The new faction, “A New Day,” made their official WWE debut on Friday’s edition of SmackDown, as Xavier Woods, Big E. and Kofi Kingston defeated Curtis Axel, Heath Slater and Titus O’Neil in six man tag-team action.
After the show, Woods tweeted the following about the group finally making their television debut.
It took a while to get to #TheNewDay but anything worth having doesn't come quick and I appreciate my… http://t.co/4OrTbBPQ7O
— Xavier Woods (@XavierWoodsPhD) November 29, 2014
EVENT: WWE Superstars
FROM: Indianapolis, Indiana
RESULTS BY: Matt Boone (@MBoone420)
The following matches were taped in Indianapolis, Indiana on Monday night, prior to the post-Survivor Series edition of RAW, for this week’s WWE Superstars episode.
-Jack Swagger def. Curtis Axel in the opening match of the taping. Swagger, who was accompanied by his manager, Zeb Colter, received an outstanding ovation from the fans in attendance. Axel, on the other hand, received basically no reception at all.
– The Usos def. The Slater Gators in a decent tag-team contest which served as the main event of the taping. The team of Heath Slater and Titus O’Neil garnered a decent comedic reaction throughout the bout, as this was basically designed as a goofy, fun style match.
– Sami Zayn vs. Titus O’Neil has been announced for this week’s edition of WWE NXT on the WWE Network.
– Chris Jericho noted via social media that he was recently in New York City filming footage for a new Jericho DVD project. According to various sources, it’s possible that the DVD could be a WWE project.
– Below is a video of a CWE event in Canada where WWE Hall Of Famer Amy “Lita” Dumas is working as a special guest referee.
CYBORG Promises To KNOCK OUT Ronda Rousey In Her UFC Debut! [READ HERE >>]
– After weeks of anticipation, The Bunny from Adam Rose’s “Rosebuds” group finally made his in-ring debut on Monday’s post-Night Of Champions edition of RAW. The Bunny teamed up with Rose to take on “The Slater Gators,” Heath Slater and Titus O’Neil. The Bunny helped lead Rose to victory in the tag-team contest. It’s also worth noting that after JBL pretended on commentary that he’d be absolutely sickened if The Bunny were to trend on Twitter, with Michael Cole and Jerry Lawler egging the situation on, “#BunnyMania” ended up trending number one worldwide on Twitter during RAW.
– As seen on Monday’s RAW, there seemed to be a tease for a possible future name change for one of the Bella Twins. Since the feud began, Brie Bella has already been forced to change her entrance music. On RAW, Nikki Bella declared that from now on she wanted to be referred to as “THE Nikki Bella,” and noted that she wanted Brie Bella to drop the “Bella” name, pointing out that she was recently married and should have taken the last name of her husband as it is. Whether or not this was a throw-away comment or the beginning of a possible stipulation match that leads to a future name change for one of the Bella Twins remains to be seen.
– The top two possibilities for matches on the WWE Night Of Champions “Kickoff Show” right now appear to be either Bo Dallas vs. Jack Swagger or Adam Rose and The Bunny vs. Titus O’Neil and Heath Slater.
– As we reported on Tuesday, Diamond Dallas Page noted during a recent interview that he received a text from Chris Jericho where he claimed he broke his toe during a “Lionsault” spot in his steel cage match with Bray Wyatt on this week’s RAW. Apparently that was a simple case of miscommunication, as Jericho reportedly told DDP that he “almost broke his toe” during the match. Jericho himself quipped via Twitter that he “jammed his toe” during the match.
(Credit: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)
The WWE rolled through midwest tonight, as they set up shop in Des Moines, Iowa. This week’s card featured a total of eight matches, including a life changing six-man tag main event. It’s time to once again take the WWE to school, and I’ll be the one doling out the grades.
As always, matches will be graded based on usual factors such as workrate, in-ring psychology, move variety, crowd reaction, and overall impact on the storyline. Important in-ring promos will also be graded based on factors such as originality, believability, and importance. Without further ado, here is this week’s Raw report card.
Chris Jericho’s Highlight Reel
Tonight’s show started with Chris Jericho’s Highlight Reel, and featured a shitload of guests, including the Authority, John Cena, and Roman Reigns. There was some entertaining banter during the segment, including Triple H and Jericho hurling corny insults at one another as Jericho dissed Triple H’s pink tie, while the Game chose to attack Y2J’s scarf during a hilarious back and forth. Rollins was extremely over during the promo and got the biggest pop of the night in his home state. Cena threatening to sue the company was pretty lame, however, and held the promo back a bit. It was an overall decent segment, it set up the main event, and the crowd seemed to be into it.
Grade: B
Sheamus and Dolph Ziggler vs. Cesaro and the Miz
The first match of the night was a tag team match featuring the United States and Intercontinental Champions. The Miz showed up with his body double Damien Mizdow and a personal stylist, complete with chairs and makeup. Miz and Sandow were hilarious throughout the contest and the ending was solid. Ziggler and Cesaro also worked well together during the opening portion of the match, with Cesaro’s fall away slam into a pinning combination being one of the most impressive spots I’ve seen in a long time. Overall, it was an entertaining contest and was a good way to advance both feuds.
Grade: B+
– Apparently Natalya had a “wardrobe malfunction” during Monday’s edition of WWE RAW. As a result, the WWE Diva and Total Divas star was trending on Twitter during the show. The reason it wasn’t seen on the show last night, however, was because WWE’s production truck likely caught it in time and due to the delay, were able to avoid showing it on the air.
– Below is a behind-the-scenes look at the WWE and Ad Council Fatherhood PSA’s which features Roman Reigns and Titus O’Neil. It’s worth noting that Alberto Del Rio was also part of the campaign, but after his WWE release, he was removed from the campaign.
Campuses around the country are infested with returning college students this week. In honor of all the alcohol that will be consumed and the knowledge that will hopefully be absorbed, it’s time to take the WWE to school, and I’ll be the one doling out the grades.
Welcome to the first ever WWE Raw Report Card. Matches will be graded based on usual factors such as workrate, in-ring psychology, move variety, crowd reaction, and overall impact on the storyline. Important in-ring promos will also be graded based on factors such as originality, believability, and importance. Without further ado, here are this week’s grades.
Hall of Fame Forum
This week’s Raw started with a roundtable discussion regarding the upcoming rematch between John Cena and Brock Lesnar. First off, I never thought I’d see the day where Shawn Michaels was the worst dressed man in the ring, but his combination of cowboy hat, jacket, and Remington t-shirt didn’t do him any favors.
Overall, it was nice seeing the legends together, even if it did feel a bit scripted at times and offered little insight. One hilarious moment was when Michaels said everyone loves Cena, eliciting massive boos from the audience. Speaking of Cena, his promo was surprisingly compelling, and it was nice to see him own up to the beating he took at SummerSlam.
Grade: B-
Rusev vs. Jack Swagger
This was likely the last contest between Rusev and Swagger, and all I can say is, “Good riddance.” This match featured a lot of downtime that resulted in a poor workrate, and a lot of the match was spent outside of the ring with nothing going on.
The in-ring psychology was pretty good (Swagger sold the rib injury well) and the crowd was into it, so that raised the grade a bit, but it was ultimately a fitting ending to a rather pointless program that saw Swagger dominated at nearly every stage of the feud.
Grade: C
Rob Van Dam vs. Cesaro
This was a rather short match, but both superstars worked well together during the time they were given. One criticism is that the ending felt a bit rushed. One moment Cesaro was rolling outside of the ring to avoid the Five Star Frog Splash and only a few seconds later he was hitting the Neutralizer for the win in a sequence that felt a bit off.
The match also served its purpose by building a championship match between Cesaro and Sheamus – a program that looks like it could be entertaining with two of the company’s better workers.
Grade: C+
The following matches were taped for this week’s edition of WWE Superstars prior to WWE RAW on Monday night in Las Vegas, Nevada.
– El Torito & La Bacca (aka Hornswoggle) def. Heath Slater and Titus O’Neil in the opening tag-team bout for this week’s show. This was said to be mostly a comedy match.
– Emma def. Alicia Fox in Divas competition to close out this week’s show. This was said to be your basic Divas type of match, nothing special.
The following matches were taped on Tuesday night in Seattle, Washington for tonight’s WWE SummerSlam “go-home” edition of SmackDown on SyFy:
– Dean Ambrose vs. Cesaro
– Dolph Ziggler vs. Titus O’Neil
– Mark Henry vs. Luke Harper
– Mark Henry & Big Show vs. Luke Harper & Erick Rowan
– A.J. Lee vs. Eva Marie non-title
– Jack Swagger vs. Bo Dallas
– Roman Reigns vs. The Miz
For complete spoiler results, click here.
The following are highlights of a new Turnbuckle Weekly interview with Titus O’Neil:
Darren Young injury update: “It’s coming along excellent… I talked to him last week because a couple of my friends went to a concert with him and his partner, Nicky. It was a Maxwell concert. He’s doing well and he’ll comeback, I’m sure, very motivated. Hell, he may even come try to beat me and Heath’s (butt) for partnering up. We might have to have the Prime Time Players rejoin.”
Daniel Bryan chasing down a burglar: “I have a lot respect for him anyway. He is, obviously, dealing with some neck issues. So, my first concern would be are there any ramifications or health issues coming from that? I want him back just like the rest of the WWE Universe wants him back. He’s a very fun person to watch and he’s a really really good person and performer. He’s different. And unless you get a chance to be around him on a daily basis, you won’t understand and be able to appreciate how great his differences are to most people.”
Best wrestlers ever on the mic: “My favorites would probably be Stone Cold Steve Austin and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson… They come from a football atmosphere so there’s an attitude that comes with that. But there’s also an understanding of chemistry and being able to be who you are and knowing how to have swagger and confidence. Those things will always come out at the end of the day regardless of lack of experience in certain fields.”
Check out the complete interview at CBSLocal.com.
At one point, the plan for the WWE SummerSlam “Kickoff Show” match was a four-way tag-team match for the WWE Tag-Team Championships, with The Usos defending against Luke Harper and Erick Rowan, Ryback and Curtis Axel and Goldust and Stardust.
As things stand now, the pre-show match for the pay-per-view is being discussed and a decision is expected to be made at some point during the next week.
It’s worth noting that the new “Slater Gator” duo (Heath Slater and Titus O’Neil) may end up being involved if they go the tag-team route, which is expected, as the new tag-combination recently picked up a notable win over Goldust and Stardust on WWE Main Event.
(Credit: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)
The following matches were taped prior to WWE RAW on Monday for this week’s edition of WWE Superstars:
– Cameron def. Emma in Divas action to open the show. This was said to be your basic Divas match.
– Sheamus def. Titus O’Neil in the main event. O’Neil was said to be pretty over with the fans in the arena, however when all was said and done, Sheamus picked up the “W” with a Brogue Kick.
– Several wrestling legends, as well as current talent have been praising Paul Heyman and John Cena for their promo work in the opening segment of this past Monday’s RAW. WWE Hall Of Famer “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, for example, tweeted the following:
@HeymanHustle serves up a tremendous promo for @JohnCena on #RAW. Cena returns fire with an A-1 promo. Great work by both guys. #wwe
— Steve Austin (@steveaustinBSR) July 29, 2014
– The tag-team combination of Heath Slater and Titus O’Neil is now being called “Slater Gator.”
– The new nickname for Summer Rae and Layla’s duo is “The Slayers.”
The following matches were taped prior to Monday’s RAW for this week’s edition of WWE Superstars.
– Alberto Del Rio def. Justin Gabriel via Submission after applying his Cross Armbreaker, forcing the tap out from Gabriel.
– Heath Slater & Titus O’Neil def. Sin Cara & Zack Ryder in tag-team action via pinfall. Ryder ended up being the man on his team who had to look up at the lights, as you would expect.
The following matches were taped prior to Monday’s RAW in Montreal for this week’s edition of WWE Superstars:
– Adam Rose def. Titus O’Neil in the opening match. This was said to be a bit longer than most usual Rose matches.
– Curtis Axel def. Tyson Kidd in the main event of the show. Ryback was in the corner of Axel, while Natalya was in Kidd’s corner.
The following matches were taped for this week’s edition of WWE Superstars prior to Monday’s RAW in Hartford, Connecticut:
– Big E. def. Titus O’Neil in the opening match of the show.
– Alberto Del Rio def. R-Truth in the main event.
The following is results of the matches taped prior to RAW for this week’s edition of WWE Superstars:
– Dolph Ziggler def. Titus O’Neil in the opening match. WWE actually showed the finish of this match during the RAW pre-show on the WWE Network.
– Adam Rose def. Heath Slater in the main event of this week’s Superstars.
The following are new “Take Time to be a Dad Today” videos from the official WWE YouTube channel, which features Roman Reigns and Titus O’Neil:
Also new on WWE’s YouTube channel is the latest edition of “WWE Top 10,” which looks at the ten biggest breakups in history. You can check that out below.
WWE issued the following:
WWE® Superstars Alberto Del Rio, Titus O’Neil and Roman Reigns Take on the Importance of Being a Dad in National Public Service Campaign
WWE Joins Ad Council and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to Launch New Fatherhood Involvement PSAs in Time for Father’s Day
Washington, DC, June 6, 2014 – A majority of dads in the U.S., seven out of ten, recently reported that they could use tips on how to be a better parent, according to a national survey conducted by the Ad Council. In advance of Father’s Day, WWE Superstars are inspiring dads throughout the country to get more involved in their children’s lives. WWE is joining the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children and Families’ Office of Family Assistance, the National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse, and the Ad Council to launch a new series of public service advertisements (PSAs) that encourage dads to recognize their critical role and give them the tools to help get more involved.
This month, the Ad Council will distribute the television, radio, print, outdoor and Web public service ads to media outlets nationwide. In addition, the Ad Council will make all PSA materials available through PSACentral.org. WWE will utilize all of its assets, including television, live events, in-arena, digital and social media, to generate awareness of the national public service campaign.
WWE donated their time, talent and resources for the campaign which uses humor and features WWE Superstars Alberto Del Rio, Titus O’Neil and Roman Reigns experiencing poignant moments with their actual children in an effort to inspire a nationwide commitment to fatherhood. The stars provide the voiceovers at the end, directing audiences to “Take Time To Be a Dad Today.” The campaign communicates to fathers that their presence is essential to their children’s well-being and emphasizes that “the smallest moments can have the biggest impact on a child’s life.” The new PSAs can be seen here.
“WWE is honored to be a part of the Ad Council Fatherhood campaign and the mission to inspire and support men in their commitment to responsible fatherhood,” said Vince McMahon, WWE Chairman & CEO. “Even the busiest of dads can do the simplest of things to have a positive impact on their children.”
All of the creative assets direct fathers to visit www.fatherhood.gov or to call 1-877-4DAD411 to provide them with the information they need to become more involved with their children’s lives, including parenting tips, fatherhood programs and additional resources. In addition to the English and Spanish-language advertising, the campaign also includes social and digital extensions, leveraging fans of WWE and its Superstars. To coincide with Father’s Day and the campaign launch, @WWEMoms is hosting a Twitter Q&A on June 12 at 7:00 p.m. via #WWEDads. The campaign will also be leveraging Thunderclap (a public synchronized social media post), and developing blog posts and additional activities.
“The importance of being a present and engaged dad lies in the long term effects and benefits that this responsibility has on the children and families we serve. Fatherhood must be respected as essential to the wellbeing of our communities and as an investment in the creation of a caring, healthier and more productive society as a whole. Fatherhood is both a privilege and an honor, and the greatest reward is when your child calls you dad,” said Office of Family Assistance Director Earl Johnson.
Children with involved, loving fathers are significantly more likely to do well in school, have healthy self-esteem, exhibit empathy and pro-social behavior, and avoid high-risk behaviors such as drug use, truancy, and criminal activity compared to children who have uninvolved fathers.
“Of course, with our target being dads, WWE was a natural partner for this effort,” said Peggy Conlon, President and CEO of the Ad Council. “This campaign has already made such an impact on fathers and families throughout the country and I know that with the help of Alberto, Titus and Roman, we will be able to show dads how important their role is in their child’s life.”
The new PSAs are an extension of the Ad Council’s award-winning Fatherhood Involvement campaign, which launched in 2008. The ads will air and run in time and space entirely donated by the media. To date, the Fatherhood Involvement campaign has received more than $193 million in donated media.
The following are results of the matches taped for this week’s edition of WWE Superstars. The matches took place prior to Monday’s WWE RAW show, which was taped in the afternoon at the O2 Arena in London, England.
– Big Show def. Titus O’Neil in the opening match of the evening. Show ended up picking up the win via pin fall after hitting O’Neil with a chokeslam.
– Jack Swagger (with Zeb Colter) def. Cody Rhodes (with Goldust) via submission in the main event of the show. The finish saw Swagger lock Rhodes up in his Patriot Lock submission hold, forcing him to tap out.
The following is a non-spoiler match listing for this week’s edition of WWE SmackDown, which was taped on Tuesday night and will air on Friday, May 2, 2014 on the SyFy Network.
– Rob Van Dam vs. Jack Swagger
– Alexander Rusev vs. R-Truth
– The Wyatt Family vs. Sheamus & The Usos
– Damien Sandow vs. Dolph Ziggler
– Big E. vs. Titus O’Neil
– Dean Ambrose vs. Ryback vs. Curtis Axel vs. Alberto Del Rio
For a complete spoiler report for this week’s WWE SmackDown, click ahead to page two …
The following are results of the matches that were taped for this week’s edition of WWE Superstars, which took place prior to WWE RAW on Monday night in New Orleans, Louisiana.
– Ryback def. Dolph Ziggler to open the show. This was a back-and-forth match that ended when Ryback hit Ziggler with his “Shellshock” finisher for the pin fall victory.
– Titus O’Neil def. Kofi Kingston in another singles match. The finish here saw O’Neil hit Kingston with his “Clash of Titus” finishing move for the clean victory.