Post by Slade on Dec 9, 2020 10:11:56 GMT -5
Date: December 4, 2020
From: TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts
Commentary Team: Michael Cole, Tony Schiavone and Samoa Joe
Ring Announcer: Lillian Garcia
***
The show starts with a close-up of a championship title belt resting on a pedestal, all alone in the ring. Suddenly, “I am a real American” plays throughout The Garden. Hulk Hogan comes out to a huge pop and does his signature pose down. He announces that he has returned to the WWE and will be on Smackdowns every Friday night. He also has a big announcement to make on behalf of Vince McMahon, who has told him that a tournament to crown the inaugural WWE Universal Champion will begin tonight. This will be the biggest tournament in WWE and MUW history. 64 men will compete over the next several weeks for a chance to win the Universal Championship at the Royal Rumble. This is why Hogan is back. He says he’s come here to enter the biggest tournament there has ever been and win the ultimate prize in the WWE. And whatcha gonna do when Hulkamania runs wild all over the Universal Championship title tournament!
We expect Derringer’s “I am a real American” to start up again, but instead it is Dvorak’s “Symphony No. 9 IV”. WALTER and Imperium are here! They walk down to the ring. Hogan sees the writing on the wall and readies himself for a fight, but Imperium stops at the end of the aisle. WALTER continues into the ring. He walks right up to Hogan as he’s hulking up. WALTER doesn’t strike, but he also shows no fear. He stands within arm’s reach of Hogan and stares him in the eye, then he looks at the Universal Championship and right back at Hogan.
They stare intensely at each other for a good 10 seconds or so when Roman Reigns’ music hits and he enters The Garden. He receives a mix of cheers and jeers. He stays up the stage with a microphone in hand and tells them that they are having a pointless argument because that ring is his yard and everything in it belongs to him, including that Universal Championship. After he says this, Alexander Wolfe, Fabian Aichner and Marcel Barthel ambush Hogan. Reigns runs down to come to his aid. Reigns helps Hogan clear the ring and Imperium retreats at the direction of the Ring General.
***
JOHNNY GARGANO vs. EDDIE GUERRERO
A long and exciting match of the year calibre contest opens the evening’s action. This is a first-round bout on the SMACKDOWN bracket in the WWE Universal Championship tournament. There are many near falls and close calls for both men. In the end, Gargano gets Guerrero in the Garga-No-Escape for nearly twenty seconds, but Guerrero flips him over into a pin for two. They get up and Guerrero side steps a superkick, executes a brainbuster and then a frog splash and pins him for the win. (22:37)
Winner: Eddie Guerrero
***
Jonathan Coachman is standing by with the Bella Twins to interview them about what happened at Survivor Series. Nikki Bella claims that she beat Asuka fair and square and she is rightful, uncrowned MUW Women’s World Champion. When asked about her role, Brie Bella denies she was ever in the ring. She says that it is easy to make that mistake since they look so much alike. Nikki did it all on her own and Brie was merely there to come celebrate her sister’s historic victory. Nikki says that she is the best female wrestler in the world and that she could beat Asuka any time, any where, but she probably won’t get the chance because after beating her once, it’s unlikely that Asuka will ever show her face around here again.
***
KEITH LEE vs. ELIAS
Elias is one of a handful of wrestlers who were lucky enough to receive an invitation to have a try-out match and to compete in the WWE Universal Championship tournament. Unfortunately, his first round opponent is “Limitless” Keith Lee, who makes short work of the troubadour. Lee advances to the second round by pinning Elias after giving him the Big Bang Catastrophe. (3:42)
Winner: Keith Lee
***
STEVIE RAY vs. BAM BAM BIGELOW
This first-round WWE Universal Championship tournament match between super heavyweights ends with Bam Bam Bigelow giving Greetings From Asbury Park to the most powerful member of Harlem Heat and pinning him for the win. (8:40)
Winner: Bam Bam Bigelow
***
Jonathan Coachman is standing by with Keith Lee to get some comments from him about his quick and easy win over Elias earlier this evening. Lee says that Elias is an accomplished competitor, so the fact he beat him so easily is proof that the heights to which Lee can reach are truly limitless. Just then, Ted DiBiase walks onto the interview set, pulls out a stack of cash, hands it over to Coachman and says he’s taking over this interview. DiBiase asks Lee why he so flagrantly snubbed an old business associate at Survivor Series while shoving the microphone in his face. Lee gives DiBiase a dirty look, says the interview is over, and walks away.
***
TONI STORM & NIKKI CROSS vs. RUBY RIOT & SARAH LOGAN
Miscommunication on the parts of Toni Storm and Nikki Cross leads to Storm receiving a spinebuster from Sarah Logan and a Riot Kick from Ruby Riot. Nikki Cross looks unhappy about the loss and leaves Storm alone in the ring before Riot and Logan are even announced as the winners. (12:13)
Winners: Ruby Riot & Sarah Logan
***
CHAD GABLE vs. THE MIZ
Gable shows off his technical skills, keeping The Miz down on the mat in the early going. The Miz takes control for a while after drawing Gable into a trap outside the ring. Gable mounts a comeback. With momentum back on his side, The Miz scrambles to survive. Out of desperation, he pulls Gable into a school-boy roll-up and keeps his shoulders pinned to the mat for 3 seconds thanks to a handful of tights. (10:21)
Winner: The Miz
***
Jonathan Coachman interviews The Miz and John Morrison. The Miz talks about how awesome his win over Chad Gable was. John Morrison says it was super awesome and that short little turd-sniffer had no chance. Jason Jordan walks in and says that he’s going to make Morrison eat his words next week when they meet in their opening round match. Morrison promises to take Jordan to slam town.
***
HULK HOGAN & ROMAN REIGNS vs. FABIAN AICHNER & MARCEL BARTHEL
After Roman Reigns hits Fabian Aichner with a drive-by, Alexander Wolfe gives him a clothesline and throws him into the barricade. When Reigns recovers, he decides to brawl with Wolfe, leaving Hogan at a 2-on-1 disadvantage. Reigns gives Wolfe a spear, but he gets run over by the big boot of WALTER, who then pulls Reigns’ vest off and breaks the skin on his chest with his wicked chops. WALTER finishes his attack on Reigns with a powerbomb through the announce table. Meanwhile, Hogan fights back and conquers his foes with the big boot, bodyslam and running leg drop to Barthel for the win. After the match, Imperium tries to get revenge on Hogan, but he dumps Aichner over the top rope with a clothesline and gives Wolfe the same series of moves he used to put Barthel down on the mat for a count of three. WALTER stands on the ring apron and stares at Hogan but declines to engage with him. He gets down from the apron and slowly backs away, keeping his eyes on him the entire time. (8:57)
Winners: Hulk Hogan & Roman Reigns
***