Post by Slade on Jan 18, 2021 14:15:10 GMT -5
Date: January 8, 2021
From: Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Commentary Team: Michael Cole, Paul Heyman and Booker T
Ring Announcer: Lillian Garcia
***
At the start of the show, JBL arrives in his limo with “The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase, “Glorious” Bobby Roode, and “Cowboy” James Storm. The four men cut a promo discussing their corporate merger. DiBiase says that their combined riches makes them the most formidable group in all of wrestling. Their combined millions makes this a Billion Dollar Corporation. Their power, athletic prowess, and deep pockets will get them all the championships in the company. It is bound to happen because “Everybody has a price for the Billion Dollar Corporation.”
AJ STYLES vs. JOHN BRADSHAW LAYFIELD
AJ Styles was at a disadvantage almost from the start. Ted DiBiase joined the commentary team while Bobby Roode and James Storm remained at ringside. They were always doing things to stop Styles from getting any moment after he countered a move from JBL. It looked almost hopeless for Styles. However, when JBL went for the Clothesline From Wall Street, Styles did a somersault evasion and then a Pelé kick. He knocked Roode and Storm off the ring apron with dropkicks and started a comeback on JBL. It continued until he hit a Phenomenal Forearm and made the pin. JBL barely kicked out. Then Roode climbed onto the ring apron again, but he was brought down to the floor and hit with a discus elbow by Dominik Dijakovic. Dijakovic and Storm brawled outside the ring. DiBiase got up from the commentary table and tried to interfere on JBL’s behalf but Styles fought him off. Styles turned around to find JBL in full stride but then he was launched half way across the ring by a pouncing Keith Lee. When JBL started to get up, Styles took him down with a headscissors and transitioned to the Calf Crusher, which he held on long enough to earn the submission win. (15:25)
Winner: AJ Styles
***
EDDIE GUERRERO vs. ADAM PAGE
After giving Adam Page the Three Amigos, Eddie Guerrero climbed up to the top turnbuckle and went for the frog splash. Page moved and Guerrero hit the canvas. They both got up at the same time. Guerrero charged at Page but got a superkick for his troubles. Page grabbed Guerrero and gave him a German suplex and then rolled out to the ring apron. He went for the Buckshot Lariat but Guerrero stopped him in his tracks with a dropkick. He followed that up with a hurricanrana and then a brainbuster. After that, Guerrero went back up top and this time he hit the frog splash to secure the victory. (18:03)
Winner: Eddie Guerrero
***
After the commercial break, Jonathan Coachman started a post-match interview backstage with Eddie Guerrero. The interview was interrupted by the Billion Dollar Corporation. They demanded he turn over his interview time to them. He refused, so they roughed him up. This culminated with JBL putting Guerrero through a nearby catering table with a JBL Bomb. JBL said that AJ Styles didn’t deserve that win. He claimed he was fraud and he said that if there was even a decent bone in his body, he’d forfeit the win. Everyone bemoaned the interference of Keith Lee and Dominik Dijakovic, with Bobby Roode and James Storm challenging them to a tag team match next week. DiBiase had a piece of advice for the rest of the Smackdown roster: cooperation was less costly than insubordination. You don’t want to get on the bad side of the Billion Dollar Corporation or else you’ll end up in ruin just like Eddie Guerrero over there.
***
AMERICAN ALPHA vs. THE HEADBANGERS
This was a showcase match for Chad Gable and Jason Jordan. The result was never really in doubt. They executed the Tech Fall on Mosh and pinned him. Thrasher broke up the fall. They tossed him from the ring and then gave Mosh the Grand Amplitude for the win. (4:58)
Winners: American Alpha
***
NIKKI CROSS & TONI STORM vs. THE BELLA TWINS
Nikki Cross tackled Brie Bella with a Lou Thesz press and slammed her head into the canvas several times. She ran over and knocked Nikki Bella off the apron with a forearm shot to the face. She picked up Brie and went for an Irish whip, but Brie reversed it and Cross collided with her partner, Toni Storm, knocking her off the ring apron. Cross took her attention off Brie for a moment to look at her partner, which proved to be a fatal mistake. When she turned back to face Brie, she received a Bellabuster. Brie tagged in her sister, who gave Cross the Rack Attack and pinned her for the win. Storm came into the ring afterwards and added insult to injury by giving Cross a short-arm lariat followed by Storm Zero. (11:07)
Winners: The Bella Twins
***
Jonathan Coachman found Toni Storm backstage and asked her why she attacked Nikki Cross after their tag team match. Storm said that Cross was utterly useless. She’s partnered with her three times now, and every time they lose because Cross hits her, supposedly by accident. Storm decided to show her how it is done, and mark her words, that was no accident. It was deliberate and she has no regrets about dumping that that incompetent nutjob on her ass.
Storm walks away, but then Nikki and Brie Bella come over and brag about there win. Nikki mades a point of reminding Coach that she is the rightful Mash-Up Wrestling Women’s World Champion, and told us not to forget how she defeated Asuka at Survivor Series only to have the results unjustly overturned. Asuka has yet to show that she can beat Nikki, and until she does, no one can say that she’s the real World Champion. If Asuka wants to do something about it, she knows where to find the real World Champion.
***
JOHN CENA vs. JOHN MORRISON
After John Cena executed a spin-out powerbomb on John Morrison, he gave him the Five-Knuckle Shuffle and covered him for a 2-count. Cena stood poised to lift Morrison on his shoulders. As he waited for Morrison to get up, The Miz, who joined the commentary table got up and jumped on the ring apron. Morrison fought his way down from Cena’s shoulders but was then dropped to the mat with a drop toehold and placed in the STF. Morrison tapped out but the referee wasn’t in position to see it. Cena got up, went over and knocked The Miz off the ring apron with a right hand. When Morrison got up, Cena lifted him onto his shoulders and executed the Attitude Adjustment, and covered him for the win. (13:19)
Following the match, Imperium entered the arena and marched down to the ring. WALTER climbed in. He didn’t attack. Cena was ready. WALTER approached him and stopped about two feet short of him, then posed with his hands clasped behind his back while starring directly at Cena. These two are on a collision course for the quarterfinals next week.
Winner: John Cena
***
Jonathan Coachman interviewed Hulk Hogan, who told the Coach that two weeks ago, things didn’t go as planned for his team on Christmas Day. It was a sad day for all the Hulkamaniacs as Imperium found a way to get the better of the amazing team he put together. Nevertheless, there’s no time to get down on what happened. Hogan doesn’t think that will be end of things with Imperium. They still haven’t got their comeuppance for what they did to Roman Reigns and someday, somehow, he’s going to make sure they do. However, in the meantime, Hogan has a match in the WWE Universal Championship tournament tonight and a huge opponent in Bam Bam Bigelow to worry about. Well, brother, the Beast From the East is one mean customer, but the Hulkster’s 24-inch pythons are ready to take that Beast to it’s limit and move one step closer to bringing all the Hulkamaniacs a late Christmas present when Hulk Hogan wins the WWE Universal Championship at the Royal Rumble.
***
HULK HOGAN vs. BAM BAM BIGELOW
Hogan and Bigelow started with a test of strength that was eventually won by the Hulkster. He had the upper hand early on. Bigelow managed to counter an Irish whip attempt and knock Hogan out of the ring with a clothesline. He took the fight to Hogan outside the ring, but the Hulkster got the upper hand. However, after bringing the fight back into the ring, Bigelow was whipped into the corner and moved to avoid a running shoulder block. Hogan’s shoulder hit the turnbuckle post and Bigelow focused his attack in his upper body. The Beast From the East looked to finish off Hogan with a diving headbutt off the top rope. Hogan sat up to avoid it and then began to Hulk up. He mounted a big comeback that culminated with the big boot, a big bodyslam, and the running leg drop. Hogan got the win and and did an all-American pose down for the fans as the show came to an end. (9:26)
Winners: Hulk Hogan
***