WWE: The Diary - CWC 5/6/15; Ibushi vs. Ospreay

Monday Night Raw: November 24th, 2014 – Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana

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Following the WWE signature, a video package aired recapping the ending of Survivor Series last night. With the fate of the Authority and the Shield hanging in the balance, Seth Rollins turned his back on his brothers and took them out, allowing Team Authority to win and stay together. The cameras cut to the arena and before Michael Cole, JBL and Jerry Lawler could even introduce the show, the music of Stephanie McMahon hit.

The principle owner of the WWE walked down to the ring with a huge smile on her face. Once the loud chorus of boos died down, Stephanie started to speak, saying that she told each and every one of the WWE Universe so. “Pay attention to my last name. I’m a McMahon. I run this place no matter who tries to change that. Daniel Bryan couldn’t outsmart me, CM Punk couldn’t outsmart me and the Shield certainly couldn’t outsmart me.” Stephanie spoke about the fact that with her father and husband out and Shane focused elsewhere, it is up to her to run the show. “Without me, there wouldn’t be a Monday night Raw. So boo me all you want because in the end, you all know deep down that you need me.” Stephanie turned the focus away from herself and to Seth Rollins. “I could sit here and tell you just why Seth did what he did last night but it is best to hear from the horse’s mouth. Ladies and gentlemen. Stand up and put your hands together for the savior of the WWE and the newest member of the Authority…Seth Rollins!” A massive wave of boos rained down over the arena as a new theme song hit and Seth stepped out onto the stage. He seemed to bask in the response as he joined Stephanie in the ring and embraced her in a hug. Seth sported a very wide grin across his face. He addressed the crowd, telling them right off the bat that he did what he did for one simple reason. “It was best for business.” That drew even louder boos. Seth continued by talking about the history of the Shield. “Look where we are tonight. Indianapolis. The very same building where, two years ago, the Shield made our big debut. You all witnessed Dean Ambrose, Roman Reigns and myself run roughshod over this entire roster. We found tons of success but one thing always bugged me. You see, when we first showed up, a lot of fans seemed to think that Dean was the leader. That was fine though since you were all still new to me. As time went on though, Roman Reigns somehow became the guy the fans viewed as the man in charge. It was clear that the WWE Universe was filled with nothing but idiots. I’m the man. I was the brains behind the Shield. I was the architect of the most dominant stable in WWE history.”

Seth admitted that some would question his decision to break up a stable that was so successful. “That is why I was the architect. I’m always thinking one step ahead. Sure, we had a great run, but it was time to start thinking about me. I’m in the WWE to become the WWE World Heavyweight Champion and I couldn’t exactly do that when I was too busy hauling Reigns and Ambrose around. How many title shots did I get while part of the Shield? None. I didn’t get the opportunities or the respect that I deserved. So now, you can have your Ambrose’s and your Reigns’. I don’t need any of you. I’ve got the Authority behind me and it’s time for Seth Rollins to look out for Seth Rollins.” The fans chanted “you sold out”, causing Seth to smirk and say that he bought in. Seth prepared to leave but stopped and turned back. “Actually, you guys can’t have your Roman Reigns. You see, when I curb stomped him on that chair last night, I put him on the shelf.” Seth attempted to continue until another unheard theme played. The confusion on the fans’ faces turned to excitement as Dean Ambrose came charging towards the ring. Stephanie quickly bolted, while Seth took off his jacket and traded blows with the “Lunatic Fringe”. Ambrose began to win out, sending Seth out of the ring with a big clothesline. Not content, Dean tried to follow up, but Stephanie had security come out and hold him back. Seth escaped to the back with her while the crowd went rabid for Ambrose.

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BIG SHOW AND BO DALLAS DEF. CHRIS JERICHO AND CODY RHODES IN 6:08; After the events of Team Rusev vs. Team Ziggler last night, these four men went at it again. Cody survived on his team, while Jericho got eliminated following an accidental dropkick from Cody and a kick from Alexander Rusev. Bo and Show continued to show off strong chemistry. Cody got the hot tag and cleaned house. He seemed to be on the verge of a win over Bo when Jericho tagged himself in. Unfortunately, he walked right into a WMD from Show, who then sent Cody outside as Bo covered Jericho for the win. Bo and Show performed a victory lap around the ring, while Cody looked at his fallen partner with confusion across his face.

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Backstage, the Authority was shown in their office when Seth Rollins and Stephanie McMahon entered. Batista, who was already pissed last night, got right up in Stephanie and Seth’s faces. “So we go out and bust our asses for thirty minutes for you when you had this weasel in your back pocket?” Seth stepped to Batista, telling him to watch what he says since Seth was one of the guys that beat Evolution. Stephanie got in between them and admitted that she kept the Seth thing a secret to be as safe as possible. To keep things cool, Stephanie came up with an idea. “Dave, how about this? Tonight, you can have a microphone and go out there and say what you want to say, you can issue any challenge you want…you can have free reign.” Batista thought it over and agreed before leaving. Randy Orton did not look pleased at this. Stephanie turned to Sheamus and said that she needed him tonight to go one on one with Dean Ambrose. Sheamus was more than ready for the opportunity.

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RYBACK DEF. CURTIS AXEL IN 2:48; The duo formerly known as Rybaxel collided here tonight. For weeks, Ryback has been looking to get his hands on Curtis Axel and it finally happened. Axel fought him off slightly, but Ryback was vicious. He continued his hot streak with the Shell Shock. Ryback shouted “FEED ME GOLD” during his celebration, signaling that despite not winning his match last night, he was still on the hunt for a championship.

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A vignette aired hyping up the upcoming debut of the longest reigning NXT Tag Team Champions, the Ascension. The wasteland comes to Raw soon!

The fans came to their feet for the arrival of the WWE Tag Team Champions, CM Punk and Daniel Bryan. It was clear that they were still feeling the effects of their match at Survivor Series. Punk had a microphone and addressed Seth Rollins, calling him a worm. “We were right there. We were so close to ending the Authority. We were so close to shutting up Stephanie McMahon once and for all, only for Seth Rollins to ruin it.” Bryan called Seth an idiot and a sellout. Punk continued by saying they still live in the Authority’s world. “That means that they are going to be doing everything in their power to take these titles off of us. The thing is, we don’t know what’s coming next. We’ve beaten every member of the Authority. Maybe Stephanie will get a partner and take us on herself. Regardless of what she decides, just know this. I did not come back here to be some puppet or someone that can be pushed around. We are still going to fight the Authority with everything we’ve got. Stephanie, you’re going to have to kill us to stop us.” The crowd popped for that but it turned to fear when the Wyatt signature hit the screen. Suddenly, Erick Rowan and Luke Harper were behind the Tag Team Champions and they leveled them from behind. With the sneak attack advantage, Harper and Rowan took it to Punk and Bryan, clubbing away at them. Rowan tossed Punk into the stage wall, knocking him mostly unconscious. Rowan pounded away on Bryan until Harper stopped him. He signaled something to Rowan, who lifted Bryan to his feet. Harper and Rowan grabbed Bryan by the throat and double chokeslammed him onto the steel stage. “What the hell was that for?” asked Michael Cole. Harper and Rowan stood over the fallen Tag Team Champions as the show went to commercial.

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ADRIAN NEVILLE DEF. THE MIZ W/ SUMMER RAE IN 9:08; Back during the Survival Trials, Miz defeated Adrian Neville and injured his leg for not accepting his offer to make him a star. Last night at Survivor Series, Neville pinned Miz to win their match. Here, Miz went after the leg again, but Neville has fully recovered from the injury so it didn’t impact him as much. He overcame a distraction from the lovely Summer Rae and got Miz down with a reverse rana. He went up top, shook out his leg to show it was fine and hit the Red Arrow for the 1-2-3. Summer Rae watched in disgust as Adrian Neville enjoyed his win, putting Miz in his rearview mirror and looking ahead.

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The commentary team took a moment to promote the WWE 2K15 video game, were you can create a Superstar and take him through an entire career with the WWE, going from NXT to the main event of WrestleMania.

In the back, Renee Young was standing by with the WWE United States Champion Alexander Rusev and Lana. She asked them about last night’s loss to Team Ziggler. Lana cut her off with a spiteful “SHUT TUP!” She told Renee to forget what happened last night. “Rusev was not pinned, nor did he submit. Dolph Ziggler and his puny Intercontinental Title got lucky. We do not dwell on the past though.” Renee mentioned that looking to the future means Rusev’s upcoming title defense against Kofi Kingston on Smackdown this Friday. Rusev took over the promo, saying that Kofi Kingston is going to get exactly what Big E got last night and that’s a beatdown.

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“I Walk Alone” played over the speakers signaling the arrival of the “Animal” Batista. He strolled to the ring with a smirk, knowing that earlier tonight, Stephanie McMahon gave him free reign. He waited for the crowd to die down before addressing them. Batista started by reminding everyone that Team Authority won last night. He admitted that Seth Rollins as the ace in the hole was a crucial aspect but had a twist on it. “Even if Seth didn’t do what he did, I was not going to be defeated. The Shield beat Evolution a few months back but I wasn’t about to let that happen again. You all forget that I am a star. When the Rock is gone for months at a time and shows up, you all bow at his feet but when I, star of the hit film Guardians of the Galaxy, come out, you all boo. And I think I realized why. First, it’s because you’re all just plain stupid. But I think I know something that will make all of you realize that I am a megastar. I need to be the WWE Champion again. So, Stephanie told me to come out here and make any challenge that I want and I want Brock Lesnar.” The crowd popped for the news of this dream match, but suddenly, “Voices” hit and Batista’s tag team partner, Randy Orton stepped through the curtain. He spoke as he walked to the ring, telling Batista to slow down a bit. “I get that you were pissed at Stephanie but if you think that whining automatically earns you a title shot, you’re sorely mistaken. We’ve made one hell of a team recently, but don’t forget who I am. I am the Viper and I am the 13 time World Champion. Yea, you’re a big movie star, but you’re also the guy who tapped out at WrestleMania.” Orton and Batista came face to face in the ring and looked to be on the verge of a fight when John Cena’s music played.

This wasn’t the overly excitable Cena that we’re used to. He was clearly still feeling the effects of the beating he took last night. Cena got on the microphone and said he wanted to halt things for a bit even though he would love to see them fight. Cena talked about the loss last night and admitted that Brock Lesnar is a completely different animal from what he remembered. Batista told him to shut up since he lost so bad last night. Cena again admitted to it but reminded them that he is a 14 time champion for a reason. “I know what I have to do now to beat Brock Lesnar and I want a rematch at TLC!” Orton laughed and said that after the loss he suffered last night, he doesn’t deserve a damn thing. Stephanie McMahon now came out, looking to settle things. She immediately told Cena that she agreed with Orton. Cena responded with an idea. “I don’t know if you remember this Stephanie, but long before NXT was the place to be on the road to becoming a WWE Superstar, we did that in a place called OVW. And way back in 2001, there was a group of guys that some called the OVW four. Randy Orton, Brock Lesnar and some guys named the Prototype and Leviathan, who went on to become myself and Batista. Think about the business opportunity Stephanie and I know you’re a lot of things and a smart businesswoman is one of them. You could put together a match to finally prove who the best of the OVW four really is.” Stephanie pondered this, causing Batista to flip out. “What the hell Stephanie? This was my time dammit! I want a WWE Title shot and only me!” Stephanie did not take too kindly to being yelled at, and she responded with her decision. “Brock Lesnar is not scheduled for any upcoming Raws or Smackdowns or TLC. However, the three of you are. So I’m going to put together a match that has never been seen before. Batista, Randy Orton and John Cena will all compete in a Triple Threat match at TLC and the winner faces Brock Lesnar at the Royal Rumble.” Stephanie stormed off. Cena and Orton looked pleased, but Batista was livid.

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Michael Cole now directed the viewers to some updates about last night. Both Roman Reigns and Bad News Barrett suffered injuries during the main event. Both men had x-rays done earlier today and the results came in. Reigns suffered a hernia and is expected to miss anywhere between 2-3 months, while Barrett has a much more severe injury. He tore his ACL and is expected to miss 4-6 months. Stephanie McMahon will have a decision regarding his Money in the Bank briefcase next week.

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AJ LEE DEF. NIKKI BELLA W/ BRIE BELLA IN 5:24; Last night, AJ Lee’s team defeated Team Bella with AJ being the sole survivor. With a new WWE Women’s Champion, a match like this could go a long way to deciding the next top contender. Nikki overpowered AJ several times and even used a Brie distraction, but AJ knocked Brie off of the apron. She then turned to Nikki and bested her after a shining wizard. Once again, AJ Lee had the upper hand on the Bella Twins and she left up the ramp with a smile while Brie checked on Nikki.

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In the back, Renee Young was standing by with Tyson Kidd, Cesaro and Natalya. She reminded everyone that they were the survivors of the big twelve man tag last night and asked about the future. Tyson spoke first, saying that them surviving should come as no surprise. “We are the best tag team in the WWE. Fact. Nobody can touch us when we step through those ropes. Fact. We are the two best friends that anyone could be. Fact.” Cesaro chimed in, saying that he was on the verge of winning gold before his injury and with Tyson by his side, you’re looking at the next WWE Tag Team Champions.

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Returning from break, Dolph Ziggler was standing in the ring. He handed the official his Intercontinental Title and signaled to the stage for someone to accept his Showoff Open Invitational. A few moments of silence went by and then “ONE OF A KIND”! The WWE Universe erupted as Rob Van Dam walked out in front of them for the first time since September. Ziggler seemed surprised, impressed and excited.

WWE INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP – DOLPH ZIGGLER (C) DEF. ROB VAN DAM IN 16:10; A battle of respect between two beloved Superstars. Both guys tried gaining an early upper hand, but always had an answer for each other. Rob Van Dam’s cockiness was easily matched by Dolph showing off. Once they officially got going, the match moved along at a brisk pace with a highly invested audience. RVD scored on an enziguri and nailed rolling thunder to a huge pop. He climbed up for the Five Star Frog Splash, causing the fans to rise. Ziggler moved out of the way and RVD crashed and burned. He got up and fell to the Zig Zag. Post-match, RVD shook Ziggler’s hand before raising it up in a great show of respect.

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After a recap of Shane McMahon vs. Bray Wyatt last night, Shane McMahon made his way down to the ring. He looked like a man that meant business and his words matched that. Once inside, Shane simply called out Bray Wyatt. He left it at that and waited for the Wyatt signature. It struck and Bray appeared at ringside, without Erick Rowan and Luke Harper. Bray had a chair and microphone in hand and simply said “Ask and you shall receive Mr. McMahon.” Shane admitted to losing his cool last night but said that it felt so good to destroy Bray with a steel chair. “I’m not out here to play mind games, I’m not here to talk for twenty minutes and ramble on and honestly, I’m not even here to fight. I’m here to make one more challenge to you. You and I at TLC, no disqualifications.” The fans popped and Bray responded by raising the chair in the air and saying that he accepts on one condition. “Last night, you took it upon yourself to hit me with this chair over and over again. And I’ll tell you what Shane. I liked it. Yes, I want the power to control the WWE but I was oh so happy to know that you aren’t going away without a fight. I’ll be glad to face you at TLC as long as we can bring these toys with us. Face me Shane, in a chairs match! Face your fear!” Shane responded, “Oh I accept and you need to understand one thing Bray…I’m not scared of you. Not even in the slightest.” Shane dropped the microphone as we’ve officially got a huge match signed for TLC.

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PAIGE DEF. LAYLA IN 0:54; An angry and pissed off Paige made a beeline to the ring and just wailed on Layla at the bell. She aggressively head-butted and pounded away on her before planting the former Divas Champion with a stiff RamPaige for the 1-2-3. Paige wasn’t done there, picking up Layla and locking her in the PTO. The official did his best to pull her off but it was to no avail. Paige finally released the hold and left up the ramp.

Paige reached the midway point of the ramp and turned back to the cheering audience when suddenly Emma ran out and cracked her in the back of the head with the WWE Women’s Title. Paige fell and rolled down the rest of the ramp. Emma was not done, lifting Paige and throwing her face first into the ring post. Emma grabbed Paige by the hair and dragged her around over to the announce table. She cleared everything off and smashed Paige’s face into it five times. Emma climbed atop the table, holding a worn out Paige who was barely on her knees. Paige took some swings, but they barely registered, causing Emma to laugh. The new WWE Women’s Champion hoisted her up and hit a Michinoku Driver through the table! The crowd and commentators were speechless. Emma got to her feet and shouted “THIS IS MY TITLE, THIS IS MY DIVISION AND THIS IS MY TIME! YOU ARE DEAD TO ME BRITANI!”

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After the break, footage aired from the break where EMTs had to come out and take Paige out on a stretcher. They placed a neck brace on her and gently wheeled her to the backstage area.

Renee Young, shaken up from the last segment, interviewed Seth Rollins to a chorus of boos. She asked him for his thoughts on the upcoming main event. Seth first spoke of Roman Reigns, saying that his injury was something we all should have seen coming. “For years you all have called him the juggernaut and the powerhouse of the Shield but I’m standing here at 100% and he’s broken, sitting on his ass at home. As for tonight’s main event, my only thought is that I hope Sheamus leaves a piece of Dean Ambrose for me.”

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DEAN AMBROSE DEF. SHEAMUS IN 13:33; With the Shield officially done with, Dean Ambrose made his entrance on the stage and competed in a tank top and jeans. It was clear that Sheamus was here to play the gun for hire. He just clubbed away at Dean and hit him with his biggest offensive moves. Dean was his usual resilient self and just kept kicking out. Seth Rollins took a casual stroll down to the ring to take a closer look. As Dean began to rally, Seth tripped him up for a distraction. Dean shouted over the top at him, opening the door for Sheamus to pump his chest for the Brogue Kick. Dean nearly turned right into it but ducked and nailed the Dirty Deeds to secure the victory. As soon as the match ended, Dean got up and dove through the ropes out onto Seth.

Dean laid into Seth with a flurry of rights and lefts while the fans went nuts. Dean picked him up and threw him into the steel steps. Sheamus got to his feet while Dean was beating on Seth and slid outside. He leveled Ambrose with a huge Brogue Kick to the back of the head. Sheamus helped Seth up, who seemed to be calling the shots. Seth slid Dean back inside while Sheamus grabbed a steel chair from ringside. Seth placed the chair under Dean’s head and stepped back, waiting for him to get up. Once Dean neared his feet, Seth destroyed him with a Curb Stomp onto the chair, just like he did to Roman Reigns last night. For the second time in twenty-four hours, the turncoat of the Shield took out one of his “brothers.”

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Friday Night Smackdown: November 28th, 2014 – Allen County War Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne, Indiana

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Before the weekly intro video, a video package was shown of Seth Rollins viciously turning on his Shield brethren. The camera then cut to the arena, where Tom Phillips, Booker T and Byron Saxton quickly introduced things and hyped Seth Rollins’ first match since joining the Authority tonight against Adrian Neville. They then sent it to the ring for our opening segment.

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Chris Jericho was in the ring for tonight’s Highlight Reel. He began by welcoming the fans to Smackdown and bringing up Survivor Series. “I was a member of Team Ziggler and we were victorious! Unfortunately, I was the first man eliminated from the team. Now, normally that would upset me but everyone here knows just how good I am. I am still, indeed, the best in the world at what I do. It was a miscommunication with Cody Rhodes that cost me my spot in the match but I don’t worry about things like that. In fact, Cody is my guest tonight so come on down!” Cody Rhodes obliged and made his way down to the ring. They two men shook hands in the middle of the ring before taking seats. Chris began by asking Cody about his great run through the Survival Trials. Cody responded, saying that everything just came together and he came very close to a title shot. “I am on the best roll of my career. I beat several future Hall of Famers during the Survival Trials and won at Survivor Series.” Jericho seemed put off by this comment and mentioned that he was one of those guys. Cody admitted that he meant no offense. Jericho moved on to discuss this past Monday, when they teamed up again. “I direct you all to the obesely expensive JeriTron 6000.” Footage aired of the loss they took to Bo Dallas and the Big Show where Jericho tagged himself in, only to get knocked out. Cody said that looked like it hurt. Jericho gave a chuckle before blaming Cody for it. “It is all your fault. I tagged myself in to show you how it’s done and I got distracted with teaching you, allowing Big Show to hit me. You’re drinking your own Kool-Aid man. You went on a little winning streak and beat some big names but that doesn’t make you special.” By this point, both men were out of their seats and in each other’s faces. “I’m sick and tired of guys like you acting like you’ve done something. How many World Titles have you won? How many WrestleManias have you headlined? You think that just because your last name is Rhodes, you’re owed something.” Cody interrupted, shouting at Jericho, “I AM NOT OWED ANYTHING! I AM EARNING IT! I respect everything you’ve done in your career but you still need to watch what you say when you speak to me.” They stared at each other until Jericho backed off and went to leave, saying that they should cool off. Once Cody turned his back, Jericho got back in and clocked him with the microphone. Jericho continued to fire away with the microphone, bashing Cody’s face in. Jericho headed outside and brought a steel chair into the ring. Cody got to his knees and Jericho struck him in the back with the chair twice. He then slapped on the Walls of Jericho, wrenching away at Cody’s back until officials rushed out to break it up. “What the hell has gotten into Chris Jericho?” asked Tom Phillips.

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Chris Jericho’s attack on Cody Rhodes was recapped and footage from the break aired of Cody being helped to the back by officials.

Dolph Ziggler now made his way to the ring and waited for the next person to answer his Intercontinental Championship Showoff Open Challenge. “Quiet on the set…can we please have quiet on the set?” was heard as The Miz and Summer Rae walked out to the ring.

WWE INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP – DOLPH ZIGGLER (C) DEF. THE MIZ W/ SUMMER RAE IN 10:09; These two certainly have history with one another. The two Superstars originally from Cleveland went toe to toe here. Due to their past, they knew each other well and had several reversals and countered ready. Ziggler scored on the Fameasser but Miz was able to get the shoulder up. He attempted the Skull Crushing Finale but Ziggler blocked it with elbows and nailed the Zig Zag to once again retain his championship. Post-match, Ziggler celebrated with the title atop the turnbuckle while commentary mentioned that he has really sent back all challengers since Hell in a Cell.

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The Wyatt Family came down to the ring and Erick Rowan set up the rocking chair for Bray Wyatt. Bray sat and had a microphone in hand. He started talking about this past Monday. “Shane McMahon challenged me to a Chairs match and I was oh so happy to accept. You see, at TLC, my takeover of the WWE takes a big step forward and in the process, I will inflict as much pain on Shane McMahon as possible and when I am done he will beg to be saved by my hand. But maybe I won’t save him. Maybe I’ll just allow him to perish while I reign over this company. But I am not here to talk about Shane McMahon. I have other things to discuss. You see, I crave power. Power comes in many forms and one of those forms is championship gold. That’s why I had Erick Rowan and Luke Harper send a message to CM Punk and Daniel Bryan. Daniel has quite the past with us but understand this Daniel…it’s not the same this time. I know better than to try and save you again. You’re a stubborn fool. This is not personal. This is not about saving your lost souls. This is about Harper and Rowan taking the Tag Team Titles from you. That is, if you are even able to defend them after what happened on Monday.” Bray began to laugh while Harper and Rowan stood behind him, looking like the next challengers for the Tag Team Titles.

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ERICK ROWAN AND LUKE HARPER W/ BRAY WYATT DEF. LOS MATADORES W/ EL TORITO IN 2:46; Total dominance. Los Matadores did their best but the Wyatt Family is on a mission. They destroyed Diego and Fernando finishing off when Harper laid out Diego with a discus lariat. Bray stood up from the chair with a wide grin, knowing that the Wyatt Family is in full control right now.

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A vignette aired to hype up the Ascension’s upcoming debut. They were still in a wasteland but stated that the wasteland was coming to Raw and Smackdown very soon.

The cameras then cut to see Renee Young, standing by with Seth Rollins. She asked for his thoughts heading into his match with Adrian Neville tonight. Seth looked offended at the question, citing that he obviously feels very confident. “What the hell has Adrian Neville done in his career? Was he the architect of the Shield? No. Did he then single-handedly end the Shield? No. Hell, he was NXT Champion but even I did that first and you know what they say; often imitated, never duplicated. Tonight, I’m going to make an example out of Adrian Neville and I hope Dean Ambrose is watching. That is, if he’s finally conscious after Monday.”

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WWE UNITED STATES CHAMPIONSHIP – ALEXANDER RUSEV (C) W/ LANA DEF. KOFI KINGSTON IN 7:43; Kofi Kingston got a shot at Alexander Rusev during his open challenges earlier this year, but always came up just short. Tonight, Kingston came out firing, trying to take an aggressive approach against the “Bulgarian Brute”. The crowd came alive as he managed to knock Rusev to the outside. His high risk style was costly as Rusev caught him mid-dive and drove him back first into the ring post. From there, Rusev wore down Kofi’s back, looking to set up the Accolade. Kofi broke free and hit Trouble in Paradise but Rusev kicked out. Lana looked scared at a potential loss at ringside. Rusev regrouped and made Kingston tap to the Accolade. A pissed of champion refused to break the hold, even after Lana gave the signal. “THREE AIN’T ENOUGH, MAN I NEED FIVE!” Big E came rushing to the ring and slid in as Rusev released the hold. The two big men traded blows, which Big E won out and clotheslined the US Champion over and out. Rusev left with Lana while Big E checked on his buddy.

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Tom Phillips now took the fans to a video package that recapped Emma’s assault on Paige this past Monday. She put the former WWE Women’s Champion through the announce table with a Michinoku Driver and Paige had to be taken out on a stretcher. Tom informed the WWE Universe that Paige joins Roman Reigns and Bad News Barrett on the shelf and is going to be out of action for a month or two.

EMMA DEF. NAOMI IN 3:49; The brand new WWE Women’s Champion once again showcased her vicious side. Emma took it to Naomi from bell to bell and reminded everyone of what she is capable of. Naomi did get to strut her athleticism and went for the Rear View but Emma held onto the ropes to avoid it. She clocked Naomi from behind and applied the Emma Lock to win. The crowd booed as Emma snatched her new title from the official and demanded a microphone.

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Emma addressed the fans, stating that Paige is gone. “Your precious little ‘Anti-Diva’ has been put in her place. She’s in the hospital where you belong after I get done with you. I told all of you that I was done being a silly little dancer. Trying to get the adoration of all you got me nowhere but now I have this and there isn’t a woman on this roster…hell on this planet that can take it from me.” Emma hoisted the title high in the air when suddenly “LET’S LIGHT IT UP” was heard. AJ Lee stepped onto the stage to a chorus of cheers. She had her own microphone and spoke to Emma, saying that she applauds her getting rid of Paige. “I tried to do the same but the bitch wouldn’t stay down. Kudos to you, I sincerely mean it. But there’s a major difference between us. I grew to respect Paige. You clearly don’t and you attacked her from behind. Last time I checked, that isn’t the thing a Women’s Champion should do. Speaking of the Women’s Title, that’s what I wanted to be since I was a child. Not Divas Champion, though I do miss my baby. Women’s Champion. I’ve beaten you in the past, I survived last Sunday and I beat Nikki Bella on Monday. I’m coming for the title, I’m coming for my birthright. I promise you, I’m the woman on this planet that will take it from you.” AJ dropped the microphone and blew a kiss towards the ring.

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A recap aired of Brock Lesnar’s brutalizing John Cena at Survivor Series. It then showed Batista issuing a challenge to Brock Lesnar, only to be interrupted by Randy Orton and then Cena. Stephanie McMahon came out and officially made a match for TLC, where the three men who started with Brock down in OVW in the early 2000’s, would face off to determine a new number one contender.

Once again, Renee Young was in the back, this time interviewing the Prime Time Players. She asked them for their thoughts about Harper and Rowan coming after the Tag Team Titles. Titus spoke, saying that they don’t really care about who the champions are, but it’s about time they get their shot. Cesaro, Tyson Kidd and Natalya walked up to them, interrupting the duo. Kidd spoke, “Excuse me? You two get a title shot? Last time I checked, we were the hottest team in the WWE. Fact. We were the sole survivors at Survivor Series. Fact. And we are the team that spoke with Stephanie McMahon and have been granted a title shot this Monday night. So get to the back of the line.” Darren stated that they would have no problem beating them tonight and taking that title shot. Cesaro interjected, saying he and Kidd aren’t idiots and they aren’t risking their shots. “But once we win the titles on Monday, we’ll be happy to give you, the Wyatts and anybody else a shot. Why? Because we’re the best. Fact.”

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SETH ROLLINS DEF. ADRIAN NEVILLE IN 10:10; This was not the cakewalk that Seth Rollins expected it to be. He tried toying around with Adrian Neville in the early goings but found Neville to be one resilient superstar. So much so that Neville fired off a series of kicks and scored on a big reverse rana that brought the crowd to their feet. He climbed up top and scored on the Red Arrow but Seth managed to get his foot on the bottom rope. Neville couldn’t believe it so he climbed up top again but Seth got his knees up on that high flying attempt. He recollected himself and nailed the Curb Stomp for the victory. Not happy with how tough this was, Seth picked up Neville and dumped him outside.

Seth Rollins stood alone in the ring with a smug look on his face. The crowd’s boos turned to loud cheers and the cameras caught Dean Ambrose running in through the crowd. He tapped Seth on the shoulder and Seth’s face completely fell. He slowly turned around and was met with a flurry of right hands from his former Shield brother. Dean laid into him until Seth ducked a clothesline, dropped down and scurried up the ramp. Ambrose wanted him to get back in the ring, but Seth left, living to fight another day.

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WWE NXT: December 4th, 2014 – Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida

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Kicking off NXT this week was the weekly intro video. Following that, it cut right to the arena, where the commentary team of Tom Phillips, Jason Albert and Bryon Saxton welcomed everyone. With just one week remaining until TakeOver: Fatal-4-Way, all of the final pieces of the show would be set up tonight.

BARON CORBIN DEF. ELIAS SAMSON IN 0:11; The quickest match so far for the “Lone Wolf”. He almost immediately caught Elias Samson in the Ed of Days and got the 1-2-3. As soon as he won, his music quickly stopped and Mason Ryan’s hit. Corbin headed right up the ramp to greet Ryan and they came face to face. The crowd wanted to see them go at it, but security and officials rushed out to stand in between them. Things are going to be heated next week at TakeOver.

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An advertisement aired to promote the latest WWE Film, Jingle All the Way 2 starring Santino Marella and Larry the Cable Guy!

A vignette was now shown focusing on Hideo Itami. It showed his debut in NXT and win over Tyson Kidd. We the see the random attacks that Tyler Breeze laid on him and Tyler calling him “Hideous Itami”. Itami returned from these attacks last week to take out Breeze and now, they’re set to face off next Thursday at TakeOver.

The cameras cut backstage where Devin Taylor stood by with Tyler Breeze. She asked him for his thoughts on the upcoming match at TakeOver: Fatal-4-Way. He seemed irritated that Devin would disturb him looking at himself in his cellphone. “Listen Danielle, just because Hideous Itami got the jump on me last week, doesn’t mean that I’m nervous or worried for next week. I beat Tyson Kidd and Kalisto at the last two TakeOver specials and that streak will continue. You think I give a damn if Hideo can kick hard? Guess what? The supermodel kick and Beauty Shot are harder and next week, I’m going to rearrange that ghastly face of his.”

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NXT TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT SEMI-FINALS – ENZO AMORE AND COLIN CASSADY W/ CARMELLA DEF. THE ASCENSION IN 4:19; The former longest reigning NXT Tag Team Champions found themselves in trouble here. The Ascension beat Enzo and Cass back at TakeOver in May. This is a different Enzo and Cass this time around though. They showed a newfound aggression and were able to dish out as much as they took. The Vaudevillains, who clinched a spot in the finals last week, came out to watch from the stage. They showed up just in time to see Cass big boot Konnor off the apron and launch Enzo onto Viktor to advance to the finals. The crowd popped as Enzo and Cass celebrated with Carmella, while the Vaudevillains’ faces turned into crooked smiles.

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A commercial ran to plug TakeOver: Fatal-4-Way next Thursday night. NXT Champion Sami Zayn puts the NXT Title on the line against Kevin Owens, Corey Graves and Evan Bourne, plus Sasha Banks defends her NXT Women’s Championship against Bayley and so much more!

CHAD GABLE DEF. DASH WILDER IN 2:01; The All-American Real Americans were at ringside at the start, watching to see if Chad Gable is worthy of joining them. From the opening bell, Gable was impressive. He took Dash Wilder to the mat and the work done was smooth and seemingly effortless. In short order, Gable scored with a rolling German suplex and bridged it for the 1-2-3. Commentary and Zeb Colter were impressed, but Jason Jordan seemed the most intrigued by what he saw. Jack Swagger still clearly didn’t seem convinced though, signaling for his guys to head to the back, leaving Gable miffed.

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Devin Taylor stood by with the number one contender for the NXT Women’s Championship, Bayley. She asked Bayley about the thought process of challenging Charlotte to a match just seven days before TakeOver. Bayley stated that before she can top Sasha Banks, she has to overcome her demons. “My first one on one shot at the NXT Women’s Title came against Charlotte and she beat me. And now Sasha has beaten her twice. I need to prove to myself that I can beat Charlotte before I step into the ring with Sasha. I need to be ready for the biggest match of my life.”

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SOLOMON CROWE DEF. ANGELO DAWKINS IN 0:56; In a recurring them effort the night, this was another short bout. Solomon Crowe looked like he wanted to kill Angelo Dawkins and made him tap out quickly to the stretch muffler. Crowe shoved away the referee and looked to be in fine form for next week’s showdown with Finn Balor. The lights went out in the arena and there was silence for a few moments. Then, a heartbeat was heard and with each beat, red lights flashed around the arena. This happened about eight times before it stopped and Crowe was left confused at this.

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A WWE Shop advertisement was shown, with Superstars and members of the WWE Universe wearing official merchandise.

BAYLEY DEF. CHARLOTTE IN 7:05; After their last match, Charlotte had a change of heart. Due to that, she was quick to shake Bayley’s hand before things began. Once the bell rang, this was a competitive back and forth battle. Charlotte slapped on the Figure Four, but couldn’t quite get the leverage to make it the Figure Eight, as Bayley turned it over. With Bayley on her knees, Charlotte tried for Natural Selection, only for Bayley to avoid it. Charlotte climbed to her feet and turned right around into a Belly to Bayley to end things. “Bayley has just picked a huge win before her huge Women’s Title match” exclaimed Jason Albert. Bayley requested another handshake from Charlotte, but Charlotte declined, only to pull her into a hug. Bayley is ready for Sasha Banks

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Closing out the show tonight, the four participants in the upcoming NXT Championship match all came down to the ring for one final face to face. Once all of them were in the ring together, Kevin Owens spoke first. “I just gotta say, I really don’t want to be here. I came to NXT to win gold and to provide for my family. I’m not going to do that by talking to the three of you so I’m out of here.” Fuming through Owens’ words, Sami Zayn interjected, saying that it is just Kevin Owens to walk away. “You walked away from our tag team, you walked away from our friendship and you haven’t given a damn explanation!” Sami continued until Corey Graves told him to shut up. “I’m sick and tired of hearing about what Kevin Owens did to you. All I hear is about the friendship you two used to have. I don’t give a damn about that. People seem to forget just who I am. All the talk has been about you two, when it should be on me. I’m regaining that title that you stole from me in England and I’m going to become the first two time NXT Champion. Bicker on your own damn time.” Sami and Corey came face to face now, while Owens laughed in the middle of the ramp. Evan Bourne chimed in now, saying that if there is one forgotten man in this match, it’s him. “Everyone is overlooking me. Did you all forget that I’m the only one here who has competed at WrestleMania? I’m a former WWE Tag Team Champion and I’ve beaten future Hall of Famers. Last time I checked, I also beat you Corey…while you were NXT Champion.” “Oh bravo buddy. Congratulations. You realize that you aren’t on the main roster anymore right? And the reason for that is because you’re too stupid and got in your own way and because you flat out aren’t good enough” responded Corey. With that, Bourne laid into Graves with a right hand and they began to trade shots. Sami watched them for a second before swiftly turning and launching himself over the top with a tope con hilo onto an unsuspecting Kevin Owens. The NXT crowd went wild as Sami finally got his hands on Owens, even if just for a moment. William Regal appeared on the stage, signaling for officials to come out and restore order. Kevin Owens was quick to get behind them and hop over the guardrail to avoid Sami. Graves was about to lock Bourne in the Lucky 13 when the officials to in between them. All hell has broken loose with just one week remaining until TakeOver: Fatal-4-Way!

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Friday Night Smackdown: December 5th, 2014 – Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

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The first thing we saw when the show began was a desk. The camera panned up to reveal Hulk Hogan sitting behind it, garnering a massive ovation from the WWE Universe. Hogan addressed them, saying that his first Smackdown in charge will be a big one. “First off, one of the men set to compete for the Money in the Bank briefcase at TLC, Seth Rollins, will be in action against Christian. That’s not all brothers, because CM Punk will get a chance to get his hands on one of the men who attacked him in recent weeks, Luke Harper.” The crowd responded positively to both announcements, before finishing by saying that things will open with Dolph Ziggler’s Showoff Open Invitational.

The weekly intro video played, followed by a video package recapping Hulk Hogan’s return this past Monday. The commentary team of Tom Phillips, Byron Saxton and Hall of Famer Booker T introducing the show on commentary. “Here to Show the World” hit, signaling the opening contest.

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WWE INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP – DOLPH ZIGGLER (C) DEF. DAMIEN SANDOW IN 8:11; Everyone, including Dolph Ziggler, was surprised to see the former Money in the Bank winner answer the challenge. Damien Sandow hadn’t been seen since Xavier Woods broke up their team at Survivor Series. Sandow was aggressive here, showing a side we hadn’t seen in him recently. Ziggler has proven to be one of the most resilient Superstars on the roster over the past few months and weathered the storm. He nailed a Zig Zag, seemingly from out of nowhere and kept his title. The crowd popped as the official handed Dolph his title, but his night was not quite over.

“Break Orbit” played over the loudspeakers, cutting off Dolph Ziggler’s theme. Adrian Neville walked out onto the stage, causing some confusion in the WWE Universe. Neville had a microphone and started by congratulating Ziggler on another successful title defense. “Like you Dolph, I grew up wanting to be the Intercontinental Champion. When I watched the British Bulldog win that championship in front of 80,000 people at SummerSlam 1992, I knew that I wanted to get to that level. The fact that you’ve gone out of your way to make that title important again is something I must commend you for. Now I know I could have come out any night, including tonight, and you would have given me a shot. But I have a proposition for you. I want to make history with you. Let’s showoff together. You and I at TLC…in a ladder match!” The fans came to their feet at the thought of this match. Dolph got a microphone from ringside and eagerly accepted.

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John Cena’s music hit as he came down to the ring to his usual mixed response from the WWE Universe. Once inside, Cena let the crowd die down before talking about how hot the fans in Oklahoma City are tonight. Cena said that he wasn’t out there to take up too much of their time because he knows the fans want to see action. “I just wanted to address Randy Orton. Batista and I beat the hell out of each other on Monday and one of us was going to come out on top, with all of the momentum heading into TLC. And then you had to come out and hit one of your RKOs out of nowhere. Then, to show exactly the kind of snake you are, you gave one to Batista too. I shouldn’t be surprised by this though. This is how it has been since our days in OVW. Brock Lesnar and Batista were freaks of nature and I was working my ass off just to keep up with them. But then there was Randy Orton. He came in as the company favorite and didn’t have to earn anything.” Cena brought up Orton always being a pouty, protected, sneaky person and things haven’t changed in twelve years. Just as Cena was about to go into a story, Randy Orton himself snuck in and planted him with another RKO OUT OF NOWHERE! A mixture of cheers and boos rained down as Orton posed over the fallen body of John Cena. “For the second time this week, Randy Orton gets the better of John Cena!” exclaimed Byron Saxton.

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Going backstage, the lovely Renee Young was standing by with the tandem of Tyson Kidd and Cesaro, along with Natalya. She asked them about losing their shot at the WWE Tag Team Titles on Monday. Cesaro responded by saying that they aren’t scared to admit defeat. “We lost to two former World Champions and we’ve only been teaming for about a month. I promise you that if we get another shot, you’re looking at your next champions.” Tyson spoke next, saying that their focus has shifted to the Prime Time Players, who have been a thorn in their side in recent weeks. “I’m going to beat Darren Young tonight. Fact! Nattie, do you have my phone? I have to facetime with the cats before the match for good luck.” Nattie responded, saying she didn’t have it. “It’s okay buddy, you can use my phone” offered Cesaro. Tyson shook his head at Natalya before thanking Cesaro and walking off.

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BIG E DEF. THE MIZ W/ SUMMER RAE IN 4:49; Despite a history of accomplishments, the Miz has found himself in a funk as of late. Tonight, he ran into a train known as Big E. Still angry after Alexander Rusev attacked his friend Kofi Kingston, Big E brought out a vicious side. He got past some of Miz’s offense and won with the Big Ending.

Like Dolph Ziggler earlier, Big E’s celebration was cut short by the arrival of someone. The “Ravishing Russian” Lana walked out onto the stage with a microphone. She addressed Big E, saying that Rusev deemed him unworthy of his presence. “You do not deserve to even breathe the same air as the Super Athlete. However, Alexander Rusev is here to prove his dominance over the rest of the WWE. So he has challenged you to a match at TLC and he’ll even put the United States Title on the line.” The crowd cheered when Big E grabbed the microphone and accepted. “You need to go back and tell your ape something first though. I’m not just coming for the United States Title. What Rusev did to Kofi Kingston was uncalled for and you bet your sweet Russian ass that I’m gonna hurt your boy toy at TLC.” Big E dropped the microphone as Lana looked on, offended at his words.

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SETH ROLLINS DEF. CHRISTIAN IN 9:03; Christian showed that there is still some gas left in his tank. He took it right to Seth Rollins and picked up some flash pin near falls in the early goings. Seth seemed to be taking Christian lightly but quickly realized that this wasn’t going to be easy. “Captain Charisma” came close on a sunset flip and reverse DDT, with the crowd getting more and more behind him as time went on. He tried the Killswitch but Seth shoved him off and scored on a buckle bomb. The Curb Stomp followed, giving Seth the victory. He went right back to being the cocky Superstar that we’ve come to know over the past few weeks. Seth is looking to be in good form heading into one of, if not the biggest match of his career.

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Backstage, AJ Lee was shown getting her makeup done. Tom Phillips noted that she is scheduled to face Eva Marie tonight. Suddenly, she is leveled from behind and it is revealed that Emma is the attacker. The WWE Women’s Champion picked AJ up and dragged her across all of the makeup. Emma opened a lipstick and drew all over Seth’s face, shouting “DO YOU WANNA LOOK PRETTY AJ? HUH?” Emma picked up AJ and held her in front of the mirror so she could see all of the lipstick painted on her face. “LOOK AT HOW PRETTY YOU ARE!” Officials ran over and pulled Emma away, preventing any further damage. They restrain her and drag her back, but Emma fights to free herself. She runs at AJ and brutally kicks her head into the mirror, shattering it into hundreds of pieces on the floor. AJ’s body went limp and she crumpled to the ground. Emma laughed as she calmly walked away on her own and the officials turned their attention to AJ’s health.

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Returning, footage aired from the break, where medics came to check on AJ Lee. The camera avoided direct shots of AJ’s face, but she could heard saying that her neck also hurt. Back to a live feed and the EMTs were picking AJ up in a stretcher while a towel covered her face.

DARREN YOUNG W/ TITUS O’NEIL DEF. TYSON KIDD W/ CESARO AND NATALYA IN 3:40; The very confident Tyson Kidd made similar mistakes as Seth Rolling earlier. Unfortunately for him, he couldn’t turn things around the way Seth did. Tyson took time to taunt Titus outside, opening the door for Darren Young to nail the Gut Check and pick up the win. Darren quickly exited the ring as Cesaro slid in. The bad week for Kidd and Cesaro continued here tonight. A pissed Cesaro watched the Prime Time Players do their “millions of dollars” dance up the ramp.

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CODY RHODES DEF. CURTIS AXEL IN 3:07; In a recurring theme this evening, Cody Rhodes showed up in a foul mood. We were shown a recap of this past Monday, where Chris Jericho tried to embarrass Cody on the Highlight Reel, only for Cody to show up and send him packing. Here, Curtis Axel got in a bit of offense, but Cody was on another level. He put him down for the count with the Cross Rhodes, showing that he meant business.

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In the back, Hulk Hogan was shown in his office, getting ready to leave. Cody Rhodes burst in and demanded a one on one match with Chris Jericho right now. “Whoa, whoa Cody. Slow down. Chris Jericho isn’t here tonight dude. I’ll tell you what though. At TLC, you can have Jericho all to yourself. And, since I’m making you wait over a week, this Monday on Raw, you can have a tune up against that scumbag of a brother of yours, Goldust.” Cody seemed satisfied but before leaving, he made sure to note that if Jericho got involved on Monday, he was going to take him out.

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A video package now aired, recapping all of the destruction caused by the Wyatt Family since they returned in October. They’ve decimated Vince McMahon and Triple H, while also now targeting the WWE Tag Team Champions, Daniel Bryan and CM Punk. The video ended with the graphic reminding everyone that Shane McMahon returned and challenged Bray Wyatt to a Chairs match, which will take place at TLC.

CM PUNK DEF. LUKE HARPER W/ THE WYATT FAMILY VIA DISQUALIFICATION IN 8:19; CM Punk wasn’t anywhere near as apprehensive as you’d expect considering the rest of the Wyatt Family was at ringside. Daniel Bryan was home, nursing injuries from Monday and even Punk didn’t seem to be 100%. Punk found himself in trouble throughout, as this was mostly Harper in control. Punk started to rally and hit some of his signature offense. As he called for the Go to Sleep though, Erick Rowan slid into the ring and clocked him from the side, causing the official to ring the bell.

Bray Wyatt didn’t get involved, staying seated in his rocking chair and letting his guys do their work. Erick Rowan continued to club CM Punk while Luke Harper got a table from under the ring. “Oh no, not again” said Tom Phillips. Harper set the table up in the corner by Punk. He and Rowan stepped back across the ring and Rowan told Harper to stay back. Punk stood up in front of the table and Rowan charged forward to shoulder block him through it. Punk quickly got out of dodge and Rowan crashed through the table by himself! The crowd roared and Harper went after Punk. Realizing he was outnumbered, Punk quickly grabbed a steel chair and backed towards the guardrail. Bray finally stood up and shouted for Harper not to go after Punk. Harper backed away and stood by Bray just as Erick Rowan began to stir. The camera caught a worried and confused Punk before the show came to a close.

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