Mauro Ranallo: Good evening and welcome to Warfare! We are two weeks away from Wrestlemania, and tonight we're live from Sioux Falls, South Dakota!
Nigel McGuinness: Kicking things off tonight, we've got Bobby Lashley in action as he goes one on one with Christian Cage!
"Hell Will Be Calling Your Name" hit and Bobby Lashley made his way to the ring. When Lashley was in the ring, "Take Over" by Dale Oliver hit and Christian Cage headed to the ring. Once Cage had entered the ring, the referee called for the bell. As soon as the bell rang, Lashley charged towards Cage, taking him down with a clothesline. As Cage got to his feet, Lashley hit him with a series of punches, knocking him into the corner, then kicked him in the corner several times. Lashley then pulled Cage out of the corner and lifted him up, hitting a running powerslam. He hooked the leg and the referee counted – 1... 2... Cage kicked out!
Mauro Ranallo: A dominant start here by Bobby Lashley!
Lashley pulled Cage to his feet and hit him with some more right hands, then whipped him against the ropes. As Cage ran back towards him, Lashley went for a back body drop, but Cage blocked it and countered with a knee smash. Cage then hit an implant DDT and hooked the leg. The referee counted – 1... 2... Lashley kicked out! Both men got to their feet and Cage hit Lashley with a series of punches, but Lashley fought back with some right hands of his own, then hit an overhead belly-to-belly suplex. As Lashley got to his feet, the camera cut to the ramp, where Roman Reigns was making his way to the ring.
Nigel McGuinness: Well, we saw Lashley distract Roman Reigns last week, costing him his match... is Reigns out here for revenge?
As Reigns reached the bottom of the ramp, he stopped. Lashley turned his attention to Christian Cage, who was back on his feet. Lashley went for a clothesline, but Cage ducked out of the way, then grabbed Lashley from behind, setting him up for the Unprettier! Lashley broke free and threw Cage out of the ring, then followed him to the outside. As he exited the ring, Lashley locked eyes with Reigns, as if daring him to get involved. Reigns smirked, then stepped back. Lashley turned his attention back to Christian Cage, who was using the ring apron to pull himself up. Lashley grabbed Cage, but Cage shoved him away, then hit him with a series of punches. As Cage and Lashley exchanged right hands, Reigns charged towards them, taking them both down with a double clothesline! The referee called for the bell, ruling the match a no contest. Reigns grabbed Lashley and hit him with a series of punches, then powerbombed him onto the ring apron! Reigns then turned to face Christian Cage and charged towards him, hitting a Spear! The crowd booed as Reigns got to his feet. Reigns smirked, held out his arms triumphantly, then made his way back up the ramp as Warfare went to a commercial break.
As Warfare returned from a commercial break, Mandy Rose was on her way to the ring for the next match.
Mauro Ranallo: Welcome back! Before the commercial break, we saw Roman Reigns interfere in the match between Christian Cage and Bobby Lashley, attacking both superstars and causing the match to be ruled a no contest.
After a replay of Reigns attacking Cage and Lashley, the camera cut to Mandy Rose, who was now standing in the ring.
Nigel McGuinness: Up next, we've got Mandy Rose in action as she goes one on one with Becky Lynch!
"Celtic Invasion" by CFO$ hit and the crowd cheered as Becky Lynch headed to the ring. Once Lynch had entered the ring, the referee called for the bell and the two women locked up. Rose got behind Lynch and tried to set her up for a belly-to-back suplex, but Lynch broke free and hit Rose with an elbow smash. Lynch then whipped Rose against the ropes, before taking her down with an arm drag. As Rose got to her feet, Lynch grabbed her by the arm, going for the Dis-Arm-Her, but Rose hit Lynch with a forearm smash, then whipped her against the ropes. As Lynch ran back towards her, Mandy Rose hit a dropkick, then as both women got to their feet, Rose hit Lynch with a knee to the face. She hooked the leg and the referee counted – 1... 2... Lynch kicked out! Rose sat Lynch up and applied a chokehold, but Lynch fought out of it and as both women got to their feet, Lynch hit Rose with a series of punches. Rose fought back with some punches of her own, then went for a clothesline, but Lynch ducked out of the way then grabbed Rose, hitting an exploder suplex. As Rose got back to her feet, Lynch whipped her into the corner and charged towards her, hitting the Flying Fire-arm! Rose then staggered out of the corner and Lynch dragged her down to the mat, locking in the Dis-arm-her! Rose quickly tapped out and the referee called for the bell.
Mauro Ranallo: It's over! An impressive victory for Becky Lynch!
Nigel McGuinness: It shows how dangerous the Dis-arm-her is, Mauro... as soon as she locked it in, Rose had no choice but to tap out!
As Lynch celebrated her victory, "Angel on my Shoulder" hit and Angelina Love walked out onto the stage, holding a microphone. Love signalled for her music to be cut, then began to speak.
Angelina Love: Congratulations, Becky. That was an impressive victory! But it's not the only impressive victory you've had recently, is it? A couple of weeks ago, you beat the Women's Champion, Tam Nakano. Now I know you think that means you should be in line for a shot at the Women's Championship... and you know what? I agree. So I'm out here to tell you that at Wrestlemania, there's going to be a triple threat match. It will be Tam Nakano defending the Women's Championship against the Royal Rumble winner, Raquel Diaz... and Becky Lynch!
The crowd cheered Angelina's announcement, and Lynch looked delighted.
Mauro Ranallo: Mamma Mia! What an announcement! Becky Lynch is going to be challenging for the Women's Championship at Wrestlemania!
Nigel McGuinness: You have to wonder what Raquel Diaz will think though, Mauro... she was supposed to be facing Tam Nakano in a one on one match, and now she'll have to contend with Becky too!
Lynch celebrated as a video package recapping the Breakout/Gateway Championship Tournament began to play.
Mauro Ranallo: This matchup is the continuation of the Gateway and Breakout Championship tournaments!
Nigel McGuinness: Raven and Jungle Boy have fought there way into this tournament, and they’re looking to punch their ticket to Wrestlemania.
Jungle Boy was to the ring first and Christy Hemme introduced him. Raven’s music hit and he was introduced next. Both men were in the ring, and after being checked over by the referee the bell rang. Jungle Boy got some quick kicks as they sparred to start. Raven slugged him into the corner and shoulderblocked him for two.
Nigel McGuinness: Raven trying to make short work of Jungle Boy!
Criss-cross and Raven headbutted him low for two. Jungle Boy ran away, but caught Raven coming in on the chase. Raven slugged back and Jungle Boy bailed again, but Raven brought him in for a suplex. He pinned him again.
1…
2…
Jungle Boy kicked out, and Raven tossed him to the floor and hit him with a Russian leg sweep into the barricade. Raven helped Jungle Boy back in and went for another pin, but Jungle Boy kicked out at 2 again. Jungle Boy got the springboard inverted DDT. Jungle Boy slugged Raven, but he fought back, and then got spinkicked down again. Jungle Boy pinned him again for two. Jungle Boy was growing frustrated and hit a suplex before landing a huge knee and trying to pin him again. When Raven kicked out at two, Jungle Boy chopped him, but Raven superkicked him.
Mauro Ranallo: This crowd is split down the middle!
Jungle Boy came in with the springboard and followed up with a Hurricanrana. He laid in the stiff kicks to the back, and bridged into an Indian deathlock, but Raven made the ropes. Jungle Boy hit the drop toe hold and tried to surprise Raven with a pin. Raven kicked out at one. Another pin try was blocked. Raven fought back with a rebound clothesline and kneelift, and followed through with a bulldog that was good for two.
Nigel McGuinness: They’re trading pin attempts like crazy here! What an instant classic!
Jungle Boy leaped off the ropes for the springboard, but Raven caught him in midair for the body drop. Raven hit the Evenflow DDT.
Mauro Ranallo: Jungle Boy walked right into that! Could this be all.
1…
2…
3!
Nigel McGuinness: And that’s the match! Raven moves on to the finals of the tournament and will walk out of Wrestlemania holding a championship.
Raven’s hand was raised in victory as EBWF went to commercial.
We cut to a video from earlier in the day in Columbus, Ohio. We see Alexa Bliss and Renee Young in Alexa's house.
Renee Young: Alexa, first of all thank you for allowing me to come over for this interview. Now this past Monday night we saw you getting viciously attacked by Ronda Rousey. How are you feeling right now?
Alexa smirked.
Alexa Bliss: Well, I'm still hurting. My ribs are hurting worse then ever, but I'm still going to Wrestlemania to beat the hell out of Ronda, hardcore style.
Renee Young: Well, next week you and Ronda will choose each other's opponents for your matches and its just been revealed that you will face Winter. So my question is have picked Ronda's opponent yet?
Alexa Bliss: Yes, I have, but if Ronda wants to know she'll have to wait until she gets the card for next week, and at Wrestlemania I will prove why I am the Goddess of EBWF.
Alexa smiled again, and the camera zoomed in on her smirk as the scene faded out.
Balor was to the ring first, hyping the crowd with his usual entrance. After Finn was introduced, "I Came to Play" hit and The Miz made his way to the ring. The crowd was energetic for this match, already on their feet. As Miz got into the ring the referee rang the bell.
Mauro Ranallo: Here we go!
Finn landed a kick and an uppercut to start things off. An arm bar by Finn followed by a drop kick. Both men backed up and The Miz got a knee to the midsection followed by a double axe. Miz sent Finn to the ropes, Miz grabbed Finn but Finn rolled him up as Miz kicked out. Both men backed up, Finn was sent to the ropes and The Miz followed through with a knee to the stomach.
Nigel McGuinness: This one is moving fast, Mauro!
Miz got a kick to the face. He went for the cover but Finn kicked out. Headlock by Miz. Finn got out of it. Miz hit a shoulder block that took Finn down. Miz ran to the ropes but ran into a back elbow by Finn. He threw Miz to the outside. Miz got back up to his feet and back in the ring. Finn clotheslined him to the outside and followed through with a suicide dive. Finn went to pick Miz up but Miz pushed Finn into the barricade.
Mauro Ranallo: Both of these men want to go to the final!
Both men fought there way back in the ring. Finn got a back drop and followed up with a drop kick. He ran to the ropes and took Miz down with a clothesline. He went for the stomp but Miz got out of the way. Miz hit a DDT. He went for the cover but Finn kicked out. Miz landed a flurry of kicks. He went for the last kick, Finn ducked, got the roll but Miz kicked out. Finn landed a DDT. He went for the cover but Miz kicked out once more. Both men were back up. Miz pushed Finn into the corner and started to kick Finn’s right leg. Miz landed high knees. He went for one more but Finn kicked him in the face.
Nigel McGuinness: That'll severely limit Mike's options in Hollywood!
Finn climbed the top rope, he jumped but Miz hit Finn’s knee. Miz locked in the figure four leg lock but Finn reached the bottom rope. Miz dragged Finn back to the middle, and stomped him on the mid-back. Finn struggled to his feet, and Miz surprised him with the Skull Crushing Finale. Miz rolled him up.
1...
2...
3!
Mauro Ranallo: The Miz has done it! Miz will go on to face Raven in the final of the Gateway-Breakout Championship Tournament! Miz is on his way to Wrestlemania.
"I Came to Play" blared through the arena as a promo video hyping the Wrestlemania world title match began to play.
Warfare returned from commercial and Cameron Grimes and Tomasso Ciampa were in the ring, awaiting for their tag team opponent.
"You think you know me..."
Amid flashing strobe lights and smoke, Edge appeared and raised his arms into the air as pyro exploded behind him.
Mauro Renallo: Nigel I would say that this qualifies as a strange bedfellows match, but I'm not entirely sure that's the case.
Nigel McGuiness: Of course it isn't, Mauro! Orton and Edge are one of the longest lasting tag teams in EBWF history! If anything, the strange thing is their match at Wrestlemania!
Edge smirked, tapping the tag title around his waist as he stopped halfway down the ramp.
"Go back to sleep!"
The crowd's mixed reaction to Rated RKO was full volume as Randy Orton walked from behind the curtain, the EBWF Tag Team Championship around his waist, and the World Championship over his shoulder. He slowly walked up to Edge and the two looked at each other briefly before walking up to the ring together.
Mauro Renallo: It's really a fascinating dichotomy of brotherhood and competition that we are witnessing on the road to Wrestlemania. We know Randy Orton will do anything in his power to keep the EBWF World Championship, and Edge will do anything to take it from him. And yet, these two are the epitome of cohesiveness in the tag team division.
Nigel McGuiness: Even so, I have to imagine at some point the cracks will start to show. At this level of competition, friends don't exist.
After handing the title belts off to the referee for safe keeping at the time keeper's table, Randy opted to start first with Tomasso Ciampa as the ref called for the bell. The two locked up and Randy muscled Ciampa towards the ropes, which caused the ref to force a break. Randy backed up with his arms up in compliance, but Tomasso charged at him from the corner. Randy scooped him up into a snap powerslam. He followed up by hooking the leg for a 1 count. Randy picked Tomasso up and threw him into his corner, tagging in the Rated R Superstar. Edge laid in multiple stomps and tagged Randy back in. Randy assaulted Tomasso with hard rights to the head, and Ciampa sank down to the mat. Randy whipped Ciampa into the ropes and tagged Edge in. Edge stepped into the ring and connected with a clothesline to returning Ciampa.
Mauro Ranallo: Well it doesn't seem the two future opponents lack for chemistry at this point.
Nigel McGuiness: It's like riding a bicycle, Mauro. Their teamwork is basically muscle memory at this point.
Edge hit a snap suplex and mounted the second turnbuckle. He leapt off and hit an elbow drop on the prone Ciampa. He went for a cover and got a two count. Edge picked Tomasso up and Ciampa leapt up and hit a missle dropkick that landed square on Edge's chin, sending him down to the mat.
Mauro Ranallo: Desperation move there that hit flush!
Ciampa stumbled backward and tagged in Cameron Grimes, who stepped into the ring and began wailing on Edge with elbows. Edge covered up and weathered the assault from the fresh opponent. Grimes picked Edge up and tossed him through the ropes and out of the ring. He followed out his opponent and laid in a few more punches. He attempted to whip Edge towards the stairs but Edge put the breaks on before he collided with them. Grimes charged forward for a tackled but Edge sidestepped him and shoved him into the stairs which dislodge from the ring on impact.
Mauro Ranallo: And the wily veteran gets the upper hand!
Nigel McGuiness: Wait a minute, what is he doing here?!
Edge rolled Grimes into the ring as the camera cut to the curtain as Paul Heyman started making his way down the ring.
Mauro Ranallo: We saw Paul Heyman preempt Rated RKO's interview earlier today, so while I'm sure Paul Heyman has an agenda to be out here, we're not quite sure what it is.
The ref ignored Heyman as Edge hit the Edgecution on Grimes. Edge hooked the leg and got a long two count. Edge turned and noticed Heyman on the outside. He pointed at him and mouthed "What the fuck are you doing here?!" Heyman put his hands up and said "I'm just an advocate!"
Nigel McGuiness: Even Edge is confused as to what is going on!
Edge angrily mouthed a few more inaudible things to Paul and turned around to walk into a devastarting superkick by Grimes. Edge fell like a tree. Grimes rolled onto Edge and hooked the leg, 1.....2.....Edge kicked out at the very last second! Grimes pounded the mat in frustration and picked Edge up to go for a suplex. Edge smacked Grimes across the face and stumbled backwards into the corner, allowing Randy Orton to tag himself in. Randy smacked Edge in the shoulder and stepped into the ring. Grimes retreated to his corner and tagged in Ciampa. Ciampa made a beeline towards Randy and the two exchanged blows. Randy whipped Ciampa into the ropes and Ciampa bounced into them, but Heyman very subtly grabbed Ciampa's ankle, stopping him in his tracks. Ciampa briefly turned around to look at Heyman, clearly enraged. Randy grabbed Ciampa by the shoulders, whipped him around, and connected with a picture perfect RKO!
Mauro Ranallo: RKO!
Nigel McGuiness: That's the game.
Randy hooked the leg and covered Ciampa - 1....2....3!
"GO BACK TO SLEEP!"
Randy's music played as Edge stepped into the ring, still eyeing Heyman with suspicion. The ref held Randy and Edge's hands up in victory. Edge gestured at Heyman and mouthed "What the hell?" at his tag team partner. Randy shrugged as he was handed his two belts and raised them into the air.
Mauro Ranallo: I'm not entirely sure what's happening here, but it seems like there's some consternation amongst the ranks of Rated RKO. Hopefully we get some answers next week, but until then, thanks for watch and see you next Monday for Warfare!
The EBWF logo flashed in the corner and faded on Edge and Randy engaged in a heated discussion in the middle of the ring.
