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Post by Asaemon on Jan 24, 2024 22:44:26 GMT 1
30-Woman Royal Rumble Match
Asuka, Bayley, Becky Lynch, Beth Phoenix, Billie Kay, Brie Bella, Carmella, Ember Moon, Emmalina, Gail Kim, Kairi Sane, Lita, Liv Morgan, Mandy Rose, Mickie James, Molly Holly, Naomi, Natalya, Nia Jax, Nikki Bella, Nikki Cross, Paige, Peyton Royce, Ruby Riott, Sarah Logan, Sasha Banks, Sonya DeVille, Stephanie McMahon, Tamina Snuka, Trish Stratus
30-Man Royal Rumble Match
Aiden English, AJ Styles, Aleister Black, Andrade, Apollo Crews, Baron Corbin, Big Cass, Big E, Braun Strowman, Bray Wyatt, Dash Wilder, Drew McIntyre, Elias, Finn Balor, Kofi Kingston, Luke Harper Mustafa Ali, R-Truth, Randy Orton, Rey Mysterio, Rusev, Sami Zayn, Samoa Joe, Scott Dawson, Seth Rollins, Shelton Benjamin, The Miz, Velveteen Dream, Xavier Woods, Zack Ryder
WWE Championship Match
Shinsuke Nakamura (c) vs. John Cena
World Heavyweight Championship Match
Brock Lesnar w/Paul Heyman (c) vs. Roman Reigns
WWE Intercontinental Championship Match
Bobby Roode (c) vs. Dolph Ziggler
WWE Tag Team Title Match
Angle Academy w/Kurt Angle (c) vs. The Hardy Boyz
Fatal Fourway Match for the WWE United States Championship
Kevin Owens (c) vs. Sheamus vs. Cesaro vs. Jinder Mahal w/The Singh Brothers
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Post by darbicus on Jan 26, 2024 22:04:04 GMT 1
WWE Royal Rumble January 28, 2018 Wells Fargo Center Philadelphia, PA
*Finn Balor Won the 30-Man Royal Rumble Match The Men's Royal Rumble Match got underway, with all three members of the New Day finding themselves in the ring at the same time, trying to do battle to earn a shot at a World Championship at Wrestlemania. This story would give way to the arrival of AJ Styles at #12, who dominated most of the Rumble (including eliminating a heavy favorite in Braun Strowman) to the end. This was despite the offer of his old running buddies, The Club of Gallows and Anderson, to "assist" Styles in winning the Rumble. AJ had insisted on doing things himself. The final four came down to Samoa Joe, Seth Rollins, Styles and Finn Balor. Rollins eliminated Joe first, only to be shockingly eliminated by Balor shortly thereafter. Styles and Balor then had a lengthy match afterwards, with both men nearly scoring eliminations. At the end, Gallows and Anderson made their way to ringside, distracting Styles briefly. This allowed Balor to dropkick AJ from behind, which Gallows and Anderson then helped eliminate him directly, giving Balor the win. Afterwards the Club put the boots to Styles, Balor included, as Finn turned heel and left with Gallows and Anderson, his ticket to Wrestlemania punched.
*Jinder Mahal d. Kevin Owens, Sheamus & Cesaro by Pinfall to Win the United States Title The widening feud between Kevin Owens and both members of The Bar over the United States Title had widened to include Jinder Mahal, who upset Owens in a non-title match when both Sheamus and Cesaro attacked the champion on an episode of Raw. This lead to Raw General Manager Mick Foley making a Fatal Fourway for the title at the Rumble Pay Per View. Mahal kept to the sidelines mostly, as the other three fought amongst themselves. Eventually Owens hit both Sheamus and Cesaro with a Stunner, but Mahal jumped in at the last minute and hit Owens with the Khallas, stealing the win and the United States Championship.
*Bobby Roode d. Dolph Ziggler by Pinfall to Retain the Intercontinental Title Intercontinental Champion Bobby Roode had renewed his rivalry with Dolph Ziggler since winning the title from Baron Corbin in late December. The Show-Off was insanely jealous of Roode's tenure in NXT and claimed that all the accolades he had "should be his", even going so far as to parody Roode's iconic entrance. However this mockery wouldn't help Ziggler, as Roode managed to best him once again with a Glorious DDT to retain the title.
*Shinsuke Nakamura d. John Cena by Pinfall to Retain the WWE Championship After defeating AJ Styles in December, John Cena made it clear he wanted a shot at WWE Champion Shinsuke Nakamura. The Japanese Ace eagerly accepted the challenge from the 10 time WWE Champion, and both men put on a good match with several near falls. It appeared that Cena would get close to a victory when he trapped Nakamura in the STF in the center of the ring, but the King of Strong Style was able to muscle his way out of the hold and resume fighting. In the end, Nakamura got Cena on the side of the head with a Boma Ye, picking up the victory and retaining his title.
*Roman Reigns & Brock Lesnar w/Paul Heyman Wrestled to a No Contest [Lesnar Retains the World Heavyweight Championship] Roman Reigns had won a "Raw Rumble" on an episode of Raw to earn a shot at newly crowned World Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar, garnering a rematch from Wrestlemania 32. The two heavy hitters delivered several heavyweight blows, but sadly the match wouldn't have a conclusive victory, as Samoa Joe (who had been incensed backstage after losing the Royal Rumble match) came out and attacked both men with a steal chair before choking out Reigns with a Coquina Clutch as Lesnar and Heyman slinked off to the back.
*Angle Academy [Chad Gable & Jason Jordan] w/Kurt Angle & Apollo Crews d. The Hardy Boyz [Matt & Jeff Hardy] by Pinfall to Retain the WWE Tag Team Titles Apollo Crews, who had been experiencing something of a losing streak in recent weeks, had aligned himself as the newest "student" to the Angle Academy, forming a partnership with Kurt Angle and the duo of Chad Gable and Jason Jordan. The tag team champions defended against The Hardy Boyz, but unfortunately the match took a bad turn as Jordan injured his neck halfway through. While Gable finished the match, getting the pin on Matt with an Angle Slam (after Crews provided a distraction from the outside), Jordan was stretchered to the back.
*Asuka Won the 30-Woman Royal Rumble Match Late in December, Raw Showrunner Stephanie McMahon announced that for the first time ever, there would be a Women's Royal Rumble match in addition to the Men's Royal Rumble match, with the winner of the Women's Rumble getting a shot at one of the Women's Championships at Wrestlemania. The first two entrants were Sasha Banks and, to the surprise of everyone, Hall of Famer Trish Stratus. Sasha would prove to be the story of the Rumble, as she lasted all the way to the end. The rest of the field included current WWE and NXT stars as well as legends of the past, including a spot where old rivals Trish and Lita mixed it up. At number 17, former NXT champion Asuka made her main roster debut, to much hype as well. The number 30 spot was taken, to the crowd's annoyance, by Stephanie McMahon herself. McMahon flaunted her own accomplishments at being the "pioneer of the Women's Revolution in WWE", only to find herself eliminated by the field. When she threatened to stop the Rumble then and there as a tantrum, she was confronted by the debuting former MMA star Ronda Rousey, who glared her down and chased her to the back. The final two participants were Banks and Asuka, with the Empress of Tomorrow gaining a slight advantage due to Banks being exhausted from lasting all the way from number one. In the end, Asuka hit a huge martial arts kick to eliminate Banks and win the first ever Women's Rumble. Asuka then pointed at the Wrestlemania sign in the air, as both Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss sat at ringside, holding up their respective titles as a sign of the choice awaiting the Empress to close the show.
Men's Royal Rumble Lineup 1. Kofi Kingston 2. Xavier Woods 3. Elias - Elias Eliminated #1 by Kofi Kingston 4. Big E 5. Baron Corbin 6. Andrade - Xavier Woods Eliminated #2 by Andrade 7. Apollo Crews 8. Dash Wilder 9. R-Truth 10. Braun Strowman - Dash Wilder Eliminated #3 by Braun Strowman - Baron Corbin Eliminated #4 by Braun Strowman 11. Scott Dawson - Scott Dawson Eliminated #5 by Braun Strowman 12. AJ Styles - Braun Strowman Eliminated #6 by AJ Styles - Kofi Kingston Eliminated #7 by Andrade 13. Aiden English 14. Zack Ryder 15. Sami Zayn 16. Mustafa Ali - Big E Eliminated #8 by Andrade - Andrade Eliminated #9 by Apollo Crews 17. Velveteen Dream 18. The Miz - R-Truth Eliminated #10 by The Miz 19. Rusev 20. Finn Balor - Aiden English Eliminated #11 by Sami Zayn 21. Big Cass - Mustafa Ali Eliminated #12 by Big Cass 22. Aleister Black 23. Seth Rollins - Zack Ryder Eliminated #13 by Seth Rollins 24. Shelton Benjamin 25. Drew McIntyre - Big Cass Eliminated #14 by Drew McIntyre - Shelton Benjamin Eliminated #15 by Aleister Black 26. Rey Mysterio - Velveteen Dream Eliminated #16 by AJ Styles - Apollo Crews Eliminated #17 by Finn Balor 27. Samoa Joe - Rusev Eliminated #18 by Samoa Joe - The Miz Eliminated #19 by Samoa Joe - Sami Zayn Eliminated #20 by Samoa Joe 28. Randy Orton 29. Luke Harper 30. Bray Wyatt - Aleister Black Eliminated #21 by AJ Styles - Luke Harper Eliminated #22 by Bray Wyatt - Bray Wyatt Eliminated #23 by Drew McIntyre - Rey Mysterio Eliminated #24 by Samoa Joe - Randy Orton Eliminated #25 by Finn Balor - Drew McIntyre Eliminated #26 by AJ Styles - Samoa Joe Eliminated #27 by Seth Rollins - Seth Rollins Eliminated #28 by Finn Balor - AJ Styles Eliminated #29 by Finn Balor Winner: Finn Balor
Women's Royal Rumble Lineup 1. Sasha Banks 2. Trish Stratus 3. Billie Kay 4. Peyton Royce 5. Sarah Logan - Billie Kay Eliminated #1 by Sasha Banks 6. Naomi - Peyton Royce Eliminated #2 by Trish Stratus 7. Liv Morgan 8. Lita 9. Natalya - Sarah Logan Eliminated #3 by Lita 10. Tamina Snuka - Tamina Snuka Eliminated #4 by Sasha Banks 11. Ruby Riott - Liv Morgan Eliminated #5 by Naomi - Lita Eliminated #6 by Trish Stratus 12. Emmalina 13. Carmella 14. Molly Holly - Natalya Elminated #7 by Naomi 15. Becky Lynch - Molly Holly Eliminated #8 by Ruby Riott 16. Nikki Cross 17. Asuka - Trish Stratus Eliminated #9 by Asuka 18. Mandy Rose - Emmalina Eliminated #10 by Becky Lynch 19. Sonya Deville 20. Paige - Naomi Eliminated #11 by Paige 21. Kairi Sane - Nikki Cross Eliminated #12 by Sonya Deville - Carmella Eliminated #13 by Mandy Rose 22. Mickie James 23. Beth Phoenix - Sonya Deville Eliminated #14 by Beth Phoenix - Ruby Riott Eliminated #15 by Asuka 24. Ember Moon 25. Bayley - Mickie James Eliminated #16 by Bayley 26. Gail Kim 27. Nikki Bella 28. Brie Bella 29. Nia Jax - Gail Kim Eliminated #17 by Nia Jax - Mandy Rose Eliminated #18 by Nia Jax - Beth Phoenix Eliminated #19 by Nia Jax 30. Stephanie McMahon - Stephanie McMahon Eliminated #20 by Sasha Banks - Paige Eliminated #21 by Bayley - Nia Jax Eliminated #22 by Ember Moon - Kairi Sane Eliminated #23 by Asuka - Brie Bella Eliminated #24 by Nikkie Bella - Nikki Bella Eliminated #25 by Sasha Banks - Ember Moon Eliminated #26 by Asuka - Becky Lynch Eliminated #27 by Asuka - Bayley Eliminated #28 by Asuka - Sasha Banks Eliminated #29 by Asuka Winner: Asuka
Off-Camera Title Changes:
Feb 6: The New Day d. Angle Academy (With Apollo Crews Subtituting for the Injured Jason Jordan) for the WWE Tag Team Titles
Feb 21: The Iiconics d. The Riott Squad for the Women's Tag Team Titles |
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Post by darbicus on Jan 29, 2024 21:50:57 GMT 1
WWE Elimination Chamber February 25, 2018 T-Mobile Arena Las Vegas, NV
*Charlotte Flair d. Becky Lynch, Carmella, Natalya, Naomi & Mickie James in an Elimination Chamber Match to Retain the Women's World Championship For the first time ever a Women's Championship was defended inside the Elimination Chamber, as Charlotte Flair put the Women's World Championship on the line against the top competition on Smackdown. Flair would have the distinction of starting the match first, meaning that her road was the hardest to climb, but persevere she eventually did, as Charlotte outlasted 5 other women, including her tag team partner and friend Becky Lynch. In the end it would come down to Flair and Lynch, with Charlotte pulling out the victory with the Figure 8. As the Queen celebrated, however, Asuka's music played in the background. The Royal Rumble winner made her way to the Chamber and, pointing to the Wrestlemania sign, made clear that she would challenge Charlotte for the Women's World Championship at Wrestlemania. - Charlotte Flair & Naomi Started at Numbers 1 and 2 Respectively - Carmella Entered at Number 3 - Mickie James Entered at Number 4 - Becky Lynch Entered at Number 5 - Natalya Entered at Number 6 - Mickie James d. Carmella via Pinfall - Natalya d. Mickie James via Submission - Charlotte Flair d. Naomi via Pinfall - Becky Lynch d. Natalya via Submission - Charlotte Flair d. Becky Lynch via Submission Winner: Charlotte Flair
*Angle Academy [Chad Gable, Apollo Crews & Kurt Angle] d. The New Day [Xavier Woods, Big E & Kofi Kingston] by Submission After losing the tag team titles to the New Day, and after Jason Jordan suffered a career threatening neck injury to boot, WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle was forced to lace up the boots once more and join with Gable and new recruit Apollo Crews to take on Woods, Big E and Kingston. Angle looked slightly slower in his old age, but it didn't stop his technical wizardry, as he eventually locked Kingston in the Ankle Lock and got a submission victory for his team, looking briefly like the Olympic Wrestling Machine once more.
*The Bludgeon Brothers [Harper & Rowan] d. The Fashion Police [Tyler Breeze & Fandango] by Pinfall The former members of the Wyatt Family in Luke Harper and Erick Rowan had rebranded themselves as the "Bludgeon Brothers", rededicating themselves to tag team warfare and promising to regain tag team gold. Against the duo of Fandango and Tyler Breeze, the two heavyweights quickly made mincemeat out of them, hitting a avalanche powerbomb from the second rope to pick up the easy win.
*Shelton Benjamin d. Zack Ryder by Pinfall to Retain the International Championship The renaissance of the "Gold Standard" of WWE, Shelton Benjamin, continued as he successfully defended the International Championship against Zack Ryder. Despite the former Intercontinental Champion putting up a good fight, Benjamin hit a T-Bone Suplex from the top rope to pick up the win and retain his title.
*Finn Balor w/Karl Anderson & Luke Gallows d. Randy Orton by Pinfall After Finn Balor had aligned himself with Karl Anderson & Luke Gallows to form the Balor Club, screwing AJ Styles out of the 2018 Royal Rumble in the process, Balor had appeared on both Raw and Smackdown to assess the situation as to which champion he would challenge. This brought him into conflict with Randy Orton on Smackdown, who was still gunning for the WWE Title as well. Balor and Orton had a decent back and forth, but it was sullied by constant interference from Balor Club on the outside. Eventually Orton hit an RKO on Gallows through a table on the outside, but Balor took advantage and hit a Sling Blade on Orton before finishing off with a Coup de Grace for the win.
*The Bella Twins [Nikki & Brie Bella] d. Mandy Rose & Sonya DeVille by Pinfall Nikki and Brie Bella had made their return to the WWE in the Women's Royal Rumble, and had set their sights on the Women's Tag Team Titles. They faced off against the duo of Mandy Rose and Sonya DeVille in this pseudo-#1 contenders match, and despite the youth of Deville and Rose, the Bellas utilized their old standby of twin magic to pick up the win.
*The Miz w/Maryse & Baron Corbin d. Daniel Bryan w/Shane McMahon by Forefit Shortly after the Royal Rumble, Daniel Bryan announced that he had been definitively cleared to compete once again, three years after his forced retirement due to neck injuries. Smackdown showrunner, Shane McMahon, appeared to back his general manager's decision to return to the ring, booking a match between Bryan and his longtime foil the Miz (the two had engaged in a war of words for several months during Bryan's tenure as GM). However before the match could begin, it was revealed that someone had taken out Bryan in the back. Shane McMahon delivered the unfortunate news that Bryan couldn't compete, awarding the match via forefit to the Miz. As Miz and Corbin celebrated, Daniel Bryan's music hit and he came out looking for revenge. However, instead of going after Miz and Corbin, he went after Shane, revealing that it was Shane who had attacked him backstage. Shane ran off as Bryan chased after him.
*Shinsuke Nakamura d. AJ Styles, John Cena, Dolph Ziggler, Jeff Hardy & Bray Wyatt in an Elimination Chamber Match to Retain the WWE Championship With Finn Balor still not having named his opponent for Wrestlemania, a WWE Title match inside the Elimination Chamber was made. Like Charlotte Flair, champion Shinsuke Nakamura would draw the unlucky number 1 and be forced to compete throughout the entire match. Also like Flair, he would make it to the end, facing down his old New Japan rival AJ Styles. The two had a repeat of previous classics between them, but the match would be interrupted by the arrival of Balor Club, who broke into the Chamber and took out both Nakamura and Styles. Ostensibly Nakamura would be retroactively named the winner, but the match basically ended in a No Contest, with Balor holding up the WWE Title to close the show. - Shinsuke Nakamura & Dolph Ziggler Entered #1 and #2 respectively - Jeff Hardy Entered at #3 - Bray Wyatt Entered at #4 - AJ Styles Entered at #5 - John Cena Entered at #6 - Bray Wyatt d. Dolph Ziggler via Pinfall - AJ Styles d. Bray Wyatt via Pinfall - Shinsuke Nakamura d. Jeff Hardy via Pinfall - Shinsuke Nakamura d. John Cena via Pinfall - The match between Shinsuke Nakamura & AJ Styles Ended in a No Contest Still Champion: Shinsuke Nakamura |
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Post by darbicus on Jan 31, 2024 0:34:18 GMT 1
WWE Fastlane March 11, 2018 Nationwide Arena Columbus, OH
*Kevin Owens d. Andrade w/Zelina Vega by Pinfall The Prizefighter Kevin Owens had adopted an aggressive strategy towards wanting to ensure that he had an opponent for Wrestlemania, challenging anyone on any brand to any kind of match. After interfering in a #1 contenders tournament match on Raw, Owens would be placed into a match against Andrade by Raw showrunner Stephanie McMahon as a way of "cooling his jets." El Idolo controlled more of the match than most would have expected, but in the end Owens countered an attempted Hammerlock DDT and caught Andrade with a Pop Up Powerbomb before hitting a Stunner to pick up the win.
*Jinder Mahal w/The Singh Brothers d. Rey Mysterio by Pinfall to Retain the United States Title Rey Mysterio had made his return to WWE at the Royal Rumble, and had begun targeting United States Champion Jinder Mahal in order to get back in the championship picture. Mysterio came in the heavy favorite, and ran circles around the champion. However the title wouldn't change hands thanks to the outside interference of the Singh Brothers, who provided enough of a distraction to allow the Modern Day Maharajah to hit the Khallas to pick up the upset win.
*The Iiconics [Billie Kay & Peyton Royce] d. Bayley & Sasha Banks by Pinfall to Retain the WWE Women's Tag Team Titles NXT stars The Iiconics had become Women's Tag Team Champions, but were clearly underdogs against the Best Friends duo of Sasha Banks and Bayley. The two former Women's Champions outclassed the NXT standouts, but behind the referee's back Billie Kay tossed some powder into the eyes of Bayley from their "makeup kit". This blinded Bayley long enough for her to catch an unsuspecting Banks with the Bayley to Belly mistakenly, allowing Royce to pick up the win and retain their titles.
*Sami Zayn w/Ronda Rousey d. Triple H w/Stephanie McMahon by Pinfall At the Royal Rumble, Ronda Rousey had made her unofficial debut, appearing after Stephanie McMahon had been eliminated from the Women's Royal Rumble and when the Raw showrunner threatened to shut the match down for the "disrespect." It was later revealed that Rousey was friends with superstar Sami Zayn, who had invited her to the Rumble event. This led to Triple H targeting Zayn with several beatdowns, leading the underdog from the underground to challenge Triple H to a match. To the Authority's chagrin, Zayn came with Rousey in his corner, as she had recently officially signed a contract with WWE. Triple H and Zayn had a decent match that saw the referee eventually take a bump down. When Stephanie went to hand Triple H a sledge hammer, Rousey moved into action, threatening the Billion Dollar Princess with an Armbar. The distraction gave Zayn a chance to hit Triple H in the corner with a Helluva Kick, picking up the surprise win.
*Seth Rollins & Braun Strowman d. Authors of Pain [Akam & Rezar] by Pinfall to Win the World Tag Team Titles Seth Rollins had entered into a brief feud with World Tag Team Champions the Authors of Pain, as AOP had attacked him on numerous occasions after a backstage confrontation. Rollins needed to find a tag partner to take on the champions, and the one he chose was former World Heavyweight Champion Braun Strowman. The Monster Among Men dominated the champions, helping Rollins pick up the win after hitting Rezar with a massive running powerslam.
*Alexa Bliss w/Nia Jax d. Tamina Snuka by Pinfall to Retain the Women's Title Tamina Snuka had tried to split apart the duo of Nia Jax and Alexa Bliss in recent weeks, playing off the growing tension between the two after Bliss had seemingly "helped" eliminate Jax from the Women's Rumble while she was sitting at ringside. Tamina challenged Bliss for the WWE Women's Title at Fastlane, as Jax was seemingly conflicted from helping her longtime friend Tamina and her supposed "best friend" Bliss. In the end, Jax would seemingly choose Bliss, though her attempts faltered slightly, nearly costing Bliss in the title. In the end Tamina missed a top rope splash, allowing Bliss to hit the Twisted Bliss to pick up the win. After the match, Bliss berated Jax in the ring, going so far as to slap her. This proved to be one move to many, as Jax clotheslined the self-professed Goddess to the ground and then delivered a massive powerbomb to the champion before walking off head held high.
*Roman Reigns & Samoa Joe Wrestled to a No Contest in a Match for the #1 Contendership to the World Heavyweight Championship Roman Reigns and Samoa Joe had advanced to the finals of a mini-tournament to crown a new #1 contender for the World Heavyweight Championship, renewing their longstanding rivalry from the year before. Unfortunately for them neither would get a chance to get a decisive victory over the other, as the match was interrupted by World Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar in retaliation for Joe interrupting his title defense at the Royal Rumble. Lesnar laid out both Joe and Reigns before standing tall, holding the World Heavyweight Title high above his head.
*Balor Club [Finn Balor, Karl Anderson & Luke Gallows] d. AJ Styles, Shinsuke Nakamura & John Cena by Pinfall After definitively choosing Shinsuke Nakamura to challenge at Wrestlemania, Nakamura recruited AJ Styles and John Cena to "invade" Monday Night Raw and attack Balor Club, setting up this six man tag for the main event of Fastlane. After a hard hitting match with several near falls for both teams, Balor took advantage of a missed Boma Ye on Karl Anderson, when Nakamura hit Styles instead. Balor then rolled up the King of Strong Style and got the pinfall on the WWE Champion, escaping with an edge heading into Wrestlemania to close out the show. |
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Post by darbicus on Jan 31, 2024 20:51:17 GMT 1
NXT Takeover: New Orleans April 5, 2018 Smoothie King Center New Orleans, LA
*Roderick Strong d. Shelton Benjamin by Pinfall to Win the International Championship One member of the Undisputed Era looked to add to their haul of gold, as Roderick Strong faced Shelton Benjamin for the International Championship. After a lengthy athletic match between the two men, Strong countered an attempt at a T-Bone Suplex from Benjamin and caught him unawares with the End of Heartache, picking up the win and his first WWE Title.
*Velveteen Dream & Kairi Sane d. Riddick Moss & Lacey Evans by Pinfall in a Mixed Tag Match The enigmatic superstar Velveteen Dream had entered into a feud with the super serious Riddick Moss, who was also teaming with the "All-American Girl" Lacey Evans in this mixed tag, while Dream teamed with the 2017 Mae Young Classic winner Kairi Sane. The match largely came down to Sane and Evans actions in the ring while Dream and Moss fought on the outside, with Sane eventually hitting a top rope elbow drop to pick up the win.
*Adam Cole w/The Undisputed Era d. Aleister Black by Pinfall to Win the NXT North American Championship The leader of the Undisputed Era Adam Cole, despite having lost his chance at the NXT championship in January, was still looking for gold as he challenged NXT North American Champion Aleister Black. The Darkfather's martial arts abilities nearly did in the Best Thing Going Today, but Cole was able to dodge the Black Mass on two occasions to avoid being knocked out. A distraction provided by Bobby Fish on the outside allowed Cole ro rake advantage and hit the Panama Sunrise followed by the Last Shot to pick up the win and the North American Title, giving everyone in the stable gold for the time being.
*Shayna Baszler d. Ember Moon by Submission to Win the NXT Women's Championship Since her debut in NXT, former MMA star Shayna Baszler had been nigh unstoppable and had run roughshod through the entire NXT women's division. This put her in line for a title shot against long running NXT Women's Champion, Ember Moon. The champion fared better than most, managing to get several near falls on the Queen of Spades, but Baszler's submission credentials were too much to overcome, and she choked out the champion with the Kirafuda Clutch to pick up the win and the title.
*Lucha House Party [Gran Metallik & Lince Dorado] d. The Undisputed Era [Kyle O'Reilly & Bobby Fish] in the Finals of the Dusty Rhodes Tag Classic In a surprise move, The Undisputed Era had entered the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic as a way of stopping a top challenger for their titles from being crowned. O'Reilly and Fish made it all the way to the finals, taking on the high flying team of Gran Metallik and Lince Dorado. The Lucha House Party, to the surprise of most everyone in the audience, managed to outmanuver the tag team champions, hitting dueling senton splashes in the middle of the ring to pick up the upset victory and claim the Dusty Tag Classic, while also preventing the Undisputed Era from sweeping the night.
*Tomasso Ciampa d. Johnny Gargano in an Unsanctioned Match to Retain the NXT Championship The feud between former tag team partners Tomasso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano had reached its zenith, to the point where NXT General Manager William Regal couldn't in good conscience sanction a title match between the two, only agreeing to the title being on the line if Gargano's career in NXT were on the line as well. The two fought throughout the arena, hitting each other with various forms of weaponry and delivering the best shots that they had against each other. In the end, Ciampa was able to hit two consecutive Fairy Tale Endings to get the pinfall and retain the title, surprising everyone by banishing the heart and soul of NXT from the Black and Gold promotion for the time being to close the show. |
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Post by darbicus on Jan 31, 2024 21:27:54 GMT 1
Wrestlemania 34
April 7-8, 2018
Mercedes Benz Superdome
New Orleans, LA
Night One
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Triple Threat Match for the WWE Championship
Shinsuke Nakamura (c) vs. AJ Styles vs. Finn Balor
No Disqualification Match
Daniel Bryan vs. Shane McMahon
WWE Women's Championship Match
Alexa Bliss (c) vs. Nia Jax
World Tag Team Championship Match
Seth Rollins & Braun Strowman (c) vs. Drew McIntyre & Andrade w/Zelina Vega
John Cena vs. Kurt Angle
WWE Women's Tag Team Championship Match
The Iiconics (c) vs. The Bella Twins
WWE United States Championshop Match
Jinder Mahal w/The Singh Brothers (c) vs. Mustafa Ali
25-Woman Chyna Memorial Battle Royal
Sasha Banks, Bayley, Becky Lynch, Mickie James, Carmella, Zelina Vega, Emmalina, Naomi, Dakota Kai, Lacey Evans, Dana Brooke, Tamina Snuka, Natalya, Ruby Riott, Sara Logan, Nikki Cross, Sonya DeVille, Lana, Mandy Rose, Liv Morgan, Kairi Sane, Tay Conti, Bianca Belair, Lita, Molly Holly
Night Two
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Triple Threat Match for the World Heavyweight Championship
Brock Lesnar w/Paul Heyman vs. Roman Reigns vs. Samoa Joe
Mixed Tag Team Match
Sami Zayn & Ronda Rousey vs. Triple H & Stephanie McMahon
WWE Intercontinental Championship Match
Bobby Roode (c) vs. Chad Gable w/Apollo Crews
World Women's Championship Match
Charlotte Flair (c) vs. Asuka
6 Team Challenge Match
The Bludgeon Brothers vs. The Usos vs. The Hardy Boyz vs. The Revival vs. Balor Club vs. Rusev Day
Interpromotional Match
Kevin Owens vs. Randy Orton
WWE Tag Team Championship Match
The New Day (c) vs. The Miz & Baron Corbin w/Maryse
25-Man Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal
Kane, Bray Wyatt, Zack Ryder, Curt Hawkins, Dolph Ziggler, Karl Anderson, Luke Gallows, Tye Dillinger, Goldust, Titus O'Neil, Sumil Singh, Sanjay Singh, Fandango, Tyler Breeze, Apollo Crews, Lince Dorado, Gran Metallik, Drew Gulak, Velveteen Dream, Sheamus, Cesaro, Aiden English, Big Cass, Curtis Axel, Bo Dallas |
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Post by darbicus on Feb 4, 2024 19:40:27 GMT 1
Wrestlemania 34: Night One April 7, 2018 Mercedes Benz Superdome New Orleans, LA
*Mustafa Ali d. Jinder Mahal w/The Singh Brothers by Pinfall to Win the United States Title United States Champion Jinder Mahal had found himself on outclassed by NXT star Mustafa Ali, who had gained two victories over the champion in the weeks leading into Wrestlemania. This would lead to a title match on Raw, which Mahal finally won with outside interference. This led to Raw showrunner Stephanie McMahon making a match for Night One of Wrestlemania. Despite the Singh Brothers being ostensibly banned from ringside, that didn't stop them from coming through the crowd and trying to help Jinder retain his title again. However, Ali overcame this interference, kicking out of the Khalass and then eventually hitting a 450 splash to get the win and the US Title.
*Sasha Banks Won the Inaugural 25-Woman Chyna Memorial Battle Royal For the first time ever the women would be granted a Battle Royal, similar to the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal that had taken place for several years up to this point, with the match being named after the 9th Wonder of the World Chyna, who had been posthumously inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame this year. The finals of the Battle Royal came down to the two rivals/friends of Bayley and Sasha Banks, with the Boss skinning the cat when Bayley seemingly through her over the top rope, leading to Banks eliminating the Hugger and winning the gold plated trophy of Chyna.
*The Bella Twins [Nikki & Brie Bella] d. The Iiconics [Billie Kay & Peyton Royce] by Pinfall to Win the WWE Women's Tag Team Titles After the Iiconics had claimed the WWE Women's Tag Team Titles on an episode of NXT, they began claiming that they were the best duo of women in history. This brought out two former Divas Champions in the Bella Twins, who engaged in a lengthy war of words on social media with the two "influencers". A match was set up at Wrestlemania, and to the surprise of many Kay and Royce held their own against the veterans. However the Bellas would rely on a little twin magic to stop the Iiconics from cheating their way to a victory. In the of a distraction, Royce used the Women's Tag Title belt to knock out Nikki Bella behind the referee's back. However Royce played up her own injuries too much, allowing Brie to sneak in and perform some twin magic on Nikki. When Royce went for a cover, Brie rolled her up in a small package and snuck out the win, claiming the Women's Tag Titles for the original Tag Team Divas.
*John Cena d. Kurt Angle by Pinfall Since coming back in a 6 man tag team match the previous month at Elimination Chamber, Kurt Angle had described himself as "having an itch" to get back into regular competition. He wished to regain the fire of "ruthless aggression" that he had in years past, and as such challenged one of his old classic opponents in John Cena for a match at Wrestlemania. The two had a surprisingly great match, reminiscent of their old classics, which Angle nearly won with an Ankle Lock. Cena however refused to give up and eventually caught Angle attempting a moonsault, reversing it into an Avalanche AA to pick up the win. After the match, the two old rivals shook hands as a sign of respect.
*Seth Rollins & Braun Strowman d. Drew McIntyre & Andrade w/Zelina Vega by Pinfall to Retain the World Tag Team Titles Seth Rollins had continued his feud with the enemies of the Shield from the previous year, as Drew McIntyre and Andrade teamed up to try and take out Rollins and his new tag team partner in Braun Strowman, who had recently won the World Tag Team Titles. McIntyre and Andrade tried to sow distrust amongst the new champions in the build, but the surprising effect would be the miscommunication between McIntyre and Andrade that would lead to their downfall, as McIntyre inadvertantly hit Andrade with a Claymore during a double team move, leaving the Scottish Warrior vulnerable to a double team as Rollins hit the Curb Stomp following a Running Powerslam from Strowman, allowing the champions to retain.
*Nia Jax d. Alexa Bliss by Pinfall to Win the WWE Women's Championship For several months Alexa Bliss had used her "friendship" with Nia Jax to control the women's division on Raw and essentially monopolize the WWE Women's Championship. This of course changed after Jax was turned on by Bliss, who slapped her after a match, leading to the Irresistible Force targeting the Goddess. Bliss did the best she could against the monster Nia Jax, but the Samoan Mistress hit a Banzai Drop on Bliss after hitting a monstrous Samoan Drop in the center of the ring to pin Bliss and win her first title in WWE.
*Daniel Bryan d. Shane McMahon by Submission in a No Disqualification Match For several months Smackdown general manager Daniel Bryan had been hinting that he would soon be returning to active competition. However, every time he appeared close to that goal, he would be subtly deterred from it by Smackdown Show Runner Shane McMahon, ostensibly because McMahon was "worried" about his GM's health. The previous month though, McMahon had attacked Bryan backstage as he was about to make his return against the Miz. Shane revealed that he didn't want Bryan back doing what he loved out of revenge for all of the "problems" that Bryan's previous injury plagued stints had caused the WWE, and also because of Bryan's opposition to the Authority several years earlier. Bryan promptly resigned as General Manager and challenged Shane to a match at Wrestlemania, something McMahon didn't agree too initially. However, Vince McMahon would make a rare appearance on Smackdown to chastize his son (the same week he chastised his daughter over the Ronda Rousey situation) and made the match for him, with a No Disqualification stipulation. Bryan's technical mastery was mixed with the use of weapons, making the match somewhat brutal to watch. Despite this, Shane was able to hold his own briefly. In the end, Bryan choked out Shane with a LeBell Lock, using a kendo stick for additional leverage, and eventually getting the submission victory.
*AJ Styles d. Shinsuke Nakamura & Finn Balor w/Balor Club by Pinfall to Win the WWE Championship Finn Balor had won the Royal Rumble through duplicitous means, aligning with Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows to form Balor Club and costing AJ Styles the victory. This fight against Styles continued at Elimination Chamber when Balor Club interrupted the finals of the Chamber match between Styles and WWE Champion Shinsuke Nakamura, with Balor then declaring his intentions to challenge the King of Strong Style for the WWE Title at Wrestlemania. Styles was granted a chance to make the match a triple threat match by Smackdown GM Daniel Bryan (one of Bryan's last official acts as GM) provided he could defeat Balor in a match on Smackdown, which he managed to do despite the interference of Balor Club, leading to this match. Anderson and Gallows were ejected early on by the referee, leaving the match between the three former New Japan stars, with several hard hitting strikes traded between all of them. Nakamura nearly had the match won after hitting Balor with a Boma Ye, only for Styles to break up the pin with a springboard 450 splash. With Balor removed from the equation, Styles and Nakamura traded hits, until Nakamura missed with a Boma Ye on Styles. The Phenomenal One then followed up with a Phenomenal Forearm and then hit a Styles Clash to pick up the win, regaining the WWE Title to the delight of the New Orleans crowd to close out night 1 of Wrestlemania 34. |
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Post by darbicus on Feb 6, 2024 18:36:10 GMT 1
WWE Wrestlemania 34: Night Two April 8, 2018 Mercedes Benz Superdome New Orleans, LA
*The New Day [Kofi Kingston & Big E] w/Xavier Woods d. The Miz & Baron Corbin by Pinfall to Retain the WWE Tag Team Titles The so called team of A-Listers, The Miz and Baron Corbin, took on the New Day for the WWE Tag Team Titles to kick off night 2 of Wrestlemania 34. Corbin took control of the match early on, taking out Woods on the outside and then isolating Kingston away from Big E. Miz and Corbin nearly got a fall several times, but Kingston's perseverence was able to save him from defeat long enough to make the hot tag to Big E. Big E dominated both Corbin and Miz, eventually hitting the former WWE Champion with a Jackhammer to pick up the surprisingly clean win and keep the New Day as tag team champions.
*Kane Won the 25-Man Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal The Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal would receive a shot of hellfire and brimstone, as the Big Red Machine made a surprise entry into the match. The former multiple time champion hadn't been seen in several months (owing to Glen Jacobs political career), but Kane looked like he hadn't lost a step, as he dominated the field until at last winning the match, eliminating both Singh Brothers simultaneously to secure the large trophy.
*Randy Orton d. Kevin Owens by Pinfall With neither Randy Orton nor Kevin Owens having a title match for Wrestlemania, the two men had taken to feuding with each other, showing up on the opposite show and messing with the other during their matches, leading to Raw General Manager Mick Foley to make this interpromotional match between the two former world champions. Both men tried to execute their sudden finisher on each other, the RKO and Stunner respectively, several times during the match in an effort to end it, but Owens' more versatile offensive repetoire gave him the advantage for much of the match. In the end though, Orton was able to counter an attempt at a pop-up powerbomb into an RKO out of nowhere to finish off Owens, picking up the hard earned victory.
*The Bludgeon Brothers [Harper & Rowan] d. The Usos [Jimmy & Jey Uso], The Hardy Boyz [Matt & Jeff Hardy], The Revival [Scott Dawson & Dash Wilder], Balor Club [Karl Anderson & Luke Gallows] & Rusev Day [R-Truth & Rusev] w/Lana in a 6 Pack Challenge to Earn a Tag Team Title Shot In an effort to add more "tag team flair" to the Wrestlemania card, Raw General Manager Mick Foley arranged for 6 tag teams, three from each brand, to compete in a 6 pack challenge to earn a title shot at their brands respective tag team titles. The result was near chaos, as all six teams battled amongst themselves in a desperate attempt to win. Jeff Hardy nearly had the win when he hit R-Truth with a Swanton Bomb, only for the save to be made by Balor Club, who tried to steal the win. They were thwarted by the Usos, but Jimmy and Jey were laid out by Harper & Rowan, who hit a double powerbomb on Jimmy to pick up the win for themselves.
*Bobby Roode d. Chad Gable w/Apollo Crews by Pinfall to Retain the Intercontinental Championship With Kurt Angle attempting a comeback against John Cena, his Angle Academy students tried to make their coach proud by defeating Bobby Roode for the Intercontinental Championship, with Chad Gable challenging the Glorious One. Despite the advantage of having Apollo Crews on the outside, Gable's technical savvy wasn't enough to overcome the champion, as Roode countered an attempted Angle Slam with a Glorious DDT and then hit one on Crews after Apollo tried to run interference. Roode then pinned the challenger to retain his title.
*Asuka d. Charlotte Flair by Submission to Win the Women's World Championship After winning the first ever Women's Royal Rumble in her main roster debut, former NXT Women's Champion Asuka had been on a winning streak ever since. At Elimination Chamber she made clear her intentions to challenge Women's World Champion Charlotte Flair, leading to an epic confrontation between the Queen and the Empress. In a highly technical match, Flair did everything she could to work over the knee of Asuka. But the Empress' hard hitting strikes allowed her to keep Charlotte off balance long enough to lock in the Rising Sun submission, getting the Queen to tap out and winning the Women's World Championship to keep her main roster undefeated streak in tact.
*Ronda Rousey & Sami Zayn d. Triple H & Stephanie McMahon by Submission in a Mixed Tag Team Match Since the Royal Rumble, there had been a feud brewing between Ronda Rousey and Raw showrunner Stephanie McMahon. This extended to a feud between Stephanie's husband Triple H and Ronda's friend/trainer, Sami Zayn. Finally, when Raw General Manager Mick Foley was about to be fired for refusing to release Rousey and Zayn from their contracts by Stephanie McMahon, Vince McMahon came out and ordered Stephanie and Triple H to face Rousey and Zayn in a Mixed Tag Match at Wrestlemania. While Zayn and Triple H held their own, the main attraction was Rousey's debut versus "the Boss." In the end, Rousey looked impressive, even going toe to toe with Triple H at one point, before putting away McMahon with an armbar submission to pick up the win.
*Roman Reigns d. Samoa Joe & Brock Lesnar w/Paul Heyman by Pinfall to Win the World Heavyweight Championship The issue over the World Heavyweight Championship held by Brock Lesnar had been all encompassing, with both Roman Reigns and Samoa Joe costing each other chances at the title in the months leading up to Wrestlemania (with Lesnar having attacked both of them during a #1 contenders match as well.) This led to a triple threat match in the main event for the title. Joe and Lesnar focused on beating down Roman at first, taking out the former Shield member before focusing on each other. Lesnar nearly got the win after hitting Joe with an F5, but Joe was able to sneak a foot under the bottom rope to break up the pinfall. When Lesnar argued with the referee, he took a Spear straight from Roman, taking him out. Reigns and Joe then fought themselves, with Roman breaking out of a Coquina Clutch and then spearing Samoa Joe, only for Lesnar to barely break up the pin. In the end, Joe lifted Lesnar for a Muscle Buster, before Reigns speared him again, sending both men to the mat. Reigns then pinned Joe to pick up the win and become the new World Heavyweight Champion to close the show. |
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Post by darbicus on Feb 9, 2024 14:45:05 GMT 1
WWE International Series: Anarchy in Africa April 27, 2018 Ellis Park Stadium Johannesburg, South Africa
*Samoa Joe d. John Cena by Pinfall For the first time ever John Cena took on the Samoan Submission Specialist in Samoa Joe, with Joe vowing to be the first man to ever make Cena tap out on Pay Per View. Joe's efforts were not for naught, as Cena struggled early on the survive Joe's onslaught. Cena did pull out a near fall after fighting out of an attempted Coquina Clutch, hitting a pair of Attitude Adjustments in quick succession. However Joe kicked out and eventually gave up on making Cena submit, settling for a pinfall victory via a Muscle Buster instead.
*Mustafa Ali d. Jinder Mahal by Pinfall to Retain the United States Title In a rematch from Wrestlemania, Mustafa Ali defended the United States Championship against the former champion Jinder Mahal, who was exercising his rematch clause in this event. So convinced was Jinder that Ali's victory at Mania was a "fluke", that he even agreed to a pre-match stipulation banning the Singh Brothers from ringside. Mahal attacked Ali right after the new champion made his entrance, and tried to get a quick fall by hitting the Khalass early on, only getting a two count. Ali fought back and eventually countered an attempt at a Khalass from the top rope, using the mistake by the former champion to hit the 450 Splash and retain the title.
*Nia Jax d. Alexa Bliss & Dana Brooke in a Handicap Match to Retain the Women's Championship After losing her championship at Wrestlemania, Alexa Bliss sought the help of her "new BFF" Dana Brooke in trying to take down the new champion, Nia Jax. Facing the Irresistible Force in a handicap match, Bliss allowed Brooke to do much of the heavy lifting, with the self-professed goddess only getting involved when a double team situation presented itself. This wasn't often enough for Bliss to overcome her former henchwoman, though, as Jax eventually chased off the Goddess and finished off Brooke easily with a massive Samoan Drop followed by a leg drop to retain the title.
*The Bludgeon Brothers [Harper & Rowan] d. The New Day [Xavier Woods & Big E] w/Kofi Kingston by Pinfall to Win the WWE Tag Team Titles Harper & Rowan had earned a tag title shot courtesy of their victory at Wrestlemania, and the two former Wyatt Family members easily had an advantage in strength over the New Day, particularly when they isolated Xavier Woods from his partner, Big E. Woods did what he could, but couldn't withstand the onslaught, leaving him useless even after making a hot tag to Big E. The powerhouse of the New Day took out Rowan, but ate a Discus clothesline from Harper, who then teamed with his partner to hit a massive double powerbomb on Big E to pick up the win.
*Roman Reigns d. Drew McIntyre by Pinfall to Retain the World Heavyweight Title Roman Reigns' first title defense as World Heavyweight Champion would be against his old enemy Drew McIntyre, stemming from the Scottish Psychopath's attack on him on the Raw after Wrestlemania. McIntyre wasted little time in going after the newly crowned champion, attacking him during his entrance in order to get a leg up. McIntyre attempted to finish off Reigns with a Claymore Kick out of nowhere, but Reigns ducked the attempt and eventually hit a Superman Punch followed by a Spear to pick up the win and to retain his title.
*Asuka, Charlotte Flair & Becky Lynch d. Sasha Banks, Bayley & Ember Moon by Submission Newly crowned Women's Word Champion Asuka was forced to team with her Wrestlemania opponent Charlotte Flair, as well as a top contender in Becky Lynch, to take on her old NXT nemesis Ember Moon who had debuted on Raw the night after Wrestlemania. Moon was also teaming with Sasha Banks and Bayley, making this a star studded 6 Woman Tag Match. After a lengthy back and forth action, Asuka was able to lock Bayley in the Rising Sun submission hold to pick up the win for her team.
*Daniel Bryan Won a 50-Man 2 Ring Battle Royal One of the selling points of this first ever Premium Live Event in Africa was a 50-Man, 2-Ring Battle Royal that promised to be absolute chaos. 25 men would be in each ring to start off, but competitors could move from ring to ring as necessary. After a lengthy fight, the match came down to the final 6 of Aleister Black, Bobby Lashley, Bray Wyatt, Kurt Angle, Randy Orton and Daniel Bryan. To the shock of many, Black eliminated Wyatt without much fanfare, hitting the Eater of Worlds with Black Mass and taking him out instantly. Black however was then hit by a Baikatsu knee and dropped out by Bryan. Orton and Angle took each other out as Angle hit an Angle slam from the apron to the outside, only to lose his balance and fall as well, leaving the match between Bryan and the newly returned Bobby Lashley. Despite Lashley's superior strength, Bryan was able to dodge a spear and hit another running knee to stun Lashley into the ropes, before the GOAT clotheslined Bobby out of the ring, securing the huge win for himself.
*Brock Lesnar w/Paul Heyman d. Triple H by Pinfall in a No Disqualification Match The night after Wrestlemania, Brock Lesnar had gone on a rampage looking for revenge after losing the World Heavyweight Championship to Roman Reigns. He was confronted by WWE COO Triple H, which led to Lesnar attacking the former champion and nearly breaking his arm with a Kimura. The following week on Smackdown, when Heyman was trying to negotiate a title match between Lesnar and AJ Styles, Triple H returned and confronted Heyman, telling him Lesnar's next match would be against him at Anarchy in Africa. Despite making the match No Disqualification and utilizing his trusted sledge hammer at times, Triple H was unable to put Lesnar away, as the Beast Incarnate hit an F5 to pick up the win.
*AJ Styles d. Finn Balor w/Balor Club by Pinfall to Retain the WWE Championship After losing to Styles at Wrestlemania 34, Royal Rumble winner Finn Balor demanded a one on one match for the title, stating that it was what he should have had to begin with. He was so adamant of this that, by order of newly appointed General Manager of Raw and Smackdown Paige, Balor Club would be banned from ringside. This left an even playing field for the Prince and the Phenomenal One, who put on a stellar match with several near falls. In the end, Styles hit a Phenomenal Forearm to pick up the victory and retain his title to close the show.
Battle Royal Entrants: Akam, Aleister Black, Andrade, Apollo Crews, Baron Corbin, Big Cass, Bobby Fish, Bobby Lashley, Bobby Roode, Braun Strowman, Bray Wyatt, Cesaro, Chad Gable, Curtis Axel, Daniel Bryan, Dash Wilder, Dolph Ziggler, Drew Gulak, Elias, Fandango, Goldust, Jeff Hardy, Kane, Karl Anderson, Kevin Owens, Kofi Kingston, Kurt Angle, Kyle O'Reilly, Luke Gallows, Matt Hardy, Mark Henry, The Miz, Mojo Rawley, R-Truth, Randy Orton, Rey Mysterio, Rezar, Rusev, Sami Zayn, Sanjay Singh, Scott Dawson, Seth Rollins, Sheamus, Shinsuke Nakamura, Surmil Singh, Titus O"Neil, Tyler Breeze, Velveteen Dream, Zack Ryder
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Post by darbicus on Feb 13, 2024 1:26:52 GMT 1
WWE Backlash May 6, 2018 Prudential Center Newark, NJ
*The Bludgeon Brothers [Harper & Rowan] d. Angle Academy [Chad Gable & Apollo Crews] by Pinfall to Retain the WWE Tag Team Titles After winning the WWE Tag Team Titles at Anarchy in Africa, The Bludgeon Brothers wasted little time in defending their newly won championships against former champions Angle Academy. With their "headmaster" Kurt Angle more focused on his own return to the ring, Gable and Crews were left to their own devices, and were overwhelmed by the power of Harper & Rowan, who pinned Crews following a Double Powerbomb.
*Aleister Black d. Bray Wyatt by Pinfall In the 50-Man Battle Royal at Anarchy in Africa, Aleister Black had debuted on the main roster from NXT and had surprised everyone by relatively easily eliminating former WWE Champion Bray Wyatt. The self-professed Darkfather then made it his mission to root out Wyatt, playing Mind Games with the Eater of Worlds. Wyatt returned the favor, and the two were set to meet in a match at Backlash. Wyatt held his own against Black, until two masked men appeared out of the crowd and attacked Wyatt behind the referee's back. This allowed Black to hit the Black Mass on Wyatt and pick up the upset win.
*Mustafa Ali d. Drew McIntyre by Disqualification to Retain the United States Title The Scottish Psychopath Drew McIntyre was eager to return to his winning ways, challenging Mustafa Ali to a match for the United States title. McIntyre was heavily favored going into the match, but Ali was able to withstand most of Drew's offense, even kicking out of a Future Shock DDT. This frustrated McIntyre to the point of laying out Ali with several rights, and refusing to break on the referee's command, leading to the ref disqualifying Drew and giving the win to Ali.
*AJ Styles & Shinsuke Nakamura d. The Miz & Baron Corbin by Pinfall Both The Miz and Baron Corbin had made a point to target WWE Champion AJ Styles, forcing the Phenomenal One to find a partner to take on the pair. He turned to former champion and on/off again rival Shinsuke Nakamura, reforming their successful tandem from the previous year. The two still worked well together, despite it being abundantly clear that Nakamura desired Styles' WWE Championship once more, with Styles eventually pinning Miz after hitting him with a Phenomenal Forearm.
*Daniel Bryan & Bobby Lashley w/Lio Rush Wrestled to a Double Countout Daniel Bryan had spoiled the return of Bobby Lashley to the WWE, eliminating him to win the 50 Man Battle Royal at Anarchy in Africa, leading to Lashley demanding a match with Bryan to settle the score. The two's match didn't last very long, as the two began brawling outside the ring, leading to a double countout as they continued to brawl all the way to the back.
*Asuka d. Naomi by Submission to Retain the WWE Women's Championship In the first PPV title defense of her reign, the Empress of Tomorrow took on former champion Naomi for the gold. Despite holding her own in the opening minutes, Naomi was quickly overwhelmed by Asuka's unique offense, and the champion eventually locked Naomi in the Rising Sun to get the quick, impressive victory.
*Bobby Roode d. Sheamus w/Cesaro by Pinfall to Retain the Intercontinental Title Sheamus and Cesaro had been having difficulties with each other for several months, as their fractitious tag team relationship slowly soured out of jealousy. Sheamus wanted to match Cesaro's recent singles winning streak by winning the Intercontinental Championship from Bobby Roode. Cesaro was eager to help his "friend", but the Swiss Superman's help would backfire, as he would accidentally trip Sheamus and force him to the ground, giving a momentary distraction that allowed Roode to nail the Celtic Warrior with the Glorious DDT and pickup the win.
*Roman Reigns d. Finn Balor w/Balor Club by Pinfall to Retain the World Heavyweight Championship Finn Balor challenged Roman Reigns for the World Heavyweight Championship, still eager to try and win a world title once again (and after having failed to successfully defeat AJ Styles several times in the weeks preceding this). Balor took advantage of having Gallows and Anderson attack Reigns as he made his entrance, trying to take out the Big Dog before the match could even begin. Reigns however was able to persevere and pull out the victory, hitting Balor with a Spear to pick up the win and retain his title. After the match though, Reigns was attacked from behind by Randy Orton, who hit an RKO out of nowhere and then posed with the World Heavyweight Title to close the show.
Off-Camera Title Change:
May 22: 3F (Fabulous Femme Fatales) [Carmella & Emmalina] d. The Bella Twins for the Women's Tag Titles |
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