State Farm Arena
Atlanta, GA
October 5, 2024
Commentators: Michael Cole and Corey Graves
Ring Announcer: Samantha Irvin
Its the return of Roman Reigns to active duty as he teams with WWE Champion Cody Rhodes to take on his cousins Solo Sikoa and Jacob Fatu. The story to this one is pretty simple. After Cody Rhodes defeated Roman at Wrestlemania, Roman disappeared. In his absence, Solo Sikoa assumed the role of "tribal chief" and took out both Jimmy Uso and Paul Heyman with his new squad of Tama Tonga, Tonga Loa and Jacob Fatu. At Summerslam, Roman Reigns made his first appearance since Wrestlemania to help Cody defeat Solo and announce the real tribal chief was back. Now Cody and Roman battle the Bloodline tonight. Also, we got Hell in A Cell with Drew McIntyre and CM Punk. At the Royal Rumble Drew McIntyre injured CM Punk's shoulder (in real life it was an accident) and put him out for six months. McIntyre bragged about it and Punk cost him not only the World Heavyweight Championship at Wrestlemania but a failed Cash-In after Drew won Money In The Bank. McIntyre won the first match at Summerslam with Seth Rollins the guest referee, CM Punk took the rematch in a strap match at Bash in Berlin. This final battle for bragging rights should be epic. Also the big rematch from Summerslam with Bayley taking on WWE Women's Champion Nia Jax. Finally the Terror Twins/Judgment Day feud continues with two singles matches. Liv Morgan puts the Women's World Heavyweight Championship on the line against Rhea Ripley while Finn Balor goes one on one with Damian Priest. Also Triple H has a big announcement....yay.
We open the show with Samantha Irvin introducing our hosts, Jade Cargill, Bianca Belair and Naomi. Social media pointed out how there hadn't been a black singles winner in over a year so HHH responded by having these three as our hosts. Naturally people were upset that they weren't wrestling. The trio stand in the ring and tell us up first is Hell in a Cell. During the entrances we see a shot of Goldberg and his son Gage in the crowd. Next to him is Atlanta rapper Killer Mike....yeah.
Match 1
Drew McIntyre vs CM Punk in a Hell in a Cell Match
As mentioned in the intro, this is the rubber match. McIntyre won at Summerslam, Punk won in Berlin. Cole before the match says it was 27 years ago tonight that the first Bad Blood took place featuring Hell in A Cell. Drew McIntyre also made his debut 15 years ago the day before at 2009 Hell In A Cell. McIntyre tweeted earlier in the day that he match would be mutually assured destruction. Bell's gone and they stare at each other in the corner to start before walking slowly to the center of the ring. They slug it out before Drew punches Punk in the corner. They trade corner punches before Drew block a kick and heaves Punk in the other corner. Drew chops Punk then throws him through the ropes to the outside. Cole says that Punk has gotten to McIntyre so bad that even Drew's wife says she's not as important as revenge on Punk. Punk goes back first into the Cell but they both fail to ram heads into the Cell. They slug it out on the floor before Punk whips Drew into the cell. Punk shoulderblocks Drew twice before ramming the back of Drew's head into the cell twice as well. Punk goes under the ring for a table as the crowd cheers. He grabs a chair too but Drew takes it and hits Punk in the back with it. Cole gets a shot at Dave Meltzer by saying this won't be a 5 star wrestling classic....of course, its not in AEW or Japan. Drew throws Punk into the steel steps and stands on him to a chorus of boos. Drew grabs a toolbox and empties it in the ring. He swings and misses with a wrench and Punk punches Drew down before driving the wrench into the forehead of Drew. Cole says Shawn Michaels vs Triple H was 47 minutes long in 2004 (don't remind me). Back inside McIntyre boots Punk in the forehead and goes to set up the table but he rips the legs of it by accident. He goes to hit punk with the broken legs but gets booted in the mid-section. Punk drops Drew throat first into the table and chokes him with the broken table legs. Punk rams Drew back first into the table legs still attached twice as the crowd chants "One more time". Drew has noticeable back bruises and blocks Punk's attempt to ram the legs into his eyes. Outside the ring Punk goes for the GTS but Drew grabs the cell to block it. Drew hits a Claymore Kick on the outside and torpedoes Punk face first into the cell. Punk is busted wide open and Drew cracks an evil grin. Drew grabs the steel steps and rams Punk in the head with them then rams CM's head into them. Drew stomps on Punk's head and says he's going to end his career and his wife will leave him. McIntyre grabs a wrench and rams it into Punk's open wound. McIntyre goes outside and grabs another table from under the ring. Drew punches Punk in the head and stares at the blood on his hand as Cole says he's a psychopath. Punk hits the running knee in the corner but McIntyre dumps him on the apron. Punk goes to the top rope and hits an axehandle smash. Punk grabs a wrench and goes back to the top but McIntyre catches him on the way down. Drew hits a Taz-plex and sits in the corner just staring at Punk. He nips up and calls for the Claymore Kick but Punk rolls out of the ring. Punk waffles Drew with the toolbox itself and Drew is now bleeding like crazy. Punk cracks Drew in the face again and goes up to the top with the box. Punk smashes Drew with the box as Drew's face is a mess. Punk hits three running knees in the corner and the bulldog. Punk calls for the GTS but Drew rolls out of it. Punk then counters a backslide with another GTS attempt, hitting this one. Unfortunately for Punk, Drew rolled out of the ring. Punk laughs as he throws Drew back in the ring. Punk rolls in and Drew hits the Claymore before covering for 1...2...nooooo. Quick strike by McIntyre almost worked. Drew calls for another Claymore but misses it. Punk goes for a modified sharpshooter but Drew grabs a wrench. Drew hits Punk with the wrench to break the hold then rams it into Punk's face. Punk and Drew slug it out in the center of the ring as Drew goes for Future Shock. Punk blocks it and goes for another GTS but Drew rolls out of it. Drew chops Punk but gets kicked in the head. McIntyre rolls to the apron and Punk hits another running knee. Drew then suplexes Punk from the apron through the table below. Drew goes for the ring steps as Graves says Punk isn't moving and he's concerned. Drew doesn't even have the strength to put the ring steps in the ring to show how brutal this match as been. Drew finally gets the steps in the ring as Punk is rolled into the ring. Punk hits the GTS out of nowhere and covers for 1..2.....noooooo. Cole "Somebody win this damn match and end this brutality." Graves "Both of them are flirting with career threatening injuries." Drew hits White Noise on the steps on Punk and covers for 1..2....noooooo. Drew counters a tilt-a-whirl with the anaconda vice as Drew grabs a wrench. Punk grabs the wrench away and pummels Drew with it. Drew begs off as Punk screams "You're gonna beg?" Drew then hits a low blow and grabs a black sack....you know what that means! Referee Shawn Bennett goes to wipe the blood off McIntyre's face with a white towel but Drew shoves it away. Drew dumps the bag.....of beads on Punk. Ahhhhhhahahaha, what a troll move. Drew finally wipes himself off with a white towel and goes for the Claymore. Punk moves and Drew lands back first on the side of the ring steps...ow. Punk wraps a metal chain around his left leg and grabs a handful of beads. Punk rams the beads in Drew's mouth and hits the GTS. Punk covers for 1....2....3 to end the war. Punk's prediction of Drew begging came true as Graves says the ring looks like a crime scene. This was never supposed to be a wrestling match, this was a a brutal war and it delivered on that. Punk wins the war as Bennett has to hold Punk up to raise his hand. Cole "Tonight the second city saint is the second city devil" as Punk symbolically slams the door on his way out, collapsing in the aisle. Great match and feud ender, hats off to both guys.
Time of match: 31:24
Winner: Punk by pinfall
Adam Pearce and Gregory Helms rush the ring to tend to McIntyre after the match as the EMT's tend to Punk sitting on the ground. McIntyre stares at Punk in agony as Punk rips the mask off his face, standing up with Pearce's help. Punk poses on the ramp victorious as we cut to commercial of the Firefly Funhouse for WWE2K24....damn I miss Bray. Back from break Cole says Kurt Angle won Gold here in the 1996 Olympics. Then we get a graphic for Nia Jax vs Bayley up next. How the hell do you top HIAC? They're going to try.
Before the match, Samantha Irvin introduces WWE Hall of Famers Jacqueline who looks as great as ever, Lilian Garcia who hasn't aged a day in 20 years, and Booker T. Then we go over to Cathy Kelley in the VIP Suite. There's a party going on with the hosts along with WWE Intercontinental Champion Jey Uso, Diamond Dallas Paige, Tully Blanchard, X-Pac and Mickie James in the background. Jade wants to see Rhea vs Liv while Naomi wants to see Nia vs Bayley. Onto the next match.
Match 2
Bayley vs Nia Jax for the WWE Women's Championship
After Bayley defeated Iyo Sky at Wrestlemania to become the Women's Champion, Nia Jax was pushed as a monster heel. Nia won Queen of The Ring in Saudi Arabia to earn the title shot at Summerslam. Nia then beat Bayley to become the new women's champion. Since then, she's employed the MITB winner Tiffany Stratton and Pretty Deadly as stooges. With Bayley's unlikely allies up in the VIP Suite, she's kind of on her own against the monster. Bayley rushes Nia at the bell and they slug it out. Nia shoulderblocks Bayley in the corner and throws her to the otherside. Nia hits an avalanche in the corner and another splash. Nia takes Bayley's head off with a clotheslines and covers for 1...2....no. Nia locks in a chinlock then slaps at Bayley. Nia hits another corner splash then the running ass bump. Nia hits another bulldozer and slaps Bayley around. Nia locks in a bearhug before Bayley rolls out of it for a sunset flip for 1...2..no. Nia rolls on top and applies a single leg crab as Corey says this is unlike her to go for a submission. Nia splashes Bayley against the ropes then goes for a modified camel clutch. Bayley gets to her feet then goes and up and over, sliding under Nia. Nia charges but Bayley sends her through the ropes to the outside. Nia slides in only to eat a leg drop. Bayley runs off the ropes but Nia slides outside the ring. Bayley hits a baseball slide and punches away on her. Bayley rolls Nia inside and covers for 1...2...no. Bayley snaps Nia off the second rope and hits a suicide dive through the second rope. Problem is she damn near missed and Nia had to bend down to take some of it. Back inside Nia lands a headbutt and rams Bayley onto the top rope before landing another avalanche. Nia lands another ass bump and goes for the banzai drop. Bayley punches away at Nia and they totally botch a hurracarana. Nia took the powerbomb bump and Bayley took the hurracarana bump anyway....whoops! Nia hits a belly to belly suplex and covers for 1...2...no. Nia throws Bayley on the top rope and goes for another ass bump, but misses. Bayley hits a running knee and goes for the sunset flip but Nia just sits down on her. That was too close to the ropes for Bayley to try that. Bayley drops a few elbows and limps around as she sells her right leg. Bayley hits the top rope elbow and covers for 1....2..no. Both roll outside and Bayley moves, Nia crashing into the steel steps on a charge. Bayley hits an elbow drop off the ring steps but Bayley has to get back in the ring to break up the count. Nia punches Bayley down then powerbombs her onto the steel steps. Nia slings her into the barricade as we go back inside. Nia poses for the irate crowd and totally botches a samoan drop. She covers anyway for 1...2...no, this is getting ugly. Nia goes for the banzai drop but Bayley pulls her off. Nia drops Bayley with a back elbow smash but Bayley counters with a samoan drop of her own. Bayley covers for 1...2..no. Nia press slams Bayley off into referee Jessika Carr. Carr goes to get up but Bayley kicks Nia in the head, Nia landing ontop of Jessika. Bayley hits a pop up stunner and a rose plant but Carr is down. Here comes Tiffany Stratton with the Money In The Bank briefcase and she waffles Bayley with it. Tiffany pulls up Carr but Nia sits up, staring a hole in Tiffany. Tiffany says she wasn't going to cash in as Bayley from behind avalanches Nia into Tiffany in the corner. Bayley rolls up Nia for 1...2....no. Nia misses a splash in the corner and goes up to the tope rope. Tiffany tosses Bayley the briefcase as distraction and Bayley throws it back at her. This allows Nia to deliver a second rope Samoan drop. Nia pulls Bayley in the corner, hits the banzai drop and covers for 1..2....3 to win the match. Bad, bad match but at least its over. Nia wins the feud with Bayley as Tiffany still lurks in the shadows.
Time of match: 14:17
Winner: Nia Jax by pinfall (Still WWE Women's Champion)
We cut to commercial which is hype for Summerslam 2025. Its going to be two nights at Met Life Stadium with Cardi B calling Bianca. We then cut to outside the arena with Xavier Woods shilling Dragonball Sparking Zero video game. Up next is Damian Priest against Finn Balor but before that, Samantha shouts out more hall-of-famers. X-Pac, Tully Blanchard and Arn Anderson stand up and say hi. Onto the next match.
Match 3
Finn Balor vs Damian Priest
In case you missed it, both Rhea Ripley and Damian Priest got screwed over by Judgment Day and now its singles action. Bell's gone and they stare down in the center of the ring. Balor slaps his chest to start and Priest levels him with a forearm. Priest slams Balor in the corner and puts the boots to him. Priest hits a flapjack and hits a super kick. Balor rolls to the apron, shoulderblocks Priest and kicks at him. Balor chokes Priest on the top rope but Damian kicks Balor off the apron. Outside the ring, Finn hits a slingblade on the floor and rolls inside. Damian rolls inside and Finn stomps a mudhole in him before posing for the irate crowd. Balor locks in a sleeperhold then gouges the eyes. Balor pounds away with elbows and locks in a chin lock. Priest powers out of it as Graves says Balor never recovered mentally after relinquishing the Universal Championship. Priest charges but each boot but Finn jumps off the top right into a live round, Priest punched him for real by accident and hurt his hand. Balor counters a tilt-a-whirl with a Russian leg sweep and covers for 1....2...no. Balor kicks away at Priest then poses for the crowd again. Balor goes for the abdominal stretch before Priest hiptosses out of it. Priest unloads with right hands and a discuss punch. Priest hits a broken arrow and covers for 1...2...no. Priest misses a big forearm and Balor hits a slingblade. Priest hits two spin kicks and a clothesline before covering for 1...2...no. Priest hits a bellringer and kicks Balor in the chest twice. Finn hits a Pele Kick and chops Damian in the corner. Balor takes down Priest twice then stomps him on the chest. Priest blocks the third attempt and hits the Razor's Edge. Priest covers for 1...2...no. Outside the ring Priest sends Balor into the announce table. Priest hits a Razor's Edge on the ring apron and slides back in. Balor begs off as Priest pulls the singlet straps down. Here comes Carlito to distract the ref and JD McDonough to snap Priest off the top rope. Balor dropkicks Priest into the corner and Damian drops. Balor goes up to the top rope and hits Coup De Gras. He covers for 1...2....no. McDonough and Carlito can't believe it as the crowd chants Yeet. Carlito distracts the ref again as JD tosses Balor a chair. Priest kicks the chair into Finn's face and knocks Carlito off the apron. He backdrops McDonough on top of Carlito on the floor and goes for the South of Heaven. Balor victory rolls out of it for 1...2...no. Balor counters a powerslam with Eye of The Hurricane. Balor hits the Coup De Gras to Priest's back not once but twice. Balor jumps off the top a third time right into South of Heaven. Priest covers for 1...2....3 to win the match. Pretty good match but naturally we had to have the run ins. Priest says this won't bring back the World Heavyweight Championship but it had to feel good to win.
Time of match: 12:48
Winner: Priest by pinfall
We get a vignette for Survivor Series in British Columbia on November 30th before Cole shills some merch. We show Triple H in gorilla position as he's supposed to be up next then a graphic for Monday's Raw where Jey Uso puts the IC title on the line against Xavier Woods. Sheamus vs Pete Dunne in a "Good old fashioned Donnybrook" match and Sami Zayn challenges Gunther for the World Heavyweight Championship. Here comes Triple H for a conference with some kind of podium in the ring. The podium has Crown Jewel written on it so this must be related to that. HHH opens by saying 30 years ago he was Terra Ryzing WCW...ha. Our attendance is 16,092 and 60th sellout of the year. Triple H says the next history making event will be four weeks from now at Crown Jewel. The catch is neither world title will be on the line, but the world champions will face each other. The winners will be the Crown Jewel Champion. HHH unveils a Crown Jewel belt with 50 karat diamonds and then World Heavyweight Champion Gunther walks out. Gunther gets in the ring and says Bad Blood wouldn't be anything without the World Heavyweight Champion. Gunther says he won King of The Ring in Saudi Arabia and HHH handed him the trophy, now HHH will do the same with the new belt. Gunther hypes up his match against Sami Zayn this Monday on Raw and tells Triple H that Sami isn't cut out to be top guy. Gunther says he's a future legend and wants to shout out the legends today. The crowd chants for Goldberg and right on cue, Gunther points him out in the front row. Gunther says Goldberg was NOT his childhood hero, he was a one trick pony. Gunther says he's busting balls but has a message for Gage Goldberg. He hopes Bill is a better father than he is a wrestler. Goldberg stands up, rips his hat off and hops the guardrail. Cole tells Graves to get the hell out of the way. Gunther says he's got 3 minutes, let's go. Security pushes Goldberg back until the Suit Brigade of Adam Pearce, Jamie Noble and others show up. Suddenly Sami Zayn himself rushes the ring and beats down Gunther. Zayn hits a plancha as the suit brigade grab Zami allowing Gunther to hit a big boot. Zayn chases him to the back. To sum up this entire segment, Champion vs Champion at Crown Jewel for a Saudi title, Zayn vs Gunther tomorrow night. HHH raises Goldberg's hand as his old theme plays as we move on.
The Royal Rumble will be February 1, 2025 at Lucas Oil Stadium. The first time ever the Rumble will not be in January. Up next is World Women's Champion Liv Morgan defending against Rhea Ripley with Dom Mysterio locked in a shark cage. Before the next match, Samantha Irvin shouts out DDP, Mickie James and Scott Steiner. Cathy Kelley is up in the VIP section where Metro says Cody Rhodes is an Atlanta legend and to handle his business. Chelsea Green walks in and everyone is grossed out. Piper Niven can stay but Chelsea's gotta go. This is in reference to last night's Smackdown where Mia Yim defeated Chelsea in a dumpster match. Then we get a vignette of Dom Mysterios riding around with Liv Morgan in a low rider before they make their entrance in the low rider.
Match 4
Rhea Ripley vs Liv Morgan (with Dom Mysterio) for the World Women's Championship
Cole brings up Tommy Rich and Mad Dog Buzz Sawyer in the Last Battle of Atlanta with Paul Ellering locked in a cage before the match starts. Cole mentions how Rhea never actually lost the championship as Cole brings up Triple H had to be in a cage as well. Rhea shills Dirty Dom toilet paper which is actually ingenious. Cole "I'd love to see all the ways WWE fans would use that toilet paper." Graves "Do you have any idea the pandora's box that would open? Have you SEEN our fans?" Graves then says "This is cruel and unusual. He can't hang up a poster of Rhea and dig himself out with a spoon like he did the last time he was locked up." Rhea grabs a mic before the match starts and says "One more thing, Dom. You're afraid of heights? Raise him up!" Cole is loving it as the bell finally rings. Rhea attacks at the bell and throws Liv down before hitting a dropkick. Rhea heaves Liv across the ring and stomps on her foot. Rhea drops Morgan with a clothesline and hits a fallaway slam. Liv bails to the outside and rams Rhea into the steel steps. Liv misses a chick kick and Rhea electric chair drops Liv into the ring apron. Rhea throws her back inside as Graves say this is unfair. Rhea baseball slides Liv and sends her into the barricade. Liv is thrown inside as Corey says Rhea needs to move on from Dom. Buddy Mathews is comin for you Graves. Liv snaps Rhea's leg off the second rope and goes to work on the left knee. Dom is sitting down inside the cage as he looks legit terrified. Liv kicks away at Rhea inside the ring and hits a dropkick to the knee. Liv's charge eats elbow but rolls into a half crab. Rhea grabs Liv's head and rams it into the ring to escape. Rhea rallies with clotheslines and a northern lights suplex for 1...2...no. Graves "Poor Dom, he's white as a ghost." They slug it out in the ring before Liv rams Rhea's knee into the apron. Graves "That shark cage might be worse than prison. At least Dom got 3 hots and a cot in prison." Liv continues to ram Rhea's knee against the ring post as the crowd chants "Dom you suck!" Liv heaves Rhea against the barricade twice and she spin kicks Ripley. Liv hits a sunset flip bomb into the barricade and throws Rhea inside. Liv does a DX crotch chop and hits a codebreaker from the second rope. Liv covers for 1...2...no. Rhea counters Ob-Liv-ion and smiles at her. Ripley hits a knee to the stomach then goes for Riptide. Liv rolls out of it and hits a crucifix bomb (!!!) for 1....2...no. Graves says that move is called the "Home Wrecker". Liv looks up at Dom as Cole says they have three things in common "Shoes, movies and nuggets". Liv slams Rhea and says "That's my man, you're nothing." Liv slaps Rhea and does the Eddie Guerrero shimmy before going for the 3 Amigos. She hits two but Rhea blocks the third. Rhea hits a Razor's Edge as somehow Dom gets the shark cage open. Cole asks if he learned that in prison with Rhea on the top rope. She taunts Dom with YEET and hits the frogsplash. She covers for 1...2..no, Liv rolled out of it. Rhea hits the Prism Lock but Liv makes it to the outside. Cole "Yeah he got the door open but its like escaping from Alcatraz, where's he gonna go?" Chyna jumped to the floor back in 1998 so its possible he can too. Rhea outside taunts Dom and throws Liv into both sides of the barricade. Rhea stomps on the derriere of Liv and hits Riptide on the floor. Dom somehow falls out of the cage but is hanging by his foot that's chained to the cage. Two security guards show up and Graves asks "Who are these derelicts?" Rhea spanks Dom and goes back inside and tells the referee to give her one minute to handle unfinished business. Referee Dan Engler says she deserves that...ha! Even the ref doesn't like Dom. Graves "Caught on camera, you crooked fool!" Rhea goes under the ring and grabs a singapore cane as Cole is enjoying this. Rhea looks at the camera and says "Happy birthday to me" (her birthday is coming up on the 11th) before busting Dom with the cane. Rhea unloads on Dom when someone bashes Rhea from behind that's unseen due to the camera angle. We get another shot and its RAQUEL RODRIGUEZ! Liv Morgan's former partner that's been on the shelf due to MCAS is back. The bell rings and Raquel hits a powerbomb to lay out Ripley. Raquel picks up Liv and frees Dom. Corey "Ain't love grand!" Bad match but they finally threw a monkey wrench in Rhea's revenge plan. Liv can't hang with Rhea one on one, but Raquel can. Having Raquel and Dom as stooges makes Liv more tougher to beat. Not to mention these are all women that Ripley terrorized when she was a Judgment Day heel. Rhea is going to need backup of her own but who'd want to come to HER aid after all she did to people?
Time of match: 14:34
Winner: Ripley by DQ (Liv retains)
Cue a vignette for Ford Field and a music video saying "Coming soon." Oh...its the Motor City Machine Guns, Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin. They were known mostly for their Ring of Honor and TNA runs, now they're coming to WWE. We then get our upcoming holiday live schedule, December 26 in Jacksonville Florida. December 27 is a double shot with Raw guys in Pittsburgh, PA and Smackdown coming from Tampa, Florida. December 28 has a double shot with one crew in Baltimore and another in Orlando. December 29 one crew in Chicago and the other in Miami. December 30 is a double shot with Raw in Houston while Smackdown guys were in Detroit. That's a little too Vince for my taste to have a five day stretch with 9 shows but hey, it'll give them reps. Then we get a Crown Jewel vignette for Saturday November 2nd. Then we get our PLE schedule with Survivor Series on November 30th in Vancouver, Saturday Night's Main Event December 14 at the Nassau Coliseum, the Royal Rumble on Feb 1st at Lucas Oil Stadium, Wrestlemania 41 April 19th and 20th in Las Vegas and Summerslam 2025 August 2nd and 3rd at Metlife Stadium. Not a fan of two nights for Summerslam but oh well. After a vignette for the main event, let's get to it.
Match 5
Jacob Fatu & Solo Sikoa vs Roman Reigns and WWE Champion Cody Rhodes
Long story short...after Cody beat Roman at Wrestlemania, Roman disappeared and Solo Sikoa took over the Bloodline. He had Paul Heyman and Jimmy Uso dispatched by new members Tama Tonga and Tonga Loa, the sons of Haku. Then the son of Tonga Kid, Jacob Fatu also joined Solo. At Summerslam, Reigns returned to cost Solo his title match against Cody but is now without backup. Cody told Roman this would happen but he's doing the right thing to help him out against the Bloodline. Roman says after this is over, he's coming after the title again. Solo and Jacob enter together without the Tongans who won the Triple Threat Ladder match last night but got beat up in the process. The Arkansas Pine Bluff Marching Band plays Cody Rhodes' theme as he enters which stems from them going viral weeks earlier for doing it during a game. Roman has his own orchestra play his theme as Cole brings up Ole Anderson turning on Dusty Rhodes in the Omni in 1980 and wonders if Roman will do the same. He also says this is the first match where Roman hasn't walked into it as a champion in over four years and hasn't wrestled in six months. Solo holds up the Ulafala as Roman facepalms. Bell's gone and Roman and Cody argue who's gonna start as Cole brings up Battleground 2013 when it was Cody and Dustin Rhodes against Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins of The Shield with Dusty in the corner of Cody. Cody starts with Jacob and Cody starts with a headlock. A shoulderblock goes nowhere and Jacob says to run it. Cody does an uppercut and a disaster kick but Jacob is barely fazed. Cody ducks the superkick and Solo gets in to tongue lash Jacob. Roman steps in to even the odds as the crowd chants "OTC". The crowd chants "Fuck you Solo" as Roman puts his hand to his ear. Jacob tags out to Solo and Cody says hold up. Cody slowly turns his head to Roman and Roman shrugs. Roman reaches for the tag and Cody tags him in. Roman and Solo circle and Roman unloads with right hands. Solo kicks him in the head and lands a headbutt before taunting the irate crowd. Roman gets the upperhand with 10 corner punches and an elbow smash. Roman clotheslines Solo over the top rope to the floor as Jacob gets in the ring despite no legal tag. They circle but Solo from behind clotheslines Roman down. Solo chokes Roman on the second rope as the crowd chants "You can't wrestle". What? Solo hits the ass bump in the corner to Roman before tagging out to Jacob. Fatu hits the same ass bump his uncle Umaga made famous as he taunts Roman. Jacob shoulderblocks Roman in the corner and says Solo is the tribal chief. Jacob eats ringpost on a charge and Roman throws him through the ropes to the outside. Cody gets the hot tag who punches away at Fatu before hitting a forearm. Cody hits the powerslam and Dusty Punches followed by the Cody cutter. Cody goes for Cross Rhodes but Solo distracts, allowing Jacob to hit the samoan drop. Jacob tags Solo and throws Cody outside, where Solo does a Rock Bottom onto the apron. Jacob and Solo double team Cody as Cole says if Solo pins Roman, he's the tribal chief. Graves asks if Jacob Fatu were to pin Cody, imagine HIM as champion. Solo and Jacob hit the wishbone but Cody tries to fight back with right hands. Jacob hits a spinning back elbow and tells Solo he loves him. Jacob bites the hand of Cody to prevent a tag as Cole calls him a scary man. Jacob locks in a nerve hold as the crowd chants "We want Roman". Cody fights out of it but Jacob tags out to Solo who pounds on Cody in the corner. Solo whips Fatu into Cody and Solo hits the as bump as well. Jacob tags in to cover for 1...2..no. Jacob tags in Solo but gets thrown out of the ring by Cody. Cody kicks Solo away and jumps for the tag....oh no, Roman hops down to avoid the tag. No wait! Jacob pulled him off....nevermind. Jacob rams Roman's head into the steel steps as Solo back inside clotheslines Cody. Solo covers for 1....2...no. Graves says Jacob may be a destructo in the ring but is very intelligent out of it. Jacob tags in to pummel Cody in the corner and powerslams him. Jacob goes to the top rope for the swanton but Cody gets the knees up. Roman is ready for the tag and Cody finally makes it there. Solo tags in and Roman cleans house with clotheslines to Solo. Roman hits a splash in the corner and a big boot. Roman punches him 10 times and locks in for the Superman Punch. Solo counters the punch by grabbing the arm and goes for a Samoan Spike. Reigns counters with a crucifix for 1.....2...no. Roman hits the Superman punch and covers for two as Roman caters to the crowd. Roman calls for the spear but Jacob stops him. Roman uppercuts Solo but runs into a double superkick. Fatu hits a moonsault and Solo hits a top rope splash. Solo covers for 1...2..no, Cody breaks it up. Jacob throws Cody outside and follows him out. Jacob is sent into the steel steps and Cody prepares the announce table. Jacob kicks Cody in the face but Rhodes moves, allowing Jacob to crash through the barricade. Jacob goes nuts as Cole says he's alive. Graves "Alive??? The sonovabitch is throwing chairs!" Cody rams Jacob's face first into a chair and shouts "go down!" Cody hits the Cross Rhodes on the floor and Jacob gets up almost immediately. Cody kicks Fatu twice to send him on the announce table. Cody goes to the top rope, salutes Reigns and splashes Jacob through the table. Down to Roman and Solo the crowd chants "This is awesome". Roman and Solo play "Yay boo punchathon" until Roman drops him with the Superman Punch. Roman calls for another spear but here come the Tongans. Tama Tonga and Tonga Loa distract Roman allowing Solo to hit a spear of his own. Solo covers for 1..2....nooooo. The crowd chants "YEET" as Corey tries to tell Cole that his monitor went out but someone just hopped the guardrail out of the corner of his eye. Solo taunts Roman as he notices someone in a hoodie standing behind the Tongans...gee, who could THAT be? Sure enough the hoodie dude superkicks both Tongans revealing himself to be Jimmy Uso, who hadn't been seen in six months. Cole "JIMMY USO IS BACK!" Solo turns around into a spear and Reigns covers for 1..2...3 to win the match. Damn good match even if it took a while to get to the good part.
Time of match: 25:43
Winners: Reigns and Cody by pinfall
After the match Jimmy gets in to acknowledge Roman and they hug it out. Jimmy holds up Roman's hand in victory and Roman turns to Cody Rhodes holding the WWE Championship. Roman stares at the belt and Cody and says let's go to Jimmy. Roman and Jimmy go to leave as the Tongans mug Cody. Jimmy "You gave him your word, Uce." Roman and Jimmy run back in and clean house of the Bloodline. The Tongans and Solo retreat as Roman picks up the WWE Championship belt. Roman hands the belt to Cody......IF YA SMELLLLLLLLL hits and the crowd explodes. Here comes The Rock still holding the Muhammad Ali belt standing at the entrance. Well this just got interesting, who does HE go after or side with? Cody, Jimmy and Roman stand in the ring staring at him. He counts 1,2,3 with his hands and says cut before leaving. He DID pin Cody at Wrestlemania Night 1 so him going after Cody is definitely in play as we sign off. Fans have been speculating what Wargames was going to be for months and it does appear that it might just be Roman, The Rock, Cody and The Usos against Solo, The Tongans, Jacob Fatu and a possible wild card.....or The Rock himself and have Sami Zayn come back for one night as the honorary Uce on Team Roman. Either way the story continues.
Bottom line was this was a 2 match card with three others thrown in there to fill it out. Not that Priest vs Balor was bad or the women's matches didn't deserve to be there, but this was Drew/Punk and Bloodline/Roman & Cody. 5 match cards really take away the hard work the rest of the roster does, but it shows you that you have to be special to get on there. Nia Jax is starting to bully Tiffany Stratton more and Liv now has more backup against Rhea Ripley. We got some business to take care of before we set off for Saudi Arabia in four weeks. This Monday's Raw is at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis. I'll see you there.
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