Former World Heavyweight champion Mark Henry announced his retirement on Monday Night RAW, then turned on John Cena in what was one of the best segments and swerves on RAW this year.
Mark Henry came out just as John Cena was wrapping up his interview and told Cena to hang around cause he wants to say something to him and everyone watching. Henry said he respects everyone in the company because he knows how hard it is to do it. He told Cena that he’s doing an awesome job and at this rate he will be the greatest WWE champion of all time.
Henry was crying and said he’s done pretty good for himself although not as successful as John Cena. He then announced he is formally retiring from active roster as fans chanted “one more match” and “thank you Henry.” John Cena lead the clapping and handed him the WWE title. Henry gave Cena the title back, saying that that is something you have to earn.
“I stand before you a proud, proud man,” a very emotional Henry told the crowd as everyone gave him a standing ovation. He thanked his wife, son and daughter, and then said, “Baby I’m coming home!”
At that point, Cena went back in the ring and gave Henry the title and raised his hand. As soon as Cena went to hug Henry, Henry grabbed him and delivered the world’s strongest slam to a thunderous pop from the crowd!
Standing at the top of the ramp, collecting his wrestling boots which he left behind on his way down, Henry looked at the crowd and screamed, “That’s what I do!”
WWE.COM is running a worked story where Dolph Ziggler is not medically cleared to wrestle for now after yesterday’s match against Alberto Del Rio where he lost the World Heavyweight title.
The story claims that Del Rio delivered a “brutal assault” on Ziggler and the “unrelenting onslaught” by Del Rio “took its toll” on the now former World Heavyweight champion, who was wrestling for the first time in over a month following a real concussion he suffered at the hands of Jack Swagger.
It’s not the first time that WWE blurred the lines between real life and storyline events. The website reported about Ziggler’s real concussion last month and now is using the same sort of wording to continue the angle.
The Paul Heyman and CM Punk partnership is going down the divorce path as WWE has started planting seeds into the eventual breakup between the two.
At one point during yesterday’s match between Punk and Jericho, Heyman climbed on the apron and somewhat distracted Punk. After the match, WWE.COM recorded a video of the two talking in the locker room where Punk explained to Heyman that he is not his client, but a friend.
Punk told Heyman that Curtis Axel is his client, and Brock Lesnar is his client, because both need his help. He doesn’t need the help and told Heyman to “just be my friend.”
A not-so-thrilled Heyman agreed with the former WWE champion as the video faded to black.
Former World Heavyweight champion Mark Henry wrote a Twitter message yesterday teasing that he would be announcing his retirement from professional wrestling during tonight’s RAW in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
“I have spoke to my famliy and hope to talk to all of you fans live from Grand Rapids. Guys Father Time is undefeated,” Henry said.
The world’s strongest man also added that he was always there for the fans whether they loved or hated him and that he appreciated everything.
“Good or bad I will live forever with the fans,” Henry continued.
Henry has been injured for the past few weeks and WWE has pushed his return for tonight’s RAW. Last week Henry wrote on Twitter that he was breaking his Twitter silence to tell everyone that he’s not retiring.
Henry has been one of the longest employed Superstars by WWE, joining the company in 1996 at the age of 24, signing u huge 10 year deal upon his arrival.
Here are the results from the WWE Payback pay-per-view which took place at the Allstate Arena in Chicago, Illinois:
Sheamus defeated Damien Sandow in the pre-show match; Curtis Axel defeated The Miz and Wade Barrett in a triple threat match to become the new Intercontinental champion; AJ defeated Kaitlyn to become the new Divas champion; Dean Ambrose defeated Kane via count out to retain the U.S. title; Alberto Del Rio defeated Dolph Ziggler to become the new World Heavyweight champion; CM Punk defeated Chris Jericho; Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins of The Shield defeated Randy Orton and Daniel Bryan to retain the tag team titles; John Cena defeated Ryback in the 3 stages of hell match, with Ryback winning the first lumberjack match fall, and then Cena winning the second fall, which was a tables match, and the third fall, by delivering the Attitude Adjustment to Ryback through the roof of the ambulance.
During the Payback pay-per-view, WWE ran a video of former WWE and WCW champion Rob Van Dam and announced that he would be returning next month at the Money In The Bank pay-per-view.
The Money In The Bank event will take place at the former home base of ECW in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania so it will be the perfect place for RVD to make his WWE return. Who knows, maybe RVD will be the next Paul Heyman guy?
RVD competed in TNA Wrestling between March 2010 and March 2013 and held the X Division title for 137 days, ultimately losing it to Kenny King during an episode of IMPACT this past February.
Van Dam was at the Hall of Fame ceremony this year, sitting among the WWE Superstars, Divas, and family members, supporting his friend Booker T.
You can see the video which aired hyping RVD’s return below.
Live tonight from the Allstate Arena in Chicago, Illinois, WWE presents Payback on pay-per-view. The full card is as follows:
John Cena vs Ryback for the WWE title in a 3 stages of hell match with stage 1 a lumberjack match, stage 2 a tables match and if necessary stage 3 an ambulance match; Dolph Ziggler vs Alberto Del Rio for the World Heavyweight title; Chris Jericho vs CM Punk; Wade Barrett vs Curtis Axel vs The Miz in a triple threat match for the Intercontinental Title; Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins of The Shield vs Daniel Bryan and Randy Orton for the Tag Team titles; Dean Ambrose of The Shield vs Kane for the U.S. title; Kaitlyn vs AJ for the Divas title; and Sheamus vs Damien Sandow in the pre-show match.
The Buffalo News has a story on the dancer that accompanied Fandango when he was introduced on television a few months ago. Her identity remained largely unknown, until know, after the newspaper tracked down the 20 year old university student.
Andrea Lynn got the call from WWE after the company called the Fred Astaire studio informing them they are coming to Buffalo and need a young ballroom dancer as soon as possible. She had five days to prepare for her big TV debut.
She admitted she didn’t know anyone in WWE as she is not a fan, although she knew of Hulk Hogan and Andre The Giant. Her one-time TV appearance turned into a two month gig and although she no longer works for WWE, the company told her that she might be brought back.
You can read the full interesting interview at bit.ly/12MzP4E.
The 2013 TNA Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be held at the San Diego Marriott Mission Valley hotel on October 19, the night before TNA’s biggest pay-per-view of the year, Bound for Glory.
The hotel just recently underwent a $9 million renovation and is located on Rio San Diego Drive.
This year’s inductee will be Kurt Angle, who will become the second person in the TNA Hall of Fame following the induction of Sting last year. Lex Luger did the honors for the former NWA/WCW/TNA champion last year and no information has been released yet on who will induct Kurt Angle.
Reid Flair’s father and mother spoke to the Charlotte Observer after the autopsy results of their son were made public.
His mother Beth said she had suspected that a drug overdose probably killed her son and the results didn’t surprise her at all. The call from the medical examiner to share the news however was still hard to take and she said she spent the whole afternoon crying.
“I knew his fears and I knew how to help him. All he wanted to do was stay busy, train and keep his mind off the old triggers, then go back to Japan. He was doing really well there. He was happy,” Beth told the newspaper.
His father Ric said he loved his son and he should have been on top of the world. “But he was fighting a battle he couldn’t win. I hope people remember his laugh, his spirit and his love of life.”
Earlier police reports say that Reid overdosed at least three times in a two year period starting January 2009 where he was found passed out at the wheel of a Porsche at a stop sign and taken to hospital. He overdosed twice more in 2011.
TMZ.COM is reporting that an accidental heroin overdose claimed the life of Reid Flair, the son of the Nature Boy Ric Flair, according to an autopsy report released today by the Mecklenberg County Medical Examiner’s office.
The medical examiner also found traces of muscle relaxant Clonazepam and Xanax which treat seizures, panic disorder, anxiety, and insomnia.
Flair was found dead on March 29 in a hotel room in Charlotte, North Carolina, days after he returned from Japan. His father Ric was the one who found him motionless and made the 911 call.
Two time WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair will be appearing at the June 20 NXT tapings signing autographs for fans at Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida.
This will be Flair’s first WWE public appearance in a while since his WrestleMania weekend appearances were canceled after his son Reid was found dead in a hotel room just a week before.
Flair will be joining his daughter Ashley – who wrestles for NXT as Charlotte. On Twitter, his only daughter involved in wrestling asked him to maybe teach her how to “woooo!”
Impact begins with Hulk Hogan coming to the ring to talk about this year’s Bound for Glory Series. Three participants have already been decided: Samoa Joe, Magnus, and Jay Bradley. The last two winners of the BFG series, Jeff Hardy and Bobby Roode, will automatically qualify for this year’s series; the remaining 7 will be chosen tonight in a series of matches.
Last year’s winner Jeff Hardy comes out to the ring after being introduced by Hogan. Bobby Roode comes out shortly after and reminds us that he was the 1st BFG series winner and plans on making his BFG series record 2 and 2 after this year. Hogan reminds us that next week is open fight night and announces that fans will be able to vote on who gets to make the first challenge.
Bully Ray comes out to the ring to ask why no one from Aces and Eights is in the BFG series. Hogan tells Bully he’s set up a battle royal for later tonight and everyone from Aces and Eights is in it; the winner gets the one and only spot in the series Hogan has left for Aces and Eights.
Bully says everyone in BFG series is a target now, and orders Brisco and Bischoff in to attack. Roode and Hardy team up to chase Bischoff and Brisco out of the ring, but then Roode hits Hardy with a cheap shot and runs to the back.
Bad Influence (Kaz and Daniels) are in the back playing with a piano. I think it’s a piano, it may be an organ. Daniels is playing with it now, but I think Kaz would probably like a turn playing with Daniels organ.
They have a match later tonight with the tag champs Storm and Gunner. The tag titles will not be on the line, but both members of the winning team will qualify for the BFG series. Kaz notes that Storm has had more partners than Taylor Swift; Daniels nods and says he should probably be tested. Kaz and Daniels express confidence that one of them will win the BFG series and become champion.
Commercial
Match #1: Bad Influence versus James Storm and Gunner.
Storm and Daniels lock up first; Storm lands a punch, puts Daniels in a headlock, whips him into the ropes and knocks him down with a shoulder block. Storm takes Daniels down with a hip toss and follows up with a suplex. Storm hits Daniels with a knee drop and tags in Gunner. Gunner and Storm hit Daniels with a double shoulder block.
Daniels tags in Kaz; Kaz lands a punch to Gunner. Gunner plants Kaz with a fall away slam. Daniels trips Gunner from the outside and Kaz hits Gunner with a springboard leg drop. Kaz tags in Daniels and Daniels lands several punches before tagging Kaz back in. Kaz and Daniels double team Gunner; Gunner takes them both down with a double clothesline.
Gunner hits Kaz with an atomic drop and a neckbreaker. Gunner tags in Storm and Storm hits Kaz with a neckbreaker. Gunner tags in Storm and Storm hits Kaz with an Alabama Slamma. All 4 men fight in the middle of the ring briefly. Daniels throws Kaz to the floor.
Storm hits Daniels with a doubkle knee backstabber and then hits Kaz with a double knee face breaker. Kaz grabs the ref as a distraction while Daniels gets one of the tag belts and hits Storm with it. Kaz rolls up the stunned Storm for the win!
Commercial
Crimson makes his way to the ring after a 12 month absence. Crimson tells us he’s been obsessed with the numbers 470 and 12. 470 is the number of matches that Crimson went undefeated, and 12 is the number of months he’s been out of action since his first loss. Tonight Crimson gets a chance to qualify for the BFG series tournament with a win over Joe Park.
Match #2: Crimson versus Joe Park.
Crimson lands a kick and a punch, Park responds with a slap to the side of the head. Crimson takes Park down with a clothesline and pounds him repeatedly. Crimson throws Park into the corner and hits him with knee lifts to the face.
Crimson hits Park with a neckbreaker and Joe responds with several punches. Crimson plants Park with a spine buster. Crimson goes for a Stinger Splash in the corner and misses; Park rolls Crimson up for the win!
Commercial
Velvet Sky walks to the ring with an envelope that she claims is a gift for the new KO champ, Mickie James. Mickie comes out looking pleased and professing love disingenuously. Velvet opens the envelope and informs Mickie that she has gotten clearance from her doctor and wants her rematch.
Mickie wonders if this notice was forged on the internet. Mickie also notes that the notice says Velvet was cleared yesterday, but her knee is clearly hurting her today. Velvet’s knee does not appear to be hurting her at all, until Mickie attacks. Mickie viciously attacks Velvet’s knee for a few minutes before leaving the ring smiling.
Commercial
Match #3: Matt Morgan versus Kenny King versus Magnus, versus Rob Terry.
King and Morgan are the first two men in the ring; King immediately tags in Terry and runs out of the ring. Terry and Morgan exchange some intimidating poses and shoulder blocks. Morgan hits Terry with a clothesline to the back of the head and follows up with knee strikes and a head-butt.
Morgan hits Terry with a big boot to the face. King tags himself in and stomps Terry repeatedly. Terry starts to get back to his feet; King pokes him in the eye and tags Morgan back in. King tags himself in and hits Terry with a double axe handle and a chin breaker. Terry launches King into the air; Magnus tags himself in.
Magnus clotheslines King; King responds with a kick. Magnus clotheslines King again. King goes to the top rope and attempts a cross body, but Magnus catches him and slams him to the mat. Magnus goes to the top rope and hits King with a flying elbow; Morgan runs in to make the save.
Terry attacks Magnus. King hits Terry with a spin kick. Terry hits King with a choke slam. Morgan hits Terry with the Carbon Footprint. Magnus spikes King into the mat with a driver for the win!
Commercial
When we return, Eric Young is plugging his fishing show “off the hook” and preparing to face Austin Aries later tonight.
Sting makes his way to the ring to talk about his future. Sting recently lost to Bully Ray, and as a result, he will never be allowed to compete for the TNA title again. Sting seems a little angry that wave after wave of Aces and Eights members came after him and no one from TNA came out to help.
Sting admits to admiring the way they stick together, like family. Sting says he’s going to get his family back together soon, and by ‘family’ he means ‘mafia.’ Sting is planning on reforming the Main Event Mafia, and he promises they’ll put Aces and Eights down.
Commercial
Match #4: Eric Young with his wife ODB versus Austin Aries.
The two men lock up and Austin secures a hammerlock. Eric escapes and takes Aries to the mat with a fireman’s carry takedown. The two men face off and then lock up again. Aries twists Young’s arm; Eric reverses it. Aries takes Young down, spins on his back, slaps the back of his head, and then poses stretched out on the top rope.
ODB runs into the ring and lets Eric take her down. Eric spins on his wife’s back, and then climbs on to the top rope and stretches out in Austin’s signature pose. Eric slams Aries into the corner, hits him with a clothesline, and then a dropkick. Aries slams Eric into the corner and then presses his head down onto the ropes.
Aries jumps out of the ring and snaps Eric’s head on the top rope as he goes to the floor. Aries slingshots back into the ring onto Young. Aries and Young exchange some hard chops. Eric hits Aries with a shoulder block and then knocks him to the floor. Eric hits Aries with a slingshot crossbody out of the ring to the floor.
Eric hits Aries with a belly to belly suplex, kisses ODB, and then goes to the top rope. Aries trips Young up and then hits him with a running dropkick. Aries hits Young with a brain buster for the win.
Bully Ray is upset that Hogan is trying to make them fight amongst themselves. Bully has a plan to deal with it, and everyone has to agree. Everyone does agree, but Doc does so very reluctantly.
Commercial
Match #5. Aces and Eights battle Royal to determine which member will represent Aces and Eights in the BFG series.
Ken Anderson starts waving people out of the ring, and they go. Eventually just Devon, Doc, and Anderson remain. Anderson tells Devon to “get the tables” and Devon climbs out of the ring to get a table, and Anderson tells him he tricked him into eliminating himself. Devon laughs, it’s all part of Bully Ray’s plan.
Doc messes up the plan by refusing to eliminate himself; he wants to fight. Doc lands a few punches, but Anderson responds with a knee lift and tosses Doc over the top rope. Everyone in the club seems angry with Doc.
Rampage Jackson approaches Kurt Angle in the back. Last week they had a tense standoff; this week they seem pleasant. Jackson wanted to know what Angle meant by saying “when you’re ready” last week.
Angle says he just meant that he’s new to TNA wrestling and it will take him a little time to get trained and competing at the highest level. In the same way, Angle couldn’t just walk into Bellator and kick Rampage’s ass the first night, it would take some time for him to get trained and learn how to compete in a different environment. Rampage seems satisfied with that explanation.
Commercial
When we return, Doc is being berated for not sticking to the plan. Doc says he was trying to “Step up”. Bully Ray says he appreciates that, but there was a plan in place and he should have stuck to it.
Doc wants to make it up to the group by going after the man that rejected Aces and Eights generous membership offer; AJ Styles. Bully seems pleased with that. That was almost too easy; I thought Doc was going to get stuck washing the bikes with D Lo.
Match #5: AJ versus Kurt Angle
The two men lock up and exchange go behinds and reversals. AJ puts Angle in a headlock; Angle gets out and AJ hits him with a dropkick. AJ whips Angle to the corner and hits him with a Superman punch. AJ hits Kurt with a backbreaker. Angle lands several punches and stomps AJ in the corner. AJ lands a chop and then suplexes Angle into the corner.
Commercial
AJ takes Kurt down with a snapmare and then applies a chin lock. Kurt escapes with an elbow and then lands a couple punches. AJ knocks Kurt to the floor with a back elbow. AJ hits Kurt with a baseball slide dropkick. AJ hits Kurt with a forearm and then slams him into the apron. AJ tries a slingshot crossbody but Angle dodges it.
Angle hits AJ with a belly to belly suplex on the floor. Angle rolls AJ in, hits him with a backbreaker, and then applies a chin lock. AJ lands a couple punches and then Angle responds with a tilt a whirl backbreaker. Kurt squeezes AJ on the mat; AJ escapes by landing a couple elbows.
The two men exchange several punches. AJ gets the upper hand with a spinning back fist, a round kick, and a clothesline. AJ lands several more strikes before Angle wraps him up and hits him with three straight German suplexes. Angle goes for an Angle slam but AJ counters with a DDT. AJ goes for a superman punch but misses.
Angle hits the Angle Slam but AJ kicks out. Angle gets AJ in the ankle lock. AJ reverses and puts Angle in the calf killer. Angle reverses back and gets AJ back in the ankle lock. AJ rolls out and hits Angle with a spin kick. AJ climbs to the top rope, but Angle runs up the ropes after him. Kurt throws AJ off but AJ lands on his feet and hits Angle with a corner DDT.
Aces and Eights come out to the ring and immediately create a distraction. Angle looks like he wants to go after Anderson, but AJ takes advantage of the situation and rolls Angle up for the win!
AJ leaves and Aces and Eights gang up on Angle. I thought AJ was supposed to be the Aces and Eights target tonight, but instead they inadvertently help him win the match, then let him get away while they beat up his opponent.
Rampage Jackson runs out to the ring with a chain to rescue his new BFF, Kurt Angle. Angle and Rampage stand back to back in the ring keeping Aces and Eights at bay as Impact goes off the air.
In an interview with British-based entertainment website Digital Spy, Paul Heyman laughed off at the idea of TNA President Dixie Carter wanting to do a joint event between WWE and TNA in the future.
“Why wouldn’t she,” Heyman said as he proceeded to recount a story about a friend of his who just started a new beverage company in the United States.
“He would like to do a global promotion with Coca-Cola. I don’t suggest that Coca-Cola would be profitable having to do a global co-promotion with Shmuley’s Soda Company. In the same way it would make no sense for WWE with 95% global share to do an event with TNA with its 5% global market share,” Heyman explained.
You can read the interview in full which also tackles CM Punk, Brock Lesnar, WrestleMania XXX and more at digitalspy.co.uk.
The upcoming Total Divas reality TV show which will air on E! in July was filming scenes in Las Vegas yesterday as the Divas threw a bachelorette party for Natalya.
Natalya was joined by the Bella twins, Cameron, Naomi, and newest Divas Jo-Jo Offerman and Eva Marie in Sin City.
Daniel Bryan – who is dating Brie Bella – tagged along as well as the twin posted a photo of the two together by a pool in Vegas.
Natalya is engaged to Tyson Kidd and the two have been together for a very long time.
In a rare interview with the media, The Undertaker talked to the Houston Chronicle about wrestling, raffling off his West Coast Chopper bike, WrestleMania, and much more.
He agreed to do the interview only because he can raise more awareness about the raffle which all proceeds go to America’s Mighty Warriors and attaching his name to it he figured it would raise more money.
When asked why he still is doing professional wrestling considering all his injuries and surgeries, Taker said that because he loves doing it and it’s very hard to walk away from WrestleMania.
“And if I didn’t perform at WrestleMania, in some strange weird way, I’d feel like I was letting Vince McMahon down,” the Undertaker said. “I’ve been in the WWE for so long, and he’s done so much for me.”
The funniest question was when Taker was quizzed on what does he do when he is not the Undertaker. Apart from sending a lot of time with his family and children and being horrible in golf, the former WWE champion said, “…most of my time is spent healing up…so I can be the Undertaker again.”
TNA Knockout Mickie James is starring in one of the several “one of a kind” Dr Pepper commercials.
James talks about her love of wrestling, horseback riding, and singing during the commercial as well as talking about when she first drank Dr Pepper.
She is currently featured on the Dr Pepper website as the June fan and her images are used in promotion for the One of A Kind Dr Pepper title belt contest.
WWE Hall of Famer and Smackdown GM Booker T wrote on Twitter that he underwent surgery to repair a triceps tear and everything went well.
The former five time WCW champion has been out of action for a few weeks and at the end of April had surgery on his elbow to fix “20 years of Spinaroonies” as he properly put it at the time.
It’s not known when Booker is expected to be back on television.
Tonight is six away from Payback for many wrestlers, but an even bigger night for one World Heavyweight Champion! “The Show Off” Dolph Ziggler returns after a month of being out-of-action, and we now know that he is cleared to wrestle too! I suspect that Alberto Del Rio will get his long-awaited rematch for the Title at this Sunday’s Pay-Per-View.
Also, Triple H is “supposed” to take on Curtis Axel. Will “The Game” be allowed to and/or just get his hands on Paul Heyman’s “guy?” And, what will Chris Jericho have in store to get under theirs and C.M. Punk’s skin leading to his match with the “Straight-Edge Superstar?”
Can The Usos continue their newly-fresh push with another win? (I hope so!) How will “The Shield” exercise their dominance, plus how can Ryback antagonize WWE Champion John Cena one more time? Does Daniel Bryan still think he is the “weak link,” or will last week’s performances “amp” him up?
Lastly, my usual Pay-Per-View picks will follow this report, so for those and to find out what went down in Richmond, Virginia, read on!
Monday Night Raw Report for June 10th, 2013 – “The Equal Link With Retaliation Ahead”
Introduction Segment: Recap & Welcoming
A montage of Triple H’s recent pitfalls – between his concussion after Extreme Rules and his family pulling him from wrestling Curtis Axel – is played. We go live to the arena, where Michael Cole introduces us. No time is wasted as Motorhead’s “The Game” blares the speakers and Triple H appears in his wrestling gear on stage.
Match #1: Single – Triple H VS. Curtis Axel (with Paul Heyman)
HHH is anxious to go at Axel right away and does so, kicking and punching away at him in the corner until Charles Robinson, the referee, manages to break them up. Suplex by “The Game,” but as he goes for a potential submission, Mr. McMahon struts out and whispers something to ring announcer Justin Roberts. It is announced that Triple H is dq’ed, so Curtis Axel gets the sudden victory!
Winner via Disqualification: Curtis Axel (with Paul Heyman)
Post-match, Axel and Heyman gloat, but HHH uses his Chief Operating Officer powers to restart the bout!
Match #2: Single – Triple H VS. Curtis Axel (with Paul Heyman)
Much like the one above, it doesn’t get very far as Mr. McMahon walks back out and asks Roberts to announce that “The Game” has forfeited.
Winner via Forfeit: Curtis Axel (with Paul Heyman)
Post-match, again HHH uses his power and restarts the match, this time making it a “60-Minute Ironman.”
Match #3: 60-Minute Ironman (Single) – Triple H VS. Curtis Axel (with Paul Heyman)
Right away, Mr. McMahon stops the contest, ordering Curtis to the back since he’s already won twice, and taking the ring bell and microphone away from ringside!
Later tonight, Ryback will go face-to-face with WWE Champion John Cena, but up next, Kane will take on United States Champion Dean Ambrose. (This should be an awesome match!)
Commercials.
Segment #1: Backstage Promo
Triple H is irate, calling what Mr. McMahon did embarrassing and “crossing the line” during his match. Stephanie begs him to calm down, think about his family, and not hurt Vince. “The Game” settles and agrees not to do anything drastic, but requests his wife to talk to their father/father-in-law, so he doesn’t say anything that Vince will not like.
Match #4: Single – Kane VS. United States Champion Dean Ambrose (Non-Title)
With no bell, the referee just mimes the call for the start. Ambrose ducks a punch and slugs it out with Kane in the corner, but Kane comes right back with a big boot off the ropes. He nails a low front dropkick, but gets Ambrose’s shoulder rammed into him against the turnbuckle. Kane reverses an Irish Whip into a backbreaker, then begins to work him over with moderate hits. Kane sends Dean through the ropes to the floor, and uppercuts a flying Ambrose off the steps.
Ads.
Back live, Ambrose is now in control with a Dragon Sleeper, and hammers away against the ropes. He runs across the ring back to Kane with a front dropkick and gets two! Ambrose clamps on a bow-and-arrow submission, but Kane is able to roll over and break out.
Dean attempts a Tornado DDT out of the corner, but is tossed to his stomach by Kane. He catches Ambrose off a run with a tilt-a-whirl powerslam for a close fall! He picks up Ambrose and delivers a sidewalk slam for another near two, then climbs the turnbuckle. Dean cuts him off and attempts a suplex, but Kane shoves him down and dives with a clothesline!
Kane measures for the chokelsam, but Ambrose rolls out, which allows Tag-=Team Champions Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns to assault Kane, causing a DQ.
Winner via Disqualification: Kane
Randy Orton and Daniel Bryan run out to make the save, and all three members of The Shield retreat through the crowd.
Commercials.
Segment #2: Backstage Promo
Randy Orton and Daniel Bryan are arguing about Orton RKO-ing Daniel from Smackdown (read that fine report on this fine website!). Kane yells at them to stop, but the only person who does is Supervising Managing Vickie Guerrero.
She announces that Bryan and Orton will team up to face The Shield for the Tag-Team Titles at Payback. Neither of them want it, but Guerrero insinuates it will happen. Meanwhile, Kane is upset and says it doesn’t make sense, until Vickie walks in, saying” Kane, I didn’t forget about you!” She gives him a U.S. Championship match with Dean Ambrose. Kane is happy again, saying that he always did like Vickie and gives her a hug!
The Miz makes his entrance for his next bout, and there is huge news on the Triple-Threat match for the Intercontinental Championship after the break.
Ads.
Match #5: Single – The Miz VS. Cody Rhodes
(Note: Intercontinental Champion Wade Barrett is on commentary). It is announced that the planned Triple-Threat is just a single, with The Miz challenging Barrett. Miz starts off fast with a big boot and runs at Cody in the corner with a clothesline. He goes for an Axe Handle off the top rope, but Rhodes ducks and chops him by the leg. Cody works over Miz’s leg, then clamps on a deathlock-type bend. He goes for a kneedrop, but Miz rolls through, right into the Figure-4 Leglock to force Rhodes to tap!
Winner via Submission: The Miz
Post-match, Paul Heyman is out and announces that Vickie Guerrero has authorized him to change the I.C. Title bout at Payback. Of course, he picks his new man, Curtis Axel to be the third wrestler in the match. Axel proclaims, that “the ‘perfect’ ending to the match this Sunday will be me, ‘Curtis Axel: the new Inter-contin-ental Champion.'”
Segment #3: Video Promo
Mark Henry’s destructive path in WWE is aired with a highlight package, as “The World’s Strongest Man” will return next week.
Commercials.
Segment #4: Office Promo
Stephanie McMahon berates her father for what he did to “Paul” earlier tonight. Vince says that it is about business, and business comes first. He says to keep HHH away from him and goes to run the show.
Segment #5: Arena Promo
Chris Jericho is out and talks about his career, facing some of the greats of this business. He lists Eddie Guerrero (late-great), Steve Austin, Triple H, The Rock, Mick Foley, Rey Mysterio, John Cena, and Randy Orton. However, Jericho says that C.M. Punk is the only one who takes him to his limits night after night, and makes him a better performer.
He says that Punk is “so damn good is because he actually ‘believes.’ He believes that he is the ‘best in the world.’ It’s the same way that I believe that ‘I am the best in the world at what I do.'”
“Y2J” proclaims that they are both evenly matched, because they have the same mindset, came into the business the same way, have the same “chip on our shoulder,” and accepts nothing less than the best. Jericho declares that Punk will get his best, because he needs to and has to beat him at Payback. Before he can finish his patented, “never, eeeeeever be the same” quote, “Here To Show The World” blasts over the speakers!
World Heavyweight Champion Dolph Ziggler walks out with his friends, A.J. Lee and Big E. Langston. He says this is an appropriate time, since Jericho is talking about the best performers in the world. Dolph claims that even before the name plate was put on put on his championship, he was threatened to have it taken away because of his concussion injury.
He speculates that “no one wanted me to ever have this, so I came out here every single night, and I stole the show, and I earned this.” Ziggler says that he is he best at everything, from being on the mike, to wrestling, to out on the street, and he will prove that this Sunday at Payback, he is just getting started!
Jericho cuts him off and tells Dolph to not look too far ahead. First, Jericho challenges him to a “tune-up” match, to build up again following a month of “ring-rust.” The World Heavyweight Champion accepts, BUT …. puts in Big E. Langston instead. He will wait for Payback.
All three approach the ring, and this bout will take place next!
Ads.
Match #6: Single – Chris Jericho VS. Big E. Langston (with World Heavyweight Champion Dolph Ziggler and A.J. Lee)
In progress, Big E. hammers Jericho on the outside with a clubbing arm, then rolls him back in the ring. Cole says that Jericho may have “tweaked” his knee during the break. (Uh-oh!) Jericho holds onto the ropes out of an Irish Whip, then throws Langston over the top. He follows up with a running front dropkick, but gets run into the steel steps.
In the ring, Big E. rams his shoulder into Jericho’s gut a few times in the corner, then kicks away at him. He runs Jericho in the opposite corner, but “Y2J” moves and rolls up Langston in for a close near fall!
He comes back off the ropes with a flying forearm and running enziguri. He nails another low front dropkick for two, then goes for a crossbody, but is caught in three backbreakers! Jericho gets the boots up in the corner, then ascends and dives off the turnbuckle with a crossbody! 1 – 2 – Langston kicks out! Ziggler distracts Jericho, which allows Big E. to run over Chris, and gears him up for his finisher.
On the outside, Alberto Del Rio attacks Dolph, allowing Jericho to take advantage with the Codebreaker and 1 – 2 – 3 over Langston!
Winner via Pin Fall: Chris Jericho
Post-match, Jericho celebrates with some Armed Forces Fans at ringside, as well as Jerry “The King” Lawler. Ziggler and A.J. yells at a happy Del Rio and Ricardo Rodriguez, while Big E. collects himself in the middle of the ring.
Later tonight, Randy Orton will take on Roman Reigns, and Daniel Bryan will face Seth Rollins (this should be the main-event!)
Commercials.
Match #7: Single – Sin Cara VS. Antonio Cesaro
(Note: Zeb Colter is on commentary.) Lock up and fireman’s carry slam from Antonio, then he rubs Cara’s face into the mat. He stomps away, but is countered with a springboard armdrag and hurricanrana. Sin tries another top rope move, but is split across the rope. Cesaro holds his foot against Sin’s face and jumps on it.
He picks him up and turns him around with a gutwrench suplex, then clamps on a grounding rear chinlock. Antonio gets a one-count after a huge power/fall-away slam, then pounds away and double-stomps Cara’s chest.
Cara begins to comeback after a boot-to-the-face in the corner, some rapid chops, and a tilt-a-whirl headscissors. He sunset-flip powerbombs Cesaro for a near fall, then kicks him in the face from the apron! Cesaro catches him off the top with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker, then spins him around in a chinlock position. Cesaro finishes off Cara with “The Neutralizer” Cradle Faceplant.
Winner via Pin Fall: Antonio Cesaro
Segment #6: Video Promo
The same (second) creepy film introducing the Wyatt Family airs. (These guys are awesome on NXT, and will make an intriguing impact on Raw/Smackdown.)
Ads.
Segment #7: Office Promo
In a cheap-plug for the restaurant Hardees, Vickie Guerrero is chowing down on a burger. Brad Maddox convinces her to stop when Mr. McMahon walks in and is displeased with her decision to have Ryback and WWE Champion John Cena face off tonight, since one of them may get hurt and place their pay-per-view match in danger.
Maddox suggests that the lumberjacks for the bout come on down, to keep Ryback and Cena apart, and therefore injury free. Vince likes it, and tells Vickie to share some of her burger with Brad.
Commercials.
Match #8: Single – “The Viper” Randy Orton (with Daniel Bryan) VS. The Shield’s Tag-Team Champion Roman Reigns (with “The Shield” partner and Tag-Team Champion Seth Rollins) (Non-Title)
Orton and Bryan make their entrance before the break. Elbow/collar tie-up begins and Roman takes control. He pummels away with big punches at Orton in the corner, but Randy reverses and does the same. H
e puts Reigns down with a high, beautiful dropkick for two! Orton measures up Roman and jumps down with a kneedrop, then punches him on the outside. “The Viper” brings him down against the barricade with a backdrop and receives a near fall back in the ring.
Reigns rolls out of the way of another knee drop, then chokes him with his boot on the canvas. The Tag Champion is dominating, slowly taking Orton apart. He ducks a clothesline, but gets take down with a Lou Thesz press! Randy gives him the ole 10-punch against the corner then headbutts him. He drags him back against the other corner, but Reigns uses his strength to hammer Orton to the floor!
Ads.
Back live, Reigns has Orton locked in the grounding rear chinlock, but “The Viper” battles out, until he is flapjacked on the top rope. Roman follows up with a flying forearm for two! Reigns wears Randy down again with another rear chinlock, and Daniel is slapping the mat to give Orton/the fans momentum.
Orton hits a spinning backdrop, then a couple clotheslines and powerslam! He gets out of a Samoan Drop attempt and puts Reigns to the mat with a backbreaker! Reigns rolls to the apron, but that sets up Orton to faceplant him with the slingshot DDT.
“The Viper” is zoning in, but Rollins takes out Bryan and goes for Orton. He is taken to the outside, and Bryan comes back in, flying through the ropes onto both Reigns and Rollins with a suicide dive. Referee Charles Robinson, has ruled this a “no contest” due to the double-interference.
Winner: No Contest via Interference On Both Parties
However, we’re not done, as the above match smoothly transitioned into the next contest!
Match #9: Single – Daniel Bryan (with “The Viper” Randy Orton VS. “The Shield’s” Tag-Team Champion Seth Rollins (with “The Shield” partner and Tag-Team Champion Roman Reigns) (Non-Title)
Rollins is all over Bryan quickly with punches, but Daniel comes back, vaulting over Seth and hitting a running forearm! Bryan gives the Tag Champ his patented vicious kicks and a knee-to-the-gut. Bryan pounds away on Rollins with elbows to his chest, in a hammer-lock form, and gets a quick two! Daniel attempts a surfboard, but Rollins manages to crawl to the ropes.
He is dropkicked to the outside and baseball-slide-dropkicked to the barricade. Bryan jumps off the apron with a knee, and Orton walks over to block Reigns from getting involved. Rollins returns, shoving Bryan into the corner, and slamming his head into the second turnbuckle. 1 – 2 – Bryan kicks out!
Rollins now mimics Bryan, clamping on a surfboard stretch of his own! Bryan gets out of it though, and locks in one of his own, complete with dragon sleeper! Rollins’ body is contorted, but he still gets out of the hold!
Commercials.
Back live, Rollins has Bryan grappled in a grounding rear chinlock, which Daniel axe-handles his way out of. He is quickly taken down again with a forearm and locked in the grounding rear chinlock. They are both back to their feet and slug it out evenly, until Rollins is caught in a half-crab out of a jumping kick! Rollins does not tap, but is run over with two running dropkicks in the corner! 1 – 2 – Seth kicks out!
Bryan nails a few more kicks, but Rollins ducks one and does hit Daniel in the back-of-the-head with the roundhouse kick. 1 – 2 – Bryan still kicks out! Bryan ducks a kick but they both reverse waistlocks. Rollins German-Suplex Daniel, but Bryan lands on his feet and jumps on Rollins in a hurricanrana position. Rollins holds on and hurls Bryan with a powerbomb into the turnbuckle!
Rollins runs into him with a splash, but Bryan tosses him over the ropes. He goes for another potential suicide dive, but Rollins cuts him off. They both roll through in the ring, and Bryan gets a close near fall following a kick to the back-of-the-head. Rollins crotches Bryan on the top rope and punches, Daniel slides out and does the same! He brings Seth down with a backdrop, but during it, Rollins turns it around into a crossbody!
(Loud “this is awesome” chants ring out). As both men struggle to their feet, Reigns is on the outside, preying on Bryan. He can’t get far, as Orton puts a stop to it, just as Daniel catches Rollins after a missed splash in a small package for the hard-fought and well-earned victory!
Winner via Pin Fall: Daniel Bryan
Post-match, Seth tries to attack Bryan again, but Orton RKO’s him, and Randy and Daniel stand tall.
(Beautiful match!)
Up next, Divas Champion Kaitlyn will get to know who her “secret admirer” is.
Ads.
Segment #8: Video Promo
WWE’s involvement with the Special Olympics is shown via footage with The Big Show, The Bella Twins, Mark Henry, and Sergeant Slaughter. (Very nice and very sincere.)
Segment #9: Arena Promo
Divas Champion Kaitlyn is in the ring and asks her secret admirer to come on out. It’s Big E. Langston! The protector of the World Heavyweight Champion Dolph Ziggler walks out in a styling shirt/pants combo, and prevents her flowers. He takes the mike to a very perplexed Kaitlyn.
He says that everyone only sees him as “Dolph’s heavy” and that all he does is “beat people up,” but ever since he first saw and met Kaitlyn, he has been infatuated with her. Big E. goes to kiss her, but suddenly drops her to the mat as A.J. Lee’s music plays. The “psycho” Diva skips out, high-fives Langston, and takes pleasure in Kaitlyn’s humiliation.
She says that is how she felt when Kaitlyn wasn’t around after being used by C.M. Punk, John Cena, and Daniel Bryan. A.J. gets on her knees and compares herself to “shattered glass.” A.J. says she is smart, because while Kaitlyn could maybe beat her in the ring, Lee can beat her in her mind.
A.J. will take joy when she shoves Kaitlyn off the pedestal, and calls her “trash.” She threatens that Kaitlyn will lose the Divas Title on Sunday, and everything else. A.J. insults her with “white-trash” comments, calling her a “worthless, pathetic, useless, unlovable, cow!” Kaitlyn bursts out and brawls with her former friend.
Segment #10: Video Promo
A third video from The Wyatt Family airs. Bray Wyatt preaches about himself helping us “claim the new selfishness that you never even knew.” He says they will “pry their eyes open and force them to watch. Run, we’re coming.” Very weird, with lamb masks and broken dolls strewn across a forest and cabin. Luke Harper and Erik Rowan were also invloved, declaring “we are the ones.”
Commercials.
Match #10: Single – “The Intellectual Saviour Of The Unwashed Masses” Damien Sandow VS. R-Truth
Prior to the bout, Sandow cuts a promo professing that he will “annihilate” his opponent, the “not-so-great-white” Sheamus on the pre-show before Payback, Sunday. Sandow is all over R-Truth, controlling much of this contest. Truth eventually catches Damien off the ropes with a jumping-calf-kick and tilt-a-whirl headscissors.
He plants Sandow with a front suplex, but is chopped down and driven to the mat with a side-Uranage, called “The Silencer” for the 1 – 2 – 3!
Winner via Pin Fall: “The Intellectual Saviour Of The Unwashed Masses” Damien Sandow
Post-match, Sandow’s rival comes out to the stage and proclaims that he will “kick the night off in the ‘Windy City’ then with me kicking off your head. See you in Chicago, fella!” Sheamus speaks.
Backstage, Stephanie McMahon orders two assistants to find both Triple H and Mr. McMahon, and meet them in their office.
Ads.
Segment #11: Video Promo
A recap of WWE Champion John Cena and Ryback’s feud is played. The lumberjacks then walk out to the ring to prepare for the faceoff.
Commercials.
Segment #12: Office Promo
All three McMahon/Helmsley’s are in the office, and after some bickering, Stephanie yells at the boys to fix their issues. At first, they argue some more, before Vince puts over HHH and tells him that he is bigger than Curtis Axel. He wants Trips to be the man who tells people where to go, and think of all the accomplishments that he’s had over his career.
Vince calls him an “icon, a legend.” He wants him to “be the man,” and “do the right thing every time. Vince does give him his match with Axel, but Trips doesn’t want it after all, as he is bigger than that. Again, they try to “one-up” each other, until Stephanie walks back in and gets them to “hug it out.”
Both Vince and HHH walk out to a smiling Stephanie after the family embrace.
Segment #13: Arena Promo
WWE Champion John Cena is out first, surrounded by the lumberjacks, but Ryback enters via the ambulance and only waits back on the stage. Cena mocks Ryback, calling him “scared.” Ryback fires back, saying that he should’ve been the WWE Champion already three times over, from T.L.C., to Survivor Series, to Hell In The Cell.
Ryback says at Hell In The Cell, that the problems started then. Cena gave Ryback is spot, and Ryback claims that is when his popularity skyrocketed and took over John’s, which ate away at the WWE Champion, so then he left him “high and dry.” Cena denies this, saying that he nor anybody that has the WWE Championship has had to have a “guardian angel watching my back.” Cena yells at Ryback that he has been “blaming everybody else for your own failures.”
“The Human Wrecking Ball” informs Cena that he will not back down and the legend will not “grow anymore. It ends when I beat you at our lumberjack match. It ends when I put you through a table. It ends when I load your unathletic body in that ambulance. It ends when I finally become WWE Champion. Eight months ago John, you gave me your spot. This Sunday, ‘3 Stages Of Hell,’ Ryback takes your spot!”
Cena retorts, first stripping off his t-shirt, then running at Ryback from the ring. The lumberjacks hold him back as he tries two ways around, but Ryback is able to sneak in. All the wrestlers manage to hang on to Ryback and the WWE Champion, as they scream at each other in separate corners to close the show.
End Of Raw.
Reporter’s Rumblings – By Moe Tapp
This was a pretty good show, but there was definitely some stuff I wasn’t a fan of. However, it setup Payback nicely for sure. Onto the analysis:
Excellence: Promos! In what seems like a long, long while, almost all of the promos were awesome tonight, in particular Jericho/Ziggler’s and A.J.’s. I loved how Chris put over both himself and C.M. Punk as basically equals, as well as listing the QUALITY of wrestlers they have respectively faced. The World Heavyweight Champion picked a great time to interrupt, as he is also kind of like Jericho and Punk, in a sense of having to work hard (and being darn awesome at what he does) before getting the recognition he well-deserves. A.J. really showed her oratory skills tonight, and I think that was her best promo she’s cut yet. She needs even more mike time! It was a small twist/surprise having Langston, and I’m glad they played it as a “ruse” to get in Kaitlyn’s head. Not ready for the Big E. split/face-turn yet. (And his match with Jericho was well put-together as well). Even the promos between Vickie and Vince, and both Stephanie and Vince and Triple H were mildly entertaining. (Albeit the shameless plugging of themselves or a fast-food joint.)
Absolutely loved the matches between Kane/Ambrose, Orton/Reigns, and especially Bryan/Rollins. All three had different tactics/stories to the bouts, and Seth/Daniel was just a Grade-A classic that brought me back to the days of watching Ring Of Honour in 2009 on HDNET and these two going at it – fantastic! I hope they get more opportunities in the near future, as their matches should not get boring, since they both know how to change it up and make each fresh.
Cesaro/Cara and Miz/Rhodes fall into the category of nice contests too.
Like the ending, as this is the promos that I want to hear from Ryback and Cena. Glad Ryback went back to listing the points of why he is picking on/feuding with Cena, and wonderful to see Cena’s passion again.
Bogus: The beginning – I hated this because it just seemed like a giant waste of time and buried Curtis Axel again, with the “disqualifications and forfeits.” Again, overall this McMahon/Triple H storyline is unnecessary (even if somewhat comical like their promo tonight), because it’s really just feeding their egos, when that time should be used for the other talent on the roster.
Speaking of which, where were The Usos, other than an appearance in the lumberjack? They are back on main-tv last week AND get a win, complete with a new look, but are left off tonight’s card? No sense! Also, same with Curtis Axel being put into the Triple-Threat for the Intercontinental Championship. This is a huge step back and in theory, the whole process of rebuilding him is backwards. Curtis should’ve started in the I.C. area and worked his way upto the main-event level. Now it feels like he is sliding down the line up.
Order of last quarter of Raw – Sandow/R-Truth should’ve been before the Reigns/Orton & Rollins/Bryan matches, since those felt like the real main-events!
Payback Picks: Cena will retain, as will Dolph Ziggler over Ryback and Del Rio respectively. (Then the champions can move onto fresh feuds for the summer – hello Jericho for Dolph?!) A.J. will win the Divas Champion and she/Dolph can be the new “champion power couple.” “The Shield” will keep all their championships, and the on/off friction between Daniel/Kane/Orton continues. Jericho/Punk – I’m not sure if they will actually even wrestle or not. I’ll say no and some shenanigans will happen!
Let’s see how the landscape of the WWE will be changed next week, following another Pay-Per-View instalment. Until then, as always, Be Excellent Wrestling-Online Readers and Wrestling Fans!
Monday Night RAW yesterday did 3,990,000 viewers for a 3.04 rating, up from last week’s 2.6 rating and almost 100,000 in additional viewers overall.
Hour one did 3,893,000 viewers, followed by 4,085,000 in the second and 3,992,000 in the third and final hour. (Ratings compiled by Nielsen Media Research and put online by PWInsider.com)
