Commentators: Scott Stanford, Josh Matthews & Matt Striker
Championship's roll call: WWE Champion: CM Punk… World Champion: Daniel Bryan… Intercontinental Champion: Cody Rhodes… United States Champion: Zack Ryder… Tag Team Champions: Air Boom… Diva's Champion: Beth Phoenix
Yoshi Tatsu vs. Wade Barrett: Barrett is back to the jacket with the rose in it for his entrance; they circle and lock up, Barrett powers Tatsu in the corner but musses the dirty break. Tatsu catches him running cross-corner, with a boot, and hits a spinning wheel kick. Yoshi heads to the second rope but Barrett pulls his leg out and unloads with punches. He wears Tatsu down in the ropes with chokes, knees and then Barrett Barrage Boots him to the floor. Wade rams him into the ring apron and gets a nearfall back in the ring. A hammer-toss into the corner works the back some more and then Yoshi finds himself entrapped in a chinlock. Barrett misses a corner charge and Tatsu opens up with chops in the corner; he then unloads with kicks and a running kick to the face. Tatsu looks for the buzzsaw kick but Barrett boots him and Tatsu then runs into the Winds of Change for three. 4.5/10 Tidy squash match for Barrett versus the plucky Yoshi Tatsu; I'm glad he is segueing into the Winds of Change as Barrett's finisher as opposed to the much weaker looking Wasteland.
Here is your winner… Wade Barrett @ about 8:15 via Winds of Change pinfall.
Highlights from Daniel Bryan's slow burn heel turn from SmackDown and Raw are shown.
Evan "Air" Bourne vs. Michael McGillicutty: Since Kofi Kingston isn't there, we get Born to Fly for Bourne's entrance. McGillicutty has the most generic lyrical theme ever, much like his look, talent and basically everything else he does in the ring. McGillicutty looks like he's taken grooming advice from Daniel Bryan. They lock up and Bourne immediately arm drags him; he tries again but McGillicutty blocks and hammers Evan down. Bourne comes back with kicks, sending McGillicutty to the apron; he reenters with a sunset flip but Bourne rolls through and double stomps him. McGillicutty takes over and stamps him down; a neckbreaker follows for two. McGillicutty methodically works Bourne over with a bodyslam and some elbow drops. He slaps on a chinlock… nothing much else happening. Bourne finally wakes up and hits the lasso hurracanrana and a straight roundhouse kick for a nearfall. Bourne tries to go up but McGillicutty cuts him off and knocks him to the floor. Back from commercial, Bounre's in another chinlock; McGillicutty hits a nice standing dropkick, which is the first move in this match that mirrors his father. He clubs Bourne in the apron and tries a nearfall but Bourne's under the ropes so the referee won't count. Bourne tries a comeback but McGillicutty slides through his legs and drops him on his snout to block. McGillicutty punches and applies another chinlock, the fans are growing restless… or falling asleep, like me until Bourne shifts his weight on a bodyslam and begins the comeback with his vast array of kicks and the top-rope Knee Press Nightmare; McGillicutty comes back with a Saito suplex (correctly called by Scott Stanford) for another nearfall. Bourne surprises him with a roundhouse kick and hits Air Bourne for three. 2.5/10 The match was fine, it was lengthy, which allowed them to build a nice story in the ring; it was just incredibly boring.
Here is your winner… Evan Bourne @ around 10:10 (broadcast) via Air Bourne pinfall.
Kelly Kelly vs. Brie Bella (w/Nikki Bella): Kelly slaps her around and slams her face into the mat a few times; Kelly with the head scissors hangwoman in the ropes. Kelly hits a flying forearm with (a nice oversell from Brie). Nikki distracts allowing Brie an arm-whip takedown. She drapes her on the ropes and pulls on her arm; Brie then distracts the referee whilst Nikki illegally pulls on her arm. Brie applies an armbar; Kelly gets a rollup for a one count. Brie continues the arm work dropping knees on it. Brie works a Cattle Mutilation style bridge cover. Kelly begins to fire up and hits a top-rope Thesz press. The whirlybird head scissors sets up the Stink Face and the handspring back elbow. Kelly gets a little overaggressive in the corner, and while the referee holds her back, the Bellas pull Twin Magic and switch off. Nikki surprised Kelly with a Flair pin and gets the three. 1.5/10 Divas match.
Here is your winner… Brie Bella @ about 6:00 via Twin Magic.OVERALL 3/10 Not a very good show this week, three matches, one was a diva match and one of the others was a lengthy Michael McGillicutty match. Painful. As per the new IWC and TWC (Twitter Wrestling Community) @MarcElusive, it is my job to officially mention Brodus Clay at least once in this review.
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