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deepdisireslonging · 6 years ago

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Family Found Part 28: Not a Total Loss

The Reader has to take a match into her own hands when one of her wrestlers is attacked backstage. With that against her, and the other events of Survivor Series not playing to her favor, how can she prove to Stephanie McMahon that she is still the best option for a General Manager?

Warnings/Promises: wrestling violence, some Sheamus x Reader, uneven match descriptions, probably some typos (sorry, wrote this quick)

Word Count: 5430 (I am so so sorry. It’s a big PPV!)

Note: It’s Capstone season for me, so some of this is a bit more rushed than I would have liked. Still, it turned out pretty good, and I’m getting excited for some things to come. Also, I have Becky still competing because my invasion was different, and she would not have been hurt in mine. Please let me know what you have been liking or disliking about my series. The tag list is still open. Enjoy!

Part 1: Welcome to the Team

Part 27: Powerhouses

Survivor Series – November 18, 2018 – Los Angeles, CA

Before the show could even get started, there was one more fight that needed to come into being. It wasn’t your problem. The stars were part of William Regal and Drake Maverick’s crews, and part of it was up in the air until after Saturday’s NXT: War Games. The cruiserweight champion, Buddy Murphy was pleased to see Tommaso Ciampa retain the NXT championship. So, on Sunday they met each other in the ring as part of the pre-show. NXT versus 205 Live.

You were in the PPV booth with Renee, Shane, and the regulars watching the match and listening to the join commentary team make their usual commentary. Mario’s ‘Mama Mia’ never failed to make you smile. Though first, you had to flinch. Ciampa technically weighed less than Murphy, but only by three pounds. And his stringy form was making some problems for Murphy each time he tried to catch him. But when he did… there was nothing Ciampa could do. The cruiserweight wasn’t one of the highest flyers, but he was plenty. If Ciampa couldn’t get up, then he was repeatedly at risk of getting pinned. Luckily for him, he was a sly character. He didn’t have to get to his feet, all he had to do was roll out of the way of a landing and let gravity fight against Murphy for him.

This strategy won. Ciampa’s hand was eventually held high, and he even went as far as to put a weary boot on Murphy’s chest for the event.

***

The wrestlers were still leaving the ring when a techie came up to you at the booth. He whispered in your ear something that made you jump out of your chair and rush back stage.

When you arrived, the trainers were already taping up Dolph’s knee and shoulder. “What happened? Dolph, if this is some trick to get out of the match-“

“I was attacked from behind. I’ve been looking forward to this match and you know it! Why would I have myself attacked?” He tried to stand to say as much closer to your face, but his knee gave out. The trainer had him lay back on the concrete floor. He gave you a look and shook his head. Dolph noticed and sighed. “I’m sorry, Y/N.”

You couldn’t tell if he was apologizing for getting attacked, or for challenging Sheamus in the first place. You assumed the former. It wasn’t his fault. “It’s okay. I’ll think of something.” You turned and walked a few steps away. “Something.”

***

The pop for Breezango was incredible. Although Fandango wasn’t going to be competing, it was still good to see their team entrance. Arm sling and all. The reaction for R-Truth and Tye Dillinger was almost as good, but most of the energy went towards rapping along. Tyler and ‘Dango got into it too.

It was a fun match. Tye and ‘Dango stayed on the floor while Tyler and R-Truth performed acrobatics against one another. Impressed by R-Truth’s flexibility, Tyler tried to do a split.

Tried.

Thankfully, his own flexibility helped him spring into his own impressive stance. And the battle continued. There was a five-second dance break, and some fashion feux-pas tickets given out to some audience members on the front row, and to Tye. He didn’t take kindly to this and got up on the apron to argue it with Tyler, which gave R-Truth the opening he needed. He rolled the officer up and won the pin. Tye tossed his ticket in ‘Dango’s face and left with his partner having won the first score of the show for Smackdown.

***

Survivor Series officially started.

Sheamus made his entrance alone since Cesaro was going to go solo later. Backstage, you were in a rush and bumped into Shane coming back from the pre-announce table.

“What are you doing?” He motioned up and down to your hastily thrown-together gear. Technically it wasn’t really gear. Just some flexible skinny jeans and a black tank-top with the Raw logo on it.

You finished your hand tape. “What do you mean ‘what are you doing?’ Did you think I wouldn’t have a back-up plan?”

“You can’t just…”

“I know. Like you have never inserted yourself into a match. Or erroneously filled a team member spot or main evented or wore black and white stripes. Nah. Heaven forbid a manager get involved. Tonight, you guys are just going to have to deal.” You smirked and took a deep breath, squaring off to him. “A manager does what they have to, to keep the show going.”

Shane sputtered as you side stepped him to enter the arena.

Sheamus laughed as soon as your music hit. He leaned against a corner as you lifted a mic to your lips.

“Sorry, Sheamus. Dolph Ziggler won’t be able to fight you tonight. Oops,” you shrugged and continued down the ramp. “But what kind of manager would I be to deny the WWE Universe a unique match?” The mic bounced off floor and you entered the ring. The bell rang shortly after, and you began to circle one another.

Right out of the gate, Sheamus sling shot you into a corner and tried to take you out with a Brogue Kick. You dodged it easily, laughing. He smiled back and waited for you to take a turn attacking him. Before he could change his mind, you bounced off the bottom rope and swung a punch to his face, shaking your hand after the collision. He stumbled back, shock giving way to being impressed. There weren’t taking turns after that.

He caught your Seth-taught frog splash, and he was too big for you to Spear. You were to quick for him to trap in the ropes for chest slaps, and your self-preservation kept avoiding getting hit to hard. The ref was having more trouble getting you two to fight than the usual keeping wrestlers apart. You wanted to keep smiling at each other too much. After another evasion, you spun to sit on the ring post. When Sheamus turned to find you, you gave him a finger wave. Then you jumped, effectively catching him at the shoulders and dropping him to the canvas for the first attempted pin. It didn’t work, but that feeling of ‘almost’ was addicting.

You wore him down a few kicks at a time. Due to his tall figure and your lack of equal height, you aimed more at his thighs and stomach to cut him down to size. Occasionally you forgot to keep your arms up to block and took a punch to the head or shoulders that sent you spinning away. You had to avoid another Brogue Kick, wincing as his boot barley missed your face. With his knee still resting on the top rope, you scaled the turnbuckles and spun to give your punch more force. It hit Shamus square in the jaw and sent him to his back. One, two, three later, you won Raw’s first score of the evening. You had felt him tense at two and a half, but he didn’t go through with it. Something you confronted him about while the crowd cheered.

“Raw’s goin’ ta need the win. We’ve got the better teams.”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah.” Hiding a true smile with a smug grin, you held out your hand for his. He took it and gave you the handshake. “Good luck with the rest of the show, Miss Manager.”

“The same to your team, Mr. Sheamus.”

***

The second match was the first of the one-on-one matches. Natalya and Becky Lynch took a second to observe each other after the bell rang. For Natalya, it was just another match. Another chance to show how she deserved to be the women’s champion, for Raw and for herself. Becky saw it a different way, and she had expressed as much with her Twitter account. Natalya was another example of a legacy winning over the individual hard work of a roster. Because of this, Becky started the match at the same intensity as she did with her last woman standing match with Charlotte. Fast and brutal.

Desperate to slow the match to a glacial pace so she could catch a breath, Natalya caught Becky up in a series of holds. With each, Becky scrambled to the ropes or was able to contort her way out. So, Natalya changed her game. She met Becky blow for blow, and kick for kick. Dragged her to the center of the ring for holds. And still, Becky fought her way out. If she couldn’t beat Natalya, then her victory over Charlotte was a fluke.

And that could not happen.

When Becky had repeatedly beaten Natalya down to the canvas, she finished her off with a Dis-arm-her. She left the ring holding her blue title high, even as the ref handed the red one back to Natalya still recovering.

***

The women of Raw squared off against the women of Smackdown. The blue brand ladies were running on a high note with their champion’s victory. Carmella was already bragging that she was going to challenge Becky next when she led her team of Charlotte, Sonya, Mandy, and Asuka to the next win. Ember rolled her eyes but kept that plan in mind. She turned to Nia, Sasha, Alicia, and Ruby for a few last words, then left the ring to give the first-round ladies their space.

Sonya and Ruby faced-off first. Sonya pointed back at Mandy. She had back-up from her own mini team is she needed it. Ruby was by herself in a team of people she had taken great pride in destroying. They met in a head-lock, with Ruby taking the opening advantage. They struggled back into the Raw corner, where Sasha tagged herself in and quickly flipped Sonya into the bank statement. The Smackdown team flooded the ring, dragging their teammate from the hold. The teams were forced away from each other by the ref, who noted the change of tags to Carmella and Alicia.

Each woman had a turn to shine. And when the moment was over and she began to dim, another tagged in and picked up where she left off. Alicia eliminated Mandy. Sonya eliminated Alicia. Ember and Asuka had a long engagement, but neither was able to eliminate the other. Nia tagged herself in and eliminated Asuka after a while that left her battered and bruised. Charlotte took that advantage and quickly rolled her into a Figure Eight, relying on her teammates to keep the others at bay. Ruby tried to sneak in to catch Charlotte off-guard but missed the tag that brought in Sonya, who eliminated her with a series of rough punches.

It was down to Ember and Sasha against the three remaining Smackdown women. Sasha leapt in and caught Sonya in another Bank Statement. This one was successful with the others engaged on the floor. Carmella was nowhere to be seen, leaving it to Charlotte to answer the empty tag. Outside on the floor, Ember was hunting for Carmella. She found her hiding behind a camera crew. Carmella screamed, making Charlotte turn from where she had Sasha ready for a pin. Sasha leapt up and rolled Charlotte onto her back, holding her down just long enough for the pin. They glared at each other. The Queen took her time leaving the ring, making sure Sasha was looking at her instead of watching her own back. Which is where Carmella entered with a superkick as soon as Sasha turned around.

Ember slid into the ring, eyes aglow with her victim in her sights. Carmella backed up into the ropes, ordering the ref to keep her back. She tried to escape to the floor, but Ember met her on whatever side she landed on. Carmella finally changed her tactic and fought back. She was captain. And she was going to make sure she was number one contender for her brand’s women championship. She tossed Ember around by her hair. Kept her on her knees. Spun her into corners so she could hit her fast in a place where she couldn’t get away. When it looked like Ember wasn’t going to make it, she turned to the crowd and started to gloat. By the time she had turned back, Ember was on the top turnbuckle. Carmella shrieked. It was cut short by the Total Eclipse and the following pin.

***

The coed teams of Jimmy and Naomi Uso, and Bayley and No Way Jose met in the ring next. The women said hello to one another, and the guys shook hands. Then the bell rang. The match had the same rules as the Mixed Match Challenge. Naomi and Bayley started first. They were cordial to each other but didn’t hold back. Naomi was almost pinned after a series of Bayley-to-bellies. After she kicked out, she rolled out of Bayley’s grasp and tagged in Jimmy. Jose danced in from the other side, hip bumping Bayley on his way by. Jimmy danced for a while with him. But when his back turned, Jimmy ran for the ropes, drop kicking Jose just as he came back around. Jose kicked out at two, making Jimmy tag in Naomi with a huff.

It continued like that. Each team trying their hardest to beat each other down. Tagging out when it was time to switch tactics. In the end, Bayley and Jose didn’t have nearly as much practice working together as the married couple. There were no hard feelings after the pin. Goodbyes were said in a similar way as to the greeting at the beginning of the match. And all four of the wrestlers walked out of the arena together.

***

Logic left the building. Sanity entered the arena. And then Braun Strowman and Dr. M. The doctor wore a blood red lab coat with a ripped blue pocket. A detail that did not go unnoticed by the opposing team. Before they could take the fight to him, Braun took it to them. He controlled most of the fight while Dr. M watched from the floor and kept an eye on their third member, Wolfe. For the longest time, it didn’t matter if Killian or Eric were in the ring. Braun was more powerful, and he only had minimal difficulty in powerslamming Killian. But when they finally cornered him and took turns tagging in, they were able to get him to his knees.

Wolfe cheered them on while Dr. M scaled the ring, holding out his hand for the tag. Braun roared and burst from the corner. He staggered to the center of the ring where Young stopped him with a pair of fists to his spine. He fell to one knee again, taking the blows while Dr. M called out words of encouragement. Words that were strange and twisted and made Young pause. It was enough. Braun broke forward and tagged in Dr. M. Young was caught in the kiss-n-twist and Braun kept Killian from interfering. Raw had another win, making it even against Smackdown.

***

The tie did not hold for very long. Shinsuke Nakamura and Seth had a match for the ages. United States champion versus the Intercontinental champion. The match was constantly moving, jaw dropping, and had the crowd on the edge of their seats. Even Corey was enjoying himself. Seth responded to Nakamura’s “come on!” with a shrug and a near-pedigree. His attempted frog-splash was diverted into a roll as he was thrown over Nakamura’s shoulder on the way down. They danced around the ring like the veterans they were, sometimes having to take a moment to smile in awe at their opponent.

Seth scooped Nakamura up in his northern lights suplexes, making the king of strong style wobble half-way to his feet, seconds away from falling to his knees. It was the opening he’d been waiting for. But on his way by, Nakamura ducked, and Seth tripped over his leg. Seth came back up, spinning around and ready for anything. Except a kinsha-sha. When Seth could blink without his vision blurring, he stared incredulous at his victorious opponent ascending the ramp.

***

The Prince of Phenomenal met the Demon King once again. But this time, as man versus man. Finn passed his Universal championship out of the ring, and AJ did the same with his WWE Heavyweight title. When the bell rang, AJ rushed Finn, catching him in a head lock and pushing him back into the ropes. Finn wrapped himself up in the ropes, hanging out there until the ref was able to get AJ to back off. Then it was his turn. With a series of rope bounces, he had AJ flipped onto the canvas, kicked to the face, and down for the first attempted pin. They rolled away from each other, the seriousness of their matches setting in. Raw was down a win. If Finn won, the men’s elimination team had a chance to win the who pay per view for the show. If AJ won, it wouldn’t matter.

This lit a fire in both of them, making them run and jump and crash into one another. When they weren’t leaping at each other from high, they were interfering with the ropes and making everyone watching flinch with the landings. AJ jumped up on the ropes to do a Phenomenal Forearm to Finn on the floor, but he spun out of the way, leaving AJ with nothing to do with his momentum but fall back into the ring. When he came back up, Finn was there was a kick to the face. The Universal champion scaled the turnbuckles and finished the match with a coup de grace. Raw still had a chance. And the two leaders gave one another a ‘too sweet’ after taking back their titles.

***

Before the men’s elimination match started, while the teams were still staring each other down, Dean and Jey stood across from each other. Dean’s fist let go into a Shaka that Jey mirrored. They shook their fists like they were tossing back a drink, then shared a smile. Kofi let them have their moment, but as captain, he scooted Jey over so he could stare Dean down.

The captains started the match. At the bell, Dean was already attacking Kofi’s head and shoulders with punches. Kofi was able to grab him around the waist and push his back into a corner but then needed to take a breather. He got it by placing his hand over Dean’s face and leaning ever so slightly. When Kofi had his rest, he stepped back, leaving Dean confused. But only for a second. Dean kept Kofi on the defense for most of the rest of their time in the ring. With a kick to the stomach, Kofi fell with a Dirty Deeds. Almost. At the last second, he kicked out and twisted Dean up for the pin.

Before the Raw captain could roll out of the ring in shock, Drew McIntyre was in the ring with a Claymore kick that eliminated Kofi. Cesaro stepped to him. The men were equal in strength and skill and height. Which made it hard for either to gain the advantage. When neither could even take the other down to a knee, they both backed off, tagging in different partners. Bobby Roode and Jey Uso entered the ring. Again, there was a match in skill. But Jey gained the upper hand and lucked out with a heavy drop-kick. Bobby Roode was eliminated.

Baron stepped in, angry that his team was falling apart so quickly. He ran at Jey, who dodged and sent the lone wolf out of the ring, who spun around the ring post and was back in the match in seconds. With a Deep Six, Jey Uso was taken out of the match. Elias and Drew rushed into the ring as Cesaro, Rusev, and Andrade came in to keep Baron from taking advantage of their downed teammate. Once he was safely out of the ring, everybody backed off. With the encouragement of the rest, Rusev entered the match. Baron narrowly avoided a Matcha Kick that would have made him vulnerable to a hold. Both Drew and Elias held out their palms for a tag. Baron growled and shied away. He should have been captain. If he had, they probably would have won the match by now. Another furious attack later, Rusev was eliminated.

Team Smackdown was livid. Baron wisely tagged in Drew when Cesaro entered. With a simple trip, Cesaro had Drew on his back and in perfect position for a spin. He let Drew go as Baron tried to interfere, slinging Drew into Raw’s corner where Baron could tag himself in. He was caught and spun too. Elias held his hands up in defense under Cesaro’s glare. Instead of interfering, he rolled Drew to the floor and pushed Baron further into the ring. Dizzy, Baron wasn’t able to fight back as well as he had before, and he was eliminated. Elias eased into the ring. He used Cesaro’s anger against him and continually beat him down to the canvas until he was able to roll him up for a fighting pin. Andrade rushed in just as Elias and Drew switched. No matter what they were going to do, he was a fresh man who had more energy than them combined. He eliminated Drew first, still reeling from Cesaro’s spinning. Then, avoiding Elias’s heavy hits and dangerous knees, Andrade was able to pin Elias.

Smackdown won Survivor Series with five matches to Raw’s four. Their first winning year.

***

Monday Night Raw – November 19, 2018

It was inevitable. Still, you flinched to hear Stephanie’s boots approaching. Hopefully, your plan was going to be enough to wow her and the disappointed universe.

“This is unacceptable,” she spat, “we are the leading show for the WWE, and we should have won. You-“

“Hey, take it easy. I think we did pretty well, all things considered. We only lost by one match, and I won mine. On the fly, might I add.” You sighed. “In the long run, we’ve still got the lead. Raw won the last two years, and this has been Smackdown’s first winning Survivor Series. We’ll get them next year. I don’t really know why you’re so upset. Everyone tried their hardest, and we put on some great matches. Not a single won was an easy win. In my eyes, we are still the leading show. Especially now that everyone will work that much harder to prove it again. Don’t worry.”

“But-“

“Stephanie.” You gave her a soft smile. “It’s okay. This is Monday Night Raw. We will excel like we’ve always done. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got an announcement to make.” You headed for the door but turned and offered for her to go first. “Shall we?”

***

The women of Raw were already waiting in the ring when you and Stephanie arrived. Nervously, you spun the mic between your palms. “Well done, ladies. All of you. In my eyes, you were all a success in showing off the best female talent in the WWE. So, I think it’s time for a change. Another milestone. This Saturday at Starrcade, there is going to be a tag match. Four on four. The winners of that team will get first pick. ‘First pick of what’ you might ask. Well, the final product isn’t done yet, but Raw is going to have women’s tag team titles.”

The women gasped and hushed each other so you could continue.

“The winning team of Starrcade will get first pick of their teammate for the tournament to determine the first ever female tag team champions.” With a smile you let them flock you for hugs and thank you’s and handshakes. “Good luck everyone.”

You held the ropes open for your boss. She shook her head and met you on the apron. “And you were going to tell me… when?” Stephanie smirked. You were still in trouble, but not nearly as much as you had been.

In the ring, Ember picked up a mic before everyone could leave the ring. “Natalya, could you stay a minute?” She handed her mic to the champion, then went for another. “I’d like to have a word.”

“I’m all ears,” Natalya said brightly, motioning to her trademark cat-ear headband.

“You lost your match.”

She shifted the title uncomfortably on her shoulder. “So did a lot of people. Why? Do you think you could have done better?”

Ember cocked her head. “Maybe I do. I was the captain of the winning elimination team. And as such, I deserve a title shot. And I want it at Clash of Champions.”

Biting her lip and looking off into the crowd, Natalya scoffed. “What? Starrcade too soon for you?”

“No,” Ember sing-songed. “I’m going to be busy already. I’m going to be in that tag match. Making history. And then… I’m coming for your title.” She pouted mockingly. “That’s enough time for you to prepare. Get those last pictures and stuff, right? They’re all you’re gonna have of that title once I claim it.” She dragged a finger down the red and white, then across Natalya’s shoulder blades on her way around to the ropes. “Enjoy it while you can.”

***

Backstage, Sasha stopped in her tracks and rolled her eyes. She turned around to go the other way, but Bayley stopped her.

“Sixty seconds. That’s all I need. Hear me out.” She waited for Sasha, who crossed her arms with a sigh and set her gaze on her former best friend. “The world is changing. It’s getting bigger, and there are new opportunities. Like the new Raw women’s tag titles. We both know the group that’s going to do anything to get their grubby hands on them first. But what if they didn’t make it.”

Sasha squinted. Bayley’s time was almost up, but now she was listening.

“We are the best at what we do. But for the past several months we’ve turned it against one another. It’s weakened both of us. You don’t have to like me. I don’t have to like you.”

“We just have to work together,” she added.

Bayley grinned. “I’m glad we can agree on something.” After half a nervous breath, she held out her hand. Sasha took it and gave it one hard shake before continuing her way down the hall.

***

“I once held the whole world in my hands.” Dr. M peered out over his firefly followers with Braun standing right behind him. “I rose up and up and then fell into a pool that cleaned out the cobwebs in my mind. And I realized, the world I held was not rotten and in need of salvation by fire like I had originally thought. I realized it was just sick. In need of a doctor. It still needs salvation, make no mistake. Salvation from the depths the WWE has sunk to.”

Dr. M stroked at his beard, newly trimmed but still dark against the bright white lab coat. “This Saturday there is to be a match. Whoever comes out on the other side will be the number one contender for these badges of honor.” Behind him, Braun lifted the tag titles to show them off. “But there is another, more desperate matter at hand.” He breathed deep. “The sickness. The illness that has taken these athletes and lulled them into a false security. To heal anyone, I must first go to the one who was infected first.” Dr. M grinned. “Starrcade. Then… the purification begins.”

***

“Dean. Dean!” Seth jogged to catch up with Dean. “Where’ve you been all day?”

“Nowhere,” he mumbled. Dean shrugged Seth’s hand from his shoulder, but Seth grabbed at his forearm.

Seth shook his head. “No, no, no, no, no. Don’t avoid me.”

“I’m not going to talk to you about this.”

“I know, but Y/N is busy-“

“She’s in hot water because of me. I wasn’t going to talk to her either, brother.”

“No. Just listen.” Seth succeeded in getting Dean to face him. “It’s not your fault. There were four other guys in that match. And four other matches that could have ended differently. A whole mess of things that were out of your control.”

“Actually,” Baron stepped into the light, overshadowing Dean. “It was. You were the captain. There were four of us who could have started that match better. You got us off on the wrong start.” He leaned closer to Dean’s face as your cousin bit back a growl.

Seth stepped between them. “Hey. You didn’t do so hot yourself, mister lone wolf. You made sure the team lost when you wanted to do everything by yourself.”

“I eliminated more of Smackdown than anyone else. And who are you to get into this? One of those ‘other four matches’ was yours. And you lost it.”

“Shut up,” Seth and Dean chorused. Just Baron was about to bite something back, they froze at the sound of a guitar.

Elias walked up. “I have to agree… with Baron.” Everyone looked confused. Including Baron. “You also lost your match, Seth. You’re supposed to be ‘the man’ and this great pinnacle of wrestling skill. But you fell flat,” he said, twanging his guitar strings. “A champ is not a champ if he can’t win matches.”

Dean had to be the one to step between them. “You’re the one that got pinned, cockatoo.”

Seth pushed against his arm. “And I bet you think you’re the guy to step up, huh?”

He grinned. “If you think you can handle it after such a sweeping loss.”

“You’re on.”

Elias’s eyes raked over the title on Seth’s shoulder as he turned to leave. Baron gave one last hard look at Dean, then went his way too.

***

It didn’t take long for the Seth and Elias’s match to get nasty, even with Dean there to run interference from anybody who tried to get involved. Seth flattened himself against the barricade as Baron swept past. Baron moved to attack again, but Dean hit him from behind. Elias reached over the ropes and grabbed at Baron’s vest, effectively unbalancing him over the apron where both Seth and Dean could attack his rib cage. When Elias let go, Baron sagged to the ground where Dean could keep a close eye on him.

“Stop messing around and get in here,” Elias said, nodding towards the ring. He stepped to the center of the ring, ignoring Seth’s dramatic huffs.

They kept going. Elias was sure that the match with Nakamura would have exhausted Seth, but he was mistaken as to the amount. With a series of Northern Light suplexes, Coasts to Coasts, and a Curb Stomp, Seth retained his Intercontinental Championship.

Later that night, you announced that the four of them would have a match at Starrcade on Saturday.

***

“Congrats on your win tonight. To bad about your loss on Sunday.”

“Yeah, yeah” Seth chuckled, shifting his title on his shoulder. “I’ve already been over that tonight, and I’m not looking to do it again.”

“T’at’s too bad. So much for Monday Night Rollins. Guess that doesn’t extend to other nights of the week.”

Seth spun. “Really? That’s how you see it?”

“T’at’s how I see it.” Finn’s forehead creased as he watched the cogs turn in Seth’s head. “Watcha thinkin’ about there, Seth?”

The man chuckled. “You remember a couple weeks ago I said I would hold both titles by the end of the year? How would you like the chance to prove me wrong?”

Finn slowly grinned. “It’s one of my fav’rite things. Shall we set tha date for Clash of Champions?”

“Yes. Unless you lose your match to Drew tonight. And again, on Saturday. Then… I guess I’ll have to make the deal with him.” He gently patted Finn’s shoulder before walking off.

***

The main event was to determine if Drew McIntyre was going to have a title shot at Starrcade. But he had to beat Finn first. Which he did, carrying the rage and frustration over from losing in the elimination match. Finn’s high over beating AJ Styles again wasn’t enough to keep up with the Scotsman.

The combination of a Glasgow Kiss and a well-timed Claymore Kick wiped the champion out for the pin. And put at risk Finn’s title reign.

Part 29: A Dangerous Road

Series Masterlist

Masterlist

Forever Tags: @blondekel77 @hallemichelles @laochbaineann @lavitabella87 @ramblingsofabourbondrinker @savmontreal @southsidebucky @tinyelfperson @zuni21798

WWE/Series Tags: @a-home-for-stray-stories @amballins-priestess @top-1-percent @mother-forker @neversatisfiedgirl @racheo91 @roman-reigns-princess @secretagentfangirl @thetherianthropydaily @wwe-smutfics @scuzmunkie @likeisaidwhatever @cait-kae @ramsaypants @sony-undead18 @brianaraydean @st4yingstrong @dopeybubbles @crystallizeme @jessica91073 @denise8691 @stalelight @kenyadakblalock @1dluver13xx @lauren-novak @lunatic-desert-child @littledeadrottinghood @livelifewondering

#Family Found Series #original wwe series #original storyline #cousin!dean ambrose #cousin!reader #general manager!reader #survivor series 2018 #wwe au #wwe parallel universe #monday night raw #smackdown live #it's nearly 1 in the morning #why do i do this to myself

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wrestliiingdiscordhq · 3 years ago

Text

Due to inactivity, the following characters have been removed from the discord:

Nikki Bella

Due to mun's request, the following characters have been removed from the discord:

Renee Paquette

Tommaso Ciampa has also switched to Pat MacAfee!

As such, Nikki Bella, Renee Paquette, and Tommaso Ciampa are once again available for applications!

#wrestcord:removal

0 notes

placetobenation · 5 years ago

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RIP Rocky Johnson

Sad news this week as former WWE legend Rocky Johnson passed away at age 75. I remember watching Rocky and Tony Atlas, The Soul Patrol, win the then WWF Tag Team Championships and defend those titles in Providence and Boston as a kid. They were the first African-American champions in the company’s history defeating the Wild Samoans in 1983. Who could ever forget that misplaced chair shot by Captain Lou Albano! Plus, who could forget his memorable feuds with The Magnificent Don Muraco, Greg Valentine among others. And of course, he’s the father of The Rock, Dwayne Johnson. Through it all, Johnson did it with class in the ring and out. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family, friends and fans.

R.I.P. to @WWE Hall of Famer, 'Soul Man' Rocky Johnson. pic.twitter.com/yUDBKKU5DF

— WWE on FOX (@WWEonFOX) January 18, 2020

Before we got to RAW, NXT UK took over Blackpool a second time and in a surprise ending, The Undisputed Era jumped WALTER after his title defense against Joe Coffey. It’ll be fun to see TUE and Imperium clash again come Worlds Collide on Royal Rumble Weekend.

NXT UK: TakeOver Blackpool II

Eddie Dennis defeated Trent Seven

NXT UK Women’s Title Match: Kay Lee Ray defeated Piper Niven & Toni Storm to retain title

Tyler Bate defeated Jordan Devlin

NXT UK Tag Team Title Ladder Match: Gallus defeated Imperium, South Wales Subculture, & The Grizzled Young Veterans to retain titles

NXT UK Title Match: WALTER defeated Joe Coffey (Submission) to retain title

Star of the Week:

The @WWEUsos penitentiary LOCKED DOWN on @WWE Friday Night #SmackDown! pic.twitter.com/TJj21wZuCM

— WWE on FOX (@WWEonFOX) January 18, 2020

The Usos – Jimmy and Jey started the week late-night on WWE Backstage, entertaining us all with some insights with Renee Young and pals. Then, after a win over The Revival with an awe-inspiring top rope splash from Jimmy, The Usos save cousin Roman Reigns’ bacon against Robert Roode. They’re everywhere this week.

RAW

RESULTS

Triple Threat Match: Drew McIntyre defeated Randy Orton & AJ Styles

Ricochet defeated Mojo Rawley

Charlotte Flair defeated Sarah Logan

Mojo Rawley defeated 24/7 Champion R-Truth to win title after Brock Lesnar beatdown

Bobby Lashley defeated Rusev

Raw Tag Team Title Match: The Viking Raiders defeated The Singhs to retain titles

Aleister Black defeated Buddy Murphy

Erick Rowan defeated unnamed local wrestler

Fist Fight Match: Seth Rollins & The AOP defeated Big Show, Kevin Owens and Samoa Joe

What we loved:

Yup…….@RonKillings really DID interrupt the #WWEChampion @BrockLesnar & @HeymanHustle on #RAW! pic.twitter.com/dRSLLTPn5a

— WWE (@WWE) January 14, 2020

Brock has a personality – It’s true. WWE Champion Brock Lesnar can speak and can actually have a laugh or two. All it took was a boisterous Kentucky crowd and R-Truth to do it! And of course, after a few laughs, Lesnar got to business by beating down R-Truth, allowing a lucky Mojo Rawley to pick up the scraps and the 24/7 Championship.

It was @WWE_Murphy who joined @WWERollins & #AOP in the #FistFight on #RAW! pic.twitter.com/hmbmIrNyRa

— WWE (@WWE) January 14, 2020

Buddy Murphy vs. Aleister Black III – How good was that! The trilogy delivers in spades and gets a great TV spot in the final hour of RAW. And with Black’s win, it didn’t take long for Murphy to get back on the winning side, joining sides with Seth Rollins and the Authors of Pain to take Big Show down in the main event. We can only hope that Black will now join sides with Kevin Owens and Samoa Joe as well to even things up.

What we didn’t love:

Visual representation of parkour, courtesy of @FightOwensFight. #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/GXPyhD7uz1

— WWE on FOX (@WWEonFOX) January 18, 2020

Fist Fight Match Huh? – How does a fist fight match not end in someone actually going down by way of a fist? Seriously?! WTF. We get the match ending by way of the referee’s discretion. Not sure I fully understand the rationale behind that one. Now, having said that, the Kevin Owens skate park-like flip off the titan tron was damn cool!

Back to squashes – The Viking Raiders took less than a minute to take out the Singhs. Two minutes for Charlotte Flair to dismiss Sarah Logan. And of course, about 90 seconds for Erick Rowan to squash a nobody. Sometimes, quantity doesn’t over quality.

NXT

RESULTS

Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic 1st Round: Matt Riddle & Pete Dunne defeated Flash Morgan Webster and Mark Andrews

Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic 1st Round: Grizzled Young Veterans defeated Time Splitters (Alex Shelley & Kushida)

For a Shot at The NXT Cruiserweight Title at World’s Collide: Isaiah Scott defeated Lio Rush & Tyler Breeze

NXT Women’s Championship Number One Contender’s Battle Royal: Bianca Belair (last two: Belair and Io Sherai)

What we loved:

Even @AngelGarzaWwe is impressed by THIS. WOW. #WWENXT @itsLioRush @itsLioRush pic.twitter.com/zsDWUh56Bw

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) January 16, 2020

Triple Threat Trifecta – I’ll admit, I wasn’t a fan of Lio Rush on RAW, but in NXT, he’s been awesome! Tyler Breeze is a treat taking on the new stars of Full Sail. And how about Isaiah “Swerve” Scott coming up with the swerve and the victory with the JML driver for a shot at NXT Cruiserweight Champion Angel Garza. With all due respect to TNA, this was complete total non-stop action from start to finish!

SHE DID IT!!! The #ESTofNXT @BiancaBelairWWE has WON the No. 1 Contender's #BattleRoyal! #WWENXT pic.twitter.com/YMRL7hTCb8

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) January 16, 2020

The Battle Royale – Usually battle royals disappoint, but this one did not. We got debuts in the form of Mercedes Martinez and Shotzi Blackheart. We got surprising returns in the form of Kacy Catanzaro. We got a surprise entrant in Shayna Baszler. And finally, we got a surprise winner with Bianca Belair getting a shot at Rhea Ripley’s NXT Women’s Championship.

The Undisputed Era vs. everyone – Whether it was trying to take out WALTER at NXT TakeOver or trying to take out Keith Lee on NXT’s opening salvo or later on tackling Tommaso Ciampa, TUE was all about the domination this week. Although, this car flip from Keith Lee’s gotta leave a mark!

"WITHIN ME, The PROPHECY ENDS NEXT WEEK!" – @RealKeithLee #WWENXT pic.twitter.com/mP1A8uVwhE

— WWE (@WWE) January 16, 2020

DIY Reunion – Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa are back together! Sure, it’s only for one match at World Collide against Moustache Mountain after Gargano helped saved Ciampa against TUE, but we’ll take it.

The upset – Sure, didn’t we all expect The Time Splitters to win their Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic first round match? I mean, who expected Alex Shelley and Kushida to lose in their first match back in NXT together? Kudos to the Grizzled Young Veterans for the upset.

SMACKDOWN

RESULTS

John Morrison defeated Big E

The Usos defeated The Revival

Non-title match: Lacey Evans defeated Smackdown Women’s Champion Bayley

Alexa Bliss defeated Sonya Deville

What we loved:

Slo-mo JoMo. @TheRealMorrison #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/RoB1n9PUB3

— WWE on FOX (@WWEonFOX) January 18, 2020

The return of the super slo-mo – How could you not enjoy a super slo-mo entrance from the returning John Morrison and The Miz in Morrison’s first WWE match since 2011? Plus, a win to boot. Nice week for the M&M boys. I see a tag-team title match in their immediate future.

Team Hell No – Kane comes back to help Daniel Bryan surprise The Fiend in a quick reunion of Team Hell No! Short, sweet and to the point to move the story forward. Now, if they can just get rid of that damn red lighting for The Fiend. It does nothing for me (or anyone else)!.

Meh:

Comeuppance #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/ysAEFOYzLd

— WWE on FOX (@WWEonFOX) January 18, 2020

More Corbin vs. Reigns – It seems like these two have been feuding longer than Ric Flair and Dusty Rhodes back in the NWA/WCW days. Maybe it’ll finally end at the Royal Rumble as the two tangle in a match, thanks to Reigns beating Robert Roode Friday night on Smackdown. Reigns picked an obvious falls count anywhere match. I would’ve gone for the dog-collar match that would’ve fit the feud and dog food spotlight a bit better. Probably a bit too violent for the family folks at WWE though. The Usos were pretty fly though taking out Dolph Ziggler and helping Reigns get the win in the tables match.

Parting shots:

Freddie Prinze Jr. on WWE Backstage was pretty entertaining. The dude, as he should, cut a pretty decent promo against Xavier Woods.

I so would’ve marked out if Brock Lesnar had pinned R-Truth for the 24/7 Title! It would’ve been great to see how sneaky and underhanded the WWE Superstars could be in trying to outsmart Lesnar for a quick 1-2-3 count for a title many levels beneath the coveted WWE Championship. It could’ve made for some entertaining television for a few weeks.

Yes or no – do you want to see CM Punk be a surprise entrant for the Royal Rumble next week in Houston? Something tells me we’ll get Booker T in his hometown. You just know there’s going to be some cheating references in their that night with the MLB/Houston Astros scandal fresh in everyone’s minds.

Thanks for letting us share our thoughts! Shoot me an email at [email protected]. We’d love to hear your comments and suggestions! You can also check out my blog, The Crowe’s Nest as we delve into more pro wrestling, sports entertainment and the World of Sports. My apologies ahead of time – I AM a Patriots and Red Sox fan! If you’re not down with that, I’ve got TWO WORDS for you… NEW ENGLAND!

#IFTTT #Place to Be Nation

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bigyack-com · 5 years ago

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World’s leading chefs name their favourite restaurant meals of 2019 - more lifestyle

The world’s leading chefs get to eat some of the world’s greatest food. So we asked a bunch of them for their best meals of 2020.Here’s what they had to say.Atomix, New YorkChef Junghyun Park serves contemporary dishes inspired by Korean cuisine at this small restaurant in Murray Hill, where tasting menus are served at a counter. “It was my best meal of the year by far,” says Floyd Cardoz of Bombay Canteen, in Mumbai. (Cardoz previously opened Tabla and North End Grill in New York.) “The staff were very hospitable and gracious,” he says. “The food was amazing, well prepared using Korean techniques and seasoning. The plates were perfectly designed and help tell the story.”104 E 30th St, New York, NY 10016Bab Al-Yemen, Amman, JordanThis simple restaurant in the Jordanian capital serving authentic Yemeni food is the pick of Asma Khan, of Darjeeling Express, in London. “They serve gigantic portions of rice and meat, like mandi with chicken (a traditional dish with meat cooked in a tandoor oven); zurbian with lamb (a rice dish similar to biryani); and Yemeni madghot (another traditional rice and meat dish); And then the dessert I will never forget: Masoob malikia- warm toasted banana, bread, cheese, cream, honey, golden sultanas and nuts,” she says.Abdullah Ghosheh Street, Amman; +962 6 533 1880D’Berto, O Grove, SpainThis is a traditional restaurant in Galicia, known for its focus on local seafood and fish. “It was my best meal of the year,” says Jose Pizarro, of Pizarro restaurant in London. “The whole experience was amazing, just walking around makes you hungry. The welcome from Berto and his family makes you feel at home. For me, the lobster al ajillo, with plenty of olive oil, chili and garlic, is to die for.”Av. Teniente Dominguez 84, O Grove, Pontevedra; +34 986 733 447Blue Hill at Stone Barns, Tarrytown, New YorkChef Dan Barber’s farm-to-table restaurant in Pocantico Hills is the pick of Layo Paskin, once a superstar DJ and now owner of Palomar in London. A lengthy tasting menu costing $278 is served. “I sat down for lunch at 1 p.m. and got up at 8 p.m., 26 courses later.” he says. “It was my best meal by far in 2019. It’s almost impossible to choose a best dish but let’s go for : Tree Fermented Apple, Diver Scallop and Black Walnut, Stone Barns Mache.”630 Bedford Road, Tarrytown, NY 10591; +1 914-366-9600Clove Club, LondonChef Isaac McHale’s contemporary restaurant in Shoreditch is the pick of Ashley Palmer-Watts, executive chef at Dinner by Heston Blumenthal in London. “It was beautifully executed cooking with a great respect for the ingredients: It was decadent, well-balanced and was a joy to experience,” he says. “A couple of the many standout dishes were the Cornish lobster, scallops with potato and truffle; and also the hare royale, utilizing every part of the hare. Delicious!”Shoreditch Town Hall, 380 Old Street, London, EC1V 9LT; +44 (0) 20 7729 6496Corte Comedor, Buenos AiresChef Wolfgang Puck of Spago in Beverly Hills picks this barbecue restaurant. “I had the grilled sweetbread and I loved it so much that I went back to the kitchen, talked to the chef-owner, Santiago Garat, and asked for another plate, though I had gout at the time. It was worth having another attack, my best dish of 2019. It’s a very casual restaurant adjoined to a butcher shop and they serve what they butcher.”Migueletes 2301, Av. Olazabal, Buenos Aires, C1428; +54 11 4781-2166Disfrutar, BarcelonaThis contemporary restaurant was opened in 2014 by three friends who had worked together at El Bulli, five times winner of the title of World’s Best Restaurant. It’s a place for creativity and imagination, with constantly evolving tasting menus and dishes such as gazpacho in a sandwich. It’s No. 9 on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants and served the best meal of 2019 for Virgilio Martinez of Central, in Lima. “Wow! Wow!” he says. “I love it when this technical approach and perfect execution, hospitality, meaning all go together.”Carrer de Villarroel, 163, 08036 Barcelona; +34 933 48 68 96 Frantzén, StockholmThis contemporary restaurant in Stockholm is the pick of two great chefs. Elena Arzak, of Arzak in San Sebastián says: “Great creativity, respect for the product. Björn Frantzén makes you really dream.” Mark Birchall, whose Moor Hall in northern England holds the title of top U.K. restaurant, says: “Every single dish was exquisite but particularly memorable was an amazing fish course; Alfonsino from Norway, sea urchin XO, yuzu kosho beurre blanc with sea-buckthorn oil.”Klara Norra kyrkogata 26, 111 22 Stockholm; +46 8 20 85 80Güeyu Mar, Asturias, Spain“I love this place,” says Nieves Barragan of Sabor in London. “It’s in the middle of nowhere, really relaxing and laid-back right in front of the beach, so all of the seafood and catch of the day is extremely fresh; it’s exactly the kind of restaurant I want to eat at when I’m abroad and travelling. The standout dish was tuna belly cooked over coals and served with warm egg yolk and fresh peas. It gives me goosebumps just thinking about it.”Playa de Vega, 84, 33560 Ribadesella, Asturias; +34 985 86 08 63MIL Centro, Maras, PeruThis restaurant north of Cusco served the best meal for Kyle Connaughton of the three-Michelin-star SingleThread in Healdsburg, California. “It’s the restaurant project of Virgilo Martinez at the Moray archaeological site,” he says. “An amazing meal and an inspiring project. Every bit of food was perfect and delicious. It also had purpose and the hospitality was so warm and genuine.”Vía a Moray, Maras 08655; +51 926 948 088Noma, CopenhagenChef Rene Redzepi’s pioneering restaurant divides the year with seasonal menus and it was the Game & Forest menu that particularly inspired chef Ana Ros of Hiša Franko in Kobarid, Slovenia. It features such as reindeer heart tartar and sorrel, with egg-yolk sauce and ants. “The food was really amazing,” she says. “I couldn’t believe how light it was, yet so faithful and tasteful.”Refshalevej 96, 1432 Copenhagen K; +45 32 96 32 97Sabor, LondonSpanish chef Nieves Barragan has developed a following in London for her authentic and unfussy cooking, showcasing great produce. “I eat there a lot,” says Chris Galvin of Galvin La Chapelle in London. “I love the variety of specials while there are always the seasonal classics, the staff, deep flavors and deliciousness, coupled with the drinks and buzz always make me feel happy to be alive.”35-37 Heddon St, Mayfair, London W1B 4BR; +44 (0) 20 3319 8130Sat Bains, Nottingham, EnglandThis two-Michelin-star restaurant with rooms is a destination for food lovers and is the pick of French chef Claude Bosi, who himself holds two Michelin stars at Claude Bosi at Bibendum, in London. “It’s one of the top places in England,” Bosi says. “he’s got a dish with smoked eel that’s absolutely beautiful. His style of food, you want to take your bread and finish the sauce with the bread. That is a sign of quality. Good strong flavor with his own identity. That is the beauty of it.”Lenton Ln, Nottingham, NG7 2SA; +44 (0) 115 986 6566 Lo Scoglio da Tommaso, Massa Lubrense, ItalyThis restaurant on the Amalfi coast traces its history to 1958, serving local cuisine using ingredients from the sea or the family farm. It is a favorite of Francesco Mazzei, of Sartoria in London. “It’s so authentic,” he says. “The mum and dad are in the garden, the sister’s on the floor and the brother’s in the kitchen. Their most famous dish is Spaghetti alla Nerano, with basil, zucchini and Provolone cheese. That dish alone is worth the flight from London.”Piazza delle Sirene 15, Marina del Cantone, Massa Lubrense NA; +39 081 808 1026SingleThread, Healdsburg, CaliforniaThe restaurant at SingleThread Farms served the best meals of the year to another two great chefs. Daniel Boulud, of Daniel in New York, says: Chef Kyle Connaughton and his wife Katina bring the most genuine experience in food setting and service, inspired by nature with the best expression of a Japanese ryokan in Sonoma.” Clare Smyth, of Core by Clare Smyth in London, says: “It would have to be SingleThread Farms because it was amazing, but also incredible weather sitting on the rooftop having a drink before dinner and looking over the countryside. The produce was incredible at that time of the year (end of August).”131 North Street, Healdsburg, California CA 95448; +1 707-723-4646Richard Vines is the Chief Food Critic at Bloomberg. Follow him on Twitter @richardvines and Instagram @richard.vines.(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text.)Follow more stories on Facebook and Twitter Read the full article

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en24news · 5 years ago

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FS1 will issue a special edition of WWE Backstage after Friday Night SmackDown

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By Romina Lugo – PUBLISHED ON 10/25/2019 AT 06:02

WWE and Fox announced that WWE Backstage will will transmit is night in Fox Sports 1 at the end of SmackDown. Hosts Renee Young and Booker T will have Finn Balor as a special guest, his first appearance after surprising NXT fans on Wednesday, when he attacked Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa by surprise.

Fox Sports 1 had aired the WWE…

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#backstage #edition #Friday #FS1 #issue #night #Smackdown #special #WWE

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impactng · 5 years ago

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Vatican suspends senior employees, clergy over police raid

Five Vatican employees, including the number two at the Vatican’s Financial Information Authority and a senior member of clergy, have been suspended following a police raid. The scandal, affecting two departments at the heart of the Vatican, was the first after several years of relative calm in which reforms enacted by Pope Francis appeared to be taking root. A Vatican spokesman said he had no immediate comment on the report. On its website, L’Espresso published a picture of a police notice to guards at Vatican gates telling them not to allow in the five employees because they had been suspended. The notice included photographs of the five, one of whom is a woman. The people whose pictures were on the notice included Tommaso Di Ruzza, the director of the Financial Information Authority (AIF), and Monsignor Mauro Carlino, the head of documentation at the Secretariat of State. The other three held minor roles in the Secretariat of State, the key department in the Vatican’s central administration. Calls to Di Ruzza’s cell phone went unanswered. Reuters was not immediately able to contact the other officials. A senior Vatican source said he was aware of the suspension of four employees from the Secretariat of State but not of Di Ruzza’s suspension. Vatican police raided both offices on Tuesday and seized documents and electronic devices as part of an investigation of suspected financial irregularities. Tuesday’s raid is believed to be the first time the two departments were searched for evidence involving alleged financial crimes. The Secretariat of State, the most powerful department in the Vatican, is the nerve centre of its bureaucracy and diplomacy and the administrative heart of the worldwide Catholic Church. The AIF, headed by Swiss lawyer Rene Bruelhart, Di Ruzza’s boss, is the financial controller, with authority over all Vatican departments. In a statement on Tuesday, the Vatican said the operation was a follow-up to complaints filed in the summer by the Vatican bank and the Office of the Auditor General and were related to “financial operations carried out over the course of time”. Read the full article

#PopeFrancis #Vatican

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wrestlingwiththoughts · 7 years ago

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NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn III (August 20 2017)

The first thing I saw coming out of the Atlantic Center - Barclays Center stop was a group of fans posing for some pre-roll footage for WWE or a local news show’s use. Chanting “NXT” and posing in mock menace, the crowd was only of interest to me because they blocked the sidewalk and my path to join two friends at Don Chignon for a pre-show meal and cocktail.

Last week, I attended Evolve 91 and PROGRESS NYC at a youth recreational center in Corona, Queens. This week, I attended TakeOver: Brooklyn III at the Barclays Center, which is as different from the Elmcor Youth Center as the temperature was in the two buildings on two different August evenings. However, the similarities are worth a chuckle. At both shows, there were fans who were just a little socially awkward, who tried a little too hard to start chants that would go nowhere to prove that they know all about the wrestlers. At both shows, cameramen had spotters clad in black who had to make sure that the camera operators would be able to travel around the ring and film everything. At one point, there were technical difficulties at the Barclays Center that was only different than the technical difficulties an independent wrestling show might suffer by dint of scale. And I’m sure that fourth row floor seats at the Barclays Center wouldn’t have been that much better than fourth row floor seats at the Elmcor Youth Center.

So, I was glad that we were in the arena’s upper bowl in seats that had clear sight lines of the entrance ramp and the ring. The only obstacle to a good view would be my fellow fans in the row before ours who would stand up to record everything on their phones. I don’t know if the WWE tried to pretend that this was a full house, but there were many empty seats across from me on the hard camera side even by the main event. It corroborates reports that the secondary market for TakeOver tickets has fallen through the floor.

Before the show started, they played a backstage interview segment where Renee asked Becky Lynch and Bayley who they thought would win the NXT Women’s Championship match. Lynch received her usual cheers, but the crowd was surprisingly vocal about their dislike for Bayley. I’m surprised that the crowd has turned on Bayley, but character stagnation and character assassination will turn even the easiest going babyface into someone that the crowd hates. I suppose that Bayley can turn back, but it’s disappointing to see Bayley’s potential so thoroughly squandered.

The pre-show had an aborted No Way Jose vs. Lars Sullivan match, a perfectly acceptable Peyton Royce vs. Sara Logan match, and a surprise appearance from Tyler Bate, Trent Seven, Wolfgang, and Pete Dunne. The cheers for Bate and Dunne were genuine because the match was unannounced, and the match told a fun story about how Bate and Dunne Were evenly matched. Therefore, Dunne and Wolfgang focused their attack on Trent Seven to eliminate him from the match. With Seven out of the way, Dunne and Wolfgang could work over Bate at length and even use a blind tag to allow Wolfgang to hit a swanton bomb that took Bate by surprise and score Wolfgang the victory. There were two separate “This is Progress” chants during the match, which amused me. A friend asked me if Dunne would attack Wolfgang after the match, and I responded that he doesn’t have a reason to be a dick for no reason, which is some kind of impressive logic trap.

1. Johnny Gargano vs. Andrade Cien Almas w/Zelina Vega

I hadn’t realized that they had added lyrics to Johnny Gargano’s entrance theme, which is an unfortunate choice. The crowd loves Gargano, while no one clapped for or booed against Almas; the “Johnny Wrestling” chants supported Gargano, and that Almas was wrestling Gargano was irrelevant to the fans early. There was one “Los Ingobernables” sign by the entrance ramp, and I wondered if I were the only one who appreciated the fact that both Tetsuya Naito, leader of Los Ingobernables de Japon, and Almas, former leader of Los Ingobernables, have really energetic music that belie their “tranquilo” attitudes. Gargano looked to use his speed to take Almas off guard with some crisp mat wrestling early in the match, but Almas kicked out at one. Gargano and Almas combined a little bit of everything, from American independent mat wrestling to lucha libre to Japanese strike exchanges into some really great sequences; Gargano’s La Mistica transition into the Garga-No Escape that then led to Almas rolling through and powerbombing Gargano was one of the hottest moments for an energetic crowd. I also respected the fact that Almas worked on Gargano’s left arm throughout the match, and Gargano was smart enough to adjust his position so that he would use the right arm when he and Almas hit their double clothesline spot. They say that there is a great woman behind every great man, so Zelina Vega seems to be taking a shot at becoming the great woman behind Almas by interfering on Almas’s behalf during the match. After Gargano hit a pair of superkicks and threw Almas into the second turnbuckle like a lawn dart, Vega threw a “#DIY” shirt at Gargano, which distracted him long enough for Almas to stun him and hit a hammerlock DDT to score the victory. This was an incredible opener, and it was a great reminder that, even if the card looks underwhelming on paper, TakeOver shows are usually great in the ring. And, as I commented to my friend, the build to the eventual Tommaso Ciampa and Gargano feud will be incredible.

2. NXT Tag Team Championship match: The Authors of Pain (Akam & Rezar) (c) w/Paul Ellering vs. Sanity (Eric Young & Alexander Wolfe) w/Nikki Cross and Killian Dain

I still can’t tell Akam and Rezar apart, so I hope that they do something to differentiate them at some point. It’s also possible that I just need to pay closer attention. It’s hard to find an emotional connection to a match that features a monster tag team that destroyed fan favorites like American Alpha, the Revival, and #DIY and an aggressively discordant faction like Sanity. In the end, Wolfe’s surprising performance and Nikki Cross’s enthusiasm ringside led me to root for Sanity. Because Wolfe looks like a second tier villain on a good season of Justified, it’s easy to forget that he’s actually a good in-ring wrestler. Young, who looks like he would also fit in Boyd Crowder’s gang, is an experienced tag team wrestler, so it almost made sense that he would insert himself into the match in Dain’s place. Dain, of course, would make all of these seem sensible later in one of the most impressive moments of the night when he hits a crossbody splash on the Author of Pain who had caught Nikki Cross after her dive from the top rope to the floor, sandwiching Cross between the Author and Dain and driving all three through a table. They protected Cross as well as they could in that spot, and it eliminated one Author to allow Young and Wolfe to double team the other Author and win the titles. The match exceeded my admittedly low expectations, and Cross played a major role in investing me into Sanity for the match. I also like the idea that Young outsmarted Ellering by announcing that Wolfe and Dain would wrestle and changing the line-up at the last moment by inserting himself into the match. The thrill of that victory was short-lived, however, when Bobby Fish and Kyle O’Reilly, reDRagon, appeared from the crowd to attack Young and Wolfe, hitting their finisher Chasing the Dragon on Young. reDRagon’s surprise appearance and declaration of intent gave the crowd another boost and made me enthusiastic about the future of tag team wrestling in NXT. I’m curious how Corey Graves contributed to the televised experience as a guest commentator.

3. Aleister Black vs. Hideo Itami

I had very high expectations for this match because I wanted to see Black and Itami have a stiff, strike-heavy, faux-MMA style match. At first, I was disappointed to see Black once again absorb so much offense from Itami without responding, but then I started thinking about his entrance theme, which was ably performed by WWE’s musical guest for the evening, Code Orange. (For tonight, at least, Code Orange is the new performer for Black’s theme.) Black, through his theme, challenges this opponents to do their worst:

“No man is ever truly good No man is every truly evil I do the things you never could And we won't ever be equal No man is ever truly good No man is every truly evil I do the things you never could And we won't ever be equal You point your finger and play the victim So take your best shot Release the pressure You perpetrate your propaganda And now I'm calling you out”

(Black’s theme, “Root of All Evil,” is a great half a song.) Itami, beset by bad luck and worse health, probably feels like a victim of circumstances. He took his best shot at Black and tried to wear Black down with kicks, chops, a top rope Falcon Arrow, and a second Falcon Arrow. He tried to wear Black down on the mat with a long chinlock sequence when his strikes couldn’t finish Black. Then, Black called him out with the Black Mass roundhouse head kick, and Itami was down for the three count. It was a hard-hitting match, but Black’s matches have lacked drama because he absorbs damage until it’s time for him to hit the Black Mass to end the match. I joked when they announced that Jim Ross would be the special guest announcer for this match that they must be trolling him after he had such a hard time distinguishing wrestlers and pronouncing names at the New Japan Pro Wrestling G1 Specials.

4. NXT Women’s Championship match: Asuka (c) vs. Ember Moon

Part of the live experience is seeing wrestlers who don’t emerge from backstage during their entrances get into position on the stage while the rest of the crowd is supposed to be paying attention to the recap that’s played on the big screens. Similarly, I was fascinated by the little production touches throughout the show, like the fact that the camera operator has to stand on a ladder in order to film the commentators in their talking head segments between matches or the fact that a member of the production staff has to remove Percy Watson’s and Nigel McGuinness’s chairs before those segments and replace them immediately after.

Similarly, watching them shuttle guests to the front row seats for their promotional appearances was fascinating to me. I wonder how long Lynch, Sasha Banks, and Bayley can trade on their history as the Four Horsewomen of NXT (Charlotte was conspicuous in her absence for understandable reasons). The fact that the crowd booed Bayley would show that lifespan of the warm and fuzzy feelings of those memories is not as long as you would think.

Because Asuka debuted after Banks, Charlotte, and Lynch had moved on from NXT (her first match was against Dana Brooke at NXT TakeOver: Respect, which was headlined by the 30 Minute Ironwoman match between Bayley and Banks, the last match involving the Four Horsewomen), Asuka doesn’t have the same connection with fans that Banks, Lynch, Charlotte, and Bayley have. The crowd’s unsure reaction to Asuka’s victory over Bayley to win the NXT Women’s Championship at TakeOver: Dallas made that clear. That said, the NXT crowd connected to Asuka through her swagger (no one, not even Banks at her peak, could match the sense of cool that Asuka projects during her entrances), ferocity (not even Lynch could match the violence that Asuka could unleash), or dominance (not even Charlotte or Banks could project Asuka’s sense of invincibility).

The crowd was even split between Moon supporters and Asuka fans. Moon attacked Asuka from the bell, and Asuka had to regroup outside the ring. The action is incredible and too quick for anyone to realistically recap. It was best to let the match wash over you and take part in the spontaneous and loud dueling chants for the two women. Asuka targeted Moon’s surgically repaired arm, and the two trade incredibly stiff strikes to the crowd’s delight. This sums up the crowd’s reaction when Moon hit the Eclipse:

As a fan of Asuka, I was overjoyed when Asuka kicked out from the Eclipse and kicked out again after a Moon superkick. I was cheering my lungs out when Asuka had trapped Moon in the Asuka Lock and when Asuka forced Moon to finally submit in the middle of the ring. There is enough wiggle room from controversy to justify one more rematch since Asuka shielded herself from a second Eclipse by cowering behind the referee, but the way Moon soaked up the appreciative applause from the crowd after the match seemed like a conclusion for Moon in NXT. Meanwhile, I can continue to enjoy Asuka as the unbeatable champion. This was the match of the night, followed closely by Gargano vs. Almas, and I joked to my friend that it wouldn’t be an NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn show if they didn’t put the wrong match in the main event slot. Bayley vs. Banks should have been the main event of TakeOver: Brooklyn, and the Revival vs. #DIY should have been the main event of TakeOver: Brooklyn II. This should have been the main event of TakeOver: Brooklyn III. It was magnificent.

I also really enjoyed the little touch of Asuka staring at and taunting Lynch, Banks, and Bayley throughout the match. Seeing Asuka confront her predecessors in NXT put the entire match in context.

5. NXT Championship match: Bobby Roode (c) vs. Drew McIntyre

A surefire way to make me lose interest in a match is to trot out the NYPD to escort the nominal face in the match to the ring. I’m sure getting the NYPD Emerald Society to play the bagpipes for McIntyre’s performance seemed like a stroke of genius, but all it did was to make me (and a few other black and brown fans in my section) sit down and not care about McIntyre. Combined with the emotional fatigue after the Asuka vs. Moon match and Roode’s match style, which can be charitably called methodical, and I was more disengaged than bored during the match. It’s not as if the last match had completely worn the crowd down; Samoa Joe received very loud “Joe!” chants during his brief appearance ringside to promote his championship four way match at SummerSlam 2017. Roode’s match style gives the crowd very little to chew on, and McIntyre’s hard-hitting style could only provide so much flavor to the match. As the match began, the fans behind me waxed poetic about TNA”s short period when that company approached greatness, reminiscing about the heyday of the X Division and cursing Hulk Hogan for his perceived role in the company’s decline. McIntyre popped the crowd with a tope con hilo that Roode failed to catch him on, and it led to a pretty good closing section highlighted by Roode’s backstabber (my friend asked if he hit a Codebreaker, to which I replied that it was a Roode-a-bager because my Dad joke game is strong), McIntyre’s Future Shock DDT, Roode’s Glorious DDT, and the Claymore. I liked that Roode was hoisted on his own petard by trying to hit more than one Glorious DDT to ensure his victory, which allowed McIntyre to recover just long enough to hit the Claymore to win the match and the championship. It was a fine match, but it will be overshadowed by Asuka vs. Moon, and it would be remembered mostly for the post-match attack by reDRagon and a debuting Adam Cole.

This was a really enjoyable show, and it proves once again that TakeOver shows should not be underestimated and that wrestling shows have a sweet spot about two and a half hours.

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