Superstars
Date: November 4, 2016
Location: XL Center, Hartford, Connecticut
Commentators: Tom Phillips, Corey Graves
The more I do this show and Main Event, the more I like them. They’re simple shows and I can get through them so quickly, which is a nice change of pace. After the hours and hours I have to spend on the big shows, it’s cool to be in and out in less than an hour like this. Let’s get to it.
Opening sequence.
Alicia Fox vs. Dana Brooke
In a bit of continuity, Graves says he’s been wearing his Halloween costume for four days in an attempt to make it seem like this is a stand alone show that was taped on its own. Dana talks trash and gets kicked in the face to start, only to run Alicia over with a sloppy clothesline. We hit a chinlock on Fox for a good while until she gets two off a sunset flip out of the corner. The scissors kick, which was more like Fox sitting on Brooke’s back, is enough for the pin at 5:15.
Result: Alicia Fox b. Dana Brooke – Scissors kick (5:15)
Off to Raw for the first time.
We open with Goldberg, who gets the full walking entrance. Before he can say much though, Paul Heyman interrupts. Heyman knows he isn’t a physical threat to Goldberg but he’s willing to get inside the ring. There’s no way he would get into this ring without significant backup because Brock wants to fight tonight.
Goldberg is more than happy with this and takes off the jacket as Lesnar’s music starts up. Of course that’s not happening tonight but Heyman realizes this could go badly for him. Cue Rusev of all people to praise Goldberg before challenging him to a fight. A few knees to the ribs (with Goldberg’s slip edited out) and a Jackhammer later, Rusev is down. A weak spear takes Heyman down as well and Goldberg gets to pose.
Video on Charlotte vs. Sasha Banks from Sunday.
Back to Raw again.
Here’s Charlotte for her address as champion. She calls the fans peasants and promises to lead the women’s team to victory against Team Smackdown and its captain Nikki Bella. Charlotte is ready to take on all of the Smackdown women but thinks there’s a weak link on her team and her name is Bayley.
Cue Bayley, who says she’s glad Charlotte called her out here. Seeing last night’s main event choked her up and she wants to congratulate Charlotte on her win. Unfortunately she’s also become the biggest jerk and the kind of champion Bayley never wants to be. Charlotte says this isn’t NXT anymore and she sees a glorified fan looking back at her. Therefore, tonight Bayley has a match with one of her teammates.
Bayley vs. Nia Jax
Charlotte is on commentary. Nia starts fast with a shoulder breaker and throws Bayley around a bit before grabbing a bearhug. Bayley reverses into the guillotine but Nia is a learning monster and drives her into the buckle for the break. Some kicks to the legs and a few dropkicks stagger Jax, only to have the standing Vader splash crush Bayley. Instead of the legdrop, Nia goes to the middle rope, only to have to fight out of a super Bayley to Belly. Bayley comes up holding her knee and a ram into the barricade makes it even worse. The knee seems to be fine as Nia hits the Samoan drop for the pin at 5:52.
Result: Nia Jax b. Bayley – Samoan drop (5:52)
Curtis Axel vs. Jinder Mahal
We get an AXELMANIA chant to start things off and Curtis doesn’t let his fans down with some right hands. Mahal knees him down and we take a break. Back with Axel fighting out of a chinlock but getting suplexed right back down. We hit the third chinlock because Mahal doesn’t seem to have much of an offense. Axel easily fights up, hits his usual stuff, and finishes with the PerfectPlex at 10:15.
Result: Curtis Axel b. Jinder Mahal – PerfectPlex (10:15)
Stills of Rollins vs. Owens from Sunday.
Back to Raw one more time.
Here’s Foley to talk about last night’s show with a focus on the Universal Title match. Everything that Owens and Jericho did last night was legal but it all left a bad taste in Foley’s mouth. Jericho and Owens come out to brag about getting into the Cell last night and walking out with the title.
That win means they should be anchoring the Survivor Series team because they’re the top two guys on Raw. They laugh at Foley and bring up him losing the Cell match against HHH right here in Hartford, Connecticut. Foley gets in Owens’ face to yell about how much talent he has but Jericho keeps interfering. Jericho was standing there with a key around his finger and that’s what people are going to see on the WWE Network in eighteen years. Jericho: “Lock it in man.”
That’s enough for Foley, who says Stephanie only wanted Owens for Raw. However, Foley is going to put them both on the team along with another guy he can trust. That wouldn’t be just any guy, but rather THE guy. Reigns comes out and praises Foley’s pumpkin shirt while saying Owens and Jericho look like Spongebob and Patrick.
Roman was going to dress up like a stupid idiot but the store was out of Jericho costumes. Jericho teases putting someone on the List but NO ONE GOES ON THE LIST TONIGHT. Chris doesn’t like anyone here in the United States but he would still be a better US Champion than Reigns. That sounds good to Foley so the title match is made.
And from later in the show.
US Title: Chris Jericho vs. Roman Reigns
Reigns is defending and we get some Big Match Intros. Feeling out process to start until Jericho gets in a shot off the middle rope. They head outside with Owens throwing the weakened champ into the post as we take a break. Back with Jericho in control until he misses a charge in the corner.
Roman hits his string of clotheslines but the Superman Punch misses. The Lionsault hits knees so Jericho opts for the Walls in the middle of the ring. Roman powers out of that and grabs a sitout powerbomb for two more. Owens’ distraction doesn’t work and now the Superman Punch connects. The spear looks to finish but Owens comes in for the DQ at 14:50.
Result: Roman Reigns b. Chris Jericho via DQ when Kevin Owens interfered (14:50)
Post match the beatdown is on until Seth Rollins comes out for the save. Rollins and Reigns share a staredown so maybe they’ll get back together for Survivor Series.
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