Post by Swindle on Jun 7, 2015 14:40:40 GMT -8
Bo Dallas vs. Jimmy Uso - This was a fun opener. Dallas did very good heel work mic before the match. Crowd was very much into Jimmy and the Uso brand. He provided athletic ability to get the show off to a good start.
Adam Rose (w/Rosa Mendes) vs. Fandango - I thought this was the worst match on the card. The crowd didn't know whom to cheer for until Rosa started up with heel antics. She got "You Suck" chants. Fandango does not have much charisma as a babyface.
The Miz vs. Jack Swagger - Miz is such a great heel. He did some wonderful heel work. Swagger is still over, crowd chanted "We the People!" as well as "Lets Go Swagger" throughout the match. Miz tapped, but claimed he didn't lose, so he demanded another match.
The Miz vs. Macho Mandow - Miz quickly tapped to the Figure Four. I really hate this Macho Mandow persona. I feel second hand embarrassment for him.
Videos of this sequence:
Paige vs. Naomi (w/Tamina) vs. Nikki Bella (w/Brie Bella) - Fun little divas match. Both Nikki and Paige were over as babyfaces here. Nikki won with her finisher. Paige was the last to leave and did a little curtsy when she exited.
John Cena vs. Wade Barrett - You can't really understand the Cena machine until you see him come out live. Definitely the biggest babyface by a mile. Good match despite Barrett's staleness and lack of credibility. The "Lets Go Cena/Cena Sucks" chant didn't really work because not enough people were doing the negative side of the chant.
Then we went to intermission and Jojo started hawking WWE items and throwing things to the crowd. Here's a vid for any Jojo fans:
The Ascension vs. The New Day vs. Prime Time Players - This was an elimination match. Kofi was the one to sit out and did a lot of heel tactics throughout the match. He and Woods did a switch at the end to get a cheap win. The crowd was into the Prime Time Players and New Day Sucks chants were very strong. The New Day did sing "We Are the Champions" before the match started, good heel work.
Bray Wyatt vs. Ryback - Not much to this match, but it was hardhitting. Ryback was over. Plenty of "Feed Me More" chants. Bray, sadly, seemed less engaging than some of the other acts. His entrance is a highlight, but he didn't work the mic or do anything interesting in the ring. This match lacked storytelling, a reason for happening.
Seth Rollins vs. Randy Orton - Oh, the title belt isn't with him, good for WWE for keeping storyline going on the house show, and because Rollins didn't have the title, he said it would be non-title. Rollins spent the match trying to escape the cage. Randy got him with the RKO off the top rope for the win. Good, solid steel cage match.
Here's the finish:
The crowd was engaged most of the night, but I'll guesstimate the babyface/heel heat:
Babyface Reaction:
1. John Cena (by far)
2. Randy Orton
3. Ryback
Heel Heat:
1. Bo Dallas
2. New Day
3. Miz
Sometimes I read live event recaps and it doesn't sound that engaging, but when you watch it live, everyone is working hard, crowd was into it, no commentary from Cole/Booker/JBL helps. I enjoyed it. There was a very good crowd on hand.
I bought a Kevin Owens shirt. My nephew got a John Cena shirt, a program, and the little Cena rally towel. When I was leaving, someone who was part of the event noticed my KO shirt and remarked to someone else, that they sold a lot of Kevin Owens shirts that night.
Adam Rose (w/Rosa Mendes) vs. Fandango - I thought this was the worst match on the card. The crowd didn't know whom to cheer for until Rosa started up with heel antics. She got "You Suck" chants. Fandango does not have much charisma as a babyface.
The Miz vs. Jack Swagger - Miz is such a great heel. He did some wonderful heel work. Swagger is still over, crowd chanted "We the People!" as well as "Lets Go Swagger" throughout the match. Miz tapped, but claimed he didn't lose, so he demanded another match.
The Miz vs. Macho Mandow - Miz quickly tapped to the Figure Four. I really hate this Macho Mandow persona. I feel second hand embarrassment for him.
Videos of this sequence:
Paige vs. Naomi (w/Tamina) vs. Nikki Bella (w/Brie Bella) - Fun little divas match. Both Nikki and Paige were over as babyfaces here. Nikki won with her finisher. Paige was the last to leave and did a little curtsy when she exited.
John Cena vs. Wade Barrett - You can't really understand the Cena machine until you see him come out live. Definitely the biggest babyface by a mile. Good match despite Barrett's staleness and lack of credibility. The "Lets Go Cena/Cena Sucks" chant didn't really work because not enough people were doing the negative side of the chant.
Then we went to intermission and Jojo started hawking WWE items and throwing things to the crowd. Here's a vid for any Jojo fans:
The Ascension vs. The New Day vs. Prime Time Players - This was an elimination match. Kofi was the one to sit out and did a lot of heel tactics throughout the match. He and Woods did a switch at the end to get a cheap win. The crowd was into the Prime Time Players and New Day Sucks chants were very strong. The New Day did sing "We Are the Champions" before the match started, good heel work.
Bray Wyatt vs. Ryback - Not much to this match, but it was hardhitting. Ryback was over. Plenty of "Feed Me More" chants. Bray, sadly, seemed less engaging than some of the other acts. His entrance is a highlight, but he didn't work the mic or do anything interesting in the ring. This match lacked storytelling, a reason for happening.
Seth Rollins vs. Randy Orton - Oh, the title belt isn't with him, good for WWE for keeping storyline going on the house show, and because Rollins didn't have the title, he said it would be non-title. Rollins spent the match trying to escape the cage. Randy got him with the RKO off the top rope for the win. Good, solid steel cage match.
Here's the finish:
The crowd was engaged most of the night, but I'll guesstimate the babyface/heel heat:
Babyface Reaction:
1. John Cena (by far)
2. Randy Orton
3. Ryback
Heel Heat:
1. Bo Dallas
2. New Day
3. Miz
Sometimes I read live event recaps and it doesn't sound that engaging, but when you watch it live, everyone is working hard, crowd was into it, no commentary from Cole/Booker/JBL helps. I enjoyed it. There was a very good crowd on hand.
I bought a Kevin Owens shirt. My nephew got a John Cena shirt, a program, and the little Cena rally towel. When I was leaving, someone who was part of the event noticed my KO shirt and remarked to someone else, that they sold a lot of Kevin Owens shirts that night.
