{"id":17913,"date":"2015-08-12T21:37:58","date_gmt":"2015-08-12T11:37:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thefatwebsite.com\/?p=17913"},"modified":"2015-08-12T21:37:58","modified_gmt":"2015-08-12T11:37:58","slug":"wwe-house-show-brisbane","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.thefatwebsite.com\/?p=17913","title":{"rendered":"WWE House Show – Brisbane"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"tagwwe\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"wweoztour\"<\/a><\/p>\n

W<\/span>hen the WWE began selling tickets for their 2015 tour of Australia, its headline act was\u00a0wrestling legend Hulk Hogan as the General Manager and an opportunity to see the company’s two top babyfaces John Cena and Roman Reigns wrestle. \u00a0When it came to the week of the event, none of the three performers would make the show. \u00a0If there was ever a tour where the WWE would need to dig deep and rely on the ol’ ‘card subject to change’<\/em> clause, this was it.<\/p>\n

About a month before the event Roman Reigns was pulled. \u00a0He received a minor injury from which he would recover in time for the company’s second biggest show of the year Summerslam but he was effectively put on ice and pulled from international tours.<\/p>\n

Then two weeks prior to the show, Hulk Hogan was sensationally fired by the WWE for alleged racist remarks he said on a sex tape filmed by a radio DJ eight years ago while Hogan was having intercourse with the DJ’s wife.<\/p>\n

Lastly, three days before the show, John Cena broke his nose when on the receiving end of a flying knee from World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins.<\/p>\n

\"brokennose\"
\n<\/a>Don’t try this at home!<\/em><\/p>\n

It meant that whatever the company had planned as their original card was effectively tossed out the window and a modified roster was hastily thrown together at the last minute. \u00a0As is so often the case with these things, when the company is having to do some last minute scrambling, good things can happen.<\/p>\n

In this case, Brisbane was treated to one of the best house show cards that the city has seen in years.<\/p>\n

Host: \u00a0Shawn Michaels\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Finn Balor<\/b>\u00a0vs\u00a0Neville
\n<\/b>WWE NXT Championship<\/em>
\n<\/b><\/p>\n

Fandango<\/b>\u00a0vs\u00a0Adam Rose<\/b><\/p>\n

Randy Orton<\/b>\u00a0vs\u00a0King Barrett<\/b><\/p>\n

Luke Harper<\/b>\u00a0vs\u00a0R-Truth<\/b><\/p>\n

Bo Dallas cuts an inspirational Bo-lieve speech<\/p>\n

Natalya<\/b> & Emma<\/b>\u00a0vs\u00a0The Bella Twins<\/b><\/p>\n

Cesaro<\/b> vs. Kevin Owens<\/b><\/p>\n

Seth Rollins<\/b>\u00a0vs\u00a0Dean Ambrose
\n<\/b>WWE World Heavyweight Champion
\nBrisbane Street Fight<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0This was a show where three matches on the card – Balor\/Neville, Cesaro\/Owens and Rollins\/Ambrose – pitted some of the industry’s most talented workers in their prime against one another. \u00a0In my experience, I’ve often found that WWE house shows in Australia typically have pretty weak cards with not many match ups that are likely to produce competitive matches of the calibre you would see on PPV. \u00a0This show gave us three of them! \u00a0And to be fair to the rest of the card, I thought they put on a great show. \u00a0Wrestling legend Mick Foley once referred to wrestling as being like a variety show which should have something for everyone – a comedy act, a strongman routine, acrobatics etc. \u00a0This was a well rounded show that had something for everyone.<\/p>\n

\"audience\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Here’s a quick recap of the night.<\/p>\n

Host: \u00a0Shawn Michaels<\/strong><\/p>\n

The show began with WWE announcer JoJo introducing Shawn Michaels. \u00a0Michaels today is positively ancient and he doesn’t so much as strut down to the ring as he does hobble. \u00a0But the man still has lightning charisma and was a fantastic replacement for Hulk Hogan. \u00a0Incidentally, there was no mention of Hogan whatsoever but the late withdrawal of John Cena apparently entitled anyone in the arena to claim a refund at the box office.<\/p>\n

I’m guessing Michaels doesn’t watch the current product as he seems to have no idea who the babyfaces and heels are on the roster. \u00a0He talks briefly about Triple H and the mention of Hunter’s name draws boos from the crowd. \u00a0‘Oh, you guys don’t like him these days?’ says Shawn sounding surprised.<\/p>\n

He jokes with the crowd about how he’s been practising how to pronounce our city’s name. \u00a0American wrestlers always come to Australia and talk about what a fine city BrisBAIN and MelBORN are. \u00a0“Why not just spell your city BriBIN if thats how you want to say it?” asks Shawn.<\/p>\n

Finn Balor<\/b>\u00a0vs\u00a0Neville
\n<\/b>WWE NXT Championship<\/em>
\n<\/b><\/p>\n

Finn Balor and Adrian Neville are easily two of the WWE’s finest\u00a0workers and it was a huge surprise to seem them booked in a match against one another. \u00a0Originally, we were supposed to get Finn Balor against Bo Dallas. \u00a0As expected, this was an excellent match and happily, they were given fifteen minutes to really shine. \u00a0They started with some mat wrestling before finishing the match with an exchange of high flying moves including Neville’s Red Arrow and Balor’s Coup De Grace. \u00a0Balor picked up the win when he hit his finisher a second time. \u00a0This was a classy match and a very pleasant surprise to start the show. \u00a0I really hope for big things in the future of both these guys.<\/p>\n

Winner by pinfall – Finn Balor<\/p>\n

Fandango<\/b>\u00a0vs\u00a0Adam Rose<\/b><\/p>\n

This was the comedy jobber match of the evening. \u00a0It helps that both guys have super catchy ring entrance music that the crowd responded warmly too. \u00a0In fact, I thought the crowd in general was really great and were vocal throughout the show. \u00a0Rose did a great job riling up the crowd by playing up some cowardly heel antics. \u00a0Fandango eventually got the win. \u00a0I felt he was extra appreciative of the reception that he got as he seemed to linger in the ring for an extra moment to soak in the crowd response. \u00a0It’s moments like that that make me wonder if most of the company’s midcarders who barely get time on the televised shows almost prefer working house shows as it gives them a chance to shine.<\/p>\n

Winner by pinfall – Fandango<\/p>\n

Luke Harper<\/b>\u00a0vs\u00a0R-Truth<\/b><\/p>\n

I didn’t really expect anything from this match to be honest but for the fact that both guys seemed to be having a lot of fun interacting with the raucous Brisbane crowd. I find R-Truth’s routine to be pretty cheesy but I couldn’t stop laughing (and neither could Harper) when he somehow managed to get ‘Whoomp! \u00a0There it is!’ over as a chant with the crowd. \u00a0It was like watching a Men On A Mission match from 1995. \u00a0Harper was basically channelling Warlord and when he was on the offensive, he would constantly stop to flex his biceps. \u00a0Harper eventually went over with a lariat.<\/p>\n

Winner by pinfall – Luke Harper<\/p>\n

Randy Orton<\/b>\u00a0vs\u00a0King Barret<\/b>t<\/b><\/p>\n

\"king\"<\/a><\/p>\n

There was a golden opportunity missed by King Barrett in this match. \u00a0As he was about to enter the ring, the Australian cricket team was getting dismantled by Stuart Broad and getting bowled out for 60. \u00a0He could’ve got incredible heat had he come out and given the audience the bad news. \u00a0He would eventually do so a few nights later in Sydney wielding a cricket bat in the ring.<\/p>\n

Regardless, he was still able to draw the biggest heat of the night when he came out and berated Australia as a second rate colony of the British Empire. \u00a0Better still, as Barrett was shit-talking our city, he tripped and stumbled on some metalwork jutting out from the ring entrance which drew plenty of cheers and laughter.<\/p>\n

After all the verbal sparring, the crowd went absolutely nuclear for Randy Orton who seems to have found a new lease of popularity after the RKOFROMOUTTANOWHERE!!! vines (superimposed videos of Orton hitting his trademark finishing move on everyday people) went viral last year. \u00a0Randy picked up the win after hitting his signature move – from out of nowhere of course – and sent the crowd into the intermission absolutely buzzing.<\/p>\n

Winner by pinfall – Randy Orton<\/p>\n

Natalya<\/b> & Emma<\/b>\u00a0vs\u00a0The Bella Twins<\/b><\/p>\n

\n

The “We want Emma” chants tonight made me feel very much at home! Thank you #WWEBrisbane<\/a>! #WWE<\/a> #RealEMMA<\/a> #EMMAlution<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/rjD3iFz8YP<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 EMMA (@EmmaWWE) August 6, 2015<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n