WWE 2015: The Road to WrestleMania 31!

CLEVELAND — With the Authority no longer in power and the WWE in the control of guest hosts, the unpredictability of this unique event increased tenfold. From the Anonymous General Manager to Daniel Bryan, spontaneous isn't even the word to describe the past three weeks following Survivor Series. On a night where three - in fact make that FOUR - foreign objects stand between WWE superstars and their destinies, things are sure to be more than just exciting when WWE: Tables, Ladder & Chairs... and Stairs runs through Cleveland, Ohio. Two monsters in Ryback and Kane look to maul each other with metal in a Chairs Match. The Intercontinental Championship is up for grabs in a Ladder Match between Luke Harper and the former champion, Dolph Ziggler. John Cena faces his number one contendership being stripped from him if he cannot defeat Seth Rollins in a Tables Match. And the bitter enemies - Dean Ambrose and Bray Wyatt - do battle in a highly dangerous Tables, Ladders & Chairs Match. But this year, that isn't all, as Christmas brings the WWE Universe the gift of a first-ever match, as Erick Rowan does battle with the Big Show in a Steel Stairs Match! Prepare for debris to be flying as tables, ladders and chairs (and stairs) are used to brutalize WWE superstars left and right.

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The Intercontinental Championship hangs above the ring, shimmering in the arena lights as the bell rings for the first time tonight on live Pay-Per-View (and of course on the WWE Network). Fans across the world get on their feet as the former Intercontinental Champion, Dolph Ziggler makes his entrance, looking to regain what was taken from him a month ago. The man who took it from him, Luke Harper, strolled eerily to the ring, ready to compete in his first-ever Ladder Match. Will the former Wyatt brother be able to keep his precious gold? Not if Dolph Ziggler can help it.



As if Luke Harper wasn't dangerous enough, now he has access to steel ladders to inflict pain on his recent rival, Dolph Ziggler. But the WWE's resident show-off didn't allow his opponent a chance to use them just yet, lunging at Harper and unleashing his frustrations. Taking the fight to the outside, Ziggler grabbed a ladder himself, going on to throw it into the skull of Harper, sending him parading into the barricade. With Ziggler in complete control, the former World Champion slid a ladder into the ring to begin his climb to redemption.

Half way up his climb, he was stopped by a large hand gripping his left boot. Despite trying to struggle out of Harper's grasp, he was yanked from the ladder into a vicious powerbomb, putting the big man in complete control. As Harper looked up at his Intercontinental Championship, it seemed as though he would make a break for it, but instead he took down the ladder and used it to punish Ziggler even more. After a considerable amount of ladder swinging, Harper finally decided to ascend and retrieve his belt. But the show-off refused to give up, popping up to his feet and climbing the opposite side.

A battle began high in the air, and it looked as though Luke Harper had managed to daze Ziggler long enough to pick up the victory, but instead, Ziggler used his last bit of energy to jump from one side of the ladder to the other and drag Luke Harper to the canvas with a fifteen-foot high ZigZag! The WWE Universe rally behind Ziggler, giving him the support he needs to get back to his feet. He does and he slowly climbs the rungs to the belt. As the tips of his fingers touch the gold, Luke Harper delivers a blow to Ziggler's ribs, delaying his climb to victory. Harper grabs a second ladder and wedges it into the upright ladder on Ziggler's side. Wasting no time, Harper climbs the ladder and begins beating down on Ziggler once more. The show-off battles back, delivering forearms to the bearded big man.

But perhaps Ziggler went one forearm too far as his arm was caught and he received a headbutt from the iron-like head of Luke Harper. The deranged individual saw an opening and took it, shoving Ziggler backwards, causing him to crash into the horizontal ladder and collapse into a heap on the canvas.The WWE Universe let their voices be heard, booing as Harper grabbed his title and claimed the victory, retaining the Intercontinental Championship. Once again, Harper escapes with the gold leaving Ziggler's waist bare once more. — Intercontinental Champion Luke Harper def. Dolph Ziggler (Ladder Match)

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Following a series of packages promoting the Christmas holidays, it was now time to return to the action. Up next was the WWE Tag Team Championships match with the Uso brothers looking to reclaim their gold from the unique combination of The Miz and his personal stunt double, Damien Mizdow. The Miz pushed his partner aside to start the match, declaring "I'm the star of this show" as the bell rang.



The WWE Universe made it very clear who they were pulling for in this one - Damien Mizdow. No, not The Miz and Damien Mizdow - just Damien Mizdow. Ignoring the possibility of being upstaged by his own stunt double, Miz went in on the attack, working over Jimmy Uso. The crowd in attendance ate up Mizdow's act on the outside, mimicking Miz's every move. The Usos began taking the advantage, isolating Miz in the corner, and despite being the obvious fan favorites, the WWE Universe begged for Mizdow to be tagged in. Somehow, Miz escaped the clutches of the Samoan twins and tagged in Mizdow who exploded into the match with intensity.

The Usos did not know how to react to Mizdow's eccentric behavior but ran towards him, Mizdow ducking a double clothesline and bouncing off the ropes with one of his own. Mizdow was on fire, but that fire was soon to be put out as he stumbled backwards into his corner, only to receive a blind tag from The Miz, upsetting a lot of the WWE Universe. Miz grabbed Jey Uso and planted him with the Skull Crushing Finale. Miz looked to close in on the victory but Jimmy broke the pinfall up at two. As he picked Miz up, Mizdow looked to get back in the match and blind tagged Miz, returning the favor. Jey picked Miz up for a Samoan Drop, but Mizdow dropkicked the Uso and sent both him and Miz through the ropes and out of the ring. Jimmy got back to his feet and went for a superkick on Mizdow, but he ducked and rolled up the Samoan, getting a shock three count for the victory!

The WWE Universe were delighted as Mizdow held his head in shock that he'd won yet another match. The referee handed him the WWE Tag Team Championships and he raised them above his head. But just seconds later they were snatched from him by The Miz, garnering plenty of heat from the Ohio crowd. Miz celebrated like he won the match as Mizdow looked on slightly upset. But he didn't sulk for long, grabbing his replica belts and raising them to a cheer. He and Miz raised their titles one after another, showing a clear divide in each stars popularity. — WWE Tag Team Champions The Miz & Damien Mizdow def. The Usos

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Backstage, Renee Young is standing by with a motivated John Cena. The Cenation leader looked on and told his story of determination and passion, vowing that he would defeat Seth Rollins and go on to reclaim the WWE World Heavyweight Championship from the beast, Brock Lesnar. When questioned about the doubters, Cena only had one thing to say - "I will not give up". Leaving with his head held high, John Cena looked ready to put an end to his Authority rival.

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The battle of the titans was about to unfold as Ryback and Kane clash in a Chairs Match, the intention being to maim your opponent with a steel chair until they are incapacitated enough to defeat them. These two behemoths are equally as devastating and dangerous, but only one of them can leave tonight with the glory.



Before even entering the ring, the steel began to fly as Ryback launched several chairs over the ropes and into the ring, forcing the corporate monster to dodge the oncoming seats as quickly as he could. Keeping one firmly in his grasp, Ryback entered the ring and immediately delivered a hard shot to the gut, followed by a thunderous smack across the spine, flooring the former World Champion as if he was nothing. The crowd ate it up (excuse the pun) and chanted "Feed me more!" along with the big guy. With a steel chair still firmly in hand, Ryback looked to be dominating his Authority rival.

However, his dominance was soon put to a stop by Kane when his large arm found its way between Ryback's legs, connecting with a perfectly legal low blow. The big guy dropped to his knees as Kane regained his composure. Kane went on the attack, delivering right hands to the jaw of Ryback and then throwing him to the outside. Grabbing a chair of his own, Kane delivered a series of vicious shots to the spine of the human wrecking ball, dropping him to the arena floor with a thud. Kane dropped the chair and decided his hands were all he needed, grabbing Ryback by the throat - his intentions clear - preparing to put him through the announce table with a Chokeslam. But Ryback slipped out and instead took Kane down with a huge meat hook clothesline.

The fight returned to the ring and Ryback backed into the corner, preparing for yet another meat hook, but as he exploded towards Kane, he was caught around the throat and Chokeslammed to the canvas! Ryback somehow managed to kick out at the count of two, proving that he wasn't about to let this one go so easily. Kane grabbed a steel chair and waited for Ryback to get to his feet. What looked like an attempt at a head shot was avoided, Ryback ducking underneath, bouncing off the ropes and delivering a second meat hook clothesline. The big guy positioned a steel chair in the center of the ring and lifted Kane onto his shoulders, and it was a thunderous Shell-Shocked onto the steel chair that allowed Ryback to defeat the corporate monster. Celebrating in classic Ryback fashion, the WWE Universe could see that the big guy was back, and he had only one thing on his mind - feeding time. — Ryback def. Kane (Chairs Match)

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There have been many questions as to why Brie Bella remains by her sisters side, despite her obligations becoming void last month where she was forced to be her sister, Nikki's personal assistant. But whatever it is, it's working for Nikki as she reigns supreme as the Divas Champion. But tonight, a very determined AJ Lee looks to regain a belt she claims belongs to her.



With Brie suspiciously smiling from the sidelines, the match began. It wasn't long before Nikki Bella gained control and flaunted her stuff around the ring, much to the WWE Universe's dismay. AJ Lee is not a girl to mess with however and lunged at her opponent, making sure she knew exactly what she was dealing with. With AJ taking the reigns of the match, she looked to take Nikki out with the Black Widow submission, but boos filled the arena as Brie helped her sister out of trouble, dragging her beneath the ropes before any serious damage could be done.

AJ Lee wasted little time and shocked the world when she hit both sisters with a suicide dive on the outside! Throwing Nikki back into the ring, AJ looked to put a close to the match and went for a second Black Widow, but as she bounced off the ropes (and thanks to a timely distraction from Nikki to the referee), Brie was able to trip AJ up. The former Champion got to her feet and looked out towards Brie, screaming at her, but it was enough time for Nikki to recuperate and lift AJ onto her shoulders before delivering a devastating Rack Attack and covering AJ for the victory. The Bella Twins seem to have put their differences aside, but why would Brie just let this go? It's all very confusing. — Divas Champion Nikki Bella def. AJ Lee

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Originally, this event was set to be about three dangerous items that superstars can use to brutalize their opponents. But 2014 has given us a brand new toy to play with in the form of the steel stairs. The structure that has been used in sports entertainment for decades to assist superstars onto the apron is now being used as a device of destruction at the hands of the Big Show and Erick Rowan. In the first-ever Steel Stairs Match, these two mammoths will collide with only one thing on their mind - destroying the other.



Moments passed as these two big superstars stood eye-to-eye, neither one making the first move. It was only when the World's Largest Athlete delivered a blow to the gut that things really got going. Big Show took control of the match, using his veteran ability to keep Rowan grounded and avoid him gaining any momentum. Crushing Rowan beneath him he drops a series of big elbow drops and even tries to end it early, but the big redwood kicks out. Acknowledging the rules of this match, Show left the ring and began dismantling one set of steel steps, pulling the top half off and throwing it into the ring. He climbs back onto the apron but before he knows it he is struck by a big clothesline, sending him back to the floor outside. Rowan pursues his larger rival and bounces his head off the announce table, and then off the barricade. Rowan grabs a separate set of steps, again removing the top half and he uses it to crack Show on the skull, delivering the first stair blow of the night. Rowan slides the steps into the ring and then rolls Big Show in after it.

A cover is made by Rowan, but the former World Champion kicks out. Everybody knows that it'll take way more than that to keep the Big Show down, and Rowan knows it too, grabbing the steps once more and measuring Show up for another shot. He runs towards him, but Show blocks the shot and instead reverses the effects, shoving the steps into the head of Rowan. As Rowan falls into the corner, Show follows it up with a second consecutive shot, dropping Rowan to the canvas. Show throws the steps aside and screams out loud to plenty of boos from the Ohio crowd. Show clenches his fist, apparently waiting to strike with his Knockout Punch, but Rowan sees it and instead rolls out. Following him may have proven to be a mistake on Big Show's part as he finds himself tripped up and smashed face-first into the bottom half of one set of steps. Rowan sees the opening and picks Show up, rolling him back into the ring. Then he grabs a bottom half of the steps and slides them in after him.

Rowan enters and picks Show up, looking to put an end to this steel war, but Show escapes his clutches and grabs Rowan by the throat. Lifting Rowan high into the air, it looks like he's about to end this with a Chokeslam onto the steps, but Rowan quickly escapes, bounces off the ropes and delivers a huge running boot, dropping the World's Largest Athlete spine-first onto the steps. Rowan sees a huge opportunity and climbs to the second rope - connecting with a huge big splash, sandwiching Big Show between him and the steps! Rowan hooks the leg and to everyone's shock, picks up the victory. Possibly the biggest win in Erick Rowan's career came tonight at WWE: TLC in the first-ever Steel Stairs Match. Big things are in Erick Rowan's future for sure. — Erick Rowan def. Big Show (Steel Stairs Match)

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Renee Young resided backstage once more, but this time she was joined by Mr. Money in the Bank, Seth Rollins, flanked by his allies, Jamie Noble and Joey Mercury. Boos rained in as Renee asked the self-proclaimed "future of the WWE" if he felt as though he could defeat John Cena tonight and overcome his famous determination. Rollins laughed, claiming that John Cena's determination means nothing because he just isn't as good as Seth Rollins. He claims that after tonight, John Cena will want to go home and cry because he's going to take everything away from him. Rollins leaves and J&J Security follow shortly after. Their match is next!

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John Cena earned the right to compete against Brock Lesnar for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship inside Hell in a Cell by defeating Randy Orton back in October. But as always, everything seems to be working against Cena, including the Anonymous General Manager who returned for one night only and announced that John Cena's number one contendership would be at risk here tonight. If John Cena loses, his chance at the title he loves so much will be gone and Seth Rollins will surely be catapulted into that position. John Cena has everything to lose, but if there's one thing that we know about John Cena it's that no matter what he is faced with, he's capable of overcoming it. But tonight could possibly be the night that John Cena cannot simply overcome the odds.



There's always a big fight feel when John Cena is in the ring, but this was something more. John Cena had fought hard to get his WWE World Heavyweight Championship shot and to think it could all be gone after tonight makes this a must-win situation for the leader of the Cenation. The two men lock up and Seth Rollins tries to get the upper hand, but John Cena kicks into gear quickly gets his game on, throwing Rollins left and right and showing him that he will bring the fight tonight. Rollins puts a stop to Cena's momentum with a big dropkick and regains control of the match. Rollins looks around the ring at the sea of tables provided at ringside and decides it's time to get one. He slides a table into the ring and then proceeds to lean it in the corner of the ring. Picking up John Cena, Rollins prepares to throw Cena through the table, but there was no way he was letting this one end like that and pulled Rollins back into a big clothesline. Cena launched Rollins into a free corner and went on to pummel him with rights and lefts until he collapsed to the floor.

Cena grabbed the table from the corner and set it up in the center of the ring. The crowd erupted as Rollins got to his feet and was immediately hoisted up onto Cena's shoulders. Luckily for him, he was able to slither away and escape the ring, retreating to the timekeeper's area. Cena pursued his recent nemesis only to receive a huge shot from the Money in the Bank briefcase that Rollins had grabbed from ringside. Perfectly legal in this type of match. Rollins took advantage of the situation and ran Cena head-first into the steel post. Rollins set up a table on the outside and picked Cena up, looking for a suplex, but it wasn't top be as Cena reversed the situation, suplexing Rollins hard onto the thin matting that surrounds the ring. "Let's go, Cena!" - "Cena sucks!". The infamous split down the middle of the WWE Universe rallied John Cena on to both do his fans proud, and prove the haters wrong. He lifted up Seth Rollins and threw him back into the ring.

As John Cena looked to be closing in on a victory, things took a turn for the worse, in the form of J&J Security. Noble and Mercury hit the ring with the intention of beating down the former World Champion, and for a short while they succeed. But everyone knows that even a two-on-one assault isn't too much for John Cena to handle as he battle back and hits them both with a double shoulder tackle. One Attitude Adjustment later and Jamie Noble is out for the count. Lifting Joey Mercury onto his shoulders next, John Cena edged towards the ropes and launched him over them, through the table on the outside from earlier with a second Attitude Adjustment to make the crowd happy. Distractions are a dangerous thing though, and Seth Rollins drilled Cena with a superkick after having time to recover. An opening in sight, Rollins set up another table in the ring and looked to end the match there and then, but it was then that the WWE Universe were treat to a thrilling surprise.

Roman Reigns appears out of nowhere and delivers the most thunderous Spear to Seth Rollins ever. "Electric" is the best way to describe the atmosphere as Reigns stands with fire in his eyes. Looking down at the body of Seth Rollins writhing in pain was a sight that Roman Reigns had surely been wanting to see for months. He dropped down and left the ring with a smirk on his face and the WWE Universe firmly behind him. As Seth Rollins somewhat recuperated, he looked out at his former Shield brother with anger on his face, only to turn around and be hoisted up before being driven through the hard wood, giving John Cena the victory he desperately needed. John Cena (with a little help from Roman Reigns) will go on to challenge for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship against Brock Lesnar at the Royal Rumble, and Seth Rollins goes home with nothing but a loss. "I'll see you at the Rumble, Brock" mutters Cena into the camera. The message has definitely been sent. — John Cena def. Seth Rollins (Tables Match)

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A dark room, lit only with a red glowing light appears on the screen. A sinister laugh echoes through the arena. It could only mean one thing - he's here. The horrifying Bray Wyatt appears and speaks to the WWE Universe, warning them of Dean Ambrose's demise later tonight. The eater of worlds made it clear than Dean Ambrose would not leave tonight under his own power, and would instead be buried deep under tables, ladders and chairs, and forced to face facts - he cannot beat his demons. "Escaping your demons impossible, Dean! And tonight, you will leave here with that knowledge as I show you the true path to darkness... that path you will inevitably take". Wyatt laughs and disappears from our screens with a flash.

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The United States of America is used to threats, insults, dangers, but since becoming the United States Champion, Rusev has become unbearable for this country to watch. Forever disrespecting the USA and proclaiming Russia's superiority over and over again. There is one man who will fight for this country with his last breath, and that man is Jack Swagger. The man who hopes to remove this threat from power and take back what belongs to the red, white and blue - the United States Championship. But with Rusev being undefeated, is it even possible for Jack Swagger to defend America against this seemingly unstoppable powerhouse?



A true battle of pride with one prestigious reward on the line. It was time for these two men to do battle for everything they stand for. The self-proclaimed "real American", Jack Swagger went on the offensive immediately, trying to take down the big Russian, but it was going to take more than amateur wrestling to take this monster down. Rusev uses his power advantage to beat down Swagger, keeping him on the ground. With a growl, Rusev runs towards the ropes and bounces off with a big headbutt to the chest of Swagger. This big brute was making this look easy. Shot after shot, Rusev came down on Swagger with brute force, but the big man made a mistake that could have cost him, climbing to the second rope. He went for what most know as a Vader Bomb, but Swagger moved and Rusev crashed to the mat. Swagger saw the opening and decided it was time to hit his own version of the move, running across the ring and hitting a Swagger Bomb.

A "USA!" chant echoes around the arena as Swagger picks up momentum, but the devilish Lana made her presence felt, jumping onto the ring apron and screaming at Swagger in Russian. Swagger grabbed the ankle of Rusev and looked to get the Patriot Lock in action, but before he could really apply the pressure, Rusev rolled through and sent Swagger flying towards Lana, but luckily he stopped himself before he hit her. Unfortunately for him, he turned around into a devastating superkick to the jaw, and that allowed Rusev to roll him over and lock in the Accolade, forcing Swagger to submit. The Russian brute screamed in celebration as Lana stood by his side, handing him the United States Championship. Rusev remain undefeated and continues to conquer America as its Champion, much to the disappointment of the WWE Universe. — United States Champion Rusev def. Jack Swagger

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In recent memory, there have been many personal feuds within the WWE, but perhaps none have become as personal as the feud between Dean Ambrose and Bray Wyatt. Since Bray Wyatt's seemingly unprovoked attack on Dean Ambrose at Hell in a Cell, things have just gotten worse and worse between the two, tearing each other limb from limb at every possible opportunity. Tonight, they have everything imaginable at their disposal and with no disqualifications or countouts, there must be a victor. This is the match the WWE Universe has been waiting for, and it's about to unfold in all its carnage-filled glory.



Dean Ambrose awaited the arrival of his arch-nemesis and a soon as Bray Wyatt was within feet of the ring, the lunatic fringe wasted no time in attacking, leaping through the ropes and connecting with a suicide dive to kick this match into gear from the get go. Brawling out on the floor, these two unhinged combatants tore chunks out of each other before Bray Wyatt finally escaped Ambrose's clutches by shoving him into the steel steps and getting some breathing space. Wyatt made an attempt at running towards Ambrose, aiming to crush him between himself and the steps, but Ambrose instead tripped Wyatt up and he collided head-first with the steps. Ambrose took things to the next level by grabbing a steel chair from on top of one of the tables by ringside and delivered a sickening crack to Wyatt's spine, followed by a swift shot to the gut. There was no stopping Ambrose's rage as he pulled out a table and slid it into the ring, throwing Wyatt in after it. He set the table up and hit a few more right hands to Wyatt before rolling him onto the table. Uncharacteristically, Ambrose climbs to the top rope and pulls off a beautiful moonsault - but unfortunately for him, Bray Wyatt had moved and Ambrose crashed and burned, going through the table all by himself.

Wyatt laughed to himself, realizing that he now had control of the match, Ambrose laying in a pile of splinters and twisted metal. He covered Ambrose but only got a two count as the lunatic fringe was far from defeated. With Wyatt taking the reigns, he pummeled Ambrose all around the ring, eventually hitting him with his signature senton. It was now the eater of worlds' turn to bring in some toys as he brought the first ladder into the match, first dropping it onto the body of Ambrose with a crash. Laying it in the corner on the middle rope, he dragged Ambrose over to it and hit a devastating catapult maneuver, sending Ambrose's face smashing into the steel. Grabbing another table from ringside, Wyatt looked to be putting this one to sleep as he laid Ambrose out on top of it. Now it was Wyatt's turn to ascend to the top rope, but in very similar fashion, he crashed and burned - missing a middle rope senton and going through the wood himself. The WWE Universe rallied together to get Ambrose back to his feet. He looked around the ring and then up the ramp where he laid eyes on the tallest ladder there has probably ever been. He collected it from the aisle and slid it into the ring before setting it up near the corner. In the meantime, Wyatt had made it to his feet nad out of nowhere - SISTER ABIGAIL! With a hook of the leg, it looked to be over, but Ambrose kicked out at the very last second.

Wyatt saw the ladder that had been brought in and decided to lean a smaller ladder up against it, jamming it into one of the rungs. He picked Ambrose up and proceeded to body slam him onto the smaller ladder, the steel buckling under Ambrose's weight. Wyatt grabbed a steel chair and set it up before taking a seat and putting his arms out by his side, screaming "Is this what you really want, Dean? You cannot win!". He then gets up from his seat, folds the chair up and delivers a big shot to Ambrose's spine. The eater of worlds grabs another table and sets it up outside... and then another... and another... and another! A collection of four stacked tables stand at the bottom of the ramp. What does Bray Wyatt have planned in that sinister mind of his? He re-enters the ring and pulls the large ladder into the center of the ring. Grabbing Ambrose, he seems to have a plan, but Ambrose begins to fight back and hits a big clothesline on Wyatt before ascending the large ladder to a big ovation from the Ohio crowd. Wyatt saw his adversary climbing and followed him on the opposite side. Both men now stood trading blows atop a ladder that must have been at least twenty feet high. Wyatt delivered a big blow and Ambrose stumbled. "This is the end, Dean!" he screamed, but Wyatt may have let down his guard a bit too much as Ambrose grabs him by the hair and the ladder begins to wobble - slowly it starts to fall - through the stacked tables! Both men crash through the four tables on the outside as the arena fills with a deafening roar from the WWE Universe.

As ever in WWE history, the fans respond with their own choice of chant - a very accurate "Holy S***!". No signs of movement from either competitor, both of them laying in the carnage as referees and EMTs rush to their aid. The fans begin to boo as a pair of stretchers are seen being rolled down the ramp by doctors. This one looks to be over. As the officials try to get the pair onto the stretchers, they begin to resist, much to the delight of the WWE Universe. They lunge at each other and begin brawling once more, still having at least something left in the tank. They fight back into the ring and Bray Wyatt grabs Ambrose, ready for another Sister Abigail, but he slips out and throws Wyatt shoulder-first into the steel post. Ambrose sets up a table in the ring and picks Wyatt up before laying him on the table. Ambrose climbs the ladder, looking to put an end to this with a high-risk maneuver, but Wyatt gets one last boost of energy and climbs the ladder with him on the side of the table. Have these two not learned from their last fall? Both men are exhausted and spent, but they continue to battle until the very end. Wyatt grabs Ambrose and looks to hit a big superplex through the table, but then Ambrose fights out and stuns Wyatt. The WWE Universe erupt as Dean Ambrose reaches into his pocket and pulls out what appears to be a set of brass knuckles! He puts them on - right hand to Bray Wyatt! Wyatt's eyes glaze over, but he still clings on. Tossing the brass knuckles aside, Ambrose looks to go for one last ditch effort and ending this - a sunset flip powerbomb through the table! And with that done, it was the one, two, three heard around the world. Dean Ambrose had vanquished Bray Wyatt!

The WWE Universe erupted as Dean Ambrose lay motionless on top of Bray Wyatt, both men having spent their last bits of energy in this one. The referee raises the hand of a groggy Dean Ambrose and he realizes that he has finally defeated Bray Wyatt. Ambrose celebrates with the WWE Universe behind him as Bray Wyatt lays motionless on the ground. WWE: TLC comes to a close, but what does the future hold for these two men? That much is uncertain. — Dean Ambrose def. Bray Wyatt (Tables, Ladders & Chairs Match)

DETROIT — There's going to be plenty of aching bones and sore heads after last night's events, but something that won't soothe those pains is the infamous manager of the WWE World Heavyweight Champion, Brock Lesnar (which he'll remind you at every possible moment) — Paul Heyman — who is in full control of Raw tonight in Detroit. And no sooner than the lights had turned on, he was on his way to the ring with a smug smirk across his face and a swagger in his step, the boos from the WWE Universe raining in. The dreaded moment had arrived as Heyman raised a microphone to his lips.

"Ladies and gentlemen, let me introduce myself...", as if any introduction was needed, the WWE Universe knowing full well who he is. Heyman explains that he is the man behind the WWE World Heavyweight Champion, the same man who ended the Undertaker's streak at WrestleMania — Brock Lesnar. But tonight he is here on very different terms, as he is tonight's guest host and will be in charge of running Monday Night Raw. We are shown a recap of last night's WWE: TLC pay-per-view where John Cena was able to defeat Seth Rollins in a Tables Match to maintain his number one contendership and will now go on to face Brock Lesnar for the gold at the Royal Rumble next month. "John Cena has signed himself up for the demise of his career" declares Heyman. But before he can continue any further, John Cena hits the ring and stand's face to face with his rivals advocate. Sharing some strong words with Paul Heyman, Cena explains that this won't be like the last times he encountered Brock Lesnar, claiming that this time, I'll leave with the WWE World Heavyweight Championship and send Lesnar down for good. Heyman laughs, but before he can respond, Seth Rollins enters the fray. Rollins tells Cena that if it wasn't for Roman Reigns, he wouldn't have walked out as number one contender. Cena and Rollins come nose-to-nose, but Paul Heyman stops anything from happening and reveals that tonight, they will get another chance to do battle, and Rollins will also have the opportunity to get back at Roman Reigns as Cena and Reigns will team up to take on Rollins and personal security, Jamie Noble and Joey Mercury. Heyman leaves as Cena and Rollins look on.

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Ryback & Erick Rowan def. Kane & Big Show — We're not sure how the ring supported these four monsters, but it sure is a great way to test it out with the Royal Rumble now fast approaching. As was the result last night, both Ryback and Erick Rowan came out victorious against their adversaries when Ryback was able to drop Kane with a Shell Shocked while Rowan dealt with Big Show on the outside with a big running clothesline. Ryback and Rowan celebrated their victory, Rowan even nodding his head to the beat of Ryback's "Feed me more!" chant. The Authority giants retreat to rethink their game plan.

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Renee Young is standing by with a very special guest — the returning Roman Reigns. The WWE Universe become deafening as the juggernaut appears on screen. Asking him how it feels to be back, Reigns explains that he's waited for this moment for far too long and can't wait to get his hands on Seth Rollins. She asks him if he believes he is at 100% health, to which he replies "You bet your ass I am". Reigns says that tonight, he and Cena are going to tear through Rollins and his security — "Believe that".

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Natalya def. Divas Champion Nikki Bella (non-title) — Following her victory over AJ Lee last night at WWE: TLC, Nikki Bella looked to continue her streak of victories and prove why she is the best diva on the roster. However, AJ Lee clearly wasn't finished with the Bellas as she hit the ring, distracting Nikki by attacking Brie. This allowed Natalya to trip Nikki up and lock in the Sharpshooter for the victory. A big win for Natalya over the Diva Champion surely puts her in position for a title shot down the line. AJ Lee leaves with a smile on her face as Natalya celebrates, the Bella Twins looking on in disgust.

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The WWE Universe aren't too happy to see the arrival of the United States Champion, Rusev and Lana as they make their way to ringside. Lana addresses the world, claiming that Rusev is a conqueror. He is the most unstoppable force in WWE history and there is no man who can stop him from taking over the WWE. She explains that the American people will soon be forced to accept their new leader in the form of Rusev when he goes on to win the Royal Rumble and headline WrestleMania. But unfortunately for him, it seems that a certain Jack Swagger was not entirely through with him, as the Real American explodes down to ringside and unleashes on the Russian brute. Swagger send Rusev into retreat as we cut to a commercial break.

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United States Champion Rusev def. Jack Swagger (non-title) — A rematch from last night's WWE: TLC event, these two went at it once more for their countries pride. But much like the previous encounter, Swagger just couldn't manage to overcome the brute power that Rusev presents and fell victim to a thunderous superkick, followed by the Accolade which forced Swagger to submit. Rusev has once again dominated the competition, and perhaps Lana's claims of a Royal Rumble victory are not too far from the truth.

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The New Day def. Cesaro & Tyson Kidd — After an impressive victory on last night's Kickoff Show over Gold and Stardust, the New Day look to continue their success here tonight on Raw, and they do just that. The WWE Tag Team Champions, The Miz and Damien Mizdow sit on commentary to scout the competition so to speak. This time accompanied by Big E, it's Kingston and Woods that compete in this one, isolating Tyson Kidd and finishing him off with an impressive backbreaker/diving foot stomp combination for the victory. The trio celebrate as Miz and Mizdow look on intrigued. They raise their titles in the view of the New Day, just to make sure they know who the Champions really are.

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The theme of Dean Ambrose creates waves of excitement around the WWE Universe, the lunatic fringe making his way to the ring looking to still be feeling the effects of his brutal Tables, Ladders and Chairs Match last night with Bray Wyatt. Speaking to the fans, he says that he was finally able to overcome Bray Wyatt and now he can look towards bigger and better things, namely the Royal Rumble. He says that before Bray Wyatt attacked him at Hell in a Cell, he was aiming for the top and he was well on his way to achieving what he's always set out to achieve. The lunatic fringe makes it clear that he has his sights set on becoming the top guy in the WWE, above Seth Rollins, above Brock Lesnar. Suddenly, Ambrose is interrupted bye lights going out and the theme of the Intercontinental Champion, Luke Harper playing. The big man walks down to the ring an uncharacteristically grabs a microphone. He tells Dean Ambrose that if he thinks he has escaped Bray Wyatt's clutches then he is gravely mistaken. Stepping closer to Ambrose, he tells him that as long as Wyatt breathes he will hunt Ambrose down and make his life a living hell until he accepts his true fate. Ambrose tells Harper to cut the creepy crap and tells him that if Bray Wyatt wants some more he can come and get it. "But in the meantime, how about I show you what I'll do to him right now?" he says and the crowd erupt. Harper nods his head and it looks like we have a match on our hands.

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Dean Ambrose def. Intercontinental Champion Luke Harper (non-title) — Coming off one of the most brutal matches in his career, Dean Ambrose's chances didn't look that great going up against the larger and more powerful Intercontinental Champion, Luke Harper but with the added ingredient of Dolph Ziggler, things went the way of the lunatic fringe. As Harper looked to be closing in on a win, Ziggler emerged from he stage, taking advantage of the referee being knocked down earlier in the match and delivered rapid shots to Harper before finally grabbing the Intercontinental Championship from ringside and clocking him over the head with it, the WWE Universe loving every second. Ambrose capitalized with his signature Dirty Deeds and pinned Harper for the victory. Ambrose walks away with another big win and Dolph Ziggler gets some revenge after last night's unfortunate loss. But the question on everyone's mind is — is Bray Wyatt done with Dean Ambrose?

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Paul Heyman is backstage, his smug grin asking the world feel uneasy. Seth Rollins and his security step into the shot which doesn't help the fan reaction in the slightest. "Heyman, I don't know what you were thinking with this match tonight, but I can promise you this — John Cena and Roman Reigns will not leave tonight with a win" explains Rollins. "And I hope you know that Brock Lesnar will have me to thank when I soften John Cena up for him". Heyman laughs and tells Rollins that this is far from an attempt to "soften up" John Cena because the beast does not need his opponents "softening up". With a grin, he explains that tonight is about giving Seth Rollins the opportunity to show what he is truly made of if he is to be in line for a shot at Brock Lesnar, directing his attention to the briefcase in Rollins' right hand. "Oh I'm ready, when the time comes..." he says, to which Heyman snickers. Rollins and his security leave as Heyman looks on with a devious expression.

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Mark Henry def. Adam Rose and The Bunny — Apparently... Mark Henry requested this match himself. Usually, anyone asking for a 2-on-1 Handicap Match would be accused of having taken leave of their senses, but when you're the World's Strongest Man — you can do whatever the hell you want. With a quick World's Strongest Slam to The Bunny, this one was over within the blink of an eye — Adam Rose not even bothering to enter the ring to help his furry buddy. Henry shook his head and left with a scowl as Rose stood over his fallen "friend", pointing and laughing. Is Mark Henry a lemon? Maybe — but are you going to tell him that?

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Fandango def. R-Truth — The recent attitude change of Fandango has led to some serious success for the young superstar, and it rolls on through Raw with a big victory over R-Truth, defeating him with his signature Diving Leg Drop. Following the bell, Fandango raised the Slammy Award that he claimed as his own last week that belongs to a certain someone else, grabbing a microphone and declaring that the golden award belongs to him. Unfortunately for him, its rightful owner happened to be in attendance...

Chris Jericho appears on the stage following his pyrotechnics, standing in the darkness with only his fancy jacket illuminating his outline. Fandango's face went white and Jericho spun around and made his way to the ring. The two men stood face-to-face — reminiscent of their bout from WrestleMania 29. "I believe you have something that belongs to me, Fandingo" declares Y2J to a laugh. Fandango — Rosa Mendes by his side — simply walks round Jericho, clutching the Slammy award close to his chest and leaves the ring. With Jericho now back in the picture, it seems that Fandango may have to watch his back for the foreseeable future.

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Renee Young stand backstage with none other than John Cena — the reaction split as always. Asking all the necessary questions, Renee mentions Cena's upcoming bout with Brock Lesnar at the Royal Rumble and asks if he has any doubts, having lot to the beast twice before earlier this year in WWE World Heavyweight Championship matches. John Cena chuckles slightly before telling Renee that there's no question that he's taken a beating from Lesnar on more than one occasion and he isn't afraid to admit that, but he will never doubt himself. "I always believe that I have what it takes, even if I have to get my ass beaten all around the arena — i believe I can do this". She then asks if Seth Rollins will be a factor on his mind going forward. The simple answer is "Yes", as Cena explains that Rollins is one of those annoying thorns in his side that he knows won't go away, but he'll power through and do whatever it takes to hold the WWE World Heavyweight Championship one more time. He leaves as the main event is set to be next!

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John Cena and Roman Reigns def. Seth Rollins and J&J Security (via Disqualification) — The powerhouse team of John Cena and the returning Roman Reigns worked like a charm for the most part. Seth Rollins and his goons had a hard time matching the intensity of their opponents, mainly because Seth Rollins refused to enter the ring with Roman Reigns. The match went back and forth until finally, Rollins was left with Reigns, who smirked as he was about to get his hands on the man he'd been waiting to see. Measuring the Money in the Bank holder for a Spear, Reigns built his adrenaline up, but seemingly out of nowhere — the corporate monster, Kane emerged and dragged Reigns out of the ring, resulting in a disqualification.

Obviously out there as an insurance policy for the "golden boy", Seth Rollins, Kane assaulted Reigns on the outside while Jamie Noble and Joey Mercury kept John Cena at bay. Kane dragged Reigns around the ring and then delivered a thunderous Chokeslam through the announce table, driving Reigns down hard. Rollins looked on with a grin, but it didn't last for long as John Cena exploded out of his restraint and threw Noble and Mercury left and right before lunging at him, taking Rollins down with a big shoulder tackle. Cena lifted Rollins up for an Attitude Adjustment, but then — the theme of Brock Lesnar hit and out he came, Paul Heyman in tow with the WWE World Heavyweight Championship (and a Cheshire cat-like grin)n his possession. Cena dropped Rollins who quickly fled the scene with his right hand men.

Lesnar entered the ring and stood face-to-face with John Cena for a few seconds as his theme faded away, leaving the roars of the crowd to fill the void. Some inaudible words were traded, but what spoke loudest was Lesnar quickly lifting Cena onto his shoulders and planting him with an enormous F-5 into the canvas. The WWE World Heavyweight Champion had sent a clear message that he planned to do to John Cena exactly what he had done the previous two times they have met — destroy him. Lesnar stood tall over Cena as Heyman handed him his diamond-studded title — giving a clear image of what could possibly be the moment that we all see at the Royal Rumble in January.

GRAND RAPIDS — The year of 2014 is edging closer and closer to a close, and every single man and woman in the WWE is looking to end the year with a bang. Not only that, but everyone is eager to make an impact going into the Royal Rumble on January 25th, 2015. It is just a few days since the in-ring return of Roman Reigns, but it was ruined by the corporate monster, Kane — almost certainly per order of Mr. Money in the Bank, Seth Rollins. Tonight, Reigns gets his chance at revenge when he goes head-to-head with the big man himself, but will he be able to divert his attention when what's really on his mind is putting his hands on Seth Rollins?

The WWE Universe are now no stranger to the sound of Seth Rollins' theme as he makes his way to ringside — suspiciously flanked by the World's Largest Athlete, the Big Show, who is the latest addition to the Authority alliance. Stepping into the ring, Rollins declares that as he promised, John Cena would be flattened on Raw. "There is no man in this company that can come close to my amount of talent and skill, and that is why I am the future of this business!" exclaims Rollins, the Big Show nodding his head in agreement. "Me and the big man here are doing the Authority proud" he explains, telling the world that Triple H and Stephanie McMahon still stay in regular contact and he vows that one day they will return to the position that was wrongfully taken from them. "But now to the real reason that I came out here" he continues, before announcing that he will officially be entering the 2015 Royal Rumble Match, with every intention of winning. He claims that no man has ever won the match whilst also holding the Money in the Bank contract, meaning that he would become the most powerful entity on the entire roster by WrestleMania. Rollins claims that not even Roman Reigns can stop him from reaching his true potential as the future of the WWE. "Now let me show you exactly why I am the man" he declares as he takes off his shirt and prepares for action against Erick Rowan — next!



Seth Rollins def. Erick Rowan — With Big Show at ringside, you have to assume that Rowan's concentration was slightly shaken during this bout — is gargantuan rival just meters away while having to compete against one of the best performers in the WWE. Rowan managed to stay on the right path for the most part and even looked to be threatening a victory over the Money in the Bank holder at one point, but the World's Largest Athlete played the role we all expected and distracted Big Red for a moment, allowing Rollins to connect with a springboard flying knee, followed by the infamous Curb Stomp for the win. Big Show applauded his Authority ally as they left ringside, Erick Rowan coming to and looking on with anger.



Backstage, Paul Heyman is in his office, having control over SmackDown tonight as this week's guest host. He is on the phone — apparently to the WWE World Heavyweight Champion, Brock Lesnar — as he discusses this past Monday's events where Lesnar dominated John Cena. Suddenly, he hangs up the phone call as in walks Roman Reigns. Heyman asks what he can do for him, to which Reigns responds "Give a message to your boy, Brock Lesnar". Reigns says that after the Royal Rumble, if he manages to defeat John Cena and retain the WWE World Heavyweight Championship — he's winning the Royal Rumble, and he's coming for him. Heyman smirks and says that Roman Reigns has no idea what he's getting involved in and should stay well away. Reigns tells Heyman to make sure Brock knows, because he wants him to be prepared for when he "rains all over that bitch at WrestleMania". With a cheer from the crowd, Reigns leaves nad Heyman looks on with a blank expression.







Kofi Kingston def. Damien Mizdow — The New Day have broken onto the scene in the biggest way as of late, and they are making a bee-line for the WWE Tag Team Championships. Tonight, Kofi Kingston drew first blood as he took on The Miz's "stunt double", Damien Mizdow. Despite Miz's best efforts, he was kept at bay by Big E and Xavier Woods at ringside, and it eventually led to Kingston hitting Mizdow with the Trouble In Paradise for the victory. The New Day celebrated as Miz left with his titles, leaving Mizdow to make his own way up the ramp. Could we be looking at the next WWE Tag Team Champions?



Ryback def. Intercontinental Champion Luke Harper (non-title) — Returning from a commercial break, we are shown a quick recap of the moment when Ryback confronted the United States Champion, Rusev at WWE Tribute to the Troops this past Wednesday. But tonight, Ryback has an equally sizable adversary in the deranged Luke Harper. The Intercontinental Champion hadn't been doing so great since his last victory at WWE: TLC, and tonight unfortunately wasn't any different as he found himself dropped with a Shell Shocked by Ryback and another loss added to his column. The Big Guy celebrated his win, but instead of "Feed me more!", chanted "USA!" to the beat of his arms, the WWE Universe joining in. This was a clear message to Rusev.







The beautiful Renee Young stands with her microphone ready as she is standing alongside Dolph Ziggler, which the WWE Universe show their love for. Asking the question we all want to know the answer to, Renee asks "Is your chase for the Intercontinental Championship over?". Ziggler looks to the sky before answering, claiming that he isn't going to give up yet. "I know I can beat Luke Harper, and I know that Intercontinental Championship should be around my waist" he tells Renee. Ziggler says that the chase is not over, and he wants Luke Harper to know that he will see him again, and when he does, the title is coming home. Ziggler leaves with intensity in his eyes.



Dolph Ziggler def. United States Champion Rusev (via Disqualification; non-title) — There's no more intimidating task than going up against a man who has never been pinned and has never submitted, but Dolph Ziggler now has that task. If anyone can knock off the big Bulgarian, it's Ziggler, but even he has an uphill struggle to do so. The former Intercontinental Champion tried his best against the current United States Champion, but found himself falling victim to Rusev's brute force. However, in a ray of hope, Ziggler hit a big ZigZag and looked to be in control. That was until the Intercontinental Champion, Luke Harper came to the ring and blasted Ziggler with his signature discus clothesline to render the match over via disqualification. The brutal combination of Luke Harper and Rusev beat down on the defenseless Ziggler, but it was Ryback who came to Ziggler's aid, rushing to the ring and chasing away the monsters. Luke Harper and Rusev left with their titles (and Lana) as Ryback stood over Ziggler, protecting him from further harm. Rusev has found himself in retreat for the second time, wanting nothing to do with Ryback. He may have finally met his match at long last.



The Bella Twins def. Natalya and Naomi — The daughter of Jim 'The Anvil' Neidhart scored a big win over the Divas Champion this past Monday on Raw thanks to AJ Lee, but there was no former Divas Champion to come to her aid tonight as she and Naomi went at the Bella Twins by themselves. Natalya looked strong, but it was shockingly Brie Bella with a cheap slap from the ring apron that allowed Nikki to roll Natalya up and score a quick victory over her pink clad rival. The Bellas quickly retreated as Naomi consoled Natalya. Why on earth is Brie helping her sister so much? Have they forgotten all about their past?







Renee Young is backstage once more as she stands alongside a former World Champion, Chris Jericho. She asks Jericho what made him return on Raw this past Monday, and Jericho tells her that it's simple — nobody steals the spotlight from him, not even a "dancing dingbat" like Fandango. Jericho issues a challenge to Fandango for this Monday night on Raw, and tells him that he looks forward to showing him some moves of his own. Jericho leaves and up next is our main event.



Roman Reigns def. Kane (via Disqualification) — The corporate monster stuck his nose in Reigns' business on Raw, likely a plan orchestrated by Seth Rollins. Causing a disqualification in the main event also featuring John Cena and J&J Security, Kane dragged Reigns from the ring and proceeded to Chokeslam him through the announce table. With revenge on the mind, Reigns looked to take Kane out and was about to do so with a Spear until Seth Rollins and his security stuck their oars in. Rollins distracted Reigns from the outside, meanwhile Jamie Noble threw Kane Rollins' Money in the Bank briefcase. Kane utilized the metal case and drilled Reigns over the skull with it, causing a disqualification.

Kane looked down at Reigns, standing alongside Rollins and his security. The self-proclaimed "future of the WWE" made a gesture to Kane that could be universally interpreted as "finish him", and that's exactly what Kane did — picking Reigns up only to Chokeslam him right back down. Rollins bent over and got in Reigns' face, screaming "I'm the man!" as loud as he can. Kane creates his signature fiery explosion as SmackDown goes off the air.