Mauro Ranallo: Good evening and welcome to Warfare! Tonight, we are live from Jacksonville, Florida, and kicking things off, we've got Jake Hager making his EBWF debut against Damian Priest!
Damian Priest came out first to a mixed reaction from the crowd. When Priest was in the ring, "I Got 'Em Hurt hit and the crowd booed as Jake Hager made his way to the ring.
Nigel McGuinness: Hager has made quite an impact the last couple of weeks, aligning himself with Chris Jericho and making The Rock's life a living hell... but can he mark his debut with a victory?
After Hager had entered the ring, the referee called for the bell. Hager charged towards Priest, taking him down with a clothesline. Hager stomped on Priest several times, then pulled him to his feet and hit a gut wrench powerbomb. He hooked both legs and the referee counted – 1... 2... Priest kicked out! Hager pulled Priest to his feet and hit him with a series of punches, but Priest fought back with some right hands of his own, then whipped Hager against the ropes. As Hager ran back towards him, Priest went for a big boot. Hager ducked underneath it, grabbed Priest from behind, and a German suplex. Both men got to their feet, and Hager hit a uranage, then locked Priest in the Arm Triangle Choke! After a brief struggle, Priest passed out and the referee called for the bell.
Mauro Ranallo: It's over! Jake Hager has beaten Damian Priest in less than two minutes!
Hager released the hold and got to his feet, smiling as the referee raised his arm in victory.
Mauro Ranallo: This match will see the newcomer Killer Cross take on the Japanese Sensation Tomohiro Ishii.
Killer Cross was the first man out to the ring, and he got a brutal reaction from the crowd as they booed him mercilessly after viewing his promo against favorite, Ishii. The boos turned to wild applause as Cross got into the ring and the Breakout Champion made his way down the ramp.
Nigel McGuinness: Ishii has already made his mark here on EBWF, and I think there’s only good things to come for him, Mauro.
Mauro Ranallo: We'll see if Killer Cross can make a case for a Breakout Championship match at Summerslam.
The bell rang and the match was underway.
Cross got a quick near fall after a European uppercut, and Ishii was rocked.
Nigel McGuinness: Tomohiro Ishii wasn't expecting to start things off that way!
Ishii hit a massive clothesline to Cross. Cross landed another powerful springboard twisting uppercut for a near fall. Ishii kicked Cross away, and followed up with a chop and a kick that sent Cross to the floor. Ishii landed a suicide dive that the crowd received with applause. The two men worked at ringside briefly, before Cross brought it back in the ring.
Mauro Ranallo: If Killer Cross is going to wear Ishii down he has to do it between the ropes, Nigel!
Ishii landed some big chops. Cross fired back with chops of his own. Ishii charged in with a running clothesline. Ishii worked on the neck, and the crowd continued to be behind him. Ishii missed a back senton and Cross laid in a series of thunderous uppercuts, followed by a running boot to the head for a near fall. Ishii blocked a suplex attempt but Cross finally hits a suplex, making the crowd respond with boos. Cross gets a near fall.
Mauro Ranallo: The crowd would have been none too happy with that finish.
Ishii got to his feet and laid in with chops and forearms. Cross came in hot, hitting another jab with a running start. Ishii landed on the outside, and Cross whipped him into the barricade, before whipping him into the apron. Ishii caught himself and rolled back into the ring. Cross returned to the ring and came running at Ishii who bested him with a monstrous cradle DDT before locking him into the Scorpion Deathlock.
Mauro Ranallo: A move invented by Ishii's mentor Rikki Choshu, they call that the Sasori Gatame in Japan.
Nigel McGuinness: I call it a winning maneuver because Killer Cross just tapped out.
The referee rang the bell, and raised Ishii's hand in victory as EBWF went to commercial.
Mauro Ranallo: Still to come, The Rock takes on Tommaso Ciampa in our main event. Up first, though, we've got another EBWF debut as Kris Statlander takes on the 2020 Queen of the Ring, Becky Lynch!
"The Heat Goes On" by Asia hit, and the crowd cheered as Kris Statlander headed to the ring, accompanied by Paul London.
Nigel McGuinness: There was an interesting video on Paul London's YouTube video earlier this week... apparently Kris Statlander is an alien from the moon?
Mauro Ranallo: Sure she is, Nigel... and Paul London is a time traveller...
Nigel McGuinness: Oh so you watched it then?!
When Statlander was in the ring, "Celtic Invasion" by CFO$ hit and the crowd cheered as Becky Lynch made her way to the ring, accompanied by Winter. Once Lynch was in the ring, the referee called for the bell and the two women locked up. Lynch locked Statlander in a headlock, but Statlander escaped and whipped Lynch against the ropes, then hit her with a dropkick. Both women got to their feet, and Statlander took Lynch down with a superkick, then followed it up with a running shooting star press! She hooked the leg and the referee counted – 1... 2... Lynch kicked out!
Nigel McGuinness: You can tell Kris Statlander has been trained by Paul London, Mauro... she's using all his moves!
Statlander pulled Lynch to her feet and whipped her into the corner, then sat her on the top rope. Statlander climbed the ropes, setting Lynch up for a frankensteiner... but Lynch countered it with a powerbomb! She hooked both legs and the referee counted – 1... 2... Statlander kicked out just before the 3! At ringside, Paul London applauded her efforts. Lynch pulled Statlander to her feet and locked her in a hammerlock, then hit an inverted DDT. Statlander rolled out of the ring, giving herself a moment to recover. Lynch followed Statlander to the outside and threw her into the ringside barrier, then hit her with a series of kicks to the chest. Lynch threw Statlander back into the ring, then set her up for the Manhandle Slam... but Statlander countered with a bridging northern lights suplex! The referee counted – 1... 2... Lynch kicked out! Both women got to their feet, and Statlander hit a legsweep DDT, then went to the top rope and hit a moonsault. She hooked the leg and the referee counted – 1... 2... again Lynch kicked out!
Mauro Ranallo: Beautiful moonsault from Kris Statlander! Of course, where she's from they just call it a sault...
Statlander pulled Lynch to her feet and whipped her against the ropes, then hit a powerslam. She went back to the top rope, this time going for the 450 Splash... but Lynch moved out of the way! Both women got to their feet, and Lynch hit the Bex Plex, then signalled for the Dis-arm-her... but before she could lock it in, "Bossy" by Kelis hit and Trish Stratus and Natalya stepped out onto the stage.
Nigel McGuinness: The Women's Champion is here, and it looks like she means business!
Lynch smirked, and clenched her fists, challenging Trish to bring it. Trish and Natalya ran down the ramp, and as Natalya attacked Winter at ringside, Trish slid into the ring. Stratus and Lynch began exchanging punches, and the referee called for the bell. Lynch hit Trish with a kick to the midsection, then went to lock in the Dis-arm-her... but Trish blocked it and hit Becky with the Chick Kick! She then pulled Lynch to her feet, and hit the Stratusfaction!
Mauro Ranallo: Stratus making a statement!
Natalya slid into the ring and stood with Trish. Both women looked triumphant as Warfare went to a commercial break.
As Warfare returned from a commercial break, "Psycho Killer" by Talking Heads hit and the crowd booed as Tommaso Ciampa made his way to the ring.
Mauro Ranallo: Welcome back! Here comes Tommaso Ciampa, who goes one on one with The Rock. Can the Blackheart get a huge victory over the King of the Ring?
When Ciampa was in the ring, "Electrifying" hit and the crowd cheered as The Rock stepped out onto the stage. The Rock strutted to the ring, then entered the ring and climbed the turnbuckle, posing for the crowd.
Nigel McGuiness: The Rock has had a rough couple of weeks, and you can't help but wonder if Chris Jericho and Jake Hager will get involved in this match...
As The Rock climbed down from the turnbuckle, the referee called for the bell. The Rock and Tommaso Ciampa began circling the ring, and Ciampa charged towards The Rock, going for a clothesline. The Rock ducked out of the way, then turned around and hit Ciampa with a series of punches. The Rock whipped Ciampa against the ropes, and as Ciampa ran back towards him, Rock lifted him up over his shoulders, hitting a Samoan drop. The Rock stomped on Ciampa several times, then pulled him to his feet and hit a Russian legsweep. He hooked the leg and the referee counted – 1... 2... Ciampa kicked out! The Rock pulled Ciampa to his feet and hit him with some more right hands, then whipped him into the corner. He sat Ciampa on the turnbuckle, setting him up for a superplex. Ciampa blocked it and shoved The Rock away, then leapt from the turnbuckle, hitting a flying lariat. Both men got to their feet, and Ciampa set The Rock up for a piledriver... but Rock countered with a back body drop. As Ciampa got to their feet, The Rock hit a float over DDT, then hooked the leg. The referee counted – 1... 2... Ciampa kicked out! As The Rock got to his feet, the camera cut to the ringside area. Chris Jericho and Jake Hager had just taken a seat in the front row.
Mauro Ranallo: Here we go, Nigel...
The Rock dragged Ciampa towards the corner, slamming his head off the turnbuckle. Jericho and Hager began to boo, but The Rock paid no notice as he punched Ciampa in the corner. The Rock pulled Ciampa out of the corner, and set him up for a neckbreaker... but Ciampa blocked it and hit Rock with a knee to the midsection, then threw him out of the ring. As Ciampa climbed out of the ring, Jericho and Hager applauded him. Jericho yelled "throw him into the steps", and Ciampa was about to oblige... but The Rock blocked it, and threw Ciampa into the ringside barrier! As The Rock punched Ciampa against the barrier, Jericho snatched a drink from another fan in the front row and threw it in The Rock's face! The Rock glared at Jericho, and went to grab him, but before he could do so, Ciampa hit him in the back of the head. As The Rock stumbled forwards, Ciampa slammed his head off the ring post, then threw him back into the ring. Ciampa slid back into the ring and hit Rock with an over the shoulder back-to-belly piledriver, then hooked the leg. The referee counted – 1... 2... The Rock kicked out! Ciampa got to his feet and stomped on The Rock several times, then set him up for the Fairy Tale Ending. The Rock blocked it and hit Ciampa with a flowing snap DDT, then followed it up with a kip up! As The Rock signalled for the Rock Bottom, Jericho and Hager hopped over the ringside barrier and Jericho climbed onto the ring apron, yelling at The Rock. The Rock turned his back on Jericho as if he was going to ignore him... then turned around and hit him with a huge right hand, knocking him down! Ciampa got to his feet, and The Rock hit him with The Rock Bottom! He hooked the leg... but the referee wasn't counting as he was trying to stop Hager from getting into the ring.
Nigel McGuinness: Come on, this isn’t right... Jericho and Hager are going to cost The Rock this match!
The Rock looked frustrated, and he dragged Ciampa to his feet... then threw Ciampa towards the ropes and into Jake Hager! The force of Ciampa colliding with him send Hager flying off the ropes, and Hager hit the ringside barrier, then slumped to the mat. Ciampa looked dazed, and as he stumbled back towards The Rock, he was met with a spinebuster! The Rock then ran against the ropes, hitting the People's Elbow! He hooked the leg and the referee counted – 1... 2... 3!
Mauro Ranallo: The Rock gets the victory, and gets one over on Chris Jericho!
As the referee called for the bell, The Rock grabbed a microphone from ringside.
The Rock: Jericho... Hager... you jabroni sons of bitches. It doesn't matter how many times you try to knock The Rock down, The Rock will always get back up. You can make it 2 on 1 every week, because The Rock is smarter and tougher than both of you. And Chris... come Summerslam, you can kiss that World Title goodbye. Then when Jake Hager tries to comfort you, The Rock will grab his head, turn that sumbitch sideways, and shove it straight up your candy ass! IF YA SMELLLLLLLLLLLLLLL WHAT THE ROCK IS COOKIN!
The Rock threw the microphone at Jericho for good measure, then made his way back up the ramp. Jericho and Hager stumbled to their feet, looking furious as Warfare went off the air.
