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WWE Raw results, September 8, 2014: The Authority contains Roman Reigns, Bella brawl engulfs Jerry Springer and NXT Superstars 'take over' Raw
Bray Wyatt def. Chris Jericho
BALTIMORE — Whether Chris Jericho was “saved” is perhaps a question best posed to the man himself. Bray Wyatt certainly acted as though he was delivering The Ayatollah of Rock ’n’ Rolla from some unnamed evil in the Steel Cage rubber match between the two. Wyatt beat the former Undisputed Champion like he was trying to exorcise the devil himself from Y2J’s veins.
Watch: Salvation and suffering in Steel Cage | Photos: Jericho takes flight!
After ramming Jericho face-first into the steel links, Wyatt looked to have all the momentum in the world (in his hands). Veteran — plus some well-aimed kicks and chops that softened Wyatt up for the Lionsault savvy kept Jericho in the game — but The Wyatt Family lurking at ringside kept Y2J from escaping the cage. Jericho made lemonade with a sky-high crossbody that left his knee injured. The Eater of Worlds literally pounced on his injured opponent, ultimately writhing free of the cage after a brawl with Jericho at the door … that is, before locking himself back in and beating on Jericho a little while longer.
Watch: Orton strikes a wounded Y2J
Intercontinental Champion Dolph Ziggler leaked photos of The Miz to the WWE Universe
Who needs Reddit when you have the “Zig Man”? Dolph Ziggler decided to let one more movie star get in on the recent controversial photo hack by exposing — key word — some of The Miz’s private snaps in advance of their Intercontinental Title tango at Night of Champions. The Showoff’s impromptu exposé didn’t sit well with The Most Must-See Superstar in WWE today. That’s not even to mention Miz’s stunt double “Damien Mizdow,” who was shown in a compromising position alongside The Awesome One in one of the photos, which were allegedly for “medical purposes.” As he tends to, though, Ziggler got the last laugh, fending off “Mizdow” when he bum-rushed the Intercontinental Champion with a dropkick. Miz made himself scarce while the getting was good, however.
Divas Champion Paige & AJ Lee def. Natalya & Rosa Mendes
Natalya may have calmed Rosa Mendes down after a rough match on “Total Divas,” but The Queen of Harts’ newest charge needs some sterner discipline after the two teamed up in a losing effort against … AJ Lee & Paige?!?! Believe it, the fighting “frenemies” and staunch “Total Divas” holdouts banded together to beat their reality-minded opponents, despite the fact that Paige seemed more interested in one-upping AJ than tagging her in. The champion’s cockiness cost her when AJ tagged herself into the match by slapping Paige across the chest and stole The Diva of Tomorrow’s thunder by making Rosa tap out with the Black Widow.
John Cena confronted Paul Heyman
With each week that Brock Lesnar holds the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, Paul Heyman’s predictions for the rematch grow more and more severe. Now, according to the mad scientist, John Cena is not simply going to be conquered, he is going to be — well, actually, the WWE Universe didn’t hear what would happen because Cena cut Heyman off. As it turned out, Heyman was there to give Cena some “inside information” on how to beat Lesnar, but Cena declined Heyman’s offer (and his attempt to goad Cena into turning on the WWE Universe). Cena instead reiterated his long-standing promise to send The Beast back from where he came and to reclaim the ultimate title in the process.
Seth Rollins def. U.S. Champion Sheamus
Any Architect can build; Seth Rollins is unique in that he has developed a certain taste for destruction. His latest target was Sheamus, the near-unbeatable United States Champion whose dominance reaches from The Grandest Stage of Them All to the National Football League. While The Celtic Warrior fights his battles through brutish brawn, though, Rollins prefers to wage war in a more intricate manner.
Watch: Cesaro lurks during Sheamus-Seth tilt | Photos: Brains vs. Brawn
The former WWE Tag Team Champion picked his moments wisely, targeting Sheamus’ leg to prevent him from using the Brogue Kick, and the head to … well, just to slow him down. Cesaro harrumphing outside the ring didn’t help the titleholder much, especially when The King of Swing laid hands on the Irishman’s coveted championship. Rollins played his ace at that point, dropkicking the surging Sheamus face-first into the turnbuckle and following up with the Curb Stomp to steal the win.
NXT Champion Adrian Neville & Sami Zayn def. Tyler Breeze & Tyson Kidd
Before any takeover comes an initial invasion, so it’s no surprise that WWE NXT’s second TakeOver special on WWE Network ($9.99) was preceded by an influx of up-and-comers blasting their way onto WWE’s main stage. In this case, the four competitors circling the NXT Championship — human whirligig Sami Zayn, Hart Dungeon veteran Tyson Kidd, selfie king Tyler Breeze and reigning, gravity-defying champ Adrian Neville — paired off for a tag team exhibition and it’s safe to say the WWE Universe was not disappointed in the slightest.
More NXT on WWE Network | Watch: What is the Red Arrow?
Zayn kicked things off against Breeze and, despite his eye-popping maneuvers, found himself outflanked by Breeze and Kidd. Neville tagged in at the moment of truth and immediately set to show why they call him The Man That Gravity Forgot. With a timely assist from Zayn, Neville battered Breeze onto his back with kicks and pounced with his signature maneuver, the Red Arrow, to score the pin. We’d buy that for a dollar. Or nine of them, plus 99 cents.
Jerry Springer hosted an intervention for The Bella Twins
It ended like the WWE Universe likely expected it would. But before Jerry Springer’s Bella Twin intervention went down in proverbial flames, there was at least an attempt by the dysfunction king to corral the Bellas into reconciliation. Springer even brought in the Bellas’ parents via recorded message, and their brother J.J., to help bring the two together. Unfortunately, all the family in the world couldn’t stop the five-way brawl that ensued when J.J., Jerry, the Bellas and Stephanie all hit the mat and started throwing hands at each other. Poor Springer caught the worst of it, and was wheeled out on a stretcher when all was said and done, a twisted ankle and bruised ribs to his name but in good spirits nonetheless.
Gold & Stardust def. Los Matadores
Pity Los Matadores, who suffered the wrath of the newly vicioso Gold & Stardust on Raw in the gilded duo’s biggest notice yet to The Usos that they’re ready to challenge for the WWE Tag Team Titles at Night of Champions. For all their abilities, Los Matadores were little more than pawns in Gold & Stardust’s intergalactic game of life, playing right into the bizarre tandem’s hands. Specifically Stardust’s; he wisely dodged a double-suicide dive from Los Matadores that took Goldust out, then helped The Bizarre One rally before scoring the finishing blow with Dark Matter.
Watch: Gold & Stardust bring Los Matadores down to earth
The Usos didn’t allow their No. 1 contenders to get away unscathed, though: Jimmy & Jey literally came out swinging when the challengers’ backs were turned, driving a crutch straight into Stardust’s back.
Adam Rose def. Titus O'Neil
That bunny really holds a grudge. One week after inadvertently handing Adam Rose a victory over Titus O’Neil, the rascally rabbit helped his ringleader one-up The Big Deal yet again. This time, however, the bunny got even more involved, superkicking (!) Heath Slater on the outside as O’Neil began to roll for a distraction that helped Rose pick up the win. The bunny then got the best of O’Neil after the match was over, frog-splashing (!!!) him from the top rope before the Rosebuds made their grand exit.
Roman Reigns def. Randy Orton via Disqualification
The “Roman Empire” reigns on … though not without its hiccups. Roman Reigns did repeat his SummerSlam victory over Randy Orton in the main event of Raw’s season premiere, but it was a technicality that gave The Big Dog his “W” and he certainly wasn’t celebrating when Raw went off the air. The former WWE Tag Team Champion’s gritty, punch-for-punch effort against The Apex Predator took a turn for the worst right as Reigns reversed the RKO into a Superman Punch. Orton commanded Seth Rollins and Kane to come help him and help him they obliged, handing Reigns the disqualification win. But that wasn’t all.
Watch: Reigns encased in steel prison
As if the 2-on-1 beatdown wasn’t enough, The Authority also had the steel cage from earlier in the night lowered. Even though Reigns got a Spear in on Orton, the corporate cronies eventually overwhelmed him with the help of a steel chair, whomping him within an inch of his life. Rollins provided the exclamation point, Curb Stomping Reigns face-first onto the steel.