– Air Date: March 17, 2016 (3.16 in Canada)
– Location: U.S. Bank Arena in Cincinnati, OH
– The Big News:
Kevin Owens pinned AJ Styles.
– Show Recap:
Roman Reigns came out to a heavy mixed reaction.
The lighting effects for his entrance appear to have changed and he came out through the stage, not through the crowd. When his music stopped, some fans chanted “Roman” and others started booing to drown them out.
Reigns said that on Raw we saw what happens when you run your mouth, and Triple H won’t be here tonight. For the next few weeks, Reigns said he would be in Hunter’s buildings, his rings and in catering eating on Hunter’s dime until they meet again at WrestleMania. Reigns said he would win the title and that was pretty much it. The Smackdown intro, Raw replay, Reigns entrance and promo was all over in 6 minutes.
They recapped the story between Chris Jericho and AJ Styles. Backstage, Styles told Renee Young it’s ridiculous that Jericho would be mad about the fans chanting for him. Styles said Jericho made it personal, and it felt good to drop him on Raw.
Owens interrupted and said Styles sounds just like Sami Zayn. Owens suggested that Styles and Zayn should have a network show where they hold each other and cry. He said there was no room for friendship here. Styles said Owens reminded him of Jericho and called him a jackass. Styles said he would shut Owens’ mouth later in their match. Owens left, but not before pointing out that Styles and Renee had the same haircut.
Dolph Ziggler beat The Miz via pinfall
They had a decent back-and-forth match. Miz applied a Figure Four but Ziggler fought to the ropes and followed with a superkick for the win. The announcers did talk about Ziggler’s match with Triple H on Raw, but that was the extent of the follow-up.
They showed Kalisto accepting Ryback’s challenge for the U.S. Title during his sit-down interview with Michael Cole.
They aired a segment from earlier today with Dean Ambrose on the streets of his hometown of Cincinnati.
He said Cincinnati had a lot of nicknames, including “good-looking Cleveland.” Ambrose said Brock Lesnar has been training to be a champion his whole life, but being from Cincinnati was training to fight for your life, a better life. The pressure was off the charts, and every time he had a brick thrown at his head he learned a lesson. Being from this town taught him a lot of lessons, and he’s ready to teach Lesnar a lesson. I liked this and the crowd enjoyed it.
Bubba Ray Dudley (w/D-Von Dudley) beat Goldust via pinfall
D-Von pulled a table out of the ring which distracted Goldust, allowing Bubba to immediately take control. As Goldust made his comeback, Bubba spilled to the outside. Goldust took out D-Von, but as he re-entered the ring, Bubba just kicked him, Goldust fell, and Bubba covered him for a pinfall win. They had to mess something up here because this was a weak finish to put it lightly.
The Dudleys attacked Goldust afterwards, so R-Truth ran out to make the save. Except he didn’t, because the Dudleys did away with him quickly. Then the Usos ran out and attacked the Dudleys, who bailed. Goldust and Truth looked completely pathetic. This sucked.
Charlotte and Ric Flair came out for the top-of-the-hour segment.
Charlotte said she’s known her Mania opponents for almost her entire adult life, saying they’ve laughed together, fought, made up and fallen apart. She wouldn’t be here today if not for Sasha Banks and Becky Lynch and asked that they came out.
Lynch came out alone. Charlotte asked where her “BFF” was, and Lynch said she doesn’t do “BBF”s anymore because her last one didn’t work out so well. She said Charlotte could always count on her though, and she could count on her to take the title at Mania.
Banks came out next and said she doesn’t come out on Charlotte’s schedule. No, just a couple of minutes later. Charlotte recalled a conversation she had with her dad (Ric Flair) while in NXT, who compared them to the Four Horseman. Charlotte thought they should be referred to as the Horsewoman and was happy when Flair approved.
Charlotte then apologized – apologized to Flair for ever saying Banks and Lynch could be called Horsewomen. Lynch said you can call her whatever you want, she plans on ripping off Charlotte’s arm and taking the title.
Banks said she’s the one who pinned Charlotte for the NXT Women’s title, and reminded them that she has never been beaten since getting called up to Raw and Smackdown. Banks and Lynch argued about who deserved this more. Lynch accused Banks of getting her jewelry from the dollar store, so Banks took off all her jewelry, ready for a fight, but the two babyfaces attacked Charlotte instead. Banks gave Charlotte a backcracker and she fell to the outside. Charlotte left with Flair and wasn’t selling a thing.
This segment was ok. It wasn’t as bad as I was expecting. There was some good stuff, but overall it was just another segment. Lynch was the best of the three.
Kofi Kingston (w/New Day) beat King Barrett (w/League of Nations) via pinfall
After getting their asses kicked on Raw, New Day skipped out to the ring like usual (holding four large bags of garbage meant to represent each member of L.O.N.). Xavier Woods said they’ve done some recouping since Raw with help from Booty O’s cereal. Woods mocked people who thought they should come out and act all serious after what happened on Monday.
This led to Big E cutting fake serious promo, somewhat channeling Hulk Hogan, saying they would take down the lads at Mania. The crowd appreciated his effort. They called the League bags of hot garbage, did impressions of each guy, and kicked the bags of garbage out of the ring. This was fine. I do think New Day came back too quickly, but maybe Booty O’s is that good for you.
The match wasn’t much. Kingston, obviously, played babyface. After some interference from both sides, Kingston used a school boy holding the tights for the win.
They plugged shows for the network for WrestleMania week, including NXT Takeover.
Another Cincinnati segment with Dean Ambrose, this time at Madonna’s Bar & Grill.
The bartender gave Ambrose a beer, who said being at bars like this made you think about all the fights you’ve been in, and taking the fight to the big stage for money and fame. But Ambrose said that’s all crap – he fights for pride, and was bringing the people of Cincinnati with him to Mania. He said Lesnar doesn’t know what pain is. Even though the bar was filled with plants, it was amusing watching Dean Ambrose scream about Brock Lesnar unprovoked in the middle of a real bar.
They aired a lame video package for the lame Shane/Vince/Undertaker segment on Raw.
Click Here: liverpool mens jersey
The Social Outcasts were out for some bad comedy, and to announce they’re in the Andre the Giant Battle Royal at WrestleMania. Dean Ambrose interrupted to a huge reaction, and took out the Social Outcasts with a Kendo stick. Ambrose heard a rumour that Lesnar would be on Smackdown next week. The crowd booed, and Ambrose said of course Lesnar wouldn’t dare show up in Cincinnati. Ambrose said he’d be in there waiting for Lesnar next week.
Non-Title: IC Champion Kevin Owens beat AJ Styles via pinfall
They went to commercial about a minute into the match after Owens hit a gutbuster and senton. After the break, Owens had a chinlock applied and a woman from the crowd yelled “You look like you’re pregnant!” Owens tried another senton but Styles blocked it with his knees. Owens told Mauro Ranallo to shut up.
Styles fought back with strikes and a forearm. He tossed Owens to the outside and hit a springboard forearm, and a fireman’s carry neckbreaker back in the ring. They traded moves until Owens turned Styles inside out with a clothesline. Owens went for a pop-up powerbomb but Styles countered with a Pele kick and rack bomb.
Styles knocked down Owens and got ready for a springboard forearm, but Jericho’s pyro went off (which visibly scared the crap out of some fans sitting close to the stage) and Styles was distracted. As he went back in the ring, Owens hit a high knee strike and pop-up powerbomb for the win. Good match (until the finish), but somewhat short.
Afterwards, Jericho gave Styles a Codebreaker and did mocking “AJ Styles” chants. He sped up the chants so people couldn’t chant “Y2J” in between.
Final Thoughts:
This was a really mundane show. The main event was pretty good, I guess, but the ending was dumb and it feels like Styles has lost all his momentum.