The Shield as we know it, is over. Last night on RAW, the trio became two as Seth Rollins turned on Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns and joined Triple H and Randy Orton in Evolution.
Rollins was revealed as Triple H’s “plan B” following the victory that the group enjoyed over Evolution at Payback, wiping out Batista, Orton, and Triple H in a six-man elimination tag match.
The group made its debut at the 2012 Survivor Series, interfering in the main event event match between CM Punk, John Cena, and Ryback. After several run-ins to save Punk and Heyman, they were eventually revealed to be working for Heyman.
Daniel Bryan received another ultimatum yesterday on RAW thanks to Stephanie McMahon as the ultimatum from Sunday was not enough.
McMahon informed the crowd and viewers that Daniel Bryan has to defend his WWE World Heavyweight title against Kane at Money In The Bank in a stretcher match and if he is not able to compete, the title will be up for grabs in a MITB ladder match also on the same pay-per-view.
Money In The Bank is on June 29, which gives Bryan four weeks to get ready. Bryan was already being advertised for a non-televised event at Madison Square Garden in mid July and the fact that the title wasn’t stripped away from him yet suggests that they are hoping that he will be ready to go come Money In The Bank.
In the eventuality that he won’t, the company is covered by having the other match set up as a backup plan. If he does recover in time, the MITB ladder match will be for the briefcase.
Episode 11 of Total Divas, titled “Wedding Mania,” and which served as the season two finale of the show, did 1,550,000 viewers, up half a million viewers from last week’s show.
Usually Total Divas episodes that go head-to-head with WWE pay-per-views don’t do well in the ratings but the Daniel Bryan and Brie Bella wedding and backstage footage from WrestleMania XXX drove viewers to E!
In a press release issued by E! yesterday, the finale got a season high and netting nearly 1 million Adults 18-49 (961,000) and impressive numbers in Adults 18-34 (656,000), Women 18-49 (618,000) and W18-34 (412,000).
It was the second-most watched Total Divas episode in the history of the series so far among total viewers, since the August 11, 2013 episode.
Last night’s RAW was the last time you’re going to see Batista on WWE television for the time being as he is off to do promotion for his upcoming movie, hence the quitting angle.
His new movie, Guardians of the Galaxy, comes out on August 1 in the United States. He plays Drax the Destroyer in the Marvel flick and is joined by Chris Pratt, Vin Diesel, Zoe Saldana, and others.
The plan was always for him to leave in June to gear up for the promotion of the movie which will take the former WWE and World Heavyweight champion all over the world with the cast.
Batista is expected to return to WWE once his commitments with the movie are done.
As we are just over 24-hours away from Payback, how has the world of the WWE changed yet again? Did World Heavyweight Champion Daniel Bryan surrender his titles to save his wife, Brie Bella? Or was he just stubborn enough to let his wife go and hang on to his hard-earned championship?
Who won the war between Evolution and The Shield? Or does it still continue?
Was Bray Wyatt able to hold John Cena down, or did Cena go to that “monster” place that Wyatt wanted him to, and finally prevail over “The Eater Of Worlds?”
Will we have a new Intercontinental, Divas, and U.S. Champ tonight?
All this and much-more, so read on!
Monday Night Raw TV Report for June 2nd, 2014 – “Perish, Then Adapt”
Introduction Segment: Recap
Video and still-photo footage from Payback airs, first depicting the 6-Man Elimination first. The Shield prevailed, with Roman Reigns pinning Tripl H after a spear.
Segment #2: Welcoming and Arena Promo
Evolution kick off Raw, held in the Bakers Life Field House of Indianapolis, Indiana. (Thanks, Michael Cole for the name!) C.O.O. Triple H is sporting a shiner on his left eye, and speaks first. “They say it’s always darkest just before the dawn. The funny thing is, they think they’ve won. You all think they’ve won, you all think this is over. The Shield think this is over.”
HHH informs us that we “don’t get it.” He proclaims that he never loses and “this will not be over until The Shield exits no longer.” Triple H declares something will happen tonight, until Batista rips the microphone out of his hands and proclaims he doesn’t want to face “The Hounds Of Justice” again, but instead demands his one-on-one match for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. “The Game” informs Batista he can’t give that, because Daniel Bryan is injured. (I guess that answers another Payback question!) Triple H does promise that Batista will get it, but only after they get rid of The Shield.
“I understand, and I quit,” announces “The Animal.” Batista waves to the “yes-chanting” crowd and walks off, despite yells from Triple H. Randy Orton stands by “The Game,” as Cole, Jerry “The King” Lawler and John Bradshaw Layfield contemplate what they just saw.
They also review Brie Bella quitting WWE at Payback, thereby saving her husband’s WWE World Heavyweight Championship!
Up next, Intercontinental Champion Wade Barrett and Cesaro will team up against United States Champion Sheamus and Rob Van Dam!
Commercials.
Segment #3: Backstage Promo
A new announcer gets a world with Batista, who gives his reasons of “empty promises” for walking out on WWE.
Match #1: Tag-Team – Rob Van Dam and United States Champion Sheamus VS. Cesaro and Intercontinental Champion Bad News Barrett (with Paul Heyman) (Non-Title)
(Note: Barrett had some opinions about his match with R.V.D. at Payback, declaring that he will Bullhammer his way to a win tonight!)
Cesaro slugs away on Sheamus immediately, but the U.S. Champ comes back with a double-boot and top-rope Battering Ram shoulder block dive! 1 – 2 – Cesaro kicks out! Cesaro turns Sheamus around with a gutwrench suplex, but Sheamus fires back with a clothesline out of the corner. Cesaro headbutts his way out of the 10 Beats Of The Bowron, then switches with Barrett.
Sheamus turns a hip-toss around with a short-arm clothesline, then tags in Rob Van Dam. He is all over Barrett with kicks until he is taken down with a stiff clothesline off a springboard kick!
Ads.
Barrett still in control over Van Dam, then he tags in Cesaro. He runs at R.V.D. with an uppercut and covers for a near-fall! Van Dam kicks out of another move, but Cesaro flips him over with a gutwrench suplex. Barrett is back in and he dives off the second rope with an elbow drop!
R.V.D. battles out of a grounding rear-chinlock, but is sent to the floor. Cesaro stalks him and hurls Van Dam into the barricade, then back into the ring for another two-count. Cesaro kicks away at Van Dam in the corner, then whips him into the opposite. Rob catches Cesaro and rolls him up for two!
Cesaro continues to beat on Van Dam, then knocks Sheamus off the apron. Cesaro turns around into a wheelbarrow kick, then R.V.D. makes the hot-tag. Sheamus comes in, blasting Wade Barrett, and catching both Barrett and Cesaro in tilt-a-whirl powerslams! Sheamus gears up, but misses the Brogue Kick. He turns around and gets slammed with the Winds Of Change by Barrett. 1 – 2 – Sheamus kicks out! Cesaro and Heyman decide to leave, which doesn’t sit well with Bad News. He is taken down with the Brogue Kick and Five-Star Frogsplash, giving the hard-earned victory to Van Dam and Sheamus!
Winners via Pinfall: Rob Van Dam and United States Champion Sheamus
Later tonight, it will be Tag-Team Champions The Usos taking on The Wyatt Family’s Erik Rowan and Luke Harper.
Commercials.
Segment #4: Arena Promo
Damien Sandow comes out dressed as Lance Stephenson of Indiana’s Basketball Team, the Indiana Pacers. He rips the fans and the team, then does some tricks until The Big Show comes out. He punches Sandow with the basketball and his fist, then slam-dunks the ball through the hoop set-up in the ring. (This was pointless!)
Ads.
Match #2: Single – Kofi Kingston VS. “The Inspirational” Bo Dallas
They circle each other, then Bo catches Kofi in a standing side headlock. He pumps himself up on the outside, then trades more locks with Kingston back in the ring. Kofi leaps Dallas a couple times and hits a leaping elbow and dropkick! Kofi and Bo shake, then Dallas tries a quick kick. Kingston catches him and kicks him back, but is planted with a swinging neckbreaker soon after.
Bo gives him a few knees to Kofi’s head and locks on a front-facelock. Bo whips him into the corner, but Kofi comes back with a springboard dropkick, a few chops, and another dropkick. Kofi hits a really high kick, but Dallas counters and drives him against the top turnbuckle. He follows up with a springboard bulldog for the 1 – 2 – 3!
Winner via Pinfall: “The Inspirational” Bo Dallas
Segment #5: Backstage Promo
Rene Young gets a word with Principle Owner Stephanie McMahon, who teases that she is going to make an announcement regarding the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, next!
Commercials.
Segment #6: Arena Promo
WWE Principle Owner Stephanie McMahon is out and reveals who she thinks WWE World Heavyweight Champion Daniel Bryan and his wife, “former” WWE Diva Brie Bella are really are. She rips them for only thinking of themselves, then books Bryan against Kane in a Stretcher Match at Money In The Bank in just under four weeks. If Daniel is still unable to compete, the WWE World Heavyweight Championship will then be put on the line in a Money In The Bank Ladder Match at the Pay-Per-View.
Before she can continue, John Cena’s music plays and the man walks out. McMahon gives him props on his Last Man Standing Match with Bray Wyatt at Payback. Cena predicts that we have not seen the last of Wyatt. Cena puts over Daniel Bryan and the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, saying that no-one, including her, is not bigger than the title. Cena reiterates that Bryan is good for business, because “he proves he is championship material.” Cena recounts the many times McMahon has screwed over Bryan from winning and/or keeping the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. Cena speculates that Stephanie would just can Bryan from the WWE if he handed over the title. Stephanie uses Bryan’s injury as an excuse, but Cena reminds her that he, her husband Triple H, and even herself (after glancing at her chest) have had surgeries. Stephanie proclaims her surgeries have put her “back in action!” Based on her treatment of Daniel, Cena gives McMahon a job-evaluation, rating her a “0” out of “10!” Stephanie retorts that she’s always given opportunities, so she will give John one right now – to face Bryan’s potential Money In The Bank Opponent, Kane! “Payback’s a bitch John; then again, so am I!”
The Big Red Machine marches out for their match, next!
Ads.
Match #3: Single – John Cena VS. Kane
Kane in firm control as we return from break. He pounds away on Cena, then planting him with a sidewalk slam. 1 – 2 – John kicks out! Cena begins to fight back with punches and hops out of a Chokeslam. He hits a couple of flying shoulder tackles, then drops Kane with a backdrop. Cena signals for and nails the 5-Knuckle Shuffle fistdrop. Kane drops out of an Attitude Adjustment, then repeatedly hammers away on Cena in the corner until the referee calls for the bell and disqualification.
Winner via Disqualification: John Cena
Post-match, Kane continues to punish Cena, throwing him into the steel steps. Kane sets up the steps, then picks up John in a Tombstone Piledriver postion. Cena drops out of it and pushes Kane into the ring post! Cena retaliates and hurls the steel steps at Kane, knocking him out!
Segment #7: Backstage Promo
Rene Young walks by Randy Orton and wants his thoughts on Batista’s quitting. He reveals that he and Triple H are still aligned, and that he will be taking on Roman Reigns later tonight!
Commercials.
Match #4: Tag-Team – Los Matadores (Fernando and Diego) (with Los Matadores partner El Torito) VS. 3.M.B. (Heath Slater and Drew McIntyre) (with 3.M.B. partners Jinder Mahal and Hornswoggle)
This quick bout (thank God!) ends when El Torito steals Hornswoggle’s wig revealing his “skullet” (yes, I really did just type that because it really did happen), distracting Heath and letting him get rolled-up by a Matadores to take this one.
Winners via Pinfall: Los Matadores (Fernando and Diego) (with Los Matadores partner El Torito)
It is announced that Dolph Ziggler will face Alberto Del Rio later tonight in a Money In The Bank qualifying bout. (Please, please let “The Show-Off” win!)
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Match #5: Two-On-One – Nikki Bella VS. Aksana and Alicia Fox
This is also a quick one, with Aksana and Alicia making short work of Nikki after a scissors kick by Alicia.
Winners via Pinfall: Aksana and Alicia Fox
Post-match, Alicia chucks Nikki outside and gives her a backbreaker, then throws her against the barricade.
Segment #8: Video Promo
“Now we take up his cause. We prowl the charred landscape like ravenous dragon, with no one left to torture, except the same pair of brothers, The Usos. The Usos work so hard to smite the cause; they will pay for their atrocities. Retribution cannot be achieved until they are put down like the craven beasts they are. We shall not spare the flock; they will suffer for their misdeeds. And they will burn.” This was all eerily spoken by Luke Harper, with Erik Rowan standing by. They were in front of an empty rocking chair, and Bray Wyatt was nowhere in sight.
Commercials.
Match #6: Single – Jack Swagger (with Zeb Colter) VS. Adam Rose (with Posse)
Rose dances around to begin, then slaps Swagger on the butt twice. He avoids Swagger a couple of times, then puts him down with a shoulder block. Jack comes back and clamps on a surfboard. Adam fights out of it, running at Jack with a Bronco Buster in the corner. He follows up with a leaping-face-first-driving DDT, called the Party Fowler, to finish Swagger!
Winner via Pinfall: Adam Rose (with Posse)
Segment #9: Locker Room Promo
Byron Saxton interviews Tag-Team Champions The Usos. Both Jimmy and Jey declare dominance over The Wyatt Family, and Jimmy goes back to his Samoan roots, talking crazy and hyping himself up.
Ads.
Match #7 – Tag-Team – The Wyatt Family (Erik Rowan Luke Harper) VS. Tag-Team Champions The Usos (Non-Title)
Jimmy and Erik start out, with Rowan pounding away at Jimmy’s taped stomach. Jimmy fires back with hard shops, but Rowan comes back with a shoulder block. Luke in and slugs it out with Jimmy, who ducks a couple clotheslines and gives Luke a crossbody. Jey gets the tag and gives Harper punches in the corner. Luke reverses an Irish Whip and jumps up with a dropkick!
Rowan in and works over Jey, giving him hard shots with his arm. Erik bends Jey’s head awkwardly, applying pressure to wear him down. Luke back and gives Jey a vicious chop, which the Uso takes happily. Both members of The Wyatt Family continue to work over and wear down Jey. Rowan tries a move, but Jey crawls through and gets the hot-tag to his brother. Jimmy is all over Rowan, nailing him in the head with a front-dropkick. He hits another dropkick that sends Rowan to the outside, then both Usos give Luke a double-kick!
Commercials.
The Wyatt Family are back to controlling the bout, as Luke decimates Jimmy on the outside. In the ring, he drops repeated elbows on Jimmy, then slaps him down in the corner. Rowan is tagged back in and stomps away on Jimmy. He props him in the corner, but misses a running shoulder tackle. Jimmy climbs the turnbuckle and flips over with a splash! He manages to jump to Jey for the tag! Jey leaps all over Harper, putting him to the mat with an Enziguri. He runs at hi twice in the corner with a rear-bump, but Rowan breaks up the count.
Luke hits back with a big boot and two-count, but misses another run in the corner. Jey dives off the top with a missile dropkick, then plants him with a Samoan Drop. He ascends the top again, but turns around and soars onto Rwoan on the outside! Harper follows up with a suicide dive, then Jimmy follows with a dive of his own!
In the ring, Jey climbs the ropes again, but Luke gets his knees up. Harper attempts the clothesline, but Jey hits him square with the superkick! 1 – 2 – Luke kicks out! Both tumble over the ropes, then Rowan tosses Jimmy to the floor. Jey rolls up Erik but only gets two! Rowan shoves Jey off and drives him down with a one-arm slam for the 1 – 2 – 3!
Winners via Pinfall: The Wyatt Family (Erik Rowan and Luke Harper)
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Match #8: Qualifying For Money In The Bank Ladder Match, Single – Alberto Del Rio VS. “The Show-Off” Dolph Ziggler
Lockup and standing side headlock by Del Rio begins. He punches Ziggler in the corner, but Ziggler quickly rolls up Del Rio. He drives Alberto down with a neckbreaker and ten elbow drops! 1 – 2 – Alberto kicks out! Del Rio comes back, running at Ziggler in the corner with a kick, then wearing down Dolph’s arm with an armlock.
Del Rio backdrops Ziggler and gets a two-count, then goes back to the armlock. Dolph battles out and flips out of a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker, landing on his feet! Ziggler nails a dropkick, then leaps onto Del Rio with punches, and a splash in the corner. Alberto punches Dolph a couple times, but “The Show-Off” counters and hits the Fameasser for a near-fall!
Del Rio pushes Ziggler off the ropes and spins him around with the tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Alberto climbs the turnbuckle, but Dolph meets him up there and brings him down with a top-rope sit-down facebuster! Dolph ducks a kick and jumps onto Alberto in a DDT, but Del Rio fights him off and clutches on the Cross Armbreaker. Ziggler taps out!
Winner via Submission and Qualifying for the Money In The Bank Ladder Match: Alberto Del Rio
Segment #10 – Video Recap
The Rhodes Brothers’ split at Payback is recalled, with Cody declaring that Goldust needs a better partner.
Up next, Goldust and his new partner will face Rybaxel.
Commercials.
Match #9: Tag-Team – Rybaxel (Ryback and Curtis Axel) VS. Goldust and ???
Goldust mystery partner is Sin Cara, but he does not much good, with them losing to Rybaxel after Axel drives him down with a flipping neckbreaker/facebuster combo.
Winners via Pinfall: Rybaxel (Ryback and Curtis Axel)
Post-match, Cody Rhodes looked on and seems frustrated.
Up next, a Russian Federation Ceremony will honour Alexander Rusev.
Ads.
Segment #11: Arena Promo
“The Ravishing Russian,” Lana, is out on stage. She talks about America’s self-proclamation of being the “heroes of the world.” The crowd goes louder with “U.S.A.” chants, which displeases Lana. She declares that Edward Snowden, who is an American that revealed secrets of the U.S. Government, is a real hero to Russia. Lana brings out a new Russian hero, “The Bulgarian Brute” himself, Alexander Rusev. Lana announces that Rusev is also now from Moscow, Russia.
Rusev walks out, donned in a suit and waving a Russian flag. He stands on the podium in the ring, as Lana and a Ministry Official give Rusev a golden medal. Alexander responds in his language, with the only word I made clear “America.” Lana asks the crowd to “rise and show respect to the Russian national anthem.” The theme plays as confetti drops down.
Commercials.
It is announced that Bray Wyatt will come back this week on Smackdown!
Match #10: Single – Roman Reigns (with Shield partners Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins) VS. “The Viper” Randy Orton
Prior to this contest, Ambrose cuts a promo boasting their success over Evolution at Payback. Rollins recounts the self-destruction of Evolution following Payback, claiming that is because “they are not one like The Shield.” Reigns finishes by saying The Shield are the real Evolution, and are brothers. He orders Orton to come on out.
Randy and Triple H, who is wielding a sledgehammer, walk out. “The Game” informs The Shield that he adapts better than anyone and has come up with a Plan B: repeated chair-shots from Rollins on both Reigns and Ambrose! Seth turns heel, driving Dean down with the stomp on the chair! He picks up the weapon, walks out of the ring, and sides with Evolution. He hands the chair over to Orton, who goes into the ring and whales away on an already-down Roman. “The Viper” rips open Reigns’ vest, exposing the bruises and scars on his back, then R.K.O.’s him on the chair. Triple H puts his arm around Rollins, as loud “you sold out” calls blare from the fans, and the show closes with Triple H’s theme playing as the new trio stand over an out-cold Ambrose and Reigns.
Winner: None Due To No Official Start
End Of Raw.
Reporter’s Rumblings – By Moe Tapp
That was a pretty great Raw coming off the Pay-Per-View, with a superb/truly surprising ending! Onto the critique:
Excellence: Opening Promo – I like both Triple H’s passion for wanting to continue Evolution’s war with The Shield, as well as Batista’s reasons for quitting. Both stuck to their agendas/ground/beliefs, with “The Animal” insinuating that it is not always about “The Game,” but yet, Triple H continuing his gimmick of always having to come out on top.
A great physical match to start off Raw; I wonder if they are going to engage a Cesaro/Barrett feud now, since Cesaro and Heyman walked off. That would be an awesome, old-school, hard-hitting contest. All four of these guys (R.V.D/Sheamus/Bad News/Cesaro) have nice chemistry together and I would be totally happy watching them duke it out week after week!
Loving Bo Dallas’ gimmick and antics in the ring. Even though he is playing someone you really want to hate, I just don’t. Unlike Adam Rose, I can see Bo going a long way an really amping up the crowd/his opponents when he gets to I.C./U.S. Title level.
Fantastic back/forth promo between Stephanie and Cena; some of their best mike-work in a long while, and still making WWE World Heavyweight Champ Daniel Bryan seem like the center of attention even though he was not on the show.
Luke Harper picks up where Bray leaves off, and he can also dole out the verbal skills quite well, and just as creepy as his leader! While I thought it was a bit long, The Wyatt Family and Usos match was still pretty good and they too have great chemistry together.
Liking Lana enticing the hatred from the crowd, and really getting herself and Rusev over as major heels.
I’m waiting to see where it goes, but I think I like the Rhodes Brothers’ split; Cody makes a great heel, so it’s only a matter of time before he does the full-turn on Goldust.
Totally shocking ending, where I really didn’t see that coming. You also could’ve put any of the three Shield members in the betrayal role and it would’ve worked. That’s how great those guys are with their different personalities. Leaves me very, very interested in this continuing rivalry!
Bogus: Could’ve done without both the Damien Sandow/Big Show segment (just plain stupid), and the Los Matadores/3.M.B. match; this feud gone on too long and 3.M.B. are actually much-more talented, so they deserve better!
No Divas Champion Paige? Since Alicia lost at the Pay-Per-View, why feature her and not the Divas Champ on Raw?
Dolph losing another important “career-restarting” match. Why can’t WWE get behind him again and shoot him to the proverbial moon; the man is talented on all accounts and he too, much like Bryan, would be very, very good for business.
I liked Adam Rose a bit better tonight (decent match), but feel his feud with Swagger needs to end. Hopefully him defeating Jack on Raw was the finish and Rose can move on, and maybe gain some steam he greatly lost since all the hype videos.
All-in-all, a very well-done Raw, leaving us with a major cliff-hanger until at least Smackdown this week! Way to go, WWE and keep it up! Until next week, as always, Be Excellent Wrestling Online-Readers and Wrestling Fans!
Batista’s choice of wardrobe for last night’s match against The Shield was the butt of jokes during the show on social media as tons of memes were created of “Bluetista.”
The former WWE champion wasn’t very impressed with the reaction even though deep down he probably thought it wasn’t the best idea to wear that combo.
“6 guys go 2 war and beat the shit out of each other and what do the genius smarks walk away with? “Batista wore blue! What a loser!”,” Batista wrote on Twitter, adding the hashtag #dipshits at the end.
The official WWE 2K14 video game Twitter account also took a dig and urged fans to create their own on the game. “Listen, if y’all love #Bluetista so much, Create-a-Wrestler is there for a reason! Make him your own,” a tweet posted today said.
From photoshopped with the Blue Man Group, to a blue M&M, to a Ninja Turtle, and much, much more, the Internet wrestling community had some fun busting Batista’s balls!
As expected, CM Punk was not at Payback, but at the Chicago Blackhawks hockey game at the United Center, a few miles away from the Allstate Arena, the site of last night’s pay-per-view.
However the Chicago fans at the pay-per-view made a couple of “CM Punk” chants throughout the show, starting with the moment that Paul Heyman came out at the beginning of the show.
When Heyman said he’s out to advocate for one of his Paul Heyman guys, “CM Punk” chants filled up the arena. Heyman quickly pointed out the fact that “he” is not here and that “he” is at the United Center watching the Blackhawks.
Also during the Daniel Bryan, Brie, and Stephanie McMahon confrontation in the ring, chants of “CM Punk” broke out. Bryan smiled but McMahon turned it around and told Bryan that the fans are telling him to quit just like CM Punk did! Ouch!
Punk is officially under contract to WWE till July but has not appeared on WWE television since the Royal Rumble on pay-per-view.
It looks like Daniel Bryan will be returning to action soon as the current WWE World Heavyweight champion did not surrender his title last night at Payback and his wife Brie quit to prevent McMahon from firing her in front of everyone.
The stipulation was that either Bryan surrenders his title or else Brie would be given the pink slip.
While in the ring, Stephanie McMahon was on the receiving end of some insults and after Brie told her that she can’t control her and that she’s quitting, McMahon started laughing at her only for Brie to slap Stephanie across the face.
“Tonight at #WWEPayback I made the hardest decision, but there’s no way I could of watched my husband @WWEDanielBryan hand over those titles to that brat @stephaniemcmahon,” Brie wrote on her Twitter account after the show. “It hurt to say the words I quit, but felt great to feel my hand across Steph’s face. #payback is a b!tch! #briemode”
The couple got married a week after WrestleMania XXX and they’re already talking about having kids so this could be one of the reasons that Brie is being written off television.
Here are the results from last night’s Payback pay-per-view which took place at the Allstate Arena in Chicago, Illinois.
El Torito defeated Hornswoggle in a hair vs mask match in the pre-show match; Sheamus defeated Cesaro to retain the U.S. title; Ryback and Curtis Axel defeated Cody Rhodes and Goldust; Rusev defeated Big E; Bad News Barrett defeated Rob Van Dam to retain the Intercontinental title; John Cena defeated Bray Wyatt in a last man standing match; Paige defeated Alicia Fox to retain the Divas title; The Shield defeated Evolution in a no holds barred six-man elimination tag team match with all three members of The Shield surviving.
WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross held an afternoon show yesterday at the House of Blues in Chicago as part of his “Ringside: An Evening with Jim Ross” tour.
Just like in every city he tours, JR had some tricks in his bag which ended up being special appearances by Tommy Dreamer and Lisa Marie Varon, better known to wrestling fans as Victoria or Tara.
This was JR’s first show in Chicago, a city he considers the home of one his greatest wrestling achievements – being announced for the WWE Hall of Fame class of 2007 at the RAW episode at the Allstate Arena.
“The ovation I got that night was breathtaking. They cheered me like I was a Chicagoan. I had tears running down my face,” Ross said in an interview with the Chicago Tribune.
After the show, Ross visited Varon’s restaurant called The Squared Circle for dinner.
Live from the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois, WWE presents Payback on pay-per-view and WWE Network. The full card is as follows:
Evolution vs The Shield in a no holds barred six-man elimination tag team match; John Cena vs Bray Wyatt in a last man standing match; Bad News Barrett vs Rob Van Dam for the Intercontinental title; Sheamus vs Cesaro for the United States title; Paige vs Alicia Fox for the Divas title; Rusev vs Big E; and El Torito vs Hornswoggle in a mask vs hair match in the pre-show.
The big pay-per-view companies will not carry this show except for InDemand.
With Payback in Chicago, the WWE will face its usual hostile crowd and you can rest assured that there will be a lot of “CM Punk” chants during the night.
The other issue that WWE will have against them tonight is that the Chicago Blackhawks NHL team are also playing live head-to-head with the pay-per-view at the United Center also in Chicago.
The Blackhawks face the Los Angeles Kings in the final game 7 match with the winner advancing to the finals. And you can easily tell where CM Punk will be at tonight!
CBS today announced the kickoff of the 25th season of The Amazing Race which includes two members of the TNA roster.
In the press release, the TNA Superstar and Knockout are listed as “Brooke Adams and Robbie E. Strauss: Dating Pro Wrestlers from Houston, Texas and Woodbridge, N.J., respectively.”
The race will keep the duo out for the upcoming month and possibly the next one as well as even after they are eliminated and they don’t go all the way, production keeps all teams away not to spoil the eventual winners.
The 25th season of The Amazing Race, which had New York City as the departure, will air on television this coming Fall.
The success of NXT ArRival and Takeover has led WWE to consider making these NXT specials on the WWE Network more frequent and Triple H confirmed yesterday that it looks like there will be one of these events every quarter with the next one coming in late Summer.
The two shows have got rave reviews from wrestling fans and even those in the business and a live NXT event is seen as a good platform to get the young Superstars and Divas ready for live WWE television once they are called to the main roster.
There’s also talk to have NXT involved more during WrestleMania weekend, perhaps holding some kind of NXT tapings at a location within the area to take advantage of the thousands of people from around the world who make the trip.
Meanwhile, Sky Sports 1 in the United Kingdom have confirmed that they will air NXT Takeover this Sunday starting at 11PM local time just before Payback starts.
There’s a new Flair in town and her ring name is Charlotte, the daughter of the 16-time World Heavyweight champion and 2-time WWE Hall of Famer, Ric Flair.
The 28-year old Charlotte, real name Ashley, won her first title since signing with WWE back in May 2012 by defeating WWE Diva Natalya yesterday at the NXT Takeover special on the WWE Network.
The two daughters of WWE legends had one of the best women’s matches aired on WWE television, going nearly 20 minutes.
“Dreams do come true!” tweeted Charlotte after winning the title, adding the hashtag #nevergiveup.
“I envisioned I was @RondaRousey. Legacies were on the line. We fought with our hearts. Congratulations @MsCharlotteWWE,” wrote back Nattie.
The Nature Boy Ric Flair also used Twitter to congratulate his daughter, telling her that he’s very proud of her.
Marshall and Ross Von Erich, the sons of WWE Hall of Famer Kevin Von Erich, will be making their TNA debut at the Slammiversary pay-per-view and being Father’s Day, their dad will be accompanying his sons to the ring.
“Seeing my boys enter the ring on Father’s Day will be one of the proudest moments of my life. I am looking forward to it and looking forwarding to being back in the Dallas area. I now understand how my father felt when me and my brothers entered the ring.”
Marshall and Ross have trained and competed at the Pro Wrestling Noah Dojo in Japan and this will be their first televised match in the United States. No opponents have been announced yet.
E! issued a press release announcing year-over-year primetime growth across key demos in the month of May, and crediting one of the WWE shows – Total Divas – for their 7% increase.
“Returning series Total Divas is one key driver of growth, out-delivering year-ago programming across all key demos by impressive triple digit growth up to +135% in Total Viewers (1.0 Million), +103% in Women 18-34 (252,000), and +142% in Adults 18-49 (628,000),” the press release reads.
Total Divas is pacing as E!’s best sophomore original series in two years since May 2012 and is the network’s second-most watched original program after Keeping Up with the Kardashians.
Total Divas also ranks as a Top 5 ad-supported cable show on Sundays 9PM to 10PM in Women 18-34 (#3) and Adults 18-34 (#5).
WWE presented another successful two hour NXT special yesterday on the WWE Network titled NXT Takeover. The results from the show are as follows:
Adam Rose defeated Camacho; The Ascension retained the NXT Tag Team titles defeating Kalisto and El Local; Tyler Breeze defeated Sami Zayn to become the new #1 contender for the NXT title; Rusev defeated Mojo Rawley; Charlotte defeated Natalya to become the new NXT Women’s champion; Adrian Neville defeated Tyson Kidd to retain the NXT title.
Several websites are advertising that Daniel Bryan is being listed to wrestle in a dark match at the Smackdown television tapings on June 24 at the Consol Energy Center however the latest information we received is that it’s not the case.
The dark match in question features Randy Orton teaming up with Bray Wyatt, Luke Harper, and Erick Rowan to take on Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, Dean Ambrose, and supposedly Daniel Bryan. Our information says that it’s Rob Van Dam who would be teaming up with The Shield and not Bryan.
Bryan is however being advertised for the Madison Square Garden show on July 12, a non-televised event where he’s listed to wrestle Triple H as part of the SummerSlam Heatwave Tour. Advertising for this kicked off on May 21, a week after Bryan underwent neck surgery. If this will be changed remains to be seen and the Payback pay-per-view will give everyone a better picture of where the WWE champion stands.
With his wife Brie eager to start a family, it wouldn’t be surprising if she gets “fired” in the storyline with Bryan refusing to surrender the WWE World Heavyweight title.
The longest reigning WWE champion in modern era, CM Punk, seems like he’s quite happy to be away from the ring.
Ever since quitting the company the day after the Royal Rumble earlier this year, the man who proclaims to be the best in the world has been busy following his Chicago Blackhawks NHL team, attending UFC events, and even baseball.
In an interview with RedEyeChicago.com, Punk was asked how does it feel to be retired at just 35 years of age.
“It’s a lot easier when you hook up with organizations like the Cubs and being friends with some of the team members. It isn’t hard to support their charities,” Punk said.
CM Punk is set to get married with former WWE Divas champion AJ Lee in the coming weeks and Lee is expected to resume her WWE duties afterward. As for Punk, his contract officially expires in July and unless there’s some divine intervention, there’s no chance of hearing “Cult of Personality” at a WWE show again. At least for now.
