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* Just a quick heads up before we get going with Raw… I WILL be here for the US Title Shemus vs. Rusev WWE Network Exclusive that takes place directly after Raw. So we get a bonus match…. Yayyyyy.
* Another quick note, John Cena is not at tonight’s Raw. WWE has offered refunds for those interested.
WWE Raw 11/03/14 from the First Niagara Center in Buffalo, NY
– Show starts with a video package from last week’s issues between Orton and Rollins, and then later the Rollins vs. Cena match.
– We kick off with…. NO CHANCE IN HELL!!!! It’s the Authority, WITH VINCE MCMAHON… Crowd pops… So do I… Woot… Vince wastes no time pimping the WWE Network, which is FREE this month for new users… Vince then announces that IF Team Authority loses at Survivor Series, they will not longer BE The Authority. HHH and Stehanie look shocked, crowd chants “YES”. HHH wants to talk about it, but Vince says they can take a walk and discuss it.
Vince and the Authority begin to leave the ring when out comes Dean Ambrose… Vince kindly greets Ambrose as he makes his way into the ring. The Authority leave ringside while Dean prepares for action against Cesaro. I guess the pumpkin match from Smackdown wasn’t humiliating enough. How long before Cesaro is back yodeling??? Remember that?! I try not to…
–Commercial Break–
– Backstage, it’s The Authority questioning Vince’s decision about them losing their job if they lose at Survivor Series. HHH seems worried, Stephanie hesitantly claims they have everything under control…
1. Dean Ambrose vs. Cesaro.
Ambrose has complete control early, until Cesaro breaks a headlock when he picks Dean up and throws him out of the ring. Dean lays waiting for Cesaro on the floor and beats him into the barricade and back inside the ring. Ambrose mounts Cesaro in the corner, but Cesaro throws him off half way across the ring and takes over. Cesaro barely settles in on offense before Dean battles back and clotheslines Cesaro to the floor. It appears Cesaro is cut open on the side of his head… Dean stands in the ring when we get some sort of weird Bray Wyatt video and the lights go out… That takes us into the break… Hmmm, weird.
Back from break, we see Bray Wyatt sitting in a rocking chair on the stage. Meanwhile, Cesaro lands something resembling a Randy Orton suspension DDT off the top rope. Ambrose misses his tangled in the ropes clothesline spot, and Cesaro nails a sweet looking German Suplex for 2… Ambrose escapes a chinlock type submission and fights back with a clothesline/bulldog in the corner combo. This time Ambrose lands the teetering rope clothesline spot for 2, as Bray watches on laughing. Dean tries a Tornado DDT, but Cesar just launches him in the air and down into a EUROPEAN UPPERCUT!!! 1…2….Ambrose kicks out!!! Dean fights back and knocks Cesaro out of the ring, then lands a Suicide Dive on Cesaro… Dean points to Wyatt and acknowledges his existence. Cesaro crotches Dean on the top rope, but Ambrose comes back with DIRTY DEEDS, and it’s over in 12:15…. I think Cesaro had about 3 spots in the match.
The lights go out as Bray rocks in the chair. When the lights come back on, the chair is still rocking, but there’s is no Bray….Eh, I was hoping for more. There’s supposedly some secret Bray plans to reveal about Ambrose. The chair continues to rock on it’s own… pretty cool.
– HHH & Stephanie are still discussing what Vince said earlier. They’re trying to figure out who will be on Team Authority. HHH wants to call Randy Orton, who apparently isn’t there? Stephanie doesn’t think Orton is a good idea, since he doesn’t get along with Team Authority captain Seth Rollins. HHH says they need to have a strong team, so he’s calling Randy.
– Jimmy Uso in singles action next, Jey by his side.
–Commercial Break–
2. Jimmy Uso (w/Jey) vs. The Miz (w/Damien Sandow).
We’ve got Miz and Sandow both in black jackets and sunglasses. Sandow mocking all hand mannerisms that Miz is doing… Sandow is great in this, but it’s not cool when that’s the ONLY reason people want to watch The Miz. As Miz performs a chinlock, so does Sandow, and Jey looks on oddly. Miz gets snapmared, so Sandow takes a flip outswide the ring. While Sandow sells on the floor for Miz, Jey Uso begins mocking him by doing everything that Jimmy Uso is doing. Jimmy Uso hits a Samoan Drop, but Miz escapes the ass smash in the corner. Miz drops Jimmy across the top rope, and moments later lands a Mafia kick to retain control. Miz hits the jumping clothesline in the corner, so Sandow jumps over the steps. Miz climbs the ropes, so Sandow climbs the steps. LOL…. Miz misses a charge and falls to the floor, so Sandow jumps off the steps to the floor. Jimmy Uso dives out onto Miz, so Sandow takes a phantom bump as well. Jimmy turns his attention to Sandow and lands a Superkick outside, but rolls back in the ring right into the Skull Crushing Finale, and Miz wins in 4:40.
– Michael Cole quotes Gorilla Monsoon, mentioning the Irresistible Force meeting the Immovable Object tonight when Mark Henry meets the Big Show.
– US Champion Sheamus on his way to the ring for a match… Cole mentions Sheamus also has a match following Raw against Rusev exclusively on the Network…. So why is he fighting now???
–Commercial Break–
3. Sheamus vs. Tyson Kidd (w/Natalya).
Non-Title here. I know Tyson and Natalya have been “fighting” a lot on Total Divas, but that’s about all I know. Tyson wears the headphones to the ring. Great gear. This match is all Sheamus, with Lana and Rusev watching from backstage. Kidd gets a burst of offense after he drop toe holds Sheamus across the middle rope. Nattie gets behind her man as he works a chinlock. Oh, that dreaded chinlock. Sheamus drives Tyson back to the corner to escape and comes back with his usual stuff. Sheamus counters a Crucifix with an ALABAMA SLAM… Ouch… Sheamus locks in a Cloverleaf, but Tyson makes it to the ropes. Kidd ends up on the apron and nails a Springboard Dropkick that sends Sheamus outside. Tyson comes out after Sheamus, but Sheamus lands a rolling senton on the floor…
The two men start trading punches outside, Sheamus goes to clobber Tyson, but Kidd pulls Natalya in the way. While Sheamus pulls back from nailing Nattie, Tyson rolls back inside to beat the count. Sheamus is counted out in 5:30. Tyson gets the win.
After the match Nattie questions Tyson, and Kidd walks right into a BROGUE KICK to end the segment…
–Commercial Break–
– Dolph Ziggler is out first for action, but then HHH’s music hits, and the entire Authority is out. HHH, Stephanie, Rollins, Mercury, Noble. The angle here is that Dolph hasn’t said he’d be on team Cena yet…. Okay, I guess all of that crap with Cena last week didn’t happen. Stephanie notes that Rollins, Kane, and Orton are already on team Authority.
HHH says there’s rumors that he will take it out on Dolph if he joins Team Cena. HHH starts running scenarios by Ziggler. What is Team Cena wins, who will get the credit? Not Dolph. Now HHH looks at what if Team Cena loses, who takes the heat? Cena? Noooo. It’s be Dolph. HHH puts over how hard Dolph busts his ass, but Cena gets all the credit. Stephanie then asks where Cena is tonight, he’s not even here. What a captain.
HHH says what if teaming with Cena gets Dolph championship shots, money, fame…. MAYBE. But that’s an awful lot of maybes… HHH says that Dolph can pick up the phone and just tell Cena the answer is NO. HHH tells Ziggler, that if he refuses to team with Cena, that HHH will give him anything he wants. Ziggler looks confused, he has to think things over.
Ziggler wants to clarify that he can get ANYTHING he wants if he turns down Cena…. Then Dolph announces what he wants… He wants the Authority… OUT OF POWER… He wants them all gone for good…
HHH says it’s too bad, he wanted to give the fans what they want, a Ziggler push. HHH says there’s nobody to blame but Dolph.
HHH then announces that Dolph will defend his IC Title right now, against Seth Rollins…
–Commercial Break–
4. IC Champion Dolph Ziggler vs. Seth Rollins (w/Noble & Mercury).
The briefcase is laying in the corner of the ring. Hmmm. Rollins tries to ground Dolph, but when Ziggler starts fighting back Seth takes a breather outside. It’s back and forth for a bit after that, Ziggler tries for the Rude Awakening but Seth counters with a suplex. Rollins gains control, until Ziggler ducks a clothesline. Dolph smacks Seth with the standing dropkick, and the Splash in the corner, but Seth blocks a second corner splash and hits a Downward Spiral sending Dolph face first into the middle rope. The match ends up on the floor, Rollins drives Dolph’s back into the ring apron and drops him face first on the apron to boot. Then we’re off to commercial.
Back from break, Seth with the commercial time chinlock. Dolph fights out, and both men collide with dueling cross body attempts, and both are down. Ziggler makes the comeback with his usual stuff, corner splash, sit out clotheslines, hangman’s neckbreaker, jumping elbow gets 2…. Ziggler misses a Famouser, Rollins rolls him up for 2….. Ziggler hits Rollins with a catapult into the corner. Ziggler mounts Seth in the corner for punches, but Rollins counters with a Running Powerbomb into the far corner on Dolph…1………..2…………..Ziggler kicks out.
Seth misses a top rope flying knee, and Ziggler lands the FAMOUSER!!! 1…………2………….SETH KICKS OUT!!! Dolph tries his jumping DDT, but gets thrown off. Ziggler tries a Superkick, but Seth ducks and nails Dolph with the Pele Kick! 1…2………..Dolph kicks out!!!
Seth misses a Curb Stomp, Ziggler tries a Zigzag but Seth holds onto the ropes… Mercury up on the apron to distract, then Jamie Noble drops Dolph across the top rope… CURB STOMP!!!!!! This is it!!!!
NO WAIT. RANDY ORTON FROM BEHIND, OUT OF NOWHERE…. RKO ON ROLLINS!!!!
Crowd goes nuts, “Randy” chants. Noble and Mercury are up on the apron, even the referee is confused. Orton storms off up the ramp as Corporate Kane makes his way out. Kane asks Orton what he’s doing, but Orton just keeps walking towards the back.
Where does this leave Orton for Survivor Series?????
–Commercial Break–
– Backstage, HHH and Stephanie are arguing about Randy Orton. Steph says they can’t trust Randy. Orton interrupts. Randy wants a match against Seth, tonight… Stephanie pisses Orton off, so he teases joining Team Cena. Orton goes on and on, and it’s honestly a pretty good promo. HHH stops him, he said he NEEDS Orton on Team Authority. BUT, HHH also NEEDS Seth Rollins. HHH says, if Team Authority loses, they all go down, so he NEEDS Orton.
HHH says he will give Orton his match with Rollins tonight, and they need to get it out of their system. Because when their match is over tonight, they’re going to team at Survivor Series. Orton agrees to the deal.
– The announcers are cut off by a vignette filled with eyeballs… Lots of eyeballs… Appears to be a Luke Harper vignette just filled with eyeballs and talking. The announcers are at a loss for words.
– We go back to last Smackdown with Mark Henry on MizTV. He and Big Show have a fight, Henry lays out Show after driving him through the barricade. They meet in the ring tonight.
–Commercial Break–
– Titus O’Neil cuts a promo about wanting to join Team Authority at Survivor Series… Don’t make me laugh… He’s cut off by… FEED ME MORE…
5. Ryback vs. Titus O’Neil.
Wow, back a week and Titus is his second opponent. Shows how far down O’Neil is. “Feed Me More” chants. The two struggle for control, Titus hits an over the shoulder backbreaker drop. Impressive. Titus already has more offense than I expected. O’Neil mocks Ryback, but runs into a SPINEBUSTER… MEATHOOK CLOTHESLINE… SHELL SHOCK… IT’S OVER…. Ryback wins in 2:25.
HHH and Kane are shown in the back watching Ryback and looking impressed. A tease for Team Authority.
– Renee Young backstage with Big Show. He wants to talk about Team Cena vs. Team Authority. Show volunteers to join Team Cena, if John will have him. Speaking of teaming, and partners. Mark Henry, a great friend of Show, throws their friendship away for no good reason. Show says he misses his friend, he wants his friend back, but he also wants to knock Mark Henry the hell out of his life. It’s next.
–Commercial Break–
6. The Big Show vs. Mark Henry.
So they split up last week out of nowhere, and now they’re already wrestling each other. Normally all of this would take a month or longer to build up, but not these days. Show goes right after Henry and whips him into the corner. Henry comes back and does the same, but follows in with a splash. Show then catches Henry with a giant sized Superkick, and an elbowdrop of death for 2… Henry rolls to the floor, Show follows out.
Henry drives Show into the post, but Show comes back with sort of a Spear on the floor… Very hard hitting, but this entire match is in slow motion. Back inside, Show drops three more elbows to the back of Henry and locks in that new submission move that resembles a seated Scorpion Death Lock. Henry finally makes the ropes, but BIG SHOW GOES TO THE TOP ROPE!!!! Henry SLAMS SHOW off the top rope… Wow… 1……..2………Show grabs the rope to stop the count. The Authority are shown watching this match closely as well.
WORLD’S STRONGEST SLAM!!! 1……..2………….SHOW KICKS OUT! The two go back out to the floor, Show is thrown into the steps. Henry then picks up the steel steps and cracks Show upside the head with them, drawing a DQ in 6:30.
Show tries to fight back, but HENRY HITS THE WORLD’S STRONGEST SLAM ON THE STEPS!!! CUZ THAT’S WHAT HE DO….
– The Authority is interested in Mark Henry on their team. HHH sends Kane to find Henry and see what his focus is. Steph and HHH then discuss Orton and Rollins. HHH says sometimes you just gotta let guys get things out of their system.
–Commercial Break–
– AJ Lee is on commentary for the next match.
– Renee Young in the back with Brie Bella, who is in Day 8 of 30 as Nikki’s slave. Nikki cuts her off, she never gave Brie the OK to do the interview. Nikki tells Brie to get to ringside for the next match.
Rene starts to throw it back to ringside, when she spots something off to the side. It’s Erick Rowan in the sheep mask. He plays with Renee’s hair, says “pretty”, and Renee runs off.
7. Nikki Bella (w/Brie) vs. Emma.
As I said, AJ on commentary. Nikki is the next #1 contender for AJ’s title via a Smackdown Battle Royal. This match is all Nikki, Emma comes back with the Tarantula, but misses the Emmalite Sandwich when she eats a Nikki dropkick. And Nikki finishes it with the Rack Attack for the win in 2:23.
AJ says Nikki looked pretty good. Nikki forces Brie to raise her hand. Then Nikki sends Brie over to SLAP AJ. AJ then lays out Brie, and Nikki runs away up the ramp as AJ jumps into the ring.
–Commercial Break–
– We return with a vignette of Xavier Woods doing a Preacher meets James Brown gimmick. He’s up on a stage with what appears to be a gospel choir, but he’s dancing and carrying on, he even gets the cape treatment. The end of the vignette reads “A New Day Is Coming”. So we shall see.
– Zack Ryder tweeted an offer to join Team Cena. Yeah, that’ll happen. But that Tweet got him this match…
8. Zack Ryder vs. Rusev (w/Lana).
Rusev Crush. Accolade. It’s over in just over a minute. Woo Woo Woo should read, Oww Oww Oww.
Lana promo follows. She pimps the Rusev vs. Sheamus match for after Raw. Russia reigns supreme, and blah blah blah.
Sheamus comes out to the stage. So now we’ve got an Irishman out here defending America and the US Title. Sheamus says Rusev is in for the fight of his life. Fella.
–Commercial Break–
– Rusev & Lana are walking in the back when they’re stopped by Stephanie McMahon. Steph points out that Rusev has never been pinned, so she offers Rusev a spot on Team Authority. Since the Authority gave Rusev his US Title match on the Network tonight, it’s time Rusev scratches their back.
Lana says they will confer with Vladimir Putin and get back to Stephanie… lol.
9. Fernando (w/Diego & Torito) vs. Stardust (w/Gooldust).
Miz & Sandow on commentary. Miz does the talking, and Sandow mocks his mannerisms and speech. LOL. The goofiness on the commentary completely overshadows the match. Torito dropkicks Goldust into Miz at ringside. As they argue on the floor, Stardust becomes distracted, and Fernando lands the Back Stabber for the win in 2:25.
–Commercial Break–
– The Usos vs. Gold & Stardust in a Steel Cage on Smackdown this week.
10. Randy Orton vs. Seth Rollins.
HHH, Steph, and Kane all at ringside. Orton pounces Seth early and tears into him. They take it outside and Randy continues to dominate as he rams Seth into everything he can find. It’s all Orton as we head to commercial.
Back from break, Rollins takes over after nailing Orton with the Mic Check into the middle buckle. Seth maintains control until they make it out to the floor. Orton hits Seth with a back suplex on the announce table. Orton then yanks the cover and TV’s out of the announce table, as Seth rolls back in to get away. HHH questions Randy’s intentions. Back inside, Rollins hits Orton with a jumping kick from the apron. Rollins goes to the top rope, but Randy counters with w top rope SUPERPLEX!!! It only gets 2… Orton tries the suspension DDT, but Rollins backdrops Orton out of the ring, and then lands a Suicide Dive outside onto Orton. Back inside, Seth lands a flying knee off the top for 2…
Rollins goes for the Running Powerbomb, but Orton backdrops, but Seth lands on his feet… PELE KICK!!! Rollins goes for a CURB STOMP, but Orton counters with a snap powerslam for 2…. Orton with the suspension DDT, and he calls for the RKO… Rollins counters the RKO with a BACKSLIDE…1……..2………..3.
Rollins wins in 13:00….
After the match, Randy Orton argues with HHH, but he has to shake the hand of Rollins. Mercury, Noble, Kane, and Rollins stand in a row, waiting for Orton to shake hands. Orton shakes the hand of Noble, then Mercury, then Kane. Seth says he’s sorry. Orton shakes hands with Seth. But says he’s sorry too, then LANDS AN RKO ON ROLLINS!!!!
Orton then clears the ring of Noble, Mercury, and Kane. Orton starts to pun the skull of Rollins when HHH runs in to make the save.
Orton and HHH have some words, ORTON DECKS HHH!!!! Orton starts to fight off the entire Authority… Crowd goes nuts…. The Authority take over on Randy in the ring, but he fights back and tosses Rollins onto the announce table… RKO ON MERCURY ON THE FLOOR… But Kane and Noble hold Orton while Seth Rollins CURB STOMPS ORTON ON THE TABLE…. Orton is busted open hard way.
HHH then tells Seth to “FINISH IT”, and HHH walks off. Seth then jumps off the announce table and CURB STOMPS ORTON ON THE STEEL STEPS….
And now Randy is written out to make his movie… Crowd was hot for Orton, hope they don’t blow it.
————————————
***** BONUS MATCH – NETWORK EXCLUSIVE *****
– We come back to ringside for the Post Show. Orton is laid out on the floor and getting medical attention. As Orton is being stretchered out, it’s time for out US Title match.
US Champion Sheamus vs. Rusev (w/Lana).
We’ve got an Irishman defending America against a Bulgarian turned Russian. Michael Cole informs us Sheamus has never tapped out in WWE. Lots of punching and kicking in this one from both sides. They eventually make their way to the floor, where Rusev mauls Sheamus. Rusev grabs a chinlock, Sheamus breaks free, but Rusev lands a jumping spin kick to take Sheamus back down. Rusev grabs a front facelock now. Sooooo boring. What was the point of this crap?
Rusev charges at Sheamus, but Sheamus counters with a backbreaker. CROWD IS DEAD, rightfully so. The two trade more punches. Sheamus begins dropping Rusev repeatedly and hits a kneelift. 10 beats on Rusev, and Sheamus with a slingshot shoulder block for 2. Rusev slams Sheamus off the top rope and hits an insane Fallaway slam on Sheamus for 2…
Rusev stomps Sheamus in the spine and goes for the Accolade. It’s applied, somewhat…. but Sheamus breaks free and counters with WHITE NOISE…1………2…… Rusev kicks out. Sheamus goes for the Brogue Kick, but gets tied up in the ropes after he misses. Rusev hits the jumping kick to the back of Sheamus’ head, and then the jumping side kick to the face… ACCOLADE APPLIED!!!! Sheamus fights, but he passes out…
RUSEV WINS THE US TITLE IN 12:00…. What a shocker that was.
Rusev celebrates with the title, his woman, and the Russian flag dropping down. Crowd goes mild.
End show. God I’m tired…
