The PG Era Rant for the 2015 King of
the Ring Final Four.
Well, I was supposed to rant on
Tuesdays and then Main Event disappeared. But hey, this is a Tuesday
show, so let's have some fun together and enjoy the show.
This show is dedicated to the memory of
Verne Gagne.
We start with a video about past kings
and how winning the King of the Ring title leads to big things for
all involved. So which of the four tonight will join them?
Live from the WWE Network.
Your hosts are Michael Cole, JBL, and
master of ceremonies Jerry Lawler. Lawler welcomes us and talks
about being King of the Ring. But first, highlights of the
quarterfinals.
Byron Saxton interviews Sheamus. He
says he'll be a 2-time King, but first he has to beat Neville. Yes,
Neville defies gravity – but not while he's unconscious. And it
doesn't matter who's in the final; Sheamus will become King and make
you kiss his arse.
Renee Young, meanwhile, gets Adrian
Neville. He reminds us he was a long-reigning NXT Champion, and in
just a month, he's in the King of the Ring semis. No one thought he
could do this – just as no one thinks he'll win tonight – but he
defies gravity and expectations. He's ready to show Sheamus what he
can do.
2015 King of the Ring Semifinals:
Sheamus v. Adrian Neville. The
1980s Kings are now canon, because Sheamus is trying to join Bret
Hart as 2-time King. Sheamus starts with the “lol you're short”
hand signal. He shoves Neville in the corner a couple times and
talks trash, but Neville forearms and kicks out. Neville handsprings
out of the corner, boot is caught, clothesline ducked, but Neville
runs into the Irish Curse. Neville shoves Sheamus away as the ref
checks on him. Sheamus charges in on kneelifts and delivers a second
Irish Curse. Neville tries to fight back from a kneeling position,
but Sheamus clubs him down and gets a running knee. Boot choke in
the corner follows, and Sheamus goes to a rear bearhug as the crowd
chants for Neville. Neville elbows out, then gets the Tito Santana
forearms to rattle Sheamus. Sheamus recovers with a knee to the gut,
then tosses Neville to try the Ten of Clubs. Neville fights out, so
Sheamus throws him into the announce table from the apron. They
tease the countout, but Neville's in at 9. Sheamus disgustedly
pounds away on Neville before throwing him halfway across the ring.
Sheamus with White Noise on Neville... but Dolph Ziggler is here to
get his attention. You know, with how Dolph won at Extreme Rules?
Sheamus is furious and misses the Brogue Kick from it, and the
enzuigiri and Red Arrow ends it at 5:44. Would a clean finish kill
them? *3/4
Dolph
puts Neville over before addressing Sheamus and saying that, um,
there was supposed to be a stipulation for when he won, and it's time
to collect. He charges the ring and gets a few shots in, but Sheamus
escapes. Sheamus is furious and decides to race back in to continue
the fight as ALL the referees come out to do something about it.
Sheamus' right eye is busted open from the fight.
I
know it wouldn't be very insightful, but I would pay money if the
entire Chris Jericho and Stephanie McMahon podcast was Jericho
finding newer ways to call Stephanie a trashbag ho like back in 2000.
But that's just me.
Moments
ago, for those who don't understand how video on demand works.
Renee
Young is with Bad News Barrett. First off, Neville beating Sheamus
is one of the biggest upsets in King of the Ring history. Renee said
it, not Wade. Barrett wants to know why he should be worried about
R-Truth. Once Barrett beats a has-been, he'll take out a
never-will-be. When he's done, Neville will be the Man That Everyone
Forgot, and they'll only remember Barrett as King.
Byron
Saxton is with R-Truth for the rebuttal. Truth's final thoughts:
he's still afraid of spiders. But he has a plan: he's not facing his
fears. He has something concrete. His plan is become King of the
Ring, and when he does, he'll declare that spiders are banned in
wrestling. He'll build a castle, make a drawbridge, fill up a
moat... wait, are there water spiders? As for Barrett, he's not
invited to the castle unless he can kill spiders. He's a
goooooooooooooooood R-Truth again.
2015
King of the Ring Semifinals: R-Truth v. Wade Barrett.
Truth with a quick rollup for two. The two exchange strikes, with
Barrett doing better in it, but Truth stops a whip to dance and get
another cradle for two. Barrett boots Truth down for one. Choke on
the second rope by Barrett, then some knee strikes and a running boot
to send Truth to the outside. On the outside, Barrett sends Truth
into the apron and gets two back in. To the chinlock! Barrett
misses a blind charge and Truth gets the clotheslines and front
suplex for two. Axe Kick misses, but the Lie Detector gets two. A
second one gets two. Little Jimmy gets blocked, Bulhammer missed,
and the Bossman Slam gets two. Barrett with kicks in the corner, but
a blind charge airballs and Little Jimmy gets two, but Barrett gets
to the rope. No one bought that as a near fall. Barrett with an eye
rake and Bullhammer more or less from nothing to win at 4:38. This
never got out of the blocks. ½*
A
video tribute to Verne Gagne. It gets a classy ovation. Lawler and
JBL share their thoughts.
Renee
Young is with Dolph Ziggler. We're reminded of how Ziggler got
Sheamus to advance by DQ over Dean Ambrose. But Ziggler eliminated
Sheamus this time. Dolph says he's tired of Sheamus being a
loud-mouthed bully. He even called Dean Ambrose to apologize, so
that story thread is going nowhere. He promises there's more pain to
come for Sheamus. This isn't about kissing an arse – it's about
kicking one.
This
week: Mick Foley! Chris Jericho and Stephanie McMahon! WrestleMania
Rewind – Money/Giant!
Highlights
from the Extreme Rules kickoff show, where Neville scored an upset.
Byron
Saxton is with Barrett. Saxton says there's some bad news: Neville's
already beaten Barrett. Barrett doesn't like fighting twice in one
night, but Neville is in trouble because Barrett destroyed R-Truth
and has all the momentum. And from here, Barrett will be the King of
the Ring.
They
really should not have shown the Neville/Barrett highlights. Too
many fans know about 50/50 booking nowadays. Of course, those that
do also remember Sunday's match...
2015 King of the
Ring: Adrian Neville v. Wade Barrett.
Winner becomes King of the Ring. With any luck, the loser gets his
first name back. Fun little detail: Barrett comes out and points at
the throne, clearly shouting “That's mine” as he does. Barrett
stalls to start. Lockup leads to a knee from Barrett and works the
ribs. Neville with the handspring and head-scissors, then a back
heel kick. More kicks, but Barrett pounces on Neville and
clotheslines him out of the ring. Barrett with a slam on the
outside, then he shoves Neville into the apron. Back in, Barrett
gets one. Barrett hangs Neville on the top roe and clubs the back
before kicking the ribs for two. Slingshot backbreaker gets two. He
stomps on the ribs before going to a half-surfboard with his knee in
Neville's ribs. Neville kicks out, staggering Barrett, but Barrett
recovers. Neville flips out of another slingshot and kicks away,
this time ducking Barrett's rush and sending him out. Neville
follows with a springboard quebrada. Back in, Neville with a
springboard dropkick. He strikes Barrett with every limb he's got,
getting a sliding dropkick and German suplex for two. Neville runs
into the Bossman Slam for two. Wasteland try, but Neville escapes
and gets a kick before... running back into Wasteland for two.
Barrett's running out of ideas, with nothing but the Bullhammer left,
and he's ready to deliver it. It misses, and Neville with a cradle
and bridge for two. Enzuigiri by Neville and he goes up, but the
Shooting Star Press misses. Neville rolls through and charges...
right into a Bullhammer for the crown at 7:06. A neat little story
they told there, with Neville showing fighting spirit and Barrett
unloading the hard shots and winning with experience. **1/4
Barrett
puts on the robe and takes the throne. Lawler makes it official.
Barrett says he's got the class and elegance to call himself King.
He will rule with an iron fist and a Bullhammer. Boom.
And
with that, I throw it back to Tommy Hall to take you through the rest
of the week. If you want me to do a Network recap, let me know. See
you later!