Backstage time! Sami! Jackie!
Back to the ring for a Becky promo. More about the path to WrestleMania which draws out Liv Morgan and the rest of the competitors in the Chamber Match. Huh. Tiff is the only heel. Cluster starts as expected, then Jax interjects to kill any heat this segment had. I guess we’ll see how many women here Nia injured in short order.
Back to the backstage for a Nakamura promo. If he’s squaring off with Sami Zayn at ‘Mania then I’m all in.
Ivar vs. Chad Gable
I don’t wanna. Again.
The first time these two met up it got adulation from many wrestling writers. I hate it then, I hate it now. It’s meaningless crap in a feud no one cares about.
Outside shenanigans to start and not much else as we go into break. Back from commercials nothing is looking any better. BAtista Bomb from Ivar gets two. Roll-up by Gable gets two and he transitions into the Ankle Lock for a very short period. The two battle on the outside as the ref is very liberal with his count. Ivar with the Whoopie Cushion for two. Moonsault misses. Gable goes for the German and hits it. Yippee. Hits his own Moonsault for two. Ankle Lock though gets the tap, which I’m pretty sure is a first for Gable. Meh.
Winner: Chad Gable
Please let this be the end of the crappy feud.
Imperium is in the ring next for a celebration of Gunther’s 600 days as IC Champ. Gunther sounds off and says no one is at his level. Jey Uso then makes his presence felt, and quite honestly this is a match to look forward to. Interaction between the two works very well. Contrast in styles works beautifully. The two end up coming to blows with Kaiser and Vinci taking their shots before the Old Day comes out to help their former nemesis. God I want change for Xavier and Kofi so bad. Everything until the spat was fantastic.
Backstage! Drew! New Day!
Gunther vs. Jey Uso (IC Title Match)
Basic stuff heading into the first break. I’m going with the thought of three breaks tonight.
Into the action we go and the two battle on the outside. Jey gets a half-assed Samoan Drop on Gunther onto the desk. Countout won’t help him.
Uso with a good series but Gunther gets a front dropkick and Powerbomb for two. Lariat gets two. Gunterh goes for the Boston Crab.
Uso comes back with a series of impact moves and both are on the outside heading into break number two.
Back from break and we’re into Boo-Yeets. Gunther comes out on top with a chop. More chops drop Jey. Spear from Jey gets two.
Top rope throw by Gunther is followed up by a splash for two.
If it wasn’t for two super long matches earlier I’d be able to follow this easier.
Uso hits a Spear on the inside and then one on the apron, then a third on the outside. Uso’s chest is blood red through the tats. Another spear inside. Uso Splash connects but the bell is being rung… by Jimmy Uso for the distraction. Gunther chops from behind, Jey rolls through for the VERY near fall. Superkick before Jey suicide dives onto Jey. He then heads to the top but eats knees on the way down and Gunther with the roll-up.
I like finishes like this – where the interference doesn’t result in the immediate finish. Good match, certainly plants a seed for the future.
Winner: Gunther
Post-match, Jimmy attacks Jey to setup the ‘Mania match we all expected.
Stay Classy y’all.
