WWE Great Balls of Fire 2017 Results: Samoa Joe and the Stars of the Night
Some pay-per-view titles are longstanding franchises: WrestleMania. SummerSlam. Backlash. No Mercy. And then there are others that are one-and-done: Rock Bottom. St. Valentine's Day Massacre.
The most recent ill-advised PPV title is Great Balls of Fire. By any metric, that's a bizarre, euphemistic choice of title. One day, we may get the backstage story of how WWE arrived at that title, and whose idea it was. But for now, lord, it's funny. Even AJ Styles had trouble keeping a straight face when it was first announced.
But will Great Balls of Fire become a longstanding franchise name, despite it all? It just might, based on the overall high quality of Sunday's matches. Here are the biggest stars of the evening.
Bray Wyatt
1 of 7
Sunday was a reinvention for Bray Wyatt. Gone were a lot of the cult-leader theatrics and supernatural shenanigans. In their place was a brutal heavy hitter who got in the ring and focused more on his attack plan than being creepy.
Perhaps that's the solution to Bray Wyatt's current stagnation. He needs to get back to basics, and Sunday, he did exactly that by strategically targeting Seth Rollins' knee, hitting a stiff clothesline that turned Rollins inside out and gouging the Architect's eye when the ref's back was turned.
Clearly, this feud will continue. And hopefully, Wyatt will get the chance to rack up a few more wins, because Rollins' reputation is durable enough to handle a few more losses.
Enzo Amore
2 of 7
Enzo Amore didn't have a snowball's chance in hell of winning. The fans knew it, the commentators knew it and Enzo knew it. But that didn't stop Enzo from cutting the best, most heartfelt promo of the evening, or from selling and bumping hard for his former friend.
That is how to get over, even in defeat. Enzo made Big Cass look like a million bucks. And at the same time, he showed bravery and fortitude, especially when he rolled back in the ring near the end of the match to avoid the count-out.
Maybe Enzo can find another big guy to manage, or he can be a mouthpiece for a large stable. Even though he's too small to reach the big time on his own, he certainly has the mic skills and charisma to make it happen for someone else.
The Hardy Boyz
3 of 7
Cesaro and Sheamus met expectations: They put on an excellent display of their physical, technically sound skill. But the Hardys stole the show with a comeback that fell just short of success. Down 3-1 with under 10 minutes to go, they were nearly victorious. Cesaro had to run out the clock, literally, in order to secure the win.
They've lost a step since their earlier days with the WWE. Matt, who's always been a bit bowlegged, walks with a definite limp, and Jeff's multiple daredevil stunts have taken their toll.
But they've made up for it by working a slower, more deliberate style. They're better workers—from a psychological standpoint—than they've ever been.
Sasha Banks and Alexa Bliss
4 of 7
This match was well choreographed and told. And the count-out victory, followed by the post-match beatdown, was the perfect way for WWE to have its cake and eat it too. Alexa Bliss got to keep the belt. Sasha Banks got to stand tall. The fans went home happy. Everybody won.
The two women have great chemistry together, and because of the count-out and post-match shenanigans, WWE could be foreshadowing a Falls Count Anywhere or No Disqualification rematch. WWE Creative will have to delay the inevitable Nia Jax vs. Bliss feud to make that happen. But based on Sunday's performance, fans will want to see more.
Dean Ambrose
5 of 7
Dean Ambrose has been criticized in the past for being a little too complacent and phoning it in; it's the sort of attitude that probably got him booked on the pre-show at this year's WrestleMania.
But tonight, Dean brought all of the intensity he could muster. Maybe it was the taste of blood in his mouth. Maybe it was the underdog vibe of being outnumbered, four against one. Whatever it was, Dean was electric, hitting the mat a little harder, and laying his blows in a little bit deeper.
Perhaps Ambrose is at his best when he's chasing the title rather than holding it. But he needs to keep doing whatever he's doing if it keeps him motivated.
Braun Strowman
6 of 7
Well. That escalated quickly.
Braun Strowman is the mightiest force in WWE. He no-sold chair shots, which is insane—that's early 90's Undertaker, late 90's Kane toughness. He tossed Roman Reigns around like a rag doll, and he capped his performance by outsmarting Reigns, reversing a spear into a quick victory.
And then, there was an incredible post-match beatdown, where somehow, Braun ended up looking strong, despite being thrown into a truck via an ambulance. He got out bloody, woozy and staggering, but he still managed to get out under his own power.
That was another great showing by a young, relatively inexperienced superstar, and fans will want to see more. This is a man who can become a legend, provided that WWE continues booking him correctly.
Samoa Joe
7 of 7
That was a strange, abrupt finish to what what was initially a great match. It wasn't narratively sensical to have Brock hit an F5 in that context, and Samoa Joe would not get flattened by a single finisher. Cena has kicked out of the F5. Roman has kicked out of multiple. Samoa Joe was beaten too easily, by comparison.
It's a shame, because WWE has done a great job of building Joe up. Even during this PPV, starting with the pre-match attack, Joe looked vicious and uncompromisingly opportunistic.
He deserved better, and despite his loss, Joe was still the star of his match. And if we find out in the next couple of days that the finish was changed at the last minute, it wouldn't be surprising at all.
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