If you haven’t heard, WWE is going back on the road in July, which means our time in the ThunderDome is winding down. But not before WWE stages one last pay per view in the dome. Hell in a Cell has been moved to June and we do know that WWE Champion Bobby Lashley will be defending his title on the show, but we don’t know who he will be defending against. That will change tonight with a number one contenders match. Time to head into the ThunderDome.
MVP stands in the ring to introduce the Chief Hurt Officer, Bobby Lashley, and promotes the WWE going back on the road. All so we can see the WWE champion, naturally. There’s a dark cloud that is hanging over them, though; it’s Drew McIntyre. Lashley feels that Drew should go to back of the line, since he has defeated him twice.
The “dark cloud” shows up again, but everyone knew Drew was walking out from behind that curtain. McIntyre wants a one on one rematch and he knows that Bobby wants that too. Lashley needs to prove he is the number on superstar on RAW. Lashley blames McIntyre for the loss to Kofi Kingston last week.
Kofi and Xavier Woods walk out on stage, with Kofi bragging about pinning the WWE champion last week. Kofi didn’t want Drew’s help and he didn’t need it. He answered the open challenge because he never go a rematch when he lost the WWE title. Kofi wants Drew to step aside, since he did pin Lashley, something McIntyre hasn’t done in months.
Adam Pearce walks out to mediate the situation. He books Kofi and Drew in a number on contender match.
Kofi Kingston w/Xavier Woods vs. Drew McIntyre – Number One Contender Match
The champ and MVP watch from a lounge on the stage. Drew strikes first with a massive shoulder block, sending Kofi to the mat. McIntyre catches Kofi trying a back elbow, slamming him to the mat. Kofi takes Drew to the mat and hits a splash off the ropes. Kofi fights out of powerbomb, sending McIntyre to the floor with a head scissors. Kofi dives over the ropes with a pescado. McIntyre catches Kofi on the his shoulders and slams him into the apron with a reverse Alabama Slam.
After a commercial break, Drew is beating on Kofi in the corner. He tosses Kingston across the ring with an overhead suplex. Kofi fights back with a drop kick off the turnbuckles. Kofi tries to lock in a guillotine, but Drew counters with a suplex. Kofi stomps Drew in the corner. He goes up top, but Drew is able to meet him on the ropes. Kofi sends Drew to the mat with a head butt and connects with a cross body. Drew rolls through and hits a Michinoku driver. Kofi just kicks out. Lashley and MVP head to the ring as we go to commercial again.
Lashley and MVP join commentary, as Kofi and Drew trade blows. Kofi counters the Future Shock DDT into pin, but Drew kicks out. McIntyre hits a spine buster and a sit out power bomb, but still can’t get the three count. Kofi side steps McIntyre, who crashes into the ring post shoulder first. Kofi slowly climbs up top and splashes McIntyre. He still can’t get the pin. Drew is dumped from the ring, landing at the the commentary desk. Kofi flies off the top rope, crashing into Drew McIntyre and Bobby Lashley. In the ring, Kofi hits the SOS, but Drew kicks out. Bobby Lashley and MVP hit the ring and start beating on McIntyre and Kingston. The ref calls for the bell.
Double Disqualification
Xavier Woods runs in to make the save, but gets taken out by Lashley. McIntyre hits Lashley with a Claymore kick.
Earlier today, Nikki Cross got herself a match with Rhea Ripley after inserting herself into a conversation between the two Charlotte Flair. Flair challenges Ripley to beat Cross in under two minutes.
Rhea Ripley vs. Nikki Cross
Ripley takes her time, even though she is on the clock. The champ beats on Cross in the corner. Time runs out and Cross picks up the win.
Winner via time: Nikki Cross
Cross celebrates, until Charlotte Flair walks out.
Drew McIntyre wants answers from Adam Pearce. Next week, the will run this match back. McIntyre insists that Lashley and MVP be kept away.
Charlotte Flair vs. Asuka
The two women feel each other out at the start of the match. Flair is able to escape from getting the Asuka Lock applied. Flair takes down Asuka and applies a head scissors. Asuka breaks free, kicking Flair in the stomach. She smashes the Queen into the turnbuckle and connects with a hip attacks. Flair blocks a second attempt with a chop block. Flair poses outside the ring, as Asuka grabs her knee. Flair dodges Asuka coming off the apron and slams her knee into the ring steps.
After a commercial break, Flair locks in a Boston crab. Asuka reverses into a pin. Flair breaks free, but Asuka slaps on an arm bar. Charlotte is able to grab the ropes to break the hold. Asuka unleashes a flurry kicks, but gets caught on a hip attack. Flair hits a shin breaker. Asuka grabs her knee again. Flair hangs her in the tree of woe, kicking away at the injured knee. Asuka rolls away from a moonsault and delivers a German suplex. Asuka lands the hip attack, following with a back fist. Flair kicks out of the pin attempt after another hip attack.
Asuka counters a big boot with a knee strike and looks for the arm bar. She tries to transition into the Asuka lock, but Flair is too strong. The two trade haymakers in the middle of the ring. Flair continues to focus on the knee, but Asuka still is able to land a kick. Flair hits a back breaker. Asuka rolls away from the moonsault, but Flair lands on her feet and hits a standing moonsault. Flair still can’t get the pin.
Charlotte looks for the Figure Four, but Asuka counters with a pin. Asuka is able to lock in the Asuka lock, but Charlotte rolls through into a pin. Asuka can’t kick out and Flair picks up the win.
Winner via pinfall: Charlotte Flair
A poor production assistant has to fetch Bobby Lashley for Adam Pearce. In his office, Pearce informs MVP and Lashley that if they interfere in next week’s number one contender match, he will be suspended for 90 days…without pay.
Before their match, Cedric has somethings to get off his chest. He blames Shelton for getting kicked out of the Hurt Business because Benjamin is washed up. Cedric was collateral damage, but he has the years to make up for it. He calls Shelton’s win last week a fluke. Cedric is evolving, though, and he learns. Tonight, his arm will be raised in victory.
Cedric Alexander vs. Shelton Benjamin
Benjamin is hot and the ref has to hold him back. At the bell, Alexander slips down to the floor. Benjamin finally gets his hands on Cedric and beats him into the corner. Shelton tosses him to the floor and slams him into the barricade. In the ring, Alexander low bridges Shelton, but he is able to skin the cat. Benjamin looks for the T-Bone, but Cedric grabs the ropes. Benjamin catches Alexander up top, but Cedric counter with a hurricanrana. Cedric with a drop kick. He follows with elbows to the mid-section. Cedric taunts Benjamin, who answers with a powerful clothesline. He follows with a spine buster. Benjamin hits a spinning kick and follows with rolling German suplexes. Alexander breaks the grip with a thumb to the eye. Alexander shoots off the ropes and hits the Nueralizer. He covers to get the win.
Winner via pinfall: Cedric Alexander
Riddle vs. Xavier Woods
The two lock up and Woods forces Riddle into the corner. The two trade mat wrestling moves. Riddle locks in the Bro-mission, but Woods is able to get to the bottom rope. Woods breaks a triangle hold by getting to the ropes again. Riddle hits a suplex. Woods takes Riddle off the top rope with a suplex. Riddle looks for an arm bar, but Woods fights it off. Riddle leaps into a vertical suplex. Riddle floats over and unleashes a flurry of kicks in the corner. The two take each other out with clotheslines. Riddle takes Woods to the floor. The two fight on the apron. Woods slams Riddle on the apron and we go to break.
Back in the ring, Riddle misses the PK and the Woods gets his knees up on the Bro-ton. Woods chops away at Riddle and goes up top. Woods with a drop kick off the second rope, but it’s not enough to get the pin. Riddle with a knee strike and then the two reverse holds. Riddle gets hung up in the tree of woe and Woods connects with a drop kick. Woods picks up Riddle and hits the gut check. Riddle stops Woods on the apron with a knee. He follows with a suplex off the middle rope. Woods kicks out an dodges the Floating Bro. Woods with a chop, but Riddle answers with the RKO. He covers and gets the win.
Winner via pinfall: Riddle
AJ Styles vs. Jaxson Ryker
Ryker runs directly into a drop kick from Styles, who follows with the Ushigoroshi. Ryker hits a slingshot suplex and gets AJ in a bear hug. Styles elbows his way out and tosses Ryker out of the ring. Styles connects with a kick through the ropes. He rolls Ryker back in the ring, when Elias attacks with a knee strike from behind. Elias hides behind the barrier as Ryker pulls Styles into the ring. He hits a big spine buster and covers for the win.
Winner via pinfall: Jaxson Ryker
Omos runs down and pulls Elias out of his hiding spot. Elias takes off running, but Omos catches him and slams him into the LED boards on the stage.
Sheamus vs. Humberto Carrillo – Non-Title Match
Good to see Carrillo back so soon after that scary bump he took the other week. Sheamus lays a beat down on Carrillo, not letting him get any offense in. Carrillo makes an opening with a slap and drop kicks Sheamus to the floor. He wipes out Sheamus with a suicide dive. He goes up top and hits a back elbow from the top turnbuckle. Sheamus kicks out at two. Carrillo goes for a wheelbarrow, but Sheamus is able to sit down on it. He grabs the tights to secure the pin.
Winner via pinfall: Sheamus
After the match, Sheamus continues to assault Carrillo. He looks for the cloverleaf, but is taken out by Ricochet with a drop kick. Ricochet with a moonsault and Carrillo follows with one of his own. Ricochet finishes off Sheamus with the 450 splash.
Nia Jax tells Sarah Schreiber that last week was a fluke, but Shayna blames Jax for getting distracted. Reginald is having nightmares because of the fire. Baszler blames Reggie for Jax being distracted and wants Reggie to stay in the back. Baszler threatens him if he shows his face at ringside.
Natalya and Tamina (champions) vs. Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler (challengers) – WWE Women’s Tag Team Title Match
Nia tags out immediately, so Tamina tags in Nattie. Baszler with a wrist lock, that Natalya breaks with a suplex. Natalya with a rollup, that Baszler reverse. Nattie kicks out and is able to lock on a knee bar. Shayna breaks it with a strike to the face. Baszler locks in a Sharp Shooter. Nattie escapes. Jax tags in, dropping a leg across the arm. Baszler tags back in, looking for the elbow stomp. Reginald makes his way to ringside, which allows Natalya to escape. She hits a German suplex on Shayna as we go to break.
After the commercials, Natalya is getting worked over by Shayna. She tosses Baszler and then slams her to the mat. Tamina gets the hot tag, taking the fight to Jax with an uppercut. A superkick leads to a pin, but Jax kicks out. Tamina goes up top. Jax pulls her down, but Tamina is able to avoid any real damage. Baszler tags in, elbowing Tamina in the face. Jax makes the tag, crushing Tamina in the corner. The two take turns taking shots at the champ. An elbow sends Jax to the floor, as Tamina fights out of the corner. Tamina with a power slam and tags in Nattie. Baszler is sling shotted into a super kick, but Jax breaks the pin. A Thesz press takes Jax down. Her and Tamina go to the floor. Jax dumps Tamina over the barricade. Natalya hits a discuss clothesline and looks for the Sharp Shooter. Reginald leaps to the apron as Baszler counters with a roll up. The ref is dealing with Reggie and misses the count. Baszler yells at Reginald, ordering him to leave. As he walks up the ramp, pyro explodes in his face. Natalya rolls up a distracted Baszler and gets the pin.
Winners…and still WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions…via pinfall: Natalya and Tamina
After the match, Baszler picks Reginald off the ramp. She chews him out and then challenges him to a match next week.
