Raw: November 5, 2040
It's time for another edition of the Hot Button with everyone's favorite host, The Hero to Millions Around the World, the Host With THE Highest Rated Interview Show In All of Entertainment, The New Age Intellectual Savior to the Masses, The 2031 Fulton County First Place Conga Award Winner, The Luscious Lover and Undefeated Steel Cage Master and REAL 2040 King of the Ring, The Supreme Submission Machine, Mister Twenty-Forty, Former WWE Cruiserweight Champion-Elect, the Cruiserweight Champion Michael Hotbody! Hotbody wants to thank all of his devoted followers like the two young individuals who just last week saved him from making what was sure to be a huge mistake. The love he felt from those letters was enough to inspire him to stick around a bit more. There is still so much to accomplish! In fact, his match on SmackDown! gave him an idea as to where to look for his next challenger to his Cruiserweight Title. He was very impressed with the teams he faced in that match and since a great superstar can emerge from practically anywhere as long as the right opportunity presents itself, Hotbody wants to offer a chance of a lifetime to one brave soul. Hotbody wants his next challenger to be a member of a tag team! He wonders who out there has the guts to discard their current situation for a chance at something greater! You can't fly until you fully spread your wings and, more importantly, get rid of any dead weight holding you down. Hotbody is eager to see who will rise to the occasion but anyone looking to take up this chance needs to understand that there are no guarantees here. This is only a chance we're talking about here, nothing more, nothing less. Keep in mind that Michael Hotbody is known as Mister Twenty-Forty for a reason and that's not looking to end anytime soon!
Cue the music of Gavin Jones!!! He decides to enter the ring and join the Hot Button. Hotbody is upset at this as he wasn't invited. Gavin declares that he's out here to challenge for the Cruiserweight Title. It's been a LOOOOONG time since Gavin has been involved in the championship picture and given how things went down for him farely recently, he was hoping to end the year on high note and reclaim something that's been away for too long.
Hotbody claims that he sympathizes. Actually, he can't sympathize because he hasn't had a horrible year. Plus, maybe Gavin is deaf or something but Hotbody clearly just finished saying that he wants his next challenger to be part of a tag team. If this were two months ago, Hotbody would consider Gavin for this role, you know, because he was actually IN a tag team at that point. Hotbody declares that he's been pretty caught up in a lot of drama of his own so he hasn't been keeping close tabs on everything and so he asks Gavin to remind him what happened to his tag team. Did they break up because they were bested or was Gavin's partner just so sick of him that he saw a way out and took it?
Gavin takes offense to this and grabs Hotbody by the collar. HOLD THE PHONE! Jason Sorola makes his way out and Gavin lets Hotbody go to face Sorola as he enters the ring. Sorola gets in Gavin's face and accuses him of still having unfinished business with him. Gavin has a long way to go before asking for title shots, considering Sorola was in a much better position before all of this nonsense. Gavin says Sorola's shot went bye-bye when Shawn Dangerson embarrassed him three times in a row. Sorola is right about one thing: Gavin does have unfinished business with him and he's more happy to settle it. Sorola just needs to name a time and place.
Sorola backs away and claims that he needs to think about that for a bit but then he tries a surprise sucker punch. Gavin is prepped for it and blocks it and he knocks Sorola out of the ring. Gavin turns and faces Hotbody and the champion takes a hint and decides to bolt.
Backstage, we get to hear from the Jake Connelly, talking about his shocking return on SmackDown!. He may have been forced out of the ring but he most certainly wasn't forced out of the business. Brandon Reigns may not have wanted to listen to Connelly but there is a long line of young men and women who would do damn near anything to pick the brain of a veteran like himself. Ethan Lang is one such individual. Connelly sees a lot of potential in that young man. Now, Lang isn't here tonight. Connelly has him on a rigorous preparation schedule. Tonight is all about expanding the landscape of Connelly's management career. He'll see us all later.
First Match: King Kavovit vs. Robbie Greer
Madison is with Greer as she's returned to her managerial role. She confirms that the Wyldhearts have received a chance at the Unified Tag Team Titles but that date is down the road. Tonight, she hopes that the process of chipping away at the pristine image the Royal Effect have put up for themselves continues. The titles will be a fantastic welcome back present, right up there with Chris Collins paying for what he did to her. So this match is fucking great. Who knows, the Royal Effect might just be Tag Team of the Year. Ahem...anyways, both men end up floored as Madison looks on. Chris Collins, who is evidently miffed at Madison's comments, wanders out with an incredulous look on his face and sets his sights on Madison. He gets pretty close but Alexander Piero runs out to intercept him! We get a brawl on the outside and it's what greets Kavovit as he comes to. He's at a loss and Greer takes advantage by rolling him up from behind and getting the pin. Greer goes out to assist Piero and Collins takes the hint and decides to back off for now. *****, 86% overall.
Second Match: The Lady Liberties vs. C4
Brooke is out here with C4 and she wants to talk about how Salvatore Scabbia will be making his return later tonight. If we all thought Salvatore was mad before, oh boy, we haven't seen anything yet. Not only did he ONCE AGAIN get screwed out of the Unified World Title at No Mercy but Lisa Benton actually has the gall to suspend him?!? For what? Scabbia reacted like anyone would have in that situation! Everyone saw Noah Carmichael tap out! It doesn't matter what some other referee wants to claim. He wasn't even the original referee assigned to the match! His only job was to check on the original referee! And since that first referee came to and saw the submission THAT is only call that counts! The minute the original referee in a match is capable of continuing his or her duties, any other actions by another official are null and void! Scabbia may have been punished for what he did but understand that he's not sorry in the slightest and he's going to show that same lack of mercy for anyone dumb enough to continue pissing him off. So tonight is about regrouping and getting everyone's ducks in a row. The camp of Brooke is going to get back on track and woe to the people who want to derail that.
Cue someone who is going to derail that as the Lady Liberties have a bit of a surprise with them. HOLY SHIT! JAKE CONNELLY IS WITH THE LADY LIBERTIES!!! The man has kept himself busy in these last few months. Brooke is beside herself as she obviously wasn't expecting this. A good effort from everyone here despite the charisma vacuum. Brooke tries getting her hands dirty but gets stared down by Connelly. Cordelia is left alone with the Liberties and she falls victim to the Stars and Stripes double team giving the faces the win. This is certainly not going to help the mood Brooke is in. ****1/2, 78% overall.
I think this is a DUD show.
In-Ring Super Special Talky Time, with the returning Sonya Braddock! As she so eloquently demonstrated on SmackDown! when she knocked the taste out of Naomi Bailey's mouth, Sonya is not in the mood to be messing around. She's back for one reason and one reason only. Naomi really should be thanking Sonya for her generosity. Sonya pretty much allowed Naomi to have the best five months of her life as Women's Champion. But Sonya's generosity only runs so deep before her selfishness kicks in. It's past time that the Women's Championship returns to Sonya Braddock and Survivor Series will be the perfect stage for that to happen. Naomi had to have known that this was coming, and if she didn't then that definitely means she's not prepared for what's going to happen and that's going to be disastrous for her, even more than it was going to be already.
Naomi Bailey, the Women's Champion herself, has apparently heard enough and she takes this opportunity to come out and give Braddock her thoughts on the matter. Nobody should blame Naomi for not expecting Sonya to return on SmackDown! because after what Naomi did at Night of Champions, NOBODY in their right mind would haven thought that Sonya would be dumb enough to come back and ask for more. Everyone saw what happened that night. Sonya was humiliated and destroyed like never before. She had never suffered an ass kicking like that before. She had never suffered a loss like that before. And now she's going to come out here and try to save face? There's no shame in what happened to Sonya. Naomi Bailey is the Queen of Queens and she carried this championship better than Sonya ever did. This simply just wasn't Sonya's year and if anyone wants proof of that, they can watch Survivor Series. Naomi is more happy to give a repeat of Night of Champions and this time, it won't be a simple 5-month vacation that keeps Sonya occupied when it's all over. Don't want to believe that? Talk to Eclypse. And with that Naomi takes her leave as Sonya glares in content.
Third Match: Bobbi Jo vs. Jenna Kyle
Neither woman has their respective partners out here. Jenna is extra salty as she takes issue with Bobbi being the one to steal victory from her at No Mercy. So they have a boss match that only makes me love Jenna even more. Bobbi doesn't share that sentiment as she has Jenna down on the outside and she looks like she wants to nail her with her title belt. We'll never know if that's what she intended as Leah decides now is as good a time as any to get her hands on Bobbi and that causes the ref to call for the bell. Leah's fury is enough to send Bobbi away cowering and Jenna is all "WTF, bro?" and they have a bit of a shoving fest. The drama continues. ****1/2, 83% overall.
Fourth Match: Martyn LaSalle vs. Lonny Richards
Ozzy Mandias decides to come out and join the announce team for this match. Ozzy laments the fact that Martyn still hasn't offered an apology for his screw up at No Mercy and essentially rips into him throughout the bout. It's a good big man/little man affair. Right now, though, building up Nathan Quinn's little cabal is a more lofty goal so LaSalle is going to have to take a hit here. LaSalle ends up outside in front of Ozzy. Nathan looks like he's going to get involved and approaches LaSalle but Ozzy gets in between. LaSalle starts to get up and uses Ozzy to help in that regard. Ozzy blindly elbows LaSalle in the face, no doubt thinking it was probably Lonny trying to grab him. That sends LaSalle backwards and Lonny reaches out and pulls him back in and locks in the Dragon Sleeper and LaSalle passes out. Ozzy looks dumbfounded as Nathan and Lonny take their victory lap. ****1/2, 83% overall.
Fifth Match: Quinten McDaniels vs. Eddy Clash
Quinten wants to let Seth Von Kamp know that despite how the two of them may feel about their situation, Seth needs to understand that it's nothing personal. Seth is just the poor sap caught in the crossfire. The WWE needs to understand the frustration felt by Quinten McDaniels and if that means a guy like Seth Von Kamp needs to lose the Intercontinental Title, so be it. Seth shouldn't be so upset about it and on top of that, it's fine that this match at Survivor Series is supposed to be the last chance. Wasn't Seth prepared to call it quits not that long ago anyway? The Intercontinental Title will be in good, more deserving hands so if after Survivor Series Seth doesn't want to show his face around here anymore, he can go off into the sunset with a clear conscience. Eddy has a good showing here, despite the big experience gap. Unfortunately, Brandon Reigns must be looking to avenge being chased off on Superstars as he comes down when the ref is bumped. Clash looks to pick up Quinten but Quinten shoves him into the ropes where Brandon is waiting with his Money in the Bank briefcase. The back of Eddy's head collides with the briefcase. It doesn't send him down immediately so Brandon lends more of a helping hand by slamming it down on Eddy repeatedly until Quinten recovers enough to hit the Great Depression. The ref recovers and counts the pin for Quinten. Seth Von Kamp has evidently seen enough and runs down to try to get him some of Quinten. Brandon bails as he's got nothing to gain from sticking around. Quinten goes to the eyes of Seth and uses the opening to make his exit. ****1/2, 83% overall.
Backstage, Haven wants to jaw a bit about his affairs regarding Wrakk. Unless one is capable of seeing all sides, they are never truly safe atop the mountain. The hubris on display from Wrakk will be his downfall. Haven has proven he can get to Wrakk anytime. Wrakk has built his throne on a pile of lies. It can burn with him at Survivor Series.
Sixth Match: Salvatore Scabbia and Ronnie Costello vs. Simon Bennett and Mathias
So Brooke and Scabbia look like they are in NO MOOD to be dealing with any shit. Brooke declares that she expects ALL of her clients to be in step because she isn't going to tolerate anything like earlier tonight. Scabbia is just aggressive all fuck. It eventually comes down to Bennett and Costello as Scabbia takes Mathias on outside the ring. He locks in the Omerta and swings him around violently. The ref tries getting him to release the hold. Scabbia eventually gets annoyed enough that he throws Mathias away but he hits Justin Mitchell. Randy Ellis is all "WTF, bro?" and gets in Scabbia's face. Scabbia shoves Ellis down and issues threats. The ref uses this chance to get back in the ring and escape Scabbia's wrath. Just in time, too, as he sees Costello locked in the Bennett Lock and he taps. Oh, that's not going to help matters. ****1/2, 80% overall.
MAIN EVENT: Kyle Jacobs and Michael Haywood vs. Xavier Cross and Ziggy Styles
Kyle Jacobs takes the mic and declares that he should've known better than to expect Xavier Cross to hold up his end of an agreement. Cross is just too proud of a man, apparently. That's fine because Kyle knows how to break proud men. He's spent his time away dreaming up lots of neat ways to make Cross pay. Kyle apologizes to the people in attendance in advance because what he wants to do to Cross tonight might go over time so he understands if they feel the need to leave before he's done. They have hard work at their jobs and family to worry about, something Cross can't wrap his head around. However, Kyle hopes he can wrap something around Cross's head. Anyway, this match is a direct result from what went down on SmackDown! when Kyle made his surprise return. Ziggy continues to be an annoying idiot, constantly poking the bear of Michael Haywood. Kyle looks like he hasn't lost a step. Ultimately, Cross feels like the face team is too much for him and he decides to leave Ziggy to his fate as Kyle hits a Legacy Bomb on him and he gets the win while staring at Cross. Cross looks nervous to say the least. *****, 84% overall.
Overall show rating: 83%