Road to Royal Rumble 2015 (A Decade of..Well, Not Domination Exactly , But The Counterfactual Turns 10 Nonetheless)

Survivor Series is here.

(I started publishing the Counterfactual a decade ago.  Holy cats that's a long time.  My life has completely turned over since then. If you've been here since December, 2005 - I mean, I hope it's been a good ten years.  And it has, right?  And awful too.  I lost my house and my job and two members of my immediate family.  Just devastating.  And I got married, got a better job, and my clubs won 3 World Series, an NBA Title and the Niners even had a stretch as the best team in football.  It's a lot; you've had a lot too in the last ten years.  Whatever portion of that you've spent here in an alternate universe, I appreciate.  I don't know when it stops, there's no plan.  I was 35 then, I'm 45 now.  It seems unlikely that I'm still writing this at 55; it sort of seems unlikely that WWE still has its current configuration in ten years such that this still makes sense.  Here's a shoot - I haven't written but I've noodled around a post to be published upon my death - cause things happen, you know, and moreso than any of my other online presences, the one readership that I'd want to know I didn't just quit without notice would be this one.  Here's the deal I can make - if/when I stop, I'll give you warning if I'm able.

You know the other big difference between now and then - I used to say that this is the type of story that I'd want to read; I don't know if that's true anymore.  Not because I don't like the story, it's that I've largely stopped reading; a huge percentage of the time I used to devote to reading is now spent listening to podcasts and producing sports content on my other blog. Most of the sports analysis I consume is in podcast form; I think about that - I can talk a little bit, you don't know that about me but it's so, and sometimes I consider if it makes sense to turn the Counterfactual into a podcast.

My lean is no, not because I wouldn't listen to it (I would) it's that the difference between me now and me in 2005 is I wouldn't start this blog today.  I don't have the time to devote to what is purely a vanity project that I did ten years ago; I'd like to find a small revenue stream doing something that I enjoy, but that doesn't exist here.  It's a labor of love or some equivalent thereof.  If I were 35 in 2015, I think this endeavor would be a podcast, either additionally or exclusively.

But I'm not.  So it ain't.

Anyway, for as long as you've been here; for as many chapters as you've read - thanks.  It's an enormous, weird, satisying, half-crazy undertaking that will probably one day devour me.  And thanks to WWE for never quite staying on the right path.  What If Balor Beat Cesaro?...doesn't have the same level of righteous indignation.)

The Rumble is coming in January from Philadelphia.

Here’s the card.

WWF Title: Claudio Castagnoli v. Brock Lesnar(w/Heyman and Kenta)

Tags: Philly Street Fight: The Shield (Black/Ambrose w/Langston) vs. Booker T’s Mystery Team

Nick Nemeth v. Bray Wyatt

IC: Luke Harper v. Dustin Rhodes

John Cena v. Jack Swagger

Women:  Natty Neidhart v. Paige (w/4Ground)

Tyson Kidd v. Ka$h Kingston

Rusev (w/ GHB and Lana) v. Truth Killings

Usos (Reigns/Jimmy) v. Wade Barrett/Damien Sandow

Here’s how we get there.

The night after Survivor Series we meet the new GDI, Steen/Claudio/Generico/Pac; it’s a vignette, sometimes, I’ll say “promo” and mean vignette, the fewer RAW promos the better (and vignettes, as I’ve mentioned previously, are either verite or speaking directly to camera, as opposed to real world WWE vignettes/backstage segments which are nearly as bad as WWE promos (nearly - that in ring real world RAW promo, particularly to open the show is almost always an automatic FF for me)

They establish that Steen is the new leader of GDI; Steen says these are the nicest guys in the sport, Pac, Claudio, the nicest WWF Champion in history – and Generico, “if something were to happen to me and my wife, the guy under that mask who will raise my kids”.  (Under the mask is not throwaway language)

But, as he explains, that’s the problem – GDI’s too nice and so they get their ass kicked.  

Underground. Paul Heyman Guys. The Wyatts. It's war and GDI needs a wartime commander.  Steen says the GDI he liked was Punk’s GDI – he liked the guys who jumped into the Cell and nearly killed Edge and Matt Hardy at Wrestlemania. 

In the build, Steen cheats to win matches; the lesson being to the other GDI members that they should consider jumping on board.  Kevin Steen's a heel.  He's a heel surrounded by faces and a heel that will get cheered, certainly at the beginning, but he's an unapologetic heel.

In a subsequent RAW, Brock is the guest on Heyman’s Hustle, they do their comedy routine – it’s not serious Brock, Brock only cares about Danielson, no one else gets him going; he's still the only guy in the promotion whose name he knows (only one who has beaten him) they joke about
Paul cutting his commission on Brock’s purse for the Rumble because of his Swagger indiscretion, about where the victory party’s going to be, about how they’ll hold up the promotion when they need to book a title match for Mania.

Steen hits the ramp, says Brock talks like he’s the champ – but when Steen looks in the ring, he sees a guy who washed out of WWF, and New Japan, and the NFL, and UFC, and now is wearing the same number of titles around his waist as SG Ryback. 

Brock thinks this is funny, asks Paul who the fat guy with the jokes is. 

Heyman tells Steen that there aren’t any obstacles between he and the ring, feel free to meet Brock up close and personal.

Steen says nah, says one day Brock will learn his name, but not today – and he exits.

There’s a build for a Generico/Kenta match for the go home show, Kenta wins with Steen at ringside, as Kenta and Heyman go back up the ramp Steen attacks Kenta from behind ('cause he's a heel) that draws Lesnar from the back, and that draws Claudio, Pac and Generico – a full GDI v. Paul Heyman Guys brawl on the ramp, the result of which is multiple WWF referees wind up injured. (That there are fewer Paul Heyman Guys than GDI does not go unnoticed by Heyman)

Claudio, trying to extend his title reign for a full year, defends against Lesnar.

Trying to extend their title reign a full two years is The Shield and that’s their angle on the Rumble match; now that they’re the greatest tag team of all time, the next climb is 2 years – WWF Mt. Rushmore, in the Wrestlemania era only 3 men have two year long title reigns.  Savage.  Bret.  Angle. 

When The Shield keeps their belts at the Rumble and defends them – again – at Mania, that will mean a 2 year title run.  The Shield joins Mt. Rushmore (they’ll have some type of art to show this, their giant heads eclipsing the three legends referenced above).

After a Shield match – a surprise – the return of former WWF Champion Booker T.

Book says he’s heard a lot of talk about the Shield being better than all the past tag champs – but hasn’t seen them beat a lot of those champs.  20 years ago, Book says, he and his brother won the NWA Tag titles (clip) and ten years ago, he and GHB won the WWF tag team titles (clip)  Book says he’s retired, but he’s gonna come to the Rumble with two guys who are also former tag team champs, and in a Philadelphia Style Street Fight – we’ll find out if the Shield can hang with some actual legends.

Now can you dig that…sucka (GHB and Book can do one comedy vignette together at some point, harkening back to their largely comedy based mismatched tag partnership)

Three Wyatt Family matches.

The first thing we find out is that, with the latest example being Swagger/Cena from Survivor Series, if Bray/Luke Harper/Cena/Virgil interfere in any matches, they will not get a Mania slot. 

The second thing we get is a Wyatts vignette where Bray tells Harper he should give the belt to the Family.

Harper says no. “And my name is Luke Harper.”

Bray says he’s selfish, that if he had been Bray’s bodyguard at Survivor Series, then the Family would have the WWF Title, and the four of them could keep control of it for years.  Instead, Harper had to go on his own. 

“Luke Harper.”

Bray says he’s letting his brothers down.

Luke nearly snaps – getting in Bray’s face – says maybe Bray should let his brothers speak for themselves.

Virgil and Cena look at each other, it’s fair to consider that they perhaps are starting to question Bray – and Bray senses that also – he shifts the discussion, tells Harper that he’s right, he worked hard for that IC title and he should not hand it over.

Instead – he should give his brothers a chance to win it for themselves.  They’ve never had a shot at the IC title, either of them, and they’ve been in the WWF much longer than Harper has.  Bray says Virgil and Cena will fight and the winner will take on Harper for the title at the Rumble.

That bait was taken.  Whatever possible suspicion that Cena and Virgil might have felt about Bray becomes a hunger to take the IC belt.  Harper agrees to the match.

Virgil beats Cena.

 In the build, we see Virgil’s desperation; he started in the WWF a quarter century ago, backing up his dad in the Hogan feud.  He’s never wrestled for a singles title.  Through all the permutations, he now sits, having dispatched of both his brother and dad, one pinfall from winning the IC belt.

There’s an end of the build vignette with him quietly talking to camera expressing some version of this story and culminating in his saying that after 25 years, it wont be Virgil stepping inside the ring at the Rumble, it’s gonna be Dustin Rhodes. This draws some chatter, Dustin's been around forever - so even though he's evil, having just ended the WWF tenures of his father and Piper, one recognizes that's driven by an enormous hunger - and after a quarter century in what is clearly his last ever chance at a WWF singles belt, there will be people rooting for him.

That leaves Bray/Cena and Nemeth/Swagger from the feud that’s gone on since the Summer Slam build. Nemeth and Swagger have yet to tag together, except as part of larger teams and even then, they were careful not to physically tag.  That remains true here even as these four wind up together.

There’s one spot where Cena tries to goad them into teaming up against he and Bray, but Wyatt steps in and shuts that down quickly (Cena’s puffed up by Bray, that’s the control Bray has over him, but Bray knows the score, and Division One is portrayed as a little mythical, they started modern day Underground, came right up and won the belts, beat everyone and then broke up – it’s sort of like Foley turning into Cactus Jack).  But there's enough of a tease to generation some D1 buzz, it's not subtle. 

Bray takes on Nemeth; it’s Cena and Swagger one more time – at the Rumble.

As mentioned at Survivor Series, the next night we see 4-Ground (Paige/Sasha/Becky/Charlotte) take AJ out of the company; they put a couple of beatings on Natty in the build, can she keep her newly won belt away from Underground at the Rumble?

Kidd and Kingston started their feud in the build to last year’s Mania; it’s continued, Kidd as the hipster-y heel, with his knit cap and head phones, often worn at the same time; Kingston as the longtime “take any risk” babyface.  That starts to move a little here; Kidd seemingly broke kayfabe at Survivor Series postmatch with Natty, and now while his gimmick doesn’t change he does a lot of crowd pleasing high spots that should drive some cheers his way.

Seemingly unrelated – we get the debut of Dr. Xavier Woods, PhD.; he wears tweed sportscoats and turtlenecks, talks about the exigencies of 21^st century sport necessitating rapid structural alteration, in other words, it’s time for “a new day” to dawn in the WWF.

Two more.

Truth Killings apparently believes he's the Iron Sheik and Rusev is Nikolai Volkof and why won't Nikolai talk to him?  They've got to get the belts back from Santana and Beefcake.  Killings goes over one of the Colons who he thinks are the Killer Bees, "B Brian Blair is Jew!" and then they cut his mic.

Killings tries to get Rusev to tag with him to take their belts back from the Shield "We will make Tito and Beefcake humble" - and eventually an irritated Rusev just lays him out.  Killings thinks Nikolai has been coerced by Albano (GHB) and Cindi Lauper (Lana) to turn against him and so we have a match.

Finally - Sandow is on his last possible chance, and with his former rival Barrett returning to action as his partner there's a lot of pressure for him to shake off his year and half long lethargy to beat the remaining Usos (Reigns and Jimmy as Jey died at TLC, furthering the TLC kills guys nature of the stip).

Add in a special show opening announcement from Stone Cold Steve Austin regarding RAW the night following the Rumble, and that's your show.

Claudio v. Lesnar - let's do it.  Royal Rumble 2015

Survivor Series 2014

The build is here.

Survivor Series 2014, the 28^th Survivor Series, is coming to you from St. Louis.

(Dark – Kalisto d. Kidd

              Devitt d. Kenta)

Note that Devitt continues to not be referenced on any WWF platform and his dark match is not shown on the network.

Quick highlight package of the first 27 Survivor Series, the matches for which have been counting down on the Network in the build, one per day, as part of a full 30 minute documentary about each.

From 87 – the Harts losing the tag titles, ending the longest tag reign in WWF history

From 88 – the Heenan Family forming, Rude/Hennig/Arn/Tully

From 89 – Hennig taking the WWF Title from Savage

From 90 -  Undertaker debuting, destroying Jimmy Snuka

From 91 – Piper beating Bret to take the IC title

From 92 – HBK wrestling twice, beating Savage to take the IC but then dropping it to Owen

From 93 – Razor turned on Shawn and Diesel after they beat up Waltman

From 94 – Shawn wins the triple crown, beating Owen for the strap

From 95 – Bret keeps the title over his old partner Davey Boy

From 96 – Rock’s debut, he goes over the Taker.

From 97 – Bret fastening the title belt around Owen’s waist after the Montreal match

From 98 – Austin beats Regal to keep the IC.

From 99 – Dudleys win the title in a tables match to take the title from the Hardys

From 00 – the only Eddy v. Dean PPV match in WWF history

From 01 – DDP hits the diamond cutter to beat Austin

From 02 – Brock destroys HHH outside the ring

From 03-Matt Hardy attacks RVD with a fork

From 04-Angle/Benjamin take the tag titles from  Rey/RVD

From 05-The creation of the 51% Solution, Hunter beats Michaels in a weapons match, Flair and Steamboat exchange chops on the ramp.

From 06-Punk beats Flair for the title, then throws down the belt, the key moment in late period WWF.

From 07-Rey keeps the WWF Title over the Taker.

From 08-Orton beats Regal in a parking garage brawl.

From 09-Steamboat introduces the future of the WWF, Danielson and Low Ki

From 10-Danielson beats Low Ki in their only WWF match

From 11-Foley brings GDI, including the Kings of Wrestling, back to WWF to go after Underground

From 12-Danielson keeps the title over Rey

From last year – the creation of the Paul Heyman Guys, Brock and Swagger attack Danielson and Punk after their draw

Joey is calling his 37^th PPV.  Alongside is a surprise, Paul Heyman, calling his first PPV since Rumble ‘93

Heyman’s been gone during the build, he’ll re-establish Brock’s relevance throughout the night.

1.       Fandango Curtis/Heath Slater d. Damien Sandow/Justin Gabriel

-The stip, recall, is someone’s getting let go from Underground.  Heyman puts Regal over, discusses how well he handles developmental – says a guy like Kalisto, who we saw here in the pre-show match, is ready to come up, so someone’s got to make room for him.  There is a machine building at WWFU, and Heyman knows that he’s fighting the inevitable – that Regal is right, there will be a day when every match is Underground vs. Underground.

The story here is Sandow, again he seems listless and that leads to a finish where Gabriel gets pinned.

Fortunately for Sandow, Gabriel gets hurt – so as part of the build for the Rumble, we see a Hard Knocks like scene where Regal releases him. 

2.       Rusev (w/GHB and Lana) d. Colons

-A squash, GHB and Lana do their act outside, Rusev does his power man stuff, both Colons get pinned simultaneously – Heyman puts over GHB as a guy who knows how to mine for talent and has really found someone in Rusev.  Says he’s wary of Lana and wonders how long this partnership can stay strong.

3.       John Cena NC Jack Swagger

-          This is a shmozz, ref bump, Virgil enters, Cody enters, the match gets thrown out.  Cena and Swagger fight back up the ramp and the Rhodes brothers brawl can’t be contained – they won’t get in the ring – so on the fly the match is changed to a Falls Count Anywhere.

4.       Falls Count Anywhere: Virgil d. Cody Rhodes

-          Dustin was part of the Wyatt attack on Dusty and Piper, laying both old men out – that’s ratcheted up this feud, Cody moves from trying to help his older brother escape this cult to wanting to kick his ass.  They brawl all over the arena and it’s Dustin, still called Virgil officially although Joey forgets sometimes, who goes over.  Heyman puts Dustin over, says he’s known him for almost 30 years, and he’s on fire.  He puts over Bray, says he understands he’s unpopular among guys like Joey Styles, but Bray has turned on the fountain of youth for Virgil.

We get a pretape.  Regal and Steamboat announce a partnership.  What has been GDI’s weekly wrestling show will now be GDI v. Underground (or GVU).  GDI has had a weekly show for 8 years, sometimes on television, now on the Network – sometimes it’s been a live wrestling show at the Manhattan Center, branded The Dragon’s Lair – sometimes on the road, working with any indie or international promotion that they can work with.

But now – with Underground growing, the show becomes GVU and is primarily based at Full Sail, it probably starts off 50/50 but slowly becomes more like 75/25.  In addition, WWF main roster guys will sprinkle their way onto the shows, the gimmick is that the main event is always GDI vs. Underground, but other matches can be any configuration, given how many more bodies Underground has than GDI.

G-V-U.   

5.       Women’s Title: Natty Neidhart d. Paige d. AJ

-          Before the match, the Harts, in their hockey jerseys, come down to ringside to sit in the front row.  Bret, Anvil, then Jericho – not in the JerichoDeath persona but wearing his #7 jersey, then Storm, then Edge.  All in the pink and black Hart Foundation hockey jerseys that have existed the full three decade run of the WWF WM era. 

Heyman helps set the stakes – given who AJ’s husband is, there is no doubt that since her deal is up tomorrow, she will take this belt and go home.  Paige is representing Underground, and as much as Regal is preparing to dominate the men – Underground is training a squadron of the best women’s wrestlers in WWF history, and once they get the belt they might never lose it.  And for Natty, she has a chance to get a jersey, to become #11, and you have to know it would be the biggest moment in her life.

It’s Three Way Dance rules, Natty pins AJ first, AJ attacks Paige after (Paige was outside) in a way that aids Natty, as Natty will work the body part injured by Paige and eventually get that fall, winning the relaunched women’s belt.

The next night is the last night of AJs deal, she’ll lose to Paige, after which Charlotte, Sasha and Becky will attack, along with Paige beating AJ down and then holding up 4 fingers each.

Their stable name is Four Ground. 

There are four of them, it’s a play off foreground, as in women are no longer in the background – and it’s a play off Underground, as they’re all from developmental.  There’s the Horsemen overtone for Charlotte, there’s the idea of working on the ground for technical wrestling or MMA.  Four Ground. 

But that’s tomorrow – right now, the Harts all come to the ring to celebrate with Natty; Tyson Kidd enters – he and Natty have been storyline broken up for years and Kidd’s been a heel for a year, but Kidd hugs her – and then the Anvil hands Natty the #11 Hart Foundation hockey jersey as Bret fastens the title belt around her waist.  It’s a moment. 

6.       IC: Luke Harper d. Nick Nemeth

-          The 63^rd IC Champion in WWF history is Luke Harper.  He does it alone, no Wyatt interference; Joey loves Nick Nemeth, puts him over in the way JR would have put Shawn Michaels over, to Joey, this is the man – so it’s a stunner – when the powerman from the Wyatts wins clean.

But he does – and afterward Cena and Virgil hit the ring to celebrate with him.  Big night for the Wyatts and the title match is still to come. 

7.       Tags: TLC 2 of 3 belts: The Shield (Rollins/Ambrose/Langston) d. Usos (Reigns/Jimmy/Jey)

-Prior to the match, a highlight package with the 94 previous WWF tag tram champions, from Luke Graham and Tarzan Tyler all the way to Wade Barrett and Ryback.  A win here by the Shield and they will have a longer title reign than all of them.

The last TLC tag match was the 2003 Rumble, so almost 12 years have gone by – the reason is five of the 6 men that night were stretchered out, so that’s what the expectation is – like the Cell gimmick, if its used, the promise is carnage.  Add in the 2 of 3 stip, that all 3 title belts are raised above the ring and the winner is the first to pull down 2 and you have a hurdle worthy of the goal the Shield is looking to achieve.

They get it of course, Reigns gets the first belt – but Ambrose and then Rollins get the second and third.  Jey winds up taking the worst bump, getting stretchered away and its unclear when he’ll return. 

Postmatch Bret and the Anvil return to the ring – they shake hands with the Shield – they’ve been largely cool heels/babyfaces when it made sense; but the length of the run, the desire that fans have to see history – and now this type of body killing match followed up by and endorsement by the surviving members of the team they passed up – the Shield is now pretty clearly a babyface team.  Heyman calls them the greatest tag team in wrestling history.

8.       WWF Title No DQ: Claudio Castagnoli d. Bray Wyatt

-Bray’s got everything going for him; Claudio’s makeshift crew is unlikely to show up to aid him, given the way the evening has gone for Cody and Nemeth.  Conversely Virgil and Harper have both won.  With the No DQ stip – is it all over for Claudio?  Is the Hey Movement dead?

Nope. 

We’re told during the match by Heyman that he’s gotten final word (he can be on his cell pre match for a Dangerous Alliance callback) that negotiations are complete and that Brock Lesnar will be taking on the winner of the match at the Rumble.

It’s mainly a brawl, a lot of ringside stuff – to contrast with the first match.  No interference as it turns out.  Cena and Virgil hit the ramp – but are wiped out by the dive of the video wall, in a callback spot, from a returning Pac and Generico.

Harper then walks by the four bodies, he’s coming down the ramp with his new IC belt – but he’s stopped by some unfamiliar music to a WWF arena, Unsettling Differences by Blue Smock Nancy.

And the emergence of the man for whom that music is playing.

Kevin Steen.

Harper drops the belt – charges at Steen – and they have a wild brawl on the ramp.

Claudio’s gonna get the fall.  And the rest of GDI, with their newest member, will hit the ring – all 4 men ending the show by hitting the turnbuckles.  Kevin Steen is in the WWF.  Kevin Steen is in GDI!

Back in December, the 10^th anniversary, if you can believe it, of the Counterfactual, with the build for Rumble 2015 – your main event, Claudio Castagnoli defending the title against Brock Lesnar.  

The Road to Survivor Series 2014

Summer Slam is here.

The 28^th Survivor Series is coming in November from St Louis.

The night following Summer Slam includes a Wyatt promo.  Bray, backed by Luke Harper (we start getting his first name now as a method of individuation) Virgil and Cena, says what you’d expect, he’s the real winner at Summer Slam because of the postmatch beatdown, and since GDI is clearly dead, the beatings will continue all the way until Survivor Series in which he will batter Claudio in the no DQ match.  And while Bray has all the Wyatts – Claudio is by himself.

Claudio enters – and will be followed by Cody and then Swagger and then Nemeth.  That’s half the Survivor Series card, and we’ll mix and match them during the build. 

Deeper dive.

WWF Title (No DQ) Claudio Castagnoli v. Bray Wyatt

-Bray’s argument through the build is Claudio should just hand over the belt and join the Wyatts to save the humiliation and the beatings.  Claudio no sells all of it, says he appreciates the offer to join  the Wyatts and really respects all of them – but he’s good with GDI and maybe they’ll talk again about it sometime.  As for the title, he thinks maybe Bray’s analysis isn’t perfect, as he believes he actually defeated Bray at Summer Slam and therefore, based on past performance, is likely to do so again at Survivor Series.  May the best man win!  Hey!

(the key is there’s no wink to the camera, Claudio’s totally earnest, he’s just happy and it gets under everyone else’s skin.)

The other babyfaces stay with Claudio throughout the build, no other GDI members anywhere, but in an 8 man at the go home show, the other 3 babyfaces wind up, for various reasons, leaving ringside, and Claudio’s doubleteamed by Harper and Bray, Harper getting the fall (only time Claudio is pinned in the build) and so going into Survivor Series the story is that Claudio is, in fact, on his own up against all 4 Wyatts potentially in a No DQ match.

IC Title: Nick Nemeth v. Luke Harper

-Harper, recall, gave up the IC shot he earned in the last build at the demand of Bray, but Nemeth revives it here and says he wants to fight Harper because he earned it (it’s a babyface move and it possibly serves to put a schism in the Wyatts).  Bray accepts for Harper, and in the build, when Bray talks about Harper winning the IC title and bringing it home to the Wyatts, where it will sit right below Bray’s WWF title, Harper is noticeably silent.  Harper has been kept distinct and strong  since the creation of the Wyatt Family, and each time he didn’t work a show it was because Bray demanded it, because his bodyguard skills were more valuable to the Family.  As an example of a stock wrestling storyline, I think it’s really hit all of the needed notes. Nemeth and Claudio, put together for the opener at Summer Slam, do some two man comedy stuff, consider that as adding to your understanding of Nemeth as a guy who likes a buddy.  Swagger.  Then he really looked to embrace Sheamus and Barrett as his equals, even when they clearly weren’t.  Then Sandow, plucked from the bottom of the card to be his pal.  And now the champ, Claudio. Nemeth likes that running buddy, even though he’s a prima donna showboat. 

Virgil v. Cody Rhodes

-In the build, Cody never beats his brother.

Okay, in the build we get what turns out to be the last ever episode of Piper’s Pit.  The guest is Dusty Rhodes. 

Piper looks to hit the “we were on the road 400 days a year so family got screwed” notes before turning it up a couple notches on Dusty – he was NWA champion in the early 80s and then spend the rest of his career trying to get back what he never could get back.  Dusty hits back that Piper wouldn’t know what it was like to be world champion.  Piper hits back that he wouldn’t know what it was like to leave his family.  Dusty says he brought Dustin with him – we see the clip from way back in 1990 when Dustin debuted in WWF as part of Dusty turning on Hogan (if you’re new, that’s counterfactual history).  Dusty says he tried, tried and failed, but tried.  And maybe he’s lost his kids, maybe he’s lost Dustin – but he doesn’t think so, that’s why Dustin took the name Virgil, it’s his roots, it’s his family, it’s his dad, he wants to come home.

Dustin enters with Bray and Cena – Dustin says the Wyatts are the only real family he ever had – Dusty cuts his “the view never changes” promo, talking about Dustin walking behind Bray – and that’s it, the Wyatts leave Dusty and Piper laying.  Cody runs in just going berserk, the Wyatts bail. 

And that’s it for Dusty and Piper – they leave the territory on their backs. 

John Cena v. Jack Swagger

-The numbers got Swagger at Summer Slam, he’s looking for some payback here.

The focus of the build, if there’s one match that is the real draw for Survivor Series, is the tag title match.

WWF Tag Titles: 2 of 3 Belt TLC: The Shield vs. The Usos

-If the Shield wins again, they will pass the Hart Foundation to become, by the time they defend at 

the Rumble, the longest running tag champs in WWF history.  That’s the focus of the build.  The Shield cuts some promos on every other tag champ in promotion history, the network has some fantasy programming pitting the Hart Foundation from almost 30 years ago against the Shield, there’s analysis, predictions, and then a simulation (the Shield goes over). 

The Shield’s beaten everyone.  Done everything.  What could be left?

Christian comes out of the RAW announce to provide an answer.

Christian says the main reason why he and Edge, or the Hardys, or the Dudleys, didn’t have a 21 month title run is that they were killing each other in TLC matches.  Christian says the reason they stopped doing these matches, over a decade ago, is the body count got too high. 

But if The Shield wants to show they’re the greatest tag team of all time, they’ll do it in not just a TLC match, but a 6 man TLC match where the winning team has to grab 2 of the 3 tag team title belts hanging above the rim. 

It’s all 3 members of the Shield against all 3 Usos. The build is clear – dudes are going to fall off ladders through tables.  It is a TLC match where the Shield is trying to prove it’s the best tag team who ever lived.

There’s another match where the Harts come into play.

Women’s Title: AJ v. Natty v. Paige

-After 3 decades we’re recommissioning the WWF Women’s Title.

AJ’s beaten both Natty and Paige as women’s wrestling made its WWF PPV debut.  And now the decision has been made to reintroduce the women’s title belt.  Through the sheets, we find out that AJs deal is up and she’s not returning – she cuts a pipe bomb promo saying the Women’s title will last one day, because she’s going to win it and take it with her back to Chicago.  AJ tweets out a spot at her house where the belt will go – and in the shot is Punk’s NWA Title belt (Punk’s the last ever NWA Champion).

That draws the attention of Charlotte Flair.

Charlotte, from Underground, along with fellow trainees Sasha Banks and Becky Lynch make their RAW debuts  to cut off an AJ promo.  Charlotte says it is disgusting that the NWA belt, the belt that belonged to her dad, is now at AJ Lees house.  Sasha says that even if she does win at Survivor Series, she’s not leaving St Louis with that title belt – because Underground will be in the house.

That draws Paige, Paige is pissed at the trainees for being here and intimating that she might not win – she tells them to go back and keep training, and that if she needs help they’ll be the first to know.  

Becky says they’ll be at Survivor Series whether Paige wants them or not – and if she wins, maybe they’ll take the belt from her too. 

Natty’s babyface turns is complete in this build – because she isn’t just fighting for the title, she’s a Hart – so the title means, as with all other Hart titleholders, that she’d earn a Hart Foundation hockey jersey, which we’re reminded of when Bret appears unannounced on RAW to pump her up and remind everyone of the hockey jersey tradition.  Bret doesn’t come alone – he then brings out the Anvil, and he and Natty hug (again, she’s a babyface now).  Bret says he and the Anvil will be in attendance at Survivor Series and they might bring some friends.  The Shield then hits the ring and we get the “if we were 30 years younger..hell, we could take them if we were ten years younger”…stuff from the Harts.  The Shield says they can paint all of St Louis in pink and black; the Shield is walking out of Survivor Series with all 3 tag title belts and with the title Undisputed Greatest Tag Team of All Time.

Two more.

GHB says we need to start deporting some of the foreigners in the locker room, and why not begin with the Colons.

The Colons say they’re Puerto Rican and Puerto Rico is part of the United States. 

That distinction isn’t of interest to GHB.  And we’ve got a handicap match.

Rusev v. Colons

Finally, someone from Underground is going to lose his job; Fit runs the day to day in Underground since Regal, who remains the big boss, has the Fight Night job.  The main roster guys come back to WWFU to get in some training work where Fit reveals that given the pressure from below with new guys ready to move up, someone has to lose his spot.  Leaving us this highly pressurized tag match.

Sandow/Gabriel v. Curtis/Slater.

Add in the promoted return of Kenta for a dark match and we have the card for Survivor Series 2014

WWF Title (No DQ) Claudio Castagnoli v. Bray Wyatt

WWF Tag Titles: 2 of 3 Belt TLC: The Shield (Black/Ambrose/Langston) vs. The Usos (Reigns/Jimmy/Jey)

IC Title: Nick Nemeth v. Luke Harper

Virgil v. Cody Rhodes

John Cena v. Jack Swagger

Women’s Title: AJ Lee v. Natty Neidhart v. Paige
Rusev (w/Lana and GHB) v. Colons
Someone's Getting Fired: Damien Sandow/Justin Gabriel v. Fandango Curtis/Heath Slater

Every Wrestlemania Guest Referee

Every Announcer Ever.

This is the last one of these this month.  Next month is the build for Survivor Series.

There has been a special guest referee at every Wrestlemania.

Yeah, that's an edit.  When I started I wasn't interested in anything but making the matches and that, for example, led to not including Muhammad Ali in WM1.

A decade later, that's pretty clear error.

As it happened, I used guest referees in about half of the Manias anyway.

So, I've added in the rest.  They don't impact anything, no storyline changes, there isnt any material difference (Dr. Death takes a minor bump, that's it). Just some digitizing George Lucas style, really just to get Ali on the first card.  So, if you don't remember Hector Guerrero the first time you read XVII, he's there now.  

Here's the list.

I. Muhammad Ali (Hogan v. Orndorff)

II. Pedro Morales (Andre v. Bruno)

III. Pat Patterson (Hogan v. Piper)
IV Billy Graham (Andre v. Hogan)
V. Dusty Rhodes (Hogan v. Warrior)
VI. Andre the Giant (Hogan v. Dusty)
VII Andre the Giant (Undertaker v. Jake)
VIII Lex Luger (Undertaker v. Sid)
IX. Jerry Lawler (Backlund v. Hogan)
X. Curt Hennig (Owen v. Bret)
XI. Roddy Piper (Razor v. Owen)
XII. Jim Neidhart (Owen v. Davey Boy)
XIII Ken Shamrock (Cactus v. Vader)
XIV Mike Tyson (Shamrock v. Austin)
XV Pete Rose (HHH/Waltman v. New Age Outlaws)
XVI. Bob Backlund (Hardys v. Dudleys v. Edge/Christian)
XVII. Hector Guerrero (Jericho v. Eddy)
XVIII Brock Lesnar (Rock v. Regal)
XIX. Bill Goldberg (Angle v. Lesnar)
XX. Steve Austin (Foley/Rock v. Goldberg/Lesnar)
XXI. Dean Malenko (Eddy v. Benoit)
XXII. Steve Williams (Fit v. Regal)
XXIII. Steve Austin (Undertaker v. HBK)
XXIV. Ric Flair (WMD v. HHH/HBK)
XXV. Jimmy Snuka (Undertaker v. GHB)
XXVI. Ted DiBiase (Kidd/Smith v. HHH-M/Miz)
XXVII. Road Warrior Animal (Barrett/Gabriel v. Orton/DiBiase)
XXVIII. Mick Foley (Rock v. Sheamus)
XXIX. Bruno Sammartino (Brock v. Danielson)
XXX. Jake Roberts (Bray v. Rey)

Announcer History. Matt Striker Called How Many Pay Per Views?

Every dark match ever.

It's not everyone who ever picked up a headset.  Sometimes a wrestler would call a match out of nowhere.  

It's also not just announcers who started the show; I've gone through phases (probably mistakes) where I'd have announcers call shows in waves.

It's some type of combination of all of that. 

Here's the list of WWF PPV announcers.  I told you there was content.  We're about to hit the ten year anniversary.  Wait until the content after Mania.  Content!

Jim Ross 65

Joey Styles 36

Gorilla Monsoon 29

Jim Cornette 23

Taz 22

Jesse Ventura 14

Paul Heyman 13

Matt Striker 11

Jerry Lawler 8

Josh Mathews 8

Steve Regal 7

Bobby Heenan 7

Roddy Piper 6

GHB 5

Mick Foley 4

Christian 2

Tony Schiavone 2

Michael PS Hayes 2

Tommy Dreamer 2

Scott Stanford 1

Michael Cole 1

Dean Malenko 1

HHH-M 1 

Undertaker 1

Bret Hart 1

Vince McMahon 1

Skip McMahon 1

Al Snow 1

Lord Alfred Hayes 1

Every Dark Match...ever.

Why?  Yeah, I don't know.  Just to do.  You can watch them all up on the Counterfactual WWE Network.  I have some content coming up this month.  Build for Survivor Series in October.

1985

Dynamite Kid d. Bret Hart

1986

Rougeaus d. Lanny Poffo/Adrian Adonis

1987

Demolition d. Islanders

Ted DiBiase d. Tom Zenk

1988

Owen Hart d. Bad News Brown

Owen Hart d. Shawn Michaels

Terry Taylor d. Bad News Brown

1989

Jacques Rougeau d. Lanny Poffo

Bad News Brown/Haku d. Big Boss Man/Greg Valentine

Bad News Brown d. Barry Windham

Bad News Brown/Haku d. Barry Windham/Greg Valentine

1990

Bad News Brown/Haku d. Lanny Poffo/Paul Roma

Jacques Rougeau d. Bad News Brown

Jim Neidhart d. Greg Valentine

Dustin Rhodes d. Lanny Poffo

1991

Shane Douglas d. Tito Santana

Power&Glory d. Orient Express

Sid d. Shane Douglas

Tito Santana d. Jake Roberts

1992

Jake Roberts d. Marty Jannetty

Davey Boy Smith/Jim Neidhart d. Demolition

Razor Ramon d. Max Moon

Al Snow d. Bob Backlund

1993

Al Snow d. Bob Backlund

Bam Bam Bigelow d. Terry Taylor

Diesel d. Bob Backlund

Bob Backlund d. Mike Rotundo

1994

Sean Waltman d. Bob Holly

Diesel/Sean Waltman d. Smoking Gunns

Sean Waltman d. Bob Holly

Bob Holly d. PJ Walker

1995

Hakushi d. Matt Hardy

Hakushi d. Sean Waltman

PJ Walker d. Louie Spicoli

Al Snow d. PJ Walker

1996

Al Snow d. Marty Jannetty

Sean Waltman d. Razor Ramon

Rock/DLo d. Hardys

Tracy Smothers d. Barry Windham

1997

Doug Furnas/Phil LaFon d. New Age Outlaws

Al Snow d. Bob Holly

Taka Michinoku/2Cold Scorpio d. Doug Furnas/Phil LaFon

Taka Michinoku d. 2 Cold Scorpio

1998

Taka Michinoku d. 2 Cold Scorpio

Jeff Hardy d. Matt Hardy

2 Cold Scorpio d. Terry Funk

Taka Michinoku/Dick Togo/Mens Teioh d. El Hijo del Santo/Aguila/Super Crazy

1999

Taka Michinoku/Dick Togo d. El Hijo del Santo/Aguila

Edge/Christian d. 2 Cold Scorpio/Taka Michinoku

Public Enemy d. Road Warriors

Ulysses Morley d. Aguila

Taka Michinoku d. Aguila

2000

Taka Michinoku d. Aguila

Aguila d. Ulysses Morley

Dean Malenko d. Taka Michinoku/Aguila

Aguila d. Ron Killings

2001

Taka Michinoku d. Aguila

Dean Malenko/Perry Saturn d. Taka Michinoku/Aguila

SpreeKillers d. Jerry Lynn/Aguila

Spike Dudley/Stevie Richards d. Al Snow/Sean Morley d. Taka Michinoku/Aguila d. Billy Kidman/Kanyon

2002

Charlie Haas d. Shelton Benjamin

Brock Lesnar d. Shelton Benjamin/Charlie Haas

Charlie Haas/Shelton Benjamin d. SpreeKillers d. Jamie Noble/Billy Kidman

Ric Flair/Leviathan d. Charlie Haas/Shelton Benjamin

2003

Jamie Noble d. Brian Kendrick

Jamie Noble d. Brian Kendrick d. Shane Helms

Charlie Haas/Shelton Benjamin d. Paul London/Brian Kendrick

Paul London/Brian Kendrick d. Charlie Haas/Shelton Benjamin

2004

Paul London/Brian Kendrick d. Spike Dudley/Stevie Richards

Paul London d. Shane Helms

Steve Regal/Shelton Benjamin d. Stevie Richards/Spike Dudley

Paul London d. Steve Regal d. Tajiri

2005

Steve Regal/Charlie Haas d. Tajiri/Jimmy Yang

Super Nova/Little Guido d. Spike Dudley/Stevie Richards

Paul London d. Shelton Benjamin

LWO d. Little Guido/Super Nova/Stevie Richards

Chavo Guerrero d. Shane Helms

Shelton Benjamin d. Steve Regal

2006

Sandman d. Tommy Dreamer

Steve Regal d. Ulysses Morley

CM Punk d. Paul London d. Brian Kendrick d. Jamie Noble

CM Punk d. Paul London d. Brian Kendrick d. Jamie Noble

Fit Finlay d. Steve Regal

Sandman d. Tommy Dreamer d. 2 Cold Scorpio

Paul London d. Brian Kendrick

Shelton Benjamin d. Steve Regal

2007

Paul London d. Brian Kendrick

Steve Regal d. Charlie Haas

Charlie Haas/Shelton Benjamin d. Brian Kendrick/Jamie Noble

Teddy Hart/Harry Smith d. Cody Rhodes/Ken Doane

Shelton Benjamin d. Steve Regal

Cody Rhodes/Ted DiBiase Jr. d. Teddy Hart/Harry Smith

Jamie Noble d. Steve Regal

Brian Kendrick d. Matt Sydal

2008

Steve Regal d. Colt Cabana

Brian Kendrick/Matt Sydal d. Little Guido/Super Crazy

Colt Cabana/Matt Sydal d. Super Crazy/Little Guido

Steve Regal d. Charlie Haas

Young Money d. Chris Harris/Colin Delaney

Jimmy Yang d. Cody Rhodes

Brian Kendrick d. Jamie Noble

LWO d. Yoshi Tatsu/Jamie Noble

Ka$h Kingston d. Jimmy Yang

2009

Low Ki d. Steve Regal

LWO d. Jamie Noble/Yoshi Tatsu

Yoshi Tatsu d. Jimmy Yang

Chavo Guerrero d. Jamie Noble

Yoshi Tatsu d. Jamie Noble

Matt Sydal d. Shelton Benjamin

LWO d. Tyson Kidd/Harry Smith

Yoshi Tatsu d. Dustin Rhodes

2010

Steve Regal d. Fit Finlay

Bryan Danielson d. Low Ki

Cody Rhodes d. Chavo Guerrero

Chavo Guerrero d. Yoshi Tatsu

Teddy Hart/Harry Smith d. Joe Hennig/Windham Rotunda

2011

Tyler Black d. Matt Sydal

Harry Smith d. Wade Barrett

Tyler Black d. Harry Smith

Dean Ambrose d. Tyler Black

Ted DiBiase, Jr/Drew McIntyre d. Yoshi Tatsu/Matt Sydal

The Shield d. Usos

Drew McIntyre/Tyson Kidd d. Colons

2012

Kings of Wrestling d. The Shield

The Shield d. Kings of Wrestling

Pac d. Tyler Black

Tyson Kidd d. Mistico

Tyler Black d. Pac

2013

Dean Ambrose d. Yoshi Tatsu

Tyler Black d. Pac

Kings of Wrestling d. Pac/El Generico

Kings of Wrestling d. Pac/El Generico

Matt Sydal/Yoshi Tatsu d. Pac/El Generico

2014

Pac/El Generico d. Matt Sydal/Yoshi Tatsu

El Generico d. Pac

Tyson Kidd d. Ka$h Kingston

Kenta d. Prince Devitt

Summer Slam 2014

The build is here.

Summer Slam 2014 is in Los Angeles.

(Dark – Kidd d. Kingston, Kenta d. Prince Devitt)

Devitt isn’t joining the show yet; he’s not on the website, totally off the grid – he won’t be seen again until the next dark match.

In the owners box, the McMahons.  Senator McMahon is doing a book tour for Tonight…In This Very Country…where she discusses paycheck insecurity through the context of 30 years of right wing economic policy.  She’ll hit Kimmel and Conan as her national profile continues to expand.  

Vince is here; he’s leaving the World Wildlife Fund to start his own non-profit, called Stand Back, to fight global oppression.  He’s taking several meetings in LA discussing concerns with water privatization.  Stephanie is also here as Hunter is part of the Direct to Video squad wrestling for the tag straps. Michaels is there with them, one member of the Championship Committee always attends a PPV, he draws the straw to sit with the McMahons.

Joey/Regal/Christian remain the announce.

Regal pulls for the Underground guys, regardless of their face/heel alignment.  Christian always roots for any member of the Clique. Note, Regal and Christian were on opposite sides of a long feud almost ten years ago (Regal was the enforcer in Team Angle, Christian was in the Clique) and much more recently Underground attacked Edge and Christian with an assault Christian never really recovered from and earned Sheamus the nickname "Clique Killer". They don’t like each other. 

1.       Parejas Increibles: Claudio Castagnoli/Nick Nemeth d. Bray Wyatt/Jack Swagger

Bray’s with Harper who had to give up an IC shot, just like he gave up a WM30 slot, to be the Wyatts enforcer tonight.  They get to the ring first – Swagger gets his own introduction, he’s attacked on the ramp from behind by Cena and Virgil (Dustin).  They battle down to ringside where Bray and Harper make it 4 on 1.  Claudio and Nemeth come to ringside…but as the announce notes, there remains an unease about Swagger, particularly in the context of the psychological hold Bray Wyatt can have on people, like Cena, who he beats.  Swagger was just a heel, his relationship with Nemeth is complicated, it makes sense that Nick treats him like a bomb that might go off.  

The Wyatts exit – the bell rings with Swagger in the ring, Nemeth’s momentarily indecisive, but covers for the win. 

Nemeth’s irritated even as he does it – Bray laughs on the ramp, Nemeth seems disgusted.

2.       AJ d. Paige

WM30 was the first WWF women’s PPV match, Punk’s wife AJ who cut shoot promos on the promotion beating Natty Neidhart.  Here, she beats Paige, the first women’s wrestler to come out of Underground.  The announce notes that AJ's success puts WWF in a tough spot - there's clearly a desire to launch some version of a women's division, but AJ's obvious animosity toward the promotion makes that a challenge.

3.       Rusev (w/GHB and Lana) d. Roman Reigns Uso

   Two young athletes go head to head here; it’s a distraction finish.  Lana distracts the official, GHB hands Rusev a blackjack, Rusev clubs Reigns, hits his finish, and gets the fall.  Lana does a bit where she smokes during the match and puts it out on the chest of the beaten opponent.  She also wears sunglasses and takes them off to make out with Rusev postmatch.

4.       John Cena (w/Harper) d. Jack Swagger

Swagger sells the beating from the opening match, so he’s fighting from underneath the whole way.  

He’s able to hit some tide turning suplexes, but as the Wyatt matches inevitably do, they go outside, and as inevitably happens, Harper is there to hit a big shot.  Cena gets the fall.  He and Harper get in some extra postmatch shots. No one comes to his aid.  

5.       Tags: The Shield (Dean Ambrose/Tyler Black w/Langston) d. Direct to Video (Randy Orton/Miz w/HHH-M)

All tag title matches are “relaxed rules”, that’s been true for a couple of years, it allows for the third man to be involved and for ringside and the ramp to be used.  This win moves The Shield by the Road Warriors and Steiners into second place behind the Hart Foundation (Bret/Davey Boy/Anvil) for longest ever tag title reign.  It's a pretty definitive win, D2V is moving to enhancement for awhile, so the Shield's dominance is the story here.  Can we call them, Joey asks, the greatest tag team of all time?

6.       IC: Ladder Match: Nick Nemeth d. JerichoDeath

Nemeth took the title, his second IC title, in a ladder match at 30 – and here he beats the current incarnation of Jericho in the best match they can have; Nemeth's in a groove where he can have an exicting match with anyone in the promotion. He's mid 90s HBK. After the match – the lights go out, which is Jericho’s light cue – and when the lights come back, he’s gone, as expected – but he’s replaced in the ring by Harper, Dustin, and Cena.  They go to work on Nemeth – save by Swagger – Swagger and Nemeth, who once were considered one of the WWF’s greatest tag teams, Division One, clean house.

Alone in the ring – Swagger sticks out his hand.  Nemeth shakes it.  D1 stands together in the ring at Summer Slam 2014!

7.       Brock Lesnar d. RVD

Van Dam and Paul Heyman, of course, have a long relationship – ECW, then Heyman managed RVD in WWF until Van Dam turned face.  Heyman used Swagger to attack a returning Van Dam last year, Van Dam got his redemption at 30 – and here we are.  RVD was the last “real” ECW champion before the doors closed - Lesnar wound up as the last wrestler to hold the belt, beating Punk in the last match for which it was certified.  For all of those reasons, and of course, he's fighting mortality the way we do, Van Dam wanted a match that seemingly he cannot win.

He does not win.  Lesnar punishes him.  It’s a massacre.  At about the five minute mark, Heyman comes to ringside, Joey, who was vocally opposed to this match, has already taken off his headset and is yelling at Lesnar to stop – Heyman asks Lesnar “are we good – are we done yet, Brock?” – as Heyman and Brock split earlier in the year, as Heyman chose the younger Swagger to support. 

Brock beats the hell out of Van Dam for another couple of minutes – then gets the easy fall.

Brock smiles at Paul as he exits “see you in January….go get me that deal…cutting your commission in half”.  A battered Van Dam is scraped from the canvas and its reasonable to speculate if its the last we'll see of him.

8.       WWF Title: Claudio Castagnoli d. Bray Wyatt (w/Harper)

Claudio survives the Harper interference to defend his title successfully.  Postmatch, he gets fully beaten down.  The announce notes Claudio is alone, Brock cut GDI in half at the battle royal, Pac and Generico were taken out by the Wyatts in the build.  Claudio was able to hold on during the match, overcoming the odds and whatnot, but all 4 Wyatts take him out after the match. They hit finishers so he's totally laid out midring.

Wyatts each hit the four corners of the ring – Bray holding the WWF Championship over his head as the show ends.  The Wyatt Family closes Summer Slam 2014.

Tomorrow night on RAW we’ll find out about the Survivor Series rematch – Claudio v. Bray, this time it’s No DQ.  How will Claudio survive?  How?  How?  How? 

I’ll be back with some extra stuff next month, then the Survivor Series build in October. Here.

Road to Summer Slam 2014 - Part 2

Part I is here.  

Quick note, links now exist throughout the Counterfactual at the bottom of each post to take you to the next part of the story.  So, were you to start with the first Mania you could get all the way here without leaving the narrative.  

Summer Slam 2014 is headed at you from LA.

WWF Title: Claudio Castagnoli v. Bray Wyatt (w/Harper)

Quite different trajectories for the two factions in question as we hit Claudio’s first title defense.  The Wyatts are ascendant, the broke up Defiance, Bray retired Rey and took his mask, and then Bray/Harper finished 1-2 at the battle royal. 

On the other hand, consider the losses GDI has taken over the last year; Steamboat’s now a very rare part timer, Hero’s gone, then Punk, now Sydal and Tatsu and maybe Danielson.  GDI is Claudio, Pac, and Generico.

This doesn’t go overlooked by Bray – it’s the guts of a fruitless attempt to get under Claudio’s skin.  Can’t blame him – Bray’s chief weapon is psychological, probing the weakness of opposition, preying upon the doubts that are pre-existing.

Claudio – however, is uncomplicated, he’s not just a happy warrior, he's the Happiest Warrior – so when Bray voices that Claudio’s captaining a sinking GDI ship and the weight of that as his wrestling epitaph is too great for him, he responds that if GDI ends at Summer Slam they’ve had a great time and will all go onto have interesting, productive lives, “but all I can do is say (shrugs) hey” – and that starts the “hey” chants. Those goddamn hey chants.

What isn’t deniable are raw numbers – and the Wyatts take advantage in the go home RAW, beating GDI in a handicap 4 on 3 match, Bray pinning Claudio, and pummeling Generico and Pac to the extent that we’re told on the go home Fight Night that they will be unavailable at Summer Slam.

That means Claudio stands alone against a 4 man Wyatt Family at Summer Slam. Will the numbers be too much and propel Bray Wyatt to the WWF Title? 

Extreme Rules Match: Brock Lesnar v. Rob Van Dam

A few weeks after he and Kenta killed GDI at the battle royal, we’re told that Lesnar will be wrestling a returning Van Dam at Summer Slam. RVD no longer has long hair, Swagger and Heyman cut it off last year.  Van Dam appears on The Heyman Hustle, it’s his only appearance in the build – Lesnar makes no appearance after the battle royal. But hold off on that for a moment.

Heyman does a couple of Heyman Hustles, the first is the RAW after the battle royal with just he and Kenta where he explains his actions, propels everything forward – says he has not spoken to Brock except for in this ring since before Mania – he has been with Brock every single step of his career for the last ten years and has no idea where his head is right now but if we never saw him again we shouldn't be surprised (the RVD match hasn't been announced yet)

Brock came back to WWF because Paul asked him to – and because Brock decided he wanted to prove he was a better man than Danielson.

So – now that’s over, he has no idea what comes next.  He just hopes that Brock took the small gesture of Kenta’s aid as partial payment for past mistakes.

Heyman then turns to Kenta – he says Kenta also came to WWF to prove he’s a better man than Danielson – he talks some Japan, discusses Kenta as protege of the immortal Kobashi, as the true heir to the throne of greatest professional wrestling in the world, the All Japan Pro Wrestling company started by Giant Baba.     

Heyman says now – Kenta goes back to Japan; in fact, Heyman says, they’re both going back.

When Heyman leaves – there’s no indication at that point that he’ll ever return.  Bye to all of this!

Then we find out about the RVD/Lesnar match.

And a couple of weeks later, the Heyman Hustle with RVD.

Heyman is very serious – brings Van Dam out, Van Dam’s in street clothes.  Heyman says he wants to talk to Rob as someone who has known him for twenty years.  He tells Rob he needs to pull out of the match – he knows its embarrassing, but it’s better than the hospital bed he’s about to spend the rest of the year in.  Heyman says whatever back and forth they’ve had needs to stop now – it’s not 1997, it’s 2014, and he’s about to get badly hurt.

Van Dam says the one thing in his life he took the most pride in was being the last ever ECW Champ – that he believed all the stuff Heyman sold about rebellion and individuality.  Van Dam says he’s a square peg in a round hole, except for those years in the Bingo Hall. 

And Paul sold that title to WWF, sold the company, gave up that legacy and Van Dam spent his best years in some large corporation. Van Dam says he doesn’t care if this is his last match, he wants to end his career and end the legacy of ECW where it belongs – not with Heyman, but with the wrestlers who build ECW.

Heyman says says he has the ECW title belt, and he’ll just give it to Van Dam if that's what it takes for this to not happen– Paul says Van Dam’s talking about wrestling, but he’s not hearing what Paul’s saying – Paul’s talking about Van Dam’s life.  This isn’t Shawn Michaels or Kurt Angle or Taz or Cactus Jack or Sabu – Brock’s not a pro wrestler, he’s not looking to pin you. He’s looking to hurt you.  You’re going to get badly, hurt, Rob.  Badly hurt.

Van Dam tells Heyman to tell his man to bring all he has – and tells Heyman to bring him his title belt once he wins. Brock Lesnar returns to a WWF ring for the first time since the battle royal - at Summer Slam.

IC Title: Ladder Match: Nick Nemeth v. JerichoDeath

Harper was the runner-up in the battle royal, exiting at the order of Bray – but that earned him the IC shot, right?

Bray makes him give it up.

A slot at XXX was so prized wrestlers had to “fight for their right” just to be on the card, Claudio, now the WWF Champ, had to beat Batista at the Rumble to get a slot.  Harper could have had a shot, but Bray said he was needed to be the powerhouse enforcer on the outside and so couldn't be in a match – and it worked, he played a pivotal role in both Wyatt wins at Mania.

Now that Bray is wrestling for the title – why wouldn’t you think he’d still want Harper at ringside?

Like the scene in the ring at the battle royal – Harper doesn’t want to go along, he shakes his head, he looks like he might refuse – but eventually he gives in.

So – Nemeth needs a new opponent.  Since Mysterio left after XXX, Nemeth has been the only Triple Crown winner on the roster – that’s been referenced a few times by the announce.  Nemeth cuts a promo from on top of a ladder in the ring – he’s full on cocky babyface, really putting himself over, and when he makes a reference to the Triple Crown the lights go out.

And when they come back on – Jericho’s on top of the ladder, and he knocks Nemeth off.

Subsequently, Nemeth will cut cocky promo – telling Jericho that the 7^th grade version of Nick Nemeth would be super stoked about wrestling Jericho for the IC Title – but the Triple Crown version of Nemeth thinks Jericho should join the other Triple Crown winners on the Championship Committee and leave wrestling to wrestlers.

And then the lights go out – and when they come back on there’s a ladder in the ring.

They go out again – and when they come back on Jericho’s on that ladder, with Nemeth’s IC belt.

The announce raises the possibility that in a ladder match maybe Jericho’s – whatever Jericho is now – will be too much even for Nemeth to overcome.  Jericho returns at Summer Slam.

Tag Titles: The Shield (Ambrose/Black w/Langston) vs. Direct to Video (Orton/Miz w/HHH-M)

The story with the tag titles is now The Shield’s march to history; a win here and they go by the Road Warriors and the Steiners and would trail only the Hart Foundation for longest WWF tag title reign.  Orton and Miz are a mismatched act put together based on their eliminations at the battle royal – Ambrose snidely says they only thing they have in common is failed movies, and Direct to Video becomes a joke name that then becomes their actual name.

D2V (cause, shorthand) recognizes that they’re outmanned with Langston able to serve as the power man on the outside (tag matches are, a reminder, “relaxed rules”). Miz says he’ll take care of it – there’s some singles match, let’s say Orton vs. Ambrose, Langston appears on the ramp – but he’s taken out by Hunter, and then Miz interference allows for an Orton win.

Orton’s spent his career fighting against all authority figures, so he isn’t jazzed about Hunter, but gives in begrudgingly as this mismatched team, maybe, starts to gel a little bit.  The Shield continues their claim as the greatest tag team of all time at Summer Slam. 

Jack Swagger v. John Cena (w/Harper)

Swagger hopped into the Wyatts business at the battle royal - and they continue to feud following, as what we’re trying to do is turn Jack again, and the Wyatts are clearly heels.  

Bray really isn’t involved here, he’s got bigger fish, so this is driven by Cena – the Cena character now starts to head toward a parody of his real world character; he’s been convinced by Bray that he should have been one of the greatest wrestlers of all time, and now he starts calling himself a 15 Time World Champion.  Not all the time – but occasionally he just slips it in.  He’ll reference Make A Wish.  The announce attributes this to Bray’s mind control.  Cena’s just losing any tether to reality. 

Swagger is completely silent – he says he’ll let his wrestling speak for itself.  Speculation about his save of Nemeth in the battle royal begins, Nemeth doesn’t address it at all.  

Swagger’s fighting uphill in this feud as Harper and Dustin get involved – Cody gets in on Swagger’s side, as his feud with Dustin continues in this stretch.  They'll wrestle in a dark match.  

Roman Reigns Uso v. Rusev (w/GHB and Lana)

Reigns and Rusev’s battle from the battle royal continues here.  Reigns is frustrated, the Usos chased the Shield for a year but failed to beat them at Mania.  He gets some squash wins in the build – Rusev has nothing but squash matches himself; the two men are kept totally apart. 

GHB voices the Fox News talking points "Obama’s a socialist, America’s become weak, there’s a War on Christmas" in a way designed to demonstrate their lack of intellectual content, Rusev and Lana are as owned at right wing politicians are by the Koch Brothers.  Rusev is GHBs fantasy a real man, a Cold War Russian, where the normals still know their place. Two powerhouses, Reigns and Rusev, square off at Summer Slam.

AJ Lee v. Paige  

AJ beat Natty in the first women’s match in WWE PPV history and then was attacked by Paige, from Underground – they’ll wrestle at Summer Slam.  AJ has a couple of “they should burn this whole place down” promos in the style of real world Punk pipe bombs – Paige says Underground has taken over the WWF and that continues on the women’s side in the first ever women’s match at Summer Slam.

Perejas Increibles: Claudio/Nemeth v. Bray/Swagger

A Summer Slam tradition, Claudio and Bray each got to pick someone else from the card as a tag partner.  As champion, Claudio was given first pick and took the IC Champ Nemeth – Underground and GDI together for the first time.  Bray then, surprisingly given that Cena is on the card, chose Cena’s opponent and Nemeth’s former partner, Swagger.  This raises all sorts of speculation – is Bray recruiting Swagger, was Nemeth right to be suspect of Swagger at the battle royal – what’s going to happen here in the opener?

And then late in the build we hear that Kenta will be returning for a dark match (he can't contractually wrestle on the PPV, that's the idea).  

That’s the show.  

See you in August for Summer Slam 2014

Road to Summer Slam 2014 - Part I (Battle Royal 13)

Wrestlemania 30 is here.

Every other year WWF does a number one contender’s battle royal.

Here's the history.

Battle Royal 1

1991 – Following WM VII (why not earlier?  I didn't think of it earlier.)

First two entrants:  Hawk and Animal.

First elimination: The Barbarian, by the Road Warriors.

Most eliminations:  Undertaker – 10

Longest Performance- Shawn, 1 hour.

Final 4 Eliminated: Shawn, Bret, Taker, Sid

Winner: Davey Boy

Battle Royal 2

1993 – Following WM IX

First two entrants: Owen and Shawn

First elimination: Doink, by Owen and Shawn

Most eliminations: Luger – 7

Longest Performance: Shawn, 1 hour 10 minutes

Final 4 Eliminated: Owen, Perfect, Savage, Shawn

Winner: Razor

Battle Royal 3

1995 – Following WM XI

First two entrants: Waltman and Bob Holly

First elimination: Holly, by Hunter

Most eliminations: Davey Boy – 6

Longest Performance: Waltman – 35 minutes

Final 4 eliminated: Davey Boy, Candido, Shawn, Razor

Winner: Hakushi

Battle Royal 4

1996 – Following WM XII

First two entrants: Billy and Bart

First elimination: Marty, by Al Snow

Most eliminations: Austin – 7

Longest Performance: Owen, 45 min

Final Four eliminated: Cactus, Taker, Davey Boy, Austin

Winner: Owen

Battle Royal 5

1998 – Following WM XIV

First two entrants: Rock and HHH

First elimination: Mr Aguila, by HHH

Most eliminations: Austin – 9

Longest Performance: Rock, 52 min.

Final four eliminated: Taker, Regal, Shamrock, Austin

Winner: Cactus 

Battle Royal 6

2000 – Following WM XVI

First two entrants: Angle and Bob Holly

First elimination: Crash, by Angle

Most eliminations: Angle – 8

Longest Performance – Angle, 1 hr, 6 min.

Final Four eliminated: Snow, Eddy, Angle, Jericho

Winner: Rock

Battle Royal 7

2002 – Following WM XVIII

First two entrants: Jericho and Edge

First elimination: Regal, by Jericho and Booker

Most eliminations: Diesel, 8 (many in coordination with the rest of the Clique)

Longest Performance: Shawn, 46 min

Final Four eliminated: Taker, RVD, Flair, Shawn

Winner: Rey

Battle Royal 8

2004 – Following Summer Slam 2004

First two entrants: Tajiri and Yang

First elimination: Yang, by Benjamin

Most eliminations: Leviathan, 12 (many in coordination with the rest of the Horsemen)

Longest performance: Chavo, 35 min

Final four eliminated: Leviathan, Jericho, Chavo, Christian

Winner: Eddy

Battle Royal 9

2006 – Following Summer Slam 2006

First two entrants: Punk and 2 Cold

First elimination: Kennedy, by Carlito

Most eliminations: Lashley, 5

Longest performance: Punk, 1 hr 20 min. 

Final four eliminated: Fit, Orton, Edge, Jeff

Winner: Punk

Battle Royal 10

2008: Following Summer Slam 2008

First two entrants: Nitro and Santino

First elimination: Santino, by Nitro

Most eliminations: Edge, MVP 4

Longest Performance: MVP, 42 min.

Final Four eliminated: Matt, Leviathan, Jeff, Edge

Winner: Jericho

Battle Royal 11

2010: Following Summer Slam 2010

First two entrants: Ryder and Chavo
First elimination: Slater, by Danielson
Most eliminations: Danielson, 11
Longest Performance: Danielson, 42 min.
Final Four eliminated: Nemeth, Caras, Rey, Low Ki
Winner: Swagger

Battle Royal 12

2012: Following Wrestlemania XXX

First two entrants: Kidd and Pac

First elimination: Kingston, by Kane

Most eliminations: Punk, 5

Longest Performance: Black, 40 min.

Final Four eliminated: Sheamus, Nemeth, Claudio, Hero

In my head, it’s the Royal Rumble, and what I call the Royal Rumble I think of as Justice Sunday.

I’ll use this opportunity to give a little background about each guy, largely for the benefit of newer readers.  This is part one of the build to Summer Slam 2014; I’ll be back in July with the card.

This match takes place about a month after WM 30, it’s on Fight Night, which is our Smackdown.  

Joey Styles is the voice of the WWF, he’ll be broadcasting with Steve Regal, his Fight Night partner, and they’ll be joined by the new RAW analyst, Christian. 

The winner, as always, gets the title shot.  Two additional stips this year – the last man eliminated will get the IC shot, and two eliminated wrestlers, chosen at random, will be paired together to wrestle for the tag title shot. 

Claudio Castagnoli is WWF Champion, he beat Bryan Danielson at XXX – Claudio, along with GDI (God Damn Independent, a stable started years ago by Punk, now “owned” by Steamboat, who is no longer a regular character) stablemates Generico and Pac, are wrestling overseas tonight.  Generico and Pac are both masked. 

That’s really all that you need to know as we head to this match, taking place sometime in May of 2014. 

1.       Tyson Kidd

-Kidd, wearing headphones, a skullcap, and a novelty t-shirt (some sitcom, say Parker Lewis Can’t Lose) enters.  Kidd’s a heel, he’s in the Underground stable.  WWFUniversity or WWFU is developmental (how long has it been around? Taz was head trainer) which is largely known as Underground.  A couple of years ago, all of the Underground graduates and trainees banded together under Regal’s leadership to form a giant stable.  Kidd’s an anomaly, he was sent back to developmental despite having main roster success by Bret, back when  Bret was the WWF Commissioner (currently, Bret, Shawn, and Austin form a rarely seen Championship Committee that serve as the figurehead authority).  So, Kidd became part of the Underground group and remains aligned as such. 

2.       Ka$h Kingston

-Kingston’s a babyface; he and Killings debuted as part of Floyd Mayweather’s posse back in that WM program; they’d go onto win the tag belts as Young Money.  Kingston now is a daredevil who is willing to face large odds, including on the short side of handicap matches, largely just out of fearlessness.  Kingston beat Kidd and two others in a tables match at XXX – but as the announce will mention tonight, maybe this feud continues. 

3.       Fandango Curtis (w/best dancing Diva)

-Curtis is also part of Underground, he’s using essentially the same gimmick as his real world counterpart. I don’t know which diva can dance, but it would be the only factor in who is paired with Curtis. 

4. Roman Reigns Uso

-Business picks up.  Reigns is his real world gimmick, save that he is a brother of Jimmy and Jey, the three of them a tag unit that spent a year stalking the Shield, only to lose their title match at XXX.  Jimmy and Jey were matching outfits, Reigns does not, some version of the same color scheme, but he’s clearly positioned differently as the unquestioned leader of the unit.  He’s pissed here, the XXX loss still on his mind, and he takes it out on the ring – he hits power stuff on all three guys.

5.Justin Gabriel

-Gabriel is a member of Underground, he and Kidd most recently tagged under the Empire umbrella (Wade Barrett is the founder of that faction, but he’s injured). Gabriel’s time is growing short – he takes the Superman punch right upon entry into the ring.  All four other men still laid out by Reigns when #6 enters.

6. Rusev (w/Lana and GHB)

-Okay, this is a debut.  GHB is Bradshaw, a former tag champ (he and Booker held the belts; he’s obscenely wealthy and promotes right wing causes) who has been away for years.  GHB comes out in the limo the night after Mania.  He says life is not fun anymore with the Kenyan socialist in the White House – sure, the stock market is up to 18,000 so he’s made a ton of money, and sure the auto industry was saved and Bin Laden was killed – but there’s just something about the current occupant of the White (he slightly emphasizes that word) House that just doesn’t feel right to real Americans like himself.  GHB says the realest Americans now are in Russia, with a real man like Vladimir Putin and a good Christian government.  No one says “I now pronounce you Yuri and Steve  in Red Square.”

That’s why, GHB says, I’m returning to the WWF – as a manager – of the only real man left in this sport.  A Russian. 

He then introduces Rusev, who, along with Lana, exits the limo.

And that’s the act – going forward, Lana does her shtick, GHB hits the Fox News talking points, and Rusev stands there.  They make a couple of appearances to cut promos prior to the battle royal, but this is advertised as Rusev’s debut. 

His first act is to step right on Gabriel as he hits the ring – everyone else staggers up, Kidd and Kingston resume their fight – Curtis sees his stablemate being disrespected and goes after Rusev – he takes a jumping side kick and is then tossed over the top rope (30.Curtis, by Rusev)  Reigns watches warily as Rusev then scoops up Gabriel and hurls him over the top (29. Gabriel, which ends this run for him, by Rusev).

Rusev and Reigns go nose to nose.  Kidd and Kingston continue their fight.

7. The Miz

-The Miz is a chickenshit heel; if anyone, real world or otherwise, tries to say he’s not, that person is wrong.  He’s the last surviving full time member of The Clique (he was Hunter’s protégé).  He got the fall for the Clique in an 8 man at XXX.  He doesn’t get in the ring.  Rusev and Reigns now start banging into each other – they alternate hitting the ropes and then forearming the other.  It’s a big man power off in the middle of the ring.  Kidd and Kingston continue. 

8. PAUL

PAUL is the Show, currently a babyface, he’s tended to turn back and forth as needed, maybe you’re familiar with the concept.  He’s been feuding with Miz and was on the side of that losing team at XXX; he starts chasing Miz around the ring.  Reigns and Rusev are now hitting each other with boots when they come off the ropes.  Kidd and Kingston trade off nearly eliminating the other.

9. Rowan

-Rowan’s from Underground, he’s having a short life – he enters the ring and Reigns, who had hit the ropes, veers away from Rusev, spears Rowan, and tosses him out (28. Rowan, by Reigns).  PAUL has gotten Miz into the ring, but the chase leaves him winded, and he runs Miz all the way to the ropes, but Miz slips him, and Paul’s unable to control his momentum, and tumbles all the way to the outside (27. PAUL, by Miz).  The video wall flashes TAG TEAM TITLE SHOT signifying that the next man eliminated will get the tag title shot at Summer Slam – that man is the Miz, as Rusev clotheslines him over the top (26. Miz, by Rusev)

10. Primo

-Primo is half of the Colons, they do a hardcore tag act befitting their name.  As he gets to the ring, Reigns eliminates (25. Kingston, by Reigns) and then (24. Kidd, by Reigns) while Rusev kills Primo dead (23. Primo, by Rusev).

Rusev and Reigns have thrown out the ring – they meet again in the middle.

11. Kenta

-If this seems like an action spot, you’ve watched battle royals before.

This is Kenta’s debut – he appeared with much pageantry at XXX, there have been video packages giving his career highlights, and as he walks slowly to the ring after his fireworks package GHB is clearly trying to get Rusev and Reigns to work together – recognizing that one of the greatest wrestlers who has ever lived is about to step into a WWF ring. 

Kenta kicks both their asses – two minutes of Kenta putting both men to the canvas – if he can get either up for the Go To Sleep, he does.  Kenta gets fed. 

12. Bryan Danielson

-Danielson lost the WWF Title at XXX to his GDI stablemate Claudio (leader of the “Hey Movement”) and hasn’t been seen since; he clearly hasn’t shaved since Mania as his hair and beard (for the first time in his WWF career) have grown.  The build for Kenta’s debut has been centered around his claim as “the best wrestler in the world” – and when Danielson stops dead as he reaches the ring – he and Kenta stare hard at each other, Kenta unaware that Reigns and Rusev have recovered and both grab him.  Danielson and Kenta then work with precision as a unit to eliminate both (22. Rusev, by Danielson and Kenta) (21. Reigns, by Danielson and Kenta).

13. Brock Lesnar

-Brock returned to WWF largely to kill Danielson; he’s really the only wrestler who has ever gotten under his skin and Paul Heyman, during the past decade, would pass along Danielson’s high critical appraisal to Lesnar. Brock beat him at WM 29 for the title, Danielson retook in a cage at Summer Slam last year.  Brock and Heyman then had a fracture in their relationship when Heyman decided to align with Swagger instead of Lesnar – Brock beat Swagger at XXX, but didn’t hit Heyman when he had the chance postmatch. 

Brock hasn’t appeared since XXX but Heyman has; he hosts The Heyman Hustle, a Piper’s Pit like interview segment and has done one as part of the build without a guest.  Heyman resets where he and Brock are – he says he has apologized every day, every day he has sent Brock a text, an email, a registered mail, a package – and not a single response.  Heyman says he’s the only guy who has ever been able to talk to Brock, to tame that beast – you fans cheered when Brock and Heyman weren’t on the same side – that should have scared you to death, because the only thing more dangerous than Brock Lesnar with Paul Heyman at his side – is a totally unpredictable, totally wild Brock Lesnar all by himself. 

With that as the backdrop – Lesnar appears.  As he comes down the aisle, Kenta communicates to Danielson that the two of them should team up – they both get into fighting stances – and then Kenta kicks Danielson in the back of the head.

Kenta frantically waves for Brock to join him as he stomps Danielson into the canvas. 

Brock clearly doesn’t understand what’s going on.

Then Heyman’s music hits.  And from his boot Kenta pulls out a t-shirt that he then puts on.

Paul Heyman Guy.

Heyman says “for you – it’s for you” – to Brock – Kenta backs away, and Brock begins to suplex Danielson all over the ring.

14. Yoshi Tatsu

-Tatsu is GDI, he’s never going to make it to the ring or to any WWF ring ever again.  As he’s running to the ring, in a full sprint, to help Danielson, Kenta dives over the top rope, intentionally eliminating himself (20. Kenta, self)    

Kenta, ideally, collides heavily with Tatsu, just wiping him out on the ramp – he then hits a Go To Sleep on Tatsu from the ramp to the floor that is sold as the end of Tatsu’s life.  There’s no way he’s getting in the ring (19. Tatsu).

Danielson might be unconscious – he’s hit with an F5 and isn’t moving at all, but Brock shows no inclination to throw him over the top and continues to suplex him.  Heyman starts yelling at Brock to just throw him over the top – Lesnar ignores completely.  WWF personnel is starting to come down the ramp – some are checking on Tatsu, some are getting closer to the ring to yell at Lesnar. 

15. Matt Sydal

-Kenta remains on the ramp, he and Sydal meet in the middle and have a brief fight until personnel distract Kenta (probably Noble and Mercury).   Sydal (he’s also in GDI) hits the ring hard – runs right into a Lesnar right hand, then gets F5’d and dumped over the top rope.  (18. Sydal, by Brock). Danielson staggers to his feet and is thrown over the top by Lesnar (17. Danielson, by Brock). Lesnar stands alone in the ring – Heyman makes the sign for the belt – but Lesnar doesn’t pay any attention, he steps over the top rope and out of the ring (16. Lesnar, self)

Kenta’s now returned to ringside – Lesnar throws Sydal on top of the Spanish announce table, then powerbombs Danielson atop Sydal.  The table doesn’t break – but does after Kenta leaps from the top rope with a double stomp that smashes all three men to the ground.  Sydal and Danielson are going to get stretchered out, both covered in blood – Kenta and Heyman walk off triumphantly, Lesnar ignores everyone – still angry, muttering about Danielson, “he’s dead-  he’s fucking dead” –

16. SG Ryback

-Ryback and Lesnar pass each other on the ramp, Ryback sort of flexes as he goes by, which Lesnar doesn’t appear to notice, but after a few paces Lesnar stops, as if he just realized what happened, and he launches himself at Ryback – knocking him to the ground, he slams Ryback’s head off the steel steps (Ryback is from Underground, by the way) shoves him onto the apron, kicks him underneath the ropes, gets back in the ring himself, then F5s Ryback and throws him over the top rope. The announce explains that the officials are waving him out of the match given his condition (15. Ryback).

Lesnar stands alone in the ring – fans will react as they do – it is, obviously, a moment of singular destruction in WWF history – Sydal, Tatsu, and the great Danielson appear to be dead and someone still has to win this battle royal.

Lesnar exits. 14 still to come.

17. Jimmy Uso

18. Jey Uso

-The other two Usos are next, they slap hands and start to go at it – the announce varies the rest of the night in discussing the importance of the match, someone will go to Summer Slam to face Claudio, someone will face Nemeth, The Miz and a partner are facing the Shield – and talking about what seems like a crippling blow to GDI and the end of the career, perhaps, of the American Dragon. 

19. Dean Ambrose

-Ambrose/Tyler Black/and Langston make up The Shield; the longest running tag team champions in 20 years.  The two dominant factions of recent WWF vintage are GDI and Underground and the Shiels mixes them; Ambrose and Langston are products of the developmental system, Black was forced into developmental to keep his job, and together they turned their backs on everyone, forming the Shield, an island onto themselves, and are running down all historical comparisons.  If they keep their belts at Summer Slam, all that stands between them and being the longest reign ever is the Hart Foundation (the original version, Bret and Davey Boy).  Ambrose takes on both Usos.

20. Cody Rhodes

-Cody's a former tag champ as half of Defiance with Orton; they've largely been heels although did some tweener work when needed, including at the end when they finished up with loss to the Wyatt Family (Rhodes/Cena) at XXX meant that they had to break up.  Cody's going to be babyface going forward and starts to establish that here by joining in the attack on Ambrose.

21. Nick Nemeth

-Nemeth's the IC champ, its his second run, he's also had both the other belts, making him the only Triple Crown winner working full time on the roster; Nemeth's a babyface but also Underground - he was a babyface tag champ with Division One (with Swagger) was the leader of the big Underground creation and became the heel WWF Champ, it's really crowd popularity with his cocky antics and wild bumptaking that turned him face as much as anything else, the rest of Underground eventually planted firmly as heels, and that set Nemeth alone - he took the IC in a ladder match from Sheamus at XXX.  He goes right after Ambrose and the four men have him nearly eliminated.

22. Virgil

-Virgil is Dustin Rhodes, he's a member of the Wyatt Family, all the Wyatt's will continue to demonstrate individual personalities as did they in the build to XXX - Virgil is all grievance, his father was never there, his tag team partner (Austin) turned on him, he was left on the side of the road by every major and minor wrestling company in North America - and then his tag team champion brother had no place for him.  He's given up his name and has found his true family - he goes right after Cody and quickly eliminates him in a way that indicates their feud may continue (14, Cody, by Virgil). This pisses off the babyfaces who had Ambrose eliminated - and they attack Virgil.

23. Harper

-The Wyatt enforcer, he was the only member who did not get a match at XXX, Bray told him he was too valuable as a bodyguard - we're supposed to see that as a huge missed opportunity and a sign of the amount of control Bray has over his crew.  Harper has been protected as a real powerhouse; he was instrumental in all the Wyatt's wins, including Bray ripping off Mysterio's mask at XXX.  He cleans house to get the bodies off of Virgil.

24. Tyler Black

-Black comes to the aid of his partner Ambrose as the ring now splits in half, Shield v. Usos, Wyatts v. Nemeth

25. Damien Sandow

-Sandow's Underground.  Sandow's a curious case; a year ago injuries elevated him to #2 in Underground and he and Nemeth formed a bond, but he's really slipped into the background in 2014, no one discusses this, but he really hasn't been the same since his program against the Wyatts.  He wanders around the ring, seemingly aimlessly.  

26. John Cena

-Bray preys on some type of insecurity, it's how he recruits his members; with Cena it's ego, Cena was a young heel tag champ with Orton, then thought of as a joke by the fanbase, then became a garbage wrestling, cane swinging babyface, his forehead looks like Abdullah the Butchers.  Bray convinced him that he was in his darkest timeline, that a world existed where he was 15 time world champion, making movies and banging Bellas.  Nemeth has a clean shot at superkicking Virgil but the aimless Sandow just sort of stumbles in between them - Nemeth doubletakes, yells at Sandow to move - then superkicks Sandow instead, eliminating him (13. Sandow, by Nemeth) - Virgil is startled by the near miss, and it's his stablemate Harper who takes advantage (12 Virgil, by Harper). Cena gets in Harper's face.

27. Bray Wyatt

-Bray's the leader of this cult, he ended Mysterio's WWF career at XXX and ripped half of his mask off.  He comes in to settle his troops and the 3 men quickly resume the assault on Nemeth.

28. Randy Orton

-Orton's been IC champ and tag champ. almost always as a heel, he shows his level of instant danger by hitting his RKO on Ambrose and tossing him over the top (11 Ambrose, by Orton). The Usos and Orton have Black ready to go.  

29. Langston

-Langston comes in to aid his stablemate and does, eliminating Jimmy (10 Jimmy by Shield) and Jey (9. Jey, by Shield).  The Wyatts have Nemeth ready to go.  One man left.

30. Jack Swagger

-Swagger's once again got his buzzcut; he's the first graduate of Underground and the predicted breakout star - in developmental he was the next Kurt Angle and Nemeth was the guy who carried his bags and banged his sister.  They won the tag titles as Division One - but Swagger didn't join the Underground heel turn and he couldn't fight off the whole group, going under in the Nemeth feud and his career looked star crossed.  Heyman picked him up a year ago, he grew out his hair, maybe smoked a little bit, started banging both Bellas, his robot like persona melted away - but by Mania he and Lesnar had fallen out, Brock went over, Heyman dumped him and here we are, his first appearance since XXX.

Nemeth's about to go over - Swagger suplexes all 3 Wyatts - Bray, Harper,and then Cena who he eliminates (8. Cena, by Swagger) while, a second later the screen flashes TAG TEAM TITLE SHOT and the Shield eliminates Orton (7. Orton, by Shield).  Orton and Miz will team up to take on The Shield at Summer Slam.

6 left - and there's a moment of regrouping.  Black and Langston.  Bray and Harper.  Nemeth and, several feet away, Swagger.

Bray yells for Black and then points at Swagger "Him."  Black quickly gets Langston on board, Harper will clearly follow Bray's lead - Bray then explains to Nemeth "You know who we are  (referring to everyone else in the ring) you don't know who he is anymore."

Nemeth looks like he's calculating - looking at Swagger, then back at the other two duos - the duos then pounce on Swagger, he tries to fight them off, but there are too many as Nemeth stands to the side - and they throw Jack over the top (6. Swagger, by Shield and Wyatts).

Bray then yells for Tyler again - and then points at Nemeth "Him."

Nemeth stays alive as long as he can, he gets pounced on and slips away, pounced on and slips away - catching Langston with a superkick and throwing him over the top (5. Langston, by Nemeth) but then goes over himself (4. Nemeth, by Black and Wyatts).

3 left.  Bray nods to Harper and points at Black "Him" - Black stays alive as long as he can, but eventually the numbers get him (3. Black, by Wyatts).

Bray then points at Harper.  "You."

Harper shakes his head no - the winner gets a title shot - Harper shakes his head no.

Bray grabs Harper's face "You."

Harper shakes his head no.

Bray then turns his back on Harper and outstretches his arms; if Harper wants it - he gets a free shot - he can just throw Bray over the top rope; Harper can just throw him over and get the shot at Claudio at Summer Slam.

But he can't do it - and the second Harper's shoulders slump, Bray whirls around, grabs him and throws Harper over the top.

"Me."

Bray Wyatt's won Battle Royal 13, he goes to Summer Slam to take on Claudio Castagnoli for the WWF Title; it appears that Harper will take on Nick Nemeth for the IC - a big night for the Wyatt Family is coming at Summer Slam 2014.

Part II of the build comes in July.  Summer Slam in August.