September 7, 2015
From the Royal Farms Arena in Baltimore, MD
Your hosts are Byron Saxton, JBL, and Michael Cole
The show starts with Seth Rollins coming down to the ring. The announcers mention how he will defend both the WWE World and the U.S. Titles at Night of Champions. Rollins gives Baltimore a “reality check” because they get to see someone special like himself. After putting over his win at SummerSlam, Rollins then gets pissed over what happened to his statue as the crowd starts a “we want Sting” chant. Rollins also gets upset over Sting for having the audacity to put his hands on the WWE World Title then talks about at Night of Champions and how he has a chance to destroy Sting’s legacy. He switches focus to last week where he found out that John Cena will face him for the U.S. Title as the crowd started a brief “boring” chant. Rollins accused Cena of “politicking” his way into getting a rematch and how he was upset until it finally hit him that he is in fact, Seth Rollins, and at Night of Champions he will cement his own legacy by beating two Hall of Famers on the same night. Rollins then talks about getting his statue back before saying that he is not the future of the WWE, he is the man. Right after that, we hear Sting’s crow noise as he is shown on the screen with the statue. Sting tells Rollins that he is a man without a statue then proceeds to dust it a bit before telling Rollins to come and get it as the champ is pissed. Sheamus’ music hits as he comes out with his Money in the Bank Briefcase. He tells Rollins that he looks “agitated” as the crowd starts up the “you look stupid” chant. Rollins tells Sheamus that he is not worried about Sting, Cena, or him as he has a statue to recover. They briefly trade barbs until Rollins asks Sheamus the point of him coming out as Sheamus tells him the point is his briefcase and at Night of Champions, he could have a third match against before leaving. An incredibly long and uninspired segment. Sting’s material was goofy but he did as good as you could with it and the Seth/Sheamus interaction was underwhelming to say the least but the material was too poor for anyone to overcome.
Team PCB are shown walking to the ring.
After the break, Rollins walks into Stephanie McMahon’s office. She tells him to relax as he wants HHH to devise a plan and not the one she came up with. HHH walks in as Rollins says he wants them to all come up with something. Rollins suggests he find his statue while HHH tells him not to worry about Sheamus as he has Randy Orton tonight. HHH also tells Rollins he will compete twice in order to prepare for the two matches he will have at Night of Champions. His first match is against Ryback while his second is a champions vs. challengers match as he teams up with the New Day against John Cena and the Prime Time Players. Rollins then acts confidently and says he is the man before leaving. So they are now teasing dissention between Seth and Stephanie.
Paige w/ Team PCB vs. Sasha Banks w/ Team BAD
The announcers bring up how these two had a match last week at the “Beat the Clock” challenge that resulted in a time-limit draw. They also inform us that Charlotte will face Nikki Bella for the Divas Title next week. Match starts with Paige yanking and tossing Sasha by the hair. They work a few sloppy sequences with Paige taking out her frustrations over losing the challenge last week until Sasha blocks a corner kick and takes Paige down with a knee drop as she was laid up on the middle rope. Sasha gets a nearfall on that as we head to break. We return with Sasha working a chinlock. Paige fights out and hits Sasha with mounted punches until she gets hit with a forearm. Sasha hits a running knee smash in the corner then chokes her out on the middle rope. Tamina lands a shot in on Paige as Sasha covers for two. Sasha uses another chinlock that Paige fights out of then she heads up top but Sasha yanks her off. However, Paige kicks back a few times and dodges a corner charge. Paige gets two with a super kick and a knee smash then gets frustrated again. Sasha floats over on a suplex then gets caught on a crossbody attempt but is able to escape the Rampage. Sasha huddles outside with her teammates until Paige hits a running senton from the apron that takes out Tamina. Back inside, Paige hits a wheelbarrow suplex for two. Paige then tries for the PTL but Naomi runs in and distracts Paige and that allows Sasha to turn that into a small package for the win (9:57) *3/4. Paige is distraught after losing another match.
Thoughts: The match started off terribly but became okay until the finish, which was poor. Sasha doesnt show the charisma and swagger she displays in NXT on the main show.
Up next, Dean Ambrose & Roman Reigns in tag team action.
The Ascension vs. Dean Ambrose & Roman Reigns
Both Ambrose & Reigns come through the crowd. We get clips of Bray Wyatt from Smackdown last week as he tells both Reigns & Ambrose that Night of Champions will be their “doomsday” as the announcers ponder who they will choose as their partner to face the Wyatt Family. Match starts with Ambrose beating on Konnor. Reigns tags then gets caught in the wrong corner for a little bit until he hits Viktor with a Samoan drop. Reigns goes after Konnor, who gets taken out by a tope from Ambrose, then beats on Viktor until hitting the Superman Punch. He tags Ambrose as they hit Viktor with the Doomsday Device then Reigns spears a charging Konnor as Ambrose finally puts Viktor away with the Dirty Deeds (3:52) *. After the match, the lights go out as we see Braun Strowman on the screen telling Reigns & Ambrose that it is okay to be afraid of him as he is their destruction. Bray then warns whoever joins them at Night of Champions that the apocalypse will await.
Thoughts: Not much to this match at all. The Ascension are jobbers anyway so this was a fine use of them.
Renee Young is with Ryback. He puts over Rollins before telling us he has some plans as he does the “Feed me More” motions with his hand while the crowd chants along. He then says he will hit the Meathook clothesline and the Shellshock. Kevin Owens interrupts, eating an apple, sarcastically wishing Ryback luck before warning him not to bite off more than he can chew. I don’t mind the prospect of an Owens/Ryback feud but this segment was not very good at all and Owens seems to be set up as the target of fat jokes if that is the case.
We are then treated to a video package detailing the Dolph Ziggler/Lana/Summer Rae love triangle. This was shot in a style you would see on a gossip show. A low-rent gossip show, actually, but it even had the corny voice over and different camera cuts. Anyway, the whole angle is laughably bad as no one with half a brain would believe Summer in that situation.
Ryback vs. Seth Rollins
Rollins starts the match off by stalling outside of the ring. Ryback overpowers Rollins in the ring after working the arm. Rollins cheapshots Ryback after a break while the announcers all partake in a grating shouting match regarding Rollins’ stolen statue. Ryback comes back with a Thesz Press then chops Rollins back down. Ryback inflicts more punishment before hitting a delayed vertical suplex that barely got any crowd reaction at all. Rollins comes back briefly before walking into a press slam. Ryback chases Rollins around the ring until he gets caught with a kick. However, Ryback catches a dive but after that he gets shoved into the post. Rollins then rams Ryback into the stairs as we head to break. The action returns with Rollins getting two off of a neckbreaker. He works a chinlock on the mat as a faint “feed me more” chant breaks out. Ryback escapes but Rollins comes back with a springboard knee smash for two. He hits a forearm smash but ends up getting backdropped after that as both men are down. Ryback is up first and hits a shoulder tackle. Rollins counters out of a few moves until he gets powerbombed. Ryback gets two off of that then heads up top. Rollins meets him and gets shoved off but Ryback misses a splash as Rollins quickly covers for two. They take the fight outside where Rollins sends Ryback into the barricade as he keeps on trying to get a countout win but that fails. Ryback hits Rollins with a spinebuster then the Meathook. He tries for the Shellshock but Rollins escapes and comes back with an enziguiri but after that, we hear the crow sound as Sting is on the screen with the statue telling Rollins he is waiting. Rollins is pissed as he heads over to Ryback but gets caught with a small package and Ryback gets the win (17:44) **1/2. After the match, a pissed off Rollins sees Sting on the screen with a mask that he puts on the statue, which has Rollins seething.
Thoughts: The match was fine but the crowd was absolutely dead. This was the second distraction/small package finish of the night by the way.
Backstage, an angry Rollins is yelling for Sting until he runs into the New Day, who give him a pep talk. Rollins doesn’t want any part of that then we see Edge and Christian come in as Edge tells Rollins that he didn’t finish the job last time when Rollins threatened to curb stomp him and eggs him on to try it again. Rollins leaves and says he is busy. Woods plays a tune on his trombone as that leads to Christian pulling out a kazoo where he plays “New Day Sucks” while Edge sings along but Big E takes the Kazoo. The Dudley Boyz appear to tell the New Day they will face whoever wins the tag title match on RAW next week between the New Day and Prime Time Players at Night of Champions. Bubba then sings their new song “Get, The Tables” to the tune of “New Day Sucks.” Bubba was great here, as were the New Day.
Summer is in the ring. Before that, we get a replay of the same video package from earlier in the show. She tells us this has been the most horrific week of her life but she owes one man an apology and that is Rusev. He comes out as Summer calls him her “glimmer of hope” among other cliches and tells him he gave her the courage to pose for “Ironman” magazine as we get some looks at that. Summer then tells him Ziggler has been trying to seduce him for weeks and her innocence got the best of her as she felt weak and let Ziggler kiss her. A few boring chants broke out here. Summer then cries and tells Rusev she is sorry as Rusev stops her and accepts her apology. Rusev tells Summer hits not her fault but rather Ziggler’s fault and that she is the victim, not her then tells us that Lana is also a victim because she does not have a broken wrist, but a broken heart. He then tells Lana that he would never make her feel the way Ziggler did. Ziggler comes out and tells a lame joke referencing how he was with Lana last night and accuses both of them for driving a wedge between Lana and himself. Ziggler then delivers a message to Rusev from Lana, as he tosses him his mic before connecting with a super kick. Rusev and Summer bail as Rusev flips out on a pissed off Ziggler, who is standing tall in the ring. This material was awful but Rusev still managed to be somewhat entertaining. Ziggler is just grating in this role.
Randy Orton is backstage talking with Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns, almost teasing that he will be their partner at “Night of Champions.” We were unable to hear the conversation.
Randy Orton vs. Sheamus
Orton starts the match by working the arm. Sheamus bails and takes a breather before re-entering as they trade headlocks. Sheamus bails again after Orton hit him with a shoulderblock then bails again as he grabs a mic to yell at the crowd for saying he looks stupid. Orton comes out and beats him down before rolling Sheamus back inside where he hits mounted punches. Orton hits a dropkick as Sheamus bails again. Orton runs outside where Sheamus ducks a clothesline and hits the Irish Curse as we head to break. We return with Sheamus working a headlock. Orton fights back and hits a few clotheslines and a powerslam. Sheamus also fights back and hits a shoulder tackle from the top rope for a nearfall. Orton comes back with another powerslam. Sheamus drops Orton then locks on a cloverleaf but Orton reaches the ropes. They fight up top where Orton hits a superplex. Orton hits his draping DDT but Sheamus blocks an RKO. Sheamus tries for a Brogue Kick but Orton ducks that and pops up to his feet after a rollup then hits the RKO for the win (15:51) **. After the match, the lights go out as the Wyatt Family appears. Strowman comes in and destroys Orton then Wyatt kneels over Orton as the segment ends.
Thoughts: The crowd was basically silent here. The match wasn’t that bad technically but both guys were just going through the motions and we have seen these two go at it a million times already. The beatdown from Strowman to Orton looked awful. Nothing Strowman did actually looked painful. He needed a lot of work before making it to NXT TV, nevermind the main roster.
Los Matadores w/ El Torito vs. Dudley Boyz
Diego grabs a side headlock to start. Bubba powers out but Diego sends Bubba into the ropes with a dropkick. Fernando tags and hits a slingshot senton but gets shoved into his partner after that. Torito jumps up on the ropes and gets yelled at by Fernando, who eventually knocks him off. Fernando turns around and gets hit with the 3D as the Dudley Boyz get the win (1:36) 1/2*. After the match, Diego tosses Torito to the floor and roughs him up until D’Von stops that. Diego gets tossed inside where Bubba powerbombs him through the table.
Thoughts: This could be the end of the Los Matadores gimmick, which would be a good for both guys. Dave Meltzer noted in this week’s “Wrestling Observer Newsletter” that their was talk of the duo undergoing a gimmick change. The match itself was just to put the Dudley Boyz over for their future title match at Night of Champions.
Cole breaks the news that Dolph Ziggler vs. Rusev will take place at Night of Champions.
Cesaro vs. The Miz
Before the match, we see a segment from the pre-show where Miz tries to tell Cesaro he can make him a star as Cesaro doesn’t want any part of this. Cesaro takes Miz down and mocks him before he hits a gutwrench suplex. Cesaro catches Miz in midair and slams him down then kills him with running European uppercuts until the Miz ducks outside. Cesaro puts on JBL’s hat for a minute and hits Miz with another uppercut as the crowd is actually responding to someone tonight in Cesaro. Back inside, Miz catches Cesaro with a knee but gets booted down then climbs up top. Miz hits him in the ribs and targets that for a bit until the Big Show comes out and chases him around until the match is ruled a double countout (4:10) *1/4. Miz taunts Big Show from the crowd and Show leaves, only to go over and hit Cesaro with the KO punch.
Thoughts: The Miz/Show feud continues and Cesaro getting knocked down by Show might lead to a program where Cesaro can show off his freakish strength but for the past month, Cesaro has been booked like garbage. Who knows what the company wants to do with the guy.
Team Bella comes out to the ring. Nikki presents us the Bella tron as the countdown shows up, as that ends after RAW next week. She promises a celebration then Team PCB comes out. Charlotte tells Nikki that they love parties but for some reason they were not invited to theirs as she says next week, she will beat her for the divas championship then a brawl ensues after that. It ends with Charlotte spearing Nikki then locking on the figure eight. The mic work here was just atrocious. Charlotte is really struggling in her current role too.
John Cena & Prime Time Players vs. Seth Rollins & Big E & Kofi Kingston w/ Xavier Woods
Big E and Cena start things off. Big E grabs a headlock and stomps on the mat to the tune of “New Day rocks” while Xavier is dancing with the trombone. Big E takes Cena down with a shoulderblock while the New Day are celebrating. Big E hits him with a powerslam while Xavier goes nuts on the outside. Cena gets stomped in the corner as Kofi is now the legal man as we head to break. We return with the New Day still in control while Xavier is playing on the trombone. Cena finally breaks free and tags Titus, who cleans house until Big E catches him with a belly-to-belly suplex as both men are down. Rollins tags in as does Cena and they both counter each others finishers until Cena locks on the STF. Rollins makes the tag to Kofi as Cena rolls through a move and hits him with the A.A. for the win (12:59) **1/4. After the match, Cena and the PTP’s celebrate then leave as Rollins is alone in the ring. The crow sounds as Sting is on the screen with the statue, mocking him for having a rough night and not getting the statue. The lights go on where Sting is as he is next to a trash truck. Sting puts over how much it smells then teases pushing the statue inside before he finally does. When that happens, the back of the truck lowers and the statue is crushed as Rollins is throwing a fit in the ring.
Thoughts: The match itself wasn’t much but the antics from the New Day, especially from Xavier, kept it fun. He was great here. The post match stuff hopefully signals the end of this awful statue angle.
Final Thoughts: It appears as though the WWE felt no one would watch due to the holidays so they decided to put out a show featuring nothing at all of note. The writing was generally terrible and even the in-ring stuff was subpar. You really missed nothing here if you skipped out on the show. And Night of Champions really just feels like a continuation of SummerSlam, featuring feuds that have lost a lot of steam.
