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: Jack Swagger… Tag Team Champions: Primo & Epico… Diva's Champion: Beth Phoenix
Tyson Kidd vs. Jinder Mahal: I must have missed a babyface turn here [Kidd], I don't have time to watch NXT, which is the only televised place it could have happened. They lock up and Mahal backs Kidd into the corner and yells at him. Mean. Mahal takes over off a cheap shot on the ropes; he applies an arm wringer so Kidd, calling on his Dungeon training, uses the Blue Blazer escape, bouncing off the ropes into an armdrag. Mahal retreats to the floor where Kidd kicks him in the face (from the apron) and then somersault sentons onto him. Since Kidd is now a face, all of his high flying stuff works better because it pops the crowd; a tag team with he and Justin Gabriel would be pretty cool. Kidd slaps a few high fives and returns to the ring for a nearfall. Mahal blocks a boot in the corner and whiplashes Kidd onto the back of his head; he takes over with knee drops and rope shin choking. A swinging neckbreaker gets a nearfall; a hammer-toss dazes Kidd, allowing Jinder a butterfly suplex, for two. Mahal works a chinlock but Tyson floats over to counter a backdrops suplex. Kidd comes back with spin kicks and a running dropkick. Kidd winds up on the apron and rebound backflips into a slingshot Victory Star roll, for a nearfall. Kidd catches a guillotine slingshot legdrop and then heads to the top. He MISSES a double jump moonsault and Mahal hits a Flatliner. The Camel Clutch is locked in and Tyson taps out. 4.5/10 They want to keep Mahal strong, possibly for a decent midcard push as a heel, since he is reasonably over as a heel. I feel for Kidd, I hope he doesn't go the way of the Trent Barreta.
Here is your winner… Jinder Mahal @ about 7:10 via Camel Clutch submission.
The ENTIRE Kane/Zack Ryder segment from Raw is shown (full review, click here), including most of the match and all of the post-match stuff with ANGRY John Cena and Eve Torres.
Beth Phoenix vs. Brie Bella (w/Nikki Bella): I prefer this attire for the Bellas (the little short shorts with long boots) as opposed to the cat suits. Not sure who the babyface is here. I think the WWE was hoping for a hometown pop for the Bellas but I don't think anyone cares where the divas hail from. Beth opens with a clothesline and side suplex. Beth with a Vader splash but Nikki saves Brie from an oncoming Beth and she takes over with stomps. Brie uses a bunch of chokes and rams Phoenix's face into the mat. Brie tries a stomp but Beth catches the boot and tries to take over but a swinging neckbreaker puts her down again. A chinlock is applied. Beth counters ramming her in the corner and hits a slingshot suplex. Beth goes for the Glam Slam but Nikki hops up on the apron; Beth is too dominant and tosses Brie into Nikki and the ends with the Glam Slam. Post-match, the Bellas argue a little. 2/10 I haven't seen Beth on television in months and she's the champion! This was a total squash and even the attempted double teams couldn't stop her.
Here is your winner… Beth Phoenix @ around 6:05 via Glam Slam pinfall.
A Royal Rumble promo is shown, by the numbers.
Kofi Kingston vs. Michael McGillicutty: I'm curious to see what the excuses the commentators use for Air Boom's dissolution and Evan Bourne's whereabouts; at least we get to hear SOS again. Kofi's ring attire looks like it was inspired by the Riddler. There is some history between these two; Kingston was McGillicutty's pro on Season 2 of NXT. McGillicutty tosses Kofi so he comes back with an armbar; McGillicutty reciprocates with his own armbar and hammers Kofi down. Kingston comes back with a senton splash for a one count. McGillicutty takes over with his thrilling chokes on the ropes and clotheslines. He tries to run the ropes, which allows Kingston to dazzle him with a bunch of leapfrogs and a leg lariat, for one. Kingston keeps Mike off-balance with a corner pendulum kick and a floating top-rope frog crossbody for a nearfall. Kingston grounds McGillicutty with a keylock, which is rare for Kofi. McGillicutty charges and tumbles to the floor, Kofi fakes him out, and then hits a topé, from a long distance. Back from commercial, Kinston continues to control McGillicutty; he tries another pendulum kick but Mike blocks it and turns it into a neckbreaker. McGillicutty takes over with a chinlock. Yay. Kingston tries to speed it up but runs into a drop-toehold. McGillicutty stalks him with punches to the kidneys, which, at least, is a different approach, better than chinlocks. A backbreaker sets up a chinlock and we enter the 80's portion of the match, and the crowd responds in turn, with indifference. Kingston avoids a corner charge and hits a Pelé enziguri. Kofi begins Comeback #8: clotheslines, dropkicks and leaping lariats. The Boom Drop follows as I notice no more Air Boom kneepads on Kingston. Trouble in Paradise is missed as is a running dropkick from McGillicutty; the S.O.S. follows for three… but McGillicutty grabs the ropes. Referee Rod Zapata waives off the pinfall and McGillicutty hangs Kofi off the top rope while he is questioning it. A nice series of counters follow: McGillicutter… S.O.S…. backslide… until the Trouble in Paradise connects to get Kingston victory number one post Air Boom. 6.5/10 No mentions of Air Boom's breakup or Bourne's situation save for a few mentions (Air Boom is mentioned, but not Bourne). This match was actually pretty good! I usually ride McGillicutty for being incredibly boring in the ring, much like Drew McIntyre, but this was fun as Kofi kept McGillicutty more off-balance and did not allow him to settle into chinlock hell for too long. Good main event this week.
Here is your winner… Kofi Kingston @ approx. 12:15 (broadcast)
OVERALL 5/10 Two squashes, one was fun (Kidd/Mahal), but too short, and a rather entertaining main event; this was like Bizarro Superstars since we had a babyface Tyson Kidd (of which I do not recall) and a heel versus heel divas match. I'll give this one an average rating since the main event pulled it out of the doldrums.
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