(6) CHARLOTTE FLAIR (c) vs. RHEA RIPLEY – Smackdown Women’s Championship match
Charlotte Flair and Rhea Ripley circled one another with hesitation. They locked up for the first time over one minute into the match. After trading quick rope bounces and drop downs, Rhea dropped Flair with a shoulder tackle. She mimed “suck it” at the champion. Flair kipped up and the two hit the ropes again. Flair tossed Rhea to the floor. The camera closed in for a close up on Ripley’s face. She showed a little frustration before sliding back into the ring to stand face-to-face with the champ.
“You think you’re the Queen, huh?” Ripley poked at Flair’s chest. She punched her into the corner. Charlotte quickly fought out. She flipped to the apron and caught Ripley with a boot to the face. Charlotte climbed to the top turnbuckle and hit Ripley with a high cross-body. The two women stumbled to their feet and battled into the corner. Flair folded Ripley’s leg and hooked her ankle on the middle rope. She looked like she planned to stomp it, but Ripley broke free and dropped Charlotte violently onto the turnbuckle. Referee Jessika Carr checked on the champion while Ripley shrugged off Flair’s offense.
The two traded quick punches again. Ripley tossed Flair into the middle turnbuckle, creating whiplash on contact. Ripley wrapped her legs around Flair’s waist and squeezed the breath out of her. She drove her elbow into Charlotte’s upper back. Graves noted that, while the champion isn’t in any real danger of losing the match at the very moment, she is being forced to use crucial energy to pull oxygen, thus weakening her for Ripley later. Ripley continued to pound on Flair. Charlotte missed wildly with a chop. Ripley used the open stance to hit a quick release German Suplex. She sat up and looked around.
A wide shot crawled slowly around the stadium as Ripley talked trash and the match approached 7:30. Flair fought to her feet and caught a spinning back elbow. She pulled Rhea’s face into the top turnbuckle then called for her to stand. Charlotte dropped her with two quick clotheslines. The crowd booed her. She began chopping the challenger. Rhea collapsed against the ropes, chest open for more damage. Rhea backed into the corner and slumped over to protect herself. Flair pushed open and chopped her again. She draped Ripley’s leg on the bottom rope and jumped on it. Rhea grabbed at the leg. Graves said she’s setting her up for the Figure 8 later.
Dueling chants broke out in the stadium as Flair climbed to the top rope again. She went for another cross body. Rhea rolled through it, holding on and hoisting Flair into Powerslam position. Flair elbowed herself free. Ripley wasn’t fooled. She hooked Flair into position for Riptide. Rhea got her up, but Flair spun out of it and pulled Ripley into a spike DDT, popping the crowd. Flair began to show serious frustration. She rolled Ripley up for a two count.
Both women rose to their feet quickly and charged, thinking (and landing) simultaneous big boots. With both women down, the camera pulled back again long enough for Cole to tout the crowd and reset the stage. Flair and Ripley traded punches again at 11:30. Ripley stepped on Flair’s foot, then slammed her face into her knee. Flair shook it off and hit Ripley with a capture Suplex. She kipped up and raised her arms, eliciting boos.
“This is what Charlotte Flair lives for,” Graves proclaimed as Flair stepped on Rhea en route to the top rope. She was poised for a Moonsault, but Rhea leapt to the ropes to meet her. Flair elbowed her to the mat. Ripley wouldn’t go away. She leapt to the ropes again, this time capturing Flair by the waist and delivering a release German Suplex off the middle rope. Flair rotated completely, landing on her stomach. Ripley covered for a near fall.
The champion rose her feet. She stomped on the back of Ripley’s leg and hit a quick Natural Selection. Ripley smartly rolled to the floor to avoid a cover. Referee Carr counted to five before Flair went out to retrieve Ripley. She charged at the challenger, but Rhea side stepped and sent Flair crashing into the ring steps. Rhea tossed Charlotte back in the ring and hoisted her up for a back drop. At the last moment, she flipped Flair forward and dropped her on her stomach.
Ripley dragged Flair to her feet by her hair. She set up for Riptide again. Flair blocked it and hit a German Suplex. Rhea stumbled into the corner. Flair grabbed her waist again. Ripley tried to hold onto the turnbuckle to block, but Flair powered her free and hit a second German Suplex. They traded standing switches. Ripley got the upper hand and hit another German Suplex. This time, Flair landed right on her face in a nasty-looking spill. Flair still powered to her feet and dropped the challenger with a big boot. She covered for a near fall.
The bridge of Flair’s nose was scraped and bleeding just a little. She wiped at it, then went to apply the Figure Four. Ripley kicked her away. Flair still shoved Ripley to the floor. She climbed out onto the apron, a sinister look in her eye. Flair climbed the turnbuckle and the crowd rose to their feet. Flair hit her signature Moonsault to the floor, mostly missing Ripley. The champion tossed Ripley into the ring and went for the Figure Four again. Ripley kicked her away. Flair stumbled, nearly toppling into Jessika Carr. Ripley used the misstep to crack Flair with a massive headbutt. She pulled her in and hit Riptide, folding her up for a pin and believable near fall.
Champion and challenger fought to their feet slowly. Flair rolled up Ripley for a two count. Ripley held on on the break and hoisted Flair into the air for the inverted Cloverleaf. Flair screamed in agony. She extended her arms fully, using her reach to grab on and break the hold. Ripley let go. Flair exploded out of the corner with a Spear. She hooked the leg for another believable near fall. Charlotte sat up, utterly confused. She took a moment to herself before turning back to Rhea and giving her a hard elbow. Rhea delivered one of her own. The two began slugging it out. Ripley broke the stalemate with a side kick to the head. Charlotte responded with a big boot.
Flair quickly applied the Figure Four. Before she could bridge, Ripley reached out and grabbed the ropes at the 22:00 mark. The challenger rolled to the apron. Flair sat back on her knees, bearing her teeth and breathing hard. She pounced, slamming Ripley into the ring post. She climbed to the middle rope, bringing Ripley with her. Flair dragged her challenger over the ropes. Rhea gained her footing enough to chop Flair and slam her face off the flat top of the ring post.
Ripley climbed the turnbuckle. She hooked Flair and delivered an avalanche Riptide off the top rope, hooking Flair’s leg for a definitive three count.
WINNER: Rhea Ripley in 23:34 to win the Smackdown Women’s Championship
The camera focused on Charlotte Flair on the floor at ringside. She had a look of pure pride and respect for Ripley. The new champion got a pyro celebration in the ring and massive ovation from the crowd. Flair clapped for her as she posed on the turnbuckle.
(Brilliant. I’m often critical of the Charlotte Flair character, and I frequently find that her TV matches, in particular, come off feeling a little too formulaic and same-y. This was not only a departure, but a smashing success. My knee jerk reaction is to say it’s one of the best performances of her career, but I’m already quite-confident that it’s true. It may even be her best. Flair felt like the gritty veteran doing anything she could to survive against the much-improved challenger she’d once bested. Ripley was a clear and obvious star-in-the-making, relying entirely on her own character and incredible in-ring work to tell a main event caliber story without the need of her Judgment Day cohorts. The two women built excellently to a massive crescendo of major offense after beating one another with stiff offense throughout. What felt like a tired crowd at the beginning soon came to life as the stakes rose and the moves got bigger. This was truly excellent.)
-The Miz and Snoop Dogg stood in the ring to announce night one’s attendance of 80,497. Snoop said the only thing better than that would be if Miz had a match tonight. Miz agreed. He said he sent out a text, a few emails, a text, a tweet, and posted on MySpace. He said no one responded, because everyone is afraid of him. “Everyone in this stadium knows I’m the toughest man here.” He hit his “awesome” line.
Suddenly, Pat McAfee’s music hit. Pat skipped onto the stage. Cole exploded with excitement. Graves was enraged. Cole said he and Pat are the only two undefeated announcers in WrestleMania history. He told Cole to go referee the match. McAfee danced in front of Miz and asked for a microphone. He said hello to the crowd and shook hands with Snoop. He greeted Miz. McAfee said he lives on the Internet, and no one saw the open challenge.
“Good news!” McAfee said, “this is my WrestleMania tank top.” He offered to give The Miz a match. Miz asked the crowd if they wanted to see it. They cheered. So did Cole. Miz said there’s nothing he’d rather do than whip McAfee right now, but he doesn’t have the power to make matches official. McAfee initiated a “tiny balls” chant. Pat said someone in the building must be able to make the match official. Snoop Dogg said, as the “Dogfather”, he can do it. A referee entered the ring. Snoop told Miz “this is what you do,” and left the ring.
(7) THE MIZ vs. PAT McAFEE
The Miz yelled at Snoop Dogg while Pat McAfee stalked in waiting. He dropped Miz with a clothesline, then gave him a big Spinebuster. Miz stumbled into the corner. McAfee hoisted him onto the top turnbuckle. Pat climbed to the top rope, looking for a Superplex. Miz punched himself free, but McAfee flipped off the top and landed on his feet. Miz dove off the top and ate a Superkick from McAfee. Miz rolled to the outside, begging for mercy.
Graves begged Miz to pull himself together. He told him to “think big.” Miz thought it through, then decided to leave. He saw George Kittle in the front row and gave him a little shove. Kittle hopped the barricade and gave Miz a big clothesline. Kittle told McAfee to climb the turnbuckle. Pat did it, playing to the crowd before hitting a massive Swanton Bomb onto a standing Miz on the floor. McAfee shared a body-check with Kittle. The duo tossed Miz in the ring.
McAfee willed the crowd to life as Miz slowly rose to his feet. Pat cocked his leg and punted Miz in the head for a cover and three count.
WINNER: Pat McAfee in 3:33
George Kittle rushed into the ring to celebrate with McAfee. Graves said he’s petitioning to the board to have the match wiped from the record books.
( I know a lot of people dislike McAfee shtick, but I’ll contend he’s a fun addition to things when he’s plugged in and focused. If he’s not going to be a regular on commentary, I think these small doses at major events are a fun way to keep him involved. Miz certainly doesn’t lose anything at this stage of his career by being embarrassed by McAfee, and the crowd ate up his surprise entrance. Pat’s signature offense is fun, and, like Logan Paul, he’s much better at this than he really has any right to be. George Kittle’s involvement worked well, too. I’d always prefer to keep this kind of stuff away from talent the company is heavily invested pushing at a major level, but at this stage of his career, this type of fodder is great for Miz and he’s an excellent foil for less-experienced, celebrity babyface opponents.)
