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Credit: WWE.com
WWE continued his work until Sunday night 2020 with The Horror Show on Extreme Rules, a show with an almost too appropriate name given the company’s television ratings and the general apathy of the audience. She hoped the event would ignite a spark, rather than descend into a nightmarish abyss.
With the first Eye for a Eye game scheduled for the show, not to mention a fight for the Wyatt swamp, the prospects didn’t look promising.
Could it be Rey Mysterio or Seth Rollins who lost an eye in the most brutal fight in WWE history? Would Braun Strowman exorcise the demon that is Bray Wyatt from his mind? Could Dolph Ziggler finally win the title that has eluded him throughout his career in the form of the WWE Championship?
Find out the answers to those questions and more with this pay-per-view summary for July 19.
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Already announced for the presentation of the WWE Network on Sunday were:
- WWE Championship Match: Drew McIntyre vs. Dolph Ziggler (stipulation not yet announced)
- Wyatt Swamp Fight: Braun Strowman vs. Bray Wyatt
- An eye for an eye: Rey Mysterio vs. Seth Rollins
- United States Championship Game: Apollo Crews vs. MVP
- Raw Women’s Championship Match: Asuka vs. Sasha Banks
- SmackDown Women’s Championship Match: Nikki Cross vs. Bayley
- Table Matching for SmackDown Tag Team Championship: The New Day vs. Cesaro and Shinsuke Nakamura
Just two hours before the event, WWE tweeted that Kevin Owens and Murphy would square off on the Kickoff Show that night.
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Credit: WWE.com
The action of the night began on the Kickoff Show when Kevin Owens and Murphy fought in a singles competition, rekindling a rivalry that is the direct result of Owens’ troubles with “Monday Night Messiah” Seth Rollins.
Neither Owens nor Murphy wasted time, fighting each other from the opening bell. A large KO clothesline crushed Murphy, but the former tag team and cruiserweight champion defended a sentinel with his knees back.
Owens recovered and delivered a cannonball to the corner for two. Murphy blew up a Meteora to nearly fall. The breakneck pace of the match continued, neither man really gained a sustained advantage over his opponent.
That changed with Murphy’s use of knee punches and a brainbuster. Owens fought in a superplex attempt and delivered a perfect full moon for a count of two. Owens kept his return and picked up the victory so close with the stunner.
Outcome
Owens defeated Murphy
Degree
B +
Analysis
It’s never good when the action at night peaks in the previous show, but that could be the case tonight.
Owens and Murphy, in an unannounced Kickoff Show match, brought the goods and may have stolen the show.
Round-trip transitions and reversals kept the viewer interested. Although it was somewhat predictable, the artists did a good job creating doubts that Owens would escape with victory.
Murphy, again, looked much better than his status at the company would suggest and Owens’ streak in 2020 continues.
A great way to start the festivities tonight and hopefully a sign of what’s to come.
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Credit: WWE.com
Powered by revenge after being confronted by their challengers, SmackDown Tag Team Champions The New Day brought the fight to Cesaro and Shinsuke Nakamura early in the first game of this year’s Extreme Rules tables.
Big E erased Cesaro with a spear through the ropes at the first high point of the night. The champions seemed to be continuing their hot streak when Big E sent Kingston flying over the ropes … and straight to a table held by the challengers.
With Kingston neutralized for the time being, the challengers focused their attack on the mighty Big E.
Kofi exploded again in the match with a confidence drop that wiped out Nakamura. The return was short-lived when Nakamura sent Kingston to the flat and Cesaro placed Big E directly in Kinshasa by The Artist. Kingston, again, exploded again in the match by eliminating both opponents.
However, the former WWE champion’s own momentum proved costly as Cesaro caught him in a hurricane attempt and led him through a pile of tables for victory and titles.
Outcome
Cesaro and Nakamura defeated The New Day to win the titles.
Degree
yes
Analysis
It may not have been as good as Owens-Murphy, but this was the second high-energy game of the night that exceeded expectations.
It would have been better with a more consistent story, but if the Superstars can bring a reasonable amount of energy to cheat games like these, the results are usually very good.
Cesaro and Nakamura have been a solid tag team for months and probably deserve a career with gold, but one has to wonder what tag teams there are to work with other than New Day. Jimmy Uso is hurt, The Forgotten Sons were tweeted for relevance and former champions John Morrison and The Miz are heels.
Hope this is just the first chapter of this particular rivalry, if only because there is nowhere else for either team to go.
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Credit: WWE.com
Arrogant SmackDown women’s champion Bayley saw her title reign shine before her very eyes early in her defense against Nikki Cross on Sunday. The challenger caught her with a neck breaker that dropped her from a near fall, then followed her with a tornado DDT that wobbled the role model.
A cross body from the top rope continued the challenger’s role until Bayley sent her crashing into the plexiglass surrounding the ring area.
The champion worked meticulously on Cross, slowing down the match and making the challenger work at his speed. However, Bayley tore her gaze away from Cross and paid for it as the rival struggled to return to the game and applied a cross. The champion fought and delivered a Bayley-to-Belly, but was only able to keep Cross down by two, as the frustration began.
Cross defended himself with a dropkick in the basement, followed with a running bulldog, and delivered a neck breaker for two. “I need you to fix it,” Sasha Banks pleaded with Bayley from ringside. She spoke again, this time in disbelief when Bayley was unable to push her opponent away.
Cross executed a perfect neck breaker, draped and twisted on the floor. Back inside, Cross scored another double as concern painted Banks’s face.
The Chief distracted the referee, slid Bayley his “BOSS” knuckles, and the champion used them to stun Cross. A facial plant followed, and Bayley successfully retained his title three seconds later.
Outcome
Bayley defeated Cross
Degree
B +
Analysis
Storytelling on this was off the charts.
From Bayley wearing Cross’s circular apron against her to Cross remembering Bayley’s old teasing moments later, there were more than a few smart calls. Her strength, however, was Bayley’s growing frustration with her inability to leave the Cross game.
She was so sure that she would overlook her rival and when it didn’t, she became increasingly concerned, to the point that Banks had to cheat on her behalf in order for her to retain her title.
It will be interesting to see later on on the show if Bayley is there for Banks up to that point, or if the SmackDown champion isn’t as interested in friendship as she is in The Boss’ contributions to her own success.
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