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RAW: Nexus rebounds; Darren Young exiled
By
DALE PLUMMER -- SLAM! Wrestling
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The $64,000 question coming out of SummerSlam last night is, was the Daniel Bryan firing a work or not? I’d like to think the whole thing was planned from the beginning, but I just can’t give WWE creative that much credit. Especially with the do we or don’t we have a guest host every week. I think someone is scheduled, tonight, but I don’t care. I’m more interested in the fallout from last night, like will Daniel Bryan confront The Miz for taking him out? And what will happen to Nexus?
Monday Night RAW stays in Los Angeles, and the road crew even got a night off, as the show is still in the Staples Center. Nexus returns to the scene of their first loss. Wade Barrett tries to rally his troops by saying whatever doesn’t kill us makes us stronger, and the rumors of their demise have been greatly exaggerated. Barrett says there will be more pain and misery for anyone who gets in their way. He calls the loss an aberration.
The leader of Team WWE, John Cena, walks out on stage interrupting Barrett. Cena points out to Wade that he tapped out, and lost the match for Nexus. Cena calls them the Expendables, and points out Daniel Bryan eliminated half the Nexus by himself. After SummerSlam, Nexus has been exposed. Nexus is a group of individuals, and that will been shown tonight. Cena calls out each individual member of Nexus. Cena says the fear is gone since they lost. Darren Young tries to interject, but Cena points out he tapped in under a minute. He is the weakest link. The tension is broken by the omnipresent General Manager.
Michael Cole reads the edict. The GM wants to continue SummerSlam by having Nexus face WWE superstars one on one, and if there is any interference by Nexus it will be met with swift punishment. Barrett calls this a chance for redemption, and examine the Nexus for weak links. If there are any weak links, they will be weeded out. Any Nexus member that loses will be exiled from the group. Otunga tells Barrett that also applies to him. The GM fires off another email. Nexus can pick and choose who they face, except for Wade Barrett. He will face his former mentor, Chris Jericho, and that match is next.
Match #1 – Wade Barrett vs. Chris Jericho
Jericho pushes Barrett in the corner, and follows with a clothesline. Jericho continues the assault with a suplex, and then connects with a drop kick. Barrett pulls himself up on the apron, only to be drop kicked to the floor. Jericho follows him to the floor, kicking him in the head. Jericho gets caught re-entering the ring. On the floor, Barrett drives Jericho into the apron, and then puts the boots to him.
Back in the ring, Barrett whips Jericho into the corner and he hits the floor. Jericho powers out of a submission, and hits a missile drop kick. Barrett kicks out at two. Jericho hits a running bulldog, after a series of shoulder blocks. Jericho tries for the Walls, but Barrett counters. Jericho gets the second attempt on, but Barrett is able to break the hold by getting to the ropes. Jericho walks into a big boot, but Barrett only gets a two count. Jericho responds with an enziguri, but Barrett catches Jericho going for the Codebreaker, slamming him to the mat. Barrett covers for the three count.
Winner via pinfall: Wade Barrett
So we do have guest hosts tonight. Jason Sudeikis, Charlie Day and Justin Long hit the ring to promote their new movie, Going the Distance. Word of warning, it’s a chick flick; I’ve seen the trailer. Justin Long introduces the Hart Dynasty. The GM breaks in with an email.
The Hart Dynasty will be receiving brand new title belts. They will no longer be the Unified Tag Team champion, but the WWE Tag Team Champions. Bret Hart then walks out with the new belts and presents them to the champs. (Now can we please get rid of the Spinner Belt?)
Wade Barrett breaks up the party by informing Bret Hart that he will be facing Justin Gabriel.
After the commercial, we see Vince McMahon’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Match #2 – Michael Tarver vs. Daniel Bryan
The crowd loves Daniel Bryan, but Tarver punches him into the corner. Bryan gets a boot up as Tarver charges, and then hits an arm breaker. Bryan continues the assault with a series of kicks, and finishes it off with a missile drop kick off the top rope. The Miz and his new NXT Rookie Alex Riley run down to ringside. The distraction allows Tarver to roll Bryan up and get the pin.
Winner via pinfall: Michael Tarver
Bryan takes out Miz and Riley with a suicide dive, but Tarver joins in, allowing the Miz to get the upper hand. Miz hits Bryan with the Skull Crushing Finale onto the MitB briefcase.
Josh Matthews asks The Miz to explain his actions. The Miz is upset he was bumped for Daniel Bryan. The Miz doesn’t think Bryan is anything special, and Alex Riley says about the same.
Elsewhere backstage, Darren Young tells his teammates he wants John Cena tonight.
Match #3 – Justin Gabriel vs. Bret Hart
Before the match, the GM fires off another email. He informs Justin that he will not be facing Bret Hart, because he doesn’t like Hart. He wants Hart off of RAW, so instead he has made a last minute substitution, Randy Orton.
Match #3 – Justin Gabriel vs. Randy Orton
Gabriel pushes Orton, and then kicks him in the thigh. Orton looks unaffected. Orton catches the leg of Gabriel and toys with him before hitting a short arm clothesline. Orton follows with a powerslam, and then catches Gabriel trying to escape the ring. Orton delivers the elevated DDT, and stalks his prey, until WWE Champion Sheamus sticks his nose in the match. Orton fights him into the crowd and gets himself counted out.
Winner via count out: Justin Gabriel
After hearing the ring announcer calling Gabriel’s name as the winner, Orton returns to the ring and hits him with an RKO. Orton then turns back to the champ, attacking him with a steel chair. WWE officials try to control Orton, but he runs back and drops Sheamus with an RKO.
Match #4 – Skip Sheffield and David Otunga vs. John Morrison and R-Truth
Morrison hits Otunga with a side Russian leg sweep, and tags in R-Truth, who drops a leg from the top rope. Truth makes the pin, which is broken up by Sheffield. Otunga makes the tag, and Sheffield is able to catch Truth coming off the top, slamming him to the mat. Otunga tags back in, but Truth hits him with a leg sweep. Morrison gets the hot tag, hitting Otunga with a drop kick, but Sheffield makes a blind tag, and clobbers Morrison. Sheffield hits a lariat and covers for the three count.
Winner via pinfall: Skip Sheffield and David Otunga
Match #5 – Melina, Eve, and Gail Kim vs. Alicia Fox, Maryse, and Jillian Hall
Jillian Hall picks up the win for her time by yanking Eve off the turnbuckle and pinning her.
Winner via pinfall: Alicia Fox, Maryse, and Jillian Hall
Josh Matthews asks Edge how important was it for him to be part of the team that beat the Nexus. Heath Slater wants to work out a deal with Edge for tonight’s match. Slater wants Edge to take the night off. Edge says normally he would do that, but he doesn’t want to forfeit to some Edge wannabe. Slater then drills him in the back.
Match #6 – Heath Slater vs. Edge
Edge goes right after Slater, beating him into the corner. Slater takes a hard ride into the corner, as Edge continues to work him over. Edge climbs the turnbuckle, but Slater is able to crotch him on the ropes, and then kick him to the floor. Slater slams Edge into the security barrier, and rolls him back into the ring. Slater pulls Edge down by the hair, and then punches him in the face. Edge dodges a corner splash, and hits a forearm and a clothesline. Slater catches edge with the one man flapjack. Edge sends Slater the floor, and catches him with a big boot on the outside. Edge looks for the spear, but Slater rolls into the ring, beating the count, and Edge is counted out.
Winner via countout: Heath Slater
After the bell, Edge spears Slater in the ring.
Justin Long is in the back talking with the Great Khali about having a long distance relationship. Long can’t quite find the words to describe Khali’s girlfriend after seeing a picture. Long’s co-stars freak out over her picture and Khali scares them away. Khali admits she is ugly, when the Bella twins come in to whisk him away.
Match #7 – John Cena vs. Darren Young
Darren Young tries to get a quick win with a roll-up, but Cena kicks out. Young tries a back slide, and Cena kicks out. Nexus watches from the stage. Young hits a clothesline, but still cannot get the pin. Young hits a neckbreaker, but still no pinfall. Cena whips Young into the corner, but runs into an elbow. Young hits a suplex, and bridges into a pin, but Cena kicks out. Cena is tossed from the ring, and Young follows, kicking the ring steps into Cena. Young returns to the ring, as Cena is down on the floor. Cena beats the count, and avoids a leg drop. Cena hits the shoulder block and the side walk slam. Young takes the five knuckle shuffle, and sets up the Attitude Adjustment. Young fights out, but cannot get Cena over on the sunset flip. Cena counters into the STF, and Young taps.
Winner via submission: John Cena
Nexus surrounds the ring, but they let Cena go. Darren Young is their target, and he is beat down in the middle of the ring by his teammates. Sheffield hits him with the clothesline, and Barrett then slams him to the mat. Gabriel finishes him off with the 450 splash. The remaining members of Nexus stand over Young in the ring to end the show.
Dale Plummer has been writing for SLAM! Wrestling since 2003.
