The Big Takeaway: Viktor has dropped his ‘demonic’ gimmick and lost to Sin Cara, while Zack Ryder and Dolph Ziggler teamed up to dismiss the Dudley Boyz in the main event
*****
Sin Cara beat Non-Demonic Viktor (6:00)
After only a matter of weeks, they have already ditched Viktor’s ‘demonic’ gimmick. In fairness, he was never really charismatic enough to pull it off and with Konnor not far off returning for suspension, it was an experiment that they wanted to try on shows like this and at house shows for whatever reason.
This crowd is dead. There are very light ‘lucha’ chants in the early going, but it is eerily quiet watching them exchange arm rings. Sin Cara works hard to get the crowd going, skillfully turning a hip toss into bridging pin for two.
Viktor beats him down with chops, punches and stomps and then mocks the lucha chants. Sin Cara comes off the top rope with a hurricanrana, but is then sent head first into the top turn buckle. Viktor uses his impressive spinning uppercut and then applies a headlock.
Sin Cara gets the heat with a second rope moonsault, second rope cross body, and a springboard reverse elbow. Viktor is then dumped outside and Sin Cara hits him with a topé and then turns Viktor’s power bomb attempt into a Frankensteiner.
Zack Ryder & Dolph Ziggler beat The Dudley Boyz (7:32)
Why they haven’t at least explored the idea of Ryder and Ziggler together as a tag team in the last 5 years, is a good question. Both fan favourites with not much going on, they would be a real hit as openers at house shows, particularly if Enzo and Cass are opening on the other tour. They looked good here, with the match built around Ryder playing babyface in peril, while Ziggler impatiently waited for the hot tag.
D-Von and Ryder start off in the ring together. D-Von pounds down on Ryder, hitting him with a suplex before tagging in Bubba Ray. They double-team Ryder with shoulder barges. Bubba charges into Ryder’s knees in the corner and so Ryder is able to hit him with a second rope missile drop kick, before setting up and connecting with the Broski Boot. Really this move should put a man out unconscious, but instead Bubba Ray just takes it the same way he would a punch and The Dudley’s retreat outsider as we head to a break.
Bubba Ray is in control as we return. He scoop slams Ryder and knocks Ziggler off the apron. Dolph then returns the favour, knocking D-Von off the top rope onto Bubba. Ryder’s Elbro drop attempt is then countered when Ryder is crotched.
They go outside and Ryder is charged into the dasher borders. Back in the ring, Ryder takes a leg drop for two and so Ray puts on a chin lock. The Dudleys continue to cut off ring until Ziggler finally gets the hot tag. He comes in with clotheslines, a running splash and a neckbreaker. Ziggler runs into a big boot but then dodges Bubba Ray’s charge to cause a buffoonish collision between the two tag partners in the middle of the ring. Ryder then pulls D-Von outside and, despite the stoicism of Bubba Ray, Ziggler is able to hit him with the super kick for the win.