The show starts off with a recap of the Super Show-Down beating and HBK's internal debate to stay retired. Hogan comes out to Real American and a big pyro display. He does his usual spiel and thanks the fans for the huge ovation. Given that Hogan is 65, it really is amazing he can still even do this stuff and still resemble Hulk Hogan. His Excellency gets an intro - so I guess he's the money mark for this show.
The World Cup trophy is shown off and I like that all of the participants get title-ridden intros. Rey says that being in this tournament is one of the reasons he came back to WWE. Orton says he's always been the best in the world and tonight, he'll prove it. Rey's tanktop look isn't good - the whole upper body covering looks a lot better design-wise. Orton heats an apron kick, but lands a mid-air dropkick for 2. Renee bringing up someone sick enough to clip the wings off of flies in Saudi Arabia is...interesting. Rey gets a flash cradle off an RKO attempt and wins it - so Orton RKOs him and waterslide throws him to the floor before throwing him around ringside.
Miz shadowboxing in his goofy getup is pure greatness. Jeff's accomplishments are recapped before he comes out and he really has had a great career for a guy who was a jobber 20 years ago. Miz gets a pretty big intro with pyro on the stage and then a pretty awesome pose on the ropes with arena-spiraling pyro. Arena-level pyro for Miz does make him seem like a top guy. Sadly, when he's wrestling, his weaknesses are exposed. He gets the corner dropkicks and the crowd goes crazy for Jeff's comeback on Miz. Renee says things need to get extreme here and Jeff gets the whisper for 2. Crowd pops for Miz doing the figure 4 with a big woo, but Jeff cradles him for 2. It's amazing that Jeff can still do the tightrope walk on the barricade. Luckily, he has modified his style a bit by doing things like baseball slides instead of dives to the floor. Miz does a schoolboy with the ropes for 2 and Jeff gets a schoolboy worse than the one Austin gave Owen for 2 before Miz gets the finale and wins.
Cole says he just thought of something that makes him nauteous...Miz winning the cup. Seth's accolades are recapped - and he and Dean are STILL TAG CHAMPS. Logically, why hasn't a decision been made on those yet? Lashley's accomplishments are the worst of anyone on-paper, and they didn't bring up anything in TNA to bolster them. Cole rattles off more amateur wrestling and Army accomplishments. Lashley hits a nasty Ron Simmons spinebuster for 2. Lashley gets a series of ground holds. Cole awkwardly says it's night time here in..Crown Jewel. Seth counters the yokasuka cutter and wins with the curb stomp. Corey's ridiculous suit is shown before he throws to Kurt and Byron with Kurt reading terribly off a teleprompter.
Kurt comes out to fairly subdued pyro. Kurt gets some mat wrestling and belly to bellies him down. Dolph hits the giant DDT. Angle slam hits and gets 2.5. Dolph's fameasser also gets 2.5. Kurt gets the ankle lock, but Dolph rolls out of it. Kurt goes for a shoulder charge and misses and a Zig Zag ends it.
New Day comes down to the ring on a giant hydraulic magic carpet. The Bar comes out with their awesome graphic taking up the whole stage. Big Show is out with them and fans sing Big Show's theme. Not much to the actual match, sadly. Show is more over than anyone else in the match. The Bar hits a slick double team jackhammer for 2. Sheamus knees him to nix the suicide spear. E and Kofi hit a double stomp/powerbomb for 2.9 when Cesaro makes a save. E launches Kofi onto Cesaro on the floor. E eats a punch from Show and a brogue kick - so the Bar retains!
Byron chats with Miz, who is hoarse. Miz hits a finale on Rey, but it only gets 2. Rey botches a snap sunset flip for 2 and hits a 619, but Miz puts his knees up off the frog splash and cradles him to win. Seth and Dolph have every match they've ever had. Dolph gets 2 off the fameasser. Seth hits the superplex, but Dolph flips to avoid the falcon arrow and gets 2.9 off the Zig Zag. Kneeling superkick hits Dolph, but Dolph wins after Drew shoves Seth off the top and Dolph superkicks him to win.
Joe and AJ are out and have their usual great match. Joe loses, and he is really being dialed down as a US Title-level guy only. When you have someone who got over as THE GUY on Raw with a single angle with Brock, it's a waste of his talent. I'd have given Joe the belt here since AJ really isn't killing it like he was last time, but they're telling the story of him being champ for a year - so I dig that part. Corbin brings the belt out before Brock is out.
Baron smashes Braun with the belt before an F5. Braun kicks out at 2, so Brock nails a second one for another two count. A third F5 lands and Brock only gets 2.9! Brock hits a big F5 to the floor, teasing a countout win. A fifth F5 hits and Brock wins the title - so either he's being paid a shitload of money for both this and Survivor Series, he played UFC, which is unlikely, or he's going to milk WWE for all he can get and maybe work out a deal to work with UFC while in WWE.
Miz vs. Dolph is up and Drew is sent to the back before Miz gets taken out - so Shane opts to replace him because he can't stand the thought of the Best in the World being decided like that. Dolph slugs him and headbutts him. Shane hits the van terminator and wins the World Cup. Unreal. Shane also has large arms for the first time ever.
DX is out and I dig HBK's black and white gear and hankerchief over his face. Kane gets a big intro, whle Taker gets an all-time big one. HBK lands an axehandle off the top and gets a neckbreaker. Taker and HBK go at it and HBK eats a tree slam after the corner bump. HHH gets messed up going over the to the floor. HHH comes in and can barely use his right arm. A floor brawl looks terrible as HHH can only use his left arm and whips Taker and himself into the barricade. HBK hits Kane and his mask falls off before moonsaulting on the BOD and landing on his head. BOD goes for a double tombstone, but HBK rakes the eyes and superkicks everyone until HHH pedigrees Kane to win.
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