wrestling / Video Reviews
Ring Crew Reviews: WWE Survivor Series 2013
Loading...• Follow me on Twitter – @RingCrewReviews
• I usually like coordinating some review to coincide with each of the Big 4 PPVs. A couple of years ago, I reviewed every Survivor Series from 2000-2010. This year, I didn’t have that kind of time, so I just decided to review last year’s SS to get in the mindset for the perennial fall classic.
• 2000
• 2001
• 2002
• 2003
• 2004
• 2005
• 2006
• 2007
• 2008
• 2009
• 2010
• Scheduled Card:
1. Traditional Survivor Series Match: Rey Mysterio, The Usos, Cody Rhodes & Goldust vs. The Real Americans and The Shield.
2. WWE Intercontinental Championship: Curtis Axel vs. Big E (c).
3. Traditional Survivor Series Elimination Match: Team Total Divas (The Bellas, Natayla, Eva Marie, Naomi, Cameron, and Jojo) vs. Team True Divas (AJ, Tamina, Rosa, Kaitlyn, Alicia Fox, Aksana, and Summer Rae).
4. World Heavyweight Championship: Alberto Del Rio vs. John Cena (c).
5. Daniel Bryan & CM Punk vs. The Wyatt Family.
6. WWE Championship: Big Show vs. Randy Orton (c).
• The Hs and missus are out pre-opening vignette. After the shitshow finishes at both Night of Champions and Battleground, they are here to GUARANDAMNTEE there will be no interference in any of the matches tonight. It’s simultaneously refreshing and sad that that kind of promise is being made and that it needs to be.
• Video package is fairly generic as it teases tension between Trips/Orton going into the championship match with Show and hypes Cena’s return tonight against ADR for the world heavyweight strap. Oh yeah, there are these guys named Daniel Bryan and CM Punk and they are fighting a group known as The Wyatt Family, but that’s mostly an afterthought.
• Traditional Survivor Series Match: Rey Mysterio, The Usos, Cody Rhodes & Goldust vs. The Real Americans and The Shield. Cody and Goldust are tag champs. The Shield is coming off losing to the Rhodes family for them to get their jobs back and losing again for the belts within the past few months. This is only Mysterio’s second appearance since Feb. in an injury-filled lackluster 2013 for him. The Usos and WTP are acts both gathering steam, in a then-hot tag division. By Jan., though, the tag belts would be on the NAO and that was that.
• Pre-match, Zeb Colter tries to twerk and throws out his back. Cody and Ambrose to start. Ambrose grabs a headlock and bowls over Cody with a shoulderblock and is a little too pleased with himself. Cody with a waistlock and a trip but runs into a hiptoss counter. He counters back and takes down Ambrose with a right. Ambrose chops him and then piefaces in the corner. Cody fights back with rights and a clothesline. Ambrose telegraphs a backdrop but still gets on Cody with a knee to the gut. Ambrose stomps a mudhole in the corner and the ref wants a break. Ambrose keeps on pounding him down repeatedly and argues with the ref. Cody sneaks Ambrose with a School Boy for 1, 2, 3 to send him packing at 2:14.
• Ambrose tries to get his heat back on Goldust but gets dismissed and that brings in the rest of the Shield. The Usos shitcan them out and it’s stereo superkicks for WTP. Each Uso then splashes on The Shield and The Real Americans. Awesome so far. Back in, Cody gordbusts Rollins for 1, 2, only 2. Goldust tags in for a backdrop on Rollins for a quick 1 count. GOLDUSTGOLDUST says the crowd. Cesaro tags in and uses the distraction to tag in Swagger with a clothesline. Swagger knees him several times and Cesaro Stun Guns him behind the ref’s back. Cesaro in with a double back elbow. Cesaro tags in to slingshot Goldust into Swagger for the Greco Roman TD for 1, 2, only 2. Swagger preps the VaderBomb and Cesaro tags in for the springboard double foot stomp for 1, 2, 2 ½. Goldust blocks a hiptoss for a backslide for 1, 2, only 2. But Cesaro drops his head into a DDT. Double KO spot but Cesaro cuts him off with a front facelock into a KARENLIN DEADLIFT! Goldust clears out the heel corner for a CODE RED! Goldust is still down though. Swagger in for a VaderBomb but he eats boot. Hot tag to Mysterio as he and Swagger reignite their 4 year old WHW championship feud which is brought up by no one. Mysterio with a senton and a wheelbarrow bulldog. He wants a baseball slide but Swagger catches him only to get ranaed into the ropes. 619 and Uso in for a superkick and a splash. 1, 2, 3 and it’s back to Okie for Swagger at 8:13.
• 5 on 3 for the faces but Cesaro quickly dropkicks Jey across the ring. Jey though gets lofted into the SWISS DEATH FROM BELOW! 1, 2, 2.999. It’s Big Swing time to a POP! 15 ROTATIONS! JIMMY’S IN! BIG SWING FOR HIM! 19 ROTATIONS FOR 34 BACK TO BACK! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Cesaro is gassed though and Cody sunset flips him for 1, 2, 3 and all of We the People are gone at 10:00.
• That’s a travesty for Cesaro but I digress. Now it’s just Rollins and Reigns against all 5, The Usos, Cody, Goldust, and Rey. Reigns tags in and now it’s time to go to work. Rollins: “NOW’S YOUR TIME TO SHINE! TAKE HIM OUT! YOU CAN DO THIS!” Cody ducks a shot and tags in the Usos for a combo burrito. Reigns ignores with a vicious back elbow. Rollins in to stomp away. They work a few quick tags while Cole notes how the numbers are against them and King and JBL joke that all they have to do is isolate one guy and work him over and pin him… FIVE TIMES! Rollins with a back suplex for 1, 2, only 2. Uso flips out of a double back suplex and dumps out Rollins. Jey escapes from Reigns to tag in Jimmy. Jimmy lands a superkick and a Samoan drop. He fires up for the Runaway Samoan Semi for 1, 2, 2 ½. Reigns cuts him off for a superplex. Reigns: “HERE WE GO, BABY!” Jimmy blocks and headbutts him off and wants a splash. Reigns gets the knees up. SPEAR! 1, 2, 3 and Jimmy’s out at 14:35.
• Cody in with a springboard dropkick and he’s on Rollins who tags in as well. Cody with a Briscoe roll up for 1, 2, only 2. Goldust uppercut and a Teardrop moonsault for 1, 2, 2.999. Cody tries Beautiful Disaster but Rollins blocks. Cody tries Crossroads but Rollins counters again to a Curtain Call. NO! Back to the Crossroads and Cody hits it but Reigns blind tags in. SPEAR AGAIN for 1, 2, 3 at 15:45.
• Jey dumps out Reigns for a burrito. Jey then trashes him into the barricade. USO! USO! Back in, Jey wants a splash but Reigns ducks under and tags in Rollins. CURB STOMP! 1, 2, 3 and Jey’s out at 17:48.
• Now it’s 2 on 2, Reigns and Rollins against Goldust and Rey. Rollins stomps away on Rey. Rollins: “WELCOME BACK, REY!” Mysterio rolls through a sunset flip attempt into the DR FG enzuigiri. Cover gets 1, 2, 2 ½. Rey heads up top but Rollins crotches him into a Tree of Woe. IED and Reigns is back in. Reigns shitcans Rey UNDER the ropes to big heat. WOOOOOOO! Count gets to 8 before Rey staggers back to the apron to beat it at 9. SPEAR! NO! Rey moves and Reigns eats turnbuckle. Rollins tags in and dumps Goldust off the apron smartly. Rey into the corner for the Bret Hart bump but he rolls up Rollins for 1, 2, 3 at 19:44.
• The Yellow Jacket is all alone but not before Rollins waffles Rey from behind like a DICK. Awesome. Reigns chokes Rey for a bit. Reigns: “C’MON, REY! HUH?! YOU CAME ALL THE WAY BACK TO GET JOBBED OUT LIKE THIS?!” Small Roman Reigns chant starts and dies. Rey comes back with a kick and tries to baseball slide through but Reigns catches him only to eat an enzuigiri. Tag to Goldust. JBL: “No one for Reigns to tag.” Goldust is fired up with the uppercut and a spinebuster for 1, 2, 2.999999999. Goldust mounts in the corner for the 10 punches. Powerslam gets 1, 2, nearfall. Reigns drives Goldust back into the corner but eats the crossbody up and over for 1, only 1. Goldust wants the Bulldog but Reigns shoves him off for the Spear. Reigns hooks the leg for 1, 2, 3 at 23:02.
• Rey tries the senton but Reigns catches him. NO! RANA INTO THE ROPES! DIAL IT UP! NOOOOOO! SPEARSPEARSPEAR! 1, 2, 3 AND ROMAN REIGNS HAS DONE IT AT 23:26!
• I know The Shield is long gone, but they were a thing of beauty. Reigns had star written all over him way before this – facial expressions, trash talking in the ring second only to Mark Henry and maybe Bray Wyatt, aura, etc. – but this was one of the first obvious signs they were strapping a proverbial rocket to him akin to Kevin Nash in 1995. What’s most interesting to me about this is that Reigns isn’t as big as Cena, Batista, Brock, Ryback, etc and certainly not as big as Kane, UT, or anywhere near that size, but he’s still booked like a monster akin to Goldberg much more than Ryback ever was. Despite his size, Ryback was never as athletic as Goldberg or Reigns and that’s why the Goldberg comparisons rang false to me despite all the outward similarities. ANYWAY, awesome match with perfect booking and wrestling from all involved and damn the naysayers who say it’s too odd to make the Shield the underdog like a face having to overcome odds. THAT is how you make a star. I know it’s all rage to second-guess Reigns, but I’m still all in. ****1/2
• Meanwhile, The Authority is having a talk, while Goomba Kane sways in the background to the timbre of their voices. Orton ahems his way into the room and wants to know where the love and mutual respect is. Trips is confused because they have already promised no interference tonight. They give Orton a little pep talk and he leaves unsatisfied.
• WWE Intercontinental Championship: Curtis Axel vs. Big E (c). In quite possibly the best moment of his career that didn’t involve countout wins or phantom concussions, Axel won the IC belt on Father’s Day in a great moment back at Payback in a spot that was supposed to go to Fandango. 2013 and all. He held on to the belt for a while going through Miz, Kofi, and Jericho in a brief TV feud. In the late summer, he was Heyman’s proxy in an angle with Punk until Brock showed up and then continued after Brock left going roughly 1-15000 in the feud, give or take. After Ryback became a Heyman guy at NOC, that continued Axel’s tutelage another couple months before he and Ryback were senting packing by Heyman after another loss to Punk at HITC. RybAxel wouldn’t become a semi-regular thing until December. After a scheduled IC defense at HITC for Axel was delayed because of a Big E injury, they would lock it up on RAW a few weeks later with Big E taking the belt. E’s trajectory is a bit different as his stock was on the rise after a few promising showings against Punk, ADR, and Orton on free TV, so he was bumped up (down?) to IC champ. This is a return match.
• Cole is feeling charitable, so he lobs JBL a softball to play up the IC title’s importance. JBL: “DAVEYBOYVSBRETHARTSUMMERSLAM1992WEMBLEYONEOFTHEGREATESTMATCHESINHISTORY!” Thanks for that.
• Axel grabs a headlock, so E uses the power to ragdoll him down to the mat. Cole goes on a bizarre tangent about how Axel couldn’t sleep and cut a promo in the middle of the night from the hotel.
• E rolls Axel around for a few nearfalls before we’re back to a stalemate. Axel tries a waistlock, so E Samoan drops him down easily. Axel with a cheap shot out of the corner and they slug it out. They trade leap frogs and E plows over Axel with a shoulderblock in a nice sequence. E follows up with a flapjack and a burrito for 1, 2, kickout. A contingent chants for Ziggler as Axel rolls to the floor. Back in, Axel cuts him off at the pass and steals a page from E’s book to SPEAR HIM OFF THE APRON! Axel follows with a plancha and he’s fired up. Axel goes to work with knees and the perfect flipping neck wrench to a mild YOUCAN’TWRESTLE chant. He grabs a chinlock and E throws him off but he lands on his feet. Axel whiffs on a knee and E goes to the clotheslines and a belly to belly suplex. E splashes him and drops the straps. Axel blocks and goes to the knees. PerfectPlex gets 1, 2, kickout because WWE hates happy endings. E catches him coming off the top and counters into the Big Ending for 1, 2, 3 to retain at 5:58.
• Nothing spectacular but it gets the point across and was well-worked. **1/4
• Post-match, Big E gets a few cheap pops trying to get over.
• Meanwhile, AJ and her bodyguard Tamina are in the back monologuing to the rest of the anti-Total Divas side of the division, Rosa, Kaitlyn, Alicia Fox, Aksana, and Summer Rae. See, back in August, AJ pipebombed the inanity of the show and how it’s a quick path to fame rather than wrestling and… etc. Kaitlyn cuts in and explains that it’s ridiculous that any of them would team with her, considering that she made all of their lives living hells. AJ no sells and corrals them anyway. This was decent, though it’ll never top Triple H’s team in 2007 wondering the same thing about their unlikely alliances, including Kane bringing up Katie Vick.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xt4gmx_survivor-series-2007-hhh-mysterio-jeff-hardy-and-kane-interview_sport
• Traditional Survivor Series Elimination Match: Team Total Divas (The Bellas, Natayla, Eva Marie, Naomi, Cameron, and Jojo) vs. Team True Divas (AJ, Tamina, Rosa, Kaitlyn, Alicia Fox, Aksana, and Summer Rae). Fox and Naomi to start. Fox throws her around by the hair and hits a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Naomi fights her off and hits a split leg moonsault and Alicia’s gone at 1:26. Rosa steps in and avoids the Butt Bomb. Cameron in for stereo leg drops for a 2 count. Cameron exposes the business and faceplants on the turnbuckle and is out at 2:30. Rosa dances, so Nikki drops her with a shitty X-Factor for 3 at 2:45. Summer Rae dances, so Nikki hits the Worm. Nikki loses the dance contest but wins the fight with a dropkick at 3:30. Eva Marie is dropped with a gutbuster and out as well at 4:01. Naomi tries to fire up and flips back in the ring but gets her gut busted too and she’s out at 4:35. Brie Mode drops Kaitlyn with a missile dropkick at 5:13.
• Brie fires up to crickets but Aksana hits a spine on the pine and Brie’s out at 5:40. JBL: “Aksana is the first Lithuanian to compete in the Survivor Series.” Thanks for that. Nikki with a torture rack backbreaker to eliminate Aksana at 6:10. Tamina in and drops Nikki with a few melodramatic headbutts. Nikki gestures in the direction of selling but no sells selling for a nasty enzuigiri. Jojo in and Tamina piefaces her around as the crowd tries to get behind the encounter for the first time in the match. Jojo gets a fluke roll up for 1, 2, 2.99. Tamina steamrolls her with a clothesline and a Samoan drop. She brings in AJ to end the girlhood dream at 9:30. Natayla wants a piece of AJ but first has to go through Tamina. Tamina with a few Samoan Semis but whiffs on the Superfly Splash. Nattie rolls her into the Sharpshooter and Tamina taps at 10:55. Tamina tries to run interference for AJ but Nikki can’t have nice things and ruins it. Nattie rolls through into the Sharpshooter and AJ taps to end the whole she-bang at 11:30.
• This was 13 eliminations with each one lasting in the neighborhood of 45 seconds. It’s a marginal virtue that the novices were kept to one move sequences before hitting the showers, but that’s a hardly enough to merit a quality match. The best part of the match was Tamina/Jojo if that tells you anything. *1/2
• In the back, Orton runs into Charles Robinson, the ref for his match against Showster tonight. Randy wants to reminisce about the good, ole RNN days when Charles used to have his back. This is approximately the first on-camera interaction between the 2 ever, so who knows. ANYWAY, Randy wants him to call it right down to the middle, WINKWINK, but Charles shakes it off to say that he’s going to do what the Authority said. YEAH! THOSE FACES! I MEAN, THOSE HEELS! I MEAN, THOSE FUCKERS!
• Meanwhile, we kick it to the All-Star panel which remarkably has no Alex Riley and 3 world champs – Book, Foley, and Bret Hart. BUT WAIT! RYBACK HAS COME OUT! DA BIG GUY! Like Orton, he’s in a nostalgic mood and wants to reminisce about his favorite SS moment: the time he came out and shut up the old-timers on the panel. BOOOOOOO! See, he knows they aren’t going to do anything because they are cowards just like the entire crowd. I AM NOT A BULLY! He issues an open challenge. It’s answered by… SOMEBODY GONNA GET THEY ASS KICKED!
• Ryback vs. Mark Henry. Mizark, now sans Predator-do, was last seen in August saving Rob Van Dam from The Shield with the help of Big Show in the slowest run-in ever and that was before he pulled his hamstring. There’s a gif of it somewhere on the internet but I can’t track it down. Alas, whereas Henry had nicely settled into the role as Shield foil in 6-man tags since his feud with Cena earlier in 2013, Ryback had floundered since his heel turn and brush with main event glory in the spring of 2013. Ryback would hit the skids even stooping to quitting against Miz on RAW back in July. He would get a meaningless fluke win over Jericho at MITB and then spend the next few months becoming a Heyman guy and losing to Punk around the circuit. In a bad omen for the big guy, in order to build up Showster, 6 days before this PPV, the Fed had Show shit on Ryback’s finish and then pin him clean.
• JBL and Cole get into a pissing contest about the difference between a nickname and a moniker, while Mark makes his entrance. They lock up and Ryback talks trash before Henry throws him down. Ryback’s pretty amused and goes to the CLUBBINGBLOWS. Mark steamrolls him but Ryback drops behind and clips the knee AND NOW WE GO TO SCHOOL, BULLY STYLE! Ryback with a splash and a snap suplex on Henry. Ryback tries a Spear but whiffs and posts himself. Henry goes to the JYD headbutt for 1, 2, no. JBL muses that Ryback might have been expecting The Brooklyn Brawler instead of the World’s Strongest Man, which is funny and all expect they pulled that exact gambit back in July on Superstars. ANYWAY, Ryback clips the knee again and goes to the chinlock. JBL brings up that Henry might be blown up as he labors his way through a slug it out sequence. Henry with a Bulldog powerslam for 1, 2, kickout. Mark wants the WSS but Ryback counters to a spinebuster. He drops the straps but Henry cuts him off with a standing crossbody. World’s Strongest Slam gets 1, 2, 3 to end it at 4:48.
• Another uneventful job for Ryback and Mark wasn’t looking too good either. But the JYD stuff and the crossbody was fun enough. *1/2
• Back to the panel as Book shits on Ryback’s gimmick by suggesting that Mark Henry was “too hungry” for Ryback tonight. Moving on as the HOFers discuss whether or not, Cena can overcome the odds in his sorta-hometown Boston. Bret says it’ll come down to whether or not ADR can slap on the armbreaker. Foley thinks it might come down to crowd support and fears Cena won’t have it. Book says ADR has all the tools and can do it again if he doesn’t run into any social media managers on the way.
• World Heavyweight Championship: Alberto Del Rio vs. John Cena (c). After dropping the WWE strap to Dragon at SS and leaving him alone in the fight against the Authority, Cena exited stage right to get much deeped elbow/tricep surgery. He would sit out the next 2 1/2 months before waltzing into a gift-wrapped title shot at HITC thanks to the Authority, thus supporting the fan theory that he’s secretly the Authority’s hand-picked guy all along. Berto, on the other hand, had a solid spring and summer, turning heel and winning the world belt from Ziggler post-concussion. He would retain over Christian’s one more match at SS. Then, he would lose his second and all of his heat in an asinine feud with RVD, but at least, he went over clean in the gimmick match blowoff at Battleground. Still though, it was obvious that ADR was a joke after losing to a distraction roll up in seconds to Ricardo on RAW after it was revealed Cena would be his opponent at the next PPV. At HITC, Cena returned as the $6 milllion man and no sold hours of arm work to dispatch ADR unceremoniously. He would do the same, Jax-style, the next night to Damien Sandow on his cash-in. Let’s just say, this isn’t looking good for Del Rio.
• Pre-match, Cena meets with his doctor and tells him that he doesn’t want to wear the arm brace tonight.
• At the bell, Cole lapses into local color: “Big fight feel in the Gah-den, tonight.” ANYWAY, they counter headlocks before ADR runs through Cena with a shoulderblock. Cena’s turn to run over ADR with the same but runs into a hiptoss and back to the mat with ADR working a headlock. Another shoulderblock from ADR. Cena tries a leap frog but Berto clips the knee. Snap suplex gets a fleeting 1 count. Cena no sells to pick up ADR but Del Rio slides out for a LARIATO. Del Rio wraps the arm around the ropes for a bit and hits a MEXICO’S GREATEST EXPORT HAMMER OFF THE TOP! Cena rolls to the floor to take a breather. Cena tries a cutoff with the bad elbow(!) but ADR is all ESTO ES MÉDICAMENTE DEFECTUOSO! USTED DEBE ESTAR EN UNO CENTRO MEDICO RECUPERACIÓN BAJO EL CUIDADO EN UN MEDICO AUTORIZADO! NO SE PREOCUPE AMIGO VOY A AYUDAR Y AYUDAR A QUE VOLVER A LA BUENA SALUD! And sends him into the stairs.
• Back in, Del Rio covers for another nearfall. ADR with another ugly sledge for another 2 count. Berto’s a bit bored and goes back to the arm. Cena fires up to mild jeers, but comically faceplants in the corner and flops down to a mostly disinterested crowd. Del Rio appears completely uninspired as he kicks the arm and piefaces Cena around. Once again, RPG Cena finds a K Ration and is back to full health for the shoulderblocks. He whiffs on the second and falls to the outside. Cena tries to target the arm but again Del Rio lays him out with a LARIATO and the crowd is completely over this match. It’s not an open mutiny like at RR 2014, but it’s just complete and total apathy. ADR with another resthold. Cena’s had enough and it’s back to the shoulderblocks. Del Rio spins out of the ProtoBomb with the Backcracker in the frst surprising spot of the match. ADR tries to mock but Cena cuts him off with a dropkick. ProtoBomb but ADR counters the 5KS with an implant DDT. NICE! Cover gets 1, 2, 2 1/2. ADR tries to capitalize with a Bossman attack but whiffs and eats it to the floor. Back in, another ProtoBomb and 5KS. Cena wants the FU but gets pulled into a SNAP GERMAN SUPLEX! 1, 2, 2.99.
• ADR tries the step up enzuigiri but completely overshoots obviously into a face bump that looks horrendous. They trade counters before Cena hits a tornado DDT off the top for 1, 2, 2.99. Berto finally lands the enzuigiri for 1, 2, no. Cena no sells the Tree of Woe for the top rope Fame-asser. 1, 2, shoulder up. Crowd has come around as amazingly Cena and ADR have pulled them kicking and screaming into some nearfalls. Tilt-a-whirl leads into the flying armbar for Berto. Cena rolls through for the STF. ADR struggles but makes the ropes. Cole: “John Cena knows he’s been in a fight, tonight.” Thanks for that. ANYWAY, superkick homicida gets 1, 2, 2.99. Cena lands a desperation half nelson neckbreaker for another nearfall. Cena tries a crossbody but Del Rio rolls through into the ARMBAR! DESTINNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNY! Cena no sells fate because he’s not a Calvinist and because CENA! More reversals ends in the FU for 1, 2, 3 to end it at 18:47.
• Boring horseshit for about 10 minutes with ADR sleepwalking through the heat and Cena underselling but overbumping. They at least started trying with Cena calling for lots of cutoffs and interruptions in his doom sequence, but we’ve seen it so much that it’s hard to entirely care. It picks up with the counter out of the 5KS and the 1000 nearfalls in the last few minutes, but I am just not going to bat for this. **3/4
• Meanwhile, R-Truth and Santino are in the back. They are butting heads over who’s going to win MITB this year… in a toy commercial for WWE. Santino wants to be The Rock and Truth wants to be Cena which is completely preposterous. Los Matadores and El Torito interrupt as does Fandango for cameos. BUT WAIT! JOHNNY ACE! PEOPLE POWER! His appearance saves the segment for me, at least.
• Daniel Bryan & CM Punk vs. The Wyatt Family. After another clusterfuck against Orton at HITC, DB was out of the title picture. The next night on RAW, HBK tried to stand his ground about the whole “Sweet Chin Music as special guest referee to his former student in a championship match” thing but DB was less than accomodating and made him tap clean on the spot (in a segment). The same night, Punk dispatched Ryback in a street fight to end his saga with Heyman. Of course, at the close of both of their nights, Punk and DB were left lying by The Wyatt Family, who had been doing a whole lot of nothing for the last few months.
• Two weeks later, in what should have been a mini-dream match, DB and Punk teamed up against The Shield, but it was lackluster and went to a DQ after The Wyatts interferred, which did lead to the ELECTRIC Wyatts-Shield faceoff that ultimately lead to their clash at EC in February. Of course, it would also lead to one of the best free TV matches of 2013 (and 2014), a rousing 12-man tag with DB, Punk, Usos, and the Rhodes winning over the Wyatts and The Shield. But DB and Punk still had some unfinished businesses with Bray’s disciples that would get settled at SS.
• I haven’t had much of an opportunity to chime in on Punk, but I know it’s accepted gospel at this point that his work was slipping after Brock and SS and that he didn’t care and ad nauseum. Personally, I’ve never felt that way. Outside of a few segments, I thought the feud with him and Heyman was almost entirely worthless after the match with Brock, due to booking, not Punk. He could have been out there hitting homers every night, but the feud using Axel and Ryback had none of the juice that it had with Heyman. I, for one, was really digging everything Punk was doing with the Wyatts and then the Shield after that. I hated to see him go, loved his work, and hope he comes back. ANYWAY, the pop for Dragon’s entrance completely dwarves Punk’s reception. Surprisingly, only a smattering of cell phone lights for the Wyatt’s entrance. I guess that wouldn’t take off til the feud with Cena.
• Rowan and DB to start. DB uses kicks and speed to start, so Rowan piefaces him down. Cole runs down the indy background of both Punk and DB. JBL: “THAT’S GOING TO HELP A LOT AGAINST TWO MONSTERS!” Rowan headbutts DB around as the timid crowd is just dead once again. They rally around DB for more kicks. A tag brings in CMPUNKCMPUNKCMPUNK as the crowd can’t make up their mind which guy they like better and whether they are hot or dead. Harper in with Punk but Punk gets the boot up in the corner and crossbodies him for a quick 1 count. Harper goes to the eyes and takes him down with a LEATHERY chop. Rowan back in for a quick bearhug.
• Even Punk isn’t that burnt out yet and counters out and avoids a suplex to tag in DB. Double suplex attempt but Rowan counters to suplex both down. He’s fired up, but still can’t get the crowd to care. He whiffs on a charge and DB drops him into the turnbuckle and brings Punk back in. They kick him around for a few quick tags. JBL: “BRILLIANT PSYCHOBABBLE ANALYSIS!” Thanks for that. Double back suplex gets another nearfall. Rowan no sells for a slam to tag Harper in. Harper, of course, gets the mannerisms and expressions of a psycho much better than Rowan, but the gimmick is still (was still) aces as a unit. Punk with a spinkick and DB in for a double dropkick and so far, it’s just a bunch of cutoffs with no rhythm, shine, or heat. As I type that, the Best and Beard hit the HART ATTACK! 1, 2, kickout.
• Punk doesn’t take kindly to Rowan’s interference, so Harper gives him a brutal FOOT TO THE FACE! Rowan drops a knee and goes to the neck wrench. Crowd chants for CMPUNKCMPUNK again as Rowan drops him with a backbreaker. Cole: “Remember the great performance by Florida-Georgia Line that night, singing the RAW country theme song?” Thanks for that. Harper levels Punk with a Euro uppercut and goes to the Gator Roll and floats into a modified Crippler Crossface. Punk counters with a jawbreakers but gets pulled into a MICHINOKU DRIVER! 1, 2, shoulder up. Rowan’s in for his specialty – stalling with chinlocks. I’d be amazed if he eliminates anyone in the Cena/Authority match because he doesn’t have any moves, not even a clothesline. ANYWAY, Punk leaps for the tag but Rowan chokes and tosses him into a neutral corner. Punk counters with a tornado DDT. Tags all around and DB is a house of kicks as he flips up and over into a burrito. He dumps out Harper for the TOPE SUICIDA. Missile dropkick gets 1, 2, 2 1/2. Harper tries countering but eats a rana but he rolls through(!) only to eat an IED in the corner. DB tries a Frankensteiner off the top but Harper counters into a SUPER LIGER BOMB! YEAHHHHH! Punk tries to make the save but gets shitcanned. Crowd chants that it’s awesome, but that’s a bit premature. Wyatt barks orders and Rowan tries to put DB away with a splash. 1, 2, 2.99.
• Rowan busts out the Jerry Lawler, Memphis moveset and hits 3 bodyslams in a row. Punk gets Batista kicked off the apron again. Harper chokes and slingshots DB into the ropes. AYEAYEAYAYEAYEAYEAYEAYEAYEA!!!! Well said. DB tries to fire up but Harper flips him with a FUCKIN’ TAZPLEX! MY MAN! He wants Punk but Punk is ready this time and enzuigiris him to the mat. HOT TAG TO PUNK!. Leg lariat and PUNK IS FEELIN’ IT IN BOSTON! Short arm clothesline and Punk heads up top and then planchas to the floor on Rowan and Bray. Swinging neckbreaker on Harper. Macho elbow gets 1, 2, kickout. Punk says it’s time for G2S. Rowan tries to distract but DB dropkicks him outta the way. G2S on Harper. 1, 2, 3 and Harper Hogan’s him in losing at 16:53.
• Good match, but felt like it needed another gear down the stretch. Wyatts’ got zero believeable nearfalls and it took one finisher to end them, making this feel more like a RAW main event than a co-main event to one of the Big 4, minus the shitty Kane run-in. Still, this was the Wyatts first big PPV match as a tag team and they came out of it relatively effective. ***1/2
• Post-match, Bray teases going after DB and Punk by his lonesome but decides to fight another day.
• Meanwhile, The Authority and Cena are in the back discussing his latest World Championship and his elbow injury. Orton interrupts and Cena shrugs off ice for his elbow in favor of an icy glare at Orton. They exchange awkward silences and then leave.
• WWE Championship: Big Show vs. Randy Orton (c). Orton spent the spring of 2013 in face purgatory. First, he was part of the rotating band of losers that couldn’t beat The Shield. Then, he spun into a feud with Show (yes, one in the same) at EE over whose fault the loss to The Shield at Mania was. Orton won that one and moved right back into the feud with The Shield, teaming with Hell No for weeks. He and DB argued over who was the weak link and lost at Payback for the tag belts. Though, the trio would overcome and give The Shield their first clean pinfall loss on Smackdown.
• Orton would circle his own wagons and surprisingly win the MITB, though it wasn’t until he turned heel along with The Authority at SS that he really got the bump up to the main event again. Though Orton was WWE champ and the Authority’s guy, he was continually challenged to prove himself and Orton went on a free TV tear, putting on mini-classics with Cody Rhodes, Goldust, Dolph, Big E, and Miz through the early fall. After finally ousting DB once and for all at HITC, Orton had his second ticker tape coronation in 2 months, celebrating him as the Face of the WWE.
• Showster, on the other hand, was always present, but didn’t have a PPV match from May (which he lost to Orton) until November. He was forced into the Authority, thus negating his famous iron-clad contract that he got from Johnny Ace during the People Power era. He was embarrassed, emasculated, and made to cry by Stephanie McMahon in some rather odd booking. He stood up to the Authority at Battleground by KO’ing Orton, but also KO’ed Daniel Bryan and the screwjob ending turned the entire show into a dumpster fire. They finally got him on the right track and he helped The Rhodes family dethrone The Shield in an electric moment. Unfortunately, Show was then fired and used the babyface-classic tactic of suing to get a title shot.
• At the bell, Orton ducks out to the floor and JBL can’t race fast enough to “MIND GAMES, MAGGLE!” Show chases to the floor and Orton tries to cut him off at the pass. Show no sells for the frying pan chops. Show punches and chokes. Orton bails, so Show tries to palm him back into the ring but Orton targets the arm. Show again no sells for headbutts as a portion of the crowd chants for Daniel Bryan. Show drops an elbow for a 1 count. To his credit, Orton is selling fairly well for Show’s usual methodical arsenal. He goes back to the chops and wants the Runaway Show Semi, but Orton clips the knee. Orton boots him down for a knee drop. 1, 2, power kickout. Orton grabs a guillotine to slow things down.
• Show tries to light up, so Orton goes to the vaunted SLEEPER! SHADES OF PIPER! Show counters out with a side slam. Double down at 5 minutes in. Show up and bowls over Orton with a shoulderblock. He wants the ChokeSlam, but Orton takes a breather. Show’s no fan of cardio breaks and tosses Orton into the stairs. Back in, Show heads up top, so Orton crotches him. He teases the sheer drop DDT, but Show’s too lanky and his feet fall off the top rope and boo birds come out as the entire arena turns on them. Smartly, Orton revels in it and the crowd loses interest. Show shoves off an RKO attempt for a ChokeSlam. 1, 2, 2.99. Eh. Show fires up for the WMD with some mise en scene, but Orton takes another lap on the floor. Charles Robinson tries to get both back in the ring, but Show throws Orton to bump the ref. Orton posts Show. Orton tries the international object route, but Show dismisses the chair and shitcans Orton into the crowd. Orton cuts him off and tries the DDT again, but Show shoves him off for the WMD. BUT WAIT! THE AUTHORITY HAS COME OUT! Show is distracted and eats an RKO. Minority of the crowd chants for DANIELBRYAN again. The Punt puts Show down for good at 11:10.
• Not the god-awful abomination you might have been lead to believe. It’s not good. it’s not main event quality, and it certainly isn’t worth usurping Daniel Bryan out of the way, but it’s a decent match. They told a logical story of Orton being in over his head and having once again, to prove himself. Orton played a coward effectively enough, and they managed to work in a nearfall and a few finishers. But the apathetic crowd, who only got hot for the DDT botch, did not care at all. **
• Follow me on Twitter – @RingCrewReviews
More Trending Stories
- Jim Ross Disagrees With Kenny Omega Saying AEW Doesn’t Need Him Right Now
- Baron Corbin Wins Gold At International Jiu-Jitsu Tournament After Previously Getting Second Place
- List of Producers and Backstage Notes for Last Night’s WWE Smackdown
- CM Punk Stands Tall With The OG Bloodline After WWE SmackDown Goes Off the Air
