Road to Royal Rumble 2024

Survivor Series

19 years ago this month, I started publishing the Counterfactual; each December I write an anniversary comment as part of the build to the Rumble.  This is that.  

As you likely know, I'm wrapping up the Counterfactual...for the most part.

Here's the most part - last month was the last Survivor Series, this preview is for the last Rumble, Wrestlemania 40 is the final Wrestlemania, Summer Slam 2024, the 150th WWF PPV, is the final show; there will be wrap up posts in September/October/November (I will not have a post for Survivor Series 2024, which will feel weird) and then a year from now, the 20th Anniversary, I will stop.  

That's the most part.

Here's the other part - in addition to the narrative posts, I have some additional posts that I update after each event (each show has a post dedicated to the history of the event, also, off line, I keep running tallies for best matches of all time and top big match wrestlers of all time and there are some posts I update occasionally to reflect that  

I may continue to do that.  After doing this for 19 years, I've found that I use thinking about the upcoming booking as a....coping mechanism/mental reset, whatever you might call it.  It seems unlikely that need stops cold next September.  

So - currently, while I won't do any more new posts, no more narrative posts, I am likely to, for the time being, continue to book those shows and update that stuff.  I do have a penciled in book for Survivor Series 2024, for ex.  

How I'd suggest one thinks about that is that it's not part of the story - the story ends at Summer Slam next year; its the difference between David Chase making more episodes of Sopranos and David Chase giving some graduation speech where he talks about what happened to Tony after the blackout.  It's dicta. 

An unintended consequence is a bit of a multi-verse; my years long thought was to bend the story back around such that it was plausible that after my last event, the promotion could return to its real life status for its next event - it's one of the reasons behind the Counterfactual Bloodline, for example. This change changes that for me - but for you, you can decide whatever makes sense for you, as my part in the story ends at Summer Slam next year.

For the most part.

Here's the one caveat - if circumstances eventuate that ten years from now I've maintained booking these cards on my own - and if this space still exists - and if there is, in fact, a Wrestlemania 50 - I'll come back and do that event.  Good Lord willing and the Creek Don't Rise.  

Here's the card.

WWF Title v. "The Bag": Cody Rhodes v. CM Punk

IC: Drew McIntyre v. Jey Uso

Tags: Triple Crown (Styles/Nakamura w/Mysterio) v. Kevin Steen/Sami Zayn (w/Gargano/Ciampa)

Womens Title: Asuka v. Jordynn Grace

Womens Tags: Bianca Belair/Bayley v. Horsewomen (Baszler/Stratton)

Number One Contender: Roman Reigns v. Walter (w/Heyman)

IC Number One Contender: Elimination Chamber: Bron Steiner v Jimmy Uso v JD McDonaugh v Santos Escobar v Dom Mysterio v LA Knight

Prince Devitt v. Logan Paul (w/McAfee)

Ricochet (w/ BWI) v. Carmelo Hayes (w/Williams)

Falls Count Anywhere: Randy Orton v. Damien Priest

Kairi Sane v. Liv Morgan (Special Guest Referee: Iyo Sky)

Unsanctioned: Bronson Reed v. Andrade

Rhodes v. Punk

Reigns v. Walter

-At Survivor Series, Walter won the tournament to give him the title shot - but, you know, plans change.  Pretty quickly, Reigns makes a compelling case (1) he held the title for a year and never got a rematch (2) he and Walter were the final two in the battle royal that was to determine the top contender until Walter's partner tore down the ring and (3) Reigns wasn't in the tournament.  Heyman makes a deal, yes, Roman/Walter will wrestle at the Rumble - and the winner there will, no questions asked, go to Wrestlemania 40 to challenge for the WWF Title.

-The build to the Rumble largely focuses on Punk, not just in his match but throughout the programming, everyone in the promotion has to weigh in on CM Punk's dramatic, never expected, return to the WWF.

-Punk makes clear he's back because WWF is the place to be in 2024, Wrestlemania 40, WWF 150, and because of another number -  the number 4.  4 men have had the greatest prize in wrestling, the WWF Championship, 3 times.

Bret Hart

Owen Hart

Bryan Danielson

CM Punk

Punk says he's here for one reason - one reason -  to become the only man ever to win it 4 times.  

Punk says having been away from professional wrestling for so many years, he had a chance to gather his priorities - and after some time in another promotion getting his legs back, he decided now was the time to step into immortality.  

-Cody has to agree to the shot - why he does so is what's in Punk's bag.  Punk never actually reveals whats in the bag, its his AEW title belt, but AEW watchers know whats in the bag, and Punk makes it clear without using the words thats whats in the bag.  The build to Cody/Devitt focused on the AEW stip where Cody gave up the right to ever challenge for the AEW belt, that was framed as a primary reason he left a promotion he helped start - so WWF fans have just spent several weeks with that element of Cody's motivation front of mind.  So now, when CM Punk returns, bag in tow, essentially offering Cody a Title v. Title match, he can't turn it down.

-Cody is just focused on Punk and the bag in the build - Punk on the other hand has multiple segments to do (no physicality, Punk's first bump is coming at the Rumble).  He and Cody get personal (I'm more CM Punk than you was an IRL line that stung); Punk does a Heyman Hustle to both build a possible Mania match with Walter and to re-establish the Heyman/Punk feud (Heyman came back to WWF with Lesnar specifically to go after Punk, feeling Punk was using the ECW Title as a prop, Punk felt it was a tribute, and the two never got on the same page, remaining adversaries) They needle each other pretty good (Heyman can say something like "what - Jason Priestly doesn't have any adult children you could slap around" - Punk might say something like "I'm the only ECW Champ you don't still owe money to" - this should be a heavily promoted segment, there's an element of the fanbase which will want someone to really go after Punk, and Heyman's in position to do that.  The segment ends with a Walter/Punk nose to nose.  

-Also much looked forward to would be the Reigns/Punk promo - Reigns has been talking about Punk for years now, Punk thanks him for being unable to keep his name out of his mouth, it got him off his couch and a few million dollars from the other promotion.  Reigns is able to say to Punk's face what he's been saying as the cornerstone of his rebooted character, Punk's throwing down the WWF title is the original sin that created every terrible thing that has happened in wrestling since, Reigns worked to unwind what Punk has laid down - he took out all of the Punk wanna-bes, but now, at Mania, if he gets the chance to wipe Punk off the face of the earth, it will be the highlight of his life.  There's also a Punk/Steen backstage spot - Punk stops Steen, says he knows he got into some heat with Steen's friends at the other place, wants to know if he and Steen are cool.  Steen says "nope" and leaves.

-Reigns and Walter have now been in their program for well over a year, Reigns is why Walter and Lesnar got together in the first place, Walter/Lesnar is why the Reigns group eventually fell apart, Reigns is why Rousey retired, and now here they finally meet 1 on 1, winner to go to Mania to face the winner of Cody/Punk.  

McIntyre v. Jey Uso

Styles/Nakamura v. Steen/Zayn

-McIntyre and Uso are both heels, they largely stay away from each other in the build (until the McIntyre group wipes Jey out in the go home) McIntyre is cock of the walk, everything has been proven correct - he left Hooligans to join Roman and won the tag belts, he left Roman to form his own thing and now he has the IC belt and Roman has nothing.  He clowns Roman - and by proxy the whole family (Hooligans and Usos feuded on and off forever, then Roman's group feuded with Usos) Drew retcons the decision not to include the Usos in Roman's group, saying he was a voice against them - he said they didn't have it on the inside and Roman eventually agreed (Roman's not including the Usos in his group is what split Jimmy and Jey up, Jimmy is a babyface, Jey a heel).  Jey just keeps beating people, he's not turning, maybe within the context of this program fans are more likely sympathetic to him as its Drew who now has months of promo time to build this character, but he's not turning.

-The tag title match might be the first tag title match in promotion history where all 4 men were former WWF Champs (and 3 of them have triple crowns). Its an all babyface match - but the tension gets ratcheted up given the history among the 4 (Steen was WWF Champ when Styles/Nakamura invaded in the big Bullet Club angle, Styles was a babyface teaming with Zayn in their program against Danielson/Steen) - Styles goes to Rey, who is really in an emeritus position now, and asks him to join Triple Crown (because he's got one too) and Rey is the one person in the locker room who most has reason to dislike Steen (Steen and Rey were a team, Steen turned on him - Rey had gotten Steen fired, so there were reasons) Rey joins for a 6 man with either Gargano or Ciampa having to take the fall for the other side.  Meanwhile, Steen/Zayn have Gargano/Ciampa ready to commit to a reformation of GDI, but they all decide to table it until the night after the Rumble.  

Asuka v. Grace

Sane v. Morgan

Belair/Bayley v. Baszler/Stratton

-Asuka essentially steps out of her storyline for this build, she's a heel, however, Grace is leading the invading TNA force (force is a little excessive, this is the Joe Hendry, et al, stuff they do a IRL a few months later, we're shifting it in time to combine with this program) so within this build, Asuka's the babyface on WWF TV and a heel when she appears on Impact. That main womens program (Asuka/Sky/Sane) continues with the other two participants, Sky and Sane are heated with each other coming off Survivor Series, that tension continues during this build - and when Sky is named special guest referee for the Sane/Morgan match, that becomes the focus.  The Horsewomen heat up, they get singles wins and they challenge the babyface womens tag champs.

Elimination Chamber 

Orton v. Priest

Andrade v. Reed

-It's a very special year, as Linda McMahon opened the RAW after Mania by previewing - and part of that is an Elimination Chamber match plopped in the middle of the Rumble.  Winner gets the IC shot at Mania, the conceit is none of the 6 wrestlers has ever been IC Champ (or WWF Champ, as a matter of fact) it's a real proving ground match, these are guys positioned as important for the future.

3 Babyfaces:  Jimmy Uso, Bron Steiner, JD McDonaugh.

3 Heels: LA Knight, Santos Escobar, Dom Mysterio

Jimmy has to get promo time and he has to show fire - Jimmy got mopey when Roman didn't pick the Usos, whereas Jey got pissed and mopey isn't an appealing character trait, but Romans squad blew up, Jey is now wrestling for the IC Title - and here Jimmy is, with the biggest chance of his career, in the most dangerous match in the sport.

Steiner was just Dark Ride champ and is here to be a wrecking ball.

McDonaugh is aligned separately with Devitt and Sheamus, he's the workrate white meat babyface.  

Lets talk about LA Knight.

In the back half of 2023, the Clique blows up.  After Summer Slam, when Knight stole the pin from Riddle, Michaels asks to talk to him in the back (there's an office set up, with a nod to Michaels role with developmental).  Michaels admonishes Knight - but also says Knight's....doing what kind of looks like cosplay, Michaels understands tributes to past wrestlers, but Knight is making it a lot of his personality.

Knight says its cool - but its not cool, and he doubles and triples down, becoming a full cover band, eventually Riddle gets fed up and the Clique breaks up - Michaels again brings Knight into the office, again trying to straighten him out, Knight says its cool - its cool - and then superkicks Shawn and throws him through a plate glass window. 

Michaels disappears - Knight beats Riddle multiple times (poor, dumb, coked up Matt) until he leaves the promotion.  Knight's cosplay act rolls on.

Escobar leads his heel stable

Dom is part of his heel stable - Defiance added Ripley at Survivor Series and the group - Priest/Dom/Reed/Ripley stomped Orton out.  Orton returns, gets promo time - he'll fight all 4 of them if he has to and a Falls Count Anywhere stip is added to the rematch with Priest.

Reed hit his move on Flair at the PPV, Charlotte got stretchered out and she is gone, gone, gone, her career in jeopardy, Reed cuts a couple of promos about how much he enjoyed doing it, about how feeling the crunch of her bones was thrilling and he thinks, on some level, she liked it too.  

About a month in, Reed is wrestling a match against an enhancement talent and a fan comes out of the crowd and attacks him - the match instantly stops, the opponent and official both attempting to help Reed, as they would if it were a shoot attack - but everyone then realizes who it is - Andrade, who wrestled at AEW weeks before, and who was always under a mask in a different persona when he was in WWF, is here - he is Charlotte's husband, and that's never been acknowledged on either promotions show before - he lays in shoot punches to Reed, ideally busting him open - it's a wild scene - agents come out from the back, random babyfaces and heels come to the ring out of their gear, the announcers treat it like its a shoot.  

Cole flies out to Andrade's home, they do a shoot style interview, Andrade says Charlotte will eventually be fine but he does not want her to wrestle again, he says Reed is a coward, a man who hurts a woman is not a man - he had to quit AEW to show up on RAW - WWF will not let him back in the building - he can't sleep - Andrade starts screaming at the camera - "on sight, Reed - on sight, you bitch" Andrade grabbing the camera.  Reed will cut another antagonistic promo, talking about Charlotte's bones underneath him - that its too bad she won't return to the ring, maybe Reed will have to go find her.  Andrade posts a video via social media that they put on TV, he signs a hold harmless waiver - WWF won't let him in the building, they won't sanction a match since he doesn't work there - Andrade says he waives liability - he wants Reed at the Rumble in an unsanctioned match.  Reed accepts.

Devitt v. Paul

Ricochet v. Hayes

Finally, two never before seen workrate matches; Logan Paul comes in hard after Devitt - Devitt looks washed to him, Paul has experience with retiring some of these old washed wrestlers, they set up that match; and Ricochet's stable (BWI) feuds with The Culture, leading to this singles match.

It's a good card - CM Punk is back, it's Rumble 2024.

Survivor Series 2023

The build

(This is the final Survivor Series to get a write up in the Counterfactual; within the story, there is an understanding that there are changes coming to the WWF product, there's a merger pending, the McMahons are gone, so it's not quite that everyone knows "hey, this is the last one of these" but there is an undercurrent of wrapping up, of big change, of this being a moment)

Survivor Series 2023 the 147th WWF PPV and the 37th Survivor Series comes to you from Chicago

(Dark: Triple Crown (Styles/Nakamura) d. Dunne/Bate

            Gargano/Ciampa d. The Culture (Hayes/Williams)

            Dark Ride Title: Ilja Dragunov d. Bron Steiner, Dragunov retakes the belt)

Throughout the night there is a video package of Survivor Series history.

1987: The Anvil turns on the Hart Foundation to join the Rougeaus as they take the belts.  Savage drops the elbow on Rick Rude, Steamboat gets the fall on Dynamite to retain his title

1988: The formation of the Heenan Family, with the Brainbusters, Hennig, Rude aligning to attack Jake Roberts in the steel cage. Davey Boy submits to his former partner Bret in the sharpshooter, Savage dropping the elbow on Dynamite to win the WWF Title

1989: Chicago, like tonight, a big night for Heenan, he takes DiBiase's money to turn on Rude, allowing Ted to win the IC - and then his fissure with Hennig was shown to be a ruse, he aids Perfect in taking the WWF Title from Savage.

1990: The Road Warriors squash the Orient Express to win the tag titles, Bret submits Shawn in the Sharpshooter to keep the IC, Hennig with the Perfect Plex to beat Kerry Von Eric to retain the WWF Title

1991: Shawn superkicks Marty and gets the fall, Piper hits Bret with the ring bell to take the IC, Flair submits Davey Boy to win the WWF Title

1992: Two IC switches in the same night, Shawn drops the elbow on Savage and takes his title - followed by Owen getting the fall on Shawn to take the strap away.  Bret submits Flair to keep the WWF Title

1993: The debut of the WWF fork, Savage attacking Owen; Razor's babyface turn, he saves Waltman from a beating at the hands of Michaels and Diesel, Bret submits Lex to keep the WWF Title

1994: Bret and the Anvil are a heel team now, they take the tag titles from Lex and Bam Bam, Razor keeps the IC in a ladder match over Waltman, Shawn wins his first WWF Title in front of a hometown San Antonio crowd, beating Owen, and then Diesel chokeslams him a million times in a turn.

1995: Diesel and Razor take the tag straps from the Gunns, Shawn superkicks Shane Douglas and keeps the IC - Bret keeps the WWF Title over Davey and Owen makes the babyface save against his brother postmatch.

1996: Survivor Series 10 at MSG (I was there, IRL) Steve Austin with the stunner/pinfall on Owen, a very bloody Cactus Jack takes the IC from Vader in the cage, Bret wins the WWF Title for the third time, beating Shawn.

1997: Rock and DLo win the tag straps in a 3 way over the New Age Outlaws and the Road Warriors, Shamrock takes the IC from Cactus in the Octagon - and its the creation of the Montreal Match, Owen submits Bret in a 4 way that also includes Shawn and Austin, Owen wins the WWF Title, Bret leaves town, fastening the belt around the waist of his little brother as he goes.  Many still regard this the most memorable match in WWF history.

1998: Austin keeps the IC with the stunner on Regal, its the First Hell in a Cell Match - its for the WWF Title, Cactus takes the big bump off the cage and winds up keeping his belt over Shamrock.

1999: The Dudley Boys win a tables match to take the tag belts over the Hardys, Chris Jericho debuts, winning the IC from Waltman, Cactus keeps the WWF Title in a 3 way over the Rock and Hunter.

The announcers tonight: Michael Cole (his 6th PPV), Corey Graves (8th) Wade Barrett (8th) Steve Regal (27th)  The color announcers work in shifts.

1. SURVIVOR SERIES TOURNAMENT MATCH: SAMI ZAYN (w/Steen) d. SANTOS ESCOBAR (w/Twisted Sun Gods)

-Gargano/Ciampa run down to aid Steen in the battle outside, Zayn goes over and this feud ends, the four babyfaces celebrate postmatch, Zayn remains and grabs a headset to watch the next match as he will face the winner in the semis.

2. SURVIVOR SERIES TOURNAMENT MATCH: WALTER (w/Heyman) d MIZ

-Squash.  Zayn comes to the ring postmatch for the nose to nose.  

3. SURVIVOR SERIES TOURNAMENT MATCH: DRAGON LEE d. JD McDONAGH

-Dragon Lee's PPV debut, he wins the workrate babyface match

4. SURVIVOR SERIES TOURNAMENT MATCH: JEY USO d. DOMINIC MYSTERIO 

-There's no match here, Dom comes to the ring first - Orton flies in to RKO him, Dom's totally laid out when Jey enters, gets the cheap pinfall, he and Dragon Lee will meet in the semis later tonight - Orton stays around ringside as his match is next.

5. No DQ DAMIEN PRIEST (w/Defiance) d. RANDY ORTON

-Orton doesn't leave the ring - waving Priest forward, it's No DQ so Orton battles all of Defiance - the one he doesn't count on is a brand new member - Rhea Ripley, she takes him down from behind, Priest is able to get the fall and all of Defiance hits finishing moves postmatch for a full beatdown.

6. WOMENS TITLE: ASUKA d. IYO SKY (Guest Referee: Kairi Sane)

-One more match in what has probably been the top workrate series in WWF womens history - this one has a screwy finish; Sky attempts a flying strike on Asuka, she moves and Sky inadvertently hits Sane for the ref bump - Sky then has a quick pinfall on Asuka, but Sane is still down, Sky goes to revive her and Sane angrily shoves her away, that allows Asuka to get the fall and keep her belt.  Longtime friends Sky and Sane argue postmatch as Asuka dances away, as she gets to the top of the ramp, she's laid out by Jordynne Grace, Grace holding the womens belt high.

2000: Extended chain sequence between Guerrero and Malenko, the Clique exploded, Edge and Christian keeping the tag belts over Hunter and Waltman, when the Kid turned on HHH. Regal gets the submission win on Jericho to take the IC title, and Benoit keeps the WWF Title, beating Steve Austin.

2001: ECW and the NWA have been folded into WWF and this was the interpromotional Survivor Series, RVD wins a 3 way over Chavo and Shane Helms, Jericho beats Justin Credible, DDP beats Austin, the Dudleys keep the tag belts over Raven/Dreamer, Taz takes the IC belt (called the Worldwide belts, as it combines the IC, the US, and the ECW TV Titles) from Tajiri, and in a Lumberjack Match, Kurt Angle keeps the WWF/ECW Titles over Booker T.

2002: Survivor Series returns to MSG, the Hardys turn heel, their mystery manager revealed to be Eric Bischoff, Brock Lesnar is a wild horse, he gets DQd when he F5s HHH multiple times on the ramp, Benoit/Guerrero are part of the Horsemen and they keep the tag belts over Noble/Kidman, RVD wins a Ladder Match to take the Worldwide Titles over Michaels - the WWF Title/NWA Title/ECW Title are now all merged, called the Undisputed Title, Kurt Angle keeps it beating Jericho and Michaels superkicks him dead postmatch.  

2003: 20 years ago now, Matt Hardy attacked RVD with that WWF fork, Hunter and Shawn kept the tag belts, beating the Dudleys.  Chavo took the Worldwide Titles from Tajiri, and Eddy Guerrero won a 4 way over Benoit/Brock/Angle to keep the WWF Title.

2004: Cleveland, the ancestral home of the Survivor Series, Angle and Benjamin took the tag belts from RVD and Rey.  Jericho, in his Lizard King persona, kept the IC over Chavo - and Benoit and Eddy fought to a 30 minute time limit draw for the WWF Title.  

2005: A dark cloud over this event given the death of Eddy Guerrero, Flair turns heel, joining Arn Anderson as they turn against Leviathan Batista.  Hunter beats Shawn in a violent weapons match, Benoit wins the Triple Crown by taking the vacant Worldwide Titles over Angle, and Rey kept the WWF Title beating Juvie in a tribute match dedicated to Eddy.

2006:  Philadelphia.  A much discussed angle closed the night 17 years ago.  Sabu and RVD won the tag belts in a glass light tube table match over Undertaker and Paul Wight, Shane Helms won the IC, beating Hunter when Bobby Lashley turned face on HHH - and in the main event, CM Punk took the WWF Title from Flair, it was a huge babyface moment that "saved" the promotion from the tyranny of Hunter's 51% Solution stable - and then Punk cut a promo on the WWF - throwing down the WWF Title belt and leaving the promotion in chaos.  It's this moment that Roman Reigns references during his rise and title reign as leading to the downfall of WWF, the elevation of GDI and by proxy, AEW.

2007. Hunter and Shawn regain the tag titles and are then attacked postmatch by a returning Edge, Rey keeps the WWF Title over the Undertaker, and in a historically unlikely main event, Johnny Nitro won the NWA Title, beating Fit Finlay.

2008: Randy Orton beats Regal in a parking lot brawl with aid from Malenko, Edge and a man who everyone believed to be Jeff Hardy in a mask (it wound up being Christian) take the tag belts from Cena and Batista, MVP keeps the IC over Rey, Jericho submits Punk with Steamboat as the guest referee to win the WWF Title.

2009: The new version of GDI - Steamboat/Danielson/Low Ki open the show, Division One (Swagger/Nemeth) keep the tag belts over Regal/Finlay, Michaels beats Benjamin to keep the IC, Jericho keeps the WWF Title over Chavo

2010: Kingston and Killings keep the tag belts over Sheamus/McIntyre, Nitro kept the IC over MVP, Danielson beats Low Ki in what remains the greatest match in WWF history, Edge keeps the WWF Title over Swagger

7. SURVIVOR SERIES SEMI: JEY USO d. DRAGON LEE

-Jimmy's big singles run continues here, he beats Ricochet at Summer Slam and now is in the finals of the Survivor Series tournament going over Dragon Lee clean.  He stays at the announce position, he's a heel, watching the all babyface semi final on the other side.

8. SURVIVOR SERIES SEMI: WALTER (w/Heyman) d. SAMI ZAYN (w/Steen, Gargano, Ciampa)

-The best match of the night, Walter's biggest main roster win, he goes over the Triple Crown winner Zayn - this is less of a main even style 25 minute match with nearfalls and instead it's a 10 minute sprint - bomb after bomb after bomb after bomb - Walter gets the final bomb and goes over to make the finals.  His crew aids him from the ring postmatch, Jey and Walter go nose to nose as the finals are coming up later on tonight.  

9. IC TITLE: DREW McINTYRE (w/Dunne/Bate) d. TYLER BLACK

-Speaking of biggest wins ever - McIntyre wins his first singles belt, becoming the 81st IC Champ, he beats Black clean in the middle - he said he knew what he was doing in jumping from Roman's heel stable to create his own.  He wins here - the stable poses, McIntyre is at the height of his career.

10. WOMENS TAG: BIANCA BELAIR/BAYLEY d. BECKY LYNCH/CHARLOTTE FLAIR

-All babyface tag title match, Belair/Bayley end the long Lynch/Flair reign and become just the second womens tag champs - Belair and Bayley leave the ring pretty quickly, their celebration is on the ramp  - Lynch/Flair have an extended spot in the ring - maybe it's a turn, maybe someone is leaving the promotion - it's an extended spot as they console each other, accepting the applause -- and then, before they can exit - they are surrounded on all sides by Defiance - Priest/Reed/Dom/Ripley - Lynch goes to attack Ripley, they fight on the outside, leaving Flair alone in the ring - and she winds up getting splashed by Reed.  Bronson Reed kills Charlotte Flair dead - Priest gathers everyone and exits, it's a stretcher job, Lynch clearly devastated as Flair is stretchered from the ring.  

2011: Back at MSG for Survivor Series 25, Sheamus is doing his Clique Killer gimmick and he destroys Nitro in an IC defense, Nick Nemeth is WWF Champ and he keeps the belt over Mistico, the show closes with a huge brawl between the Underground group and GDI

2012: Bryan Danielson keeps the WWF Title over Mysterio

2013: Steve Austin opens the show, he was doing a figurehead authority gimmick with Bret and Shawn, The Shield (Black/Langston) kept the tag belts over Mark Henry and Paul Wight and Dean Ambrose kept the IC over Kingston.  Danielson and Punk fought to a 30 minute time limit draw for the WWF Title and then were killed by Lesnar and Swagger.

2014: The Womens Title was first contested at Survivor Series 9 years ago, Natty Neidhart keeping the belt from Paige and AJ in a 3 way. Luke Harper pins Nick Nemeth to take the IC, The Shield wins a trios TLC match over the 3 Usos to keep the tag belts, it's the first TLC match in 11 years.  Bret and the Anvil enter postmatch to shake hands with The Shield in a torch passing moment.  Claudio keeps the WWF Title over Bray, there's a postmatch brawl featuring the debut of Kevin Steen.

2015: Mauro Ranallo's first PPV.  Charlotte wins the Womens Title from Paige, the New Day take the tag belts from Sheamus/Barrett.  Ambrose takes the IC from Bray, Steen keeps the WWF Title over Nemeth

2016: Survivor Series goes to Canada. Toronto, specifically. and it contains a tournament, a Survivor Series, just like this year.  Styles pins Kalisto, Harper pins Sheamus, Jericho pins Reigns, Langston attacks Black and Ambrose on the outside, leading to a double countout, Harper beats Jericho, and Styles beats Harper to win the tournament.  

2017: Steen, under a mask, defeats Claudio, Bullet Club Becky Lynch keeps her Womens Title, defeating Charlotte, Ambrose gets buried under the Bullet Club flag, The Usos keep the tag belts in a trios tornado match over the New Day, Brock keeps the IC, beating Kurt Angle, a 3 way for the WWF Title with Devitt, Styles, Samoa Joe with Danielson as the guest referee ends in a no contest

2018: Ronda Rousey beats Charlotte, the Usos beat the Revival, Asuka keeps the Womens belt over Banks, the Hooligans take the tag belts from the Bullet Club, Prince Devitt keeps the IC or Mascara Dorada, Bryan Danielson beats Samoa Joe, and Shinsuke Nakamura keeps the WWF Title over Claudio.

2019: 4 years ago Survivor Series was in Chicago.  Asuka wins a 4 way over Iyo, Sane and Toni Storm, Baszler wins the Womens Title over Bayley, Matt Riddle and Keith Lee beat Kyle O'Reilly and Bobby Fish, Danielson beats Pete Dunne, Nigel taking a huge bump on the outside, Styles beats Ciampa, Mysterio and Steen win the tag belts over Nemeth and Gable, Ricochet keeps the IC, beating Adam Cole, Lesnar beats Walter, Tyler Black, with Renee Young in his corner, keeps the WWF Title over Nakamura.  

2020: The Covid Survivor Series, from the Bubble.  Reigns destroys Jeff Hardy, Mysterio/Kalisto beat Crews and Buddy Murphy, the New Day take the tab belts from the Street Profits, Banks keeps the Womens Title over Asuka, Riddle beats Keith Lee, Styles wins the IC over Garza, Steen beats Zayn after Danielson chairshots Zayn.  Ricochet takes the WWF Title from Tyler Black

2021: Two years ago was the creation of the Holy Roman Empire, Lashley, Sheamus and later Gable joining Roman.  Steen beat Claudio in a Loser Leaves Town, Lynch/Flair became the first modern womens tag champs over Ripley/Baszler, Nakamura wins the IC over his former Bullet Club stablemates, Styles/Devitt/Black, Zayn beats Riddle, taking the WWF Title.  

2022: Iyo beat Asuka last year, Devitt beat Dunne to keep the IC Title, Belair took the Womens Title from Rousey, Roman kept the WWF title, defeating Styles

11. SURVIVOR SERIES FINAL: WALTER (w/Heyman) d. JEY USO

-Walter's a monster, he goes over, wins the Survivor Series, making him the number one contender, Heyman grabs some type of trophy that is on the timekeepers table, hands it to Walter - Walter raises it over his head and then gets wiped out by a Superman punch and a spear.  Reigns returns for the first time since the TV battle royal discussed in the build - Reigns tells Chicago to acknowledge him.

12. WWF TITLE: CODY RHODES d. PRINCE DEVITT

-The stip is if Devitt loses he can't ever challenge for the WWF Title again, the same stip Cody had in AEW - Cody wins again, this is the full main event match, Cody should get color - it has to be the very, very best match these two can have in 2023.  Devitt is inconsolable postmatch and he exits.

Cody hits the turnbuckles, blood still evident...take a beat...take another beat....here he comes.

Blackout.  Cult of Personality.  Lights on.  Punk. (in his WWF run he used the AFI song from ROH, but AEW is real world AEW, so he is full on Living Colour now)

CM Punk (carrying a sack, we'll find out on TV tomorrow what's in the bag, but if you watched early Collision, you know what's in the sack) returns to WWE - he does the full Punk comes back to Chicago thing.  When he gets to the ring he ignores Cody entirely, standing on the turnbuckles as Cody fades into the background as the show ends.

And that's the "final" Survivor Series, concluding with the return of CM Punk.

Back next month for the build to the Rumble.

Road to Survivor Series 2023 Part 2

Part 1

A reminder:

WWF Title: Cody Rhodes v Prince Devitt (if Devitt loses, he can never challenge for WWF Title again)

IC Title: Tyler Black v. Drew McIntyre (w/Dunne/Bate)

Women's Title: Asuka v. Iyo Sky (special guest referee: Kairi Sane)

Women's Tag Title: Fight Forever (Flair/Lynch) v. Belair/Bayley

Falls Count Anywhere: Randy Orton v. Damian Priest

Survivor Series (Number One Contender Tournament)

JD McDonagh v. Dragon Lee

Jey Uso v. Dominic Mysterio

Semi Final:  

Sami Zayn (w/Steen/Gargano/Ciampa) v. Santos Escobar (w/Twisted Sun Gods)

Walter (w/Heyman) v. The Miz

Semi Final:

Finals:

In part 1, everything but the tournament was set up.  The tournament wasn't initially part of the build, but instead got structured after the return of the Number One Contender Battle Royal.

From very early on in the Mania era, every other year (sometimes every year) there would be a battle royal either before Summer Slam or the Survivor Series to determine the number one contender for the WWF Title.  

That returned this year.  The number one contender for both the mens and womens titles would be claimed not for Survivor Series, as those matches were set coming out of Summer Slam, but instead for the Rumble.

Women's Winner: Jordynne Grace

Mens Winner:       None

One of the bigger moments for TNA in its history, they send Grace to WWE, she wins the battle royal (Stratton is the last elimination) and she will be taking on the Womens Champ in January at the Rumble.  Couple of notes - Ripley no longer being part of the Horsewomen, but also still being a heel is emphasized - her inability to get past Lynch/Flair an important story point in the match.  Also - Belair and Bayley work together in this match and that leads to the creation of their team that gets the tag title shot as discussed in part 1.

The men's match final 3 is Lesnar/Walter/Reigns -- Lesnar had been MIA since he and Walter lost the tag belts at Summer Slam, once Lesnar/Walter/Reigns become the last 3 men standing, Lesnar gestures to Walter they should work together to eliminate Reigns - Lesnar, however, will attempt to eliminate Walter - he'll be unsuccessful and then Walter turns around and eliminates Lesnar - Brock then goes nuts - destroying the ring, just a full tantrum, he rips the ropes down, that sort of thing - it has to be enough destruction that it makes sense that Walter and Reigns don't continue and finish the match (there's also a spot where Orton RKOs Dom and throws him out)

The decision is made to include the tournament, a Survivor Series, if you will, to the PPV, winner becomes the number one contender to the mens title.

The matches:

McDonagh d. Dunne

Dragon Lee d Rey

Jey d Riddle

Dom d. Reed

McDonagh gets a win for the babyface side in that feud; Dragon Lee gets the rub from the veteran Mysterio - this is Riddle's last match, we'll backfill the Knight/Riddle split in the build to the Rumble since that's when Knight is working next, Dom and Reed don't wrestle - instead, Orton RKOs Reed in the back, Dom takes the walkover win - and postmatch, Orton RKOs Dom one more time.

Zayn d Steen

Escobar d Ciampa

Walter d. Ricochet

Miz d. Reigns

Ciampa and Gargano are understandably concerned about the Zayn/Steen matchup, is this going to rip apart their tentatively regained relationship the four are trying to establish?  It doesn't - Zayn goes, over, he and Steen hug and it seems to further solidify the trust Gargano/Ciampa have for them.

Escobar gets a win for the heels in that feud; Walter wins the workrate match - Miz wins when Reigns doesnt show up for the match.  

And so the card is set up - add in the rematch between Steiner and Dragunov for the Dark Ride Title in one of the dark matches and, you know, whatever fun Chicago might have in store for us, who can say, really, and you've got the big, big event coming up in November, Survivor Series 2023!  It's gonna be a happening!

Road to Survivor Series 2023-Part 1

Summer Slam

Survivor Series 2023 is coming November from Chicago.  Here's the card.

WWF Title: Cody Rhodes v Prince Devitt (if Devitt loses, he can never challenge for WWF Title again)

IC Title: Tyler Black v. Drew McIntyre (w/Dunne/Bate)

Women's Title: Asuka v. Iyo Sky (special guest referee: Kairi Sane)

Women's Tag Title: Fight Forever (Flair/Lynch) v. Belair/Bayley

Falls Count Anywhere: Randy Orton v. Damian Priest

Survivor Series (Number One Contender Tournament)

JD McDonagh v. Dragon Lee

Jey Uso v. Dominic Mysterio

Semi Final:  

Sami Zayn (w/Steen/Gargano/Ciampa) v. Santos Escobar (w/Twisted Sun Gods)

Walter (w/Heyman) v. The Miz

Semi Final:

Finals:

1. Black/Nakamura each won the Triple Crown at Summer Slam, leading to a dual ceremony on RAW the following night. It turned into a Bullet Club celebration, with everyone wearing Bullet Club t shirts (fans, ringside personnel, everyone).  Anderson/Gallows.  AJ.  Cody.  Maybe the TNA guys, at least on tape.  And Becky (with the kid).  A real Bullet Club love fest - except, no Prince Devitt.

The emotional climax is the return of Langston, not seen on TV since breaking his neck - he enters to the Shield music, he and Black never got a reconciliation after the breakup, and they hug here, and the eyes mist.

Devitt's not being there is noted as the build moves, his bitterness over Cody having "stolen his life" growing. Devitt grows angry at anyone who wants to try to calm him down - but the anger grows.

Devitt winds up in angry confrontations with Styles/Nakamura/McDonagh - and finally Cody puts a stop to it, gives Devitt his rematch; the stip - if Devitt loses, he can never challenge for the title again.

It's the same stip that Cody was held to in AEW, and that becomes an explicit part of the story, it was that stip that was one of the key reasons he left AEW - it drove him mad - and Cody warns Devitt that this is not a stip he can live with, it will gnaw away at him.  

2. As Roman's group blew up, McIntyre formed his own stable with Dunne/Bate, he now goes after Black.  McIntyre's essential argument is Black's got nothing else to prove - for what feels like years he has been chasing the IC to get that Triple Crown - he finally has it, he has Becky, he has a young child, he has money in the bank - there's nothing left, he's full, he's satiated.  And McIntyre's starving.  

3. Another match between Asuka and Iyo - they feuded over all last year, culminating in a 2 of 3 falls Iyo win at Mania.  Now, Asuka holds the title and between them is Sane.  Sane makes clear that she worked with Asuka in Japan with a deal in place (1) Sane would help her beat Rousey, (2) Asuka would give Iyo the title shot.

That's enough to pacify Iyo, who was heated that Sane had aligned with Asuka; Asuka pushes back on the promise to give the shot to Iyo, but eventually Sane brokers a deal - that Sane will be the special guest referee.  Sane says she doesn't care who wins the title - what she wants is for one of them to be Womens champ and then Sane will team with the loser and go get the womens tag belts.  

4. Belair beat Flair at Summer Slam to earn the tag title shot with a partner of her choice; now, in this build, Bayley shows her irritation at the general aura around the Flair/Lynch title reign, they are last women standing of from Four Ground (Banks/Paige) who revolutionized the women's division.  

Bayley takes offense - they didn't do it on their own, Bayley was there every step - sure, they were kicking her ass for most of those steps, but she was there - and when Paige was done and they needed a partner to step up and take on the Horsewomen - it was Bayley who stepped up - and mostly, she got her ass kicked.  But she was there - and she is tired of hearing over and over about how the two legends now stand alone.

There's a battle royal I'll talk about in part 2 that further brings Bayley and Belair together to fully set up this match.

5. Orton returned at Summer Slam after a year lost to injury at the hands of Defiance to RKO Dom.

That's gonna be the build - Orton isn't around, except when suddenly he is to RKO Dom - here's Orton via satellite to challenge Priest at Survivor Series, except he's not - because there he is in the ring RKO'ing Dom.  There's cell phone footage of Dom at the club acting like an asshole - and then there's Orton RKO'ing him.  That kind of thing.  There are two more of those, and one for Reed, that we'll cover in part 2.  

Obviously, there's no tag title match - the plan was a rematch, Styles/Nakamura v Lesnar/Walter - but that gets blown up at another battle royal, and we'll discuss that in Part 2  when setting up the tournament to crown a number one contender for the WWF Title.

Summer Slam 2023

The build.

Summer Slam 2023, the 37th Summer Slam and 146th WWF PPV is from Detroit.

(Dark: Steen/Zayn d. The Culture (Hayes/Williams)

           Gargano d. Garza

           Dark Ride Title: Steiner d. Dragunov (switch)

Bron Steiner becomes the 17th Dark Ride Wrestling champion in Detroit - the PPV proper opens immediately after the match, Steiner celebrating in the ring to a pretty good fan reaction, given that we are in Michigan.

The announcers then open the show, Michael Cole does the entire card it's his 5th PPV and the 3 color commentators each do 4 of the 12 matches (Graves and Barrett are each doing their 7th show and this is Steve Regal's 26th).  Detroit centric video package to lead into the show proper.  Hey look, Tommy Hearns, that sort of thing.  

1. The Clique (Riddle/Knight w HBK) d. Viking Raiders

Knight gets the fall when he steals the pin from Riddle.  This wraps up the Viking Raiders as a Counterfactual PPV act.  It also starts Knight's heel turn; he doesn't appear at Survivor Series, so I'll go through that turn and the end of Riddle's WWF run in the build to the Rumble.  If you'd like to hear me return to a Marty Jannetty joke I used to tell nearly 20 years ago, stay tuned.  

2. Bronson Reed (w/Defiance) d. Apollo Crews

Reed goes over pretty hard here - he replaced Solo in the act the RAW after Mania so this configuration of Defiance (Priest/Dom/Reed) has all summer to gain some steam - they stand together triumphantly on the ramp post match, about to go behind the curtain - when - from out of nowhere - Randy Orton flies into the frame and RKOs Dom into oblivion.  It's babyface Randy Orton time.  

3. Union of Crowns (McIntyre/Dunne w/Bate) d. JD McDonagh/Sheamus

Unless they add Sheamus to Summer Slam 2024, this is his last PPV appearance - his old partner McIntyre beats him one more time.  

4. Tommaso Ciampa (w/Gargano) draw Santos Escobar (w/Twisted Sun Gods)

Time limit draw, postmatch Garza/Carrillo/Escobar attack, babyface save by Zayn/Steen - and the former stablemates stand tall.  Zayn/Steen reunited at Mania, they spend the summer in Dark Ride, winding up in a feud with The Culture (Carmelo Hayes, Trick Williams - the number will eventually be four, it's the long promised black Horsemen, suits, limos, jets, the whole thing; its unlikely that we'll add the full squad before Summer Slam next year. I have a third in mind with an angle that either I'll do or not and I'd like to keep the 4th open for, like, Ricky Starks). It's a real era of good feelings for Zayn/Steen, everyone wanted them back together, they want to spend the summer close to the people, back to their roots, at Dark Ride - it's a real love fest.  Except -- they get a frosty reception from the Kings of Wrestling -- it has been a loooong road for Gargano/Ciampa from their entrance into WWF as the "JV" element of the Steen/Zayn/Claudio/Pac version of GDI.  GDI blew up, most blame Steen, and that's an oft told story - it's taken years for Ciampa/Gargano to both find their ways to the "main roster" - but here we are, and they now, unexpectedly, stand with their former stablemates.  Perhaps these 4 will once again be aligned!  

5. Iyo Sky d. Shayna Baszler (w/Horsewomen)

Sky won her multi match feud with Asuka and now beats Baszler here - the tension between Ripley/

Stratton on the outside costs Baszler in a critical spot - and postmatch she chews both of them out, saying changes need to be made. Another big win for Sky, on a year long roll now.  

6. Jey Uso d. Ricochet (w/BWI)

Biggest singles win for Jey Uso (he's the heel, Jimmy the face, in their "Roman didn't pick us for his stable" bust up).  Announcers look to put Jey over as gaining significant singles momentum in 2024.

7. Bianca Belair d. Charlotte Flair (w/Lynch)

Flair/Lynch are in their imperial phase as inaugural modern womens tag champs, a Belair win and she and a yet to be named partner become number one contenders - Belair gets that win and the speculation begins about her choice of partner.

8. Roman Reigns d. Chad Gable

Pre match, McIntyre returns, joining the announce table.  Reigns' stable had a full bust up this summer, Gable turning babyface - there's a key spot where Reigns and McIntyre go nose to nose - leading to a heated brawl with all 3 former stablemates, McIntyre pulled away by security - Roman gets the clean pinfall (that'll teach Gable to do the right thing).  

Intermission - video package promoting the rest of the "biggest year in wrestling history" - Survivor Series in Chicago, then the Rumble, then Wrestlemania 40 and culminating one year from now with WWF 150, the 150th WWF PPV.  

9. IC Title: Tyler Black d. Logan Paul (w/McAfee)

The 83rd IC Champ and 18th Triple Crown Winner is Tyler Black - it's Black's biggest babyface moment of his career - and when Lynch comes to the ring to embrace him, the first on camera recognition of their relationship - that really adds to the babyface element.  The weeping they will do in Detroit!  Black upholds the dignity of the WWF from the interloper Paul.  

10. Tag Titles: Triple Crown (Styles/Nakamura) d. Dangerous Alliance (Walter/Lesnar w/Heyman)

The 118th tag team champs are Styles/Nakamura and Shinsuke becomes the 19th Triple Crown Winner.

Talk about an imperial phase, Walter/Lesnar understandably are tag team monsters, obliterating the competition and even given the enormous resume from Styles/Nakamura, the Heyman group was the decided favorites.  They lose though - with Nakamura getting the fall on Brock.  Brock is inconsolable, and leaves on his own, leaving Walter/Heyman behind.  Like Black before, Nakamura gets the video package highlighting his career, Styles beams with pride - tomorrow will be the joint ceremony for both new winners.  

11. WWF Title: Cody Rhodes d. Prince Devitt

Speaking of inconsolable - Devitt, who feels a little like Cody has stolen his life, fails in an increasingly desperate attempt to win his first WWF Title; it's probably Cody Rhodes's best ever singles match, he offers a postmatch handshake which Devitt does not accept.  

12. Womens Title: Asuka (w/Sane) d. Ronda Rousey (w/Heyman)

The first womens PPV main event is the end of Rousey's run; once again, she loses to Asuka, unable to avenge that defeat before leaving the promotion.  Asuka is the 17th modern Womens Champ and the second to hold the belt 3 times (3 is also the high for the mens belt).  Asuka, who has been a heel, offers Rousey a handshake postmatch, Rousey accepts but Asuka attacks her -- save by Kairi Sane, who was in Asuka's corner - Sane drags Asuka away - the two having words as they head back up the aisle -- Rousey recovers -- Walter (no Brock) returns to the ring and, for what appears the final time, this version of the Dangerous Alliance stands together in the ring.  

And thats Summer Slam 2023.

We get a rematch, Cody/Devitt, at Survivor Series, we get a tournament (a Survivor Series), to name a number one contender, and, I don't know, maybe consider staying to the end of the PPV.  

But we don't know any of that yet - back in September for Part 1 in the build to Survivor Series.

Road to Summer Slam 2023 - Part 2

Part 1 is here.

Here was part 1, set up last month

WWF Title: Cody Rhodes v. Prince Devitt

IC Title: Logan Paul v. Tyler Black

Tag Titles: Dangerous Alliance (Walter/Lesnar) v. Triple Crown (Styles/Nakamura)

Womens Title: Ronda Rousey v. Asuka

Charlotte Flair v. Bianca Belair

And here's the rest of the card.

Roman Reigns v. Chad Gable

Union of Crowns (McIntyre/Dunne w/Bate) v. Sheamus/McDonagh

Ricochet (w/BWI) v. Jey Uso

Shayna Baszler (w/Horsewomen) v. Iyo Sky

Tommaso Ciampa (w/Gargano) v. Santos Escobar (w/TSG)

Bronson Reed (w/Defiance) v. Apollo Crews

Viking Raiders v. The Clique (Riddle/Knight w/ HBK)

The breakup of the Holy Roman Empire discussed in the first part of the build completes here; Lashley/Gable stay home in the first half of the summer with injuries suffered at Mania, Roman demands that both return for a specific RAW or be fired - Gable does, Lashley doesn't, Roman, to camera, tells Lashley not to ever bother returning.  Gable's back for a main event segment involving Jason Jordan.  In a prior build, Roman did chairshot spots on Nemeth and Benjamin, both former Gable stablemates, to run both from the promotion and have Gable demonstrate his loyalty,  Same spot here, but with Gable's old American Alpha partner, whose career was cut shot by injury - McIntyre drags a laid out Jordan from the back, Roman hands Gable a chair - demands that Gable chairshots him -- and Gable turns, hits Roman with the chair.  McIntyre doesn't aid either Roman or Gable - instead taking the dented chair and sitting on it.

That gets us to Roman/Gable; McIntyre says the problem with HRE wasn't the idea of HRE, the problem was the R.  McDonagh has been in a long on again/off again program w/ British Strong Style, McDonagh also has developed a relationship with Sheamus; he becomes part of that program over the summer - and near the very end, when Bate is injured - McIntyre swoops in, convinces Dunne and Bate to join him in a new stable Union of Crowns (UoC) and he and Dunne will face Drew's longtime partner Sheamus and McDonagh.  

Jey turned heel following the Usos breakup, he goes after Blood Warriors International, culminating in making the match against Ricochet.  

Sky beat Asuka at Mania and now goes up against the Horsewomen; tension over Stratton's joining continues all summer, Ripley's dissatisfaction evident.  Baszler and Sky hook up at Summer Slam.

The Kings of Wrestling are both healthy, back together - they feud over the summer with Twisted Sun Gods, Ciampa/Escobar to go at it at the PPV.  

The night after Mania, Defiance (Priest and Dom) announce that Solo has left the group with creative differences (he prevented an attack on the Usos at Mania) and they wish him well in his future endeavors (Solo will be gone for awhile) and that he's replaced with Bronson Reed - Defiance then dominates the lower ranks for the summer until settling on a former member, Apollo Crews, who steps up to take on Reed.  

And finally - Riddle/Knight make up the current version of the Clique, they are babyfaces fronted by Michaels, and they take on Viking Raiders at Summer Slam.  

12 matches on tap - Summer Fest is going to be a happening!

Road to Summer Slam 2023 (Part 1)

Wrestlemania 39.

Summer Slam 2023 will come to you from Detroit in August - it's a 12 match card, here are the 4 title matches, +1.

WWF Title: Cody Rhodes v. Prince Devitt

IC Title: Logan Paul v. Tyler Black

Tag Titles: Dangerous Alliance (Walter/Lesnar) v. Triple Crown (Styles/Nakamura)

Womens Title: Ronda Rousey v. Asuka

Charlotte Flair v. Bianca Belair

Some announcing Changes as the new WWF season begins.

Steve Regal returned at Mania, he and Vic Joseph are the new Dark Ride commentary team; Samantha Irvin becomes only the third lead ring announcer in the Mania era.  

Two segments on the post Mania RAW, Cody Rhodes has his Triple Crown ceremony (Undertaker appears, Orton makes his first appearance since the injury nearly a year prior, there's a backstage thing with he and Defiance where Priest believes he has retired Orton) and also the appearance of the 45th President of the United States, Linda McMahon.  

Linda's got some business to tend to:

1. This is a year unlike any other, WM 40 is this year - and the wrestling year will extend 3 extra months, to Summer Slam 2024, which is the 150th WWF PPV.

2. Because of that - every PPV will be special this year - and that will start with this coming Summer Slam which will feature the first ever Womens Main Event - later tonight, Ronda Rousey will name her challenger.  

3. And it's also an important year because this is the McMahons final year in professional wrestling - WWF has merged with UFC, and the McMahons are retiring (perhaps to a country without an extradition treaty).  Linda waves goodbye, and other than HHH, creative has nothing for the family going forward.  

WWF Womens Title: -The full Dangerous Alliance comes out for the main event segment on the RAW after Mania, Rousey announces her retirement from combat sports will come following Summer Slam, she will retain the belt and then hand it over the following night.  She reminds that she's suffered two singles losses in WWF and has avenged one, taking Belair's title the night before - and there's only one left.  

She calls out Asuka, who lost to Sky the night before - Rousey says she doesn't care about that - she wants that undefeated Asuka, that unstoppable machine who beat her in the biggest womens match in WWF history. 

They both leave for the balance of the build for a docuseries "The Last Days of Ronda Rousey", Rousey has a lot of non wrestling commitments that demonstrate her celebrity - Asuka goes back to Japan to work with Kairi Sane, Sane makes it clear that she is not getting involved with her issues with Sky, but if she's going to get Asuka ready for Rousey, Asuka has to promise this will be about competition and not about whatever she's been doing the last year.  

They do a bunch of segments over the summer - eventually there's an old school boxing style weigh in away from the ring that results in a pull apart.

WWF Title: 

-The first half of the summer this program also includes Roman and McIntyre, it serves to set up the break up of the Holy Roman Empire (which will be discussed in part two of the build) and hard launch current IRL McIntyre's heel persona, which is pretty easily the best thing he's done in his career.  Eventually, it becomes the all babyface match (Devitt's a tweener, but he's tweened baby for awhile); Devitt's got some professional jealousy that becomes evident - he started the Bullet Club, he brought it to WWF - but its Cody who has control of its name, winning a match Devitt wasn't even in - Devitt's been breaking his body for years in WWF, including a fractured skull - and Cody walks right in and wins the Triple Crown.  Devitt says he's been the better of the two of them his whole career and now he proves it at Summer Slam.  

IC Title: Paul won an unprecedented 3 matches at WM and comes away cashing in the briefcase and winning the IC Title - he takes it on the road, doing a bunch of social media nonsense, allowing idiots to do idiotic things with the belt - it's insulting.  McAfee turned heel at Mania to join Paul, and he appears a couple of times on WWF TV to cut promos on his behalf. Eventually, Paul comes in, wins an easy match - and is confronted by Black - Black, understandably, is aggrieved at the treatment of the IC Title, given that this is the belt he has been chasing for years as he needs it for the Triple Crown, that's the edge he brings to the program whereas Paul clowns the whole thing - says the title Black's worked for his whole life Paul won as part of his side hustle, Paul's job is becoming a billionaire - he even offers just to hand Black the belt, that's how little it means to him.  Black of course only grows angrier here and the announcers discuss the head games

Tag Titles: The superteam of Walter/Lesnar only appears a couple of times, squashing opponents.  Who appears every week is the new team of Styles and Nakamura, virtually every week they work TV, having the best matches they can have - their goal is really impressive workrate, it begins to draw the interest of Heyman, we see him watching their matches in the back - Styles/Nakamura never speak - until we get to a month out, when AJ says he's sick of hearing that Walter/Lesnar are a superteam - the real superteam is right here, IWGP Champs, WWF Champs - Triple Crown winners.

When reminded that Nakamura has never won the tag belts - Styles says that changes at Summer Slam and he's so certain it changes that they are revealing the name of the team is Triple Crown - Styles hits one of Heymans catchphrases, saying its not a prediction, it's a spoiler.  They can get a brawl among the 4 guys in the go home.

There is no womens tag match - Lynch/Flair are also a superteam, they've blown through the division and essentially announce there's no one left.  They're confronted by Belair who says she'll fight either of them at Summer Slam and if she wins, she'll find a partner and at Survivor Series in Chicago, she and the partner will take their titles.  

5 matches down, 7 left, back in a month

The Best Matches, Year By Year

Here's every 4 1/2 star+ WWF PPV match, not ranked, year after year. I'd like to get 10 matches each year, so I'll add my NWA/ECW/TNA matches as needed.   Past that, I'll go IRL and those matches will be italicized.  

For your tape trading and whatnot.  Okay, 10 matches a year.  Here we go. 

1986

AJPW New Years Wars Super Battle: Tenryu/Jumbo d. Choshu/Yatsu

CWF Battle of the Belts 2: Barry Windham d. Ric Flair

AJPW Exciting Wars: Genichiro Tenryu d. Yoshiaki Yatsu

Wrestlemania 2 WWF Title: Dynamite Kid d. Ricky Steamboat

Crockett Cup: Sheepherders d. Fantastics

NJPW IWGP Champion Series: Akira Maeda d. Tasumi Fujinami

NJPW IWGP Champion Series: Nobuhiko Takada d. The Cobra

NJPW Challenge Spirit: Shiro Koshinaka d. Nobuhiko Takada

Starrcade: NWA Title: Ric Flair d. Rick Rude

Starrcade: NWA Tag Titles: Rock n Roll Express d. Midnight Express

1987

NJPW New Years Dash: Muta/Fujinami d. Maeda/Fujiwara

AJW Kawasaki Show: Lioness Asuka d. Chigusa Nagayo

NWA Fayettville: Ric Flair d. Barry Windham

CWF War of Words: Bruiser Brody d. The Sheik

Crockett Cup: Ric Flair d. Barry Windham

Wrestlemania 3: Hart Foundation d. Rougeau Brothers

Survivor Series: IC Title: Randy Savage d. Rick Rude

Starrcade: NWA Title: Dr. Death Steve Williams d. Ric Flair

Starrcade: US Title: Barry Windham d. Tully Blanchard

AJPW Excite Series: Hara/Tenryu d. Hansen/Gordy

1988

Wrestlemania 4: IC: Bret Hart d. Randy Savage

Clash of the Champions: Ric Flair d. Sting

SNME: Cage: Randy Savage d. Ted DiBiase

Great American Bash: NWA Title Steve Williams d. Ric Flair

Great American Bash: US Title: Barry Windham d. Mike Rotundo

Summer Slam: IC Bret Hart d. British Bulldog

Survivor Series: Mr. Perfect d. Owen Hart

Survivor Series: IC Bret Hart d. British Bulldog

Starrcade: NWA Title: Ric Flair d. Steve Williams

AJPW Real Tag League: Hansen/Gordy d. Kawada/Tenryu

1989

Royal Rumble: IC Title: Mr. Perfect d. Bret Hart

NWA Chi Town Rumble: Ricky Steamboat d. Ric Flair

NWA Landover Ricky Steamboat d. Ric Flair

Wrestlemania 5: WWF Title: Randy Savage d. Bret Hart

NWA Wrestlewar: Ric Flair d. Ricky Steamboat

Great American Bash: NWA Title: Ric Flair d. Ricky Steamboat

AJPW Power Series: Genichiro Tenryu d. Jumbo Tsuruta

Summer Slam: Tag Titles: The Rockers d. The Brainbusters

Summer Slam: WWF Title: Randy Savage d. Bret Hart

NWA Clash of the Champions: Ric Flair d. Terry Funk

1990

NJPW Gold Series: Jushin Liger d. Naoki Sano

Wrestlewar: NWA Title: Ric Flair d. Lex Luger

Wrestlewar: NWA Tag Titles: Steiner Brothers d. Road Warriors

Wrestlewar: Rock n Roll Express d. Midnight Express

AJPW Budokan Hall: Mitsahuru Misawa d Jumbo Tsuruta

AJPW October Giant Series: Taue/Jumbo/Fuchi d. Kobashi/Misawa/Kawada

AJPW October Giant Series: Misawa/Kawada d. Taue/Jumbo

NJPW Dream Tour: The Fantastiks d. Joe Malenko/Kikuchi

Starrcade: NWA Title: Sting d. Ric Flair

AJPW Budokan Show: Misawa/Kawada d. Taue/Jumbo

1991

AJW Tokyo Show: Bull Nakano d. Akira Hokotu

Wrestlewar: NWA Title: Sting d. Vader

Superbrawl: NWA Title: Sting d. Ric Flair

Wrestlemania 7 WWF Title: Mr. Perfect d. Randy Savage

AJPW Fan Appreciation: Kobashi/Misawa/Kawada d. Taue/Jumbo/Fuchi

Summer Slam: Bret Hart d. Ricky Steamboat

NJPW G1 Climax Keiji Mutoh d. Vader

Starrcade: NWA Title: Jushin Liger d. Sting

Starrcade: US Title: Ricky Steamboat d. Arn Anderson

Starrcade: Vader d. Cactus Jack

1992

Superbrawl: NWA Title: Brian Pillman d. Jushin Liger

Superbrawl: US Title: Ricky Steamboat d. Rick Rude

Wrestlewar: NWA Title: Brian Pillman d. Steve Austin

Wrestlewar: Cactus Jack d. Sting

Great American Bash: Ricky Steamboat d. Brian Pillman

Great American Bash: Vader d. Hashimoto

AJPW Super Power Series: Kobashi/Kikuchi d. Furnas/Kroffat

Summer Slam: WWF Title: Bret Hart d. British Bulldog

Starrcade: NWA Title: Vader d. Ricky Steamboat

Starrcade: US Title: Great Muta d. Jushin Liger

1993

Royal Rumble: IC Title: Iron Man: Shawn Michaels d. Owen Hart

Superbrawl: NWA Title: Vader d. Sting

Superbrawl: Cactus Jack d. Chris Benoit

AJPW Summer Action: Steve Williams d. Kenta Kobashi

AJPW Budokan Stan Hansen d. Kenta Kobashi

AJPW Summer Action: Akiyama/Misawa/Kobashi d. Taue/Ogawa/Kawada

Fall Brawl: NWA Title: Ric Flair d. Vader

Starrcade: NWA Title: Ric Flair d. Ricky Steamboat

Starrcade: NWA Tag Title: Sting/Cactus Jack d. Nasty Boys

AJPW Budokan Misawa/Kobashi d Taue/Kawada

1994 

Superbrawl US Title: Steve Austin d Brian Pillman

Superbrawl Tag Titles: Nasty Boys d. Sting/Cactus Jack

Wrestlemania 10 IC Ladder: Razor Ramon d. Shawn Michaels

Wrestlemania 10 WWF Title: Owen Hart d. Bret Hart

NJPW Super J Cup: Chris Benoit d. Great Sasuke

AJPW Budokan Mitsuharu Misawa d. Toshiaki Kawada

NJPW Summer Struggle: Jushin Liger d. Great Sasuke

Slamboree: Sting d. Cactus Jack

Summer Slam: WWF Title: Cage: Owen Hart d. Bret Hart

Survivor Series: WWF Title: Shawn Michaels d. Owen Hart

1995 

Superbrawl: NWA Title: Sting d. Vader

Royal Rumble: WWF Title: No DQ: Shawn Michaels d. Diesel

AJPW Excite Series: Misawa/Kobashi d. Williams/Ace

Wrestlemania 11: WWF Title Bret Hart d. Shawn Michaels

AJPW Budokan Hall: Kawada/Taue d. Misawa/Kobashi

AJPW Budokan Hall Mitsaharu Misawa d. Akira Taue

Summer Slam: IC Title: Ladder: Shawn Michaels d. Razor Ramon
Survivor Series: WWF Title: Bret Hart d. British Bulldog

November to Remember: Rey Mysterio d. Psichosys

Starrcade: Chris Benoit d. Koji Kanemoto

1996

Royal Rumble: IC Title: Vader d. Shawn Michaels

Royal Rumble: WWF Title: Bret Hart d. Owen Hart

Wrestlemania 12: WWF Title: Iron Man Match: Shawn Michaels d. Bret Hart

Slamboree: NWA Title: Chris Benoit d. Sting

Slamboree: Dean Malenko d. Steve Regal

Summer Slam: IC Title: Vader d. Cactus Jack

Summer Slam: WWF Title: Shawn Michaels d. Owen Hart

Survivor Series: Steve Austin d. Owen Hart

Survivor Series: IC: Cage: Cactus Jack d. Vader

Survivor Series: WWF Title: Bret Hart d. Shawn Michaels

1997

Royal Rumble: WWF Title: Lumberjack Match: Bret Hart d. Shawn Michaels 

Superbrawl: NWA Title: Chris Benoit d. Chris Jericho

Superbrawl: US Title: Rey Mysterio d. Juventud Guerrera

Superbrawl: Dean Malenko d. Eddy Guerrero

Barely Legal: Taka Michinoku d. Dick Togo

Wrestlemania 13: WWF Title: Steve Austin d. Bret Hart

Fall Brawl: NWA Title: Dean Malenko d. Ultimo Dragon

US Title: Eddy Guerrero d. Chris Benoit

Survivor Series: WWF Title: Montreal Match: Owen Hart d. Bret Hart, Steve Austin, Shawn Michaels

November to Remember: ECW TV Title: RVD d. Jerry Lynn

1998 

Royal Rumble: WWF Title: Owen Hart d. Steve Austin

Superbrawl: Chris Jericho d. Eddy Guerrero

Slamboree: NWA Title: Chris Jericho d. Chris Benoit

Slamboree: US Title: Dean Malenko d. Bret Hart

Slamboree: DDP d. Randy Savage

Summer Slam: WWF Title: No DQ: Cactus Jack d. Owen Hart

November to Remember: ECW Title: Taz d. Masato Tanaka

November to Remember: TV Title: RVD d. Jerry Lynn

Starrcade: NWA Title: Eddy Guerrero d. Chris Jericho

Living Dangerously: Tajiri d. Super Crazy

1999

Royal Rumble: WWF Title: Barbed Wire: Owen Hart d. Cactus Jack

Superbrawl: NWA Title: Chris Benoit d. Eddy Guerrero

Superbrawl: US Title: Rey Mysterio d. Chris Jericho

Slamboree: NWA Title: Chris Benoit d. Dean Malenko

Heatwave: ECW Title: Tajiri d. Super Crazy

Summer Slam: WWF Title: Career v. Career: Cactus Jack d. Steve Austin

AJPW Budokan Hall Mitsaharu Misawa d. Kenta Kobashi

Fall Brawl: US Title: Dean Malenko d. Rey Mysterio

November to Remember: ECW Title: Masato Tanaka d. Tajiri

Starrcade: Bret Hart d. Chris Benoit

2000

Living Dangerously: ECW Title: Masato Tanaka d. Mike Awesome

Royal Rumble: IC Title: Cage: Chris Jericho d. HHH

Wrestlemania 16: WWF Tag Title: TLC: Hardys d. Dudleys/Edge&Christian

Wrestlemania 16: IC Title: Eddy Guerrero d. Chris Jericho

Wrestlemania 16: WWF Title: Chris Benoit d. Cactus Jack

Summer Slam Tag Titles: TLC Edge&Christian d. Hardys/Dudleys

Summer Slam: IC Title: 2 of 3 Falls: Chris Jericho d. Eddy Guerrero

Survivor Series: Eddy Guerrero d. Dean Malenko

Survivor Series: WWF Title: Chris Benoit d. Steve Austin

Starrcade: NWA Title: Rey Mysterio d. Kaz Hayashi

2001

Royal Rumble: WWF Title: Chris Benoit d. Chris Jericho

NJPW Wrestling World: Kensuke Sasaki d. Toshiaki Kawada

No Way Out: 3 Stages of Hell: HHH d. Steve Austin

Wrestlemania 17: Chris Jericho d. Eddy Guerrero

Wrestlemania 17: WWF Title: Kurt Angle d. Chris Benoit

AJPW Super Power Series Keiji Muto d. Genichiro Tenryu

AJPW Super Power Series: Toshiaki Kawada d. Hiroyoshi Tenzan

APW King of the Indies Bryan Danielson d. Brian Kendrick

No Mercy: Steve Austin d. Kurt Angle/Rob Van Dam

No Mercy: Chris Jericho d. The Rock

2002

The First Show: TNA Title: Low Ki d. AJ Styles

ROH Era of Honor Begins: Low Ki d. Bryan Danielson/Christopher Daniels

Noah Navigate for Evolution: Jun Akiyama/Yuji Nagata d. Kenta Kobashi/Mitsaharu Misawa

ROH A Night of Appreciation: Low Ki d. AJ Styles

AJPW Excite Series: Toshiaki Kawada d. Keiji Muto

AJW Zenjo Turbulence: Manami Toyota d. Kaoru Ito

AJPW Summer Action Series Genichiro Tenryu d. Satoshi Kojima

The 8th Show: Low Ki d. AJ Styles/Jerry Lynn

Summer Slam: WWF Title: Kurt Angle d. Rey Mysterio

The 25th Show: TNA Title: Low Ki d. Red

2003 

Royal Rumble: TLC: Hardys d. Dudleys, Edge&Christian

Royal Rumble Tag Titles: Charlie Haas/Shelton Benjamin d. Chris Benoit/Eddy Guerrero

Royal Rumble: WWF Title: Kurt Angle d. Shawn Michaels

Noah Navigate for Evolution: Kenta Kobashi d. Mitsaharu Misawa

Wrestlemania 19: Eddy Guerrero d. Chris Benoit

First Anniversary: TNA Title: AJ Styles d. Paul London

Noah Navigation over the Date Line: Kenta Kobashi d. Yuji Nagata

Survivor Series: WWF Title: Eddy Guerrero d. Brock Lesnar, Kurt Angle, Chris Benoit

Noah Navigation Against the Current: Kenta/Marufuji d. Guerrera/Marvin

75th Show: TNA Title: AJ Styles d. Low Ki

2004

Wrestlemania 20: Hell in a Cell: Chris Jericho d. Christian

Wrestlemania 20: Falls Count Anywhere: Shawn Michaels d. HHH

Wrestlemania 20: WWF Title: Chris Benoit d. Kurt Angle

Noah Encountering Navigation Kenta Kobashi d. Yoshihiro Takayama

Noah Departure Kenta Kobashi d. Jun Akiyama

Summer Slam: WWF Title: 2 of 3 Falls: Chris Benoit d. Kurt Angle

ROH Joe v. Punk II Samoa Joe d. CM Punk

Noah Navigation Against the Current: Kenta/Marufuji d. Marvin/Suwa

AJPW The Unchained World Toshiaki Kawada d. Hiroyoshi Tenzan

Noah Navigation Uprising Spirit: Yoshinobu Kanemaru d. Takashi Sugiura

2005

Royal Rumble: Paul London d. Rey Mysterio

Royal Rumble: WWF Title: Chris Benoit d. Shawn Michaels

Final Resolution: TNA Title: Chris Daniels d. AJ Styles

Wrestlemania 21: WWF Title: Iron Man: Eddy Guerrero d. Chris Benoit

Slammiversary: TNA Title: AJ Styles d. Chris Daniels

Summer Slam: IC Tournament: Kurt Angle d. Shawn Michaels

Summer Slam IC Tournament: Chris Benoit d. Chris Jericho

Summer Slam: WWF Title: 2 of 3 Falls: Rey Mysterio d. Eddy Guerrero

Survivor Series: IC Title: Chris Benoit d. Kurt Angle

Turning Point: TNA Title: Samoa Joe d. AJ Styles

2006

Final Resolution: AJ Styles d. Hiroshi Tanahashi

ROH Supercard of Honor: Dragon Kid/Horiguchi/Saito d. CIMA/Yoshino/Doi

Wrestlemania 22: WWF Title: Rey Mysterio d. Chris Benoit 

Slammiversary: TNA Title: Samoa Joe d. AJ Styles

Noah Summer Navigation Kenta/Marufuji d. Morishima/Rikio

ROH Fight of the Century: Bryan Danielson d. Samoa Joe

ROH Unified: Bryan Danielson d. Nigel McGuinness

ROH Glory by Honor: Bryan Danielson d. Kenta

Noah Autumn Navigation: Marufuji d. Kenta

ROH Final Battle Homicide d. Bryan Danielson

2007

ROH 5th Year Festival: Samoa Joe d. Takeshi Morishima

Slammiversary: TNA Title: Samoa Joe d. Kurt Angle

Bound For Glory: TNA Title: Samoa Joe d. Kurt Angle

ROH Domination: Bryan Danielson d. Nigel McGuinness

Noah Summer Navigation: Kenta/Ishimori d. Ibushi/Marufuji

ROH Manhattan Mayhem Takeshi Morishima d. Bryan Danielson

ROH Man Up: Takeshi Morishima d. Bryan Danielson

ROH Rising Above: Nigel McGuinness d. Austin Aries

ROH Undeniable: Austin Aries d. Roderick Strong

Noah Winter Navigation: Akiyama/Misawa d. Kobashi/Takayama

2008

Lockdown: TNA Title: Kurt Angle d. Samoa Joe

Lockdown: AJ Styles d. Chris Daniels

ROH Take No Prisoners: Nigel McGuinness d. Tyler Black

ROH New Horizons: Bryan Danielson d. Tyler Black

Noah Great Voyage: Nakajima/Sasaki d. Kenta/Kobashi

Slammiversary: TNA Title: AJ Styles d. Kurt Angle

Bound for Glory: TNA Title: AJ Styles d. Chris Daniels

ROH Rising Above: Nigel McGuinness d. Bryan Danielson

ROH Rising Above: I Quit: Austin Aries d. Jimmy Jacobs

No Mercy: Ladder: Chris Jericho d. Shawn Michaels

2009 

Noah The Second Navigation: Kenta d. Nakajima

Wrestlemania 25: WWF Title: Chris Jericho d. Shawn Michaels

Slammiversary: TNA Title: Samoa Joe d. AJ Styles

Bound for Glory: TNA Title: Samoa Joe d. AJ Styles/Chris Daniels

Bound for Glory: Alex Shelley d. Chris Sabin

Final Resolution: TNA Title: Nigel McGuinness d. Samoa Joe

ROH Taping: Edwards/Richards d. Young Bucks

Dragon Gate USA Untouchable: Naruki Doi d. Bryan Danielson

Dragon Gate USA Open the Freedom Gate: Yoshino/Doi d. Dragon Kid/Shingo

Dragon Gate USA Open the Freedom Gate: Yamato d. Davey Richards

2010

Royal Rumble: Cage: Christian d. CM Punk

Dragon Gate USA Mercury Rising: BBHulk/Yoshino/Doi d. CIMA/Dragon Kid/Gamma

ROH Death Before Dishonor: Tyler Black d. Davey Richards

ROH The Big Bang: Tyler Black d. Austin Aries/Roderick Strong

ROH The Big Bang: Kings of Wrestling d. Briscoe Brothers

Slammiversary: TNA Title: Kurt Angle d. Nigel McGuinness

ROH Glory By Honor: Kings of Wrestling d. Haas/Benjamin

Summer Slam: Bryan Danielson d. CM Punk

Survivor Series: Bryan Danielson d. Low Ki

ROH Final Battle: Mask v Career: El Generico d. Kevin Steen

2011

ROH Best in the World: Davey Richards d. Eddie Edwards

ROH Honor Takes Center Stage: Briscoes d. King/Titus

ROH Honor Takes Center Stage: Davey Richards d. Roderick Strong

ROH Honor Takes Center Stage: Eddie Edwards d. Christopher Daniels

Slammiversary: Cage: Kurt Angle d. Jeff Jarrett

Bound for Glory: TNA Title: AJ Styles d. Samoa Joe

Final Resolution: Kurt Angle d. Austin Aries

AJPW Pro Wrestling Love: Akiyama d. Suwama

NJPW Destruction: Hiroshi Tanahashi d. Naito

ROH Death Before Dishonor: Eddie Edwards d. Roderick Strong

2012

ROH Showdown in the Sun: Davey Richards d. Michael Elgin

Lockdown: Austin Aries d. Kurt Angle

Slammiversary: TNA Title: Austin Aries d. AJ Styles

Bound for Glory: TNA Title: Austin Aries d. AJ Styles

NJPW Dominion: Tanahashi d. Okada

Final Resolution: Lumberjack Match: Kurt Angle d. Samoa Joe

NJPW King of Pro Wrestling: Hiroshi Tanahashi d. Minoru Suzuki

NJPW King of Pro Wrestling: Low Ki d. Kota Ibushi

ROH Glory by Honor: Kevin Steen d. Michael Elgin

ROH Glory by Honor: Jay Lethal d. Davey Richards

2013

NJPW Wrestle Kingdom: Hiroshi Tanahashi d. Kazuchika Okada

NJPW Wrestle Kingdom: Prince Devitt d. Kota Ibushi/Low Ki

Wrestlemania 29: WWF Title: Brock Lesnar d. Bryan Danielson

NJPW Invasion Attack: Okada d. Tanahashi

NOAH Ark New Chapter: Kenta d. Sugiura

Summer Slam: WWF Title: Cage: Bryan Danielson d. Brock Lesnar

NJPW G1 Climax: Ishii d. Shibata

NJPW G1 Climax: Nakamura d. Ibushi

NJPW G1 Climax: Ishii d. Tanahashi

NJPW King of Pro Wrestling: Okada d. Tanahashi

2014

Royal Rumble: WWF Title: Montreal Match: Bryan Danielson d. CM Punk, Brock Lesnar, Jack Swagger

Lockdown: X Title: Davey Richards d. Samoa Joe

Slammiversary: X Title: Samoa Joe d. Davey Richards

Wrestlemania 30: WWF Title: Claudio Castagnoli d. Bryan Danielson

NJPW Destruction in Kobe: Tanahashi d. Shibata

NJPW G1 Climax: Okada d. Nakamura

NJPW G1 Climax: Nakamura d. Ishii

NJPW Dominion Ibushi d. Ricochet

NJPW Dominion: Time Splitters d. Young Bucks

Survivor Series: Tag Titles: TLC: The Shield (Black/Ambrose/Langston) d. The Usos (Jimmy/Jey/Roman)

2015

NJPW Wrestle Kingdom Nakamura d. Ibushi

Royal Rumble: WWF Title: Brock Lesnar d. Claudio Castagnoli

NJPW New Beginning: Ishii d. Honma

Wrestlemania 31: WWF Title: Brock Lesnar d. Claudio Castagnoli

Wrestlemania 31: Kenta d. Bryan Danielson

NJPW G1 Climax: Tanahashi d. Nakamura

NJPW G1 Climax: Nakamura d. Okada

NJPW G1 Climax: Tanahashi d. AJ Styles

Dragon Gate: The Gate of Destiny: Shingo d. Mochizuki

NJPW Power Struggle: Ishii d. Honma

2016

NJPW Wrestle Kingdom Okada d. Tanahashi

Royal Rumble: Mask vs Mask: Kalisto d. Pac

NJPW New Beginning: Omega d. Tanahashi

Wrestlemania 32: IC Title: El Generico d. AJ Styles

NJPW BOSJ: Will Ospreay d. Ricochet

NJPW G1 Climax: Kenny Omega d. Naito

NJPW G1 Climax: Ishii d. Okada

NJPW G1 Climax Tanahashi d. Okada

PWG BOLA: Ospreay/Sydal/Ricochet d. Bucks/Cole

NJPW King of Pro Wrestling: Omega d. Goto

2017

NJPW Wrestle Kingdom: Okada d. Omega

Royal Rumble: Tag Titles: Kevin Steen/El Generico d. Trash (Pac/Claudio)

Wrestlemania 33: WWF Tag Titles Ladder Wars: Trash (Pac/Claudio) d. Kevin Steen/El Generico

NJPW Dominion Okada d. Omega

Summer Slam: Loser Leaves Town: Kevin Steen d. Pac

NJPW BOSJ Kushida d. Ospreay

NJPW G1 Climax Omega d. Okada

NJPW G1 Climax Naito d. Omega

PWG All Star Weekend: Walter d. Sabre

NJPW/Rev Pro Global Wars Sabre d. Ospreay

2018

NJPW Wrestle Kingdom: Kenny Omega d. Chris Jericho

Royal Rumble: Number One Contenders: 2 of 3 Falls: The Revival d. American Alpha

NJPW Strong Style: Golden Lovers d. Young Bucks

NJPW Wrestling Dontaku Okada d. Tanahashi

Wrestlemania 34 AJ Styles d. Bryan Danielson

NJPW Dominion Omega d. Okada

NJPW G1Climax Tanahashi d. Ibushi

NJPW G1 Climax: Ibushi d. Omega

NJPW G1 Climax: Ishii d. Omega

NJPW Road to Tokyo Dome: Golden Lovers d. Ospreay/Tanahashi

2019

Royal Rumble: Loser Leaves Town: Tyler Black d. Dean Ambrose

Royal Rumble: WWF Title: Shinsuke Nakamura d. Kenta

Wrestlemania 35: Bryan Danielson d. Samoa Joe 

Wrestlemania 35: IC Ricochet d. Prince Devitt

Wrestlemania 35: WWF Title: AJ Styles d. Shinsuke Nakamura

NJPW BOSJ Ospreay d. Shingo

NJPW G1 Climax: Okada d. Ospreay

NJPW G1 Climax: Ibushi d. Okada

NJPW Dominion: Will Ospreay d. Dragon Lee

Summer Slam: AJ Styles d. Prince Devitt

2020

NJPW Wrestle Kingdom: Okada d. Ibushi

NJPW Wrestle Kingdom: Takahashi d. Ospreay

Royal Rumble: AJ Styles d. Bryan Danielson

AEW Revolution: Adam Page/Kenny Omega d. Young Bucks

Wrestlemania 36: Bryan Danielson/Kevin Steen d. AJ Styles/Sami Zayn

AEW Full Gear Young Bucks d. FTR

NJPW G1 Climax Okada d. Shingo

NJPW G1 Climax Ibushi d. Minoru Suzuki

NJPW G1 Climax Shingo d. Ospreay

Survivor Series: WWF Title: Ricochet d. Tyler Black

2021

NJPW Wrestle Kingdom: Okada d. Ospreay

Royal Rumble: Bryan Danielson d. Ricochet

NJPW New Japan Cup: Ospreay d. Shingo

Wrestlemania 37: WWF Title: Matt Riddle d. Bryan Danielson

Wrestlemania 37: Hell in a Cell: Sami Zayn d. Kevin Steen

NJPW Wrestling Dontkatu Ospreay d Shingo

Summer Slam: WWF Title: Carnage Match: Matt Riddle d. Edge

AEW All Out: Steel Cage Penta/Fenix d. Young Bucks

Survivor Series: Loser Leaves Town: Kevin Steen d. Claudio Castagnoli

Survivor Series: WWF Title: Sami Zayn d. Matt Riddle

2022:

NJPW Wrestle Kingdom Okada d. Ospreay

Royal Rumble: WWF Title: Sami Zayn d. Kevin Steen

Wrestlemania 38: IC Title: Ladder Match: Cody Rhodes d. Tyler Black/Shinsuke Nakamura/AJ Styles

ROH Supercard of Honor FTR d. Briscoes

ROH Death Before Dishonor 2 of 3 Falls: FTR d. Briscoes

AEW Rampage Young Bucks d. Penta/Fenix

NJPW G1 Climax Okada d. Ospreay

NJPW G1 Climax Shingo d. Ospreay

Survivor Series: Prince Devitt d. Pete Dunne

ROH Dog Collar: Briscoes d. FTR

2023 (through July)

NJPW Wrestle Kingdom Omega d. Ospreay

Royal Rumble: Falls Count Anywhere: Asuka d. Iyo Sky

Royal Rumble: IC Title: Prince Devitt d. Johnny Gargano

AEW Revolution: Iron Man: MJF d. Bryan Danielson

AEW Revolution: Texas Death Match: Adam Page d. Jon Moxley

Wrestlemania 39: Money in the Bank: Logan Paul d. Tyler Black, Sami Zayn, Kevin Steen, Jimmy Uso, Jey Uso

Wrestlemania 39: IC Title: Ricochet d. Prince Devitt

AEW Forbidden Door: Ospreay d. Omega

AEW Collision: 2 of 3 Falls: FTR d. White/Robinson

Noah One Night Dream: Nakajima d. Miyahara