The Big Takeaway: Stardust lost to Zack Ryder in what could be Cody Runnels’ last match for WWE, while Jack Swagger and Titus O’Neil partnered up to face the Social Outcasts.
*****
Jack Swagger & Titus O’Neil beat Bo Dallas & Curtis Axel (w/ Heath Slater) (4:13)
Its good to see Jack Swagger fired up and excited to be out working tonight. He and O’Neil are they latest of the thrown-together tag teams to come out of ‘what do we do with them now’ category. With all the releases of late, it’s a tightrope for both of these men, particularly O’Neil who for all his parenting awards is already 39 years old.
Swagger and Axel start off together. The story of the match is Swagger plays babyface in peril and we await the hot tag for Titus O’Neil. After early exchanges, a distraction from Slater on the apron causes Swagger to get nailed from behind. Dallas tags in and hammers away on Swagger. We multiple quick tags as pretty audible “we want Titus!” chants start up. Swagger runs into a knee and Axel covers him for two.
Swagger tries to roll him up, but Axel kicks out at two. Axel then grabs Swagger’s leg to stop the tag and puts on a chin lock. Axel eventually gets dumped when Swagger pulls the top rope down and so finally we get the hot tag for O’Neil.
O’Neil comes in with shoulder barges, catching Dallas’ cross body attempt and punishes him with multiple back breakers. O’Neil hits a splash to the corner followed by a power slam. The pin is broken up by Axel, but Swagger sends him packing, so that O’Neil can hit the Clash of the Titus for the win. No Bo Train this week, more’s the pity.
Zack Ryder beat Stardust (8:45)
Well, this was Monday but eerily enough the announcers did mention Twitter “You seen the weird stuff he posts on there?” Saxton comments as Stardust is pacing round the ring. This could be just a red herring in this case – they weren’t to know he would quit this week – but he did post this Oasis lyric on a few days ago, possibly suggesting that he has fallen out of love with wrestling for the time being, but just as possibly suggesting nothing of the sort.
‘Cody!’ chants are rife from the get go as he slaps back of Ryder’s head, causing him to eat a clothesline from the angered former Intercontinental Champion. After two arm drags, Stardust runs into a boot and he takes a cross body for two. Ryder tries a backslide for two and then a bridge for two. Stardust takes his gloves off and starts to take advantage with stomps.
Ryder hits him with a drop kick and then is able to drop kick Stardust off the apron into the barricade, but when he goes outside Stardust is playing possum and Ryder is posted as we go to a break.
From now on, Zack Ryder does a very good job at selling his shoulder and Stardust works over the left arm and shoulder for the rest of the match. Stardust mounts Ryder for punches on the second rope, but Ryder reverses it into a back body drop. This gives Ryder some hope, he uses a big boot, running forearm, and the Broski Boot, but can only get a two count.
Stardust goes for the Queens Crossbow but Ryder has it scouted and counters, using a Disaster Kick, which connect, but again can only get two. Ryder manages to use a top rope rana, and follows it up with the Rough Ryder for the win. A decent match, but hardly the way to go out of the company. We’ll see.