WWE Night of Champions (September 2010)

Original Airdate: September 19, 2010

 

From Chicago, Illinois; Your Hosts are Michael Cole, Matt Striker, and Jerry Lawler

 

Opening WWE Intercontinental Title Match: Dolph Ziggler v Kofi Kingston: The belt can change hands by C/O or DQ here. Lawler is a stuttering mess here, which is unusual for him. Kofi knocks him over the top as we get going, where Vickie Guerrero and Kaitlyn are waiting to nurse him. Back in, Kofi continues to dominate, but wipes out in the corner, and the champ covers for two. Ziggler with a neckbreaker for two, and he works a reverse chinlock to keep the challenger grounded. Big boot gets Ziggler two, and an elbowdrop is worth two. Somersault necksnap is worth two, and a rocker dropper gets two. Ziggler did a weird cradle on the pin there, which I actually appreciate, since it makes it more realistic than just a lateral press. Ziggler works a chinlock, as the announcers note that this is “different than what your parents grew up watching.” Yeah, well, Marilyn Manson was different than The Beatles, too. Doesn’t make him better. Ziggler with an elbowdrop for two, but Kingston escapes another chinlock, and makes a comeback. Flying bodypress gets him two, and a standing dropkick finds the mark. Thesz-press allows Kofi some mounted punches, and the Boom Drop connects. Trouble in Paradise, but Ziggler ducks, and grabs a sleeper. Kingston quickly escapes, however, and the SOS nearly finishes, but Dolph is in the ropes. Ziggler bails, but Kofi is on him with a dive from the apron, and he adds a bodyslam on the floor for good measure. Inside, Kofi hooks the leg for two, but Ziggler counters another SOS with a sleeper. He gets this one locked in better than the first, but Kofi manages a reversal. Ziggler gets into the ropes to force a break, so Vickie teases interference, but Dolph calls her off because he doesn’t want to risk a DQ. That allows Kofi to recover with Trouble, but Ziggler ducks, and the Zig Zag retains at 12:42. This was okay, and definitely better than the SummerSlam match. **

 

Big Show v CM Punk: Show shrugs him off at the bell, and takes him into the corner for a bootchoke. To the outside, but Punk gets the better of the positioning, and manages to nail Show with a knee from the apron. That allows Punk a slingshot somersault senton splash on the floor, but Show beats the count. Punk welcomes him with boots, and a 2nd rope elbowsmash gets him one. Punk keeps coming with a series of strikes for two, but a springboard flying shoulderblock does not end well for him. That allows Show a big knockout punch, and Punk is done at 4:42. This felt unnecessarily squashy. ¾*

 

WWE United States Title Match: Miz v Daniel Bryan: Miz stalls in the early going, getting dominated by the challenger whenever they engage. Miz manages to snap Daniel’s arm across the top rope to make an opening, and he capitalizes, working the part. Side suplex gets Miz two, so he works a double-underhook into a bow-and-arrow. Bryan powers into a backslide for two, but Miz quickly cuts him off with a big boot, and puts Daniel on the ropes to allow Alex Riley a cheap shot. Miz keeps on the arm, and a shoulderbreaker gets him two. Armbar, but Bryan slugs free, so Miz tries a charge, but ends up spilling to the outside. That allows Daniel a tope, and a flying dropkick gets him two on the way back in. Shining wizard gets two, and a dropkick is worth two. Miz swipes at the bad arm to buy time, but he loses the resulting slugfest, and Bryan unloads on him in the corner. Corner dropkick sets up a roundhouse kick for two, but an attempt at a rana off the top goes south when Miz crotches him. Miz clotheslines him off for two, and he takes it to the mat with an armbreaker, but Daniel makes the ropes. Skull Crushing Finale looks to finish, but Bryan counters with a cradle for two. That allows him to go for the LeBell lock, but Riley distracts him. That allows Miz to recover, but Bryan dodges the sneak attack, and hooks a cradle for two. Miz dumps him to the outside to buy time, and Riley is right on him with more interference, but Bryan dodges him again. He hustles in, but Miz is ready with a small package for two, and he tackles the challenger for some mounted punches. The referee intervenes, however, allowing Bryan to get the LeBell lock on, and Miz taps at 12:29. This was very old school and psychologically sound wrestling. ***

 

WWE Women's Title v WWE Diva's Title Lumberjill Unification Match: Michelle McCool v Melina: Melina is dressed like the All That logo tonight. McCool attacks during the split, but Melina dodges it, and they spill to the outside during a collar-and-elbow. Melina gets control as they go back inside, but climbing the ropes ends badly when McCool shoves her over the top. The Lumberjills didn’t seem to get the memo about what they’re supposed to do here, and just kind of casually encourage Melina to get back inside. McCool with a neckbreaker for two once Melina re-enters, as the announcers perv out on Kelly Kelly. McCool works a headscissors, but a powerbomb gets countered with a facebuster. Melina looks for a comeback, but McCool cuts her off with a belly-to-belly suplex for two. She stupidly goes after Natalya for no reason, allowing Melina a schoolgirl for two. McCool clotheslines her, but then dives out after Nattie again, and this time gets beat up by all the Lumberjills. Including some business exposingly loose shots. Inside, Melina delivers a straddling ropechoke, but a trip to the top ends in both women taking a tumble to the floor. The Lumberjills all beat McCool up again, but then she just slides in and big boots Melina for the pin at 6:32. Just terrible. ¼*

 

World Heavyweight Title No Holds Barred Match: Kane v Undertaker: Undertaker attacks during the entrances, and we have a brawl on the entrance stage to start. Undertaker dominates, pounding him around the stage and down in the aisle in rather dull fashion. Kane reverses a whip into the steps as they get to ringside, and he smashes the challenger’s face into them. Kane bashes him with the title belt next, and a flying clothesline finds the mark as they head inside. Legdrop gets two, and a seated dropkick connects. Kane takes him back to the outside, to abuse with pieces of the announce table, but a whip into the steps gets reversed on him this time around. Undertaker with a guillotine legdrop, so Kane bails into the timekeeper’s area, but Undertaker dives after him. Kane nails him with a chair to buy time, and they spill into the crowd for another aimless brawl. Kane dives off the barricade with a punch as they come back to ringside, as this match just drags on and on and on. Inside, Kane unloads with rights and lefts in the corner, as the announcers note that “if this was a boxing match, it would be over.” I’ve never wished something was a boxing match harder. Undertaker wins a criss cross with a jumping clothesline, and a corner clothesline follows to turn the tide. Snake-eyes leads to a running big boot, setting up a legdrop for two. Chokeslam leads to the Tombstone, but Kane reverses at 18:27. This was way too slow and way too boring to need that much time. The show ground to a halt with this one. DUD

 

WWE Tag Team Title Tag Team Turmoil Match: The Hart Dynasty v The Usos v Cody Rhodes and Drew McIntyre v Santino Marella and Vladimir Kozlov v Mark Henry and Evan Bourne: The Dynasty and the Usos start, with Tyson Kidd in with Jey Uso, and Kidd quickly falls prey to a double team. He dodges a corner charge to allow the tag to David Hart Smith, and he comes in suplexing. Sharpshooter, but the Usos both bail, so Kidd springboard moonsault presses them on the floor. Inside, that gets Kidd two, and he slaps on the Sharpshooter, but falls prey to an illegal attack, and pinned at 2:09. Santino comes in strong to get control, and the match quickly turns into a brawl, Roseanne Barr the door. Santino goes for the cobra, but Tamina Snuka distracts him, and Santino eats a Samoan drop at 3:14. Bourne hustles in with a headscissors takedown, but he eats a clothesline before he can get too far. Uso tries a corner splash, but Bourne dodges, allowing the tag to Mark. Henry knocks both Usos around, and a slam sets up a flying shooting star press from Bourne at 5:09. Cody rushes in on Evan and pounds him down, allowing he and Drew to cut the ring in half on Bourne. He manages to fight Drew off long enough to tag Henry, and Roseanne Barr the door! Bourne climbs on Mark’s shoulder for a super splash on Drew, but Cody saves, and a Cross Rhodes on Bourne wins the title at 11:40. I’ve never liked Tag Team Turmoil, and this was no exception. I just can’t buy into the idea that pro teams that usually take seven-fifteen minutes to finish, can suddenly be beaten in just two because that’s the gimmick. ¼*

 

Main Event: WWE Title Six-Pack Challenge Elimination Match: Sheamus v John Cena v Edge v Randy Orton v Chris Jericho v Wade Barrett: The announcers note that the participants have a combined 32 world title reigns, which just shows how ridiculously loose they’ve been with the big seat since the late 90s. Jericho gets some shots in on Orton, but Cena saves him, and hits Chris with a one-handed bulldog. That allows Randy an RKO, and Jericho is done at a brisk 1:28. Even Cena sells the shock of how quickly Jericho was pinned, so at least it’s not just me. Everyone backs off to allow Jericho to slink off in shame, and once he’s gone, they all gang up on Barrett. That alliance doesn’t last long, of course, and let the in-fighting begin! Cena takes the brunt of it, and he eats a tandem vertical superplex from Sheamus and Edge. Edge covers, but it only gets two, so they dump him to the outside, and bring Orton in to gang up on instead. They work Randy over, but their alliance breaks down, and Edge delivers an Edge-o-Matic. Spear, but Sheamus sidesteps, and gives Edge a uranage backbreaker. Everyone starts reversing signature moves next, ending in Cena putting Edge away with an Attitude Adjustment at 14:59. Wade - who has been laying low for the better part of the match - comes in strong on Cena as soon as the fall is counted. Cena tries fighting him off with an AA, but Wade counters with a DDT for two. Wade unloads jabs, but Cena catches a second wind, and makes a comeback. Five Knuckle Shuffle leads to the AA, but Sheamus is in to cut it off. Cena responds by putting the champion in an STF, but Sheamus makes the ropes. Cue the Nexus for a run-in on John, allowing Barrett the Wasteland at 18:31. The Nexus beat Orton down next, and Wade looks to put him away, but Cena saves with a chair on his way out the door. That allows Orton to counter a Wasteland with an inverted headlock backbreaker, and the RKO ends Wade’s night at 20:31. Sheamus hustles in on him with a Brogue Kick after the pin, but even with the element of surprise, it only gets two. Crucifix powerbomb, but Orton counters with the RKO to win the title at 21:26. This was mostly fine, but generally unimpressive. * ¼

 

BUExperience: The Undertaker buried this show, and it never recovered.

 

DUD