Post by Slade on Mar 28, 2021 5:15:08 GMT -5
Date: March 8, 2021
From: Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta
Commentary Team: Michael Cole and Tony Schiavone
Ring Announcer: Howard Finkel
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The show began with the Inner Circle taking over the ring. Embroiled in a long, bitter feud with the hometown heroes, the Hart Foundation, Chris Jericho and his crew received more than an earful of jeers and insults before even making it to the ring. They had nuclear heat. The fans only cheered when Jericho complained about Bret Hart ruining his life and his chance to win the WWE Universal Championship in his hometown. Jericho got under the crowd’s skin once again by claiming Winnipeg is a million times better than Calgary, citing how the Jets are in first place in their division and the Flames are in the basement, and reminding everyone that the Blue Bombers routed the Stampeders on their way to winning the last CFL Grey Cup game in Calgary! Winnipegers have always been better than Calgarians and that’s why tonight, Le Champion is going to beat The Anvil and advance to the second round of the Intercontinental Championship tournament, and The Hitman is going to lose to Country-Strong Jake Hager to making a pathetic first round exit.
HARLEM HEAT vs. THE WYATT FAMILY : This match was a hard hitting affair full of big power maneuvers. It also featured a few extended brawl sequences outside the ring, including a late-match brawl that saw Bray Wyatt knocked over from his rocking chair as Erick Rowan was whipped into him. After that, Booker T and Stevie Ray showed their power by giving the very big Erick Rowan a double vertical suplex on the entrance ramp. Luke Harper took Booker T down with a topé suicida while Bray Wyatt attacked Stevie Ray. The arena lights went out and when they came back on, The Undertaker was standing in the ring. He did a topé suicida over the top rope to take out the entire Wyatt Family. With The Undertaker dishing out punishment to Bray Wyatt, Harper and Rowan took Stevie Ray back into the ring to give him a double crucifix bomb. Booker T went to the top rope and gave Rowan a missile dropkick, thus freeing Stevie Ray from the crucifix. Moments later, Stevie Ray and Booker T executed the Towering Inferno on Harper and pinned him for the win. (15:11) -- Winners: Harlem Heat
A pre-taped interview, conducted via satellite feed, aired of Mean Gene Okerlund speaking to “Limitless” Kieth Lee. Footage of his horrific ride on an ambulance stretcher off the side of the entrance stage at Elimination Chamber was aired. Lee was at home nursing his injuries. He admitted that he did not have clearance to travel, let alone get in the ring. He desperately wanted to get back to training and vowed that as soon as he was cleared to get back in the ring, the results would be catastrophic for Mark Henry.
BIFF WELLINGTON vs. TRIPLE H : Triple H executed the Pedigree on Stampede Wrestling legend and hometown boy Biff Wellington and pinned him for the win. After the match, Triple H took the microphone to say that he ended this kid’s dreams of making it to the big time, and at Wrestlemania, he will end Samoa Joe’s reign as the MUW Men’s World Champion. (3:32) -- Winner: Triple H
JIM NEIDHART vs. CHRIS JERICHO : The Anvil started out strong, but interference by Santana and Ortiz turned the tide in favour of Le Champion. At one point, Ortiz’s attack on Neidhart outside the ring was seen by the referee, who decided to bar Jericho’s stablemates from ringside. Owen Hart attacked Ortiz, so the referee barred he and Davey Boy Smith from ringside as well. With no one at ringside to support either man, or to cause distractions, focus returned to the two men inside the ring. After Jericho landed a lionsault and Neidhart kicked out of the ensuing pinfall, he put The Anvil in the Walls of Jericho. To his credit, Neidhart crawled to the ropes to force a rope break. Jericho waited for Neidhart to get up before charging at him. The Anvil saw him coming and dumped him over the top rope. He went outside and brawled with Jericho. The brawl got him the upper hand. Upon returning to the ring, The Anvil went on a run, which included executing a spinebuster, dropkick, an atomic drop followed by a discus clothesline, and a sidewalk slam. He lifted Jericho on his shoulder to go for the Anvil Flattener, but Jericho slid free and shoved him into the turnbuckles. When Neidhart turned around, Jericho gave him a codebreaker and another lionsault. Instead of making the pin, he waited for Neidhart to get up so he could give him the Judas Effect. Then he pinned him to earn the win, much to the ire of the fans. (13:39) -- Winner: Chris Jericho
Rowdy Roddy Piper hosted Beth Phoenix on the Piper’s Pit. Before he introduced his guest, he had a few choice words for the Billion Dollar Corporation. He said they a bunch of idiots for thinking that the Hot Rod could be bought. He said that he would get revenge on each and every member of the BDC, and that he hoped he would meet Ted DiBiase in the finals of the Intercontinental Championship tournament.
Finally, Phoenix came out for her first appearance since winning the Elimination Chamber match to grant her a title shot at MUW Women’s World Champion Asuka. Piper gave her the opportunity to discuss how all her hard work had got her to this point, but then asked her why she thought she would be the one to end Asuka’s unprecedented 21-month title reign. Phoenix said that Asuka has never faced anyone like the Glamazon. She has the best combination of speed and power of any woman in all of wrestling. Asuka came out after that, much to everyone’s surprise. She entered the ring, sized up Phoenix and determined that she was not ready for Asuka. Phoenix said, “you wanna bet?” before striking Asuka in the fact. Asuka grinned, and laughed and went to fire back, but Phoenix, blocked, turned her around and put her in a double chicken-wing and gave her a Glam Slam. She asked for the microphone from Piper to say her final words – that was why Asuka is not ready for Beth Phoenix, and why the Glamazon will be the next MUW Women’s World Champion.
BIANCA BELAIR vs. RUBY RIOTT vs. BRIE BELLA : Ruby Riott gave Brie Bella a Riot Kick to take her out half way through the match. That left her to battle Bianca Belair one-on-one for several minutes. Riott had to take risks to hang with Belair. Some of those risks paid off, but some did not. When she went for a We Riot diving senton, Belair moved out of the way. After that, Belair gave her a dropkick, an Argentine backbreaker and a standing moonsault for the pin. Bella finally returned to make the save, but she was given a snap powerslam and the K.O.D. and was pinned in short order. As a result, Bianca Belair earned a spot in the semifinals of the WWE Women’s Championship tournament. (10:42) -- Winner: Bianca Belair
A video promoting this Friday’s main event between John Cena and Roman Reigns aired, after which Mean Gene was joined by WWE Universal Champion Hulk Hogan to get his thoughts on the upcoming main event. Hogan told Mean Gene that he believed John Cena would prevail because he exhibits the grit and determination necessary to overcome any and all obstacles. No matter what that evil genius Paul Heyman has in mind, he has no doubt that John Cena would win the match because of his Hustle, Loyalty and Respect for the sport of professional wrestling, brother. Hogan has been training, and he’s been saying his prayers and taking his vitamins, all in preparation of the biggest match of his life against John Cena at Wrestlemania. He has no reason to believe that’s going to change because dedication and hard work will always be triumphant, and there’s no one other than the Hulkster who better exemplifies those attributes than John Cena.
At this point, Paul Heyman interrupted the interview to question Hogan’s impartiality. He questioned whether Hogan and Cena conspired against his client, Roman Reigns, at Elimination Chamber. He also questioned why Hogan was so enthusiastically cheerleading for Cena to defeat Reigns, suggesting that the answer might be that Hogan knows which one of the two would be the biggest threat to his title reign. Heyman went on to say that Hogan is no dummy. He would have seen the video of his match at Elimination Chamber by now, and therefore, he would know that he got lucky that the referee assaulted his challenger. Were it not for that, Hogan wouldn’t be the champion. Hogan denies all charges, so Heyman asks him if he will pledge to watch the match from afar, and whatever happens, refrain from getting involved in its outcome so as to prove to everyone that there is no grand conspiracy to prevent Roman Reigns from winning the match on Friday. Hogan agreed. Heyman gave a devilish grin and thanked the champion for his time.
BRET HART vs. JAKE HAGER : After Bret Hart was tripped up by Sammy Guevara as he ran the ropes, Jake Hager threw him around the ring with a variety of suplexes – verticals, Germans, belly-to-bellies, and exploders. He even placed Hart on the top turnbuckle and gave him a superplex. Hager made a few pinfall attempts but Hart kicked out of them all. Hager was done messing around and he decided he apply the anklelock. Hart turned over onto his back and kicked Hager away. When Hager went for a running clothesline, Hart ducked then he gave Hager a clothesline that sent him over the ropes. Hart hit Hager with a topé suicida that sent him into the barricade. He tossed Hager back into the ring, but was prevented from entering the ring by Santana and Ortiz. Predictably, a ringside brawl broke out between Santana, Ortiz and Guevara on the one side, and Owen Hart, Davey Boy Smith and Brian Pillman on the other. Hager was looking to take advantage of the situation by bringing Hart back into the ring for a Hager Bomb, but Hart put his knees up to block it. Back to their feet, Hart gave Hager an inverted atomic drop, side Russian legsweep, pendulum backbreaker, and an elbow drop from the second rope. He put Hager in the Sharpshooter. Hager used his power to crawl to the ropes. After the hold was broken, Hager went for a lariat. Hart ducked it, ran to the ropes and with both men running, he gave him a Hart Attack clothesline. He reapplied the Sharpshooter, and this time Hager couldn’t get to the ropes and had to tap out. (16:03) -- Winner: Bret Hart
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