When WWE Chairman Vince McMahon bestowed Monday Night Raw upon his daughter Stephanie, it was done with the expectation she would take the flagship show of World Wrestling Entertainment to new and entertaining heights, a hefty task when you consider the plethora of memories created in the over 1,000 episodes that have aired to date.
While Steph isn't likely to receive awards recognizing a warm demeanor and pleasant disposition, there can't be much argument in my opinion that she and General Manager Mick Foley haven't lived up to those expectations since the July Brand Extension Draft.
We have seen new stars rise up to the occasion, memorable rivalries play out and result in history making moments, and , a new record set for the WWE Tag Team Championships for the first time in twenty-five years. That is just a small sample of what has been produced by Team Red the past six months.
Now however, all eyes turn to the final Pay-Per-View event of the year. The men and women that go into battle on December 18 aim to set the tone for the impending new year and the Road To WrestleMania.
As is always the case when chasing immortality, obstacles will be placed in front of them to overcome and show exactly what they are made of. For some however, their hopes and dreams end at the first sight of a Roadblock. Truly, it will be the end of the line, a lonely and dangerous position to find oneself in.
Seven matches will take place at the event. One will be held on the Kickoff Show and four of them will be for championships.
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30 Minute Ironman Match for the WWE Raw Women's Championship
Sasha Banks (c) vs Charlotte Flair
The careers and lives of Charlotte Flair and Sasha Banks have always been intertwined and almost running in parallel.
Both burst onto the wrestling scene full of hope and enthusiasm to be the very best and just maybe cement their legacies. When they arrived in NXT very few, if any, could have predicted the revolution they would end up spearheading the past two years.
Charlotte brought with her raw athleticism and the pedigree of being the daughter of Nature Boy Ric Flair. While rough around the edges, the potential was evident from her debut victory over future rival turned friend turned rival again Bayley.
Sasha Banks wasn't quite a BOSS when she walked down the ramp for the first time at Full Sail University. She had confidence but nowhere near the swagger she displays now. In fact, you might say at times she seemed timid as she tried to carve out a spot in the NXT Women's Division.
Banks would be the first to turn to the dark side of the fence, corrupted by femme fatal Summer Rae. Summer challenged Banks to get aggressive and make a name for herself for the path she had been on hadn't led to anything memorable. That resonated with Sasha who turned on both then NXT Women's Champion Paige and Bayley and joined forces with Rae.
Initially this would bring her right in the crosshairs of Charlotte who had become fast friend's with NXT's resident hugger. It was a battle of Bank's newfound aggression against Charlotte's athletic prowess.
However as time went on, something snapped inside the mind of Charlotte. Before long she tired of being known primarily known as the offspring of the 16 time world champion. Perhaps seeing the matches and attention directed towards Banks once she came out of her shell, it became a matter of "If you can't beat them, join them". Which is exactly what Charlotte wound up doing.
During a tag team encounter that saw her team with Bayley against Banks and Summer, Charlotte would become the second to betray Bayley and join forces with her thought to be enemies.
The BFFs (Beautiful Fierce Females) were born and would go on to run roughshod over everyone who stood in their way. Charlotte and Sasha would surprisingly become joined at the hip and always sought to see the other to victory.
In 2014 a tournament was held to crown a new NXT Women's Champion following then-champion Paige's advancement to Monday Night Raw. Both Charlotte and Sasha were entered into it, each determined to walk away with gold around their waist.
Banks defeated Bayley in the opening round only to be eliminated by Natalya in the second.
Charlotte would advance to the finals with wins over Emma and Alexa Bliss.
She would also be the first one of the two to win a title in NXT when she defeated Natalya in the Finals at Takeover on May 29, 2014.
Almost instantly jealously would rear its ugly head from both Summer and Banks.
Summer had been gone filming her role in a Marine sequel and returned to discover she wasn't exactly welcome in the fold any longer.
After she was shown the curb and defeated in a successful title defense for Charlotte, Banks and Charlotte briefly carried on as teammates but it wasn't meant to last. Even as they defeated the duo of Bayley and Emma, tensions rose to the point that afterward Banks denounced the BFFs and vowed to take the title off Charlotte whenever she so desired.
Now on the chase Banks found her goal to topple her new rival impeded by Bayley and new associate Becky Lynch (who had her mind warped by Sasha and also turned on Bayley in a continuing cycle of viciousness)
It culminated in a classic Fatal Four Way at NXT Takeover: R Evolution.
On December 11, 2014 all four women gave every ounce of blood, sweat, and tears they had within themselves in one match.
But it was Banks who wanted it the most on that night.
While Charlotte threw caution, and herself into the wind, her rival would not be denied a measure of retribution or championship glory.
In the end, Charlotte would block a Bank Statement only to be cradled by Sasha for the victory. An emotional Banks could not contain her joy at finally winning the big one.
Although the women would take different paths by the end of 2014, it seemed inevitable and anticipated they would cross paths again down the line.
Fast forward to the summer of 2015 and Stephanie McMahon would provide the catalyst for that to happen on a brand new, bigger platform.
In order to provide new challengers to then-Divas Champion Nikki Bella, she would introduce Charlotte, Sasha, and Becky Lynch onto the main roster and lead the Divas Revolution so many had been clamoring for.
Charlotte and Lynch would join forces with Paige to form Team PCB while Banks hooked up with Naomi and Tamina Snuka in Team B.A.D. Over the next few months it was all out faction warfare with Team Bella (Nikki, Brie, and Alicia Fox) thrown into the mix.
As in NXT, Charlotte would beat Sasha to the punch and end Nikki's then-record setting 301 days on top the division at Night of Champions on September 20, 2015.
Over time Team PCB and Team BAD would disband as personal goals became of greater importance than team unity. First Paige, then Charlotte would adopt a nastier attitude while Sasha informed Naomi and Tamina that she would reach the top without requiring their assistance.
Charlotte would go on to successfully defend her title against Nikki, Paige, among others while Sasha quietly flew under the radar. Their rivalry was on the backburner but it wouldn't stay there for long.
When it reignited, it did so on the Grandest Stage of Them All.
At WrestleMania 32 another piece of history was written. Prior to the event, WWE Hall of Fame Lita revealed that the term Divas and its championship were to be retired permanently and replaced with a brand new Women's Championship.
Now every woman who competed inside the squared circle was on equal footing with their male counterparts. However only one would get the honor of being the first to hold the title first. It would be Charlotte vs Banks vs Lynch in an epic showdown. So epic that the three would take the spotlight and be front and center on the advertising posters and billboards ahead of the likes of Triple H and Brock Lesnar.
The match was every bit of thrilling as expected and wound up being considered the best of the entire show by many a viewer. The Women's Evolution was off to a hot start.
However, as proud as Sasha Banks was to be part of the rise, the fall she took at Mania canceled out that euphoria in short order.
As Charlotte submitted Becky with the Figure Eight Leglock, The Nature Boy grabbed ahold of Banks' leg to prevent her from breaking it up in time. For a third time, Charlotte would reach the mountain first when the most eyes were watching.
The loss sent Sasha to the back of the contender's line. She would be out of the hunt for some time while Charlotte would form an alliance of convenience with Dana Brooke to ward off a persistent Natalya. In the process she would go as far as to dismiss her own father publicly with malice.
When the Draft Extension rolled around this past July, many wondered where the women would wind up between Raw and the newly christened Smackdown Live. As fate would have it, both Banks and Charlotte would be drafted to Raw, destined to collide once more.
The new era of Monday Nights on July 25, 2016 was ushered in by another classic war between the two.
It was a back and forth struggle that saw each counter and survive the other's signature moves and submissions. Nothing was held back in the least. Charlotte, who by then had been on top for 309 days, experienced a little deja vu by the end of the contest.
Just as she did back in NXT, Sasha would dethrone the Queen in grand fashion.
With a glare that could have killed, Charlotte told her foe she would never be beaten just moments before getting trapped in the Bank Statement and forced to submit.
There was no mistaking the jubilation on Sasha's face as she spoke with Byron Saxton afterward.
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Banks had every reason to feel confident going into the match. It was only a year earlier she had lost the NXT Women's Championship to Bayley at the same Barclay Center she was returning to as WWE Women's Champion. She had little doubt she would give her biggest rival another defeat and send her packing.
The greatest of plans tend to go awry though. Taking a page out of the playbook of her Dad and his old cohorts The Minnesota Wrecking Crew, Charlotte's plan of attack was built around weakening Bank's back.
While Sasha gave a valiant effort despite the obvious pain she was in for the duration of the match, it wasn't enough.
To the surprise of many, Charlotte, just as Sasha did at R-Evolution, would score the pinfall using a cradle. A devastated Banks saw her title reign end after only 27 days.
Sasha's back underwent so much damage that she would be sidelined for several weeks. But if Charlotte thought she was rid of her for good, she would be sadly mistaken.
The night after Summerslam, Bayley was revealed as Raw's newest signing and she immediately made an impact with a non-title victory over the Women's Champion. As if that wasn't bad enough for the woman who considers herself genetically superior, Banks would soon return at full force.
Charlotte would again find herself pursued by two old NXT rivals. And like at WrestleMania, she found herself in a Triple Threat match and her second title reign in jeopardy.
At Clash of The Champions on September 25, 2016 the women once again left it all in the ring.
Charlotte was instantly targeted by Bayley and Banks at the same time for everything she had put them through.
She showed true grit though and left her opponents in a heap on the mat.
At the end, Banks found herself on the outside looking in when a boot to Bayley sent her into the Boss who crashed onto the floor. Before she could fully recover, Charlotte would land a second boot to Bayley and retain her title.
Unlike her previous loss at Mania, Sasha wouldn't quietly fade into the background. Given that she hadn't taken the deciding loss at the Clash, she sought another opportunity to humble Charlotte and reclaim the title she had fought so hard for but lost so quickly.
Stephanie and Mick Foley relished the opportunity to spotlight their Women's Division and outdo the fledgling Women's Division on Smackdown.
So on October 3, Charlotte vs Sasha became the first Women's Championship match to headline Raw in 12 years; the last being Lita's victory over Trish Stratus.
Sasha was at her peak aggression during the bout. For far too long she had been hearing Charlotte crow about her dominance and how she was born reign supreme as THE top female athlete in WWE. Sure she had her moments of victory but this time she intended to send a direct message to Flair, one she would not soon forget. This was her moment to cement a legacy in the final match of the evening.
Flair had something to prove too though. Despite her massive accomplishments and milestones, many repeatedly compared her to Banks and wondered if she ranked just behind her even as champion. This would be her chance to silence them all as only she could. No risk was too dangerous to achieve that.
It was another memorable battle between two elite athletes. Banks withstood the best Flair had to dish out and finally trapped her center of the ring in the Bank Statement. Flair held on as long as possible but would eventually be forced to submit for the second time on Raw.
Banks stood triumphant while Flair seethed from the ramp way. It was readily apparent that the war between them would rage on.
History was made that night but it didn't stop there. Flair was owed a contractual return match and wanted it to take place on October 30 at Hell In A Cell. Banks was only too happy to oblige but wanted to up the ante just a little bit. Why only compete at a PPV with the Cell name when they could meet INSIDE the Cell. After all, it would take place in her hometown of Boston, why not make it as big as possible?
GM Foley granted that request as quickly as Flair accepted the challenge. As it turned out, they would not only become the first females to lock horns inside the demonic structure but headline a main roster event in WWE history.
With that kind of atmosphere, they created memories even before the official bell rang.
The grand entrances alone made for lasting visuals.
Flair being carried out in the same vein as former WWF Kings Harley Race, Haku, and the late Macho King Randy Savage and Banks bringing back her entrance from Takeover: Brooklyn defined big match feel.
Once the pageantry ended however, the match would take an immediate toll on their minds, bodies, and souls.
The Cell would lower but neither one desired to be confined inside of it just yet. A vicious forearm to Banks would send the action spilling to the outside. Banks would retaliate and send Flair seeking higher, perhaps safer ground.
A chase ensued that Banks would instantly regret. Flair delivered a sickening powerbomb through the announce table below. It looked as if the match were over before it began as Banks was placed on a stretcher.
A smug Flair stood inside the ring as the official looked to call the match and award her the title but Banks wasn't having any of it. She got off the stretcher, plowed through concerned medical staff and referees, and got into the Cell with the intent to make Flair suffer.
Banks worked Flair to the mat and attempted to force her to submit yet again with the Bank Statement.
This time however Flair managed to hold on and break free. It was from then on that not only were offensive arsenals unleashed but weaponry as well.
Flair used a steel chair as a means to inflict damage on Bank's back; Banks would return the favor with a double knee drop in the corner and introducing it to Flair's leg to escape a Figure Eight Leglock
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Where there are chairs, tables are never too far behind. And that is what proved to be Sasha's undoing. The shocked arena witness their hometown girl wind up on the wrong side of history; A Natural Selection onto the wooden menace secured Flair the victory and her third Women's Championship. All were stunned at the turn of events. Had Flair finally vanquished The Boss?
For a little while it appeared she had.
In November, hatred of one another was temporarily cast aside in favor of brand loyalty. Flair and Banks found themselves as uneasy, unwilling partners on a squad sent to take on Smackdown Live's best women led by Natalya. Banks would be eliminated while Flair would survive with, and attack afterward, Bayley.
Banks would finally receive her rematch on the November 28 edition of Raw in Charlotte's backyard of Charlotte, NC. .
It ended in a double count out to the dismay of everyone including Mick Foley. He would decree they would meet again at the end of the evening, this time in a Falls Count Anywhere Match.
That level of freedom meant they would hit harder than ever before with anything they could get their hands on. Familiarity breeds contempt had never rang louder and more true on this night.
Flair became the aggressor and sought to end the career of Banks before it was all said and done. One look into her eyes told the entire story of this intent.
Whether it was inside the ring or on the floor, there was no safety zone for the challenger. Both Natural Selection and the Figure Eight were utilized at maximum velocity. It seemed hopeless for Banks once again.
The Boston native wouldn't go down without swinging. Literally!
After surviving a hellacious beating, Banks retrieved a kendo stick and went to down.
Eventually she forced Flair up the ramp and in the vicinity of the announce table. Wisely, Michael Cole, Corey Graves, and Byron Saxton got out of dodge, lest they became collateral damage.
Flair had one more trick up her sleeve though and forced Banks off the stage area, following up with a picture perfect moonsault.
The action spilled into the crowd where Banks trapped Flair in between a railing and for a third straight time on Raw and a second time in the main event, forced her to submit.
For the third time, The Boss was a champion and had dethroned The Queen in her own city. Certainly sweet revenge for the shocker in Boston.
The icing on the cake came as the show ended. Before Charlotte could even lick her wounds, the return of her father poured salt into them in an unimaginable way.
Ric Flair walked to the ring and endorsed Sasha Banks and felt a sense of his own retribution for his daughter's unsightly behavior towards him many months prior.
All of this finally seemed to take a toll on Charlotte.
Losing her title was one thing but to be forced to witness her Dad embrace her most hated rival was thought to be too much to bare. Granted she brought it all upon herself but personal reflection may have finally snapped her to her senses.
Or had it?
At the end of the December 5 edition of Raw, a seemingly contrite Charlotte made her way to the ring having already invited Ric out for a public apology.
She spoke of regretting her treatment of him and everything she had done on her path to the top. None of it was worth it without him by her side like the old days.
A relieved Nature Boy would come out and seek an embrace. Charlotte obliged him only to prove to the world what her true colors have always been.
As if her verbal assault hadn't been bad enough prior, this display of hatred and insanity that accompanied the slap to the face brought her to a whole new low. With rage in her eyes Charlotte lambasted Ric for choosing Sasha over her in their home state.
It was too much for Banks to keep idly watching this unfold but when she hit the ring, Charlotte instantly pounced. On the floor she tossed her into the security wall before delivering the knockout blow into the ring post.
Charlotte left Banks and her Father a broken mess in two completely different ways. That takes a certain kind of evil to accomplish.
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After all that has happened, the championships won and lost, the historic stipulations and placement on both television and pay-per-view, the Sasha Banks vs Charlotte war has truly reached the end of the line.
When they step into the ring on Sunday in only the second ever Ironman Match to feature women, there will be no rematch clause for the loser to invoke. It is an all or nothing affair where a clear winner will finally be determined.
Both have held the NXT Women's Championship. Both have held the WWE Raw Women's Championship. Both have defeated the other on their own home turf in dramatic fashion.
Only one can emerge the definitive victor in the end.
Projection:
It all boils down to the motives of each competitor.
Charlotte Flair is fueled by the notion in her head that the Women's Championship was created for the sole purpose of being held by her. It is her birthright and not meant to be in the hands of anyone else. She has earned everything she has accomplished but it is potentially damaged by her attitude that it was a mere inevitability.
That can be an effective motivation but only for so long. That confidence/arrogance can lead to being careless and sloppy when it really matters most.
Sasha Banks has her own ego but it is balanced out by the humble nature she displays when holding up that championship belt. It keeps her focused even in the face of defeat. Flair seems to come unhinged with each setback which is why she can roar back but not sustain her championship reigns.
The biggest factor is match experience. Flair can go the distance but Banks has been here before.
At Takeover: Respect she met Bayley for the NXT Women's Championship in a thrilling Ironman Match and while she walked away empty handed, she showed no signs of not being able to go full tilt for the duration of the match.
It is my prediction Banks retains with a 5-4 final fall count.
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Triple Threat Match for the WWE Cruiserweight Championship
Rich Swann (c) vs. The Brian Kendrick vs. TJ Perkins
Since its reintroduction to the WWE Universe, the Cruiserweight Championship has been highly covered among the cruiserweights that have carried over from this past Summer's Cruiserweight Classic onto Monday Night Raw and the WWE Network's 205 Live.
For the three men competing for it at Roadblock: End of The Line it carries a deep meaning for various reasons.
For TJ Perkins, it meant a culmination of a long, hard journey that began long before he set foot into Full Sail University as one of 32 athletes aiming to emerge victorious when the ten week tournament concluded.
A world traveler, Perkins had long excited onlookers with his daredevil high flying and smooth submission style combination for years. He held championships nearly everywhere he went often stealing the show almost effortlessly.
Yet although he was recognized as immensely talented, he fell into the dark horse category when fans and wrestlers alike filled out their brackets.
It was a deep field which included former IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion Kota Ibushi, Zack Sabre Jr, Rich Swann, the returning veterans Brian Kendrick and Yoshahiro Tajiri, and many others. TJP seemed to fly under the radar.
That may have benefited him quite well as it turned out. With his patented kneebar, Perkins defeated Da Mack, Johnny Gargano, Rich Swann, and Ibushi in something of an upset to reach the finals against CMLL's Gran Metalik.
It wasn't known that the winner would receive more than a gorgeous looking trophy specially commissioned for the tournament until just before the final match.
Triple H, the mastermind behind the concept, brought with him the Cruiserweight Championship which had been dormant for eight years and was last held by the diminutive Hornswoggle.
With the extra incentive, TJP and Metalik put on a clinic of determination and high risk maneuvers. In the end Perkins would submit the Mexican sensation with the kneebar and proudly become the new flag bearer of the revitalized division.
He would go on to hold onto the title for 46 days appearing on Raw a few weeks following the CWC's conclusion.
Right away he encountered his first serious challenger Brian Kendrick who he knew all too well.
For Kendrick, the Cruiserweight Championship served as his ultimate reminder to the entire wrestling world that he hadn't lost a step whatsoever in the time he was away from WWE.
He had previously put together a nice resume for himself as a long-reigning tag team champion with Paul London in 2006-2007 and later as a promising singles star in 2008 but it all fell apart in the blink of an eye and he was released in 2009.
Seeing the CWC as his last opportunity to keep the dream alive, Kendrick was perhaps the most motivated of the field to win and do so at all costs.
He would go on to defeat Raul Mendoza and Tony Nese before a heartbreaking loss to Kota Ibushi in the third round. It appeared that was the last we'd see of The Man With a Plan.
However, his efforts did not go unnoticed and when it was announced that the Cruiserweight Division would be featured on Monday nights, Kendrick was among the first announced.
Upon targeting the man who he helped find his way into wrestling, Kendrick tried to engage in mind games to knock Perkins' mind off balance. He even went as far to ask him to lay down and allow him to win the title as a means of paying him back and allowing Kendrick to continue to provide for his family.
Perkins wouldn't even slightly entertain the request and went on to defeat Kendrick at Clash of Champions with the kneebar. He extended his hand to Kendrick only to be met with a vicious head-butt to the face.
A subsequent non-title victory over Perkins secured Kendrick another bite at the apple at Hell in A Cell. The crafty Wizard of Odd would employ a new strategy to achieve his goal.
Perkins controlled the action with his swift strikes but ultimately fell prey to one of the oldest tricks in the book. A feigned knee injury caused him to both let his guard down and fall prey to Kendrick's Captain's Hook submission. That bit of treachery procured Kendrick the championship and vindication at long lost.
Like Perkins, Kendrick would take great pride in holding the title but that didn't prevent him from taking more shortcuts to maintain his grip on it.
The following night on Raw he would intentionally get counted out giving Perkins the win in their rematch but not the title. From then on, his ego ballooned to overshadow any gratitude he may have had being back in the spotlight.
He went on to tell his fellow cruiserweights they should have been grateful with him leading the pack and bringing prominence to the division each time he was out there in the ring.
His arrogance only grew at Survivor Series where with an unexpected assist from Baron Corbin he held off the challenge of Kalisto; had the former US Champion won, Smackdown Live would have won the division from Raw.
To Brian, the very notion of anyone ending his reign was outlandish.
Wait.. did somebody say Outlandish?
Enter Rich Swann.
With his impeccable dance moves, inimitable facial expressions and explosive offense, Swann was an instant hit when he burst onto the scene in NXT. Though his pair of matches against then-NXT Champion Finn Balor and Baron Corbin resulted in losses, it was obvious to all who saw him that Swann was a keeper; he just needed the right outlet.
The CWC provided him with just that. Two wins over Jason Lee and Lince Dorado impressed many but Swann was ironically knocked out of the tournament by one of the men he faces on Sunday, TJP.
It was no surprise the colorful Swann was among those announced for the division's move to Raw. From there he complied an impressive win-loss record, most importantly a #1 Contenders win over Perkins and Noam Dar to secure a title shot against Kendrick (who he already owned non-title victories over)
The stage was set for the debut edition of 205 Live, an exclusive program dedicated to the Cruiserweights. Both champion and challenger exuded confidence beforehand, Kendrick proclaiming his win was a foregone conclusion.
Throughout the title bout, it appeared the reigning champion could indeed handle Swann in a back and forth struggle. He kept Swann grounded and nearly submitted him on more than one occasion.
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As he has done his entire life, Swann persevered and after mounting a comeback and taking to the sky, it took just three head kicks to put Kendrick down and Swann finally realized his dream.
Like the previous titleholders, the Cruiserweight Championship means everything to "The Outlandish" one. He lost his parents very early on in life and nearly walked down a dark path he may not have returned from. Instead he channeled his energy and will power into professional wrestling. It paid off in spades, especially now as he wears gold in WWE.
Neither Kendrick or Perkins packed it in and left Swann alone however. It wasn't long before he had to compete against them both on back to back nights.
On the December 5 edition of Raw in a non-title match, Perkins gave Swann all he could handle and then some. TJP hadn't received a return match after Kendrick's cowardly exit from their previous encounter and a win over the new champion would immediately put him back into the title hunt.
Momentum swung back and forth with Swann finding his groove as the match went on. Perkins had no answers for anything thrown at him for several minutes.
Despite his best efforts, TJP fell victim and Swann picked up a key victory early on into his title reign.
The following night on the second ever edition of 205 Live, Swann's first title defense saw him across the ring from a vengeful Kendrick. The former champion had fought too long and too hard for a 30 day reign to be his lasting legacy. To survive, Swann would have to be on his toes and prepared for anything. An added presence was at ringside as Perkins sat in on guest commentary vowing he would see Cruiserweight Championship reign #2 before long.
Kendrick had Swann fighting for both his title and oxygen, sinking in The Captain's Hook. Swann just barely made it to the ropes for an escape.
Swann once more fought through adversity and it took only one kick this go around to pick up the victory.
The post-match activity though added a new wrinkle to the story. Kendrick wanted to take his frustrations out on Perkins kicking off a scuffle. Swann wound up caught in the line of fire as Perkins threw a kick meant for Kendrick and connected with him instead.
It was a long climb up for Swann but it appeared his struggle was only beginning.
When a Triple Threat Match for the Cruiserweight Championship was announced for Roadblock: End of The Line, all three men wanted to build further momentum and in theory give themselves an edge heading into the PPV. For a second week, they would get consecutive nights to try and do so.
On the December 12 edition of Raw, Kendrick and Perkins locked horns for the first time since October. Perkins had double the motivation, seeking revenge on Kendrick and send Swann a message.
Each knew the other so well that it was difficult for either to get a definitive advantage.
Perkins upped the tempo but the crafty Kendrick is one of the best at slowing down fast paces. He drove Perkins into the mat and kept on him until he was able to connect with the Sliced Bread #2 for a key victory.
Another loss at the hands of his bitter enemy stung but Perkins wouldn't have the time to dwell on it.
On the December 13th edition of 205 Live, he once again met Swann in a non-title match hoping for a better outcome than before.
As expected it was an evenly matched contest and at times each simultaneously attempted the same move. Those watching had a difficult time calling a winner.
Swann would go to end it with his trademark kick but Perkins had it well scouted, turning it into a kneebar. Maybe wanting to preserve himself for Sunday, Swann tapped out giving TJP a measure of redemption and that coveted momentum. He had just proven he could submit Swann and will no doubt look to do it again with the title on the line.
The post-match story once again created an interesting scenario. Kendrick went from onlooker to instigator upon entering the ring.
He seemed to try and nudge Perkins into an alliance against Swann. Having already fallen for his dirty tricks, TJ instead floored him with a kick.
A downed Swann wondered if he would be next but Perkins opted to simply smile, satisfied with the victory.
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All three are capable of walking out as champion on Sunday. They each possess the abilities and psychology required to navigate a Triple Threat Match. It promises to an exciting match and one I am most looking forward to.
Projection:
While TJ Perkins rebuffed Kendrick's efforts to focus on Swann, I find it inevitable there will be moments of temporary partnerships both out of spite and strategy to narrow it down to two men in the ring.
Kendrick is very cerebral and I expect him to pick and choose his involvement in the action. It would make great sense for him to allow Perkins and Swann to wear each other out and then slide in to pick up the scraps and possibly the win.
Perkins and Swann have likely prepared for such tactics and will likely seek to eliminate their common nemesis. It would then come down to Swann's styles mix against Perkins' submission prowess.
I see Swann picking up the win and retaining the title pinning Kendrick after a well placed Swann Song kick to the skull. The party is just getting started for Mr. Outlandish.
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10 Minute Challenge Match
Sami Zayn vs Braun Strowman
Very few in WWE, if not all of pro wrestling, have ever been able to match the heart of Sami Zayn.
From the minute he debuted in NXT, the beloved Underdog from the Underground displayed grit and determination in every single match he competed in. No loss was too damning and no situation was too hopeless to make a run at.
That first night in NXT, he scored back to back wins over current Smackdown star Curt Hakwins and current Raw star Cesaro. The latter bout led to a classic series between the Swiss Superman and Canadian sensation. While Cesaro would go on to defeat Zayn at Arrival and a classic Two out of Three Falls match, Zayn's unwillingness to accept defeat gained him respect. It would prove to be a pattern that would repeat itself as he went forward.
After being told he just couldn't win when it mattered moist by then-NXT Champion Adrian Neville, Sami created his own Road to Redemption to earn a title opportunity. Previous foes that had defeated him would find themselves challenged and conquered; this included the likes of Titus O'Neil and Tyler Breeze. Zayn went for broke and put his career on the line against Neville at Takeover: R-Evolution.
The gamble paid off and in a thrilling main event Zayn captured the title with his Helluva Kick.
During John Cena's first reign as United States Champion, he issues weekly open challenges to anyone looking to step up and make a name for themselves. Zayn was there to answer the call when Raw came to Montreal .
Although he would suffer a freak injury during his pre-match routine, Zayn couldn't be stopped from giving The Champ one of his toughest tests to date. Cena would ultimately retain but Zayn once again earned an endorsement and respect.
Not even betrayal and further injury were enough to keep Zayn from finding success.
The night he won the NXT Championship his close friend Kevin Owens debuted and later proved he was anything but a friend. A shocking turn of events saw Owens surprise Zayn with an attack and pursuit of his title.
Owens would go on to win it and in the process put Zayn on the shelf in their return match after several power bombs including one onto the ring apron.
Zayn would not return to action for quite some time but the desire to reach new pinnacles never died out in his soul. After tying up some loose ends in NXT, he would return to the main roster spotlight at the 2016 Royal Rumble.
His direct target was Owens who thought his former best friend was in his rearview mirror for good having enjoyed success defeating Cena and a reign as Intercontinental champion.
Their paths kept crossing until their biggest singles match to date took place at Battleground 2016. With more than a hint of remorse that it came down to it, Zayn finally scored a pinfall victory and gained the revenge and redemption he badly sought.
As you can see, Zayn has made an art out of finding ways to do the seemingly impossible and triumph in every way imaginable when the dust settles.
However the latest mountain he stands at the bottom of may be the one he regrets ever wanting to climb.
Braun Strowman was set loose by Bray Wyatt the night after Summerslam 2015 in his war against Roman Reigns. Sister Abigail's black sheep proved to be a vital part of The Wyatt Family's return to prominence during his time under the dark spell of The Eater of Worlds.
Then things began to become even more deadly. The Brand Extension saw Strowman drafted away from his Family onto Monday Night Raw. Although he was massive and powerful, some wondered how he would do without Bray guiding him,
The answer came quickly and it was a resounding just fine. Good for Braun, bad for everyone else.
For weeks on end, Strowman waged a geographical dissection of the local talent wherever Raw happened to emanate from. Everyone from James Ellsworth to Johnny Knockout were promptly beaten and discarded like yesterday's trash.
After awhile he grew bored with that and demanded GM Mick Foley provide him with real competition. For two weeks Foley attempted to oblige him with two on one and three on one Handicap matches. Strowman plowed through the collective opposition but wasn't the least bit pleased with what he was given.
Never meeting an obstacle he never liked, Sami Zayn stepped up to the plate in mid-October wanting to give Strowman his first real taste of a challenge.
Strowman however didn't take too kindly to this nor did he see any real threat. He ignored Zayn and spoke directly to Foley once more about getting him suitable opposition.
One slap is all it took and the chase was on. Zayn used his speed to evade Strowman for a little bit, even landing a dropkick as Strowman attempted to enter the ring.
Eventually his luck ran out and Strowman grabbed ahold of him. A trip into the security wall seemed to leave Zayn for dead and without the match ever starting, Strowman headed to the back even more angered than what he first made his entrance.
To Strowman, the Sami Zayn issue was over with. But Zayn had no intention of simply moving on.
As Survivor Series drew near, Team Raw needed to fill one final spot in order to go ahead to ahead with Team Smackdown. A Battle Royal was announced to find the final piece of the puzzle.
As it so happened, Zayn and Strowman were the final two remaining participants. It was another test of speed verses power with Zayn having his moments of success against his much large rival.
Using a guillotine choke, Zayn nearly eliminated Strowman but there was just too much of a size difference for him to overcome on this night. Strowman would power out and send him crashing to the floor gaining the victory.
While he wouldn't be part of Team Red, Zayn kept his head down and plugged away until he found himself with an opportunity to bring the Intercontinental Championship to Raw. After defeating Rusev in a match to earn the title shot, Zayn went in fully confident he would make Miz's sixth reign a short one and take away one of the key titles from Smackdown.
The following night on Raw, Mick Foley would be the one to put Zayn back in the ring with Braun Strowman. Strowman was already in a foul mood after James Ellsworth's interference eliminated him early from the Team Raw vs Team Smackdown match the previous night and Zayn was in danger of being his punching bag.
Strowman jumped Zayn as he made his entrance and from that moment on, it became an uncomfortable massacre to witness.
Zayn valiantly stayed in the match but the punishment he was on the receiving end of was too great to withstand, He rocked Strowman for a second but it would be the last offense he'd get in.
By the time Zayn was trapped in the Tree of Woe, it became too much even for the man who set the match up. Foley came out and ordered the official to end the match and award it to Strowman. A lifeless Zayn lay crumbled on the mat but the fact how the end came was out of his hands proved to be only further fuel tossed into the fire.
Try as he might to move on to those he felt were worthy of his time, Strowman couldn't keep Zayn away from him.
The following week Braun would lay waste to R-Truth and then Goldust when he tried to stand up for his tag team partner and friend. As he choked Dust' out, the proverbial monkey on his back returned before he knew it.
Strowman powered Zayn off him and returned him to the Tree of Woe. This time, before he could inflict further damage, Foley was back to usher him to the locker room. Satisfied his message had been received loud and clear, he made his exit but not before giving the GM the look of death.
When Zayn recovered he was none too pleased to see Foley having come to his rescue for a second week in a row. He demanded to know why Mick was repeatedly involving himself in his business and trying to protect him when he didn't need it. Foley's response would sting him greater than imagined.
He told Zayn that when Stephanie wanted to fire him following Survivor Series, he went to bat and appeased her by putting him against Strowman. But it wasn't a match, it was a brutalization he couldn't stomach to watch. Now he implored Sami to let it go because he could not and would never defeat Strowman. The man was a monster and all the heart and fire wouldn't serve Zayn in a fruitless quest.
An irate Zayn fired back that of all people, Foley should be the last one telling anyone they couldn't do something. He wondered what would have happened to Foley's career had he ever listened to anyone who doubted him even once? In Zayn's mind, the GM was taking away opportunities from him, opportunities Mick himself had gotten because he never quit.
On the December 12 edition of Raw Zayn would confront Foley backstage in another effort to receive one more chance at taking on Strowman. The colossal terror had just defeated Curtis Axel and told Byron Saxton that Zayn wouldn't last two minutes with him nor would anyone else.
Foley denied him instantly stating he would give him any match he desired but Braun Strowman because he couldn't beat the man. When Zayn reiterated his counterpoint from the previous week, Mick wondered if he shouldn't get on the horn with Daniel Bryan and trade Zayn to Smackdown Live.
Jinder Mahal was Zayn's opponent later that evening but it was a case of right place, wrong time. He gave Zayn a run for his money but he wasn't going to deter him from sending Foley a message.
After his quick victory, the moment of truth came when Foley re-emerged with a contract in hand. He informed Zayn he had indeed spoken with Bryan and he held the contract he'd need to sign to go to Smackdown Live.
Zayn was all set but was curious when Mick asked if he wanted to know who he would be traded away for. The answer in the form of Eva Marie set him off into a brutal tirade wondering how Foley could just send someone worth a hundred Eva Maries' to the other side so easily.
Once he was finished, Foley told him that he just made him feel as if he had made the right decision Not to trade him though; he revealed that to be a ruse of sorts to fully test Sami's commitment to taking on Strowman in spite of all signs pointing to potential career ending harm in addition to a loss.
Zayn was getting his match at Roadblock: End of The Line because not only would Mick never trade him for anyone but he always believed in him. Strowman doesn't think he'd last two minutes? Mick challenged him to last the ten minute time limit their match will have.
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Projection:
This has proven to be a very intriguing saga to watch unfold and difficult to predict an outcome for.
We've seen Zayn be able to outrun Strowman and keep him on his toes but not fully neutralize him and walk away on his own power.
On the flipside, to date Strowman has yet to be tested going the distance. Ten minutes may not seem like much to an outside observer but it often can feel like an eternity to many, especially those not used to going past three minutes like him.
What will the big man do if Zayn is able to set the pace and keep it? His strategy has always been an offensive one and use his size itself to counteract anything thrown at him. Everyone has a plan until it falls apart.
I see Zayn being able to make it past the two minute mark and down to the wire. It won't be enough though. Strowman will eventually get ahold of him and put him down for the pinfall.
One thing is for sure: Zayn won't stop as long as his lungs intake air and he will win even more respect win or lose. It's what he does.
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Grudge Match (Kickoff Show)
Big Cass vs Rusev
There are two things in WWE that have been made abundantly clear over the past few years.
1. Enzo Amore considers himself a Bona Fide G and a Certified Stud (neither of which you can teach)
Flanked by Big Cass (over seven foot tall) this motor mouthed sensation has had people hanging onto every one of his words and 9 out of 10 reciting them along with him. He and Cass are life long chums and has been proven that when you mess with one, you face the wrath of the other.
1. Enzo Amore considers himself a Bona Fide G and a Certified Stud (neither of which you can teach)
Flanked by Big Cass (over seven foot tall) this motor mouthed sensation has had people hanging onto every one of his words and 9 out of 10 reciting them along with him. He and Cass are life long chums and has been proven that when you mess with one, you face the wrath of the other.
2. Rusev is Lana's husband and therefore the only man who can have her. All those who attempt to insert themselves either between them or in their business are subject to punishment as its most brutal.
The merging of these two facts started with a prank and got deadly by the end.
On the November 21st edition of Raw, Enzo found himself locked out of the dressing room post-shower.
Normally that wouldn't have been too catastrophic but he was minus his clothes or a towel. He wandered around trying to figure a way out of the situation when he encountered Lana. The Bronx Babe Killer turned on the charm until Rusev came along.
After wondering why Enzo was naked in front of his wife, the former US Champion aggressively suggested Amore get dressed and meet him in the ring.
Enzo came out with Cass and rattled off rhymes about his game while even in the buff. There was no shortage of confidence. There was also no shortage of pain Rusev was willing to dish out.
The match was over in short order via Accolade only Rusev was in no hurry to break the hold until Cass stepped in. Then the Bulgarian Brute suddenly just had to make an exit from the ring while Cass glared a hole through him.
The two would meet again the following week and it was apparent that Enzo hadn't learned his lesson. Or perhaps he did but being a Skywalker Smacktalker didn't include the interest in not further poking an angry bear with a stick.
As he worked his verbal magic, he suggested Lana got the best view of her life when she saw him in his birthday suit and thought about him stuffing her turkey over the Thanksgiving holiday.
To the surprise of nobody Rusev was not amused. Not even a chuckle was elicited.
The match itself was another brief encounter with a rinse and repeat theme of the prior week. Enzo's mouth landed him a beating. Rusev wasn't even interested in victory; a well placed kick between the legs would suffice. Again Cass would have to intervene forcing Rusev to seek safer ground.
His pride (and testicles) were wounded but Enzo isn't the type to take a hint (his many failed advances towards Carmella in NXT being a notable example)
So when he and Cass spotted an arguing Rusev and Lana on the December 5 edition of Raw, he was all in. When Lana threw her wedding ring on the ground, he swooped in like a graceful bird.
Lana told Enzo to make plans to come see her at the hotel she was staying at and he didn't need a single second to accept the offer.
While his little buddy made his move (with an assist from the king of ladies men Ric Flair and his limo) Cass found himself accepting an offer of his own; Rusev wanted to face him later on in the night.
The match never happened. Cass stood mid-ring while Rusev's music played but he was nowhere to be found. By the time the light went off in Cass's head about what was actually going down, it was far too late for him to be there for Enzo this time.
At the hotel Lana seduced Enzo into getting down to his boxers when he came to his senses about messing around with a married woman. He wasn't getting away though. Rusev was front and center when Lana revealed it was a ploy all along.
Rusev beat on Enzo in everyway imaginable, tossing him around like a beach ball. It ended with a lamp being shattered against the back of his head and Rusev drug him into the hallway as if he were a deer freshly killed.
Rusev and Lana were all smiles and giggles on the December 12 edition of Raw. They played with the males in the crowd teasing they would show the steamy aftermath of the events at the hotel, only to play a recap of Enzo's beating.
One look at Cass's face when he interrupted the gloating said it all. Though he took the time to deliver a verbal message , he came to fight.
Later on in the evening it would be announced the two big men would collide on the Kickoff portion of Roadblock: End of The Line
At the annual Tribute To The Troops show, Enzo would return to the side of his compadre as Cass and Roman Reigns took on Kevin Owens and Rusev.
Cass would gain some retribution as he and Reigns were victorious but Rusev still had a karma tab he plans on making him pay in full on Sunday.
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Projection:
This is going to be one bruising battle. There won't be any visually stunning high flying but the hard hitting nature should more than make up for that.
Rusev enjoys hurting anyone he wrestles especially the mega favorites of American fans. It is a nice theoretical bonus in addition to his goal of finishing what he started with Enzo through his closest pal.
Cass will look to fully avenge all Rusev has put them through as well as further his singles career. He made an impressive showing this past Summer in the Fatal Four Way to crown a new Universal Champion and a victory over someone the caliber of Rusev would put him right back into the discussion of future title contenders to either the Universal or US Championships.
Both men employ high impact moves and are known to leave their feet once and awhile. They also effectively utilize their feet in key maneuvers. Rusev's leaping side kick is the prelude to the Accolade while Cass's big boot is one of the best in wrestling today. It could be case of whoever lands theirs first wins.
In the end I see Cass hitting an impressive East River Crossing, a big boot, and an Empire Elbow to pick up the victory. Any other prediction would be S-A-W-F-T, SAWWWFT!
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WWE Tag Team Championship Match
The New Day (c) vs Cesaro & Sheamus
The tale of these two teams and the paths each has gone down couldn't be any more different which is what makes this upcoming encounter all the more anticipated.
The New Day was founded on a brotherhood, a tight bond between Xavier Woods, Kofi Kingston, and Big E that ran strong in and out of the ring and arenas across the world. Each unlocked a door for the other that they thought would remain locked for the duration of their careers.
It wasn't always rainbows and unicorns though. Their initial arrival wasn't greeted with chants of "New Day Rocks" and despite the bright and cheery message, the power of positivity fell on deaf ears.
In the present day, the trio has turned into a phenomenon tag team wrestling hasn't seen in many years. In the two years of its existence, New Day has unmistakably added to and changed the landscape of wrestling pop culture.
They made playing the trombone trendy.
They made unicorn horns fashionable.
Breakfast became less booty with the first wrestling based cereal in decades.
Most historically, they broke a 25 year old record nobody ever thought would be surpassed.
Demolition captured the World Tag Team Championships from Strike Force on March 27, 1988 and would not be dethroned until July 29, 1989 by The Brainbusters. 478 consecutive days was a massive feat that seemed as if it would stand forever.
On August 23, 2015 New Day began their second reign as Tag Team Champions at Summerslam. They haven't looked back since and as I write this they've been on top for 482 days.
Over that time period they have turned back countless challengers, each who seemed to be THE team to take the titles from New Day.
The Dudley Boys made a shocking return to WWE the night after Summerslam 2015 and immediately targeted the champions. Reign #10 seemed in sight.
At Hell in a Cell that year, New Day got extreme themselves and managed to send them back to Dudley Ville empty handed.
The Dudley Boys made a shocking return to WWE the night after Summerslam 2015 and immediately targeted the champions. Reign #10 seemed in sight.
At Hell in a Cell that year, New Day got extreme themselves and managed to send them back to Dudley Ville empty handed.
As the New Era kicked off in 2016, several new teams arrived with their eyes on becoming Tag Team Champions. It was thought that New Day wouldn't be able to turn back the onslaught of challengers, especially when they included Enzo Amore and Big Cass and former IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Champions Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows.
Yet they did just that. At Money In The Bank, New Day defeated the aforementioned duos along with The Vaudevillians in a Fatal Four Way Match.
Anderson and Gallows doggedly pursued them throughout the Summer into the Fall but each time walked away with a loss. New Day made people smile and laugh but they were dead serious on keeping their gold.
Not even super tandems like Kevin Owens & Chris Jericho or former Tag Team Champions Seth Rollins & Roman Reigns were able to prevent history being made. On the December 12 edition of Raw, both were defeated by New Day in a triple threat match (New Day's second of the night) paving the way for Demolition's record to be demolished.
New Day has overcome the odds time and time again. When others didn't, they kept believing in themselves and each other. That is why they ROCK.
On the flip side, their opponents on Sunday didn't share any common bond other than the love for beating the holy hell out of each other and eventually other people.
Following the Brand Extension of 2016, both Sheamus and Cesaro were quite vocal about being drafted onto Monday Night Raw. Cesaro outright said he wanted to be on Smackdown Live and was insulted to have been drafted so far down into the selections.
Mick Foley saw this as a way to channel that anger into something compelling and productive for both the brand and his unhappy campers. So a Best of 7 Series was devised with the winner getting an unspecified title opportunity.
Every ounce of frustration and anger were unleashed over the course of the series. Sheamus held a 3-0 lead at one point but the Swiss Superman roared back to tie it up.
Their final match at Clash of Champions may have been their most brutal to date. So brutal that it ended without a decisive winner, neither man able to continue on after a horrendous spill into the crowd.
Both went into the following night's Raw fully expecting either a tie breaker or even better to be announced as the overall winner and get their title shot.
They got their wish though not in the way anyone expected. Foley declared both winners and decided to pair them together; he wanted them to combine their efforts and abilities towards becoming Tag Team Champions. It seemed ludicrous on paper. How the heck could these two ever co-exist? They couldn't even stop arguing while traveling.
Yet while they weren't trying to outdo one another, they wound up making an effective tandem and would go on to challenge New Day at Hell in a Cell.
At first New Day was able to take advantage of their challengers lack of team experience and dominate the action. But as the bout went on, Woods and Big E found themselves in quite the struggle.
A miscommunication and an arrant Brogue Kick nearly brought their team down but Sheamus kept going and made up for his error in spectacular fashion.
Woods fought back but eventually became trapped in Cesaro's sharpshooter. With Big E taken out by Sheamus and their own trombone Kofi Kingston felt compelled to interfere and hit a Trouble In Paradise on Sheamus. Woods submitted but unfortunately for Cesaro, the official had already called for the DQ. He and Sheamus would pick up the win but leave without the titles.
As if the stinging disappointment hadn't been bad enough, Cesaro and Sheamus were put on a team captained by New Day at Survivor Series in an elimination match against Smackdown Live's best five tag teams. Nearly every pundit predicted their inability to consistently coexist would be the downfall for the Raw squad leaving the champions to pick up the slack.
In a shocking turn of events, New Day would be eliminated early by The Usos while Cesaro and Sheamus were the sole survivors last eliminating Jimmy and Jey. On top of that, they were a well oiled machine in doing so.
The impressive victory earned them a tag team title rematch on the following night, the November 21st edition of Raw.
Fueled by their previous night's success, the challengers provided an even more difficult match for New Day than at Hell in a Cell. Kofi Kingston, now a legal participant was repeatedly plucked out of the air by Cesaro and taken out.
New Day didn't become champions by having the inability to mount a comeback though and they rallied to swing momentum in their favor.
The action went back and forth until it appeared a title change was on the horizon. Cesaro locked on a sharpshooter on Kingston in the center of the ring while Sheamus blasted Big E with a Brogue Kick. Just like HIAC, New Day would use the numbers game to their advantage; Woods hopped on the apron to provide a distraction as Kofi tapped out.
The confusion allowed him to recover and cradle Cesaro for the tainted win. Once again Sheamus and Cesaro were left deflated, their best effort to date coming up short.
On the November 28 edition of Raw the Irish and Swiss could be found in a bar commiserating over their loss and theorizing that even a title victory wouldn't have been enough to make up for their cultural and attitude differences.
Just as it seemed they were heading for a split, a group of obnoxious patrons united them for a good old fashioned bar fight. Coming out on top, the pair decided they made a great team after all and toasted one another. Their quest would continue on.
On the December 12 edition of Raw, they would once again challenge New Day alongside The Club in a Triple Threat Match. The hot opening contest had many thrilling moments and ultimately New Day would come out victorious en route to making history.
On December 14 at Tribute To The Troops, a key Fatal Four Way match finally got Cesaro and Sheamus pack into contention.
The other teams including The Golden Truth, The Club, and The Shining Stars were equally motivated to get their opportunity at the titles but former enemies turned cohesive unit were not going to be denied their fourth title shot by any means.
Cesaro was like a mad man upper cutting and diving onto everyone in sight.
By the time Sheamus delivered a Brogue Kick to Primo for the win, New Day had something to worry about.
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Projection:
New Day work as one even when only two of them are defending their titles. Any combination of the three are a challenge to combat and this match should be no different.
I expect them to use the numbers game as they have proven they are not above bending the rules to maintain their increasing record setting reign.
However, Sheamus and Cesaro are master tacticians and by now have likely figured out New Day's game plan. It is vital they remove the third cog of their machine if they have any hopes of finally taking home the gold.
I see Kofi and Big E going into battle and Woods being neutralized when he attempts to get involved. This is the night Cesaro's sharpshooter finally bags him and Sheamus the success thought to be a fantasy when their team was first formed.
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Seth Rollins vs Chris Jericho
During his time as a member of the feared Shield faction Seth Rollins became known as the architect of the group's calculated and devastating assaults.
Ever since Triple H's mysterious return in August, Rollins has mapped out his most ambitious blueprint yet:
Burn the Game's Kingdom down through his wife and Monday Night Raw. That alone should get Hunter's attention and back into the ring for the first time since WrestleMania 32.
The sudden turn of events placed the WWE Universal Championship in the hands of Kevin Owens and that has not set well with The MAN who has never given up on taking back the title that slipped through his fingers on two occasions.
Rollins has challenged Owens several times and it is very likely he would have defeated him on his first challenge had it not been for one man:
The proprietor of The List, Chris Jericho. Ever since Y2J and Owens discovered a shared hatred of Enzo Amore back in August, the two BEST FRIENDS have been joined at the hip ever since.
Never was that more evident than Owens' successive title defenses against Rollins.
At Clash of The Champions, it was an even back and forth contest between champion and challenger. When it appeared Owens was in danger of losing his newly won title, Jericho suddenly made his presence felt.
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Initially he was an unwelcome KO cheerleader but it didn't stay that way for long. Rollins hit a Pedigree and had victory at hand when Jericho placed Owens foot on the bottom rope.
Rollins didn't take the disruption too kindly and soon turned his anger onto Jericho. It wasn't enough to keep him at bay; after the official was accidently knocked out Jericho became further involved and was the direct reason Owens retained the title that night.
At Hell in a Cell Rollins thought he had it in the bag. He felt if it had not been for Jericho he would have dethroned Owens and stuck it to Triple H where it hurt the most. Inside Satan's Playground, it would be one on one and Owens had nowhere to run.
For the first half of the match it was just that. A bitter exchange of heavy blows and counters were exchanged. Then an unforeseen issue occurred; as a fire extinguisher was used the residue got into the official's eyes rendering him blind and unable to properly officiate the bout.
As a replacement was brought down, Jericho seized his opportunity to get involved.
As at the Clash, Rollins made him pay dearly with a well executed Pedigree and he rolled onto the floor in short order.
Also like the Clash, Rollins had certain victory in hand when Jericho disrupted it. A Pedigree to Owens only yielded a two count because Y2J pulled out the official.
For his troubles he was put through a table then he and Owens were repeatedly smashed with a steel chair.
He did just enough to give Owens the chance to hit Rollins with a Popup Powerbomb and retain the title for a second PPV in a row. Like a buzzard Jericho swooped in and added insult to injury with a Codebreaker. Rollins had been screwed again even with a no rules environment at play.
At Survivor Series Rollins found himself part of Team Raw's big elimination match and to his dismay JeriKO took it upon themselves to act as co-captains. All three would be eliminated and on the losing side which only added to the chaos that unfolded the next night.
As part of his agreement Rollins was granted a No DQ Universal Championship match against Owens with GM Mick Foley banning Jericho and Rollins' uneasy ally Roman Reigns from the match.
Helping that cause was the apparent dissention between the Best Friends stemming from Survivor Series where Owens used Jericho's List as a weapon to get DQ'd and distracting Jericho long enough for him to be eliminated as well moments later.
For a third time Rollins seemingly was just moments away from his third title reign when a fan wearing a Sin Cara mask shoved him off the security wall he prepared to leap off onto Owens.
Of course it was no fan but a defiant Jericho.
An incensed Rollins felt Jericho hadn't had a steady enough diet of Pedigrees in the fall so he delivered another one just to be sure. The damage was done however as Owens was right there for a powerbomb onto the apron resulting in another successful title defense.
On the November 28 edition of Raw more cracks began to form in the friendship of Owens and Jericho over whether or not KO actually needed Chris's help against either Rollins or Reigns who had begun to make a play for a title shot.
Unlike their ruse the previous week, this appeared to be a legitimate situation and Rollins was all too happy to pick his spot for revenge.
As Jericho angrily attempted to leave the arena his limo door was kicked into him sending his List flying. Suddenly Rollins revealed himself and pummeled Jericho relentlessly. The beating culminated with a Pedigree on top of the limo. Jericho had brought it all upon himself.
On the December 5 edition of Raw as Rollins spelled out his plan to take out Jericho and Owens to get to Triple H, Owens emerged and revealed that as part of three gifts he'd gotten for his best buddy Jericho would face Rollins at Roadblock: End of The Line.
Despite that good will gesture the Best Friends' alliance continued crumbling which was something Rollins sought to exploit when he brought back The Rollins Report on the December 12 edition of Raw. Owens was his guest though he wouldn't join his nemesis in the ring and opted to sit at the top of the stage.
Jericho was absent until Owens brought up they would challenge New Day for the WWE Tag Team Championships later on in the show. When he came out he wasn't too pleased and rebuked the olive branch as a sign they were cool again.
Rollins tried to further divide them but it only resulted in a temporary cease fire and an attack from Jericho and Owens. Fortunately Roman Reigns made the save and ran them off. Rollins attempted yet another Pedigree on Jericho but Owens pulled him to safety.
The four would cross paths again when Foley added Rollins and Reigns to the main event of the show turning New Day vs Owens and Jericho into a Triple Threat Match for the Tag Team Titles.
New Day retained the gold but Rollins was able to put another nail in the friendship coffin of JeriKO.
Jericho had hit Xavier Woods with a Codebreaker but Rollins knocked Owens into him to knock him off the cover.
As the pair argued, Rollins delivered a knee to Jericho knocking him into Owens. A Pedigree was delivered but New Day took Rollins out and Woods would pinned the downed Jericho for the win.
Rollins constant instigating may have paid off in getting Jericho in a fair fight on Sunday.
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Projection:
There is zero doubt that Rollins is laser focused on finally putting Jericho behind him and moving onto Owens. Every last bit of taunting and interference Jericho has carried out swirls in his head and aggression is guaranteed to be unleashed in every way imaginable.
But Jericho shouldn't be viewed as a mere lamb being led to slaughter. He may pay the piper in some fashion but I think what he brings going into the match will propel him to perhaps an unlikely victory.
Up until now he has been doing the dirty work of Owens in the name of friendship. With that friendship appearing to be nearing its end, the former World Champion is motivated to remind everyone he is the best in the world at what he does and Sunday is the prime place to do it.
Who is to say we won't see Jericho himself challenge Owens sooner rather than later? Rollins could suffer from tunnel vision and wrongly look ahead to the next two parts of his grand plan. Not a wise thing to do against a talent of his caliber.
Whether it is Owens or Triple H, some form of chicanery will go down and play a factor into the match. I see Jericho stealing this one (and furious if it is Owens lending a helping hand) and Rollins left fuming and only further motivated into gaining ultimate revenge.
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WWE Universal Championship Match
Kevin Owens (c) vs United States Champion Roman Reigns
The night Kevin Owens captured the WWE Universal Championship, Seth Rollins wasn't the only one screwed by Triple H and forced to go on the hunt.
When The Game made his surprise return Roman Reigns was the first to feel his wrath. A Pedigree onto the floor led to his elimination from the title match. Triple H also pounded the hell out of the man who had taken the WWE Title from him at WrestleMania.
The following week Owens tried to enjoy his championship coronation but the former Shield members saw to it that he wouldn't. Rollins interrupted the proceedings at the top of the show while Reigns made his intentions crystal clear by the end.
After Owens defeated Sami Zayn he wouldn't be able to celebrate for a minute when the Big Dog made his way out to the ring.
Though Reigns made the challenge, Owens had no desire to grant him anything. When his BFF Chris Jericho came down to even the odds, GM Mick Foley came to the rescue and announced that Reigns would face Owens the following week and if he won, Owens vs. Rollins at Clash of Champions would become a Triple Threat Match.
Owens in true cocky fashion made his way to the back as Reigns intently locked his eyes on the title.
Their encounter did not go without controversy or outside involvement.
It didn't start out that way; in fact it was a hard fought battle that saw momentum swing back and forth like a pendulum. Owens utilized his surprising speed while Reigns stuck to the power game.
As Reigns built momentum Owens retreated to the outside and was taking his sweet time getting back into the ring. That is when Rollins, warned by Foley earlier not to get involved, struck without warning. This gave Owens a DQ victory and kept Reigns out of the title picture at Clash of Champions.
But Mick wasn't having any of that and came out to re-start the match much to KO's displeasure. Reigns on the other hand was reinvigorated by the second chance and took it to the brash champion.
Reigns likely would have punched his ticket into the title match had it not been for then-US Champion Rusev. They had unresolved issues stemming from Summerslam and Rusev chose the right moment to impede Reigns' title aspirations.
The distraction led to an Owens Popup Powerbomb and Reigns being back on the outside looking in.
Because of all the extracurricular activity, Foley made another non-title match between the two the following week. In order to ensure no outside involvement it was made a steel cage match. Not exactly a welcome prospect when considered the two had key Clash of Champions matches just days later.
Neither one held back though and made sure the other got up close and personal with the steel.
Without any Jericho or Rusev, Owens had to go it alone and he had his moments of dominance.
In the end though Reigns sent him crashing to the mat and made a successful escape. This laid the groundwork for what was to come.
At Clash of The Champions Owens went on to defeat Rollins to retain the Universal Championship with an assist from Jericho while Reigns defeated Rusev to win his first United States Championship.
At Hell in a Cell Owens again defeated Rollins to retain his title while Reigns turned back Rusev's rematch challenge, both taking place inside the Cell.
At Survivor Series Reigns and Owens were both members of Team Raw in a losing effort to Team Smackdown Live. Reigns lasted until the end but fell to Bray Wyatt and Randy Orton.
On the November 21st edition of Raw Jericho hosted the Highlight Reel with Owens as his guest.
While there was some disagreement over who caused who to be eliminated the previous night, it was a total mutual admiration society with the blame for the Raw loss being placed squarely on the shoulders of Reigns.
Reigns wasn't going to sit idly by in the back and allow this to go on so he invited himself out as KO and Y2J rattled off reasons why they were thankful for their friendship. He poked fun at the pair before engaging in some psychological warfare.
He questioned the manhood of Owens and his ability to defend his title without Jericho getting involved at every turn.
Jericho prepared to add Reigns to the List for such audacious remarks when Owens snapped at him to shut up. He told Reigns he damn sure didn't need Jericho to beat him; furthermore if Reigns could beat him later on he could get the title shot he'd been after.
Despite the public bravado Owens looked to Jericho for assistance but Jericho wanted no part of it as he wasn't too thrilled about being silenced. As it turned out even if Jericho had wanted to help, he couldn't have as he was assaulted leaving the arena by Rollins and pedigreed on top of his limo.
With his back against the wall, Owens proved to be even more dangerous and ruthless than usual which made for an intense match against a very determined Reigns.
Owens jumped Reigns at the onset of the match and tried to make him a permanent part of the canvas any way he could devise.
Reigns wasn't going down so easily and mounted a massive comeback. Owens would be rocked with fists in and out of the ring, having no answer for any of them.
Reigns proved to be too much for Owens on that night. A flurry of Superman punches and an explosive spear netted him a win and the coveted title shot he had long fought for. He had just proven he could defeat Owens one on one with no help and he intended to do it again at Roadblock: End of The Line.
In an act of friendship, and self-preservation, Owens revealed on the December 5 edition of Raw that he had secured Jericho a shot at the United States Championship. A Reigns loss would kill two birds with one stone; it would re-strengthen his bond with Jericho and halt all of Reigns' momentum headed into Roadblock.
Owens was eager to talk strategy but Jericho wanted no part of it. He told KO under no certain terms was he to get involved in his match. He would take care of Reigns on his own and for himself.
Jericho wrestled a smart match and came within a hair of capturing the one singles title he'd yet to capture. One such close call came to his surprise, anger, and ultimate detriment.
Near the bout's conclusion Owens went against Jericho's wishes and got involved. A well timed kick sent Reigns into a Codebreaker but he managed to kick out.
Once he spotted Owens, an irate Jericho turned his attention on him and yelled at him for being out there. Owens pleaded his case while Reigns recovered.
Jericho turned around in time to leapfrog a spear attempt but a second one connected and Reigns retained his title.
While guests of The Rollins Report on the December 12 edition of Raw JeriKO set aside their mounting tension and animosity to attack Rollins until Reigns made the save.
Owens had already gotten a tag team title shot against New Day approved but found himself against Reigns and Rollins as well when Mick Foley added them to the match.
Just as Rollins did, Reigns took full advantage of the turmoil surrounding Owens and Jericho and despite New Day retaining, he further stuck it to Owens and stood over him with both titles in hand.
At Tribute To The Troops Reigns would team with Big Cass to defeat Owens and Rusev. While it was the latter who ate a spear and the pinfall loss, it only added to the momentum Reigns had accumulated of late.
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Projection:
December hasn't been a kind month to Owens thus far. Reigns seems to have his number and his constant ace distances himself more and more by the week.
Yet it would be foolish to count him out or consider him an underdog. Owens has never failed to back up what he states he is going to do.
He took NXT by force and within a few short months he won the NXT Championship from Sami Zayn.
He accepted an open challenge by John Cena and pinned him in the middle of the ring at Elimination Chamber 2015.
He won the Intercontinental Championship twice and the Universal Title as if he knew he would all along.
Those credentials are nothing to sneeze at and I don't think Reigns is taking this lightly at all.
To the contrary, he is all too aware of what KO is capable of and that he has to be ready for anything. Though he doesn't always play by the book, Owens is bell to bell an outstanding wrestler who can beat anybody in a variety of ways.
It boils down to two factors. Who hits their big moves first and will we see any outside involvement?
Reigns has the edge when it comes to their matches being fair and square but Owens is a master planner and his timing with his big moves is impeccable.
I see Owens taking the best Reigns throws at him and walking out still champion. Roman will have to try his luck in the Royal Rumble in January.
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Overall I expect this show to be a very good one and a solid end to 2016.
Until next time, always look at wrestling On The Bright Side!
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