April 14, 2014
Birmingham, AL
Rest in Peace Ultimate Warrior. A video package is played highlighting Warrior’s career, and all the Superstars and Divas gather on the stage. Jerry Lawler announces that the ring bell will be rung ten times in honor of the Warrior. And the Superstars and Divas join in in a Warrior chant.
Intercontinental Title Tournament Match:
Rob Van Dam vs. Alberto Del Rio
Del Rio takes it to RVD as the bell rings with kicks. Van Dam reverses a whip to the corner and manages a monkey flip, a heel kick and a springboard cross body from the second before clotheslining Del Rio out to the floor. Del Rio sends RVD into the corner and catches him with a running enzuiguiri. Del Rio hits a suplex and rolls over for the 2-count. Del Rio slides out to the floor and kicks Van Dam’s head off the apron. Back inside, and Van Dam back drops Del Rio back to the floor and catches him with a baseball slide. Van Dam tries a springboard moonsault, but Del Rio moves out of the way and clotheslines Van Dam. Del Rio tosses Van Dam into the barricade as we head to commercial.
Back from break, and RVD is mid-Rolling Thunder. Del Rio catches RVD off-guard with a thrust kick and a DDT. Del Rio sets up RVD for a slingshot to the corner, but RVD lands on his feet and misses a thrust kick. RVD tries one more time and catches him, setting up for the split-legged moonsault. Del Rio gets his knees up and hits the Back Stabber for a 2-count. Del Rio heads to the top and Van Dam nails him in the face on the way down with a spinning heel kick. RVD heads to the top, but Del Rio is up and trips up Van Dam. RVD’s perched on the top rope, and Del Rio hits the running enzuiguiri again for a near-fall.
Del Rio gets frustrated he can’t put RVD away and signals for the Cross Armbreaker. Van Dam counters into a rollup, but Del Rio kicks out. Del Rio heads to the top and Van Dam trips him up and hits the 5-Star Frog Splash for the win.
WINNER: Rob Van Dam
A highlight of Ultimate Warrior’s win over The Honky Tonk Man at Summerslam ’88, effectively ending the reign of the longest Intercontinental Champion, is shown.
Backstage, The Authority is with Randy Orton and Batista. Triple H says he knows they each want to be WWE World Champion, but Daniel Bryan’s not here tonight. They have a bigger problem on their hands, The Shield. And if they’re prepared to attack him based on principle, they won’t have any problems not letting Orton or Batista near Bryan. He says The Shield reminds him a lot of Evolution and he doesn’t know if anyone can stop them. Stephanie says she does, and it’s Orton and Batista. Batista says all he wants is to be champion. Orton agrees and they say it’s Triple H’s problem, not theirs.
Rybaxel vs. The Rhodes Brothers
Curtis Axel and Goldust start this off. They trade offense briefly until Goldust catches Axel off the ropes with an atomic drop. Cody tags in and they utilize the 5-count for a quick double team. Cody drops Axel with a frontface slam and rolls him up. Cody starts to work Axel’s arm and makes another quick tag. Goldust snapmares Axel and drops an elbow. Axel finds an opening and sends Goldust into the ropes, but Goldust drops down for the uppercut. Axel clotheslines Goldust and stomps away before finally making the tag.
Ryback whips Axel into the ropes and into Goldust. Ryback is right behind him with a splash. Ryback chokes Goldust in the ropes and slams him. Ryback heads to the second rope and makes the tag. Ryback hits a splash from the second and Axel follows up with a double axe handle. Axel rams Goldust into the turnbuckle and tags Ryback back in. Ryback slows things down with a reverse chinlock, and Goldust has to fight back to his feet. Ryback slams Goldust back to the mat and tightens up the hold. Goldust fights back to his feet, but Ryback sends him to the corner. Goldust hits a back elbow off the second turnbuckle and both men are down.
Goldust makes a tag, and Cody hangs Ryback off the top rope. Ryback tries to scoop up Cody, but he counters and drops down for an uppercut. Cody takes Axel off the apron and heads to the top for a moonsault onto Ryback. Ryback rolls out to the floor, and Cody hits a big move off the top onto Ryback. Cody hits Ryback with a springboard missile dropkick on his way back into the ring. Axel comes back in and sends Goldust out to the floor. Cody hits the Disaster Kick on Axel. He tries to hit one on Ryback but gets nailed with a Meathook Clothesline on the way down for the 1-2-3.
WINNERS: Rybaxel
Paige vs. Alicia Fox
These two tie up, end up in the ropes, and the referee has to split them up. Alicia tries a cheap shot and shoves Paige. Paige gets heated and starts to rip at Fox’s hair and slams her. Fox reverses an Irish Whip and takes down Paige with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Fox scoops her up for one more and a third. Paige has to roll out to the floor, and Alicia pulls her back in by the hair. Alicia hits a northern lights suplex and bridges for the pin, but Paige kicks out. Fox applies a reverse chinlock and thrashes Paige around before slamming her. Fox continues to toy with the crowd and pulls Paige up by the hair and connects on a forearm. Paige nails Fox with a superkick out of the corner. Paige starts to battle and takes down Fox with a series of clotheslines and a dropkick. Paige slaps on a Scorpion Crosslock, and Alicia Fox has to tap.
WINNER: Paige
The Usos vs. Randy Orton and Batista
I think it should be noted that The Usos are wearing some sweet Ultimate Warrior face paint. The bell rings and the Usos attack Orton and Batista, sending them out to the floor for a pair of suicide dives over the top. Orton and Batista regroup and Orton will start this off with Jimmy. Orton sends Uso to the corner, and Uso slides out and tags in Jey. Jey catches Orton with a flying elbow off the double team. They trade a few blows, and Orton catches Uso with a backbreaker. Batista tags in and they utilize the 5-count. Batista ties up Uso in the ropes and starts to work his back. Batista hits a suplex on Uso. Batista drags Uso to the corner and tags Orton back in. Orton stomps Uso and pulls him to his feet. Uso starts to mount a comeback, but Orton takes him down again and tags Batista back in.
Batista ducks his head, and Uso catches him with a kick. Uso heads for the ropes and Batista catches him with a spinebuster. Uso counters a whip and hits a Samoan Drop. Orton comes in to break up the pin and takes Jimmy off the apron. Orton slams Uso into the announce table and here comes the Shield! Roman Reigns launches Orton into the barricade, and The Shield surrounds Batista in the ring. Rollins makes the first move and gets taken out. Ambrose does the same, and Reigns nails Batista with a Superman Punch as The Shield stand tall in the ring.
WINNERS: No Contest
The highlights of Ultimate Warrior beating Hulk Hogan for the WWE Championship at Wrestlemania VI are shown.
Backstage, Orton and Batista run into Triple H, who just says, “I told you,” and walks off.
Paul Heyman comes out and says he knows everyone will think he will drive home the point of his client Brock Lesnar breaking The Streak. He repeats himself that Brock Lesnar defeated The Streak. He repeats himself again, and again and shows images of Undertaker’s loss at Wrestlemania. When Brock Lesnar’s advocate speaks we must listen, especially when he anoints someone knew to be the next top-tier talent. And he brings out Cesaro.
Intercontinental Title Tournament Match:
Mark Henry vs. Cesaro w/ Paul Heyman
They tie up and Henry forces Cesaro back to the turnbuckle. Cesaro walks up the turnbuckle and tries to push off, but Henry throws him down. Cesaro tries to lock up with Henry again, but Henry throws him over the top rope. Heyman pulls Cesaro off to the side for some coaching. Cesaro regroups and climbs back into the ring and catches Henry with a series of uppercuts, backing him to the corner. Henry shoves Cesaro off, but Cesaro fires back with a running uppercut. Henry shoves him off again, and Cesaro comes right back with another running forearm. Henry shoves him off again and nails Cesaro with a running clothesline.
Henry’s visibly dazed and stumbles over to Cesaro, who drops Henry across the top rope. Henry scoops up Cesaro for a World’s Strongest Slam, but Cesaro lands on his feet and takes Henry down with an uppercut off the second rope. Cesaro lifts Henry for the Neutralizer and gets the 3-count!
WINNER: Cesaro
Backstage, Triple H and Stephanie tell Brad Maddox to find The Shield to tell them they’ll be in the Main Event tonight.
Alexander Rusev vs. Xavier Woods
Rusev blocks a kick from Woods and backs him into the corner for a series of kicks. Rusev levels Woods with a big kick. Rusev hits a spinning sideslam, and Woods has to tap out to the Accolade. R-Truth runs in and attacks Rusev, and Lana has to separate them. Truth goes to Woods’s aid and Rusev takes him out with another big kick.
WINNER: Alexander Rusev
Another video package of Ultimate Warrior, this time defeating Rick Rude at Summerslam ’90 inside a steel cage for the WWE Championship, is shown.
Intercontinental Title Tournament Match:
Jack Swagger vs. Sheamus
Swagger unloads several knees on Sheamus in the corner. Sheamus manages to duck a clothesline and turn things around on Swagger. Sheamus takes down Swagger with a couple of clotheslines and sends him out to the floor. Sheamus tries for the clubbing forearms, but Zeb Colter gets up on the apron for the distraction. Sheamus dives off the apron, and Swagger catches him with a belly-to-belly suplex on the floor. Swagger applies a double chicken wing, and Sheamus has to battle to his feet. Swagger forces Sheamus into the ropes and connects on another belly-to-belly suplex. Swagger chokes Sheamus in the ropes and hits a short-arm clothesline.
Swagger goes back to the submission, and once again Sheamus battles to his feet. Sheamus comes off the ropes with a big clothesline, and both men are down now. Sheamus starts to rally with some more clotheslines and hits a tackle in the corner, followed by a running knee lift. Sheamus hits another in the corner. Sheamus snapmares Swagger over, kicks him hard in the back and drops a knee.
Sheamus finally gets the 10 Beats of the Bowery, and Swagger’s hung up in the ropes. Sheamus hits the Battering Ram off the top, and Swagger kicks out. Swagger backdrops Sheamus onto the apron. Sheamus springboards into the ring, and Swagger sidesteps and slaps on the Patriot Lock. Sheamus manages to kick Swagger off and hobbles to his feet. Swagger tackles Sheamus, sending him out to the floor. Swagger charges Sheamus, smashing in to Sheamus’s leg. Swagger sends Sheamus into the steel steps. Sheamus rolls back inside and Swagger charges again, but Sheamus hits a Brogue Kick out of nowhere for the win.
WINNER: Sheamus
Damien Sandow is in the ring and says regardless of how anybody feels about him, he’s the most deserving person in the WWE. The Big Show’s music hits, and Sandow keeps talking, saying he won’t be silenced. Show gets to the ring, and Sandow tells him to keep his thoughts to himself. He says when he comes out everyone should beg to touch him because he deserves it and he’s earned it. Sandow asks Big Show what he has to say about it. Sandow pokes Show in the chest and says Big Show knows he’s telling the truth. He says when Show looks at him, he sees a future champion and the future of the WWE and greatness. Big Show rears back and knocks out Sandow.
The Wyatts come out to the ring. Bray says society has become this vile, putrid thing. People do as they’re told so says the man. They see what they want them to see, and they feel whatever they want them to feel. He’s different. We see a black canvas, and he sees a beautiful painting. We hear silence, and he hears a symphony. He has a thousand faces and a million names: seducer, accuser, and destroyer. He has never once lied to the people. But we know who has. John Cena has made a career out of lying to everyone. He earns the trust, hidden behind his porcelain smile. He is no man. He is beast. Bray won’t let him do this to us anymore. He has Cena up against the ropes, on the edge. All he needs is that last little push. Abigail shall be his sword through the crusade, but he doesn’t wish to slay the monster, not yet. Right now, he just wants to come out and play. He calls out Cena.
John Cena makes his way out. Cena says the last thing he needs is another push because no one wants to see that. He wants to have some fun. The Wyatts always come out, looking so serious. Why so serious? Cena says the monster Wyatt wants to see doesn’t exist, and he wants to have some fun. He says if he could get the Wyatts to happy hour, they’d be the life of the party. Cena says he wanted to know if Sister Abigail was even real. So he did some research and found her on MySpace. He shows the picture and it’s Bray Wyatt dressed like an old lady. Then he found Bray Wyatt’s mom on Tinder, and it’s Luke Harper dressed like another old lady. But there’s a new member born one month ago, so he called TMZ to get the first photos, and it’s Erick Rowan superimposed on a baby’s body.
Wyatt says Cena only knows how to make jokes. Cena says if he wants Cena, Wyatt should know what it’s like when Cena gets serious; Bray Wyatt gets beat. He tells Wyatt to be careful what he wishes for, because he’s got it. He says he’s going to force Wyatt to do something he has yet to do since debuting in WWE. Cena says at Extreme Rules he wants Wyatt inside a steel cage. Wyatt laughs and says he likes it. He says John doesn’t even know it, but they’ve been playing catch with knives and sooner or later one of them will get stuck. How can John be sure it won’t be him? He says this is his world and it belongs to him. He’s got the whole world in his hands.
Santino and Emma vs. Fandango and Layla
Santino and Fandango start this off. Some brief back and forth action leads to a take down by Fandango. Santino kips up and takes down Fandango with a hip toss. Santino pulls out the Cobra, but Layla gets the tag. Emma runs in and takes down Layla. Emma slaps on the Dill-Emma. Santino takes Fandango off the apron, and Emma gets distracted and taken off the second rope by Layla. Layla picks up the 3-count.
WINNERS: Fandango and Layla
Backstage, Stephanie is talking to Kane about his work as of late. She says she thought they chose a man who could lead and take charge as Director of Operations. She says when they took a leave of absence he couldn’t take care of business or handle Daniel Bryan. Kane tries to butt in, but she yells at him to shut up. She wants to know what happened to the Devil’s Favorite Demon. Kane stands up abruptly and sees his mask sitting in a case on a table. He takes it out of the case and says he’s going to eviscerate Daniel Bryan and send him to the depths of Hell.
Intercontinental Championship Tournament Match:
Dolph Ziggler vs. Bad News Barrett
Ziggler tries a waistlock take down. Barrett makes it back to his feet and throws an elbow and misses. Ziggler slides out to the floor to regroup. Ziggler comes back in, and Barrett starts to take over. Barrett hits a suplex and hits a knee drop. He tries one more, and Ziggler rolls out of the way. Ziggler applies a side headlock, but Barrett backs him into the corner and kicks him hard in the gut. Barrett chokes Ziggler in the ropes. Ziggler starts to rally with several right hands. Barrett reverses a whip. Ziggler hits a big dropkick and clotheslines Barrett over the top, and they both go to the floor. They start to trade right hands on the floor and Barrett sends Ziggler headfirst into the ring post as we head to commercial.
Back from break, and Barrett retains control with a reverse chinlock. Ziggler battles out of the hold, but Barrett whips him to the corner. Barrett charges, and Ziggler moves out of the way as Barrett charges into the ring post. Barrett misses on a running clothesline, and Ziggler hits a cross body. Ziggler heads to the second for mounted punches on Barrett and follows up with a neckbreaker. Ziggler misses the Fame-Asser and runs into the Wasteland. Ziggler barely kicks out just before the 3.
Barrett tries a pump handle slam. Ziggler counters and hits the Fame-Asser, but Barrett is able to kick out at 2. Ziggler dives and misses in the corner. Barrett hops to the second rope, but Ziggler is up and catches Barrett. Barrett counters the superplex and knocks Ziggler off the ropes. Ziggler hops back up and hits a facebuster off the top rope for a near-fall. Ziggler tries a Zig-Zag, but Barrett hooks the ropes and hits the Winds of Change for another near-fall. Dolph ducks the Bull Hammer and tries a roll up. Barrett kicks out, and Ziggler tries a DDT. Barrett throws him off and nails the Bull Hammer for the win.
WINNER: Bad News Barrett
Barrett says he’s got some bad news. He is your next Intercontinental Champion.
The Shield comes down for their match against the mystery opponents. Alberto Del Rio’s music plays, followed by Jack Swagger, Fandango, 3MB, Titus O’Neil, Rybaxel, Alexander Rusev, and Bad News Barrett.
Heath Slater has the unfortunate opportunity to start this off with Seth Rollins. Rollins pulls Slater into his corner and tags in Ambrose. Ambrose comes in, makes quick of Slater and tags in Reigns. Reigns inflicts more damage and tags Rollins in. Slater gets a right in before Rollins regains control. Rollins tries a cover, but Barrett comes in to break it up and finally get Rollins in their corner. Drey McIntyre tags in and unloads before tagging in Titus. Titus manhandles Rollins and tags in Rusev. Rusev drops a series of elbows and delivers a big headbutt. Swagger gets the tag and they continue to isolate Rollins. Ryback gets a tag and presses Rollins, dropping him into a powerslam before tossing him out to the floor.
Ryback follows him out to the floor, and here comes Roman Reigns for a Spear to Ryback! All hell starts breaking loose on the floor and Rollins divers over the top onto everybody! The Shield stands tall in the ring, but here comes everyone one more time.
The numbers finally start to overcome The Shield, and here comes Orton and Batista and Triple H out to Evolution’s theme song. Triple H orders everyone out of the ring. Rollins tries to get to his feet, but Orton trips him and they start to tear him apart. Reigns gets to his feet and starts fighting, but Orton takes him out with an RKO and Batista hits him with a Batista Bomb. Orton holds up Rollins for Triple H, who unloads several right hands. Batista sends Rollins into Orton for an RKO. Batista scoops up Rollins one more time, and here comes Ambrose. But they make quick work of Ambrose as Batista hits Rollins with a Batista Bomb. Orton and Batista take out Ambrose with the Batista Bomb/RKO. Reigns tries to crawl to Triple H, and Triple H just taunts him. Orton and Batista hold up Reigns. Triple H says, “Believe in Evolution,” and Pedigrees Reigns. Evolution stands tall to end this week’s RAW.
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