Opening Segment:
Bobby Roode comes out to start the show. He talks about his championship reign and how he has beaten everyone. He wants to celebrate and calls out Hulk Hogan. He asks for certain demands, including a locker room full of champagne. Hogan says next week is Open Fight Night and that Roode will defend his title next week. Elimination matches tonight include RVD/Bully Ray, Hardy/Anderson, Angle/Joe, and a Battle Royal.
What I Liked:
Great arrogance and cockiness displayed by Roode to start the show. I really enjoy his character and he has come so far. He may one of the best all around wrestlers in any company. He has the look, the talk, the athleticism, and the strength to be a world champion. His interactions with Hogan are great, and I especially liked how no time was wasted from the PPV. They kicked things off right and this feels like an important night. There will be more meaning in each match and not a lot of down time for filler matches.
Grade: A
Bully Ray def. RVD
What I Liked:
I felt like this was a surprise, given the fact that Ray is such a good heel and so is Roode. Ray deserves a shot at the title, and I felt like he has done such good things for young guys over the past few months that this was a gift for succeeding. He needs to be accredited with a great performance against Austin Aries. Hopefully, this will not interfere with his current storyline with Abyss.
What I Disliked:
RVD quickly goes from the number one contender to another meaningless veteran. He was built up so much and now he quickly falls out of favor. He is a hard guy to book for because he is limited in microphone skills. He has never been the best talker, but he has been a guy they can rely on to perform in the ring. Where does he go from here? Also, the match was quick and forced. They were not given much time to work together, two ECW greats. I wanted to see more here, not a thrown together match with a lack of creativity.
Grade: C+
-Joseph Park finds Bully Ray and they do the usual thing with Abyss. Nothing new here.
