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LOS ANGELES – After weeks of boasts, taunts and Touts, The Prime Time Players finally got their rematch against WWE Tag Champions Kofi Kingston & R-Truth at SummerSlam. Unfortunately for the brash No. 1 contenders, the champions proved to be too much, fighting through adversity to successfully defend their illustrious titles. ( PHOTOS)
Darren Young and Titus O’Neil seemed to have the momentum going into The Biggest Event of Summer, winning individual contests against the titleholders in recent weeks and delivering a brutal, two-on-one assault on Truth on the Aug. 13 episode of Raw while Kofi was in Asia on WWE’s 2012 World Tour.
This match, however, would start on a different note, with the typically jocular Truth wearing a solemn “game face.” Still smarting from the attack on Raw, Truth immediately took the fight to Young, battering him around the ring. All business in the early going, Truth smacked Young around the canvas before hitting his unorthodox leg drop and getting a two-count.
Young managed to tag in O’Neil, who landed a crushing kick on Truth to steal the momentum. The powerhouse former member of the Florida Gators football squad wailed on the veteran until Truth was able to dive and tag in his high-flying partner.
Kofi hit a Boom Drop on O’Neil, but when he looked for Trouble in Paradise, Young was there with a distraction to help get his partner out of trouble. When the action spilled ringside, Young and O’Neil managed to double team Kofi and regain the advantage on the champions. Continuing their excellent teamwork in the ring, O’Neil slammed his partner onto Kofi with a unique maneuver.
In the ring, Kofi and Young traded moves, both looking for pinfalls. As the energetic and exhausting match wore on, it looked like it was only a matter of time before the young and hungry Prime Time Players found a way to put away the titleholders.
But Kofi pulled down the ropes to send O’Neil careening out of the ring and followed up with fearless, gravity-defying crossbody onto the big man at ringside. A moment after the stunning move, Young almost hit the quick roll-up on Truth, but the eccentric Superstar avoided the pin and hit Young with a jumping reverse STO, followed by the pin for an impressive and hard-fought victory.
It was sweet revenge for the fan-favorite champions, who again proved to be golden in a title reign that has lasted since April 30. ( WATCH EXCLUSIVE) The Prime Time Players showed that they indeed have reason to be confident, but still lack the titles to back up their big talk. ( WATCH EXCLUSIVE)
In a suddenly crowded tag team division, will titleholders Kofi Kingston & R-Truth move on to new challengers — perhaps duos such as Primo & Epico, The Usos or Tyson Kidd & Justin Gabriel? Or will The Prime Time Players get a third opportunity at WWE’s twin titles?