Sting
I loved Sting’s promo. It was a massive improvement for the storyline that was rushed so badly last week. The Icon was infuriated by the idea of seeing Rollins, lined up with the wrestling legends with a statue of his own.
The intensity was high, the crowd was into it and Sting was in a worthy character for the first time since he arrived in the WWE. He wasn’t shown in such determined and powerful light in his feud with HHH.
The one thing that Sting said, which turned out to be a plot kicker, was that Rollins wasn’t half the man HHH was. Now it’s only a matter of tiem before this provocation, combined with Seth’s narcissism lead the Rollins/Authority fairytale to end.
Dolph Ziggler def. Rusev /via DQ/
Dolph didn’t stand a chance. He had a few singular bursts of offense but they were all very short-lived. Rusev dominated the Show Off from beginning to end. However, the resiliency of Ziggler made the match a nail-biter.
In the end, Ziggler pulled a surprise Zig Zag out of an Accolade attempt by Rusev. The Bulgarian Brute was about to get pinned when Summer attacked Dolph, causing a DQ. Lana, as expected, got involved and the crowd got the panties shot they were asking for the entire match.
Becky Lynch def. Alicia Fox
This was the first out of three beat the clock challenges to determine the #1 contender for Nikki’s title. Becky beat Alicia in 3:21.
Ryback def. The Big Show
Oh My God, this rivalry is STILL going on! I thought this would have ended a long time ago but apparently it won’t before someone steals Ryback’s title and that someone will probably be the Miz.
Then again, the match got exciting by the end of it. It was an IC title match after all. When the Big Show countered a meathook with a spear, it was a great pop moment. It was a distraction from the Miz that helped Ryback retain.
No matter how entertaining the Miz is or how physical Show and Ryback get, this storyline still lacks something. It’s not an attention-grabber.
Charlotte def. Brie Bella
Brie spent her time stalling, She was trying to run away and hide but once Charlotte got to her, Brie didn’t have her focus on fighting and got pinned in 1:40. From that moment on, Paige’s chances of becoming the #1 contender were gone.
Kevin Owens def. Cesaro
Great match, amazing wrestling & two awesome personalities. The injustice here is that Owens/Cesaro is a filler feud when it should be a title feud. The two of them would do better IC champions than Ryback, Big Show or the Miz.
Dolph Ziggler/ Lana/ Summer Rae
The soap opera continues. Summer got in Dolph’s locker room and minutes later ran out screaming while he showed up only in a towel.
Dolph’story is that he’s innocent. He was just getting out of the shower when he saw Summer in there and he quickly hid behind a towel.
Summer says that she wanted to make things right between the four of them but Dolph got naked and tried to seduce her, which she enjoyed but rejected because of Rusev.
Lana seems to believe Summer, so she was visibly upset. As a result Miz TV on Smackdown will be the new Dr. Phill Show and will dip into the love drama.
Braun Strowman def. Dean Ambrose/viq DQ/
Strowman manhandled Ambrose. Reigns got involved, causing a DQ and then both of them got manhandled. Again. Chairs didn’t help either but at least, this time around Luke Harper had to get involved at one point to help Strowman.
The stronger the WWE makes Strowman look, the sweeter it will be when he gets defeated. However, once he’s beaten his character will lose any value.
Paige vs. Sasha Banks
If Paige had had any hope of beating Charltote’s time of 1:40, that hope must have died when she found out that Sasha Banks was going to be her opponent.
Paige desperately tried to pin Sasha over and over again. In the very end, Paige hit the Rampaige but team B.A.D. pulled Sasha out and the time ran out.
It was to be expected to see Charlotte go for the title. It’ll be interesting to find out how long PCB will last together once Charlotte wins the belt.
The Duddley Boyz def. the New Day
I adore the New Day more and more each week. The crowd went crazy over the New Day’s SAVE THE TABLES initiative. The New Day can make even that ridiculous chant sound exciting. As a side note, Xavier Woods had straightened his hair. It was strangely alluring.
The match was good. I was glad to see that the New Day dominated throughout the match. I expected a squash by the Duddleyz but it didn’t go that way at all. Xavier Woods was a constant distraction as usual and it helped.
In the end, the New Day lost. However, they managed to save the table. The Duddley Boyz didn’t get to put anyone through a table that night. Such a devotion from our Gurus of Positivity!
PTP were on commentary again. I had forgotten that they had a rematch clause to invoke.
Seth Rollins Calls Out Sting
This segment went terribly wrong for Rollins but it made things so much better for the audience. He didn’t get an apology over the Triple H comment or his statue. However, Rollins was joined in the ring by Stephanie and John Cena and was told that he’d defend his US title at NoC too.
Props to Cena for making this storyline better. Sting makes a good rival for a one off match for the WWWE WHC but he offers nothing in the long run. John Cena works with continuity this time. He picked up Rollins’path from the Shield to present times and reminded him of all the other young talents that the Authority has abandoned.
I like Cena’s foreshadowing. After NoC Rollins might as well be beat twice, broken, stripped of his titles and left completely alone. It will be tough. It will be heartbreaking but he deserves it. Bear in mind, I’m saying this with the best possible intentions. Only breaking up with the Authority will help Rollins move forward.
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