Post by Slade on Jul 26, 2021 7:10:40 GMT -5
Date: Monday, July 19, 2021
From: T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada
Commentary Team: Michael Cole, Mauro Ranallo and Tony Schiavone
Backstage Reporting & Interviews: “Mean” Gene Okerlund
Ring Announcer: Howard Finkel
***
BIANCA BELAIR vs. EMBER MOON vs. RAQUEL GONZALEZ vs. RUBY RIOT vs. TONI STORM : Although they were all battered and bruised, these five women who competed in the Money in the Bank match just one night ago received an excellent consolation prize – the opportunity to earn a shot at Asuka’s Mash-Up Women’s World Championship at Summer. In fact, the World Champion was on hand to make the surprise announcement at the start of the show. She stayed at ringside to watch the action. Toni Storm executed Storm Zero on Ruby Riot. 1…2.. Raquel Gonzalez broke it up. She dropped Storm with a big boot, then a rip-chord lariat and finlly gave her the one-arm powerbomb. Before she could make the pin, Ember Moon came off the turnbuckle and executed Eclipse on Gonzalez, who rolled out of the ring after the impact. Bianca Belair came up from behind Moon and lifted her into the double-arm chicken wing. She executed the K.O.D. and pinned her. 1…2..3! Belair had her hand raised, then looked down at Asuka sitting in a chair at ringside with the title on her shoulder. She climbed onto the middle rope, leaned over the top rope and pointed at her, before gesturing that the belt would be going around her waist at Summerslam. (16:11) -- Winner by Pinfall: Bianca Belair
WWE CRUISERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT FIRST ROUND MATCH: CHUCK TAYLOR vs. ADAM COLE : Competing in his WWE debut, Adam Cole executed the Last Shot to the back of Chuck Taylor’s head to knock him out. He pinned him to get the 3-count. After getting the win, he grabbed a mic and told all the gamblers in the house placing bids on this tournament to put all their money on Adam Cole Bae-bae! (6:40) -- Winner by Pinfall: Adam Cole
Mean Gene was backstage with “Macho Man” Randy Savage and asked him about his meeting with Bobby “The Brain” Heenan last week. Savage said that Heenan was an interesting cat with a lot of far out there ideas, some of which just might make sense. At this time, Paul Heyman interrupted to say that what makes the most sense in choosing someone with whom to form a business relationship is that the advocate can take the client to the very top. Heyman’s credentials speak volumes. Don’t you know that one of Heyman’s current clients is the WWE Universal Champion? If working with me can do that for him, imagine what it can do for you! Come, let’s talk some more.
BIG SWOLE & KILYNN KING vs. FIRE ‘N FLAVA : Kiera Hogan executed Face the Music on KiLynn King. Tasha Steelz held off Big Swole by giving her a running dropkick while Hogan pinned King to get the win in the debut tag team match for both these teams. (8:52) -- Winners by Pinfall: Fire ‘n Flava
WWE CRUISERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT FIRST ROUND MATCH: TAKA MICHINOKU vs. PAC : After Taka Michinoku hit PAC with a missile dropkick, he trying to give him the Michinoku Driver. PAC broke free and gave Taka a poisonrana. Taka was out on his feet after getting spiked on his head. PAC grabbed him and executed a tiger suplex. Taka kicked out of the pin but then PAC went right into the Brutalizer, forcing the submission. (11:28) -- Winner by Pinfall: PAC
MUW Men’s World Champion Samoa Joe came to the ring for an in-ring interview with Mean Gene Okerlund. During the interview, when he was asked about potential opponents at Sumerslam, the lights went out and the Graveyard Symphony began to play. The Undertaker made his entrance and told Joe that at Wrestlemania, his reign atop of the Mash-Up Wrestling Universe would rest in peace!
WWE WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH: RHEA RIPLEY {c} vs. PEYTON ROYCE : Peyton Royce pinned Rhea Ripley in a tag team match one week ago so she got the title shot here. Unfortunately for her, she fell victim to Ripley’s brutality. She demolished the IIconic Aussie, executing the Riptide to finisher her off and then pinned her for the win. Bayley attacked Ripley, hitting her from behind with a steel chair and giving her a Bayley-to-belly suplex onto the chair. She picked up the chair and gave her several shots to the body. She picked up Ripley and executed the arm-trap headlock driver, then shoved her briefcase into the referee’s hands. It looked like she was going to cash in already, but then Becky Lynch showed up! The IIconics seemed put off by her arrival so they tried to attack her. Lynch gave Royce a Bexploder suplex and the Manhandle Slam to Billie Kay. Lynch looked at Bayley and challenged her to a fight, so Bayley left the ring, took the briefcase back from the referee, and fled. (6:16) -- Winner by Pinfall: Rhea Ripley
Mean Gene caught up with Bayley backstage, who told Mean Gene that she was livid that Becky Lynch used this of all times to show up announced. This was her time. The great role model was going to become the WWE Women’s Champion that young girls and boys could look up to. All that was ruined, and if she had any decency she would have waited until after. Heck, they go back a long way and as old friends, she would have even given her the first shot at her new title. Becky Lynch showed up and Bayley shouted at her asking her what gives her the right. Lynch said that she was disappointed in her old pal, Bayley, saying that she used to be someone young girls and boys could look up to. She says she’s a role model but she’s absolutely delusional. In this business, to be a good role model, you’ve got to be The Man. To be The Man, you’ve got to beat The Man. Right now, Bayley, you’re not The Man. Becky Lynch is The Man.
WWE CRUISERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT FIRST ROUND MATCH: JOHNNY GARGANO vs. JOAQUIN WILDE : Johnny Gargano got out of the way of a double running knee strike in the corner from Joaquin Wilde. He executed a slingshot spear and put Wilde in the Garga-No-Escape to make him submit. (8:30) -- Winner by Submission: Johnny Gargano
HART FOUNDATION vs. FULL BLOODED ITALIANS : Bret “The Hitman” Hart and Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart were teaming together for the first time in months. A pre-taped promo playing during the match with these men saying they were going to focus on tag team wrestling and show the world why they are the best team there is, the best team there was, and the best team there ever will be. Anvil gave Chuck Palumbo a spinebuster to incapacitate him. Nunzio tried to interfere on behalf of his men, but The Hitman took care of him with a back body drop and a side Russian leg sweep. Hart and Neidhart executed the Hart Attack on Johnny Stamboli and Hart covered him for the win. After the match ended, Cash Wheeler and Dax Harwood attacked the Hart Foundation. They gave Neidhart the Shatter Machine and the Mindbreaker (spiked piledriver) to Hart.
(7:03) -- Winners by Pinfall: Hart Foundation
Mean Gene caught up with FTR backstage and asked them why they attacked the Hart Foundation. They said they wanted to welcome Hart and Neidhart back to the tag team division and show them that it won’t be a walk in the park this time. They are a legendary team, but their time has past, and the new kings of tag team wrestling are Cash Wheeler and Dax Harwood – FTR!
WWE UNIVERSAL CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH: BRIAN PILLMAN vs. ROMAN REIGNS {c} : Brian Pillman rallied and executed Air Pillman. He covered the champion for the 1…2… kick out! Pillman tried to put Roman Reigns in a cross-arm breaker, but he held his hands together and lifted Pillman off the mat before dropping him with a powerbomb. He stomped on him and threw him into the corner where he gave him several lariats. He sent Pillman across the ring with enough force for him to pop out of the corner after hitting the turnbuckles. It was then that Reigns hit the spear and pinned him for the win and for his second successful time defense in as many nights. (14:09) -- Winner by Pinfall: Roman Reigns
Following the match, Paul Heyman entered the ring and gave his condolences to Pillman for his failed challenge at winning the title. Unfortunately for Pillman and all the other Pillmans out there in the WWE Universal, Roman Reigns is the unbeatable, undisputed, reigning and defending WWE Universal Champion. He is a man without peers sitting alone at the top of the mountain. Who possible could step up to challenge the Tribal Chief? Who out there is good enough in instill a smidgen of doubt, just enough to make things interesting? Who has what it takes to spike the Summerslam buy rates? Rowdy Roddy Piper wasn’t that man. Bret “The Hitman” Hart wasn’t that man. John Cena wasn’t that man. Even the immortal Hulk Hogan wasn’t that man. Is there anyone out that who has what it takes?
As Heyman continued to talk up his client, Sting descended from the rafters with his newly won Money in the Bank briefcase in hand. He stood behind them and does nothing to interrupt Heyman. The WWE Universe leapt out of their seats at the sight. When Heyman was finished with his list of reasons why no one was in the same league as Roman Reigns, he and Reigns turned around and saw Sting! He pointed at the briefcase and at Reigns. The champion not liking this charged at Sting, who blocked the spear by clocking him in the head with the briefcase. Reigns was out cold. Heyman was shouting at Sting not to do it. He claimed this was cheating. He said a theft was taking place. Sting looked at his briefcase and pointed at the fallen WWE Universal Champion. He turned the briefcase over to a referee. Heyman was apoplectic at this point. Howard Finkel announced that Sting had turned in the contract for WWE Universal Championship match at Summerslam. Heyman looked like he dodged the biggest bullet in his life. Sting went over and ripped the mic out of his hand and said that he isn’t taking the match now because he wants Reigns to be ready and when he beats him and becomes the new WWE Universal Champion, Heyman won’t be able to say it was unfair, and Reigns will know that he isn’t in the same league as the Stinger. Woooooooooooo!