AUSTIN, Texas — Three days before WWE Hell in a Cell on WWE Network, the brother-in-arms went to war against WWE Tag Team Champions The New Day, WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins battled The Swiss Superman and Tyler Breeze made a gorgeous main roster debut.
Reinstated after being suspended for Raw, Corporate Kane wasted little time putting Seth Rollins into a match — but the Director of Operations left the opponent’s identity secret. He also warned The Architect not to run out on the match like he did Monday on Raw because he never would know who would be there to stop him. Kane also opted to put The New Day into a main event showdown against Roman Reigns & Dean Ambrose.
Rollins’ opponent turned out to be Cesaro! And when the action seemed to get a little too hot for the titleholder, he decided to take a walk — only to stop when he remembered Kane’s earlier warning.
Despite the Director of Operations’ mind game and a hard-fought offense by The Swiss Superman, in the end, Rollins was able to knock his powerful opponent off the ropes and hit the Pedigree for the victory.
Paige made a strong attempt to explain her recent actions to fellow Team PCB members Charlotte and Becky Lynch, while denying that she has anything to do with Natalya being mysteriously attacked one week earlier.
This rocky discussion was interrupted by Team Bella, three days before Nikki will get her Divas Title rematch with Charlotte at Hell in a Cell. While the daughter of Ric Flair didn’t want to wait for Sunday to get her hands on her No. 1 contender, Paige quickly barged forward to challenge the longest-reigning Divas Champion instead. Was she once again trying to make it all about her, or was she simply trying to make amends?
In the contest that followed — approved by Corporate Kane — Nikki decisively triumphed over The Diva of Tomorrow with the Rack Attack. Will Bella prove beautiful this Sunday?
On the “Most Must-See Talk Show in WWE History,” The Miz fiercely goaded an amused Dolph Ziggler about his former girlfriend Lana’s engagement to Rusev, while sympathizing with Summer Rae on the same issue.
But Summer demonstrated that she’s over both The Bulgarian Brute and The Showoff, when she introduced her new beau: NXT Superstar, Tyler Breeze! “Prince Pretty” proceeded to unleash a furious sneak attack on the bleach-blond Superstar.
As order broke down in tag team action, an “observing” Rusev pushed King Barrett out of the way of Sin Cara’s attack — causing the masked Superstar to crash into the ringside barricade. Though Kalisto was able to thwart both The Bulgarian Brute and Barrett, he turned around just in time to get floored by The Celtic Warrior’s Brogue Kick.
Clearly, Barrett, Sheamus & Rusev are ready for their Hell in a Cell Kickoff showdown against Neville, Dolph Ziggler & Cesaro.
En route to his Intercontinental Title opportunity against Kevin Owens at Hell in a Cell this Sunday, Ryback overcame Bo Dallas with a Meathook/Shell Shocked combination.
Later, Intercontinental Champion Kevin Owens made it clear that, while his No. 1 contender was many things that he was not, Owens was still the champion and will be after Sunday’s pay-per-view.
In the height of the match pitting Roman Reigns & Dean Ambrose against WWE Tag Team Champions Big E & Kofi Kingston, The New Day’s attempt to cruise out of action hit an extreme roadblock in the form of their No. 1 contenders The Dudley Boyz.
The brothers-in-arms took out Big E, before Reigns hit Kingston with a wicked Superman Punch as his opponent was leaping off the top rope. He then finished off his prey with a thunderous Spear for the three-count.
Xavier Woods was not at ringside, after being put through a table by Bubba Ray, D-Von and John Cena on Raw. If he is not able to make Hell in a Cell, The New Day may be in trouble this Sunday against The Dudleys.
As the smoke cleared on SmackDown’s main event, Bray Wyatt interrupted, making it clear that Reigns will have nowhere to hide from his fear this Sunday inside Hell in a Cell.