Post by Slade on Jan 15, 2021 11:19:02 GMT -5
Date: January 11, 2021
From: T-Mobile Center, Kansas City, Missouri
Commentary Team: Michael Cole, Jim Cornette, and Rowdy Roddy Piper
Ring Announcer: Lillian Garcia
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THE HART FOUNDATION vs. PROUD & POWERFUL
The Hitman tagged out to The Anvil after he was getting worked over for several minutes and he went on a tear, flattening both Santana and Ortiz with ease. After giving Ortiz a spinebuster, he gave Santana an Anvil Flattener and then pitched him out of the ring. He picked up Santana, tagged in The Hitman, and together they gave him the Hart Attack. The Hitman made the cover and got the win. (11:14)
Winners: The Hart Foundation
After the match had ended, Samoa Joe knocked Neidhart down from behind and then clotheslined Hart. He peppered Neidhart with jabs and clotheslined him over the top rope. Hart attacked him and got a few shots in but Joe gave him a CCS enzuigiri kick followed by a running senton and the Coquina Clutch. After pulling Hart down to the mat, Joe released the hold and stood his ground ready to fight as Brian Pillman came to the ring. They had a stand off while Neidhart pulled Hart out of the ring. He called on Pillman to help him out, so he left without mixing it up with the Samoan Submission Machine, who begged him to try.
***
Following the commercial break, Jonathan Coachman caught up with Mash-Up Wrestling Men’s World Champion Samoa Joe backstage to ask him why he attacked Bret Hart. Joe said that everyone knows The Hitman is his challenger at Royal Rumble but denies that was his motivation. Instead, he said that it was payback for Hart inserting himself into last week’s main event and, therefore, tainting his victory over Chris Jericho. Joe claimed he could handle the Inner Circle by himself; he didn’t need anyone’s help to get that win. Sticking his nose in Joe’s business and costing him a clean win is akin to taking a shot at the Samoan Submission Machine’s reputation, and he won’t stand for it. At the Royal Rumble, Joe promises to restore his reputation and ruin Hart’s by making him tap out clean in the center of the ring.
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ANGEL GARZA vs. ANDRADE CIEN ALMAS
Zelina Vega was on commentary for most of this match. When asked about whether she had a favourite in this match, she went to great lengths to deny that she did. After Garza ripped his pants away and threw them at Almas, he gave Almas a superkick, followed by a backstabber, and then a springboard moonsault. Almas managed to kick out of the fall. While this was happening, Vega got mad, so she was pushed by Rowdy Roddy Piper on the matter. She said that it was okay for him to do that to anyone who wasn’t one of her clients. When Garza started climbing the turnbuckle, Vega got up from the commentary table and climbed onto the ring apron. She demanded that Garza get down. Garza thought that was ridiculous. As they argued over it, Almas recovered. He ran to the corner, jumped up and took Garza off the turnbuckle with a superrana! After that, he hit Garza with a spinning heel kick and then gave him La Sombra for the win.
When the match ended, Vega congratulated Almas and helped him celebrate his win. Almas wanted to shake Garza’s hand afterwards, but he refused and told Vega that he was through with her. After he turned his back, Vega directed Almas to attack Garza. He did as he was told, giving him a few running double-knee strikes in the corner, leaving him knocked out cold in the ring. (15:28)
Winner: Andrade Cien Almas
***
Jonathan Coachman interviewed Chris Jericho in advance of his match against Owen Hart. Jericho said he loathed the Harts and could think of nothing better than to show their cowardly leader what he thinks of him by taking out his hated and frustrations on his stupid brother Owen, the biggest Nugget that old, decrepid Stu Hart ever dropped. Jericho guaranteed that he would defeat Owen Hart, making him 2-for-2 against the Hart Family. He also said that Jake Hager is busy getting ready for his match and he was a lock to advance, knocking that idiot Davey Boy Smith out of the WWE Universal Championship tournament. The Hart Foundation might have won the first battle, but the next two would go to the inevitable victors of the war – the Inner Circle!
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RED VELVET vs. TENILLE DASHWOOD
Tenille Dashwood executed a diving crossbody on Red Velvet. After she got up, she waited for Red Velvet to get to her feet and gave her the Spotlight Kick before pinning her for the win. Dashwood was joined in the ring by the IIconics to celebrate her victory. (6:35)
Winner: Tenille Dashwood
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DAVEY BOY SMITH vs. JAKE HAGER
Davey Boy Smith was joined at ringside by Brian Pillman and Jake Hager was joined at ringside by Sammy Guevara. Pillman and Guevara were quite vocal throughout the match and got into shouting matches with one another from time-to-time. After Smith executed a hanging vertical suplex, he picked up Hager and gave him a running powerbomb. Hager kicked out of the pinfall attempt, but Guevara ran over and looked like he was going to put Hager’s foot on the bottom rope, which got Pillman to run around the ring and hit Guevara with a clothesline. The referee demanded Pillman and Guevara leave ringside. They broke out into a brawl near on the entrance stage when Guevara jumped Pillman from behind. Back in the ring, Hager slipped free from a running powerslam attempt and hit a stiff lariat. He put Smith in an ankle lock. He tried to kick free, but Smith was took short for his feet to get at Hager’s head, so he bent both knees, drawking Hager in and pushed him away. Hager hit the turnbuckle and Smith charged at him. Hager moved and Smith took the brunt force of the top turnbuckle to the sternum. After he fell to the mat, Hager ran over and executed a Hager Bomb. He hooked both legs with a lateral press and got the 3-count. (12:38)
Winner: Jake Hager
***
Jonathan Coachman had a backstage interview with Bayley to get her response on Ember Moon’s comments from last week. Bayley said that Moon was understandably upset about losing to her two weeks ago, but that she needed to move past that. She said that there’s no shame in losing to the best wrestler in the world today. There’s only shame in being jealous that you can’t be the best wrestler in the world today, and jealous is exactly what Moon is. She’s jealous that she never will be as good as the Golden Role Model. As for the matter of a rematch, Bayley would do it if she thought Moon could give her anything resembling a challenger, but she can’t, so she’s not interested.
***
DANIEL BRYAN vs. LUKE HARPER
Daniel Bryan put Luke Harper in the Yes! Lock, but Harper refused to tap out. Much to his credit, he managed to turn his body enough to get a toe on the bottom rope, forcing a rope break. Bryan kept up the pressure, but a running big boot, fallaway slam and chokeslam were enough to put Harper in the driver’s seat. He nearly picked up the win off a sit-out powerbomb, but Bryan kicked out. After that, he set Bryan in his crosshairs and went for a discus lariat, but Bryan ducked and ran out of the way. He immediately turned back around and ran at Harper, knocking him out with a running flying knee to get the win. (13:50)
Winner: Daniel Bryan
***
Jonathan Coachman caught up with Bret “The Hitman” Hart backstage to get comments about what happened to him earlier in the evening at the hands of Samoa Joe. Hart was incensed. He said he thought Joe was a man of integrity and dignity, but it turns out his character is almost as lacking as that of Chris Jericho. Hart says that nothing he did last week can be taken as an affront to Joe. He was simply doing what needed to be done to make sure that a man who didn’t earn a shot at the World Champion – like he had – would get the same opportunity as himself. Hart reminded us that he won the Casino Battle Royal fair and square, so he deserves to face the champion one-on-one, not one-on-two after some pathetic low-life cheater weasels his way into the match. At the Royal Rumble, The Hitman is going to get Samoa Joe one-on-one and become the next MUW Men’s World Champion because he’s the best there is, the best there was, and the best there ever will be!
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OWEN HART vs. CHRIS JERICHO
Chris Jericho executed a one-handed bulldog and then went for a lionsault, but Owen Hart put his knees up to block it. When they got up, Hart gave Jericho a leg-feed enzuigiri kick and pinned him for a 2-count. After that, he signalled that the match was ending. Hart picked up Jericho and gave him a sit-out piledriver. Jericho appeared to be out cold. Hart covered but Jericho got a shoulder up just in the nick of time. Jericho shouted at the referee that he couldn’t get up, that he couldn’t feel his legs. The referee backed Hart away and checked on Jericho. Santana and Ortiz, who were at ringside, jumped in the ring to assist with the referee. Hart approached and complained to let him finish the match but was again directed to back off. EMTs were called out to the ring. After the ring was full and Hart was leaning on the ropes and looking out at the audience, Jericho sat up and pushed the EMTs aside. He stood behind Hart and then got his attention by calling him an obscene name. Upon turning around, Hart received the Judas Effect. Jericho yelled at the referee to do his job. Reluctantly, he got down and pounded his fist on the mat three times. (9:53)
Winner: Chris Jericho
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