Following what transpired at Clash at the Castle, this past Monday, Drew McIntyre quit. I’m not surprised that CM Punk is here, in Chicago, to perhaps gloat about it. The thing is, I’m not entirely sure how I feel about what he did to McIntyre, I know I would be pissed, too, but I won’t say anything else just yet.
CM Punk did promise to make McIntyre’s life a living hell, so the results we witnessed on RAW was the correct one. Punk simply didn’t think it would be that easy. And speaking of easy, Paul Heyman arrives with a message, or a warning, I’d say. Regardless, he comes in and hugs Punk since they’re friends.
On his way here by car, the Bloodline were listening to the radio and heard that Chicago is CM Punk’s town, which upset Solo Sikoa since he’s the new head of the table. He should be getting the attention Punk is receiving. Heyman warns Punk that if he doesn’t leave now, the Bloodline is coming out here for him. With this warning in mind, Heyman hopes to get a pat on the back in return.
You say someone’s name too much, they appear the next two minutes. Sikoa gives Punk two options: he either concedes to the Bloodline’s authority on SmackDown, or they’ll make sure Punk is never medically clear to compete in professional wrestling again.
The favor Heyman wants in return is for CM Punk to take him with him. Wow. Sikoa’s face… I didn’t think he would acknowledge them, but I also didn’t expect the clap back. Ha! Ha! All he saw were “fake ass Usos” and a “phony cosplay Tribal Chief”. Ha! As a response to the comment, the Bloodline slither their way inside the ring as Punk stands his ground.
Lucky for him, Cody Rhodes provides some backup, armed with literal baseball bats. Rhodes wants to settle this animosity between himself and Sikoa later tonight.
Bianca Belair vs. Michin vs. Chelsea Green – Money in the Bank Triple Treat Qualifying match
Right at the dinging of the bell, Chelsea jumps Bianca, then Michin attempts an early roll up. Green was being punched around like a pinball. Ha! Once she rolled out of the ring, Michin and Bianca were squaring off.
Chelsea abruptly came back and punched Belair. A brawl of punches ensues outside the ring. Chelsea breaks that with a sudden suicide dive. Later on, everyone fell after a superplex. Bayley is seen backstage looking on.
While Bianca and Michin were fighting, Michin manages to send Belair crashing outside with the Eat the Feet maneuver. However, they both keep forgetting about Chelsea’s presence as she attempts to roll Michin up.
Michin was doing very well when she nearly pinned Chelsea with the Styles Clash, yet Bianca spoiled that party. The EST comes in with a big German suplex plus the KOD that would have awarded her the win if it weren’t for Chelsea. She swooped in, shoved Bianca outside, then applied the winning cover to qualify alongside Iyo Sky.
Belair was left flabbergasted…
Winner: Chelsea Green
Backstage, Blair Davenport, newest SmackDown Draft pick, warns Bayley that she’s looking forward to beating Naomi in the Money in the Bank Qualifying match next week. She also predicts a cash in on the current WWE Women’s Champion.
Elsewhere, Solo gives Heyman some new orders for the Tongas that involves KO and Randy Orton, which we can’t hear due to sound issue. Ha! Once he comes back, he and Sikoa are going to have a talk about the Wise Man wanting to leave the Bloodline with CM Punk. It’s later discovered that the message was that the Tongas have to prevent KO and Orton from qualifying.
And speaking of CM Punk, he was attacked backstage by Drew McIntyre while DIY were roasting Grayson Waller about his self-serving controversy of last week. Punk was seen bleeding from the head and mouth. Well… he found you. McIntyre carried Punk to the main stage as everyone watches confused, concerned and/or terrified. Once he arrives at the entrance ramp, he drops CM Punk on the floor.
He stole Punk’s bracelet, too.
Nick Aldis stomps his way to the stage and shoves McIntyre, who shoves him back as swearing words are being thrown all over the place like glass plates during a rumble at home. I was left speechless…. Punk had the ambulance carry his unconscious body out.
Tama Tonga vs. Carmelo Hayes vs. Randy Orton – Money in the Bank Triple Treat Qualifying match
Orton wisely didn’t take his eye away from Tama Tonga, yet he didn’t pay attention to Hayes when they both jumped the Viper at the same time, cornering him with heavy kicks and blows to the head.
Tama shoves Carmelo, which doesn’t sit well with him, so he fights back. A little dispute erupts in the middle of the ring that naturally distracts them from Randy as he delivers an uppercut to Hayes and a kick to the gut to Tama.
Orton is caught once again in the middle of flying fists until he manages to turn things around by slamming both Tama and Hayes against the commentary desk. Tonga has the upper hand at the moment as he attempts to pin Hayes. Melo regains control with a face buster.
Tama nearly had Carmelo with that spine buster, but Randy leaps in in time. He clashes both Hayes and Tama one after the other before he delivers a superplex to Melo. Tonga comes in and breaks it up as he applies a sleeper hold.
Orton may have been on the receiving end of multiple 2-on-1 assaults, but he did very good thus far. Just as he was about to end this, Tonga Loa charges in with plans of his own ordered by Solo. Luckily, Owens was here to neutralize Loa. However, he didn’t pay attention to Carmelo with a sudden roll up.
I suppose the task was accomplished regardless. Right? He joins Jey Jey as part of the six men’s ladder match.
Winner: Carmelo Hayes
I still have chills from Monday when we finally got our answer as to who’s been sending us those cryptic messages for the past several weeks. And it was none other than Uncle Howdy and friends. This may not be their names, but I’m giving them some based on their appearance closely resembling the characters from the Firefly Funhouse. We have Dark Sheila, Pigsy, Rat Bunny and new addition, Crow.
Ooooohh, I can’t wait to see what they’ll bring to the company because I do enjoy a bit of darkness and crookedness to the table.
Anyway, next we have LA Knight waiting for Logan Paul, who still hasn’t shown up. Santos Escobar arrives to deliver to the truth to Knight, calling him a desperate fan boy. Instead, he challenges Knight for next week. The Megastar doesn’t care about Escobar, yet Santos wasn’t about to let himself get disrespected, so he tries to harm LA Knight only to be caught in a BFT.
Things were going just fine, but Logan Paul had to give LA Knight a titanium infused fist to the jaw like the asshole he is.
Kevin Owens vs. Andrade vs. Grayson Waller – Money in the Bank Triple Treat Qualifying match
Now that it’s Kevin Owens’ turn, he’s part two of Solo Sikoa’s plan. The Tongas jump him from behind at the entryway. Randy Orton rushes out with a chair, scaring the brothers away. Despite the obvious pain Owens was under, he wobbles his way to the ring, even though, Orton was worried.
Because of Owens’ bad leg, Waller targeted it very quickly, which forced Kevin to roll out of the ring. Andrade delivers a thunderous back elbow to Grayson that nearly knocked him out. Waller momentarily bounces back until Owens introduces a Senton to his ribcage.
Grayson drops Owens on the apron. Andrade leaps out of nowhere with a powerbomb to Waller against the floor. Oof. Waller was wailing in agony, which I can’t lie I found funny. The camera zoom in caught me off guard.
A slugfest commences between the three men inside the ring. Andrade breaks that up when he collides with Waller in the corner. Owens makes a comeback with multiple chops to Andrade’s chest. Grayson rushes back in with a double face buster that doesn’t give him the victory. So, he takes out Owens’ knee again.
Andrade flies back in to take on Waller. Unfortunately for these boys, Kevin comes in and powerbombs them both. Just as Owens delivers a Stunner to attempt a win, Waller pulls him out of the cover and spikes him with a DDT on the main floor.
He tries to take out Andrade knowing the damage has been done, yet Andrade turns his opponent’s momentum with The Message. Andrade joins Jey Uso and Carmelo Hayes. Good on you!!
Winner: Andrade
Next week, Jade Cargill, Tiffany Stratton and Candice LaRae look to qualify in their upcoming Triple Treat match. Another one on the women’s side stars Naomi, Blair Davenport and Indi Hartwell. For the men, we have LA Knight, Santos Escobar and Logan Paul.
Cody Rhodes vs. Solo Sikoa
Before Solo makes his entrance, he tells Heyman that Roman isn’t coming back despite the Wise Man’s constant hoping. I was shocked, too, but I can live with that.
Ding. Ding. Ding. Cody hits Solo with an uppercut, so Sikoa strikes back with a jab to the jaw of the Champion. Rhodes was able to reverse an incoming assault by sending Sikoa into the stairs. Twice.
But never mind all that, the Tongas come in to assist Sikoa. The arrival of Owens and Orton was also inevitable. The only person I didn’t suspect was Jacob Fatu. Neither did Paul Heyman. If anyone here watches Major League Wrestling, you know who this is.
Side thought: Bearing witness to Sikoa pleading was comedy on my ice cream. I actually thought he went completely crazy.
Winner: No one
TOP PHOTO: Jacob Fatu joins the Bloodline. Courtesy of WWE
