3/4 WWE in Cedar Rapids, Iowa: Roode vs. Orton, Rusev Day chants rival New Day and Uso response in their match, Shinsuke vs. Ziggler, Fatal Four-way main event

WWE LIVE EVENT REPORT
MARCH 4, 2018
CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA
REPORT BY CARLOUS RICHARD, PWTORCH CORRESPONDENT

Please send results of live events you attend to pwtorch@pwtorch.com. Thank you! Also, please include any photos you take of either the arena setting, entrance stage, and clear pictures of wrestlers on way to ring or inside the ring.

Good sized crowd for WWE’s annual appearance in Cedar Rapids.  Not quite as many people as last year for a show that was headlined by John Cena, but for tonight’s event, the floor and lower concourse seating was pretty much full.  The upper concourse seats that were made available were probably 40 PERCENT full.  Crowd estimate somewhere around 4,000 to 4,500.  Lots of families in attendance.

(1) The Usos beat The New Day (Big E & Xavier Woods w/Kofi Kingston) and Rusev & Aiden English and Shelton Benjamin & Chad Gable to retain the Smackdown Tag Team Championship when both Usos superkicked Gable.  Lots of comedy with New Day antics, a little Uso breakdancing, and “Rusev Day “chants.  An unusual dynamic with three babyface teams in the match.  Rusev Day was received just about as well as the Usos and The New Day were.  What are you waiting for, Vince? The people want to celebrate Rusev Day every day.  It was a homecoming of sorts for Big E as he played football about 25 miles down the road at the University of Iowa.

(2) Mojo Rawley beat Tye Dillinger. Not much to say about this one.

(3) The Bludgeon Brothers beat Breezango after a Breezango comedy spot. There was a short Fashion Files shown on the Tron before the match.

(4) Jinder Mahal beat Sin Cara.

(5) Becky Lynch & Naomi beat Carmella & Lana and Riott Squad (Liv Morgan & Sarah Logan).  The crowd loved Naomi and Becky.

(6) U.S. Champion Bobby Roode wrestled Randy Orton to a DDQ. This was the longest match of the night which ended when Jinder Mahal ran in after around 20 minutes. Orton RKO’d Roode and Mahal to the delight of the crowd.  After the match, Orton shook hands, signed autographs, and posed for selfies with the ringside fans.   The fans were clearly for Orton in terms of the volume of the pop. They didn’t reject Roode, but Orton is quite popular in these parts and gets that legacy superstar reaction.

INTERMISSION

(7) Smackdown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair beat Natalya and Ruby Riott by submission when Natalya tapped out while in the Figure-Eight.  Lots of “Woooo’s” from the crowd.

(8) Shinsuke Nakamura beat Dolph Ziggler with the Kinshasa.  Solid match.

(9) WWE World Champion A.J. Styles beat Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens and Baron Corbin in a Fatal Four-Way when Styles pinned Owens.

Please send results of live events you attend to pwtorch@pwtorch.com. Thank you! Also, please include any photos you take of either the arena setting, entrance stage, and clear pictures of wrestlers on way to ring or inside the ring.

NOW CHECK OUT THIS RECENT REPORT: 3/3 WWE in Chicago, Ill.: Lesnar vs. Kane, Reigns vs. Cena, Women’s Four-on-Four, Seth & Balor vs. The Bar, Hardy vs. Bray