[Evil Vito]

Had some downtime tonight so I downloaded a new EWR stat update and set the clock back a month so I could get to June. Auto-booked the first two weeks to get right to Sunday’s MITB PPV.

I’m not saying I’ll stick with this game long-term (my track record, of course, suggests I won’t) but I did go out of my way to dump Main Event and replace it with NXT so I can actually book that as a show, and I created all of the NXT titles, too. So I’ve set my game “universe” the way I’d want to if I were going to do a long-term game. I’ve also said numerous times in the wrestling forum that I miss the roster split when it was done properly so I’ll probably re-institute that not too far in the future if I do wind up starting with this game.

Also, I’d only be doing occasional monthly recaps and fairly brief PPV results. Writing out 2-3 TV shows a week always wound up draining me to the point where I lost interest and then forgot all of my storylines when I chose to dive back in.

Anyway, here’s MITB, run with the scheduled card for Monday. I accidentally left CRZ in for recaps instead of Scott Keith, but based on some of the numbers I’d have to say Keith would have given it a huge thumbs up.



Pre-Show: R-Truth vs. King Barrett
R-Truth started the match off like a house of fire, but Barrett was eventually able to outmuscle him and win in convincing fashion with the Bullhammer. A clean win for Barrett? Wow, it’s almost as if the booker feels that the King of the Ring should actually come across as a credible performer, even if it is just the pre-show.
Winner: King Barrett
84% Match Quality, 78% Crowd Reaction, 81% Overall Rating

WWE Tag Team Championships: The New Day (C) vs. The Prime Time Players
Big E and Xavier Woods had to go it alone tonight with Kofi Kingston busy preparing for Money in the Bank later on. Late in the contest Big E and Darren Young the legal men as Big E blatantly attacks Titus O’Neil, sending him off the apron. The referee admonishes E in the corner as Woods sneaks in with a title belt shot on Young. Big Ending on Young and that is that. New Day rocks!
Winners and STILL WWE Tag Team Champions: The New Day
77% Match Quality, 73% Crowd Reaction, 75% Overall Rating

WWE Divas Championship: Paige vs. Nikki Bella (C)
Divas almost never have high-quality matches in EWR unless you have them racking up points in developmental, so this wasn’t bad all things considered. Nikki and Brie attempt a Twin Magic switch-off but Paige halts it. Paige rolls off of Nikki during a Rack Attack attempt and hits her with a German suplex. Paige locks in the PTO and Nikki taps out to end her 7 month reign. New champion!
Winner and NEW WWE Divas Champion: Paige
71% Match Quality, 74% Crowd Reaction, 73% Overall Rating

Money in the Bank Ladder Match
All 7 man flirted with victory at different points in the match and the fans were treated to a flurry of crazy spots that you can only see at MITB. Neville with the Red Arrow to Sheamus from off a ladder. Orton with a RKO to Ziggler off a ladder that Ziggler sells like death. All kinds of hijinx with Kofi and the other members of New Day who ran in on his behalf. But in the end, when the Director of Operations, Kane, appeared primed to win the briefcase for the second time in his career, Reigns came flying in with a Superman Punch from another ladder, sending Kane crashing down to the mat. Reigns maintained his grasp on Kane’s ladder and reached up to grab the briefcase and become Mr. Money in the Bank 2015! Reigns continues his monster 2015 and has a title match at any time in the next year.
Winner: Roman Reigns
92% Match Quality, 90% Crowd Reaction, 91% Overall Rating

Kevin Owens vs. John Cena
I bet nobody saw the MITB ladder match being that good, so Owens/Cena had an incredibly hard act to follow. They had themselves another excellent match, showcasing much of the same drama seen at Elimination Chamber. Cena somehow seemed even harder to put down than last time. The brawl reaches the outside of the ring. Cena charges and ends up being Pop Up Powerbombed on the ring apron! Shades of Sami Zayn several times at NXT. With Cena out cold Owens slid back into the ring for the countout victory! Owens has defeated John Cena again!
Winner (via countout): Kevin Owens
81% Match Quality, 87% Crowd Reaction, 85% Overall Rating
Kevin Owens gained overness from this segment

Kevin Owens’ actions speak louder than words
A winded Owens grabbed the mic and prepared to tell the crowd about how he always keeps his promises – until he looked outside the ring and seeing Cena, against all odds, ignoring attention from the referees and getting back to his feet. Owens drops the mic and Powerbombs Cena on the apron again. The announcers are appalled, even JBL is willing to concede that he went too far. Cena does a stretcher job as a smug and confident Owens leaves with the NXT Title in tow.
81% Overall Rating
John Cena lost overness from this segment, apparently EWR feels Cena actually getting stretchered out is unrealistic

WWE Intercontinental Championship: Big Show vs. Ryback (C)
These two big strong men slug it out in, well, sluggish fashion. In fairness, the match quality still wound up being better than expected as both guys have decent brawl numbers. Anyway, the entire match builds to the big moment at the end with Ryback showing off his brute strength: hoisting Big Show for the Shellsock. 3 seconds later and Ryback has retained his title.
Winner and STILL WWE Intercontinental Champion: Ryback
74% Match Quality, 81% Crowd Reaction, 78% Overall Rating

Ladder Match for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship: Dean Ambrose vs. Seth Rollins (C)
Both men did absolutely inhumane things to each other with a ladder in what was these bitter rivals’ most vicious match to date. Plenty of near-victories on both sides. As expected though, chicanery occurred near the end. Out comes Kane, who sicks J&J Security on Ambrose. Rollins ended up throwing J&J out of the ring, insisting on winning it on his own and that he doesn’t need any help. Kane enters the ring and he and Rollins get into a shouting match. They throw haymakers at one another and end up brawling on the outside. Chokeslam to Rollins through the announce table! BUT WAIT…Ambrose has regained his composure in the ring…and he grabs the belt!
Winner and NEW WWE World Heavyweight Champion: Dean Ambrose
91% Match Quality, 98% Crowd Reaction, 95% Overall Rating

Kane looks gob-smacked as a maniacal Ambrose celebrates atop the ladder, his dream finally accomplished. The celebration doesn’t last long, as J&J recover and pull him back down. The new champion falls victim to a 3-on-1 beatdown until Reigns’ music hits. Reigns rushes down, briefcase in hand and he uses it as a weapon to knock J&J out. He tosses the case to Kane and then Superman Punches it in right into his face.

Reigns pulls his former Shield brother Ambrose to his feet and offers him an embrace. He raises the champ’s hand as the crowd loses their shit. They pose in the corners for the fans. Ambrose jumps down off a corner, turns around, and HOLY CHRIST – SPEAR TO AMBROSE!

Reigns summons the referee to get back into the ring and hands over his newly won briefcase, which can only mean one thing…

WWE World Heavyweight Championship: Roman Reigns vs. Dean Ambrose (C)
Reigns simply pins the already downed Ambrose to win the title. The arena is shocked that Reigns betrayed his “brother” and the announcers are at a complete loss for words. If JR were here he’d close the show with BAH GAWD THE LANDSCAPE OF WWE HAS CHANGED! This wasn’t really a match, but EWR has to treat it as one in order to change the belts accurately…so it gets good ratings, dammit!
88% Match Quality, 88% Crowd Reaction, 87% Overall Rating
Roman Reigns gained overness from this turn (technically the heel turn was tacked onto the end of the title match but whatever)

83% Overall Rating for Money in the Bank
1.89 Buy Rate