Welcome to POST Wrestling’s coverage of the WWE Super Show-Down event from the MCG in Melbourne.
Wai Ting and I will have a WWE Super Show-Down POST Show later today for all members of the POST Wrestling Café. If you are a Double Double, Iced Capp or Espresso member, you can watch the live video stream of our review at Noon Eastern.
KOFI KINGSTON & XAVIER WOODS VS THE BAR FOR THE SMACKDOWN TAG TITLES
Kingston and Woods began the match with a series of flying spots onto Cesaro. Kingston and Woods were caught diving to the floor and sent into the posts on the floor. The Bar got the heat on Kingston.
Sheamus started pounding on Kingston’s chest, the audience was counting so he stopped abruptly while they were still counting.
Woods received the hot tag and went after both. Cesaro did the swing with Corey Graves noting it doesn’t go the opposite way in Australia like a toilet.
Woods hits a backstabber to Cesaro followed by a top rope double foot stomp from Kingston for the win.
WINNERS: KOFI KINGSTON (pinned Cesaro) & XAVIER WOODS AT 9:41 TO RETAIN THE SMACKDOWN TAG TITLES
This was a fine opener and featured more than you would expect on a house show and featured an awesome crowd.
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Michael Cole quickly reviewed the country of Australia between matches when he stated, “I first had the opportunity to visit back here in 2002 and I fell in love with this place. It’s urban, it’s beautiful, it’s hip, it’s up and coming, it’s clean, it’s incredible.”
BECKY LYNCH VS CHARLOTTE FLAIR FOR THE SMACKDOWN WOMEN’S TITLE
Becky Lynch received an enormous response when she was introduced, and they began chanting for her when the match began.
Becky yanked her by the arm from the floor and she flipped through the ropes onto the floor. Becky executed a tilt-a-whirl and attempted to apply the Disarmer, which Charlotte was able to suplex out of. Charlotte came down with a striker onto Becky’s knee while it was caught on the middle rope.
Charlotte attempted the Figure 8 and was poked in the eyes. They had a big forearm exchange that ended with Charlotte bouncing off the ropes, spearing Becky and getting a two-count. Charlotte went for a moonsault with Becky getting her feet up. Becky attempted a top rope leg drop and she missed.
After reaching the rope from a Boston crab, Becky grabbed her title on the floor and wanted to leave but was stopped by Charlotte. She brought Becky back into the ring and landed a spear and applied the figure-four. As she went to bridge into the Figure 8, Becky grabbed the title and hit Charlotte with it for the disqualification.
WINNER: CHARLOTTE FLAIR BY DQ AT 10:35
They had a fine match but a terrible finish. Clearly, they want to continue this feud without beating either and that’s fine. But, the nature of the finish just indicates their refusal to acknowledge the type of momentum Becky has and book in her in such a fashion that combats the response she has been receiving instead of rolling with what they have been given. You could still do a disqualification without making Becky look like the coward with a cheap disqualification.
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Elias and Kevin Owens were introduced in the ring, this included Elias playing Thunderstruck. Owens called the city a “cesspool” and this show should have been in Canada. Elias insulted the Collingwood Football Club in their quest to recreate last Monday’s crowd in Seattle but didn’t.
ELIAS & KEVIN OWENS VS JOHN CENA & BOBBY LASHLEY
John Cena came to a huge reaction and sporting a new t-shirt. Michael Cole called him “the greatest of all time”. Renee Young was very impressed with his hair.
Lashley went for a vertical leap and just fell onto Elias. They went back to the sequence right after with a vertical leap into a powerslam from Lashley. They got the advantage on Lashley as Owens traded words with Cena while controlling Lashley.
Lashley flew through the ropes and crashed onto the floor as he went for a tackle and missed Elias on the apron.
The tag was made to Cena and the place went nuts. He hit the five-knuckle shuffle to Elias and AA, then signaled for the “sixth move of doom”, which Graves had the Mandarin pronunciation of.
WINNERS: JOHN CENA (pinned Elias) & BOBBY LASHLEY AT 10:03
This was as basic a match layout as you would expect with Cena getting the hot tag and working a minute before the finish.
Cena said he didn’t know what to expect and WWE will always be his home and knows his life is changing but will never forget where he came from. He doesn’t know what the future holds and focuses on the “now”. He said there is no better feeling than hearing everyone here making noise.
There was a bizarre commercial for Four ‘n Twenty Meat Pie involving Naomi and a naked Jimmy Uso eating a meat pie in a bathtub.
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THE IICONICS VS ASUKA & NAOMI
The IIconics came out to a strong response and Billie Kay could barely contain her reaction to the audience. They said it was great to finally be home and compete in front of them. They said their opponents aren’t too shabby but tonight they show the world that they are iconic. They didn’t try and turn them at all and their gear featured the Australian flag.
Naomi and Asuka danced together in the ring.
Kay grabbed Naomi’s leg and pulled her into the splits, which Naomi laughed off.
The IIconics did their pose they had promised on SmackDown.
Asuka landed a German suplex to Kay. Naomi came in and landed an enzuigiri off the middle rope and Royce’s selling of the kick was hilarious (in a good way).
Kay lifted Naomi and Royce connected with a running knee and they pinned Naomi.
WINNERS: THE IICONICS AT 5:41
The finish got the loudest reaction and that was probably the reaction at home that they allowed the Australians to win in their home country.
Another basic match and that has been the story of this show so far. Everything has been fine but nothing has stood out on the show.
AJ STYLES VS SAMOA JOE FOR THE WWE TITLE
Joe stood on the floor as Styles walked out and they had an intense stare down before starting to fight on the floor.
Styles was sent over the announcer’s desk but landed on his feet. Back in the ring, Joe kicked Styles through the ropes to the floor and landed a tope suicida. Joe took over from this point and beat down Styles repeatedly. Styles finally landed an inverted DDT coming off the second turnbuckle.
Joe hit a huge inside-out clothesline as Renee called this the most hard-hitting match she has ever seen.
Joe hit an Emerald Frosion that Graves identified.
A chair was brought into the ring, which Styles got control of and attacked Joe with. Styles set up the chair, jumped off it into the corner and was caught with a uranage onto the edge of the chair.
Joe brought out a table for an enormous reaction. Joe was lifted onto Styles’ shoulders from the corner and put through the table with an electric chair. Joe was grabbing his left knee and told the referee it popped. Styles moved the referee away and stomped the bad knee.
Styles rolled into the calf crusher on the bad leg, but Joe got behind him and applied the Coquina clutch. Styles escapes on the floor because there are no rope breaks. He snapped Joe’s neck on the top rope and hit a springboard 450 splash onto the injured knee.
They went to the floor and Styles hit the Phenomenal Forearm from the barricade. He went for another inside the ring, but Joe moved and applied the Coquina clutch and then hit an overhead suplex with the submission applied.
Styles avoided the Muscle Buster as Joe’s knee gave out, Styles fell into the Coquina clutch again, he escaped and applied the calf crusher and Joe is forced to tap.
WINNER: AJ STYLES AT 23:43 TO RETAIN THE WWE TITLE
This was excellent. Their best match of the feud and blew away everything on this show.
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RONDA ROUSEY & THE BELLA TWINS VS THE RIOTT SQUAD
Rousey looked like she was about to cry when she came out and saw the crowd. Corey Graves brought up her loss in Australia to Holly Holm.
Rousey and Nikki argued over who would start the match with Rousey exiting as Nikki was nailed from behind by Ruby Riott.
Ruby held up Brie as Liv Morgan came in and kicked her in the head while yelling, “how does it feel?” Then, Brie grabbed her by the tongue.
Nikki and Brie were only tagging each other as Rousey was left on the apron. The Riott Squad got the advantage on Nikki and dragged her to their corner. Nikki hit an enzuigiri out of the corner to Logan. Brie was knocked off the apron, so Nikki tagged in Rousey.
Rousey threw everyone and executed a front flip with Riott on her back.
The Bellas fought with Riott and Morgan on the floor as Rousey went for the arm breaker onto Logan but Morgan stopped her. She took Logan and Morgan by the wrist, flipped them both and applied simultaneous armbars to both for the win.
WINNERS: RONDA ROUSEY & THE BELLA TWINS AT 9:59
I thought they did everything they needed within the match. They teased the showdown between Rousey and Nikki in a subtle way while making it clear that’s the direction. It was also structured well with Rousey saved for the big hot tag and coming up with a creative finish.
CEDRIC ALEXANDER VS BUDDY MURPHY FOR THE CRUISERWEIGHT TITLE
Murphy was introduced from Melbourne and came out with the flag in his tights.
Murphy offered his hand but took it back and nailed Alexander for a near fall at the start. He followed with a tope con giro and the audience cheered loudly for him. He landed a Meteora off the top for another two-count.
Alexander was seated on top, Murphy scaled the ropes and was hit with a Michinoku Driver off the turnbuckle. Alexander followed with a tope con giro to the floor.
Murphy grabbed Alexander by the trunks and a flying knee. Alexander got up and hit a standing Spanish Fly for a two-count, then lifted him and hit the Lumbar Check for a huge near fall that everyone thought was the finish.
Alexander went for a springboard and was caught with a knee and Murphy followed with Murphy’s Law and pinned Alexander and the place exploded.
WINNER: BUDDY MURPHY AT 10:35 TO WIN THE CRUISERWEIGHT TITLE
Is this the WWE? What about all the heat they could have gotten if they beat the guy in his hometown?
Very good match and the audience reacted louder to this finish than anything so far on the show. This was the absolute right way to do this match with the big title change in front of a stadium crowd.
ROMAN REIGNS, DEAN AMBROSE & SETH ROLLINS VS BRAUN STROWMAN, DOLPH ZIGGLER & DREW McINTYRE
They brawled on the floor with The Shield in control. They went for a Shield bomb to Strowman but were stopped by Ziggler and McIntyre.
The bell rang to start the match and Ziggler hit a jumping DDT on Rollins for a two-count. They had control of Rollins in their corner. They had the heat on Rollins for a long time. This lasted until Rollins caught Ziggler and hit a buckle bomb but was stopped yet again with a shoulder tackle by Strowman.
Strowman climbed to the top and missed Rollins as he came off. Rollins made the tag to Ambrose. Ambrose hit the Dodon onto Ziggler.
Reigns was finally tagged in, he set up for the superman punch but was distracted by Ziggler. He set up for it a second time, missed McIntyre and he nailed Ambrose with it and sent him off the apron.
McIntyre’s inverted Alabama slam was stopped by a Reigns superman punch.
Reigns and Rollins were in the ring surrounded, Ambrose climbed onto the apron and it wasn’t clear who he was going to side with after the accidental superman punch. He came in and attacked Strowman after the tease.
They went for the triple powerbomb to McIntyre but Strowman took everyone down. Strowman hit Reigns and Rollins with shoulder blocks on the floor. Ambrose kicked out of a Zig Zag.
Strowman set up for a shoulder block to Ambrose on the floor but was saved by Reigns with a spear through the barricade.
Rollins cut off McIntyre from hitting the Claymore, allowing Ambrose to hit Ziggler with Dirty Deeds and pinned Ziggler.
WINNERS: THE SHIELD AT 19:37
This was more of a story driven match with the doubt over Ambrose following Reigns’ accidental superman punch but then saving Ambrose later in the match.
Everyone worked well in the match.
The three fisted at the end together.
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THE MIZ VS DANIEL BRYAN IN A #1 CONTENDER’S MATCH
AJ Styles was shown watching from the back as he will face the winner.
The Miz went to speak in the ring and was immediately interrupted by Daniel Bryan’s theme music.
The Miz immediately went after Bryan’s injured ribs.
Miz hit the running knee and Bryan kicked out. He went for the Skull Crushing Finale and was countered with a small package by Bryan and he caught him.
WINNER: DANIEL BRYAN AT 2:22
It was announced that Bryan will challenge AJ Styles at the Crown Jewel event next month in Riyadh.
The finish came out of nowhere and was played up like a fluke and leaves it open for Bryan and Miz to go back to their feud as opposed to ending it here.
They announced a rematch between Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair will take place on SmackDown this Tuesday from Indianapolis.
They also promoted that Ronda Rousey will defend the Raw women’s title at Evolution but no opponent was announced.
TRIPLE H (w/ Shawn Michaels) VS THE UNDERTAKER (w/ Kane)
Shawn Michaels and Kane each had entrances.
Jojo announced this was now a No Disqualification match (which also means no countouts and anything goes in the WWE) with the implication that Hunter switched it on ‘Taker.
Hunter put his hands behind his back and stuck his chin out like he was Conor McGregor in his fight with Eddie Alvarez.
Hunter was going for Old School to taunt ‘Taker and was stopped with punches in the corner. Then, ‘Taker hit Old School.
Michaels got on the apron to allow Hunter to clothesline him to the floor. ‘Taker grabbed him by the throat but was saved by Hunter. Michaels then drove ‘Taker into the post and was chased off by Kane.
‘Taker was sent into the steps and a table was set up on the floor. They returned to the ring with Hunter in control. Michaels stopped ‘Taker from clearing the announcer’s desk and then ‘Taker and Hunter fought into the crowd. ‘Taker choked Hunter with a piece of rope and I’m sure Daniel Bryan had a chuckle during that spot.
‘Taker grabbed a chair as they returned to the ring. He knocked Hunter to the floor with a chair shot and then blasted him on the back. He placed Hunter onto the table on the floor and ‘Taker teased climbing the turnbuckle but was stopped by Michaels. ‘Taker dropped them and teased a tope from the ring but was stopped by Hunter with a chair.
Michaels superkicked Kane on the floor, was placed on the table and Hunter put him through with an elbow off the apron.
‘Taker choke slammed Hunter and hit the tombstone, but Hunter kicked out. ‘Taker struck referee Mike Chioda after the kick out. He told Michaels to watch as he attacked Hunter with more chair shots. He wrapped the chair around Hunter’s neck as Michaels came in and allowed Hunter to recover.
Hunter kicked him in the body and hit a pedigree for a near fall. The audience didn’t react loudly to either near fall from their finishes.
Hunter placed the chair around ‘Taker’s neck and dropped a knee onto the chair. Kane pulled the referee to break the count.
Michaels brought out a sledgehammer and handed it to Hunter, Kane passed a chair to ‘Taker in the opposite corner. Hunter nails the chair with the sledgehammer and has the match won but there is no referee. ‘Taker pulls him into Hell’s Gate. Hunter still had the sledgehammer and choked ‘Taker with to break free.
Kane tried to stop Michaels with the sledgehammer and was kicked low. ‘Taker tossed Michaels to the floor. ‘Taker tossed the sledgehammer away. He hit a chokeslam and went for the tombstone but was stopped with sweet chin music. He stopped the second one by going for a tombstone to Michaels and allowed Hunter to hit him with the sledgehammer.
Michaels hit sweet chin music into the pedigree and pinned ‘Taker. It was the same spot they did at WrestleMania 28.
WINNER: TRIPLE H AT 27:34
Hunter and Michaels hugged in the ring and Hunter was in tears.
It was a lengthy match and they worked around limitations with the weapons and brawling around the ring, which was a positive for the match.
They kept the spots with Michaels brief and teased a lot without him taking much of anything. Kane was almost nonexistent in the match compared to the others.
‘Taker gave his nod of approval to Hunter and handed him the sledgehammer. They shook hands and hugged. All four posed together as pyro went off.
Just as you thought the show would end, ‘Taker and Kane attacked Hunter and Michaels. Hunter took a tombstone and Michaels was thrown to the floor. They cleared the desk and ‘Taker choke slammed him through the table.
