Big one coming here folks!
Anyways…
So, let’s talk about the men’s wrestling side of things.
What could we possibly do to spice things up for this? Obviously if you’ve been reading these recaps, you know we’re heavy on the women here. But the men have cake to eat too. And it’s their right to have it as well. So, what can we do?
WELL. On the Smackdown side of things, Kofi Kingston was ready to defend his WWE Championship again after retaining at SummerSlam. This time though, Kingston faced a huge fan favorite and a guy who could use some gold: Shinsuke Nakamura! Kofi and Nak did the dance in the main event of the evening on Smackdown Live. Kofi would retain, earning more respect from the fans and his peers… but would turn into trouble.
Trouble in the name of…
GOLDBERG!!!
Just what the HELL was DA MAN doing going after Kofi Kingston? Well, it wasn’t about Kofi, he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Goldberg acknowledged the fact that he was never WWE Champion. He was WCW Champion, World Heavyweight Champion, Universal Champion, United States Champion, a wrestling legend and icon… but never WWE Champion. And even at his age, Goldberg still wanted the title, and nobody was going to get in his way of getting it. He and Kofi Kingston would be set for a date at Fall Brawl, an event no stranger to Goldberg of course.
Now, what about the Universal Championship? Seth Rollins is still the champion after defeating AJ Styles at SummerSlam. Following the event, Styles became entrenched in a feud with one Bobby Lashley. In the meantime, Rollins drew the attention of both Drew McIntyre and later, Samoa Joe. Drew and Joe’s rivalry eventually had stakes added, as the two were set to face off on Raw for the right to face Seth at Fall Brawl. Unfortunately, no winner was decided, as the match didn’t have a rightful contender emerge. So, a compromise was made: At Fall Brawl, Seth Rollins was set to defend the Universal Championship against both Drew Mac and Joe in a Triple Threat Match.
Note the word… set.
At Raw at Madison Square Garden, the week before Fall Brawl, Rollins competed against United States Champion Pete Dunne in a Champion versus Champion Match. All the while, Bobby Lashley appeared unconscious in the back, a surprising sight, which was specifically shown during Seth’s entrance. During the match, Dominik Dijakovic was hit by The OC, Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows, as a fight emerged at ringside! That fight was taken to the back and out sight, meaning Dijakovic was nowhere to be found at ringside anymore. Rollins still won the match with Dunne, but he would soon learn that things… were about to get wild.
AJ Styles then came to the ring! Styles walked down the entranceway at MSG, famously off to the side, and then got in the ring. He would stare Rollins down, as the two seemed ready to throw hands! And… then…
The game changed.
FINN BALOR’S music hit to HYSTERIA in The Garden. Not seen since SummerSlam, Mr. Money in the Bank made a shocking return to WWE at its most famous venue. Balor arrived to the ringside area just as Rollins seemed ready to go on the offensive. But… he didn’t realize that trouble already resided in the ring.
AJ Styles would grab Rollins, pull him in, and level him with a Styles Clash that sent shockwaves through the wrestling world. Balor then got into the ring, looking at Rollins’ downed body. He stared at AJ Styles, who then took off a jacket he was wearing. It was a brand spanking new OC T-shirt! Finn would then drop his briefcase down and look at Styles in the eyes. Styles was stepping on his turf. Styles was standing in the way of him and Rollins. Styles… was not doing any of this, actually! As it would be revealed after Balor took his jacket off,
THE TWO OF THEM HAD THE SAME EXACT T-SHIRT ON!!! AND THEY’D TOO SWEET IN THE RING TOO!!
Balor then stepped up, SPIKED Rollins with 1916, cashed in his contract
And FINN BALOR became the NEW UNIVERSAL CHAMPION!
We’ve got some thunder for ya too, baby.
So! Before we get on the train here, let’s talk about the NXT UK brand! Yes! It’s finally time to talk about what’s going on over across the pond, because there was a TakeOver that went down! Let’s go check out those results shall we?
NXT UK TAKEOVER: CARDIFF
31 August 2019 | Cardiff, Wales | Motorpoint Arena Cardiff
Tegan Nox defeated Jinny at 6:07 via pinfall
~ Tegan was an unannounced opponent for Jinny
~ Nox was joined by Dakota Kai after the match who embraced her
~ William Regal granted her a spot in the Mae Young Classic for a great feelgood moment
Alexander Wolfe defeated Trent Seven at 8:07 via pinfall
~ Wolfe joined up with WALTER, Marcel Barthel, and Fabian Aichner to make Imperium a Quartet, just like IRL
~ Wolfe won with the assistance of brass knuckles, which we’d later find out were STOLEN from Mister Regal
Kay Lee Ray fought Piper Niven in a Cardiff Street Fight to a no contest at 14:32
~ This was simply a CHAOTIC affair, as the ladies fought all over the arena and even at the cinema next door
~ Kay Lee hit a Cross Body on Niven while she stood on the stage. The two then crashed through tables down below and were unresponsive
Tyler Bate was hit with Brass Knucks backstage prior to his title match with WALTER later on in the show. Aichner then put a BRICK on the gas pedal of a golf cart that they put Bate on, and it drove and crashed through boxes
The Bar defeated The Grizzled Young Veterans at 16:20 via pinfall to retain the NXT UK Tag Team Championships
~ As previously explained, The Bar are on an excursion in NXT UK and won the Tag Team Titles on a recent episode of TV
~ This was a Grade A tag match between two of the best in the biz
~ Cesaro dropped Gibson with the Neutralizer for the win after he was hit with the Brogue Kick
A mysterious vignette aired, highlighting the future debut of a FEMALE superstar in NXT UK
Nigel McGuinness, who recently took over as GM from Sid Scala, announced that Piper and Kay Lee would have a rematch on NXT TV on September 25th. It would be a Ladder Match and would determine the next contender for the NXT UK Women’s Champion at WWE REvolution!
PAIGE, who months prior had made her arrival in the UK, brought out her collection of talent, which were prized UK prospects SADIE GIBBS and JAMIE HAYTER, both recent signees for the brand. Paige was also set to be the Special Referee for the upcoming match…
Bianca Belair defeated Rhea Ripley at 18:47 via submission to retain the NXT UK Women’s Championship
~ Paige’s claim that she’d call the match down the middle was proven correct
~ Bianca hoisted Rhea up in the TORTURE RACK, a new finishing move for Belair, and made Rhea submit
A masked individual jumped into the ring and blasted Bianca Belair with a lead pipe after the match. Gibbs and Hayter then joined this person in attacking Bianca while Paige stood around and… did nothing to stop them! But they would then be chased away by Dakota Kai and Tegan Nox!
NXT UK TakeOver: Blackpool II was then announced for January 12th 2020
WALTER defeated Tyler Bate at 12:25 via pinfall to retain the NXT UK Championship
~ Bate was not NEARLY 100%, but fought hard regardless
~ WALTER hit him with a HUGE Powerbomb to win the match
---
HALL OF CHAMPIONS
(As of August 12th 2019; NXT UK had NO changes, so everything is copacetic with those results)
WWE CHAMPION
Kofi Kingston
April 7, 2019 –
WWE UNIVERSAL CHAMPION
Seth Rollins
April 7, 2019 –
RAW WOMEN’S CHAMPION
Becky Lynch
April 7, 2019 –
SMACKDOWN WOMEN’S CHAMPION
Bayley
August 11, 2019 –
WWE INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPION
Kevin Owens
August 11, 2019 –
WWE UNITED STATES CHAMPION
Pete Dunne
June 3, 2019 –
RAW TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS
American Alpha
August 5, 2019 –
SMACKDOWN TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS
The New Day (4)
August 11, 2019 –
WWE CRUISERWEIGHT CHAMPION
Kyle O’Reilly
May 19, 2019 –
NXT CHAMPION
Johnny Gargano
April 5, 2019 –
NXT WOMEN’S CHAMPION
Io Shirai
April 5, 2019 –
NXT NORTH AMERICAN CHAMPION
Tyler Breeze
August 10, 2019 –
NXT TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS
The Street Profits
August 10, 2019 –
NXT UK CHAMPION
WALTER
April 5, 2019 –
NXT UK WOMEN’S CHAMPION
Bianca Belair
June 8, 2019 –
NXT UK TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS
The Bar
July 24, 2019 –
Oh, so, as I realize I’m writing this, yes: Chad Gable and Jason Jordan would go on to reform American Alpha. My mistake on not writing that part out! But yes. Kurt Angle wound up the benefactor for that, bringing the team back together on the go-home for SummerSlam. Gable and Jordan swiftly defeated Curt Hawkins and Zack Ryder, who would later both be released by the company.
Pretty sure that about covers it. Anyhow, more intensive bios will come when the full roster gets revealed…
=====
Coming out of SummerSlam, what had been suggested had become perfectly clear. WWE in 2019 was all about the women. The women had the hot angles on the show. The women had the hotly-contested matches. There was going to be another Mae Young Classic. There was going to be another All-Women’s show, a year after the very first one on Long Island. Things were absolutely ramping up and it was a lovely sight.
A new decree was launched on the night after SummerSlam. An authority figure who we won’t mention anymore announced it would be ‘Open Season,’ which meant that everybody didn’t belong to a brand anymore. Fox and NBC Universal execs wanted evaluations before the upcoming WWE Draft in October and the best way, they felt, was to completely expand the pool. This also included NXT!
On Raw, the newly formed faction was at its most dominant. Dubbing themselves The Sisters of Doom, the quintet, along with their two ponies, wreaked havoc on both the Raw and Smackdown Live women’s locker rooms. Becky and Charlotte were both incapacitated now. Surely, Bayley and Sasha Banks would come to everyone’s aid and fight the fight right? Well… not so much. They had their spot blown up the night after SummerSlam. They were not at Raw, but rather instead at the Rogers Centre watching a Blue Jays baseball game. They failed to appear at the show the next night also, and were subsequently fined an undisclosed amount. Trouble later emerged for Bayley, whose title reign came under fire. A petition was launched, suggesting that Bayley be deemed ‘unfit’ to be champion due to her chaotic, frenetic mind, and her negligence for the rest of the roster as a leader for the locker room. She was set to be put on trial and if convicted of her crimes, she would lose her championship. And what’s more, Bayley and Sasha Banks had a date with The Divas of Doom, Beth Phoenix and Natalya, at Raw on Labor Day. To make matters worse, it would be a Steel Cage match.
And things… did not go well for The Boss and Hug Connection. Their historic title reign came to a bitter end. With no one to help them, The Sisters of Doom invaded the cage and brutalized both women. Especially Sasha Banks, who took a huge beating. It wasn’t until Bayley SURRENDERED that they lost the match. Bayley also lost her friend, and with Stephanie McMahon’s decision back in April still looming… Bayley and Sasha Banks could NO LONGER team together.
Bayley’s trial commenced the next night on Smackdown. The bad luck had gotten really bad for Bayley, whose personality came under fire in a big way. She was snappy during the trial at both Alexa Bliss and Carmella especially. Bliss and Carmella orchestrated the petition, as it turned out. Bayley felt betrayed by Carmella, and felt Alexa showed her true colors after getting benefit of the doubt earlier in the year when she revealed Nattie was a rat. Bayley was able to get a surprise character witness: Toni Storm! Storm spoke highly of Bayley and the amount of respect that she had for her. She said that anybody put in her position wouldn’t act right and she shouldn’t’ be judged because her friendships mean so much to her. After the winded and inspired testimony, Bayley was given a chance to enter a plea and she said not guilty. Just as a decision looked like it was going to be rendered, a surprise appearance was made at the courthouse where this trial was taking place. Showing up was none other than noted Harvard Law graduate, DAVID OTUNGA! As it turns out, someone had tipped him off about the trial. Otunga said that he was personally embarrassed by the petition and called it one of the biggest shames he’d ever seen in his life. He said that there wasn’t even an unbiased arbitrator. He called it a witch hunt and was rooted in admitted jealousy from Alexa and Carmella, who wanted more screen-time and opportunity that was taken by Bayley for much of the year. An arbitrator was eventually revealed, and it was revealed to be FINLAY! Finlay then eventually ruled in favor of Bayley, who got to keep her championship.
The problem for Bayley and her championship? Well… Ronda Rousey was healthy, and Ronda Rousey demanded and received a Smackdown Women’s Championship match at Fall Brawl. And at the Raw at Madison Square Garden, SHAYNA BASZLER won the INTERIM Raw Women's Championship, while Becky Lynch was sidelined and remained DEFIANT in refusing to relinquish her championship. Baszler won the title in a Battle Royal, last eliminating Asuka, meaning that The Sisters of Doom were a Smackdown Women's Title away from having ALL THE GOLD!
After Ronda Rousey faced Asuka at Madison Square Garden, Ronda and Bayley had a dramatic and thrilling tussle in the back that got violent…
And almost REALLY violent.
Smackdown, New York, NY, 9/10:
NXT UK TAKEOVER: CARDIFF
31 August 2019 | Cardiff, Wales | Motorpoint Arena Cardiff
Tegan Nox defeated Jinny at 6:07 via pinfall
~ Tegan was an unannounced opponent for Jinny
~ Nox was joined by Dakota Kai after the match who embraced her
~ William Regal granted her a spot in the Mae Young Classic for a great feelgood moment
Alexander Wolfe defeated Trent Seven at 8:07 via pinfall
~ Wolfe joined up with WALTER, Marcel Barthel, and Fabian Aichner to make Imperium a Quartet, just like IRL
~ Wolfe won with the assistance of brass knuckles, which we’d later find out were STOLEN from Mister Regal
Kay Lee Ray fought Piper Niven in a Cardiff Street Fight to a no contest at 14:32
~ This was simply a CHAOTIC affair, as the ladies fought all over the arena and even at the cinema next door
~ Kay Lee hit a Cross Body on Niven while she stood on the stage. The two then crashed through tables down below and were unresponsive
Tyler Bate was hit with Brass Knucks backstage prior to his title match with WALTER later on in the show. Aichner then put a BRICK on the gas pedal of a golf cart that they put Bate on, and it drove and crashed through boxes
The Bar defeated The Grizzled Young Veterans at 16:20 via pinfall to retain the NXT UK Tag Team Championships
~ As previously explained, The Bar are on an excursion in NXT UK and won the Tag Team Titles on a recent episode of TV
~ This was a Grade A tag match between two of the best in the biz
~ Cesaro dropped Gibson with the Neutralizer for the win after he was hit with the Brogue Kick
A mysterious vignette aired, highlighting the future debut of a FEMALE superstar in NXT UK
Nigel McGuinness, who recently took over as GM from Sid Scala, announced that Piper and Kay Lee would have a rematch on NXT TV on September 25th. It would be a Ladder Match and would determine the next contender for the NXT UK Women’s Champion at WWE REvolution!
PAIGE, who months prior had made her arrival in the UK, brought out her collection of talent, which were prized UK prospects SADIE GIBBS and JAMIE HAYTER, both recent signees for the brand. Paige was also set to be the Special Referee for the upcoming match…
Bianca Belair defeated Rhea Ripley at 18:47 via submission to retain the NXT UK Women’s Championship
~ Paige’s claim that she’d call the match down the middle was proven correct
~ Bianca hoisted Rhea up in the TORTURE RACK, a new finishing move for Belair, and made Rhea submit
A masked individual jumped into the ring and blasted Bianca Belair with a lead pipe after the match. Gibbs and Hayter then joined this person in attacking Bianca while Paige stood around and… did nothing to stop them! But they would then be chased away by Dakota Kai and Tegan Nox!
NXT UK TakeOver: Blackpool II was then announced for January 12th 2020
WALTER defeated Tyler Bate at 12:25 via pinfall to retain the NXT UK Championship
~ Bate was not NEARLY 100%, but fought hard regardless
~ WALTER hit him with a HUGE Powerbomb to win the match
---
HALL OF CHAMPIONS
(As of August 12th 2019; NXT UK had NO changes, so everything is copacetic with those results)
WWE CHAMPION
Kofi Kingston
April 7, 2019 –
WWE UNIVERSAL CHAMPION
Seth Rollins
April 7, 2019 –
RAW WOMEN’S CHAMPION
Becky Lynch
April 7, 2019 –
SMACKDOWN WOMEN’S CHAMPION
Bayley
August 11, 2019 –
WWE INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPION
Kevin Owens
August 11, 2019 –
WWE UNITED STATES CHAMPION
Pete Dunne
June 3, 2019 –
RAW TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS
American Alpha
August 5, 2019 –
SMACKDOWN TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS
The New Day (4)
August 11, 2019 –
WWE CRUISERWEIGHT CHAMPION
Kyle O’Reilly
May 19, 2019 –
NXT CHAMPION
Johnny Gargano
April 5, 2019 –
NXT WOMEN’S CHAMPION
Io Shirai
April 5, 2019 –
NXT NORTH AMERICAN CHAMPION
Tyler Breeze
August 10, 2019 –
NXT TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS
The Street Profits
August 10, 2019 –
NXT UK CHAMPION
WALTER
April 5, 2019 –
NXT UK WOMEN’S CHAMPION
Bianca Belair
June 8, 2019 –
NXT UK TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS
The Bar
July 24, 2019 –
Oh, so, as I realize I’m writing this, yes: Chad Gable and Jason Jordan would go on to reform American Alpha. My mistake on not writing that part out! But yes. Kurt Angle wound up the benefactor for that, bringing the team back together on the go-home for SummerSlam. Gable and Jordan swiftly defeated Curt Hawkins and Zack Ryder, who would later both be released by the company.
Pretty sure that about covers it. Anyhow, more intensive bios will come when the full roster gets revealed…
=====
Coming out of SummerSlam, what had been suggested had become perfectly clear. WWE in 2019 was all about the women. The women had the hot angles on the show. The women had the hotly-contested matches. There was going to be another Mae Young Classic. There was going to be another All-Women’s show, a year after the very first one on Long Island. Things were absolutely ramping up and it was a lovely sight.
A new decree was launched on the night after SummerSlam. An authority figure who we won’t mention anymore announced it would be ‘Open Season,’ which meant that everybody didn’t belong to a brand anymore. Fox and NBC Universal execs wanted evaluations before the upcoming WWE Draft in October and the best way, they felt, was to completely expand the pool. This also included NXT!
On Raw, the newly formed faction was at its most dominant. Dubbing themselves The Sisters of Doom, the quintet, along with their two ponies, wreaked havoc on both the Raw and Smackdown Live women’s locker rooms. Becky and Charlotte were both incapacitated now. Surely, Bayley and Sasha Banks would come to everyone’s aid and fight the fight right? Well… not so much. They had their spot blown up the night after SummerSlam. They were not at Raw, but rather instead at the Rogers Centre watching a Blue Jays baseball game. They failed to appear at the show the next night also, and were subsequently fined an undisclosed amount. Trouble later emerged for Bayley, whose title reign came under fire. A petition was launched, suggesting that Bayley be deemed ‘unfit’ to be champion due to her chaotic, frenetic mind, and her negligence for the rest of the roster as a leader for the locker room. She was set to be put on trial and if convicted of her crimes, she would lose her championship. And what’s more, Bayley and Sasha Banks had a date with The Divas of Doom, Beth Phoenix and Natalya, at Raw on Labor Day. To make matters worse, it would be a Steel Cage match.
And things… did not go well for The Boss and Hug Connection. Their historic title reign came to a bitter end. With no one to help them, The Sisters of Doom invaded the cage and brutalized both women. Especially Sasha Banks, who took a huge beating. It wasn’t until Bayley SURRENDERED that they lost the match. Bayley also lost her friend, and with Stephanie McMahon’s decision back in April still looming… Bayley and Sasha Banks could NO LONGER team together.
Bayley’s trial commenced the next night on Smackdown. The bad luck had gotten really bad for Bayley, whose personality came under fire in a big way. She was snappy during the trial at both Alexa Bliss and Carmella especially. Bliss and Carmella orchestrated the petition, as it turned out. Bayley felt betrayed by Carmella, and felt Alexa showed her true colors after getting benefit of the doubt earlier in the year when she revealed Nattie was a rat. Bayley was able to get a surprise character witness: Toni Storm! Storm spoke highly of Bayley and the amount of respect that she had for her. She said that anybody put in her position wouldn’t act right and she shouldn’t’ be judged because her friendships mean so much to her. After the winded and inspired testimony, Bayley was given a chance to enter a plea and she said not guilty. Just as a decision looked like it was going to be rendered, a surprise appearance was made at the courthouse where this trial was taking place. Showing up was none other than noted Harvard Law graduate, DAVID OTUNGA! As it turns out, someone had tipped him off about the trial. Otunga said that he was personally embarrassed by the petition and called it one of the biggest shames he’d ever seen in his life. He said that there wasn’t even an unbiased arbitrator. He called it a witch hunt and was rooted in admitted jealousy from Alexa and Carmella, who wanted more screen-time and opportunity that was taken by Bayley for much of the year. An arbitrator was eventually revealed, and it was revealed to be FINLAY! Finlay then eventually ruled in favor of Bayley, who got to keep her championship.
The problem for Bayley and her championship? Well… Ronda Rousey was healthy, and Ronda Rousey demanded and received a Smackdown Women’s Championship match at Fall Brawl. And at the Raw at Madison Square Garden, SHAYNA BASZLER won the INTERIM Raw Women's Championship, while Becky Lynch was sidelined and remained DEFIANT in refusing to relinquish her championship. Baszler won the title in a Battle Royal, last eliminating Asuka, meaning that The Sisters of Doom were a Smackdown Women's Title away from having ALL THE GOLD!
After Ronda Rousey faced Asuka at Madison Square Garden, Ronda and Bayley had a dramatic and thrilling tussle in the back that got violent…
And almost REALLY violent.
Smackdown, New York, NY, 9/10:
There’s definitely some disappointment and resentment towards this finish. But folks, sometimes it’s just the way it goes! Asuka and Rousey keep whooping each other’s ass out here at ringside and both seem to enjoy it too! Rousey’s crew then comes to ringside to try and pull Ronda away from her. They succeed but get booed in the process. Ronda keeps jawing at Asuka here as The Empress tries to bring the challenge on!! Bayley dives down and tries to keep Asuka protected. She seems to know whose fight this is and it’s definitely not hers anymore since the match ended! Asuka keeps jawing at Rousey and Rousey then breaks through!
Ronda comes over
And Bayley steps up to her!
…
…
…
And Bayley and Ronda start to fight!!
Five days before they’ll go at it at Fall Brawl, Bayley and Ronda are letting the fists fly!! The fight spills over the barricade as the two women begin to fight to the back of MSG!
As they fight, we see that Shayna Baszler just told something to the group and she then hops over the barricade!
We’re then left to see Beth Phoenix, Natalya, Jessamyn Duke, and Marina Shafir hanging out here. But in the background, things are starting to get a bit crowded!
Liv Morgan’s here!
And she jumps on Beth Phoenix’s back!
Beth tries to pull the clingy Morgan off her back but she runs into Asuka, who kicks her in the stomach! Asuka then goes and kicks Nattie! And she then sends Marina and Jessamyn away swiftly!
Asuka then walks over and reaches under the ring and grabs some kendo sticks! She tosses one to Liv and Liv and Asuka start caning Beth and Nattie!! And Jessamyn and Marina as they start coming around!!
Meanwhile
The camera comes back on Bayley and Ronda!
Bayley is seen flinging a trashcan at Ronda! But Rousey is able to avoid it but she can’t avoid a running Bayley who smacks her up on a table! Bayley runs up and continues to punch away at Rousey who’s getting a bit winded here!
The camera bends around and we see Shayna Baszler approaching!
However
So is Candice LeRae!
And LeRae picks Baszler off!!
Whoa! Candice has launched a strike on the Interim Raw Women’s Champion! Was this why Bayley and Candice were talking? Did Candice offer protection to Bayley? In any event, Candice and Shayna fight away from the scene, leaving Bayley and Ronda alone still here at The Garden!
The fight continues on here as they get to the loading dock! They continue to tee off on each other as Rousey is definitely a bit shaken here. Bayley seems to realize that and starts to hit Ronda with some haymakers! But then Rousey doesn’t play fair! She grabs a pipe and slams it right into Bayley’s stomach!!
Rousey falls and then gets back up with the pipe and then slams it down on Bayley’s back! She then slams it down on Bayley’s stomach and then her back and drives it down HARD on Bayley’s ribs! Rousey follows in and continues to throw the pipe at Bayley! She beats the crap out of her rib cages with the pipe, hoping to leave her absolutely gasping for air here!!
Ronda keeps crushing Bayley’s ribs with the pipe until she finally has had enough. She tosses the pipe away with ferocity. A look comes over Rousey’s face that is about as menacing as can be. Bayley is heard wheezing and gasping for air as Rousey stands over her. She shakes her head and mutters “Forget Sunday,” as she storms away. Bayley tries to crawl away here. Or at the very least tries to get her breath. She can’t seem to. She’s struggling. Big time. The pipe shots were a LOT. She gets up on all fours here and looks down at the floor here.
Just then
Car lights come on!
…
Oh no.
The camera cuts-
RONDA IS OPERATING THE CAR!!
Rousey’s intensity is high, but this is taking it too damn far!
She’s looking to RUN BAYLEY OVER!!
Ronda pushes on the gas
And Bayley looks over on her knees.
Defeated?
What’s she gonna d-
OH!
ROUSEY DRIVES BY…
…
…BUT DOESN’T HIT BAYLEY!
SHE DOESN’T HIT ANYBODY, IN FACT!
SOMEONE DOVE OUT AND SAVED BAYLEY!!!
This mysterious person can be suddenly seen running away!
Their slender legs and brown boots can only be seen as they dash away!
The camera then immediately cuts over to Rousey’s car, which then peels out!
…
…
…
Bayley gasps for more air. But… she’s fine. She was unscathed. She’s on her side. She looks relieved to say the very least. Someone helped her out. She then reaches out for something.
She picks up something.
It’s…
Blonde hair!
…
Well, Candice LeRae is blonde of course and it looks like LeRae was able to make it back over to help Bayley out even more than she probably thought she would!
Is what someone would say
If Candice LeRae wasn’t SPRINTING towards Bayley right now!
Oh.
She hugs Bayley from behind as it’s clear she’s very relieved to see her in her state.
But… Bayley?
Right now it seems as though Bayley is shook.
She looks like she’s seen a ghost.
She stares at Candice’s hair. Her blonde hair.
Her… platinum blonde hair.
She looks at the hair in her hand.
It’s not the same shade.
No…
There’s um,
Only
One
Person.
With that shade of blonde hair.
And Bayley,
Ronda Rousey,
And everybody else…
…Knows her very, very well…
…
…
…
Anyways…
So, let’s talk about the men’s wrestling side of things.
What could we possibly do to spice things up for this? Obviously if you’ve been reading these recaps, you know we’re heavy on the women here. But the men have cake to eat too. And it’s their right to have it as well. So, what can we do?
WELL. On the Smackdown side of things, Kofi Kingston was ready to defend his WWE Championship again after retaining at SummerSlam. This time though, Kingston faced a huge fan favorite and a guy who could use some gold: Shinsuke Nakamura! Kofi and Nak did the dance in the main event of the evening on Smackdown Live. Kofi would retain, earning more respect from the fans and his peers… but would turn into trouble.
Trouble in the name of…
GOLDBERG!!!
Just what the HELL was DA MAN doing going after Kofi Kingston? Well, it wasn’t about Kofi, he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Goldberg acknowledged the fact that he was never WWE Champion. He was WCW Champion, World Heavyweight Champion, Universal Champion, United States Champion, a wrestling legend and icon… but never WWE Champion. And even at his age, Goldberg still wanted the title, and nobody was going to get in his way of getting it. He and Kofi Kingston would be set for a date at Fall Brawl, an event no stranger to Goldberg of course.
Now, what about the Universal Championship? Seth Rollins is still the champion after defeating AJ Styles at SummerSlam. Following the event, Styles became entrenched in a feud with one Bobby Lashley. In the meantime, Rollins drew the attention of both Drew McIntyre and later, Samoa Joe. Drew and Joe’s rivalry eventually had stakes added, as the two were set to face off on Raw for the right to face Seth at Fall Brawl. Unfortunately, no winner was decided, as the match didn’t have a rightful contender emerge. So, a compromise was made: At Fall Brawl, Seth Rollins was set to defend the Universal Championship against both Drew Mac and Joe in a Triple Threat Match.
Note the word… set.
At Raw at Madison Square Garden, the week before Fall Brawl, Rollins competed against United States Champion Pete Dunne in a Champion versus Champion Match. All the while, Bobby Lashley appeared unconscious in the back, a surprising sight, which was specifically shown during Seth’s entrance. During the match, Dominik Dijakovic was hit by The OC, Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows, as a fight emerged at ringside! That fight was taken to the back and out sight, meaning Dijakovic was nowhere to be found at ringside anymore. Rollins still won the match with Dunne, but he would soon learn that things… were about to get wild.
AJ Styles then came to the ring! Styles walked down the entranceway at MSG, famously off to the side, and then got in the ring. He would stare Rollins down, as the two seemed ready to throw hands! And… then…
The game changed.
FINN BALOR’S music hit to HYSTERIA in The Garden. Not seen since SummerSlam, Mr. Money in the Bank made a shocking return to WWE at its most famous venue. Balor arrived to the ringside area just as Rollins seemed ready to go on the offensive. But… he didn’t realize that trouble already resided in the ring.
AJ Styles would grab Rollins, pull him in, and level him with a Styles Clash that sent shockwaves through the wrestling world. Balor then got into the ring, looking at Rollins’ downed body. He stared at AJ Styles, who then took off a jacket he was wearing. It was a brand spanking new OC T-shirt! Finn would then drop his briefcase down and look at Styles in the eyes. Styles was stepping on his turf. Styles was standing in the way of him and Rollins. Styles… was not doing any of this, actually! As it would be revealed after Balor took his jacket off,
THE TWO OF THEM HAD THE SAME EXACT T-SHIRT ON!!! AND THEY’D TOO SWEET IN THE RING TOO!!
Balor then stepped up, SPIKED Rollins with 1916, cashed in his contract
And FINN BALOR became the NEW UNIVERSAL CHAMPION!
We’ve got some thunder for ya too, baby.
FALL BRAWL
FALL BRAWL
Mae Young Classic First Round Match
Tegan Nox defeated Asuka by ref stoppage
~ Nox kicked Asuka in the head with the Shining Wizard to end the match, as she UNINTENTIONALLY knocked Asuka out and advanced through
Mae Young Classic First Round Match
Toni Storm defeated Meiko Satomura
Candice LeRae defeated Ruby Riott at 11:26 via pinfall
~ As a result, Riott had to tape her mouth for two weeks. This stipulation was agreed upon between both parties in the leadup, as Candice grew tired of Ruby’s constant bemoaning like the rest of the locker room
An ad for MVP’s new agency, The Franchise Players, rolled with former Miami wide receiver and former Houston Texan, Andre Johnson
(NOTE: The Franchise Players are a mid-card Raw stable, currently building up on the Raw brand. It features Apollo Crews, Ashante Thee Adonis, MVP, and “B” (aka B-Fab))
Sami Zayn defeated Roderick Strong via pinfall at 10:45 to retain the Intercontinental Championship
~ Zayn won the championship at Smackdown at MSG five days prior from Kevin Owens
~ Zayn won with the “help” of Undisputed ERA, who had targeted KO and previously Zayn during his stop in NXT earlier in the year
After taking out hometown hero Cedric Alexander on the Kickoff Show, Daniel Bryan announced that he would go under a new name: ‘The Inevitable’ Daniel Bryan
Isaiah ‘Swerve’ Scott defeated Pete Dunne at 15:22 via pin fall to become the NEW United States Champion
~ Swerve won a Six-Pack Challenge on Raw at Madison Square Garden to earn the title shot
Andrade defeated Roman Reigns in a Strap Match at 16:20
~ This was an old-school Strap Match, where the winner was determined by who could hit four corners in succession
~ Andrade won after Roman SPEARED HIM into the corner, which allowed for Andrade to hit the corner with his hand, a la a Great American Bash 04-type finish
Bobby Lashley defeated AJ Styles by disqualification at 5:46
~ The OC beat up Lashley towards the ‘end’ of the match to cause a DQ
~ Lashley was hit with a 3-person Styles Clash on a Chair
Shane McMahon, who returned to WWE TV to pursue The Miz again, announced the creation of a new championship in WWE: The Television Championship. He awarded it to his new right-hand man, and now former friend of The Miz’s, John Morrison
Kofi Kingston defeated Goldberg at 4:27 via pinfall to retain the WWE Championship
Finn Balor defeated Drew McIntyre, Samoa Joe, and Seth Rollins in a Fatal 4-Way Match to retain the WWE Universal Championship
~ This match was created after Finn’s shocking cash-in on Monday
~ Finn won by hitting Drew with the 1916, after Drew was STOMPED by Rollins, who Finn threw out of the ring
Bayley defeated Ronda Rousey at 9:49 via pinfall to retain the Smackdown Women’s Championship
~ Bayley brought SASHA BANKS back into the fray, with Becky Lynch also notably in attendance again tonight (and more on that in our next update…)
~ This match was booked like a 1998 WWF Main Event, PAL! A lot of run-ins, ref bumps, and such!
~ The music of CHARLOTTE FLAIR hit to MUCH FANFARE in Charlotte, North Carolina. Ronda sent Beth down to the stage to get her… but Beth and everyone else were surprised when BECKY LYNCH came out and Kendo Sticked the CRAP out of her!
~ CHARLOTTE would then appear BEHIND Rousey, delivering a BOOT to her and then a Natural Selection. She dragged Bayley over her and Bayley got the pin, after Charlotte picked up LIL’ NAITCH from the outside and told him to do his job. Which, well, he did!
Tegan Nox defeated Asuka by ref stoppage
~ Nox kicked Asuka in the head with the Shining Wizard to end the match, as she UNINTENTIONALLY knocked Asuka out and advanced through
Mae Young Classic First Round Match
Toni Storm defeated Meiko Satomura
Candice LeRae defeated Ruby Riott at 11:26 via pinfall
~ As a result, Riott had to tape her mouth for two weeks. This stipulation was agreed upon between both parties in the leadup, as Candice grew tired of Ruby’s constant bemoaning like the rest of the locker room
An ad for MVP’s new agency, The Franchise Players, rolled with former Miami wide receiver and former Houston Texan, Andre Johnson
(NOTE: The Franchise Players are a mid-card Raw stable, currently building up on the Raw brand. It features Apollo Crews, Ashante Thee Adonis, MVP, and “B” (aka B-Fab))
Sami Zayn defeated Roderick Strong via pinfall at 10:45 to retain the Intercontinental Championship
~ Zayn won the championship at Smackdown at MSG five days prior from Kevin Owens
~ Zayn won with the “help” of Undisputed ERA, who had targeted KO and previously Zayn during his stop in NXT earlier in the year
After taking out hometown hero Cedric Alexander on the Kickoff Show, Daniel Bryan announced that he would go under a new name: ‘The Inevitable’ Daniel Bryan
Isaiah ‘Swerve’ Scott defeated Pete Dunne at 15:22 via pin fall to become the NEW United States Champion
~ Swerve won a Six-Pack Challenge on Raw at Madison Square Garden to earn the title shot
Andrade defeated Roman Reigns in a Strap Match at 16:20
~ This was an old-school Strap Match, where the winner was determined by who could hit four corners in succession
~ Andrade won after Roman SPEARED HIM into the corner, which allowed for Andrade to hit the corner with his hand, a la a Great American Bash 04-type finish
Bobby Lashley defeated AJ Styles by disqualification at 5:46
~ The OC beat up Lashley towards the ‘end’ of the match to cause a DQ
~ Lashley was hit with a 3-person Styles Clash on a Chair
Shane McMahon, who returned to WWE TV to pursue The Miz again, announced the creation of a new championship in WWE: The Television Championship. He awarded it to his new right-hand man, and now former friend of The Miz’s, John Morrison
Kofi Kingston defeated Goldberg at 4:27 via pinfall to retain the WWE Championship
Finn Balor defeated Drew McIntyre, Samoa Joe, and Seth Rollins in a Fatal 4-Way Match to retain the WWE Universal Championship
~ This match was created after Finn’s shocking cash-in on Monday
~ Finn won by hitting Drew with the 1916, after Drew was STOMPED by Rollins, who Finn threw out of the ring
Bayley defeated Ronda Rousey at 9:49 via pinfall to retain the Smackdown Women’s Championship
~ Bayley brought SASHA BANKS back into the fray, with Becky Lynch also notably in attendance again tonight (and more on that in our next update…)
~ This match was booked like a 1998 WWF Main Event, PAL! A lot of run-ins, ref bumps, and such!
~ The music of CHARLOTTE FLAIR hit to MUCH FANFARE in Charlotte, North Carolina. Ronda sent Beth down to the stage to get her… but Beth and everyone else were surprised when BECKY LYNCH came out and Kendo Sticked the CRAP out of her!
~ CHARLOTTE would then appear BEHIND Rousey, delivering a BOOT to her and then a Natural Selection. She dragged Bayley over her and Bayley got the pin, after Charlotte picked up LIL’ NAITCH from the outside and told him to do his job. Which, well, he did!