WWE’s first-ever Great Balls of Fire pay-per-view event aired live from the American Airlines Center in Dallas, TX on July 9th, 2017.
Kickoff Show:
– Renee Young, Peter Rosenberg and Dave Ortunga are our pre-show panel tonight, and Paul Heyman will be interviewed in the “social media lounge” later.
– Seth Rollins does an interview backstage where he says Bray Wyatt is just mad because Wyatt called him out for pretending to be a god. Rollins says Wyatt’s biggest enemy is the truth. He says Wyatt doesn’t stand a chance, and by the end of the night he’ll be paying for his sins.
– We go back to the pre-show panel, but the screen quickly cuts to black and we go to Bray Wyatt in a black room. Wyatt says Rollins will suffer tonight and he’ll make him a believer. He says tonight Rollins is going to burn.
– Dana Brooke joins the pre-show panel to discuss the hatred between Alexa Bliss and Sasha Banks. Dana says their beef goes back to NXT. Emma interrupts and says she needs to talk to Dana immediately, then leaves. Dana finishes up talking to Renee Young and predicts that Sasha will win tonight, then leaves to go find Emma.
– Paul Heyman does an interview backstage where he says there’s no doubt in his mind that Samoa Joe is Brock Lesnar’s most dangerous opponent yet. Heyman says this match won’t be a cake walk, and he thinks Joe is going to try to take a piece of Lesnar with him. Heyman says he understands how badly Joe wants the Universal Title, but Lesnar wants it even more. Heyman says they are unquestionably prepared for tonight’s match with Joe.
– Vic Joseph and Corey Graves are sitting by the stage to do commentary for the Cruiserweight Title match up next.
– Neville (c) def. Akira Tozawa: Titus O’Neil comes out with Tozawa. Neville starts off by backing Tozawa up against then ropes, then dropping him with a shoulder block. Neville hits a sunset flip but Tozawa rolls through, kicks Neville in the face then hits a senton bomb. Neville knees Tozawa in the face, and Tozawa answers with a kick to the head that sends Neville outside. Tozawa gears up for a suicide dive but Neville hops on the apron and kicks Tozawa in the head. Neville takes control of the match as Titus shouts instructions to from ringside to Tozawa. Neville knees Tozawa in the face then stomps on him. Tozawa comes back with a series of chops to the chest then a back suplex. Neville rolls outside and Tozawa hits two suicide dives back to back. Back in the ring Neville gets Tozawa in the fireman’s carry position, but Tozawa reverses it into an arm submission. Tozawa and Neville trade strikes with Neville getting the better of Tozawa. Neville hits a running dropkick for a two count. Neville goes up top but misses, and Tozawa comes back with a shining wizard and a Frankensteiner. Neville rolls outside to recover, then back in the ring he crotches Tozawa on the top rope. Neville then kicks the rope for extra punishment. The ref pushes Neville back and allows Tozawa a moment to recover. Neville hits a spinning heel kick for the win.
WWE Great Balls Of Fire 2017:
– Michael Cole welcomes us to the show, and announces that the American Airlines Center is sold out with over 16,500 in attendance.
– Bray Wyatt def. Seth Rollins: Rollins sends Wyatt to the outside early on and dropkicks him through the ropes. Rollins goes for the suicide dive but Wyatt stops him with an elbow to the face. They brawl on the apron until Wyatt throws Rollins down onto the ring steps. Wyatt takes Rollins back in the ring and superplexes him off the top turnbuckle. They brawl out to the apron again where Wyatt hits a facebuster on Rollins into the apron. Rollins ducks a clothesline and comes back with a running dropkick. Wyatt rolls outside and Rollins hits a suicide dive. Back in the ring, Rollins hits a springboard lariat off the top for a two count. Rollins boots Wyatt in the face and hits the Blockbuster for another two count. Rollins and Wyatt trade strikes until Rollins hits the Falcon Arrow for another two count. Wyatt comes back with a jawbreaker for a two count, then a version of the Rock Bottom for another two. Wyatt slaps Rollins across the face then turns his back to him for a moment to yell at the crowd. Rollins comes back with a flurry of strikes and the ref goes to separate him. Wyatt pokes Rollins in the eye behind the ref’s back, then hits the Sister Abigail for the win.
– Matt and Jeff Hardy do an interview backstage where Matt Hardy says he was watching superhero cartoons with his kids before he came to the arena. Matt says tonight they’re facing supervillains with superhuman strength. Jeff says they’re going to make history tonight just like they always have.
– Enzo comes out to cut a promo in the ring before his match tonight. Enzo recalls his backstage attacks, and says he’s not going to let Cass stomp on his dreams. Enzo says he’s a star and he’s going to spread his wings and fly. He says Cass may be tall but he’ll always be in Enzo’s shadow because he’s about to become larger than life. Enzo says Cass’ “sawft” line, then Cass comes out to the ring with new entrance music.
– Cass def. Enzo: Enzo charges at Cass off the opening bell but Cass drops Enzo and stomps on him. Cass puts Enzo in a version of the Crossface Chicken Wing, then throws him down to the mat again. Cass slaps around Enzo then hits a fallaway slam. Enzo starts fighting back and Cass slaps him back down. Cass taunts Enzo in the corner then picks him up and gorilla press slams him down to the floor at ringside. Enzo gets back in the ring before the ref’s 10 count, and he stumbles right into a running big boot from Cass. Cass covers for the win in a squash match.
– The Miz and the Miztourage are backstage chatting about Miz’s match tonight.
– Cesaro & Sheamus (c) def. The Hardy Boyz: This one is a 30-minute Iron Man match for the Tag titles. The first fall of the match comes in the first 30 seconds when Cesaro distracts Matt Hardy, allowing Sheamus to hit the Brogue Kick on Hardy. The score is now 1-0 for Sheamus & Cesaro. Cesaro and Jeff tag in next and Jeff hits a dropkick on Cesaro. Sheamus tags back in and starts working on Jeff as the crowd chants “Brother Nero.” Matt tags in and they briefly double-team Sheamus before Matt starts laying into Sheamus with chops and punches. Matt clotheslines Sheamus to the outside then repeatedly slams his heat onto the apron as the crowd chants “Delete” with every slam. Back in the ring, Sheamus tries to reverse a Twist of Fate so Matt just DDTs him instead. Jeff tags in and they do a double leg drop on Sheamus. Cesaro gets involved and all four men brawl out to ringside. Back in the ring, Cesaro works over Jeff and keeps him away from tagging in Matt. Cesaro hits a gut-wrench suplex on Jeff for a two count, before tagging in Sheamus who hits a flying knee drop off the middle rope. Cesaro and Sheamus hit a double-team White Noise on Jeff for the three count and the second fall of the match. The score is now 2-0 for Cesaro and Sheamus. Matt gets the hot tag and repeatedly slams Cesaro’s face into all three turnbuckles in the corner. Matt fires up and hits a running clothesline in the corner followed by a bulldog for a two count. Matt hits an elbow off the middle rope for another two count. Jeff tags back in and they hit the Poetry In Motion in the corner. Matt follows u with the Side Effect, then Jeff hits the Twist of Fate on Cesaro for the three count. The score is now 2-1. Jeff hits a reverse vertical suplex for a two count on Cesaro. Sheamus tags in but Jeff mule kicks him then pummels on him in the corner. Jeff dropkicks Sheamus in the corner for a two count. Matt tags in and they double-suplex Sheamus for a two count. Matt knocks Cesaro and Sheamus both out to ringside, then Jeff launches off of Matt’s back for a Poetry In Motion suicide dive onto Cesaro and Sheamus at ringside. Matt grabs Sheamus, but then Cesaro shoves Matt from behind into the ring post. This leads to Sheamus and Cesaro scoring another fall, due to a countout. Matt is selling the shot to the head and he wobbles back in the ring. Sheamus knees Matt then tags in Cesaro who hits a vertical suplex. Sheamus tags in and they both stomp on Matt. Sheamus hits some clubbing blows on Matt then shoves him out to ringside, where Cesaro hits a flying elbow, then another elbow to the face. Back in the ring, Sheamus and Cesaro double-suplex matt for a two count. Sheamus throws some strikes at Matt until Matt ducks one and hits the Side Effect for a two count. Cesaro tags in and immediately kicks Jeff off the apron, then locks Matt in the Sharpshooter. Jeff runs in for the save. Sheamus drops Jeff from behind, while Cesaro hits Matt with some European Uppercuts in the ring. Matt reverses an uppercut into a crucifix pin, and Jeff tags in and pins Cesaro’s legs down for the three count. The score is now 3-2 in favor of Cesaro and Sheamus. Cesaro and Sheamus go for the double-team White Noise on Jeff, but Matt knocks Cesaro off the ropes. Jeff hits an inverted atomic drop, a leg drop and a dropkick on Sheamus for a two count. Matt tags in and hits a tornado DDT on Sheamus for a two count. Cesaro runs in and Matt fights him off, then Sheamus throws Matt into the turnbuckle from behind. Matt fights Sheamus off and hits a moonsault off the top onto Sheamus. Cesaro breaks up the pin, so Jeff runs in and dumps Cesaro outside. Matt takes Sheamus up top the top rope and hits a Twist of Fate off the top for the three count. The score is now tied at 3-3 with just over 2 minutes left in the match. Jeff tags in and goes up top. Cesaro pulls Sheamus out to ringside, so Jeff changes direction and hits a splash off the top down onto Cesaro and Sheamus at ringside. Jeff throws Sheamus inside then goes back up top. Matt Hardy also goes up top on the other side of the ring, and they hit a double team splash/elbow drop. Jeff pins but Cesaro breaks the pin. Matt tags in and we see that he’s bleeding heavily, I believe from an elbow he took from Cesaro at ringside earlier. Sheamus goes for a running powerslam on Matt but Matt escapes and clotheslines Sheamus. Jeff gets the blind tag and hits a Swanton Bomb on Sheamus, but then Cesaro runs in and rolls up Jeff for the three count. There are only 10 seconds left, and Cesaro runs outside. Jeff chases Cesaro back in the ring and hits the Twist of Fate then pins, but the timer runs out as the referee counts 2. The ref stops counting and declares Sheamus and Cesaro the winners. Sheamus and Cesaro celebrate with their Tag Titles up the ramp while a guy in a black shirt towels the blood off of Matt in the ring.
Just The #HardyBoyz being The #HardyBoyz… @JEFFHARDYBRAND @MATTHARDYBRAND #WWEGBOF #IronManMatch pic.twitter.com/TcvVYvL18c
— WWE (@WWE) July 10, 2017
– Sasha Banks def. Alexa Bliss (c) via countout: Alexa Bliss’ RAW Women’s Title is on the line in this one. Banks hits a dropkick on Bliss early on that sends the Champion rolling outside. Back in the ring, Banks continues working over Bliss until Bliss starts selling an injured elbow and Banks backs off. Bliss was faking it and hits Banks with a cheap shot elbow. Banks hits the backstabber then goes for the Banks Statement, but Bliss grabs the ropes and rolls outside. Bliss starts to walk up the ramp until Sasha chases her down then beats her down around ringside. Bliss comes back with a shot onto the ring apron. Back in the ring, Bliss hits some knee drops to Sasha’s back then stomps on her. Banks comes back with elbows to the face until Bliss grabs her by the hair and hits a backbreaker. Bliss goes for a suplex but Banks hits some knees to the midsection and reverses it into a suplex of her own. Banks hits a series of clotheslines and dropkicks, then a knee to the face. Banks hits a back suplex then a running knee to the face for a two count. Bliss comes back with an elbow to the face and a sunset flip powerbomb for a two count. Bliss comes off the top with a splash but Banks blocks it and puts Bliss in the Banks Statement. Bliss climbs to the bottom rope to break the hold. Bliss kicks Banks away then rolls outside. Banks tries to pull Bliss in by her hair but Bliss punches her away with a right hand. Bliss sits outside until the ref counts to 10, so Sasha wins via countout and Bliss retains the title.
– After the match, Sasha Banks chases Bliss up the ramp and beats her down from behind. They fight over to the announce table climb on top of it. Sasha pushes Bliss off, then hits the flying double knees onto Bliss on the floor. Referees help Bliss to the back.
– We see Akira Tozawa backstage with Titus O’Neil, and Tozawa isn’t happy about how his match tonight went down. Tozawa tells Titus he better get him a rematch tomorrow night.
– The Miz (c) def. Dean Ambrose: The Intercontinental Title is on the line in this one. Maryse, Curtis Axel and Bo Dallas come out with The Miz. Ambrose rolls to the outside before he even touches the Miz so he can hit Axel with some elbows to the face. Ambrose rolls back in the ring and lays into Miz with punches, chops and kicks. Ambrose rolls back outside and this time he drops Bo Dallas. Ambrose rolls bac in and hits a clothesline on Miz. Axel gets on the apron and distracts Ambrose, which allows Miz to jump Ambrose from behind. Miz kicks Ambrose’s knee out and hits a DDT for a two count. Miz dominates the next few moments of the match until Ambrose fires up and hits a lariat. Ambrose follows up with a running forearm shot in the corner, then a double-underhook suplex off the top rope for a two count. Ambrose goes for a suplex, but Miz escapes and dropkicks Ambrose’s knee. Miz stomps on Ambrose in the corner, then hangs him in the tree of woe in the corner and hits some running dropkicks to the knee. Ambrose comes back with a clothesline, then collapses and sells the knee. Miz grabs Ambrose and puts him in the Figure Four leg lock. Ambrose grabs the ropes, but has trouble getting to his feet so Miz capitalizes with a series of kicks. Ambrose appears to be bleeding on the lip. Miz misses a dropkick and Ambrose capitalizes with a flying elbow off the top rope. Maryse gets on the apron and distracts the ref. Miz goes for a Skull Crushing Finale but Ambrose escapes. Ambrose rolls outside and lays out Axel and Dallas. Miz goes for a baseball slide dropkick but misses and Ambrose drops him at ringside. Ambrose climbs up top and hits a splash off the top onto Miz, Dallas and Axel at ringside. Back in the ring, Ambrose reverses a Skull Crushing Finale into a Dirty Deeds, but Maryse pulls Miz’s foot onto the bottom rope to break the pin and the ref didn’t see her. Miz rolls outside and Ambrose hits a suicide dive on him. Axel gets on the apron, then Dallas hops up and hits Ambrose behind the ref’s back. Miz follows up with the Skull Crushing Finale for the win.
– Braun Strowman def. Roman Reigns: This one is an Ambulance Match, where the goal is to throw your opponent in the ambulance by the stage and close the door. Strowman overpowers Reigns early on and throws him across the ring, but Reigns fights back with right hands. Reigns runs off the ropes and Strowman drops him with a clothesline, then hits two splashes on Reigns in the corner. The fight spills to the outside where Strowman throws Reigns into the ring post, then hits Reigns with the ring steps. Roman dodges a shot from Strowman and Strowman crashes into the ring post. Back in the ring, Reigns fights back with kicks and uppercuts. Reigns tries to knock Strowman down with clotheslines but doesn’t have any luck, and Strowman hits a reverse chokeslam on Reigns. Strowman goes for a running powerslam but Reigns gets out and kicks Strowman in the face. Reigns goes for a spear but Strowman blocks it with a kick to the face, then Strowman hits a powerslam. Strowman drags Reigns out to ringside, but Reigns pushes Strowman away and rolls back in the ring. Back in the ring, Strowman misses a splash in the corner and Reigns comes back with a Samoan drop. Strowman charges at Reigns, but Reigns dodges him and Strowman crashes into the ring post. Reigns kicks Strowman’s injured elbow then starts working over that bad arm. Reigns grabs a steel chair from under the ring and repeatedly hits Strowman’s bad elbow with it. Reigns throws a third chair shot at Strowman, but he blocks it with a his good arm and walks towards Reigns. Strowman grabs reigns and throws him back and forth into the fan barricades around the entrance ramp. Strowman throws Reigns up the ramp then slams his head into the screens on the stage. Strowman walks over to the announce table and yanks out the TVs. Strowman goes to powerbomb Reigns into the table, but Reigns slides out and lays into Strowman with right hands. Strowman grabs Reigns and throws him off the stage into the side of the ambulance. Strowman goes to put Reigns in the ambulance, but Reigns fights him off. Strowman picks up Reigns and tries to shove him into the ambulance, but Reigns fights off again. Reigns hits a Superman punch on Strowman, and Strowman is halfway into the ambulance. Strowman boots Reigns in the face, but Reigns comes back with a second Superman punch. Reigns tries to push Strowman into the ambulance but Strowman shoves him off. Strowman grabs a stretcher backboard and repeatedly hits Reigns with it. Strowman pulls the stretcher out of the ambulance and tosses it aside. Strowman throws Reigns back up onto the stage then follows him up. Strowman charges towards Reigns, but Reigns moves and Strowman crashes into the set. Strowman goes for a powerslam, but Reigns gets out and shoves Strowman into the screens — and Strowman’s body breaks through the screens. Strowman emerges from the screen wreckage, then throws Reigns off the stage. Strowman and Reigns are both hurt. Reigns hits Strowman in the face with a lighting rig and Strowman falls towards the ambulance. Reigns goes for a spear, but Strowman sidesteps him d Reigns goes flying right into the ambulance. Strowman slams the doors shut and wins the match. After the bell, Reigns comes out of the ambulance and spears Strowman. Reigns then slams Strowman into the ambulance, then puts him inside and closes the doors. Reigns takes over the driver’s seat of the ambulance and drives it back to the parking area of the arena. Reigns then backs up full-speed into the back of an 18-wheeler with Strowman still in the back of the ambulance. Kurt Angle walks in and yells for someone to call 911. Jamie Noble tries to pry the ambulance door open but has no luck.
Nothing, but absolute DESTRUCTION courtesy of @WWERomanReigns and @BraunStrowman!!!! #WWEGBOF pic.twitter.com/fLSyRNLa2M
— WWE (@WWE) July 10, 2017
– Cole tells us that an impromptu match is about to take place while Strowman is still trapped in the ambulance backstage.
– Heath Slater def. Curt Hawkins: While Slater and Hawkins go back and forth in the ring we hear sirens coming from the back. We cut to the backstage area where fire trucks pull into the arena. Kurt Angle leads the crew over to the wrecked ambulance. We hear the bell ring and the ring announcer declares Slater the winner, but we don’t see it. The firemen use the Jaws of Life to open the ambulance, then EMTs step inside and see Strowman with blood on his arms. Strowman fights off the EMTs and stumbles into the arena. We see some more angles of the ambulance crash.
– Brock Lesnar (c) def. Samoa Joe: While Heyman is doing Brock’s ring introduction, Joe jumps Lesnar before the bell and takes him out to ringside. Joe suplexes Lesnar through the announce table at ringside, then rolls back in the ring. Heyman runs over to check on Brock and Brock slowly gets to his feet. Lesnar gets back in the ring and tells the ref he’s ready to go. Joe immediately hits a splash in the corner and a Pele kick to the head. Joe follows up with some headbutts, and Lesnar fires back with knees. Joe starts pummeling on Lesnar in the corner, then Lesnar turns the tides and hits some shoulder strikes and knees on Joe. Joe goes for the Coquina Clutch early on but Lesnar fights him off. Lesnar hits a German suplex, then another, then another. Lesnar goes for another one, but Joe grabs the ropes and the referee, and hits a low-blow mule kick to Lesnar that the ref didn’t see. Joe hits a side suplex for a two count. Joe goes for the Coquina Clutch and Lesnar momentarily fights it off, but Joe finally gets it locked in. Lesnar fights his way up and drops Joe with a side slam. Lesnar goes for a spear in the corner but Joe dodges and Lesnar hits the ring post. Joe comes up behind Brock but Brock dodges him and hits a German suplex. Lesnar follows up with two more German Suplexes, then goes for an F-5. Joe escapes and goes for the Coquina Clutch and gets it locked in. Lesnar fights out of the Clutch and hits the F-5 for the win. Lesnar and Heyman celebrate with the Universal Title on the ramp, as Joe looks on from the ring and he’s not happy. Lesnar looks back at Joe from the stage as Great Balls of Fire goes off the air.
"THERE IS NO QUIT" in The Beast @BrockLesnar!!! #UniversalTitle #WWEGBOF pic.twitter.com/P3Uee9IdxO
— WWE (@WWE) July 10, 2017
