabs when two TNA veterans in Samoa Joe and Christopher Daniels took to the ring. Both competitors know each other well, and it showed. But this contest would not end cleanly – when Samoa Joe went for the Muscle Buster, Mr. Anderson came up to the apron and had Joe distracted. He went to fight him but Daniels got him from behind and had to hit the BME twice to defeat Samoa Joe and take 7 points.
A long anticipated match between AJ Styles and Jeff Hardy did indeed deliver in the Bound For Glory Series. It was a compelling contest and both Styles and Hardy threw all they had at each other, an excellent match. Jeff Hardy came close to ending it with the Twist of Fate, but AJ Styles got out of it and hit the Pele spot on the head of Jeff Hardy. Hardy was slow to get back up to his feet and Styles capitalized to apply the Calf Submission Hold to submit Jeff Hardy. Styles picks up a big victory and a big 10 points, great match.
AJ Styles hits the pele on Jeff Hardy. Picture: @IMPACTWRESTLING, IMPACTWRESTLING.com
Finally, it was decision time. Bully Ray was confident that Chris Sabin would have to relinquish his Championship or Bully Ray would sue the company. Hulk Hogan was to enforce his power however, and as the GM of IMPACT, he was to counter the accusation and rip up the contract. Chris Sabin would remain Champion, for now. But as fair is fair, Hulk Hogan stated that on August 15 at Hardcore Justice in a Steel Cage match without the involvement of the Main Event Mafia or the Aces & 8s. Hulk Hogan had resolved the situation, but Bully Ray was in despair and yelled “I hate you!” at Hulk Hogan as he closed a fine edition of IMPACT.
SmackDown was taped from Corpus Christi, TX and it opening things off to an outstanding ovation was Randy Orton. The Viper was in action against Damien Sandow, in a match where both Money in the Bank winners squared off. Had this been given a few months, it could indeed be a Champion vs. Champion match. Damien Sandow showed his aggression throughout the bout, meanwhile The Viper fired back on numerous occasions with lethal strikes. When Damien Sandow seemed to have attained some control on the match, Cody Rhodes made an appearance and took the Money in the Bank briefcase which was situated ringside. Sandow was completely distracted, and The Viper seized on the opportunity to deliver an RKO and win the match, kicking off SmackDown in emphatic fashion. Tweet
Cody Rhodes looks on at a beaten Damien Sandow meanwhile The Viper celebrates. Picture: WWE.com
The Best in the World, CM Punk would be up next to address the crowd present, and the issue surrounding the SummerSlam showdown between himself and Brock Lesnar. The Straight Edge Savior stated that he knew Lesnar’s weakness, and that was trusting Paul Heyman. However he did acknowledge Heyman’s aid to his career, but was prepared for SummerSlam and he told the World that he would leave Brock Lesnar an unrecognizable mess after he is done with him. Cue Fandango, who danced around and then jumped into the ring and CM Punk attacked him immediately before delivering a GTS and putting him out cold. That’s how its done.
Put To Sleep: Fandango knocked out cold following a GTS from CM Punk. Picture: WWE.com
After they threw off The Shield on RAW, the team of Mark Henry and The Usos were in action as they took to the ring to face Wade Barrett and the Prime Time Players. It was a superb showing by The Usos and Mark Henry as they dominated. Mark Henry was tagged in after The Usos battled the Prime Time Players and he took out Titus O’Neil but interferences from Barrett and Young were dealt with by two sweet superkicks from The Usos before Mark Henry defeated Titus O’Neil with a World’s Strongest Slam, sending a strong message to The Shield in the process.
Rob Van Dam squared off with World Champion Alberto Del Rio, but the WWE Universe would not witness a lot of action. Only moments into the match, Alberto Del Rio escaped Rob Van Dam’s flurry of offense, and repeated this two more times before trying to catch Del Rio off guard, but Van Dam reversed with a superb kick. He then bombarded Del Rio in the corner, but Del Rio played to the referee as if he was hurt, and as the referee looked to aid him, he hit Van Dam with a kick to the face to get a quick pin and then leave the ring, leaving Van Dam in despair.
Making their in-ring debut, the Wyatt Family completely dismantled Tons of Funk. A brawl ensued between the huge competitors but the Wyatts would defeat Tons of Funk, but it would not be over there. Bray Wyatt would then further damage Tensai before delivering a message to Kane. They are waiting for Kane and told him to ‘Follow The Buzzards’.
The Wyatt Family leave their latest victim in the ring as they deliver a message targeted at Kane. Picture: WWE.com
Christian and Jack Swagger were in Singles Competition, following a back and forth contest Christian would prevail and defeat Swagger, before Sandow rushed out to the ring and he addressed the situation of Cody Rhodes stealing his briefcase.
Rhodes appeared on the titantron and he was near the Gulf of Mexico, and he told Sandow to come and get the briefcase from him. Sandow made his way to the Gulf, but just as he did, Rhodes threw the briefcase into the water and Sandow was left distraught as SmackDown drew to a close.
Swimming Away: Sandow’s contract thrown into the Gulf. Picture: WWE.com
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THIS WEEK: Things intensify with the Money in the Bank All-Stars; Dolph Ziggler returns to in-ring action; CM Punk and Curtis Axel team up; World Champions collide in a Special Match on RAW; Damien Sandow and Christian battle on Main Event; Fourth member of Main Event Mafia announced; New X Division Champion following epic match on IMPACT; CM Punk comes to SmackDown; Randy Orton and Christian renew their rivalry… all this and more!
Kicking off an excellent edition of Monday Night RAW was Daniel Bryan. With Money in the Bank just a fortnight away, Bryan told the WWE Universe in Iowa that he will prevail in the Money in the Bank All Stars match. (PREVIEW: Money In The Bank All Stars) Sheamus was quick to bring up the fact that although Bryan successfully cashed his contract in, it was ended in an emphatic 18 seconds by Sheamus. Prompt on the interruption was Randy Orton, countering Bryan’s and Sheamus’ argument stating that he would win, before The Big Red Monster bust on to the scene. Kane disregarded friends in the ladder match, with the mentality of ‘Every Man for Himself’. This was followed by the arrival of Ladder Veteran, Christian who wanted to put an end to the bickering and called himself “The Best”… And when you hear the word ‘Best’ thrown around, it is quite likely you will get the arrival of this man…
CM Punk got quickly involved into the mix and had a good argument considering he is the only man to have won the Money in the Bank Ladder Match twice. Kane was an unlikely recipient of an RKO at the end, falling victim to The Viper after backing up Daniel Bryan. Six out of the seven men involved made an appearance, but the absence of Rob Van Dam will soon be sorted, when he returns at the Money in the Bank pay-per-view in what will be a terrific All Stars match.
The Shield continued the show when they were in Six-Man Tag Team action. They stepped into the ring with The Usos and Christian, three men rivalling for their Championships. In a rematch contest from SmackDown which saw Christian and The Usos prevail, The Shield bounced back from the loss to triumph over the men who drained their momentum. The renowned strategy used by The Shield was restricted when their opponents threw caution to the wind and jumped over the ropes to take out The Shield. They were in dire straits but managed to become victorious among the chaos when all six superstars flooded the ring. Seth Rollins well-timed interference disabled Christian’s Killswitch, then the United States Champion Dean Ambrose picked up the win via a roll-up pin. Major win for The Shield that has them back on track, but they have their work cut out for them at Money in the Bank.
Competing in a match for the first time since his devastating loss at WWE Payback, #1 Contender for the World Heavyweight Championship Dolph Ziggler battled Jinder Mahal. Ziggler would also have to deal with the mischievous 3MB lurking ringside. However, Dolph dealt with the challenge very well, completely out-wrestling Mahal, before getting the upper-hand on the other members of the 3MB also. When Ziggler found himself in the Camel Clutch he managed to escape and execute his winning maneuver, the Zig-Zag. Ziggler got 3MB tangled up outside of the ring before triumphantly celebrating with the WWE Universe in Sioux City on the commentary table.
Following their encounter on SmackDown, Kane and Randy Orton went at it again this week on RAW, with Daniel Bryan overseeing the action as Guest Referee. Very quick counting by the referee would result in Kane winning, but not before he and Kane went head-to-head in a fierce battle. A biased decision gave Kane the win, but The Big Red Monster ordered his former-teammate to restart the match. And again, Bryan would have an input on the outcome, as his fast count gave Kane the win. Kane left distraught (after nearly Chokeslamming Bryan) and then Randy Orton gave Bryan an RKO to vent his frustrations on the loss. All three combustible elements will be part of the Money in the Bank All-Stars match, this will be interesting.
Fandango is back, and he had a slight spring on his step as he entered the ring… but definitely not when he left…
A vicious onslaught by the Celtic Warrior Sheamus had Fandango in trouble, and he resorted to leaving the ring and losing via Countout, possibly saving himself for another time, and more importantly the Money in the Bank Ladder Match that he will be a part of.
Ryback – still on a recovery process following his recent downspiral – took on The Miz in a match that started with Ryback implying full dominance on The Miz and sending a message to Chris Jericho who was calling the action ringside. But Ryback deteriorated during the match and The Miz would capitalize to take advantage of Ryback’s injured knee. Miz’s following onslaught was so brutal to Ryback that he decided he wanted the referee to stop. Agony was clear in his face, but that would be no obstacle for Chris Jericho to deliver a Codebreaker.
Mark Henry had plenty of words for the WWE Universe on RAW, as he looked back at his storied career, whilst also looking ahead to his WWE Championship match at the Money in the Bank pay-per-view.
The World’s Strongest Man had ‘professional jealousy’ and ‘politics’ on his agenda when discussing about the industry, and stated that it had held him back over the years of the coveted WWE Championship. He was determined to attain the title, and focused, driven to win the title “for the business”.
Two Paul Heyman guys were on the same team as they battled The Prime Time Players. When Curtis Axel came to the aid of CM Punk last week, the two teamed up to take on them in tag-team action. The professional rivalry between the two was imminent and evident, as both were stingy on tagging, and wanted to show who was better. The display was damaging of course to the Prime Time Players, and it came to an end when CM Punk hit the GTS, but Axel tagged himself in and scored the pin leaving CM Punk frustrated.
Vickie Guerrero’s time as RAW General Manager could be over. Backstage she was confronted by Stephanie McMahon, who broke the news to Guerrero that she would face a formal job evaluation next week on RAW, after her control on the show had been tied up with an inter-McMahon-family war for control.
Antonio Cesaro and Jack Swagger stood united as part of Zeb Colter’s new alliance. The newly-formed duo made their way to the ring when Antonio Cesaro faced Cody Rhodes in singles competition. Damien Sandow would also observe ringside, and these two teams will be in the Money in the Bank Ladder match in less than a fortnight’s time. Antonio Cesaro picked up a strong win over Rhodes going into the Ladder match.
And finally, the main event. In a monumental Champion vs. Champion match, Alberto Del Rio and John Cena proved that they had the right to call themselves Champions in quite an engaging war. Del Rio’s cunning in-ring game had Cena worn out and made it a challenge for him, but Cena managed to trouble Del Rio locking in the STF. With the arrival of Mark Henry, John Cena was indeed off point from then on in, but a surprise appearance by Dolph Ziggler stunned Del Rio, and he received an Attitude Adjustment. But the night did not end there. Mark Henry approached the timekeeper’s area and retrieved the WWE Championship belt, before stepping into the ring where Cena awaited to get the title. However, Henry got the one-up on Cena, by making him flinch twice when giving him the belt before walking away.
The WWE Champion was indefinitely shaken up, as he looked on at Henry and ahead to Money in the Bank, where he will defend his WWE Championship.
The commentary team ended the show with the final hype for the Wyatt Family, and the promo closed the show…
The featured match this week saw Christian battle Damien Sandow. These two men will be in the two Money in the Bank Ladder matches, and had a well-executed match on Main Event. Following a near-20-minute battle, Christian prevailed and avenged the crowd following Sandow’s insults beforehand.
Prior to independence day, Zeb Colter had Sin Cara at the focus of his verbal attack before Jack Swagger made Sin Cara tap-out to the Patriot Lock.
Big E Langston faced Curt Hawkins, a new Curt Hawkins of who has seemed to adopt a new gimmick, but nothing to stop him from the force of Big E Langston.
Hulk Hogan began the show by addressing the X Division title situation. After Austin Aries had stolen the gimmick of X Division Champion, Suicide, Hogan did not accept the ‘Option C’ for Aries to relinquish his title in exchange for a shot at the World title.
Instead, he booked a three-way match between Austin Aries, Manik (formerly known as Suicide) and Chris Sabin for later on in the night, much to the pleasure of the LIVE crowd in Sin City, Las Vegas. Who would prevail and go on to Destination X? Tweet The fourth member of the Main Event Mafia was revealed. Joining the prestigious team of Sting, Kurt Angle and Samoa Joe would be Magnus. Sting described him not as the future, but the now of IMPACT Wrestling, and Magnus said that “he had to think about it… for a split second”. With four members now established in the Main Event Mafia, Sting went on to say that if The Aces & 8s want a fight, they will get one, and the IMPACT fans will get a definitive winner in the main event later in the night.
AJ Styles and Kazarian have a long history, and on IMPACT their rivalry was renewed with higher stakes in a Bound For Glory series match. AJ Styles prevailed with a submission victory, but not before a match of where it was evident that both men knew each other well in the ring, counter after counter. An oddly-looking Christopher Daniels provided a comical atmosphere at ringside, but AJ Styles was all business when he made Kazarian tap out. Styles earns some valuable points in the Bound For Glory series.
Bound For Glory Series: A.J. Styles def. Frankie Kazarian
Gut Check Challenge: Ryan Howe advances over Adam Ohriner
Bound For Glory Series: Hernandez def. Jay Bradley
TNA World Tag Team Champions James Storm and Gunner def. Robbie E. and Jesse Godderz
Joseph Parks was in action against Jeff Hardy in the Bound For Glory series. Parks did well to stop much high-flying action from Hardy, despite taking a lot of damage. Jeff Hardy proved resilient when he kicked out a huge splash from the top rope, and he was able to further this with a Whisper in the Wind that busted Parks open. The strange and sadistic behavior kicked in, Parks saw blood and snapped, delivering a Blackhole Slam to the referee, before suddenly snapping back out of it. He was disqualified and Hardy won, but Hardy’s concern was more focused on the referee.
And in the main event, the X Divison title was up for grabs. Manik, Aries and Sabin would contest in an enthralling battle. Observing ringside was the Main Event Mafia to ensure a definitive winner, and World Champion Bully Ray who looked on at the next No.1 contender. In an epic encounter, Chris Sabin prevailed after a spectacular match. The crowd in Vegas shouted “TNA! TNA! TNA!” as Aries and Sabin went at it. And no better way to finish the match than in spectacular fashion, with a finisher from the top rope and scored the win. Taz: “That was sick!” and the crowd, even Bully agreed. Chris Sabin looked on at the World Champion, and the new X Division Champ said “Bully, you might be looking at the next World Champion”. Instant Classic. What a match! Tweet Highlights from IMPACT
TweetMaking a very rare appearance on the blue brand, the Best in the World CM Punk kicked off the show in Kansas. The Straight Edge Savior began with a dig at John Cena whilst discussing independence day and how it related to him of how independent he is. CM Punk told the WWE Universe in the Landon Arena of his two main goals. Goal 1, to get revenge on Brock Lesnar following the F5 he received two weeks ago, and second was to get his hands on the Money in the Bank briefcase in the upcoming pay-per-view. World Heavyweight Champion Alberto Del Rio would interrupt then interrupt CM Punk. Alberto Del Rio said that this was “his show”, but Punk definitely disagreed with that. Del Rio criticized the patriotism from WWE fans with the “USA!” chants, and CM Punk countered this argument saying that the fans saw through his “Born in Mexico, Made in America.” gimmick, and called him a “phony”. Alberto Del Rio then ordered CM Punk to get out the ring, but Punk did not do so, and before any conflict came into fruition, Teddy Long came out and booked the main event between Alberto Del Rio and CM Punk.
Backstage, CM Punk was talking to Paul Heyman regarding the upcoming match. Punk stated that he would defeat Del Rio, and while Heyman attempted to convince Punk if he could be in his corner, the answer was again no.
Up next was some tag team action. The Uso brothers – looking strong ahead of their pay-per-view bout for the tag team Championships – were in action against Team Rhodes Scholars. Damien Sandow and Cody Rhodes talked beforehand about the upcoming Money in the Bank ladder match before going into the ring. In a match that lasted only a few minutes, Rhodes and Sandow controlled early on, but The Usos grabbed a strong victory when Cody Rhodes was the unfortunate recipient of a Superkick, before a spectacular double splash on Sandow to pick up the win. The Shield cut The Usos’ celebration short appearing on the screen, delivering a message about dominance, not luck that The Shield has success, and a stern warning to The Usos ahead of the Money in the Bank event.
A storied rivalry was renewed on SmackDown, as Christian and Randy Orton battled ahead of the Money in the Bank All-Stars match at the upcoming pay-per-view. Following a very entertaining back-and-forth battle, Randy Orton prevailed. It all began when Christian’s Killswitch attempt was thwarted by ‘Vintage’ offense by Randy Orton. When he went for the RKO the first time round, he was unsuccessful, but the second time round he dodged Christian’s jump from the top rope, and Christian walked straight into an RKO to pick up a hard-fought win.
Dolph Ziggler spoke to the WWE Universe about losing his title to Del Rio and was pretty fired up about his rematch in just over a week prior to his bout with Drew McIntyre. Ziggler’s maintained dominance, despite some glimpses of fightback from McIntyre lead up to the Zig-Zag for the win, before Ziggler outsmarted the 3MB again and showed off, just like he should.
Fandango and Justin Gabriel engaged in some high flying action compacted into a very short match. Fandango took advantage when Gabriel went for the Suicide Dive to hit him in the head before dropping an elbow – reminiscent of Macho Man Randy Savage – for the win.
The newly allied team of Antonio Cesaro and Jack Swagger were in the ring with Zeb Colter as they cut a promo on Independence Day. This dangerous, brutal alliance goes into the Money in the Bank and have good chances to win, in the ‘New America’.
In the main event of the evening, World Heavyweight Champion Alberto Del Rio squared off with CM Punk. Paul Heyman called the action from ringside, which was great to see following his good old days in ECW. Following a near-20-minute bout, it ended in a No Contest. Despite, Del Rio’s constant attacks of Punk’s arm things got out of hand after a slight comeback from CM Punk. Punk was thrown into the barricade before Del Rio attacked Heyman on commentary. However, CM Punk would get revenge by jumping off the table onto the barricade before finishing Del Rio with a GTS to close SmackDown.
The best match without a doubt was Austin Aries vs. Chris Sabin vs. Manik. One epic contest on IMPACT Wrestling that you must not miss! These three superstars put on a clinic in Vegas, and what a way to crown the new X Division Champion..
For next week then… The Wyatt Family debut, Vickie Guerrero gets a formal job review, we edge closer to Destination X and have the go-home shows before Money in the Bank! And that’s a wrap! Thanks for checking out WrestleWeek!
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The professional rivalry between the two was imminent and evident, as both were stingy on tagging, and wanted to show who was better. The display was damaging of course to the Prime Time Players, and it came to an end when CM Punk hit the GTS, but Axel tagged himself in and scored the pin leaving CM Punk frustrated.
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