4/20 WWE in Newcastle Results – Triple H returns to the ring post-WM32, Styles vs. Jericho, new Social Outcast?

WWE Live Show Results
April 20, 2016
Newcastle, England
Report by Robert Coll, PWTorch reader

This was my third-ever live wrestling show, having gone to the NXT show in December with my brother (who is very much a casual fan and came with me to this tonight) and a house show 12 years ago (also with Triple H in the main event).

The show was advertised for The Undertaker, but Taker was scratched and Hunter replaced him against Dean Ambrose in the main event. This looked like a legit sell-out, so about 8,000 people. A lot of kids, but that is to be expected.

(1) IC champion The Miz (w/Maryse) beat Dolph Ziggler to retain the Intercontinental Title. Both were over huge, with Ziggler getting a lot of chants. Miz is so good at heeling it up in front of a crowd and Maryse only helps his act. Miz won in ten minutes after Maryse got involved, but Ziggler hit a Zig-Zag afterward to get his own back.

(2) Alberto Del Rio beat Damien Sandow. A squash with Del rio winning in three minutes with the Armbreaker. Poor Sandow. Afterward, Del rio got on the mic and said that he hated Newcastle and challenged anyone in the back to a match.

(3) Fandango beat Alberto Del Rio. A strange match. I don’t think anyone thought Fandango would come out to accept. Del Rio taunted the fans for liking Fandango, who ended up winning with a roll-up in about one minute.

(4) Sami Zayn beat Kevin Owens. A great match with Sami getting a lot of “Ole!” chants and Owens getting on the mic to say that he is going to leave if they continue. A lot of great heel work from Owens, attacking Zayn before the bell and trying to walk out for the count-out. Zayn won with the Helluva Kick in about 10 minutes. A good match as expected.

(5) Paige beat Tamina in an eight-woman tag match. We left to get beer at this point, but we came back to see Paige pin Tamina with Rampaige in about 12 minutes. Paige got a great reaction when she came out.

(6) A.J. Styles beat Chris Jericho. Jericho came out to a good pop, before getting boos for slagging off the city and the “A.J. Styles” chant. A.J. came out to the biggest reaction of the evening until the main event. I was surprised by how many kids loved him. They kept doing his poses, so he is over as babyface for sure. It was a great match – Styles is smooth in his wrestling and Jericho is so good at the little things. Styles won with a Styles Clash in 15 minutes.

[Intermission]

(7) Goldust beat Curtis Axel. We came back to see Axel and Viktor cutting a promo, with Axel saying that Viktor is now a member of the Social Outcasts (filling the voids of suspended wrestlers Konnor and Adam Rose). A basic match with Goldust winning in five minutes. The Outcasts attacked afterward, before R-Truth ran out for the save and a dance.

(8) U.S. champion Kalisto beat Ryback to retain the U.S. Title. The “lucha” chants were very over, and I saw a lot of kids with Kalisto mask so it seems Kalisto has some upper traction. A basic match, not to different from their WrestleMania match (although this properly has a bigger crowd). Kalisto won in eight minutes.

(9) Big Show & Kane beat The Wyatts (Erick Rowan & Braun Strowman). This.was.boring. I was happy to see Kane and Big Show live as they were two of my favourites from when I was a kid, but this match was so slow. The crowd kept themselves entertained with Enzo and New Day chants and I can’t blame them. It went 15 minutes, which was too long. Big Show and Kane won with a double chokeslam on Rowan in 15 minutes.

(10) Dean Ambrose beat Triple H in the main event. Hunter, wrestling his first match since WM32, came out to a great reaction, but Ambrose was pop of the night. The kids near me were going crazy when he came out. A basic, safe match but good none the less. The best spot was Ambrose doing his dive on to Triple H and ending up going into the crowd, which didn’t look planned. Ambrose won in 15 minutes after hitting a low blow and Dirty Deeds.

Overall, a fun show, but I enjoyed myself more at NXT in December and my brother said the same. The crowd seemed to be into it with lots of kids keeping the energy level high. It was a good card for a Newcastle house show and I am glad to have seen Triple H, Jericho, and Styles all live.

MOTN – Jericho vs. Styles.

Biggest Cheers- Ambrose, Styles, Triple H, Zayn.

Biggest Boos – Jericho, Miz, Owens, Triple H.