WWE champion Drew McIntyre has been caught up with two of Zelina Vega’s clients in the past two weeks in United States champion Andrade and Angel Garza, respectively. This week, McIntyre turns his attention to his next challenge: Seth Rollins. Several tag-team matches took place in addition to an impromptu U.S. title match.
MVP Lounge
Rey Mysterio, Apollo Crews, Aleister Black, Daniel Bryan and King Corbin are currently set to compete in the Money in the Bank Ladder Match on May 10, with one spot left to be filled by Otis or Dolph Ziggler. Mysterio, Black, and Crews were all guests on MVP’s MVP Lounge.
The personalities in the ring were unique with veteran Mysterio, quiet Black and young Crews. MVP asked what it would mean to win the briefcase. Crews took the microphone from MVP, but before he could speak Andrade and Vega entered atop the ramp.
Vega and her three clients intruded the ring and demanded the three give her clients their places in the MITB Ladder Match. Soon the six men fought in the ring and Vega’s clients were sent reeling.
Rey Mysterio, Aleister Black and Apollo Crews vs. Andrade, Angel Garza and Austin Theory
The six men who caused chaos during the MVP Lounge fought in a six-man tag team match. Garza gained momentum for his team by issuing kicks to Black.
Black used air moves and arm submissions to counter Garza. Crews landed a dropkick to Theory after backflipping off a turnbuckle.
Mysterio and Garza became active in the ring, and Mysterio set up for a double-619 before it was broken up by Andrade. Mysterio never lost momentum and set up a 619 on Andrade, who escaped out of the ring. Crews and Black came to their partner’s assistance and leaped over the top rope to their opponents outside the ring.
Andrade and Black sent the action back into the ring before Theory was tagged in. Theory looked dominant over Black while lifting him over his body several times, including dropping him on a turnbuckle.
Black looked to quickly roll up Theory and hot-tagged Mysterio. Mysterio used speed to gain an advantage over Andrade, but his opponent’s strength quickly halted him. Garza landed a big kick to Mysterio and threw him outside the ring.
Theory landed a standing shooting star to Mysterio as he continued to look impressive. Crews entered hot and controlled Theory around the ring. Crews issued a spinebuster to Garza and landed a powerslam to Theory.
Crews set up a kick to Andrade but was countered with a strong elbow and rolled up for a two-count. Crews hit a powerbomb to Andrade to earn the win for his team.
Asuka vs. Shayna Baszler vs. Nia Jax
Three women who have secured their spots in the women’s MITB Ladder Match were billed for a triple-threat match just two weeks before their major competition. Baszler has all but decimated her previous two opponents coming into this match, so it was interesting to see her compete against women who had momentum behind them.
Baszler pulled Asuka out of the ring prior to the start. The two made it to the ramp before Jax approached and she threw Baszler into a barricade. Baszler got up and set a ladder against the steps only to be thrown into the setup by Asuka. Jax knocked the two out of the ring with the ladder. The match never started.
Bobby Lahley vs. Denzel Dejournette
After displaying his strength flipping two large tires last week, Lashley put his wrestling abilities to the test against Dejournette. Lashley asked Lana to stay backstage for the match.
Lashley showcased strength in his blows and also lifted Dejournette for a high suplex. A forceful spear allowed Lashley to earn the win.
Liv Morgan vs. Ruby Riott
Last week, Morgan defeated her former friend with a Flatliner. Riott began the match by slamming Morgan to the mat and backed her into a corner. Morgan countered a charging Riott by escaping from the corner and allowing Riott to collide with the turnbuckle.
Riott hit a Riot kick for a two-count. Morgan hit an Oblivion off the ropes and earned a second consecutive victory over Riott.
Jinder Mahal vs. Akira Tozawa
Former WWE champion Jinder Mahal returned to the ring and faced Tozawa. The size difference was noticeable between the two.
Mahal tossed Tozawa from the ring and threw him between the ringside and barricade. Back in the ring, Mahal slammed his opponent who was mounted on his back and hit a Khallas to earn a dominant victory.
Apollo Crews vs. Andrade (t) (United States Championship match)
Andrade and Vega were asked backstage what went wrong during the six-man tag team match. Andrade proclaimed Crews could never beat him twice in one night for the title, a claim to which saw a nearby Crews slap the U.S. champion and then issued a championship match.
The two locked up at the outset of the match and traded holds. Andrade raced around the ring and Crews jumped and hit a dropkick. As Crews flipped inside the ring, the Champion took advantage and hit his own dropkick.
Eventually, the two scrambled outside the ring again and Crews looked to backflip onto Andrade. He missed and landed on his feet but tended to his left knee.
Crews narrowly avoided a count-out but appeared weak due to his tweaked left knee. Andrade used his legs to land kicks and went for a double knee charge but Crews escaped the corner. Crews hit an Olympic Slam but did not cover.
As he gained strength, Crews hit a belly-to-belly suplex and lifted Andrade to drop him on the mat. Crews hit a standing moonsault for a two-count. Andrade hit a charging double-knee but gained only another two-count.
Crews lifted Andrade to the air and was countered with a DDT for a third two-count. Crews hit a big kick and followed with a slam and just missed a three-count.
Crews pulled Andrade closer to a corner presumably for a shooting star, but Andrade joined him atop the turnbuckle. Crews knocked Andrade off and missed a jump, landing again on his injured knee. The referee held back Andrade as he tended to Crews’s knee, later determining the match could not continue.
Ricochet and Cedric Alexander vs. Chase Parker and Matt Martel
Ricochet and Alexander have been impressing as of late with their speed and agility. Alexander began the match against two NXT superstars.
Martel and Parker put up a solid early fight by holding their own. Parker even rolled up Ricochet for a pin but could not finish. Martel had Ricochet with little momentum, resulting in a hot-tag to Alexander who took out both of his challengers.
Alexander hit a tornado DDT and Ricochet hit a standing shooting star to Martel for a two-count. Ricochet and Alexander chased Martel from the ring and the two hit a double-team DDT to pin Parker for the win.
Seth Rollins and Drew McIntyre Contract Signing
Moderated by Jerry “The King” Lawler, two men who saw different endings to their own WrestleMania matches met in the ring to make their next bout official.
This one will have championship gold on the line.
Seth Rollins issued two curb stomps to Drew McIntyre two weeks ago, prompting a challenge last week unusual from a champion who is willing to put his title on the line.
The Monday Night Messiah entered first dressed in a suit. McIntyre followed very shortly after in casual clothing.
The champion told Lawler to leave the ring because the signing likely would result in chaos. McIntyre signed the contract first. Rollins, before signing, told McIntyre he does not want to challenge for the title, but he has to.
Rollins then claimed he was a leader, saying people have followed him. The turning point came when McIntyre told Rollins he was full of it. The champion asked his challenger where his followers exactly were.
McIntyre told Rollins to finish the job when they fight at Money in the Bank. As Rollins told McIntyre to have faith, the champion slammed Rollins’s face to the table and counted down from three only to eat a kick to the side of his face from Murphy. Rollins and Murphy hugged in the corner of the ring, but for too long as McIntyre delivered a Claymore to his attacker.
