SHOOTING . . . STARS . . . WRESTLING !!!!The opening montage starts us off as ‘INSIDE THE FIRE’ by Disturbed hits. As it fades out to black we still hear the crowd chanting ‘S-S-W! S-S-W!’ The camera comes up on the rowdy crowd pumping their fists as they chant, and the strobe lights go off on the ramp. The camera scans the crowd, focusing in on several signs in the audience.
‘BREAK THE WALLS DOOOOOOWN!’
Out comes Chris Jericho to open the show. As Jericho makes his way to the ring we see highlights of the closing moments of last weeks World title match, with Jericho having Tully Blanchard trapped in the Walls of Jericho as the time limit expired. The fans chant ‘REAL WORLD CHAMP!’ as Jericho takes the mic and says for once in their lives, he agrees with them. Tully Blanchard has to be the luckiest man alive because last week all he needed was 3 more seconds and he would be standing here right now wearing the world title. He blames Paul Heyman for mismanaging last week’s show, asking who schedules a world title match with only 30 minutes of TV time left? But in those 30 minutes last week he proved that Tully Blanchard is exactly what he has been saying that he is . . . a flash in the pan. This makes Mania a foregone conclusion because Tully Blanchard is already broken. He is inside his head . . . Tully knows that Chris Jericho is better than him. Now he wants one more chance to show the world. He wants another shot at Tully, and he is not afraid to come to Tully’s backyard to get it. He knows that Tully will accept, because he knows what happened last week will eat him alive until Mania. Tully will be desperate to prove that Jericho is wrong, but that is futile because Jericho is the best in the world at what he does! DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I AM SAYING TO YOU RIGHT NOW?
BREAKBack from break, Mike and Joe put over Jericho’s promo and his performance last week. They can’t wait to see what happens on RWA TV this week. They run down tonight’s card, which includes a battle royale with everyone from the SSW Roster with the winner capturing SSW’S spot in the Money in the Bank match at Wrestlemania! Plus we hope to address the rumors circling concerning Trish Stratus’ retirement, all of that and the first match of the Best of 5 series between the Hardy Brothers and the No Remorse Corps will kick us off this week!
Best of 5: Match 1
No Remorse Corps (Davey Richards & Roderick Strong)
vs.
The Hardyz (Matt & Jeff)All four men brawl to start the match, and somewhere during the fray Matt Hardys shoulder gets hurt after he hits a side effect on Roderick Strong in the bleachers. Strong is hurt too, and out come the EMT’s to attend to both men. Meanwhile Jeff and Richards fight their way back to the ring, where Richards rips off Jeff’s shirt and pounds him with chops. Jeff to his knees and now Richards blasts him with kicks to the chest, but Jeff dodges and then gets a double-leg takedown and then drops a double-leg to the groin. Jeff rolls outside and tries to bring in a chair, but Richards counters with the springboard rebound enziguri that takes Jeff out. Strong makes his way back to the ring and helps Richards double team Jeff, but Jeff counters with a Whisper in the Wind!!!! All 3 men are down when out comes Matt Hardy!!!! Matt’s shoulder is heavily taped but he is in the corner. Jeff tries to pull himself up, but Matt reaches down and tags himself in! Matt comes in a house of fire and takes out both members of NRC . . . SIDE EFFECT ON STRONG! SIDE EFFECT ON RICHARDS! Matt to the 2nd rope . . . DOWNFALL LEG DROP! Matt is feeling it . . . TWIST OF FATE ON STRONG!!!! 1 . . . 2 . . . RICHARDS BREAKS IT UP WITH A DROPKICK RIGHT TO THE SHOULDER! Strong picks him up . . . half nelson backbreaker! 1 . . . 2 . . . SWANTON BY JEFF BREAKS UP THE PIN!!!! Both men down. Matt and Richards are up . . . Twist of Fate by Matt countered by Richards . . . KIMURA!!!! The injured shoulder cannot take it and Matt immediately has to tap out! The NRC go up 1-0
After the match, Davey takes the mic and makes the announcement that next week’s match will be . . . a submission match!
A promo airs for next weeks show, where SSW will make its debut in New York at the Hammerstein Ballroom. The highlights show promote the main event, which will be AJ Styles defending the SSW title against Ken Anderson and Bryan Danielson in a 3 way dance. The theme from ‘EXODUS’ hits and out comes Joe Hennig. Hennig ranks himself right up there with people like Leonardo Da Vinci and Mozart because he is a Prodigy. But he is a Prodigy of the wrestling ring. He has the talent, the look, and the charisma to be the man that carries this company and right now he is making a prediction that before the next year is over he will be the SSW Genesis champion. He starts to announce when he will make his in-ring debut, when out comes Cody Rhodes! Rhodes talks about how they were tag team partners, and the best tag team in SSW. Now Cody is the Fortunate Son and Hennig is the Prodigy, but which one is better? Cody is the one that took down the Fortunate Sons and he has been sitting at home the last couple of weeks while Hennig gets the air time. Cody dares Hennig to prove if he deserves it. Hennig laughs it off and says that he is the one that decides when and where he will make his in-ring debut.
BREAKIN THE BACK: Cody bursts in Heymans office and says that he is sick and tired of being jerked around. He ended the Fortunate Sons and because of him Dibiase is not around anymore. Now Hennig is the golden boy and he gets all the air-time. Cody wants a match tonight or he walks and Heyman tells him to calm down because he has a match . . . NOW ‘American Dragon’ Bryan Danielson
vs.
Cody RhodesThis is an evenly fought match all the way through, with Cody really looking like a star in this match. The announcers talk about the roll that Cody was on, and then all of a sudden it disappeared when Cody wasn’t on TV. Cody takes the advantage late, setting Danielson up for the moonsault but he misses. Danielson locks on the Cattle Mutilation, but Cody shows serious guts by not only refusing to tap, but making it to the ropes to break the hold. Cody scores with a boot to the corner, then surprises Danielson with a Flying Chuck! Cross Rhodes attempt is blocked by Danielson . . . LABEL LOCK! Cody makes the ropes without tapping! Danielson goes for the Dagger Bomb but Cody floats over . . . another Cross Rhodes attempt by Danielson countered . . . small package! 1 . . . 2 . . . 3!!!!
Both men shake hands after the match, but out comes Joe Hennig again. Hennig gives some fake applause to both men, then announces that he will make his in-ring debut tonight when he wins the battle royal to become the qualifier from SSW in the Money in the Bank match.
BREAKSSW Tag Team Titles
Tag titles: Beer Money (James Storm & Robert Roode)
vs.
The Steiner Brothers (Rick & Scott) The Steiners come out strong and catch the champs off guard in the beginning. Scott pulls out a press slam, tossing Roode out of the ring on top of Storm. Roode gets tossed back in and eats a couple of suplexes from Rick, but Storm trips him from the outside and allows Roode to hit the Northern Lariat on Rick. Storm gets the tag in and Beer Money hits some double team moves. Catapult into a DDT by Storm gets a 2 but Scott is in to break it up. All four men brawl now, and Beer Money hit the double suplex on Scott . . . BEER . . . MONEY!!!! DWI is countered when Rick comes in the ring and out goes Storm. Roode eats a running power slam, then Scott gets him up on his shoulders . . . DOOMSDAY BULLDOG ON ROODE!!!! 1 . . . 2 . . . NOOOO!!!! The ref gets pulled outside by Storm! Scott goes out after him, and Storm has a mouthful of beer and spits it in his face. Storm rolls inside and he has his beer bottle, but Scott is back in and grabs it out of his hand . . . KILLS STORM WITH THE BEER BOTTLE!!!! The ref sees this and has no choice but to call for the bell and disqualify the Steiners!
Storm rolls outside and he and Roode have the titles, and they leave to the back with Storm bleeding from where Steiner smashed the beer bottle over his head.
BREAKWe get highlights of last week’s women’s action as the United States Women’s champion Trish Stratus makes her way to the ring. We see how Madison Rayne won a battle royal to earn a spot in the triple threat match, then how Trish turned on her. Trish comes out and talks about how she has done it all in the business as a women’s wrestler and paved the way for ungrateful divas like Madison Rayne. She took Madison under her wing and made her someone but all she did was repay her by betraying her. She will never be Trish Stratus! As far as SSW goes, she has done everything there is to do here, she has beaten every one there is in the women’s division, and it is time to move on. She announces that she is going to pursue a career as a manager, and she will retire as the women’s champ!
This brings out Madison Rayne! Rayne says that Trish still owes her a title shot, but last week she gave her a concussion so she can’t wrestle tonight. Trish won’t be retiring as champion because tonight she has found someone to take her place . . . BULL NAKANO!!!!
For the United States Women’s title
(Champion) Trish Stratus
Vs.
Bull NakanoTrish is protesting like crazy, but Bull goes right after her and the fight is on! Bull beats the hell out of Trish all the way around the ring, but the champ fights back with a Chick Kick out of nowhere! Trish controls a good part of the rest of the match but Nakano fights back. Bull goes up top for the leg drop, but Trish counters with the Stratus-phere! 1 . . . 2 . . . NOOOO! Trish goes for the Stratus-faction but Nakano reverses it and drops Trish on her head with a backdrop driver! Trish pops back up on her feet . . . Nakano charges . . . CHICK KICK RIGHT TO THE HEAD OF NAKANO! STRATUS-FACTION!!!! 1 . . . 2 . . . NOOOOOO! Nakano kicks out! Trish goes outside and grabs the women’s title and goes to hit Nakano with it . . . Madison stops her! Madison grabs the title and then rocks Trish with a hard slap . . . Trish is spun around . . . VICIOUS LARIAT BY NAKANO NEARLY TAKES HER HEAD OFF! Nakano picks her up for the Burning Hammer . . . NAILS IT!!!! 1 . . . 2 . . . 3!!!! NEW CHAMPION!!!! NAKANO ENDS THE YEAR-LONG REIGN OF TRISH STRATUS!!!!
The reaction from the crowd is surprising, as many of them give Trish a standing ovation. Trish seems surprised by this . . . then touched. She seems to be moved to tears as she thanks the fans, who give her a standing ovation for her last appearance in SSW
BREAKMain Event: For the Money in the Bank spot at Wrestlemania
PARTICIPANTS:
AJ Styles
Ken Anderson
Bryan Danielson
Joe Hennig
Cody Rhodes
Rick Steiner
Scott Steiner
James Storm
Robert Roode
Tyler Black
William Regal
Justin Gabriel
Brent Albright
Drew McIntyre
Lance StormThe action gets started from jump, and guys are getting tossed out right and left. Hennig is able to eliminate Rhodes, but Rhodes comes back in and gives him the Cross Rhodes, allowing AJ to eliminate Hennig. Albright looks strong in this match, eliminating Scott Steiner and Robert Roode. The Final Four comes down to Ken Anderson, James Storm, AJ Styles, and Albright. Albright tosses AJ out of the ring, but he holds on and then takes Albright out with the Superman forearm. Anderson goes for the Mic Check on Storm, but AJ strikes out of nowhere with the Pele to Anderson! STYLES CLASH TO ANDERSON! Super kick by Storm takes out AJ! Albright dodges another super kick by Storm and slaps on the Crowbar! Anderson nails Albright with a straight boot to the face to break the hold and then tosses him over the top! Anderson, Storm, and AJ are left but Storm gets eliminated by AJ. It is down to Anderson and AJ, when suddenly there is a disturbance at ringside. RANDY ORTON MAKES HIS WAY TO A RINGSIDE SEAT! AJ is distracted . . . LOW BLOW BY ANDERSON! MIC CHECK!!!! Anderson picks AJ up and dumps him over the top rope!!!! Anderson is the winner!!!!
Anderson celebrates and then calls for the mic to drop down from the ceiling. He does his gimmick announcing and announces himself as the man going on to Wrestlemania to become ‘Mr. Money in the Bank’! AJ is up, spins Anderson around and nails him with the Styles Clash! AJ immediately leaves the ring and tries to go after Orton, who is still standing at ringside. However, security is there and they get in between them. There is a heated shoving match as we go off the air.
