SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
WWE LIVE EVENT
DECEMBER 29, 2018
BALTIMORE, MD. AT ROYAL FARMS ARENA
REPORT BY REV. KEITH BENNETT, PWTORCH VIP CORRESPONDENT
If you attend a live event, please send results in the format of the following report to pwtorch@pwtorch.com. Thanks!
Attendance: Est. 7-8,000 (with the entire upper bowl was empty)
Byron Saxton served as host for the evening.
The show opened with Miz TV. Miz informed us that he had just gotten off the phone with Shane McMahon and learned that A.J. Styles “had the flu” and isn’t here tonight. Substituting for Styles will be none other than John Cena, who will meet Daniel Bryan for the WWE Title inside a steel cage. The Miz began cutting a promo when he was interrupted by Mustafa Ali, which led to our first match.
(1) Mustafa Ali defeated The Miz in 5:00 with the 054. A very solid opener.
(2) R-Truth & Carmella defeated Andrade Cien Almas & Zelina Vega when Truth pinned Almas after being slapped by Carmella in 10:00. An exciting mixed match tag which also included a “dance break ” by Truth and Carmella.
(3) The Good Bros. & Shelton Benjamin defeated The Colons & Aiden English with the Magic Killer on Epico in 3:00. This led to Sanity coming down to issue a challenge to Anderson & Gallows, which they accepted.
(4) The Good Bros. defeated Sanity with the Magic Killer in 4:00.
(5) Rey Mysterio pinned Randy Orton in 2:00 after administering the 619 and a frog splash from the top rope. The crowd was stunned at the quick finish to this match.
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Byron Saxton announced that our next match would be the first of four title matches on the card.
(6) Sheamus & Cesaro (“The Bar”) defeated The New Day (Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods w/Big E) and The Usos in 13:00 to retain the WWE Smackdown Tag Team Titles. This was a Match of the Night candidate with exciting spots and aerial maneuvers. The finish came when Cesaro intercepted a dive attempt by Jimmy Uso onto the outside and countered with a roll-up.
(7) Jeff Hardy pinned Samoa Joe in 4:00 with the Twist of Fate.
(8) Daniel Bryan defeated John Cena in a steel cage to retain the WWE Championship in 15:00. Prior to the match, Bryan cut a heel promo on Baltimore. Cena was very over with the crowd. Bryan escaped the cage after hitting Cena with a low blow and a belt shot to the head.
Intermission
(9) Naomi & Lana defeated Mandy Rose & Sonya Deville when Naomi scored the pin after a Rear View in 10:00. The IIconics served as guest ring announcers for this women’s bout and annoyed the audience with anti-Baltimore rants. They were eventually sent to the back by referee Danilo Anfibio due to constant interference.
(10) Rusev defeated Shinsuke Nakamura in 10:00 after the Machka Kick to retain the United States Championship.
(11) Asuka defeated Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch in 20:00 to retain the Smackdown Championship. A good back and forth match which kept the crowd engaged. Asuka reversed an attempted Natural Selection into the Asuka lock for the win on Charlotte.
FINAL THOUGHTS: Overall, a very impressive house show. It was by far one of the longest in recent memory. The show lasted three hours and ten minutes.
Loudest Pops
(1) John Cena
(2) New Day
(3) Becky Lynch
Most Heat
(1) Daniel Bryan
(2) Samoa Joe
(3) The IIconics
If you attend a live event, please send results in the format of the following report to pwtorch@pwtorch.com. Thanks!
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