Now in possession of two of WWE’s top titles after capturing the United States championship last month, the bullseye on Seth Rollins’ chest has only increased along with the added weight on his shoulders. Facing challenges on both fronts from two of the industry’s greatest superstars, John Cena and the elusive, iconic Sting, could the self-proclaimed ‘Future of the WWE’ hold onto his gold?
Mixed Results As Rollins Competes Back-To-Back
In his toughest night since becoming champion, Seth Rollins may have lost his United States championship to its former owner, but a rousing comeback against the veteran Sting and a post-match 'assist' from the returning Kane ensured that he would keep at least one title.
Forced to defend both belts in back-to-back matches, Rollins took the fight to Cena but ultimately, and despite his best efforts, couldn't quite replicate his SummerSlam success. Mixing his offense to include some of his more exotic and high-flying weapons, Cena looked more like Rey Mysterio as he found success with ‘Sunset Powerbombs’ and ‘Hurricanranas’, but in the end the match was settled thanks to his trusty ‘Attitude Adjustment’. Soundly beaten Rollins attempted to make a premature exit, but instead found himself victim to another ‘AA’. Thrown back into the ring by his conqueror, Rollins’ future as WWE World Heavyweight champion looked bleak.
But The Authority’s faith in the young superstar isn’t without reasoning. Rollins dug deep and managed to repel the challenge of his next adversary; the former face of WCW, and a man looking to become the oldest champion in history, Sting. ‘The Icon’ started strong, picking up where Cena had left off, but the champion soon recovered and quickly took control of the match after pushing his rival back-first through the Spanish announcers table. Sting threatened with an extended ‘Scorpion Death Lock’ that nearly ended the match, but the damage had already been done, and Rollins soon scored the victory with a counter roll-up.
Rollins’ long night wasn't over however. Charging down the aisle, Money in the Bank holder Sheamus looked to capitalise on a weakened champion, but the surprise return of Kane, who attacked both him and Rollins, scuppered his cash-in plans.
Thoughts: If he hadn't already proved his worth as one of the WWE’s most exciting new superstars, Seth Rollins underlined his status as the company’s top talent in 2015 with an excellent double showing. His match with Cena might have been a little too familiar to their SummerSlam effort, but it was still the match of the night. Another gem to add to the swelling collection of incredible United States championship title matches we’ve been treated to this year so far. Putting the title back on Cena might not have made sense, but he’s more than earned it with a string of fantastic performances of his own.
Reports of Sting suffering what could be a career-ending injury aren’t surprising given some of the bumps he took in his first, and potentially final WWE PPV main event. I questioned the booking from the start, and while the legendary superstar delivered an age-defying performance, it was clear that he shouldn’t have been taking the level of punishment that he did. Still, it was an exciting and dramatic match with an excellently unpredictable finish.
I’m not going to analyse the return of Kane. The fact that the WWE have him closing out a show in 2015 is shocking and beyond stale.
★★★☆☆ - vs. Sting
★★★★☆ - vs. Cena
Wyatt Family Wreck Jericho Return
Making another surprise appearance, Chris Jericho’s triumphant entrance was as good as his brief return got, as he soon felt the wrath of the reinvigorated Wyatt Family. Bolstered by the introduction of their ‘Black Sheep’, Braun Strowman, Bray and his clansmen outmuscled and punished the makeshift tandem of Reigns, Ambrose and Jericho. A spirited comeback by the trio eventually had Strowman on his back, but miscommunication proved their ultimate downfall as a forced Jericho tag halted their momentum. Back in the ring with the hulking newcomer, ‘Y2J’ was eventually rendered unconscious thanks to Strowman’s yet-unnamed submission finisher.
Thoughts: Their feud may be taking forever, but thanks to the introduction of Strowman it looks like it’s going to continue for quite a while longer still. The inclusion of Jericho, while certainly a crowd-pleasing choice, didn’t really make sense despite Cole and co. trying as valiantly as possible to link it to a long-forgotten rivalry from last year. It just seemed like the WWE went with the safe option. The match itself was decent with a lot of emphasis on the newest member of the villainous group, but it felt too filler rather than an important new chapter in the long-running programme.
★★☆☆☆
Touch Of Flair Secures Charlotte First Divas Title
After coming so close to securing the title six days prior, Charlotte took full opportunity of her second chance as she finally overcame Nikki Bella to become the new Divas champion. Nikki started strong, injuring her challenger’s leg early in the contest. Smelling blood, the now-former champion targeted the limb throughout, but a lapse in concentration cost her dearly as a ‘Spear’ and ‘Figure Eight’ submission lock forced her to surrender the title after 301 days.
Thoughts: Love her or hate her, Nikki Bella is one of the most improved female wrestlers since Trish Stratus. Now demonstrating an enhanced ability to tell a story in the ring, the former champion proved why the WWE have been so insistent to have her surpass AJ Lee’s 295-day reign. Charlotte’s eventual victory, however, could have been handled better and looked far more flukey than it should have. Hopefully this is something they can remedy should the feud continue.
★★★☆☆
#SaveTheTables Backfires, But Meddlesome New Day Retain
Champions once again, The New Day’s first challenge came in the form of returning veterans and all-time tag team greats The Dudley Boyz. Unfazed by their legendary opponents, Kofi, Big E and a trombone-welding Woods taunted Bubba and D-Von relentlessly and maintained control thanks to the excellent combination of Kingston’s speed and Big E’s brute strength. A sudden comeback from the 9-time champions turned the bout around however, forcing Woods to intervene to save his comrades. The New Day may have retained their gold, but their efforts to ‘Save The Tables’ ended with Woods being slammed through the hardware.
Thoughts: The New Day are undeniably one of the best things to happen to the stagnant division for a long time, and while their match with the returning Bubba and D-Von failed to hit the right notes, the trio’s antics more than saved the segment. Now in the twilight of their careers, The Dudley Boyz are attraction performers, and like the evening’s main eventer, shouldn’t really be challenging for the gold. A DQ finish is never welcome on pay-per-view and really gave the match a Raw or Smackdown vibe. Disappointing in terms of in-ring action, excellent in terms of entertainment. Standard WWE.
★★☆☆☆
Inadvertent Assistance Costs Rusev...Again
A Summer Rae-thrown shoe cost the former United States champion Rusev dearly as he sought to end his feud with Dolph Ziggler. Absorbing the fast-paced offensive flurries from his ‘Showoff’ opponent, Rusev responded in kind with a series of punishing strikes and slams. Convinced of his victory following a superkick, Rusev’s night soon took a turn for the worst after his valet’s errant footwear caused a distraction, allowing Ziggler to connect with the ‘Zig Zag’ for the count.
Thoughts: Just like a sudden superkick, this came out of nowhere! Who would have guessed that the match with one of the worst buildups of all time would be one of the better matches of the evening. Two of the WWE’s most abused performers, Ziggler and Rusev put their awful programme aside to deliver an exciting and hard-hitting battle. Rusev could have probably done with the win instead of the already ruined Ziggler, but his performance proves that there is still hope for the Bulgarian big man.
★★★☆☆
Owens Dethrones Ryback To Secure First Title
Proving that there is life after John Cena, Kevin Owens weathered an early storm to capture his first main roster title. Dominating early, Ryback threw his challenger around with shocking ease, but Owens soon took control after smashing his opponent arm-first into the ring post. Refusing to give up so easily, Ryback fought back and even hoisted Owens up for his ‘Shell Shocked’ finisher, but a quick rake to the eyes and an even quicker roll-up bought the bout to its surprising conclusion.
Thoughts: While I was surprised to see Ryback drop the title after such an injury-hit reign, this could be just what the doctor ordered for the Intercontinental championship. A pleasantly brief but entertaining opening bout, this might have been a far cry from his epic battles with Cena, but Owens showed real versatility here, acting this time around as the intellectual foil to Ryback’s brute strength. The finish left a lot to be desired however. Watching a clash between two giant warriors ending with a roll-up is as anticlimactic as it gets. Let’s hope the two have the opportunity to put on a more decisive battle soon.
★★☆☆☆
Overall Thoughts: Solid, but once again suffering from too many uninspired finishes and hampered by shoddy logic, Night of Champions might be the best example to show an outside fan just how strong the WWE can be in areas, and how weak they are in others. The WWE’s business interests and unrelenting pursuit of more subscribers to their network has never been more apparent in their booking, and that’s not a good thing.
Moment of the Event: Seth Rollins throws Sting through the announcers table
Event MVP: Seth Rollins
Show Rating: ★★★☆☆
Full Results:
Pre-Show: Cosmic Wasteland def Neville & The Lucha Dragons
Intercontinental Championship
Kevin Owens def Ryback © - NEW champion
Dolph Ziggler def Rusev
Tag Team Championship
The Dudley Boyz def The New Day © via DQ - New Day STILL champions
Divas Championship
Charlotte def Nikki Bella © - NEW champion
The Wyatt Family def Roman Reigns, Dean Ambrose & Chris Jericho
United States Championship
John Cena def Seth Rollins © - NEW champion
WWE World Heavyweight Championship
Seth Rollins © def Sting - STILL champion
What did you think of WWE Night of Champions? Leave your comments below!
All images courtesy of WWE.com
But The Authority’s faith in the young superstar isn’t without reasoning. Rollins dug deep and managed to repel the challenge of his next adversary; the former face of WCW, and a man looking to become the oldest champion in history, Sting. ‘The Icon’ started strong, picking up where Cena had left off, but the champion soon recovered and quickly took control of the match after pushing his rival back-first through the Spanish announcers table. Sting threatened with an extended ‘Scorpion Death Lock’ that nearly ended the match, but the damage had already been done, and Rollins soon scored the victory with a counter roll-up.
Rollins’ long night wasn't over however. Charging down the aisle, Money in the Bank holder Sheamus looked to capitalise on a weakened champion, but the surprise return of Kane, who attacked both him and Rollins, scuppered his cash-in plans.
Thoughts: If he hadn't already proved his worth as one of the WWE’s most exciting new superstars, Seth Rollins underlined his status as the company’s top talent in 2015 with an excellent double showing. His match with Cena might have been a little too familiar to their SummerSlam effort, but it was still the match of the night. Another gem to add to the swelling collection of incredible United States championship title matches we’ve been treated to this year so far. Putting the title back on Cena might not have made sense, but he’s more than earned it with a string of fantastic performances of his own.
Reports of Sting suffering what could be a career-ending injury aren’t surprising given some of the bumps he took in his first, and potentially final WWE PPV main event. I questioned the booking from the start, and while the legendary superstar delivered an age-defying performance, it was clear that he shouldn’t have been taking the level of punishment that he did. Still, it was an exciting and dramatic match with an excellently unpredictable finish.
I’m not going to analyse the return of Kane. The fact that the WWE have him closing out a show in 2015 is shocking and beyond stale.
★★★☆☆ - vs. Sting
★★★★☆ - vs. Cena
Wyatt Family Wreck Jericho Return
Making another surprise appearance, Chris Jericho’s triumphant entrance was as good as his brief return got, as he soon felt the wrath of the reinvigorated Wyatt Family. Bolstered by the introduction of their ‘Black Sheep’, Braun Strowman, Bray and his clansmen outmuscled and punished the makeshift tandem of Reigns, Ambrose and Jericho. A spirited comeback by the trio eventually had Strowman on his back, but miscommunication proved their ultimate downfall as a forced Jericho tag halted their momentum. Back in the ring with the hulking newcomer, ‘Y2J’ was eventually rendered unconscious thanks to Strowman’s yet-unnamed submission finisher.
Thoughts: Their feud may be taking forever, but thanks to the introduction of Strowman it looks like it’s going to continue for quite a while longer still. The inclusion of Jericho, while certainly a crowd-pleasing choice, didn’t really make sense despite Cole and co. trying as valiantly as possible to link it to a long-forgotten rivalry from last year. It just seemed like the WWE went with the safe option. The match itself was decent with a lot of emphasis on the newest member of the villainous group, but it felt too filler rather than an important new chapter in the long-running programme.
★★☆☆☆
Touch Of Flair Secures Charlotte First Divas Title
After coming so close to securing the title six days prior, Charlotte took full opportunity of her second chance as she finally overcame Nikki Bella to become the new Divas champion. Nikki started strong, injuring her challenger’s leg early in the contest. Smelling blood, the now-former champion targeted the limb throughout, but a lapse in concentration cost her dearly as a ‘Spear’ and ‘Figure Eight’ submission lock forced her to surrender the title after 301 days.
Thoughts: Love her or hate her, Nikki Bella is one of the most improved female wrestlers since Trish Stratus. Now demonstrating an enhanced ability to tell a story in the ring, the former champion proved why the WWE have been so insistent to have her surpass AJ Lee’s 295-day reign. Charlotte’s eventual victory, however, could have been handled better and looked far more flukey than it should have. Hopefully this is something they can remedy should the feud continue.
★★★☆☆
#SaveTheTables Backfires, But Meddlesome New Day Retain
Champions once again, The New Day’s first challenge came in the form of returning veterans and all-time tag team greats The Dudley Boyz. Unfazed by their legendary opponents, Kofi, Big E and a trombone-welding Woods taunted Bubba and D-Von relentlessly and maintained control thanks to the excellent combination of Kingston’s speed and Big E’s brute strength. A sudden comeback from the 9-time champions turned the bout around however, forcing Woods to intervene to save his comrades. The New Day may have retained their gold, but their efforts to ‘Save The Tables’ ended with Woods being slammed through the hardware.
Thoughts: The New Day are undeniably one of the best things to happen to the stagnant division for a long time, and while their match with the returning Bubba and D-Von failed to hit the right notes, the trio’s antics more than saved the segment. Now in the twilight of their careers, The Dudley Boyz are attraction performers, and like the evening’s main eventer, shouldn’t really be challenging for the gold. A DQ finish is never welcome on pay-per-view and really gave the match a Raw or Smackdown vibe. Disappointing in terms of in-ring action, excellent in terms of entertainment. Standard WWE.
★★☆☆☆
Inadvertent Assistance Costs Rusev...Again
A Summer Rae-thrown shoe cost the former United States champion Rusev dearly as he sought to end his feud with Dolph Ziggler. Absorbing the fast-paced offensive flurries from his ‘Showoff’ opponent, Rusev responded in kind with a series of punishing strikes and slams. Convinced of his victory following a superkick, Rusev’s night soon took a turn for the worst after his valet’s errant footwear caused a distraction, allowing Ziggler to connect with the ‘Zig Zag’ for the count.
Thoughts: Just like a sudden superkick, this came out of nowhere! Who would have guessed that the match with one of the worst buildups of all time would be one of the better matches of the evening. Two of the WWE’s most abused performers, Ziggler and Rusev put their awful programme aside to deliver an exciting and hard-hitting battle. Rusev could have probably done with the win instead of the already ruined Ziggler, but his performance proves that there is still hope for the Bulgarian big man.
★★★☆☆
Owens Dethrones Ryback To Secure First Title
Proving that there is life after John Cena, Kevin Owens weathered an early storm to capture his first main roster title. Dominating early, Ryback threw his challenger around with shocking ease, but Owens soon took control after smashing his opponent arm-first into the ring post. Refusing to give up so easily, Ryback fought back and even hoisted Owens up for his ‘Shell Shocked’ finisher, but a quick rake to the eyes and an even quicker roll-up bought the bout to its surprising conclusion.
Thoughts: While I was surprised to see Ryback drop the title after such an injury-hit reign, this could be just what the doctor ordered for the Intercontinental championship. A pleasantly brief but entertaining opening bout, this might have been a far cry from his epic battles with Cena, but Owens showed real versatility here, acting this time around as the intellectual foil to Ryback’s brute strength. The finish left a lot to be desired however. Watching a clash between two giant warriors ending with a roll-up is as anticlimactic as it gets. Let’s hope the two have the opportunity to put on a more decisive battle soon.
★★☆☆☆
Overall Thoughts: Solid, but once again suffering from too many uninspired finishes and hampered by shoddy logic, Night of Champions might be the best example to show an outside fan just how strong the WWE can be in areas, and how weak they are in others. The WWE’s business interests and unrelenting pursuit of more subscribers to their network has never been more apparent in their booking, and that’s not a good thing.
Moment of the Event: Seth Rollins throws Sting through the announcers table
Event MVP: Seth Rollins
Show Rating: ★★★☆☆
Full Results:
Pre-Show: Cosmic Wasteland def Neville & The Lucha Dragons
Intercontinental Championship
Kevin Owens def Ryback © - NEW champion
Dolph Ziggler def Rusev
Tag Team Championship
The Dudley Boyz def The New Day © via DQ - New Day STILL champions
Divas Championship
Charlotte def Nikki Bella © - NEW champion
The Wyatt Family def Roman Reigns, Dean Ambrose & Chris Jericho
United States Championship
John Cena def Seth Rollins © - NEW champion
WWE World Heavyweight Championship
Seth Rollins © def Sting - STILL champion
What did you think of WWE Night of Champions? Leave your comments below!
All images courtesy of WWE.com