“Then. Now. Forever.” The WWE video leads us into the show.
The Smackdown video plays, and we’re brought into the arena. Michael Cole and JBL welcome us to the show.
Daniel Bryan’s music hits, and he comes out to a tremendous reception
from the Des Moines crowd. Cole says, “Welcome to the ‘Yes Movement.’”
Bryan stands in the middle of the ring as the entire crowd does a YES
chant. Bryan says the crowd is great. Bryan says last Monday on RAW, The
Authority said they might make him the Face of the WWE if he could just
beat Randy Orton. What The Authority doesn’t understand is that he
doesn’t want to be the Face of the WWE. He just wants to be himself.
When he beat Randy Orton, The Authority showed their true colors when
the Director of Operations, his old friend, Kane interfered in the match
and Chokeslammed him to hell. A replay is then shown of the end of the
RAW main event. Bryan took out Orton and Kane with a suicide dive before
getting out of an RKO and hitting the Running Knee for the win. Kane
then attacked him after the match and Chokeslammed him.
Bryan looks disgusted after seeing that footage. Ever since Kane
aligned himself with The Authority, he’s stayed out of his way. Bryan
has let him do his thing, but not anymore. Not after what happened on
Monday. Bryan then calls Kane out so he can understand how his former
tag team partner could turn into a Big Red Corporate Sellout who stabs
his friends in the back.
Kane’s pyro hits, and he comes out to the stage leisurely in his
suit. The crowd boos Kane for a bit before he starts to speak. Bryan
cuts him off, and he says he can’t hear Kane from up at the ramp,
especially with the crowd being so loud. Another YES Chant breaks out.
Bryan tells him to come down to the ring to talk face to face. Kane says
that won’t be necessary. On behalf of The Authority, he is here to
apologize for his actions on Monday. As the Director of Operations, he
is not permitted to engage in physicality with any superstar without
provocation. He acted of his own volition. It was unprofessional,
improper, and unfitting of someone in a professional office.
Bryan asks what in the hell he is talking about. Bryan means “hell”
literally. He is Kane, the Devil’s Favorite Demon. Bryan asks if he
remembers his time in Team Hell No. They’ve hugged it out many times
live on television. What happened to that Kane? Kane just stares at him.
That Kane helped him. That Kane, despite it all, became his friend. The
Authority tried to put him in a $1,000 suit, but he told them to stick
it where the sun doesn’t shine. He was hoping Kane would have done the
same thing, but unfortunately he’s embraced it. Bryan speaks on behalf
of the WWE Universe. Bryan tells Kane to take his cheap tie off, get his
mask out of that damn office, and get rid of the stupid “Corporate
Kane.” Yet another YES Chant breaks out.
Kane says Bryan is right. They do have history, but it’s exactly
that: history. Kane has traded in the undisclosed location somewhere in
the bowels of the arena for a corner office. Kane couldn’t be happier.
He’s glad the Team Hell No days are over. Kane tells Bryan to understand
this: they are not friends. The crowd chants, “You sold out!” Kane says
they never were friends. A very wise man once said, “In this business,
you can make friends or you can make money.” Kane says he’s doing pretty
well for himself right now. Bryan says that’s the different priorities
for different people. Bryan considers himself to be doing very well
right now, but that’s because he has an entire arena full of friends
right here. Since Kane doesn’t care about friends, how about he comes
down to the ring and they settle this like two men who aren’t friends.
Kane says that isn’t going to happen. However, since Bryan is in the
mood for action, he’s more than happy to allow him to compete. As an act
of good faith, on behalf of The Authority, he has schedule Bryan in a
match which is best for business against a superstar who is also in the
Elimination Chamber match: Antonio Cesaro. Kane smiles at him and says,
“Good luck, Daniel.” Bryan leads a YES Chant as Kane leaves the stage.
The commentators talk about the WWE World Heavyweight Championship
Elimination Chamber match, which will happen in just a few weeks.
Tonight’s main event will see Randy Orton take on Christian as he runs the “Elimination Chamber gauntlet.”
The Shield’s music hits. They’ll be in action, next.
-Commercial Break-
Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose vs. Dolph Ziggler and Kofi Kingston
Seth Rollins is on commentary for this match. A replay is shown of
Dean Ambrose blind tagging himself in on Monday Night RAW, and he stole a
pin from Roman Reigns. Ambrose and Reigns bickered afterward. Cole asks
Rollins if there are any problems in The Shield. Rollins says Cole’s
insinuation is “asinine.” There are no problems in The Shield. Ambrose
took advantage of a situation he thought was his to take.
Dean Ambrose and Kofi Kingston start the match off. They lock up, and
Ambrose applies a hammerlock before executing a headlock takeover.
Kingston quickly gets to his feet, so Ambrose wrenches his arm. Kingston
flips through it, wrenches Ambrose’s arm, takes him down, and hits a
body splash for a two count. Dolph Ziggler is tagged in, and they send
Ambrose into the ropes for a double-team hip toss. Ziggler picks up a
one count. Ambrose applies a side headlock, so Ziggler whips him off.
Ambrose takes him down with a shoulder block and hits the ropes, but
Ziggler takes him down with a right hand. Ziggler starts dropping some
“heart stopping” elbows. Ziggler drops ten in total for a near fall.
Ambrose powers Ziggler to his corner, and Roman Reigns tags in. Reigns
takes him down with an uppercut before choking him on the ropes. Reigns
wrenches the arm, and Ambrose is tagged back in. Ambrose kicks Ziggler
in the face and drops a quick elbow for a two count. Ambrose goes for a
suplex, but Ziggler counters out and dropkicks him down.
Kingston is tagged in, and he takes Ambrose down with a flying chop
before dropkicking Reigns off the apron. Kingston takes Ambrose down
with some shops and a dropkick. Kingston goes for a jumping punch, but
Ambrose catches him and hot shots him on the top rope. Reigns is tagged
in, and he goes to ringside to hit Kingston with a running dropkick to
the skull.
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the break to see Ambrose hit Kingston with a
double-arm suplex for a two count. Ambrose quickly applies a chin lock,
but Kingston soon fights up and gets out. Kingston hits the ropes, but
Ambrose knees him in the midsection. Ambrose sets him up on the top rope
and clubs away at him. Ambrose goes for a double-arm suplex off the top
rope, but Kingston head-butts him away. Kingston then takes him down
with a cross-body block. Ambrose stops Kingston from tagging Ziggler.
Ambrose blocks a kick, and Kingston lays him out with an enzuigiri.
Ziggler and Reigns are tagged in. Ziggler ducks a clothesline and
takes him down with a running cross-body. Ziggler punches him a few
times before hitting a dropkick. Ziggler then splashes him in the corner
and does the ten punches. Ziggler then pulls him out of the corner and
hits a neckbreaker. Ziggler goes for the famouser, but Reigns counters
into the Moment of Silence. Reigns sets up for the Superman Punch, but
he stops when it looks like Ambrose was going to tag himself in like on
Monday. Reigns jaw jacks with Ambrose. Kingston pulls Ambrose of the
apron. Reigns then turns into a DDT from Ziggler for a near fall.
Rollins gets off commentary to try to attack Kingston. Kingston fights
him off and goes for Trouble in Paradise, but Rollins avoids it. Ambrose
then sends Kingston into the barricade. In the ring, Ziggler goes for
the Zig-Zag, but Reigns holds on to the ropes. Reigns then takes him
down with the Superman Punch and waits in the corner for him to get up.
Reigns then splits him in half with a Spear! Reigns then tags Ambrose in
to let him pick up the win. Ambrose stares at Reigns before covering
Ziggler for the win.
Winners by Pinfall: Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose
Match Rating: * 1/2
Ambrose isn’t happy with Reigns for sort of showing him up there, so
Rollins gets between them to play peacekeeper again. All of a sudden,
the Wyatt Family’s video flashes on the screen, and the lights in the
arena go out. Luke Harper appears on the screen whistling a haunting
theme. Bray Wyatt then comes into the shot with Erick Rowan, and Wyatt
is laughing. Wyatt says The Shield is bickering like children consumed
with pride. They’re trying to see who in The Shield has the sharpest
teeth. Wyatt says The Shield believes him to be a façade. Wyatt says if
they could only see the monster that lives behind his eyes, they would
realize how real he is. Harper says those that deny them will be the
first ones to burn. Wyatt tells them to “Follow the buzzards.”
Sheamus is seen walking backstage. He’ll be in action, next.
-Commercial Break-
Ryback w/ Curtis Axel vs. Sheamus
Sheamus walks up to Ryback before they start circling the ring. They
lock up, and Ryback powers Sheamus down. Sheamus gets up while still
locked up, and he applies a side headlock. Ryback whips him off, but he
misses a clothesline. Sheamus then takes him down with a shoulder block.
Sheamus hits the ropes, and Curtis Axel grabs his ankle. Sheamus fights
Ryback off, but he has a whip into the ropes reversed on him. Sheamus
counters out of a slam and hits a rolling fireman’s carry. Sheamus then
gets out of the ring and takes Axel out with a Brogue Kick. Sheamus
shoulders him in the midsection, and he goes for the Beats of the
Bodhrán, but Ryback fights him off. Ryback then pulls him into the ring
and gives him a spinebuster. Ryback clotheslines him in the corner and
sends him into the opposite corner hard. Ryback then chokes him with him
boot before giving him a body slam. Ryback follows up with a body
splash for a near fall. Ryback applies a cobra clutch (maggot), but
Sheamus soon fights up and head-butts out. Ryback comes back with a
backpack stunner, and he taunts Sheamus.
Ryback goes to the top rope, and he goes for a splash, but Sheamus
moves. Sheamus elbows him in the face and hits some right hands. Sheamus
then hits a pair of Irish hammers and a shoulder in the corner. Ryback
avoids a knee lift and goes for a military press, but Sheamus quickly
escapes. Sheamus then hits a powerslam before signaling to the crowd for
the Brogue Kick. Sheamus charges, but Ryback counters the Brogue Kick
into a powerbomb for a near fall! Ryback taunts the crowd a bit before
going for the meat hook clothesline, but Sheamus counters with a Brogue
Kick for the win!
Winner by Pinfall: Sheamus
Match Rating: **
They show a clip of Michael Cole’s weekly interview with Triple H.
Triple H talks about how Randy Orton has a lot to prove in this gauntlet
against the Elimination Chamber opponents.
Christian will take on Randy Orton in the main event. We’ll also see Daniel Bryan fight Antonio Cesaro.
-Commercial Break-
A preview for “Legends’ House” is shown. It will premiere when the WWE Network debuts.
Renee Young is backstage with Alberto Del Rio. A replay is shown of
Del Rio attacking Batista on RAW before escaping him. Renee asks why he
continues to antagonize Batista. Del Rio says Batista is an animal that
belongs in the circus. Batista is the animal, and he is the trainer. He
knows how to train animals. He’ll turn him into a little puppy drinking
milk from a saucer. Del Rio speaks in Spanish before walking off.
Antonio Cesaro makes his way to the ring alongside Zeb Colter and
Jack Swagger. Cesaro will face Daniel Bryan, next on Smackdown.
-Commercial Break-
Mark Henry returns this Monday on RAW.
Antonio Cesaro w/ Zeb Colter and Jack Swagger vs. Daniel Bryan
They lock up at the sound of the bell, and Cesaro takes him down with
a waistlock. Cesaro then powers him to the corner. Cesaro punches him
in the ribs and chops the chest. Cesaro puts him back in the corner and
chops him again. Bryan turns him around and kicks him down in the
corner. Bryan knees away at him before sending him to the ropes for a
knee to the midsection. Cesaro uppercuts him down for a two count.
Cesaro keeps trying to pin him. Bryan eventually bridges up. Cesaro
jumps on top of him, but Bryan’s bridge doesn’t falter. They then lift
up in this position, and Bryan takes him down with a hurricanrana. Bryan
kicks away at Cesaro, but he’s soon countered into a spinebuster.
Cesaro applies a chin lock, but Bryan soon whips him off. Cesaro takes
him down with a shoulder block before taunting the crowd. Cesaro hits
the ropes, and Bryan takes him down with a hip toss. Bryan then applies a
short arm scissor. Cesaro tries to counter into a pin, but Bryan rolls
back into the previous maneuver. Cesaro then powers up with Bryan on his
shoulder, and he slams him down.
Cesaro pushes him to the corner and punches away at him. Cesaro hits a
suplex and floats into a cover for a two count. Cesaro applies a chin
lock, but Bryan fights up. Cesaro sends him to the corner, but Bryan
scales the turnbuckle and backflips over him. Bryan then ducks a
clothesline and hits a flying elbow. Bryan hits a running dropkick in
the corner before putting him on the top rope. Bryan hits a super
hurricanrana for a near fall. Cesaro is down on his knees, and Bryan
begins kicking away at the chest. Cesaro ducks a roundhouse and
schoolboys him for a near fall. Bryan goes for a Yes! Lock, but Cesaro
counters into a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker.
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the break to see Cesaro hit a running uppercut on
Bryan for a near fall. Cesaro applies a neck vice, but Bryan fights up.
Cesaro shoves him to the corner, but Bryan fights out. Cesaro then takes
him down with a big boot. Cesaro charges, and Bryan pulls the top rope
down to send him out of the ring. Bryan gets on the apron as Jack
Swagger helps up Cesaro. Cesaro avoids Bryan, and Swagger takes a flying
knee to the face. Cesaro then charges him, and Bryan gives him a
drop-toe-hold into the barricade.
Bryan goes to the top rope and jumps into a European Uppercut for a
near fall. Cesaro waits for him to get up before hitting a double leg.
Cesaro goes for the Cesaro Swing, but Bryan holds the bottom rope. The
crowd boos not seeing it. Bryan then counters into an inside cradle for a
near fall. Cesaro then pops up and turns him inside out with a
clothesline. Cesaro goes for the Neutralizer, but Bryan counters into a
Yes! Lock attempt. Cesaro goes for a sidewalk slam, but Bryan flips
through. Cesaro runs into a boot, and Bryan takes him down with a
head-scissor takeover into the Yes! Lock for the win!
Winner by Submission: Daniel Bryan
Match Rating: **
Bryan begins to celebrate, but Kane’s pyro quickly explodes on stage.
Corporate Kane slowly makes his way down to the ring. Cesaro then
attacks Bryan from behind and lays him out with the Neutralizer. Kane
then gets in the ring and picks Bryan up by the throat. Kane then
Chokeslams him down before making the turnbuckles explode with fire.
Renee Young is backstage with the WWE World Heavyweight Champion
Randy Orton. She asks for his thoughts on The Authority making him face
each of the Elimination Chamber combatants in the coming weeks. Orton
doesn’t want to talk his professional relationship with The Authority.
He’s here to talk about Daniel Bryan and how many times he’s beaten him.
Bryan beating him on Monday was a total fluke. Tonight, he faces
Christian, and he will beat him. Next week on RAW, he’ll beat John Cena.
Then Sheamus and Antonio Cesaro. Then at Elimination Chamber, he’ll
beat all of them and remain the greatest superstar of this generation,
or any other.
AJ Lee makes her way to the ring with Tamina Snuka. She’ll be in action, next.
-Commercial Break-
A tribute video plays for Ernie “Big Cat” Ladd as WWE honors Black History Month.
Lana calls Alexander Rusev the “super athlete” in another vignette for him.
AJ Lee w/ Tamina Snuka vs. Nikki Bella w/ Brie Bella
They circle the ring and lock up. AJ applies a side headlock, but
Nikki powers her off. AJ charges her, but Nikki lifts her up. AJ wiggles
out, but Nikki soon lifts her up by the head and slams her down. Nikki
then body slams her down. Nikki sends her to the corner, but she misses
an avalanche. AJ jumps on her back and applies a sleeper hold. Nikki
begins to fade, but she soon fights up and powers her to the corner. AJ
comes back with a dropkick for a two count. AJ goes for a neckbreaker,
but Nikki counters into a face-buster. Nikki hits a clothesline and a
dropkick before slamming her down. Nikki sends her into the ropes and
hits a back body drop. Nikki goes for a Torture Rack, but Tamina gets on
the apron to distract her. Brie Bella pulls Tamina down, and they begin
to brawl on the apron. AJ throws Nikki into Brie. Nikki checks on her
sister, and AJ kicks the ring rope into her throat. AJ then applies the
Black Widow for the win.
Winner by Submission: AJ Lee
Match Rating: 1/2 *
A replay is shown of the Prime Time Players breaking up on last
week’s Smackdown. Titus O’Neil viciously beat Darren Young down after
the end of their tag team match, which O’Neil didn’t even get tagged in
to.
Titus O’Neil is backstage with a microphone, and he introduces Renee
Young, who he claims is dying to interview. Renee says that he attacked
Darren Young out of nowhere, but O’Neil says they tagged for two years.
Young may be “Mr. No Days Off,” but for 731 days, he was off. He asks
Renee if she knows how many titles he could have won in 731 days. O’Neil
says Young has a lot of great qualities… like nice hair, but he’s not
him. He’s got everything – looks, smell, and smile. The only weight
he’ll be carrying going further is WWE championship gold. Renee walks
off, and Young attacks him from behind. Young throws him over some
crates and slams him on the floor. Referees run in to break it up. Young
(Darren, that is) has to be ripped away from him.
-Commercial Break-
Goldust w/ Cody Rhodes vs. Bray Wyatt w/ Luke Harper and Erick Rowan
A pre-taped interview is shown with Goldust and Cody Rhodes. Goldust
says they are desperate. Rhodes did a death-defying moonsault off the
top of the cage on Monday night, but they couldn’t get the titles back.
Tonight, Goldust will take the risk. Rhodes says desperate men do
desperate things.
They circle the ring, and Goldust takes him down with an arm drag.
Goldust taunts him, and Wyatt comes back with some punches. Wyatt whips
him to the corner and goes for a splash, but Goldust moves. Wyatt
immediately arches back and looks at him upside down. Goldust takes a
few steps back as Wyatt laughs at him from that position. Goldust then
drops down, as does Wyatt. They crawl for a bit before trading punches.
Wyatt sends him into the ropes, but he misses a clothesline. Wyatt then
takes him out with a flying forearm. Wyatt uppercuts him and pulls him
out over the apron. Wyatt then stretches Goldust out from ringside.
Wyatt stomps him in the head and drops a head-butt for a two count.
Wyatt then applied a nerve hold. Goldust fights up, and Wyatt knees him
in the midsection. Wyatt sends him to the corner, and Goldust
springboards out with a back elbow.
Goldust clotheslines Wyatt down a few times before uppercutting him.
Goldust punches away at him in the corner. Wyatt reverses a whip into
the corner, but he runs into a boot. Goldust then takes him down with a
flying hurricanrana! Goldust then takes him down with a spinebuster, and
Wyatt rolls out of the ring. Goldust then takes him out with a rolling
senton. Harper and Rowan attack Cody Rhodes outside the ring. This
distracts Goldust, and Wyatt attacks him from behind. Wyatt then hits
him with Sister Abigail for the win.
Winner by Pinfall: Bray Wyatt
Match Rating: *
Rhodes puts himself on top of his brother to protect him from the
Wyatt Family. The Shield appears on the titantron. Dean Ambrose says the
Wyatts called them “bickering children,” which is cute. Ambrose warns
them because they’re talking to the Hounds of Justice. They have a lot
of pride because they are the best unit in this industry. When they get
them in the ring at Elimination Chamber, they’ll own them. Seth Rollins
says they don’t care if they’re monsters or men. They’re not afraid of
them. He’ll scrape the beards off their faces with his boot for costing
them an opportunity in the Elimination Chamber. Roman Reigns says the
Wyatts don’t understand. One of them would have become the WWE World
Heavyweight Champion. Fortunately for them, they know a few methods for
making people understand. Ambrose says it’s time for some justice.
Believe in The Shield! They put their fists together as Wyatt yells at
the screen.
Randy Orton will face Christian, next.
-Commercial Break-
Christian vs. Randy Orton
They circle the ring and lock up before breaking it. They lock up
again, and Orton applies a side headlock. Christian whips him off, but
he soon takes Christian down with a shoulder block. Orton hits the
ropes, and Christian takes him down with a shoulder block. They circle
the ring, and Orton kicks him down before slapping the ribs. Orton kicks
him in the ribs before clubbing at the chest. Orton approaches him, and
Christian pulls him out of the ring. Christian then takes him down with
a baseball slide. Christian goes for a plancha, but Orton avoids it.
Orton throws him back into the ring, and he runs into a back elbow.
Orton charges him, and Christian back body drops him over the top rope.
Christian goes to the top rope, and he takes Orton out with a flying
cross-body to the outside!
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the break to see Christian charge Orton in the
corner. Christian slides out of the ring, sweeps the feet, and goes to
crotch him on the ring post, but Orton powers him face first into the
steel post. Orton picks him up, and he gives him a back suplex onto the
barricade. Orton throws him back into the ring, and he picks up a near
fall. Orton then begins doing the Garvin Stomps. Orton uppercuts him in
the corner before sending him into the corner hard a few times. Orton
stares at the crowd before taunting them. Orton’s back is to Christian
the entire time. Orton approaches Christian, and he eats a right hand.
Christian then runs into a dropkick for a two count. The crowd chants,
“Randy sucks,” and he doesn’t look happy. Orton applies a chin lock, but
Christian fights up and gets out with a back suplex.
They trade punches with Christian coming out on top. Christian hits
the ten punches in the corner before sending him to the opposite corner.
Orton then explodes out with a clothesline. Orton goes for a hanging
DDT, but Christian counters into a hot shot. Christian goes to the top
rope, and he hits a cross-body block for a near fall. Christian goes to
the second rope, and he hits a flying back elbow. Christian gets the
crowd going, and he tries for the Killswitch, but Orton counters into a
powerslam for a near fall. Orton sends him into the ring post shoulder
first, and then he goes for his hanging DDT again, but Christian leaps
over the top rope and uppercuts him. Christian goes to the top rope and
tries for a Frog Splash, but Orton moves. Orton finally hits his hanging
DDT, and he drops down to stalk him for an RKO. Christian counters an
RKO into a backslide for a two count. Christian goes for the Killswitch,
but Orton pushes him off. Christian kicks him in the midsection and
goes for a leaping sunset flip, but Orton counters into an RKO for the
win! That move won Orton the World Heavyweight Championship from
Christian in 2011!
Winner by Pinfall: Randy Orton
Match Rating: ** 1/4
Randy Orton poses in the ring with his WWE World Heavyweight Championship. He’ll face John Cena on RAW.
