Want more wrestling news, rumors, and results? Be sure to visit PWInsider.com and PWInsiderXtra.com.
Since I am back east and was eating during the pre-game, Mike Epsenhart sent this recap for me:
The Shield vs. The Usos started off slow with a few sloppy exchanges, it seems like both teams were holding back because WWE took to short commercial breaks during the match to pimp the PPV and then Dead Man Down once the commercials were done the teams kicked it into high gear. The last few minutes of the match were great with the Usos scoring a near fall that popped the crowd big time, finally The Shield were able to isolate two on one. Rollins hit a buckle bomb and as Jey Uso staggered out of the corner he got wiped out with Reigns' spear for the fall. Really good pre-show opener. The Usos looked legit.
I did get to see it so I can add a bit. ... Big props to WWE on the pre-game show. They actually aired the pre-show match on it, which was a great sell. They took breaks to sell those watching on the PPV and they made RVD a big part of the sale. The fans in Philly added to that, chanting for him unprompted thoughout the match. ... Really good match and WWE did a great job of properly using a pre-show.
The show is opening with the Blue MITB match. The show 0pened with Fandango and Dean Ambrose in the ring. Ambrose got a nice pop. Zeb came out with Jack Swagger and Antonio Cesaro. Colter ragged on the fans and called his guys two real Americans, even though one isn't. So of course, after booing him, they chanted "We The People". So Philly is on board with bizarro. ... Cody Rhodes and Damien Sandow came out next. Damien spoke and cut Cody off. Can you see where they are going? ... Wade Barrett came out to a bastardized version of God Save The Queen which may or may not make him a face here. ... Lots of action early, plunder everywhere. The first big part of the match saw Ambrose all alone and going up the ladder. Big pop from Philly. Wade stopped him, and then Goo stopped him. ... Lots of crazy stuff happened since I typed that. I don't envy Richard having to recap this. So far, really good. Ambrose is big in the mix so far.
Since we last talked, lots of plunder. This had been really good. REALLY good. ... OK, about 13 minutes in, they have Barrett and Swagger on the ladder. BULL HAMMER, down goes Swagger. Barrett should be turned into a bad ass babyface right away. Goo (who has been really good) then powerbombed Barrett off of the ladder, great spot. Summer is going nuts and we all win when that happens. She urged Goo up the ladder but Ambrose caught him and laid him out. Up goes Dean. Cesar came in and tried to knock him off of the ladder. He couldn't do it so swagger tried to help. Ambrose did the Terry Funk ladder spot, which was awesome. Ambrose when to skin the cat on the ladder but missed it the first time. He did it again and they finally dumped him. Swagger let Antonio stand on his back to get the briefcase but Cody took them out with a dropkick. The crowd chanted THIS IS AWESOME and they are totally right. This is great. ... Cody was on fired and laid everyone out but there was no ladder. the fans were chanting Cody as he walked past the smaller ladders and got the big mofo. He then went up the big ladder but Ambrose ran in and they fought on the big boy. Cody grabbed Dean and bashed his face into the ladder. Cody is bused open. Dad would be proud. Cody was about to grab the contract when Rollins and Reigns came in and destroyed him. When the other guys came in, they killed them too. They set Dean up for the contact when the Usos ran in to a big pop. It became brawl city on the floor as Dean climbed the ladder. Before he could get there, Cody dumped him and the crowd went nuts. NUTS. Cody worked his way up the ladder and as he got there, Damien came out of nowhere and dumped him. Damien grabbed the briefcase to win Money In The Bank. ... Freakin' awesome match. I didn't see Damien getting the briefcase. Cody should and could be a big face after this. The Usos got put over. Great start to the show.
Eps asked how you follow that. Well they decide to send Brad Maddox out to talk to the crowd about being the new GM of Raw. I think they expected the crowd to boo him from the get go but they Whatted him instead. So Brad ripped on Vickie instead. Told a bad joke and then said it was funny. That sounds like someone I know. He said that he put Vickie on the pre show panel (with Big Show and Kofi). He had her take a bow and then publicly thanked her for taking a secondary position. He said that the fans wanted to cheer for her too. They didn't go for it. He asked the fans to chant thank you Vickie. It didn't happen. So, he ripped on Philly fans. He said that she put the E in WWE. And showed a video of her on the Tron. This will shock you, but he made her look bad. It was painful. OK the crowd is down now. Way to give them a chance to get hot again. To be fair, no one wanted to follow that opener. Anyway, Vickie wasn't happy to see it. Brad wants the crowd to send her out with a standing o. They booed him instead. Hopefully that leads to Ryback destroying Maddox.
The Miz is out next, to take on Curtis Axel for the IC Title. At the bell, the fans were chanting ECW for Paul Heyman. That had to pop him. It had to. ... The first big spot came when Miz told the ref that Heyman hit him and the ref bought it and sent Heyman to the back. The crowd chanted we want Heyman. They should have chanted The Ref's A Dumbass. How to you toss someone for something that you don't see.? ... Lawler made a Walrus joke about Heyman. Someone send him the memo that if that was ever funny it isn't anymore. ... Miz was in control most of the way. He locked on the Figure Four and they went back and figure forth with it. Yeah, I am kind of bored. This is OK ay best. ... Miz is played the house afire babyface and Axel the coward. Well, until he a finisher out of nowhere for the pin. They made a point that he did it without Paul Heyman but honestly all he really did was win. He didn't get it over. ... After the match Cole said that Axel reversing the Figure Four and using it to his own advantage never happened before. He obviously never saw about 1000 Ric Flair matches.
They did a promo for SummerSlam, the theme is Reach for the Stars. Whatever.
Divas Title Time: AJ vs. Kaitlyn. Big E is with the champ, Layla with the challenger. .... Kaitlyn is in control early.
Kaitlyn then ran into the ringpost and hurt her injured elbow. AJ then took control. And it was slow for a while. This would have worked after the opener too. ... AJ came back when she attacked the bad arm. ... AJ went to the top but Kaitlyn pushed her. Big E caught her and saved her. Kate his a spear but hurt her elbow in the process and couldn't cover. AJ jumped into The Black Widow. Cole sold that it hurt the elbow, even though we could clearly see the elbow was fine. Kaitlyn finally had to give up. ... This could have been so much better if they let them tear it up as they are able to, but they didn't. They worked hard and it was solid, but they could have done a lot more if they were allowed to.
Click on to page 2 for more thoughts from tonight's PPV!
If you enjoy PWInsider.com you can check out the AD-FREE PWInsider Elite section, which features exclusive audio updates, news, our critically acclaimed podcasts, interviews and more by clicking here!
Bang On Casino
