Ring Rust Radio's WWE, NXT, LU & ROH Current Era Draft Results & Fantasy Cards
There are seemingly more exciting wrestlers and wrestling companies across the world than there have been in many years, and Ring Rust Radio celebrated that recently in the form of its annual fantasy draft.
RRR panelists Mike Chiari, Brandon Galvin and Donald Wood along with special guest Joe Arcidiacono held a draft and selected from wrestlers in companies such as WWE, NXT, Lucha Underground, ROH, TNA, New Japan, AAA and many more. The draft lasted for 30 rounds, and all four participants have now released the best fantasy cards they could possibly make with the rosters they drafted.
Check out every card and their accompanying explanations before voting for who you believe put together the best event that would captivate you as a wrestling fan.
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Don't forget to cast your vote and tune in to Ring Rust Radio on Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET to find out who reigned supreme.
Brandon Galvin—ROH
| ROH World Championship | Fight Without Honor | Brock Lesnar w/ Paul Heyman vs. Jay Briscoe | Brock Lesnar |
| ROH World Championship No. 1 Contendership | Basic Singles | Seth Rollins (w/ J&J Security) vs. AJ Styles | AJ Styles |
| ROH TV Championship | Basic Singles | Dolph Ziggler (w/ Lana) vs. Prince Puma (w/ Konnan) | Prince Puma |
| ROH Tag Team Championship | Ladder Match | Hardy Boyz (Jeff & Matt) vs. Colin Cassady & Enzo Amore (w/ Carmella) vs. The Addiction (Christopher Daniels & Frankie Kazarian) vs. The Usos (Jimmy & Jey) | The Addiction |
| ROH TV Championship No. 1 Contendership | Basic Singles | Chris Jericho vs. Bobby Roode | Chris Jericho |
| Fatal Fourway | Sasha Banks vs. Sexy Star vs. Nikki Bella w/ Brie Bella vs. Ivelisse | Sasha Banks | |
| Fight Without Honor Triple Threat | Tommy Dreamer vs. Rhyno vs. Sabu | Tommy Dreamer | |
| Basic Singles | Sheamus vs. Cage | Cage | |
| Moneymaker Match | The Miz vs. Mark Briscoe | Mark Briscoe | |
| Rights to be Called "King" | Basic Singles | King Barrett vs. Kenny King | Kenny King |
| Triple Threat | Chris Hero vs. Kota Ibushi vs. Michael Elgin | Kota Ibushi |
Chris Hero vs. Kota Ibushi vs. Michael Elgin
The opener of Best in the World came about because all three men were upset with management that they didn't have a true place on the card. Chris Hero opened the show complaining and demanding a match, which led to Elgin coming out and finally Ibushi. As they argued, a referee ran down to the ring and the bell sounded to signal that management called for them to wrestle.
Although it was an even three-way bout, Ibushi hit his Phoenix-Plex on Hero for the win.
King Barrett vs. Kenny King
The battle to determine the true "king" of Ring of Honor. Leading up to the match, the cocky Kenny King boasted about "king" being his true name and that Barrett was only playing king. The arrogant Barrett would fire back to declare himself the king of ROH. At Best in the World, one side would have to forfeit using "king" in their name.
Ultimately, it was Kenny King who prevailed when he ducked under the Bull Hammer and hit Barrett with his Coronation.
The Miz vs. Mark Briscoe
Miz vs. Briscoe is also known as the "Moneymaker" match at this event because The Mizhad been teasing Briscoe about losing his front teeth. The Miz continuously boasted about his own "moneymaker" and would air unfavorable images of Briscoe for the audience to laugh at, except Miz was the only one laughing as the crowd booed him. Every time Briscoe would try to put an end to Miz's shenanigans, Miz would run away, leaving the audience and most importantly, Briscoe, unsatisfied.
Two weeks before Best in the World, Miz hit Briscoe with a chair, knocking him unconscious, which allowed Miz to steal Briscoe's fake front teeth. On the final television show before Best in the World, Miz wore Briscoe's teeth around his neck on a chain necklace and announced Best in the World would be a "Moneymaker Match," thus for the rights to own Briscoe's teeth. If Miz wins, Briscoe would forfeit his teeth to Miz for good and would be unable to replace them for the rest of his career at ROH.
At Best in the World, Miz even wrestled with Briscoe's teeth around his neck to taunt Briscoe. Given Miz's excellent heel tactics and ability to get under the crowd's skin, Briscoe received massive support when he gave Miz the beat down of a lifetime. Despite Miz trying to cheat, Briscoe hit the Cut-Throat Driver for the victory and regained his teeth.
Sheamus vs. Cage
Two of the best brawlers in the business today going toe-to-toe, what more could a fan of hard-hitting action ask for? Fans know when Sheamus and Cage step into the ring somebody is going to get beat down and left with a handful of welts.
Sheamus may be more well known for being a bruiser, but Cage has been climbing the ranks over the past year solidifying himself as one of the toughest in the industry too. After kicking out of a Brogue Kick, Sheamus went back to well one too many times and Cage countered and landed the Weapon X to pull off the upset.
Fight Without Honor: Tommy Dreamer vs. Rhyno vs. Sabu
Every show needs a great hardcore match and it's difficult to find a better one when there's three ECW legends involved. All three men have put on classic matches in an extreme environment, so they're the perfect trio to take the card to another level.
After Rhyno takes out Sabu with the Gore in mid-air from a triple jump moonsault attempt, Dreamer smashes a steel chair over Rhyno's head and connects with a DDT on the chair to secure the victory.
Sasha Banks vs. Sexy Star vs. Nikki Bella w/ Brie Bella vs. Ivelisse
Ring of Honor currently doesn't have a women's title, so four of the top women's wrestlers in the world have made it their mission to convince management to create a championship and proper division. In order to receive approval, they needed to put on a great, convincing match. With these four women in the ring and Brie patrolling ringside to give her sister Nikki an assist, fans know this would be an incredible match.
After plenty of high spots, reversals and signature moves, Nikki tied up Sasha in order for Brie to get a chance to slap her with the referee distracted. Instead, Sasha wormed her way out and Brie ended up slapping Nikki. Sasha drop kicked Brie off the ring apron and locked in the Bank Statement on Nikki to force her to tap out.
Following the match, management awarded Sasha with the first ever ROH Women's Championship.
Ring of Honor TV Championship No. 1 Contendership: Chris Jericho vs. Bobby Roode
Two Canadians often considered the most well-rounded of their respective companies. There is no doubt the mic work and intensity leading up to the match would be on point. Jericho and Roode know how to draw a reaction not just from the audience, but from their opponents.
Jericho and Roode would certainly be an even, compelling matchup for fans because they are so technically sound and precise in their movement. Not surprising to fans, Roode got too cocky for his own good and attempted to put Jericho in the Walls of Jericho, but Jericho countered and locked in his true version to force Roode to tap out in the center of the ring.
Ring of Honor Tag Team Championship Ladder Match: Hardy Boyz (Jeff & Matt) vs. Colin Cassady & Enzo Amore (w/ Carmella) vs. The Addiction (Christopher Daniels & Frankie Kazarian) vs. The Usos (Jimmy & Jey)
The Hardy Boyz are best associated with ladders, so naturally when they came to Ring of Honor they requested to have the belts held high and compete against the best of the best. Despite being the most comfortable in ladder matches, The Addiction are also veterans of the game.
After The Usos and Enzo & Cass were taken out, Jeff Hardy climbed to the top of the ladder. But just as his fingertips touched the belt, The Addiction knocked him off and climbed to the top to pull down the belts and win the match.
Ring of Honor TV Championship: Dolph Ziggler (w/ Lana) vs. Prince Puma (w/ Konnan)
The match many would look to with the best chance to steal the show, Ziggler and Puma are two of the most popular wrestlers within the Internet Wrestling Community. Ziggler's fans are constantly under the impression is he being held down from fulfilling his full potential and here he is once again getting screwed over.
Despite already having Konnan on his side, Lana screws over Ziggler to side with Puma and Konnan. However, Puma reluctantly makes the cover to get the win because he was just as shocked as Ziggler. Turns out, Konnan had been working Lana and convinced here to flip sides without informing Puma of the plan. The honorable Puma storms out with his head hanging as Konnan and Lana celebrate over Ziggler.
Ring of Honor World Championship No. 1 Contendership: Seth Rollins (w/ J&J Security) vs. AJ Styles
Easily two of the most skilled wrestlers in the business today squaring off in a dream match many fans hope will happen in 2016.
Rollins and Styles are supreme high flyers, but they are also incredibly smooth in the ring. They're able to string together moves at a blistering pace, but know when to slow the pace down to allow fans to consume the action.
Many assumed the shenanigans from J&J Security would be too much for Styles to overcome, but he managed to turn the tables on Rollins. After J&J Security kept trying to interfere, the referee tossed them from ringside. As Rollins argued with the referee, Styles capitalized and turned Rollins around to nail the Styles Clash for the victory.
Ring of Honor World Championship: Brock Lesnar (w/ Paul Heyman) vs. Jay Briscoe
Lesnar and Heyman came to Ring of Honor with the sole purpose of taking it over and taking out the promotion's top competitors. Instead of working his way up, Lesnar went straight after the top dog in the yard: Briscoe.
Two of the most no-nonsense wrestlers in the world today battling it out for the ROH championship in a dream match for many fans. They are easily two of the top brawlers in the industry and would never back down from anybody.
Leading up to the match, Heyman and Briscoe exchanged heated words, but Heyman always kept 'The Beast Incarnate' caged until he was ready to unleash him. That time came at Best in the World.
Briscoe would hold his own for most of the match, continuously fighting back against Lesnar despite the crushing blows, but three F5's proved to be too much for the ROHlegend. Best in the World ends with Lesnar and Heyman reigning supreme with fans left to wonder what 'The Next Big Thing' will unleash next on Ring of Honor.
Mike Chiari—Lucha Underground
| Lucha Underground Championship | Basic Singles | Daniel Bryan (c) vs. Finn Balor | Finn Balor |
| Loser Leaves Lucha Underground No Holds Barred | Triple H vs. Roman Reigns | Roman Reigns | |
| Gift of the Gods Championship | Triple Threat | Cesaro (c) vs. Neville vs. Rob Van Dam | Cesaro |
| Tag Team Tables | Team 3D (Bully Ray & Devon) vs. Luke Harper & Erick Rowan | Team 3D | |
| AAA Mega Championship | Basic Singles | Rey Mysterio Jr. (c) vs. Kalisto | Kalisto |
| Grave Consequences | Mil Muertes (w/ Catrina) vs. Kane | Mil Muertes | |
| Submission | Charlotte vs. Stephanie McMahon (w/ Awesome Kong) | Charlotte | |
| Trios Championships | Triple Threat Ladder | Disciples of Death (Barrio Negro, El Sinestro de la Muerte & Trece) (c) (w/ Catrina) vs. New Day (Kofi Kingston, Big E & Xavier Woods) vs. Lucha Dragons (Sin Cara, Ultimo Dragon & Drago) | Lucha Dragons |
| Minis Showcase | Mascarita Sagrada vs. El Torito (w/ Los Matadores (Diego & Fernando)) | Mascarita Sagrada | |
| Unique Opportunity | Six-Man Aztec Warfare | Tyson Kidd vs. Lashley vs. Shelton Benjamin vs. The Mack vs. Matt Sydal vs. Kill Shot | Lashley |
Aztec Warfare Match For a Unique Opportunity: Tyson Kidd vs. Lashley vs. Shelton Benjamin vs. The Mack vs. Matt Sydal vs. Kill Shot
Ultima Lucha kicks off with a six-man Aztec Warfare match, which is similar to the Royal Rumble in that it features wrestlers entering at timed intervals, although eliminations occur via pinfall or submission.
Prior to the contest, new Lucha Underground owners Triple H and Stephanie McMahon make an announcement. The Game, who bought the company in hopes of eliminating competition, is set to face Roman Reigns later in the night in a Loser Leaves Lucha Underground match. He reveals that the winner of Aztec Warfare will receive a unique opportunity in the form of a future Lucha Underground Championship match provided they “do the right thing” during Triple H’s bout.
With such a huge opportunity up for grabs, all six combatants throw caution to the wind, and there are no eliminations until every member of the match has entered. While Kidd, Benjamin, The Mack, Sydal and Kill Shot bust out some exciting, high-flying moves, it is Lashley who takes control.
He picks off his opponent one-by-one until it comes down to just he and Kidd. While the technical wizard does his best to chop down The Destroyer and even gets him in the Sharpshooter at one point, Lashley breaks free and hits a spear for the victory. Triple H applauds in approval as he believes his chances of winning later in the night increased significantly.
Minis Showcase: Mascarita Sagrada vs. El Torito (w/ Los Matadores (Diego & Fernando))
Lucha Libre sets itself apart from other styles of wrestling in many ways, and one of the most unique aspects of it is the focus on minis competition. Ultima Lucha features two of the best pint-sized wrestlers in the world as Mascarita Sagrada and El Torito go head-to-head.
Sagrada and Torito decide that Lucha Underground is only big enough for one of them, which leads to one of the most fast-paced and exciting bouts of the night as neither star is willing to give in.
When it becomes clear that Mascarita Sagrada is nearly unbeatable, El Torito calls for Los Matadores to lend a helping hand. That backfires, though, as Sagrada launches himself onto Torito, Diego and Fernando with a death-defying suicide dive.
Once the action resumes in the ring, Sagrada catches Torito with a hurricanrana into a pinning combination, which cements his status as the best mini LU has to offer.
Lucha Underground Trios Championship Triple Threat Ladder Match: Disciples of Death (Barrio Negro, El Sinestro de la Muerte & Trece) (w/ Catrina) (c) vs. New Day (Kofi Kingston, Big E & Xavier Woods) vs. Lucha Dragons (Sin Cara, Ultimo Dragon & Drago)
Mexican wrestling places a great deal of emphasis on trios competition, and that is on full display in this match when The Disciples of Death attempt to defend their Trios Championships against New Day and the revamped Lucha Dragons in a Triple Threat ladder match.
The ruthless Disciples of Death have a wild card in their favor with the seductive Catrina patrolling the outside of the ring, but that doesn’t stop New Day and The Lucha Dragons from putting their bodies on the line in one of the night’s most action-packed matches.
The Lucha Dragons, who are without Kalisto due to his pursuit of singles gold later in the night, engage in a brawl with New Day atop Triple H’s office. After Sin Cara and Drago take out Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods, it looks as though The Disciples of Death are about to retain the titles as they beat down both Big E and Ultimo Dragon in the ring.
In an act of desperation, Sin Cara and Drago both dive off the office’s roof in tandem and wipe out the ladder before The Disciples of Death can get to the top. With all nine competitors incapacitated, Catrina attempts to climb the ladder. Ultimo Dragon begins to stir, though, and grabs the titles before Catrina can, thus making The Lucha Dragons the new Trios champs.
Women’s Submission Match: Charlotte vs. Stephanie McMahon (w/ Awesome Kong)
Like Triple H, Stephanie McMahon has ruled Lucha Underground with an iron fist since taking over. While none of the men on the roster can do anything about it, the same can’t be said for Charlotte, who decides to step up in an effort to teach the boss a lesson.
While Stephanie is a physical specimen in her own right, she is overmatched by the incredible strength and athleticism of Ric Flair’s daughter, which is why she enlists the services of the massive Awesome Kong leading up to Ultima Lucha.
Charlotte challenges Steph to a Submission match in hopes of evening the odds to some degree, and Triple H’s wife agrees since Awesome Kong’s presence leaves her unconcerned with regard to potentially losing.
Steph spends much of the match running from Charlotte until Kong steps in and gives Stephanie the upper hand. Charlotte comes to realize that she must somehow eliminate Awesome Kong from the equation in order to win, and she does that in the latter stages by sending her through the window of Triple H’s office.
With nobody left to save McMahon from her demise, Charlotte locks in a Figure Four around the ring post and Stephanie has no choice but to submit and concede not only Charlotte’s superiority, but the superiority of the Flair family over the McMahons.
Grave Consequences Match: Mil Muertes (w/ Catrina) vs. Kane
The Man of a Thousand Deaths, Mil Muertes, has been an unstoppable force in Lucha Underground due not only to his brute strength, but also the presence of Catrina and the mystical stone she carries. Muertes isn’t the only supernatural force in the temple, though, as Kane challenges him to a match at Ultima Lucha.
They don’t lock horns in just any match; however, as Catrina insists that they do battle in a Grave Consequences match, which is the equivalent of a casket match. To ensure that he is ready for such an immense battle, The Devil’s Favorite Demon comes to Ultima Lucha with his classic look as he wears the mask under which he has enjoyed so much success over the years.
The Grave Consequences match turns into a game of one-upmanship as both wrestlers attempt to prove their dominance. Muertes thinks he has the match won after hitting a Flatliner, but The Big Red Machine manages to sit up. Mil returns the favor, though, by sitting up after a Tombstone.
Catrina decides that something drastic must be done in order to destroy Kane, so she hands Muertes a bag. He pours it out onto the mat, leaving hundreds of thumbtacks in the middle of the ring. Mil then sickeningly hits Kane with a Flatliner on the tacks before rolling him into the casket and slamming the lid shut.
AAA Mega Championship Match: Rey Mysterio Jr. (c) vs. Kalisto
Rey Mysterio Jr. is one of the greatest icons in the history of Mexican wrestling, and he enters Ultima Lucha as the AAA Mega champion. He has taken on and defeated all comers, but he faces his toughest challenge yet in the form of Kalisto.
Many have compared Kalisto to a young Mysterio, which creates an interesting dynamic in this match as the master of the 619 must essentially take on a mirror image of his former self.
The respect between them is apparent from the opening bell as they shake hands before engaging in a dizzying display of Lucha Libre excellence. Kalisto is clearly the faster and more athletic luchador, but Mysterio’s savvy and experience allow him to stay in the match.
Mysterio appears to be on the verge of retaining after hitting Kalisto with the 619, but the challenger has the presence of mind to roll out of the way when Mysterio attempts to drop the dime.
In a moment of desperation, Kalisto takes Mysterio to the top rope and goes for a high-impact version of his Salida del Sol finisher. He manages to connect, which allows him to pin Mysterio, win the AAA Mega Championship and usher in a new era of Lucha Libre.
Kalisto and Mysterio embrace following their incredible match before the rest of the Lucha Dragons make their way to the ring and hoist Kalisto onto their shoulders while all four members show off their championship gold.
Tag Team Tables Match: Team 3D (Bully Ray & Devon) vs. Luke Harper & Erick Rowan
On the heels of a well-wrestled affair between two stars who have the utmost respect for one another, Ultima Lucha takes a violent turn as Team 3D faces off against Luke Harper and Erick Rowan in a hard-hitting Tables match.
Harper and Rowan constantly mocked and goaded Bully Ray and Devon leading up to the event by calling them out and even stealing their Dudley Death Drop finishing move. Team 3D agreed to face Harper and Rowan at Ultima Lucha under the condition that they compete in their specialty match.
Since Harper and Rowan feel as though they have passed the Dudleys by, they agree to the stipulation. They seemed right at home in the hardcore environment as they took the fight to Team 3D early on and seemed to be on the verge of pulling off the upset.
The momentum shifts when Bully manages to put Rowan through a table with a powerbomb off the ropes, though, which leaves Harper on his own against both members of Team 3D.
Harper attempts to fight them off, but the veterans prove to be too much as they put Harper through a table with the 3D, thus establishing themselves as the masters of the move and maintaining their perch atop the tag team division.
Triple Threat Gift of the Gods Championship Match: Cesaro (c) vs. Nevillevs. Rob Van Dam
The holder of the Gift of the Gods Championship is in an advantageous position since they can challenge the Lucha Underground champion to a title match at any time as long as it is one week in advance. Incumbent champion Cesaro held onto the belt for too long, though, which caused Triple H to book him in a Triple Threat match against Neville and Rob Van Dam.
Cesaro is at a disadvantage against the high-flying Neville and experienced RVD, but he is determined to hang on to the title that could soon make him Lucha Underground champion.
This contest would feature a little bit of everything wrestling fans love from Cesaro’s pure strength to Neville’s dynamic offense to Van Dam’s hardcore flair.
In an effort to take Cesaro out of the running, both Neville and RVD scale the ropes in hopes of hitting The Swiss Superman with a Red Arrow and Five-Star Frog Splash at the same time. Cesaro manages to roll out of the way, though, and after disposing of The Man That Gravity Forgot with a pop-up uppercut, he disorients RVD with a giant swing before finishing him off with a Neutralizer to retain the strap.
Loser Leaves Lucha Underground No Holds Barred Match: Triple H vs. Roman Reigns
The moment of truth for Triple H and Lucha Underground comes to pass in the second-to-last match of the night as The King of Kings faces Roman Reigns in a No Holds Barred match with the loser being forced to leave Lucha Underground forever.
Triple H’s abuse of power has taken a toll on the entire roster, which prompted Reigns to step up in opposition. The Game was unwilling to agree to Reigns’ stipulation initially, but after weeks of embarrassment at the hands of The Juggernaut, he finally relented.
As Triple H so often does, though, he stacked the deck in his favor by making it a No Holds Barred match and essentially enlisting the services of Lashley.
Reigns and Triple H battle through every square inch of the temple as they duke it out in the stands among the believers and even end up in Triple H’s office at one point. Reigns powerbombs The Cerebral Assassin through the table and drags him back toward the ring, but Lashley makes his anticipated appearance.
Lashley and Triple H get the upper hand, which prompts The Game to get his trusty sledgehammer. Before he uses it, though, he asks Lashley to spear Reigns. The former Shield member is able to avoid it, however, which results in Triple H getting speared.
Reigns then hits Lashley with a spear of his own before using a variation of the Superman Punch to hit Triple H with the sledgehammer. That puts Triple H down for the count and ends his reign of terror in Lucha Underground as the believers serenade him with the sounds of, “Na na na na, na na na na, hey hey hey, good bye!”
Lucha Underground Championship Match: Daniel Bryan (c) vs. Finn Balor
With Triple H out of the picture, the fans are free to sit back and enjoy the highly anticipated Lucha Underground Championship match between titleholder Daniel Bryan and challenger Finn Balor.
Balor dazzles the crowd before the contest even begins with an entrance for the ages as he unleashes The Demon. Bryan is far from intimidated, though, as he takes the fight to the Irishman in an effort to show that he intends to remain atop Lucha Underground.
Bryan and Balor go back and forth for upwards of a half hour with neither man figuring out how to put away the other. This fact frustrates Bryan and brings out a surprising mean streak as his kicks get stiffer and he uses every second of the five count afforded to him by the referee.
The crowd remains split, but Balor’s resiliency and refusal to lose certainly gains him a fair amount of respect. Bryan seemingly has Balor lined up for a running knee, but the quick-thinking challenger pulls out a Pele Kick from out of nowhere to incapacitate the champion.
Balor then scales the ropes as the believers in the temple urge him on, and he hits Bryan flush on the chest with the Coup De Grace to win the Lucha Underground Championship in grand fashion.
Bryan shakes Balor’s hand out of respect as the show reaches its conclusion, while Cesaro looks on from the balcony and points in their direction, thus setting the stage for what promises to be an incredible feud over the Lucha Underground title moving forward.
Joe Arcidiacono—NXT
| NXT Championship | Triple Threat | John Cena (c) vs. Sami Zayn vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi | Sami Zayn |
| Hair vs. Hair | Tyler Breeze vs. Johnny Mundo | Johnny Mundo | |
| NXT Championship No. 1 Contendership | Fatal 4-Way Elimination | Adam Cole vs. Rusev (w/ Summer Rae) vs. Fenix vs. Roderick Strong | Adam Cole |
| Grudge Match | Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Austin Aries | Shinsuke Nakamura | |
| Tag Team Championships | Triple Threat TLC | reDRagon (Kyle O'Reilly & Bobby Fish) (c) vs. Blake & Murphy (w/ Alexa Bliss) vs. Jack Evans & Angelico | Jack Evans & Angelico |
| Women's Championship No. 1 Contendership | Triple Threat | Alexa Bliss vs. Taryn Terrell vs. Summer Rae | Alexa Bliss |
| Basic Singles | King Cuerno vs. Ryback | Ryback | |
| Six-Man Tag Team | Low Ki, Stevie Richards & Mark Henry vs. Paul London, Son of Havoc & Aero Star | Paul London, Son of Havoc & Aero Star | |
| Tag Team Championship No. 1 Contendership | Tag Team | The Young Bucks (Nick & Matt Jackson) vs. The Wolves (Davey Richards & Eddie Edwards) | The Young Bucks |
| Women's Championship | Fatal 4-Way | Natalya (c) vs. Havok vs. Becky Lynch vs. Candice LeRae | Becky Lynch |
Women’s Championship: Natalya (c) vs. Havok vs. Becky Lynch vs. Candice LeRae
To prove that NXT has the best talent in the world, the general manager opened the doors to any wrestler from around the world to come to NXT and compete. Talents from all over the world accepted the challenge - such as independent wrestlers Havok and Candice LeRae. With NXT leading the rise in popularity of women’s wrestling, several of the top talents in the world came to NXT to try and unseat the champion, Natalya. Havok dominates the early stages of the match, but the others work together to take her out, then turn on each other. Natalya nearly makes Candice tap to the Sharpshooter, but Becky breaks it up, pins down Natalya with the Disarmer to make her tap and become new Women’s Champion.
Tag Team Championship No. 1 Contendership: The Young Bucks (Nick & Matt Jackson) vs. The Wolves (Davey Richards & Eddie Edwards)
With the Young Bucks representing the Bullet Club against The Wolves, this match delivers the fast-paced, exciting style that these veteran tag teams are known for. Countless superkicks are landed by the Young Bucks but the Wolves nearly win the match numerous times. It isn’t until Matt Jackson gets his feet on the ropes during a roll up that the Bucks can put the Wolves away and become the new NXT tag team No. 1 contenders.
Low Ki, Stevie Richards and Mark Henry vs. Paul London, Son of Havoc and Aero Star
With all the new talent appearing in NXT, Mark Henry made it a point to remind everyone that he is the World’s Strongest Man. Low Ki and Stevie Richards, swayed by the company’s money, have also sided with Henry to remove these newcomers from NXT. After Henry, Richards and Ki target Aero Star, former WWE tag team champion Paul London and Son of Havoc stand with Aero Star. In the six-man match, London, Havoc and Aero Star use their high-flying to wear down Henry, Richards and Ki, allowing Aero Star to pin Richards with a splash for the win.
King Cuerno vs. Ryback
Upon arriving at NXT, King Cuero carefully observed the competition from afar until he chose his prey - The Ryback. Though Ryback has considerable size on Cuerno, the hunter stalked his prey for weeks, attacking when Ryback least expected it. But now, Ryback finally has Cuerno in the ring. Cuerno spends much of the match quickly hitting Ryback then evading. After missing the Arrow From Hell, Ryback takes advantage of the opening and hits the Meathook Clothesline and the Shellshock to win.
Women’s Championship No. 1 Contendership: Alexa Bliss vs. Taryn Terrell vs. Summer Rae
From the start, these three females didn’t like each other and those hard feelings only worsened once a chance at the NXT Women’s title was at stake. A former TNA Knockouts Champion, Taryn Terrell was in control for most of the match. But in the end, though she gave up size to both of her opponents, Alexa Bliss earns the win and No. 1 contendership after hitting Summer Rae with the Sparkle Splash.
TLC Tag Team Championship: reDRagon (Kyle O'Reilly & Bobby Fish) (c) vs. Blake and Murphy (w/ Alexa Bliss) vs. Jack Evans and Angelico
Despite being former champions and having Alexa Bliss to run interference, Blake and Murphy spent most of this match getting beat up on by Jack Evans, Angelico and reDRagon. Kyle O’Reilly and Bobby Fish hit Chasing the Dragon on Blake off two ladders onto tables outside the ring. As O’Reilly neared the top, he is thrown from the ladder and out of the ring by Murphy. Angelico meets Murphy atop the ladder and loses a fist fight and as he falls, dives onto Blake and reDRagon outside the ring. Murphy nearly grabs the title but Jack Evans low blows him and grabs the belts. As Evans and Angelico celebrate, the Young Bucks come out with Bullet Club shirts for the new champs and pretend to Too Sweet them, but then super kick Angelico and Evans and tell them to suck it.
Grudge Match: Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Austin Aries
Both Shinsuke Nakamura and Austin Aries journeyed to NXT with the intention of competing for the NXT Championship. But it wasn’t long before these two rubbed each other the wrong way. Aries sees Nakamura as a goof who uses his mannerisms to play to the crowd and calls his ability into question. More than anything, Nakamura takes offense to Aries diminishing his skills and has been relentless in proving that he is the best, not only in NXT but in the world. In a hard-hitting, back-and-forth match, Nakamura finally bests Aries with a Boma Ye knee strike from the top rope to the back of Aries’ head.
NXT Championship No. 1 Contendership Elimination Match: Adam Cole vs. Rusev (w/ Summer Rae) vs. Fenix vs. Roderick Strong
This match is wild and very physical, with all four men attacking each other at random and forging few alliances. Cole uses a technical approach to keep Fenix grounded and works for a Figure Four, while Rusev and Roderick Strong battle, hitting each other as hard as they can. After Fenix misses a big dive, Cole makes him tap to the Figure Four while Strong knocks out Rusev with two Sick Kicks to pin him. After the two remaining competitors put on a clinic going for the final fall, Cole pushes Strong into the ref and then low blows Strong. Cole wakes up the ref and as Strong gets up, Cole catches him with the Panama Sunrise to become the new NXT World title No. 1 contender.
Hair vs Hair: Tyler Breeze vs. Johnny Mundo
Ever since Johnny Mundo came to NXT, Tyler Breeze has been harassing him. Prince Pretty wants to be the most attention getting Superstar in NXT and says Mundo has been causing him to lose modeling gigs and photoshoots. But Mundo says Breeze is delusional - though says he could steal those photoshoots from Breeze if he wanted. In a previous meeting, Breeze cheated to defeat Mundo taking this war of words to another level. In an effort to get Breeze to leave him alone forever, Mundo challenges Breeze to a hair-vs-hair match. After an intense contest, Mundo evades the Beauty Shot and puts Breeze down with a Moonlight Drive and pins him after the End of the World. But rather than part with his golden locks, Breeze delivers a Supermodel Kick to Mundo and flees to the locker room.
NXT Championship: John Cena (c) vs. Sami Zayn vs Hiroshi Tanahashi
The 15-time World champion and NXT Champion John Cena has been on top since he showed up in NXT, meeting all challengers head on. Sami Zayn has been working tirelessly to return to the title picture and finally earned another shot at the title. But as he did, the worldwide open challenge went out and several new contenders appeared. When Hiroshi Tanahashi - the seven-time and most prolific IWGP Heavyweight champion of all time - appeared in NXT, he was immediately given a title shot at When Worlds Collide. But because Zayn had earned a title shot, the match was made a triple threat match. Zayn found himself fighting from behind against the onslaught of Cena and Tanahashi early in the match. The battle continues for nearly 45 minutes with Cena and Tanahashi trading many Attitude Adjustments and High Fly Flows but neither man will stay down. After Cena hits his 5th AA on Tanahashi, Zayn surprises him with a flatliner into a Koji Clutch. Tanahashi is knocked out and can’t break up the hold and rather than tap, John Cena passes out and Sami Zayn becomes the new and first two-time NXT Champion!
Donald Wood—WWE
| WWE World Heavyweight Championship | MITB Cash-In | Kevin Owens (c) vs. Apollo Crews | Apollo Crews |
| WWE World Heavyweight Championship | Basic Singles | Kevin Owens (c) vs. Dean Ambrose | Kevin Owens |
| Intercontinental Championship | Basic Singles | Kurt Angle (c) vs. Hideo Itami | Hideo Itami |
| Tag Team Championships | Triple Threat Tag Team | Goldust & Stardust (c) vs. The Kingdom (Michael Bennett & Matt Taven) (w/ Maria Kanellis) vs. RPG Vice (Rocky Romero & Barreta) | Goldust & Stardust |
| Retirement Match | The Undertaker vs. Sting | The Undertaker | |
| United States Championship | Basic Singles | Ethan Carter III (c) vs. Samoa Joe | Ethan Carter III |
| Six-Man Tag Team | The Wyatt Family (Bray Wyatt, Pentagon Jr. & Solomon Crowe) vs. The Bullet Club (Randy Orton, Doc Gallows & Karl Anderson) | The Wyatt Family | |
| Money in the Bank Ladder Match | Jay Lethal (w/ Truth Martini) vs. Kazuchika Okada vs. Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Alberto El Patron vs. Dr. Wagner Jr. vs. Apollo Crews | Apollo Crews | |
| Women's Championship | Fatal 4-Way | Paige (c) vs. Gail Kim vs. Bayley vs. ODB | Gail Kim |
| YouTube Money in the Bank Qualifier | Apollo Crews vs. Dalton Castle vs. Damien Sandow vs. Jeff Jarrett (w/ Karen Jarrett) | Apollo Crews |
YouTube Pre-Show Money in the Bank Qualifier: Apollo Crews vs. Dalton Castle vs. Damien Sandow vs. Jeff Jarrett (w/ Karen Jarrett)
The first bout on my WrestleMania card is a YouTube pre-show Fatal 4-Way to qualify for the Money in the Bank Ladder match later in the night. The combatants include Apollo Crews, Dalton Castle, Damien Sandow and Jeff Jarrett, and the match will be a unique mix of raw skill and light-hearted storytelling. Each man gets a chance to showcase their in-ring abilities and personality, but it will be Crews who will be the focus due to his freakish athleticism. After Castle and Sandow attack each other (setting up their subsequent storyline), Crews will earn the win with a clean pinfall over Jarrett.
WWE Women's Championship: Paige (c) vs. Gail Kim vs. Bayley vs. ODB
The first match on a WrestleMania PPV card must set the tone for the event. After showing how great the division could be all year, the women’s division is given the chance to shine by opening the show. Defending champion Paige has put her title on the line against the three top contenders in the company, Gail Kim, Bayley and ODB. With Paige playing the heel, the other three faces start off working together, but it eventually breaks down as the every-woman-for-herself mentality kicks in. After Paige and Bayley get thrown out of the ring, Kim hits her finisher on ODB and wins the women’s championship without pinning the champion. This will set up the angle between Kim and Paige at Extreme Rules.
Money in the Bank Ladder Match: Jay Lethal (w/ Truth Martini) vs. Kazuchika Okada vs. Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Alberto El Patron vs. Dr. Wagner Jr. vs. Apollo Crews
The second match on the card is the Money in the Bank Ladder match. The combatants include Jay Lethal with his manager Truth Martini, Kazuchika Okada, Jushin Thunder Liger, Alberto El Patron, Dr. Wagner Jr. and pre-show qualifier Apollo Crews. The story during this match besides everyone fighting for the No. 1 contendership is setting up feuds moving forward. The focus will be on the budding feud between Lethal and Okada over who deserves to be the next champion, and the heated rivalry between Alberto El Patron and Dr. Wagner Jr in a battle of old school against new school. Jushin Thunder Liger brings name recognition and in-ring skill, but lost in the mix is Crews. The 27-year-old star will shine in the match as the crowd will be supporting him as the underdog, and when everyone has taken themselves out of the match via outlier battles, it will be Crews who runs up the ladder and uses his athleticism to steal the briefcase and shock the world.
The Wyatt Family (Bray Wyatt, Pentagon Jr and Solomon Crowe) vs. The Bullet Club (Randy Orton, Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson)
In a battle of warring stables, The Wyatt Family—comprised of leader Bray Wyatt and his followers Pentagon Jr and Solomon Crowe—is attempting to take down fan favorites The Bullet Club, made up of new leader Randy Orton and the tag team of Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson. The Bullet Club had become incredibly popular with wrestling fans due to their skill in the ring and their Stone-Cold-style attitudes. The Wyatt Family has taken exception to the Bullet Club’s popularity and wages war against them. Using ruthless aggression, Wyatt, Pentagon and Crowe dismantles the popular stable and leave the entire group injured in the ring at the end of the bout to validate The Wyatt Family’s power within WWE.
United States Championship: Ethan Carter III (c) vs. Samoa Joe
As one of the top heels in the wrestling industry right now, Ethan Carter III will be tasked with ensuring the United States Championship stays at an elite level. Unfortunately, Carter has taken every easy way out imaginable—from low blows to a hand full of tights during roll-up pins—to successfully defend his title. Just when it looks like Carter has beaten every challenger put in front of him, Samoa Joe states his desire to take the U.S. title and become the fighting champion the belt deserves. After a great in-ring battle depicted by the veteran Samoa Joe, Carter will use an eye poke behind the ref’s back, roll up Joe and hold the ropes in order to steal the win. This would be chapter one of a long-term storyline.
Retirement Match: The Undertaker vs. Sting
After the WWE announces that both Sting and Undertaker would be inductees into the 2016 Hall of Fame class, the two men came face-to-face in the ring. The two men acknowledged their respect for each other, but admitted the fact that all the dream match talk over the years has followed them. Each competitor says they believe they would earn the victory in a potential matchup, and they agree to a WrestleMania bout with a stipulation that the loser retires from wrestling. After an incredible build, the two men enter the match in a friendly manner, but the match gets increasingly stiffer and more physical. After a brutal and bloody battle, Undertaker finally gets the better of Sting and pins him following back-to-back tombstone piledrivers. After Undertaker walks to the back and looks back indicating he isn’t through just yet, Sting gets his standing ovation and walks to the back for the last time in his career. What makes this bout even more important is that the following WrestleMania would be Kevin Owens vs. Undertaker in a retirement match where Owens forces Undertaker to retire.
WWE Tag Team Championship Triple Threat: Goldust and Stardust (c) vs. The Kingdom (Michael Bennett & Matt Taven) (w/ Maria Kanellis) vs. RPG Vice (Rocky Romero & Barreta)
After a match and moment as incredible as watching Undertaker force Sting to retire, it will be hard for anyone to follow. Those tasked with the unfavorable segment will be the tag division, but they will easily get the fans back into the action. The focus of this match will be letting Goldust and Stardust shine and the eventual face turn of Kingdom manager Maria Kanellis. As much as The Kingdom (made up of Matt Taven and Michael Bennett with Kanellis) and RPG Vice will try to steal the tag team titles, the defending champions will walk away victorious once again. This time, though, the win would come after the constantly mistreated Kanellis turns on Taven and Bennett and gives the victory to Goldust and Stardust by joining the team as their manager.
Intercontinental Championship: Kurt Angle (c) vs. Hideo Itami
The co-main event of the night will be a battle for the Intercontinental Championship between defending champion Kurt Angle putting the title on the line against No. 1 contender Hideo Itami. Angle has been the reigning champion for over a year, but Itami won a company-wide tournament to name the challenger for the title at WrestleMania. While Itami tried to show respect to the champion, Angle attacked him from behind at a WrestleMania press conference and left him bloodied in front of the cameras. At the PPV, Angle will mock Itami and tell him he’s not worthy of holding the belt. Itami will come back at the end of the match and hit the GTS finisher to pin the champion for the victory. After the match as Itami is celebrating with his title, Angle would slide back into the ring and hit him with an Angle Slam from behind, indicating fans have not seen the last of this program.
WWE World Heavyweight Championship: Kevin Owens (c) vs. Dean Ambrose
In the main event of the evening, WWE world heavyweight champion Kevin Owens will square off against 2016 Royal Rumble winner Dean Ambrose. Owens has done everything in his power to avoid getting in the ring against Ambrose, but has attacked him from behind on several different occasions. Playing the prototypical heel, Owens and Ambrose engage in a classic main event which features both men taking each other to the brink. After several finishers, memorable moments and a series of near falls, each man would find themselves down on the mat. As they both beat the referee's 10-count, Owens grabs a chair he had placed on the apron. The referee takes the weapon from Owens and walks to the ropes to hand it to a crew member. While the official's back is turned, Owens drops to his knees and gives Ambrose a brutal low blow. As the referee, turns around, Owens picks up Ambrose and hits the previously unseen package piledriver to earn the pinfall victory. The exhausted Owens grabs his title from the referee and begins laughing at the way he robbed Ambrose of his shot at the title as the challenger begins to realize the reality of the situation. Just as it looks like Owens had gotten the upper hand once again, Apollo Crews' music hit and the Money in the Bank briefcase holder runs to the ring to cash in his title shot.
WWE World Heavyweight Championship Cash-In: Kevin Owens (c) vs. Apollo Crews
With Ambrose rolling out of the ring, Owens pulls himself to his feet using the ropes and the match begins. After the bell rings, Owens attempts to low blow Crews to get himself disqualified, but gets caught and powerbombed several times. Crews than hits the Uhaa Combination (a Gorilla press drop followed by a standing moonsault and a standing shooting star press) and covers Owens for the pinfall victory. The surprise win for Crews not only caps off an incredible night for the young man, but also cements his spot as the future of the company. The shock from the result would have the packed crowd on its feet supporting the new champion as he takes the title from the top heel in the business. The cash-in also would lead to a three-way bout at the following PPV featuring Crews, Owens and Ambrose, who gets another shot do to being cheated out of the victory. As Crews is celebrating his victory, Owens enters the ring to attack him from behind, but is stopped by Ambrose. After Owens runs away, Ambrose and Crews go face-to-face and look to be about to fight when Ambrose reaches out his hand and the two men shake hands. Crews is then allowed to celebrate his stunning victory with the WWE Universe.
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