![In tonight's main event, Dean Ambrose takes on Randy Orton. With Roman Reigns barred from ringside, there could be trouble. [Photo courtesy of WWE.com]](http://placetobenation.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/SD_776_Photo_139.jpg)
July 4, 2014
Newark, NJ
Prudential Center
The current WWE champs are as follows:
WWE World Heavyweight Champion: John Cena (6/29/2014)
WWE Intercontinental Champion: Vacant (6/30/2014)
WWE U.S. Champion: Sheamus (5/5/2014)
WWE Divas Champion: AJ Lee (6/30/2014)
WWE Tag Team Champions: The Usos (3/3/2014)
FINALLY, Matt has come back to the PTB Nation. Life comes at you hard and fast sometimes. It’s been a busy June, but I’m glad to be back doing what I do.
Video package airs from this past week on Raw highlighting the Authority trying to woo the new WWE world heavyweight champion John Cena over to their side. When he refuses to join them, MITB winner Seth Rollins tries to cash in on Cena late in the main event, which Dean Ambrose interrupts. For all the details and more, check out Scott’s Raw Recap.
Your hosts are Michael Cole and JBL.
Our MITB winner Seth Rollins appears wearing a black suit. He seems to feel that John Cena got lucky on Raw. The time is ticking on your title reign, John. Rollins declares that he will be the new face of WWE. Well, Dean Ambrose interrupts and tells Rollins that he guarantees to be wherever Rollins is to keep him from ever successfully cashing in the briefcase and winning the WWE world title. Rollins feels Ambrose got lucky on Raw and he can’t keep stopping him from cashing in the briefcase for an entire year. Ambrose begs to differ and plans to stop him right now. He heads down to the ring to go after Rollins, but out comes Randy Orton to help with the double-team. Roman Reigns appears and helps Ambrose clean house on Triple H’s boys. Speaking of Triple H, he comes out and makes a match for Dean Ambrose to face Randy Orton. If Roman Reigns interferes in any way, HHH says he will be out of the WWE world title fatal four-way match at Battleground. The Ambrose and Rollins exchange felt very weak. It’s just best if they stop talking and just keep fighting. That seems to get the best reaction.
– WWE U.S. Champion Sheamus vs. Alberto Del Rio
Alberto Del Rio accepts the Fourth of July challenge for the U.S. title. Sheamus fights off Del Rio to start with the Finlay Roll. To the floor we go, Sheamus takes a ride into the steps. As they fight on the apron, Del Rio delivers a backstabber! That big move send us into commercial. When we come back, Sheamus begins mounting his comeback. Irish Curse backbreaker gets two. Running Powerslam gets countered to a DDT though as ADR scores a nearfall. Sheamus stops Del Rio up top though and pounds on his chest. Flying shoulderblock scores. Time for the Brogue Kick. Del Rio knows it’s coming and counters with the Cross Armbreaker. Sheamus hooks his hands and breaks free to apply the Cloverleaf. Del Rio reaches the ropes and finds a way to get Sheamus down in the Cross Armbreaker. He hyperextends the elbow, but Sheamus powers out and buckle bombs Del Rio. ADR avoids a corner charge though and superkicks Sheamus. Moonsault fails, but Del Rio rolls through and stands up into the Brogue Kick as Sheamus picks up the win. (8:15 shown) This really is the best role for Del Rio in the current WWE scene. I don’t see him being the star of a show and I doubt anyone else does either. Instead, he can be a great midcard guy. His only problem is that he just needs some midcard wins. **½
Elsewhere, Stardust and Goldust get weird.
Byron Saxton meets with Roman Reigns backstage. Reigns isn’t going to jeopardize his WWE world title match at Battleground and feels Dean Ambrose will be just fine tonight. All the same, he’s leaving Battleground as the WWE world heavyweight champion. Believe that.
Video package airs from Money in the Bank where Bo Dallas confronted Daniel Bryan and got called a boner. What’s a boner, mommy?
Out comes Bo Dallas to respond to Daniel Bryan’s response to Bo Dallas at Money in the Bank. He calls Bryan a “special little guy”. Bo Dallas says he will win the IC title battle royal at Battleground for little Daniel.
– Bo Dallas vs. Diego (w/El Torito)
Fernando is injured, so now Diego is in JTTS mode. Dallas absorbs a bunch of Diego’s offense and hits the BO DOG for the win at 1:30. Dallas is now 12-0. Afterwards, Torito gets some unwanted advice from Dallas and gores the man. El Torito gets a big slam for his troubles.
Video package showing from this past week on Raw highlighting Chris Jericho’s 148th return to WWE and the subsequent Codebreaker to the Miz. That would have been just fine for Jericho, but then the Wyatt family arrives and destroys him.
Welcome Chris Jericho back to Smackdown. Everything felt good until the Wyatt family showed up. That part, however, was not good. He oddly thanks the Wyatt family for reminding him that WWE is about survival and the ring is a dangerous place, but Jericho says he can be a little dangerous too. He mentions how he stands apart and above all the rest of WWE, which is why he is the best in the world at what he does. Yeah, he’s bringing that line back. Jericho can get crazy and he can get nuts. If he does though, the Wyatt family will never EEEEEVER be the same, agayne. The Wyatt family appear on the TitanTron and Bray introduces himself to Jericho. “Save us Chris? Save yourself.” Back in the ring, Jericho challenges the Wyatts to a fight, but instead we get douchebag Miz. He’s not skinny jeans Batista douchey, but he’s getting there. He’s more like Laguna Beach douchey right now. Miz keeps on talking and talks himself right into another Codebreaker.
– Big E vs. Cesaro (w/Paul Heyman)
On the split-screen, Big E vows to win back the IC title at Battleground. When did Big E turn into Al Sharpton? Cesaro is pissed after losing to JTTS Kofi Kingston this past week. He attacks Big E before the bell and we never get a bell. This is just a big throwing each other around brawl until Heyman holds back his guy while a group of referees have to hold back Big E.
– Non-title match: WWE Divas Champion AJ Lee vs. Eva Marie
Great to have AJ Lee back. Paige joins JBL and Cole at the announce table. No headset, she’s just here to watch the match. Riiiiiight. Eva Marie fumbles her way through this match and winds up in the Black Widow for the tapout at 1:30. After the bell, Paige applauds AJ on her victory and leaves her to celebrate in the ring. Hmpfh. ½*
Damien Sandow slips further into insanity by tonight dawning a Bruce Springsteen imitation. Well, Rusev and Lana saves us from Sandow and points out our faults as Americans. Jack Swagger and Zeb Colter interrupt them to give Lana a test about America. Who invented the internet? Not Russia. Who invented the automobile? Not Russia. Who put the first man on the moon? Not Russia. In Zeb’s opinion, the only good thing Russia ever created was vodka. Well, anyways this leads to another 2-on-2 standoff that ends with Lana and Rusev taking a powder.
– Randy Orton vs. Dean Ambrose
Seth Rollins joins us at the commentary table. Hmm, any chance of a DQ ending? Ambrose has his shoulder taped for this match. Orton makes that the focal point of his strategy here. Eventually, Ambrose makes his comeback with a flying European uppercut (with his good arm) and the suicide dive through the ropes. Instead of capitalizing on Orton, Ambrose jumps Rollins. Back inside, Ambrose hits the McGuinness clothesline. He avoids the draping DDT and tries another suicide dive, but doesn’t see Rollins there to whack him in the injured shoulder with the MITB briefcase as he comes through the ropes. There’s your DQ, folks. (9:30 shown) Fairly uninspired encounter here, but to be expected with such an obvious way to go to book the match. Afterwards, Roman Reigns does make the save for Ambrose to close out the show. **
It’s been real, you guys. Have a fun, safe Independence Day weekend. Until next week, so long for now.
