WWE WrestleMania XL PLE Results: 4-7-24 (Night #2)
After a brief break, Snoop Dogg was introduced as a special guest commentator. Bubba Ray Dudley was introduced as the special guest referee for the Philadelphia Street Fight. The Final Testament was out first. Cole noted that it’s the first time any of them are appearing at WrestleMania, including Paul Ellering. Bobby Lashley and the Street Profits entered to a decent reaction.
(3) THE FINAL TESTAMENT (Karrion Kross & Akam & Razar, w/ Scarlett & Paul Ellering) vs. BOBBY LASHLEY & THE STREET PROFITS (Montez Ford & Angelo Dawkins, w/ B-Fab) – Philadelphia Street Fight
Bubba Ray called for the bell by yelling “ding ding ding.” The Street Profits and Bobby Lashley immediately cleared the ring. Karrion Kross and Authors of Pain used the opportunity to retrieve Kendo sticks from underneath the ring. They surrounded the Street Profits and forced them outside the ring, then beat Lashley mercilessly with sticks. Kross gave Lashley a violent neckbreaker on the edge of the chair. He covered, but Angelo Dawkins dove in the make a last moment save.
Authors of Pain immediately beat Dawkins senseless with Kendo sticks. Montez Ford flew off the top rope, but was quickly taken out by Akam and Razar. AOP stacked the Street Profits on top of one another and Kross went for the cover. B-Fab entered the ring with a Kendo stick and broke up the pin. Scarlett entered and hit B-Fab with a trash can. Snoop Dogg called it “trash.” Lashley returned to the ring and gave Kross an overhead belly-to-belly. Montez Ford leapt clear over the ring post onto the Authors of Pain.
The crowd, who’d been chanting “turn the screen on” since the match started, finally popped, indicating that they’d finally…turned the screen on. Bobby slammed Karrion on a chair and set him up for the Hurt Lock. He applied the hold, but Scarlett cracked him across the back with a Kendo stick. B-Fab returned and gave Scarlett a pump kick as the match crossed 4:30. B-Fab worked Scarlett out onto the apron, and the two went crashing through a table. Kross gave Lashley a back Suplex, then set up another chair. He gave him a DDT on the seat and covered for a near fall. Kross began arguing with Bubba about the count. Dudley confirmed it was a two count. Kross gave him a shove. Bubba reached into his pocket and pulled out a pair of glasses. He put them on just as Kross turned around and ate a Spear from Lashley. Snoop said Kross may need Pepto.
Lashley and Ford split Kross’ legs for Dawkins to come off the top with a headbutt to the lower extremities. The Profits and Lashley shared friendly shoves with Bubba. The referee instructed them to get the tables. “Tables!” the crowd chanted. Dawkins and Lashley set one up as the crowd chanted “ECW!” They hoisted Kross onto the table and it broke. The crowd booed. The Profits rushed outside and grabbed another one, much to the crowd’s delight. Ford snapped a Kendo stick repeatedly over Kross’ back. Lashley and Dawkins placed Kross carefully on the table. Ford splashed him through it from the top and covered him for a three count.
WINNERS: Bobby Lashley & The Street Profits in 8:32
(The crowd spent most of this chanting for production to turn the screens on, so it can assumed they couldn’t see much. Once they did, there was a second, less audible chant that sounded like it may have had something to do with the lights. I guess if there was a time for it to happen, it’d be here. The only real investment in this came from Bubba Ray’s involvement, where the crowd popped for the Street Profits recreating classic Dudley spots. Not much to speak of otherwise, here. The Final Testament doesn’t really have any juice as an act, and Lashley and the Profits have felt like they’ve been floundering for a while.)
(4) LA KNIGHT vs. A.J. STYLES
The referee rang the bell right away. The crowd immediately launched in boos for A.J. Styles’ punches and big “yeahs” for LA Knight’s. Knight got the better of the exchange early, clotheslining Styles over the top rope to the floor and then sliding through the ropes to smash Styles’ head against the announcers desk. The crowd yeah’ed every hit. Knight posed atop the Spanish announce desk as the referee counted both men out. He reached a count of eight before Knight returned Styles to the ring.
Styles attacked Knight as soon as he stepped through the ropes. He took him out from the back of the knee and began driving his boot into it repeatedly. Cole noted that LA Knight won two Slammy’s earlier in the day – Breakout Star and Fan Chant of the year. Styles worked Knight into the corner and continued to work over the leg, kicking him back to the mat. A.J. dropped Knight on his own knee. The crowd began booing and chanting about the lights again. Knight worked his way to his feet, but Styles continued to kick at his knee. Knight managed to get him in a quick slam and Russian Leg Sweep for a cover and two count.
Knight worked Styles into the northeast corner. He stomped a mud-hole, then hit a running knee to the face. Knight leapt off the middle rope and delivered a nice tornado DDT for a cover and near fall just before the 4:00 mark. Knight walked Styles to the northwest corner and hoisted him onto the top turnbuckle. Knight delivered a hard knife-edged chop, then climbed the turnbuckle himself, preparing for a Superplex. Styles slid underneath Knight’s legs and pulled him into an Electric Chair, tossing him face first onto the ring post. Knight stumbled to the center of the ring. Styles gave him a sit out slam for a cover and two count. McAfee said Styles appears to be in the best shape he’s ever see him. Graves agreed.
A.J. slipped out to the apron and began climbing the turnbuckles. He appeared distracted by the crowd’s chants. Knight used the opportunity to meet Styles at the top and bite him on the forehead. Styles returned the favor by raking Knight’s eyes. The referee missed both transgressions. Knight managed to deliver an avalanche German Suplex off the top for a cover and near fall just after 6:30. LA Knight paced the ring, trying to rile up the crowd. He tried to grab Styles, but A.J. rolled him into a Calf Crusher. Knight fought valiantly, eventually breaking the hold. Styles didn’t let up, though. He dragged Knight to the southeast corner and wrapped his legs around the ring post repeatedly. Styles talked trash to the crowd.
LA managed to pull A.J. in, bouncing his body off the ring post. It bought him enough time to slide outside and remove the protective padding surrounding the ring. Knight hooked Styles up for a Piledriver on the floor system. Styles blocked it and back dropped him. A.J. rolled in the ring and requested a count out. Knight answered the count just before ten. Styles was livid. He gave Knight a stiff kick to the gut, then set up shop on the apron. Styles went for a springboard 450 splash, but Knight got his knees up. The camera pulled back for a quick drone shot looking toward the ring from the entrance way.
Both men hit a series of punches. Styles broke the stalemate with a Pale Kick. He headed back to the apron for the Phenomenal Forearm. Knight blocked it and pulled him in for the B.F.T. Styles blocked that. He went for the Styles Clash, but Knight wiggled free. Styles kicked him and went back to the apron. He leapt up for the forearm, but Knight knocked the ropes, dropping Styles in the ring. LA immediately pulled him into Blunt Force Trauma for a cover and three count.
WINNER: LA Knight in 12:27
( I had relatively low expectations for this going in, and I’d say it exceeded them marginally. I thought both guys worked hard and told an effective story for their spot on the card with the time they were allotted. This feud never felt much like a heated issue to me, and so they were working from behind the 8-ball out of the gate. I applaud the extra work they put it on social media this week to try to get there, but it just came off more generic and uninspired than I assume they’d hoped. Knight’s in-ring work tends to leave a fair amount to be desired, and Styles has grown comfortable working a very specific type of match. They did that here, but with just enough flourish to make it an entertaining breather.)
