Last week’s Champion vs. Champion match headlined the card. This week, WWE champion Drew McIntyre was scheduled for a match against Angel Garza, a friend of United States Champion Andrade. The Men’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match field also grew to four participants.
Drew McIntyre challenges Seth Rollins
The champion marched his way to the ring to address his “ambushing” that took place after his match last week. McIntyre said whoever holds the championship has a target on their back since they are the best in the industry.
McIntyre questioned Seth Rollins’s worthiness for a shot to compete for the title. He challenged Rollins to a match in three weeks at Money in the Bank and was interrupted by his upcoming opponent in Garza, accompanied by Zelina Vega.
Vega stopped McIntyre and said he was looking too far into the future, and Andrade continued the ambushes coming McIntyre’s way by approaching him from behind. However, Andrade never gained momentum and was Claymored out of the ring.
Aleister Black vs. Austin Theory
WWE needed to add contestants for the Men’s MITB Ladder Match, to which Daniel Bryan had been the only one to qualify, and two young superstars vied for the opportunity to compete. Vega sat at the announcer’s table to support Theory.
Both Black and Theory entered the match with confidence. The two locked up several times at the outset of the match, and Black delivered a baseball slide to his opponent after throwing him from the ring. Vega left the announcer’s table to distract Black, who was thrown into the barricade.
The action returned to the ring after a commercial break. Black focused on the left arm of Theory and struck him multiple times with jabs and kicks. A moonsault to Theory led to a two-count. Theory gained momentum with a superkick and delivered a knee to Black’s neck for his own two-count.
Black countered the ATL and hit a strong knee to Theory’s face. Black missed a Black Mask, but spun Theory’s last effort into a connecting finisher and earned the victory.
Shayna Baszler vs. Indi Hartwell
Last week, Baszler dominated and injured Sarah Logan while qualifying for the Women’s MITB Ladder Match. NXT superstar Indi Hartwell was next in line to face off against her dangerous opponent.
Baszler opened the match with powerful blows and punches to Hartwell and set up to stomp her arm, much like her performance last week.
After Hartwell pushed Baszler away and even delivered blows of her own, she still found herself prone to another stomp. Baslzer connected with a brutal stomp and pulled Hartwell from the ring during post-match. Baszler used a ladder to put Hartwell’s right arm in a precarious position and kicked it against the ring steps to continue the punishment she has been dishing out.
Ricochet and Cedric Alexander vs. Brendan Vink and Shane Thorne
The high-flying duo of Ricochet and Alexander looked to rebound from their loss last week to The Viking Raiders. Ricochet got the best of his opponents by using his speed in the earlier part of the match.
Ricochet was held above Vink and countered by using his legs to throw him into a turnbuckle. Alexander superkicked Vink out of the ring. Alexander hit a tornado DDT to Thorne and saw his pin broken up by Vink. Ricochet hit a Recoil into a Lumbar Check to earn his team an impressive victory.
Kairi Sane vs. Nia Jax
The announcers noted the size disadvantage Sane had with Jax. Sane used elusiveness to climb atop the back of Jax, only to be thrown to the mat.
Jax twirled Sane by her legs and threw her around the ring. Jax picked Sane from the mat and delivered two clotheslines. During the match, Jax tended to her left knee, and Sane was able to drop her opponent down to her size. Jax countered an Insane Elbow to deliver a backward powerbomb to earn the win.
Seth Rollins answers McIntyre
Rollins appeared on his own throne via video. Rollins mentioned he and McIntyre had a lot in common, noting their passion for wrestling. Rollins accepted the challenge issued earlier in the night out of “necessity.”
MVP vs. Apollo Crews
A veteran in MITB Ladder Matches, MVP found himself in a qualifying match for a potential fourth bout in such a contest. Crews took control when the match began and proved to be on his toes when MVP tried to be elusive.
MVP left the ring and Crews attempted to follow, only to be swept from atop the apron and fall on his back. Inside the ring after a commercial break, MVP held Crews in a behind-the-back submission. MVP looked to hit a Playmaker only for Crews to counter with a spinebuster.
Crews then took over with several kicks and a clothesline. MVP countered a frog splash and hit a Playmaker for a two-count. Crews hit two standing Shooting Stars and a powerbomb to solidify a spot in the MITB Ladder Match.
Liv Morgan vs. Ruby Riott
The two former members of the Riott Squad set out to battle inside the ring. After locking up to begin the match, Riott knocked Morgan to the mat with kicks. Placing Morgan atop a rope, Riott kicked the side of her opponent’s head. Morgan hit a Flatliner off the ropes to earn a victory against an overly-confident Riott.
Rey Mysterio vs. Murphy
The fourth spot in the Men’s MITB Ladder Match was up for grabs between two wrestlers who both could benefit from the extra spotlight. The two superstars began the match with taunts and exchanged blows.
Mysterio set up for a 619 only for Murphy to narrowly escape. Murphy brought powerful shots to Mysterio, who left the ring. Murphy charged his opponent outside the ring and threw him into a barricade.
After battling back inside the ring, Murphy slid out toward the ramp and Mysterio followed. Murphy kicked the upper body of his opponent and stomped on the hand of Mysterio as he lay on the floor.
Mysterio delivered a Hurricanrana to Murphy onto the steel ramp. Back in the ring, Mysterio took control of Murphy and earned a two-count. During the match, Mysterio tended to his left hand. Climbing atop a turnbuckle, Mysterio jumped and was caught by his opponent.
Murphy hit a Trifecta to obtain a two-count. Mysterio hit a Destroyer, a 619, and a Frog Splash all in sequence to win the match.
Charlotte Flair vs. Kayden Carter
Flair issued a strong promo last week on Raw. This week, she squared off against Kayden Carter. Flair began the match with a dropkick to Carter.
As Flair set her opponent against the ropes, Carter took advantage and used kicks to knock the NXT Champion to the mat. Carter set up an Octopus submission to Flair, who found a way to escape. Flair speared Carter and set up a Figure Four leg lock. Carter could not escape and Flair won via submission.
Bobby Lashley flips a tire
Lashley appeared in the weight room of the Performance Center. Lana hyped up her husband as Lashley easily flipped a large tire earlier after the Morgan-Riott match. Following the Flair match, Lashley impressively flipped a much larger tire and gloated his strength.
Andrade vs. Akira Tozawa
Losing the Champion vs. Champion match last week to two Claymores was a setback for Andrade. The U.S. Champion set out to correct his momentum against Tozawa.
Tozawa opened the match fiercely after being attacked post-match last week. Andrade stood on the apron and was knocked out of the ring by Tozawa, who front-flipped onto his opponent.
Tozawa locked in an Octopus to Andrade as he continued his attack. Knocking Tozawa off the top of the turnbuckle, Andrade hit a huge DDT to come from behind and win.
Bianca Belair vs. Santana Garrett
Hyped to the ring by The Street Profits, Belair was set for a singles match against Santana Garrett. Belair slammed her opponent to the mat and picked her up and flexed her left arm.
Belair continued throwing Garrett around the ring and cornered her. Belair exhibited athleticism in setting up a high suplex and K.O.D. to defeat Garrett.
Angel Garza vs. Drew McIntyre
McIntyre looked to defeat a second Vega-client in Garza. McIntyre issued a strong kick to Garza, knocking him down.
The action spilled out of the ring, and McIntyre dropped Garza atop a barricade. Garza took control with several kicks and focused on the left leg of the champion. McIntyre jumped on Garza from a turnbuckle and Garza escaped the ring.
With his pants ripped off by McIntyre, who also took out Theory and Andrade, Garza reversed an Alabama Slam only for McIntyre to counter with a Claymore to win the match.
