Survivor Series Live Coverage – Roman Reigns Vs Drew McIntyre
Andrew Marshall is stepping in for GG with live play by play of Survivor Series.
Before the weekend, Andrew asked writers and followers of Fight Game Media for their favorite memories and he put them together in this fun throwback piece.
Follow along with him for your Survivor Series live coverage once the show begins.
Hey hey, it’s Andy here. WWE Survivor Series 2020 will be getting underway shortly. The dual brand battle royal appears it will be kicking things off on the pre-show.
The pre-show panel includes Jerry “The King” Lawler, Booker T, John Bradshaw Layfield, and (ugh) Peter Rosenberg. Tonight in the ThunderDome, we celebrate 30 years of The Undertaker in the WWE. A truly remarkable accomplishment that may never be equalled again.
The card for tonight:
WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns vs WWE Champion Drew McIntyre in a non-title match
WWE Intercontinental Champion Sami Zayn vs WWE United States Champion Bobby Lashley in a non-title match
Smackdown Tag Team Champions The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins and Montrez Ford) vs RAW Tag Team Champions The New Day (Xavier Woods and Kofi Kingston) in a non-title match
Smackdown Women’s Champion Sasha Banks vs RAW Women’s Champion Asuka in a non-title match
Smackdown Women’s team (Bianca Belair, Ruby Riott, Liv Morgan, Bayley, and Natalya) vs RAW Women’s team (Shayna Bazsler, Nia Jax, Lacey Evans, Lana, and Peyton Royce)
Smackdown Men’s Team (Seth Rollins, Otis, King Corbin, Kevin Owens, and Jey Uso) vs RAW Men’s team (Sheamus, Riddle, AJ Styles, Braun Strowman, and Keith Lee)
The Undertaker’s 30th anniversary celebration Final Farewell
Dual Branded Battle Royal (Advertised participants: The Miz, John Morrison, Humberto Carrillo, Angel Garza, Shelton Benjamin, Elias, Jeff Hardy, Ricochet, Dolph Ziggler, Robert Roode, Buddy Murphy, Rey Mysterio, Dominik Mysterio, Chad Gable, Apollo Crews, Shinsuke Nakamura and Kalisto)
An impromptu match broke out on the pre-show
WWE 24/7 Champion R-Truth vs The Gobbledy Gooker
Gooker rolls up R-Truth following a distraction from Akira Tozawa to win the 24/7 Championship
Winner by pinfall and new 24/7 Champion: The Gobbledy Gooker
Dual Branded Survivor Series Battle Royal
As superstars enter the ring, Rey Mysterio, Dominik Mysterio, and Buddy Murphy get a full entrance to Rey’s music. This is followed by Mr. Money in the Bank, The Miz. John Morrison awkwardly joins him about 15 seconds before his music hits and he performs his full entrance.
Dominik Mysterio eliminates John Morrison in short order. Kalisto and Rey Mysterio do some good lucha things and face off before Kalisto was tossed out. Dolph Ziggler almost decapitates Rey Mysterio with a superkick before eliminating him. Angel Garza eliminates Humberto Carillo before Cedric Alexander eliminates Garza. Miz awkwardly sells his neckbreaker/backbreaker combo to the Thunderdome on Ziggler. Ricochet eliminates Cedric Alexander, Ricochet gets eliminated by Shelton Benjamin, who gets eliminated by Apollo Crews. Phew.
“Not Your Buddy” Murphy is eliminated by Bobby Roode. Dominik Mysterio then immediately eliminates Bobby Roode. Dominik Mysterio then eliminates Dolph Ziggler with a dropkick. Shinsuke Nakamura eliminates Apollo Crews with a Kinshasa while Crews was on the apron.
Jeff Hardy eliminates Shinsuke Nakamura with a hangman from the apron. Hardy eliminates Elias with a kick while on the apron as well. The final four are Dominik Mysterio, The Miz, Jeff Hardy, and Chad Gable.
Gable low bridges Jeff Hardy to eliminate him. Miz with a pair of big boots to Gable and Mysterio, Miz hammers Dominik with the Daniel Bryan kicks. Dominik hits Miz with a baseball slide and appears to eliminate him but the refs do not agree. Chad Gable absolutely launches Mysterio with an overhead suplex.
A back and forth between Gable and Mysterio sees Gable set up for a 6-1-9 but misses. Gable tries to roll through a counter with a Chaos Theory but reverses into a 6-1-9 and eliminates Chad Gable. Miz runs in to eliminate Dominik Mysterio to win the match. He was never officially eliminated.
Winner: The Miz
A preview package for the Roman Reigns vs Drew McIntyre closes the pre-show.
The show opens with a highlight package for 30 years of The Undertaker followed by some ThunderDome pyro and ballyhoo.
Traditional 5-on-5 Survivor Series Elimination match: Smackdown Men’s Team (Seth Rollins, Otis, King Corbin, Kevin Owens, and Jey Uso) vs RAW Men’s team (Sheamus, Riddle, AJ Styles, Braun Strowman, and Keith Lee)
AJ Styles, who fancies himself the captain of the team is out first along with his large nameless bodyguard. A real modern day Mr. Hughes. Riddle is out next with his own pyro and giant CGI flip flops. Keith Lee apparently raps his own theme now. Commentary brings up his battle with Roman Reigns from last year’s show. Braun Strowman is now train themed. Sheamus (without his jaunty little fedora) is out last to round out team RAW.
Jey Uso enters first for the blue brand. Paul Heyman is shown watching on television backstage. A bored looking Kevin Owens joins him. Otis is out to his radio country lawnmower ad theme song. Seth Rollins, who is probably taking some time off after tonight, looks about as bored as Owens does. Lastly, King Corbin rounds out this parade of entrances.
AJ Styles starts things out with Jey Uso. Jey has cut tassles into the bottom of his Team Smackdown shirt. They go back and forth and each miss a Pele kick before Uso tags in Corbin. Corbin tags in Otis, who misses a splash in the corner to Styles who tags in Riddle. Riddle reverses a suplex attempt into a sleeper hold, before Otis falls backwards. Riddle then begins kicking Otis, who does not sell and instead dances. He takes down Riddle for a near fall. Otis tags in Owens, who stomps on Riddle’s bare feet. Kevin Owens puts Riddle in a heel hook type hold and headbutts the soles of his feet.
Riddle manages to grab a rope break and tag in Sheamus. Owens tags in Seth Rollins after some hesitation. Rollins seems miles away right now.
He drops to his knees in front of Sheamus and demands to be Brogue Kicked. Sheamus obliges and immediately pins Rollins.
Seth Rollins has been eliminated.
Team Smackdown regroup on the outside as Strowman tagged himself in to attack the entire Smackdown team. Strowman screams at his team that they need to get on the same page. Riddle is tagged back in who works over King Corbin with kicks in the corner. Riddle tags in Keith Lee and Corbin tags in Otis to have a big beefy square off. They lock up and work a stalemate collar and elbow tie up before they trade shoulder tackles. Otis does not go down after three straight shoulders from Lee. Keith Lee goes for a double chop and Otis just grabs his hands to block it. Keith Lee with elbows to the neck of Otis, before dropping him with a forearm.
Lee tags in Strowman who continues working on Otis, sequestered in the RAW team’s corner. Strowman with an awkward dropkick to Otis. Styles tags in before Otis makes his way to tag Kevin Owens. He lights up Styles with chops and a huge back body drop. Styles takes a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker from Owens out of the corner. Styles leapfrogs Owens to avoid the pop-up powerbomb. Owens his a stunner on Lee, then Sheamus, the Riddle, before Styles levels him with a Phenomenal Forearm and pins Owens.
Kevin Owens has been eliminated.
RAW leads 5-3. Corbin hits an immediate End of Days on Styles but he kicks out. Tag to Riddle who hits a move from the top rope to eliminate Corbin.
King Corbin has been eliminated.
RAW leads 5-2. Sheamus tags in and levels Jey Uso with a pumping knee but kicks out at two. Sheamus does his ten chest clubs on the apron. Otis tags in and runs wild with a belly-to-belly suplex on Styles, Riddle, then Lee. Otis catches Sheamus off the top rope and slams him. Otis squares off with Braun Strowman who talks trash.
Strowman with a huge boot to the chest of Otis. He screams at Otis to get up. Otis reverses into a bodyslam on Strowman. Otis goes to the corner and hits the Caterpiller on Strowman. He goes to the second rope before he is distracted by Riddle. This leads to the running powerslam from Strowman to eliminate Otis.
Otis has been eliminated.
It’s down to the entire RAW team vs Jey Uso. Uso hits a dive over the top rope on the whole RAW team before delivering superkicks to Sheamus and Keith Lee. Uso back in the ring with Strowman now. He charges and Strowman attempts a running powerslam but it’s reversed. Tag in from Styles, who puts Uso down. Uso to the top rope but Styles is pulled out of the way by his bodyguard. Keith Lee blind tags in who catches Jey Uso diving from the top rope with a HUGE Spirit Bomb to eliminate Uso. It’s a clean sweep for Team RAW.
Jey Uso has been eliminated.
Winner: RAW Men’s team (Sheamus, Riddle, AJ Styles, Braun Strowman, and Keith Lee)
Team RAW pose victoriously in the ring after a little pushing and shoving.
Smackdown Tag Team Champions The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins and Montrez Ford) vs RAW Tag Team Champions The New Day (Xavier Woods and Kofi Kingston) in a non-title match
Big E is joining Kofi and Xavier on this co-branded show. The New Day are wearing their custom Gears of War armor. New Day feature as playable characters in the latest Gears of War. The Street Profits cut a promo about The Undertaker backstage for some reason.
Profits look focused tonight. They’re both wearing Ric Flair edition Dame Lillard adidas basketball shoes as well. Dawkins starts against Woods, who tags out to Kingston. Dawkins takes control over Kofi before tagging in Ford. Kofi LEVELS Montez with his trust fall dive over the top rope as Xavier dives on Dawkins. Woods tags in and holds Ford while Kofi punches him in the corner. Kofi tags back in as they reverse roles.
Ford is isolated to the New Day’s corner as they take turns punching away. Woods with a superkick to Ford’s ribs for a near fall. Kofi punts the Profits’ red solo cup in a bit of a heelish move. Kofi with a near fall on Ford.
The New Day hit Big E and Xavier Wood’s Midnight Hour combo but Ford kicks out.
Montez Ford hits an enormous frog splash on Kingston but cannot cover because he is selling his ribs. He eventually covers for a near fall. Kofi with SOS on Ford but Dawkins breaks up the pin. Woods leaps off the top rope to knock Dawson out of the ring. Ford ducks a Trouble in Paradise from Kofi and hits his own. Xavier Woods covers Dawkins for a near fall.
Blind tag in from Dawkins and Profits hit a huge blockbuster/doomsday device for the three!
Winners by pinfall: Smackdown Tag Team Champions The Street Profits
Both babyface teams do a respect spot after the match and dap each other up.
WWE Intercontinental Champion Sami Zayn vs WWE United States Champion Bobby Lashley in a non-title match
Sami Zayn is out first and talks trash to the commentators desk. Bob Lashley is out next with the rest of the Hurt Business. Sami Zayn with some top notch chicken shit heel taunting of Lashley.
This is an interesting heel vs heel dynamic here. Sami is the prototypical delusional heel, while Lashley has his crew out there with him. Sami talks smack to Cedric Alexander and Shelton Benjamin before Bob Lashley attacked. Back in the ring, Zayn gets the upperhand on Lashley. Zayn sends Lashley to the ropes who returns with a clattering lariat.
Sami reverse the momentum with a hangman on Lashley over the top rope. Zayn with a second rope elbow before Lashley kicks out at one. Lashley launches Sami Zayn across the ring, and Sami sells it by drooling. Lashley with elbows to Zayn before hitting a neckbreaker. Who are we supposed to be rooting for here?
Sami Zayn feigns a spell of vertigo to sucker Bobby Lashley in. This is apparently a call back to their match from a few years back. Zayn taunts the rest of the Hurt Business to hit him but Bob Lashley does it for them. Lashley throws Zayn back in the ring as Corey Graves sells the “conspiracy” against Zayn.
Lashley tries to run Zayn into the post but Zayn reverses it. Zayn tries to remove the top turnbuckle pad but gets stopped by Alexander. Zayn goes for a Helluva Kick but misses and Lashley throws him across the ring. Zayn retreats to the outside and tries to get another DQ. Zayn back in the ring and gets locked in the Hurt Lock for the submission.
Winner by submission: WWE United States Champion Bobby Lashley
The Usos are shown backstage when Paul Heyman and Roman Reigns confront them. Reigns browbeats Jey for losing. He dismisses Jimmy and continues to lambast Jey. He says losing means his team does not respect his family. Roman says if he can’t make them respect his family, he loses his place at the table. He tells Jey to find his brother and leave the building.
Smackdown Women’s Champion Sasha Banks vs RAW Women’s Champion Asuka in a non-title match
Asuka is out first and is wearing a black version of her Kabuki mask. Sasha Banks out next and Corey Graves says Michael Cole gave him $50 to announce that it was, in fact, BOSS TIME. Sasha’s new theme doesn’t really do it for me.
They lock up and they get over that Sasha Banks has never pinned or submitted Asuka. They’re really telegraphing this one, folks. An intense shoving match follows a hip toss by Banks to Asuka. Banks with a wrist lock on Asuka to wear her down before trying to transition to an armbar Asuka blocks. They do some roll through transitions before Banks goes for the Banks Statement but Asuka escapes. A series of near falls of Sasha on Asuka as Sasha stays aggressive.
Sasha Banks does this armbreaker/joint manipulation move before she hits a backstabber for a near fall. Sasha talking smack to Asuka, who rolled to the outside to recover. Asuka kicks Sasha in the head to turn the tide before the Flying Bum Tackle from Asuka. A beautiful roll through transition to an ankle lock on Banks from Asuka before she breaks and kicks Banks in the ribs for a two count.
Asuka has Sasha grounded and adds some kicks between the shoulder blades. Asuka levels Banks with a knee for a two count. Asuka with the Daniel Bryan kicks before her Shining Wizard attempt is reversed into a kneeling abdominal stretch.
Asuka stands up in the hold and Sasha transitions to more of an octopus hold before Asuka forces a rope break. Banks with a hurricanrana to Asuka sending her to the apron. They battle on the apron before Asuka teases a German suplex on the apron. She hits another Flying Bum Tackle to send Banks to the floor. Banks back in the ring hits a baseball slide to Asuka on the outside. Banks tries a Meteora to Asuka who reverses it into a Codebreaker. They both beat the ten count back into the ring before Banks scores a near fall on Asuka.
Asuka tried a third Flying Bum Tackle but gets caught in the ropes before Sasha whiffs badly on a kick to the back of the head. Back in the ring, Banks hits the Meteora in the corner. Sasha went for a frog splash but lands on her feet and transitions to the Banks Statement. Asuka escapes and goes for the Asuka Lock. Another Codebreaker from Asuka and Banks kicks out at two.
Asuka selling in disbelief that she can’t put Banks away. Asuka with another Ankle Lock before they trade near falls. Banks with a series of kicks before a backslide from Asuka for two. They trade kicks before Sasha reverses another kick into a rollup for the three.
Winner by pinfall: Smackdown Women’s Champion Sasha Banks
They recap the 24/7 title change from earlier before Akira Tozawa lures the Gooker into a trap with a pile of bird seed, who he rolls up for a three. R-Truth then rolls up Tozawa to win the 24/7 title back. Both the pre-show panel and the commentary team no sold the bejesus out of these segments tonight.
Smackdown Women’s team (Bianca Belair, Ruby Riott, Liv Morgan, Bayley, and Natalya) vs RAW Women’s team (Shayna Bazsler, Nia Jax, Lacey Evans, Lana, and Peyton Royce)
They replay all nine Samoan Drop Nia Jax has done to Lana over the last two months. The WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions, Baszler and Jax are out first. Tradcath solider housewife Lacey Evans joins them next. Peyton Royce has some extremely Create-a-Wrestler new music. They recap Baszler and Jax taking out their own teammates Mandy Rose and Dana Brooke for some reason. God, this match is a mess. Lana rounds out the team as the rest of Team RAW appears unimpressed.
Bayley is out first and has the AJ Styles “Team Captain” gimmick tonight. Bianca Belair out next. Ruby Riott and Liv Morgan each get their own unique entrances. Natalya is out last with cat ears and what looks like Bret Hart’s jacket made out of Shawn Michaels’ magical mirror man suit. They put her over by saying no one has eliminated more people in women’s Survivor Series matches than Nattie.
Lacey Evans and Bayley start things out. Bayley has these very 1999 Matt Hardy pants as part of her gear lately. Bayley tags in Nattie and she knocks Evans down on her butt. Nattie covers for a two before she tags in Peyton Royce. Nattie tags in Belair and they do a squatting, stereo suplex to Royce. Bianca hits a standing moonsault on Royce for a two. Liv Morgan in now and she gets a two on Royce. A double down clothesline spot with Royce and Morgan and they tag in Baszler and Riott, respectively. Baszler with kicks to Riott before a roll up for two. Riott knocks Baszler into her corner and she tags in Nia Jax. Bayley blind tags in and Team Smackdown gang up on Nia before Morgan tags in.
Lana tags herself in and performs a jackknife cover on Morgan for a one. Morgan tags in Nattie and faces off with Lana. Nattie with a shoulder block before they trade near falls in a series of reversals. Lana with a big kick to Nattie on the ground. Team RAW keep shouting at Lana to tag back out. Nia eventually tags herself back in as they browbeat Lana. Lana is forced to stand on the ring steps before she starts crying.
This is awkward as they’re just standing around now. Bayley locks up with Peyton Royce and backs her into the corner for kicks. Bayley with a cover for two. I am astral projecting out of my own body this is so dull.
Belair tags in and puts Royce on the top turnbuckle before putting Royce up in a gorilla press. Bayley with the elbow off the top but Evans breaks up the count. Ruby Riott misses a kick on Jax before Jax sends the whole Smackdown team sans Bayley to the outside. Bayley goes to the top rope before Peyton Royce hits a roundhouse kick to Bayley.
Royce sets up to superplex Bayley on to the rest of the teams and they’re all down, except Lana, who is still on the opposing ring steps. The referee is counting and makes it six before Royce hits her finish on Bayley and pins her.
Bayley has been eliminated.
RAW leads 5-4. Nattie is in and Royce rolls her up for two. Royce with an elbow to Nattie and a roundhouse kick. When did Peyton Royce become KENTA? Royce with a single leg Boston Crab as Corey Graves makes a Lance Storm reference. Nattie reverses and gets Royce into a Sharpshooter for the submission.
Peyton Royce has been eliminated.
All square at 4-4. Lacey Evans hits Nattie from the corner but misses a follow up moonsault. Evans escapes, Baszler distracts and gets a Sharpshooter. Evans levels Nattie with The Women’s Right and covers her for a three.
Natalya has been eliminated.
4-3 Team Raw leads. Bianca Belair is in now with Evans and gets distracted by Baszler. Evans hits a Spanish Fly on Belair from the top rope. Yes, you read that correctly. It gets a two. Nia Jax and Liv Morgan both tag in. Riott now tags in and they both run into Nia and tag out a few times. The Riott Squad double team Jax and take advantage of the five-count several times to wear her down. Nia gets a Riott Kick and falls backwards to tag Baszler.
Baszler with a V-Trigger knee to Riott’s chest. Cover on Riott for a two. Baszler goes for the shoulder stomp but misses and gets rolled up for two. Kirafuda Clutch to Riott who flips over to do the Survivor Series Bret Hart reversal to pin Baszler, but passes out before the three and Baszler covers for the three.
Ruby Riott has been eliminated.
Liv Morgan is really upset by this and starts hammering on Lacey Evans. She hits a second rope missile dropkick before hitting a crucifix pin for some confusion before announcing Evans’ elimination.
Lacey Evans has been eliminated.
Liv Morgan is still really upset and challenges the two tag champs. Morgan hits a knee and an enziguri on Jax but Jax flattens her with a Samoan Drop for three.
Liv Morgan has been eliminated.
Bianca Belair is all alone versus Jax, Baszler, and Lana, who is still on the ring steps. Bianca is fighting desperate and backs Jax into the corner. She backflips over Jax and Bianca goes for a split leg splash but Jax gets her knees up. Jax with a slam. Jax with a big leg but a nonchalant cover and Belair kicks out. Jax to the second rope, but Baszler tags in. She locks in the Kirafuda Clutch. Belair reverses with a belly to belly suplex. Baszler gets the Clutch locked back in. Belair fights to her feet and shuffles to the ropes for a break. Shayna Baszler refuses to break the hold and is disqualified.
Shayna Baszler has been eliminated.
Nia clears the announce table but Belair sends her into the ring steps and gets sent over the barricade. Jax and Belair get counted out.
Nia Jax has been eliminated.
Bianca Belair has been eliminated.
The sole survivor is Lana.
Winners: RAW Women’s team (Shayna Bazsler, Nia Jax, Lacey Evans, Lana, and Peyton Royce)
WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns vs WWE Champion Drew McIntyre in a non-title match
Well folks, it is main event o’clock as they replay the highlight package for Roman vs McIntyre. It appears whatever they’re doing with The Undertaker will close the show.
Reigns is out first. Much like the Asuka match, they get over how McIntyre has never beaten Roman Reigns. McIntyre is out with the kilt and sword combo he had for his match versus Orton on RAW. They put over their history as opponents but strangely failed to mention Roman beating McIntyre at Wrestlemania in Roman’s first match back after his bout with leukemia.
Big fight feel for this one as the piped-in crowd noise has been jacked up to 11. They remind us that The Miz could cash in his Money In the Bank contract at some point potentially. Reigns appears to be working with some kind of wrist injury as he’s wearing a brace.
More collar and elbows as the feeling out process continues. Side headlock takedown by McIntyre as they’re really stretching the early moments of this out. McIntyre with a pair of shoulder tackles on Roman as he regroups on the outside. This match is moving at a glacial pace.
They trade right hands in the corner as Drew lights up Roman with a chop. Roman backs down the referee allowing Drew to take advantage with rights in the corner. McIntyre thrown into the post and dumped to the outside as the referee begins to count him out. Roman eventually makes his way outside and throws McIntyre into the apron. McIntyre sent into the ring steps and gets rolled into the ring for a two-count. Roman with a chinlock just in case this didn’t feel enough like a Randy Orton match.
Another near fall on McIntyre as Roman shows mild frustration. Another chinlock to McIntyre and again Roman backs down the referee into the corner allowing McIntyre to fight back with some punches. Reigns reverses with a clothesline and another two-count. Roman puts McIntyre in some modified neck crank as he gets to his feet to trade punches. McIntyre reverses the Irish Whip into the corner to level Reigns with a few clotheslines. They both go down following a neckbreaker before a kip up from McIntyre. He teases the Claymore Kick.
Reigns reverses a Future Shock DDT attempt and gets a Samoan Drop for a count of two. Reigns goes for the Super-Man punch but he’s reversed into a spinebuster for a count of two. The two go to the outside and McIntyre sends Reigns into the steps and barricade a few times. Back in the ring, Reigns hits a kick to take back control. Roman talks smack but gets hit with a headbutt from McIntyre before they trade big boots. McIntyre hits the Future Shock DDT but Reigns kicks out at two.
McIntyre backs into the corner to tease the Claymore again but gets hit with a Super-Man punch. Reigns goes for the guillotine choke but gets suplexed off. Reigns hits a kick to the face and sends him into the ring post.
Both men get to their feet and Reigns goes for a spear but McIntyre reverse into a Kimura lock! Reigns makes the ropes to force a break. Reigns rolls to the outside and McIntyre charges and gets Samoan Dropped onto the announce table, which does not break. Reigns does it again to make sure the table breaks. Reigns rolls in to stop the count and spears McIntyre through the barricade as he gets to his feet. He rolls McIntyre into the ring but he kicks out at two!
We have a piped-in “This is awesome” chant. Reigns goes for another spear but gets kicked in the face. Reigns comes back with another spear but McIntyre kicks out again! Roman Reigns starts talking to himself and he backs in the corner to tease another spear. Reigns charges for a spear but he gets leveled with a Claymore! As Reigns falls, he strikes the referee.
Jey Uso runs in but gets swatted away by McIntyre. Reigns with a low blow to McIntyre and a superkick from Uso. A Super-Man punch from Reigns before he locks in the guillotine chock on McIntyre. McIntyre stood up out of the hold but Reigns cinches the hold in deeper as McIntyre passes out.
Winner by referee’s stoppage: Roman Reigns
Both men are selling like they were in a car accident following this one. Roman Reigns meets Jey Uso at the top of the ramp and they embrace as McIntyre looks dejected on the ring apron.
The Undertaker’s 30th anniversary celebration Final Farewell
So it’s Undertaker time and out first comes…Shane McMahon. Next, well, it’s the Big Show. John Bradshaw Layfield comes out after that, followed by Jeff Hardy. Jeff has the Undertaker’s symbol painted on his face. Mick Foley, looking real grizzly, joins the group. Charles “The Godfather” Wright joins to represent the Bone Street Krew. I just noticed there appears to be what look like two Tesla coils flanking the entrance way right now. More BSK members in Henry O. Godwin and Mideon are out next. Same goes for BSK member Savio Vega. Rikishi Fatu is out to his 2000 babyface run Too Cool music. Kevin Nash is out to the generic NWO theme. Next, Booker T. Undertaker’s greatest opponent (it’s not a debate), Shawn Michaels even got dressed up for the occasion. Ric Flair comes out looking more like his old self than he has in some time.
Of course, the most important guy is Triple H, who comes out to his Motorhead alternate “Bow Down to the King” theme. I spoke too soon as the mayor of Knox County, Tennessee comes out in full Big Red Machine gimmick like it’s his 2006 movie premiere. We get a Metallica music video retrospective on Taker complete with Gorilla Monson’s now iconic introduction of the man at Survivor Series 1990.
The legends have all left the ring and in their place is WWE Chairman, Vince McMahon. He cuts a rambling introduction of The Undertaker. He sounds emotional. He introduces The Undertaker the same way he introduced Aretha Franklin at WrestleMania 3. The Tesla coils I mentioned earlier are playing what sounds like a chip tune version of Taker’s classic theme. I’m serious.
Taker is taking so long to come out, you’d think he was trying to stretch for time before a two-minute squash of Waylon Mercy. If this really is his last ride (heh), then he’s really soaking this one in. The ThunderDome crowd has been turned off for ambiance. Undertaker absolutely sounds like he is trying to keep it together as his voice trembles as he starts his promo.
He says after all those he has put down in the past, it is now time for HIM to rest in peace. He kneels and does his pose in the center of the ring as a HOLOGRAM OF PAUL BEARER IS SHOWN NEXT TO HIM. Taker just kneels in the ring as the fake crowd chant “Thank you Taker.” There is a ten DONG salute. Undertaker stands up and leaves the ring. He slowly walks to the back and that’s all she wrote folks.
Thanks for joining me here tonight and if you liked what you read, you can follow me on Twitter at @hard_seltzer.
