WWE House Show 7/16/2016

Written by: Bob Colling

World Wrestling Entertainment House Show
Date: 7/16/2016
From: New York, NY

Opening Contest: Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson vs. The Usos: Jimmy and Anderson kick off the contest with Jimmy getting control with a headlock before taking Anderson down to the canvas. Anderson quickly gets up and shoulder blocks Jimmy and plays to the crowd. Anderson keeps control of Jimmy with a side headlock. Jimmy drops Anderson with a forearm strike and tags in Jey. They deliver double elbow drops on Anderson to maintain control. Jey works over Anderson in the corner with chops. Jey does a break dance and plays to the crowd after Anderson missed a running strike. Jimmy comes off the top with a double axe handle and Jey hits one too. Anderson breaks free and tags out to Gallows. Gallows power slams Jey and delivers a throat thrust. Jimmy sneaks a tag and the Usos hit splashes in the corner. Jimmy hammers away on Gallows with right hands . Jimmy decks Anderson off the apron and is met with a big boot from Gallows. Gallows takes Jimmy down with a snap suplex for a near fall. Gallows works over Jimmy in his corner with several body shots. Anderson nails Jimmy with a leaping high knee strike to drop Jimmy to the canvas. Anderson catapults Jimmy throat first across the bottom rope for a two count. Jimmy gets sent over the top to the floor and Anderson distracts the referee so that Gallows can ram Jimmy back first into the ring post. Jimmy manages to roll back into the ring and is nearly pinned.

Gallows tags in and keeps control of Jimmy with a few elbow drops for a two count. Gallows keeps control of Jimmy on the mat with a chin lock. Gallows delivers a few headbutts and they only hurt him. Jimmy spin kicks Gallows to knock them both down to the mat. Jey and Anderson get the hot tags with Jey cleaning house on Anderson. Jey hits a snap power slam on Karl and hits a running butt splash in the corner for a near fall. Jey goes to the corner and get kicked by Anderson to crotch Jey on the top rope. Anderson punches Jey a few times and sets up for a superplex. Jey holds on and shoves Anderson off. Anderson plants Jey with a spine buster moments later for a near fall. Anderson runs into a super kick from Jey but Gallows makes the save. Jimmy enters and a double super kick knocks Gallows to the floor and knocks Anderson down. Jimmy tags in and comes off the top to splash onto Anderson for the win right in the middle of the ring. (**1/2. A rather solid opener to the show as they worked well together and got plenty of time to present a competitive match.)

Second Contest: Sheamus vs. Apollo Crews: Sheamus quickly goes on the attack with right hands and a clothesline. Sheamus pummels Crews in the corner with right hands and taunts the fans. Crews fights back with right hands and ducks a clothesline to elbow strike Sheamus. Crews splashes Sheamus in the corner and hits a cross body. Sheamus avoids a standing moonsault rolling to the apron but gets kicked off to the floor. Crews takes Sheamus out with slingshot cross body to the floor. Crews goes for a slam but Sheamus gets free and goes to the outside. Sheamus power slams Crews but can’t get a three count on the cover. Sheamus keeps control of the match dropping Crews after a series of uppercuts. Sheamus goes to the top rope and leaps off hitting a clothesline for a near fall. Sheamus keeps Crews on the canvas with a sleeper hold. Crews counters a knee lift with a rollup for a two count. Crews nearly wins after an Angle Slam. Crews hits an overhead belly to belly suplex and hits a standing moonsault for a near fall. Sheamus boots Crews in the corner and drives him down with a power bomb to get a near fall. Sheamus taunts the crowd as he waits for Crews to get up in the corner. Sheamus misses a Brogue Kick. Sheamus knee lifts Crews, but Crews counters a slam attempt with a rollup for the win. (**. They fit a lot in a shorter amount of time. This was probably a big win for Crews at the time but his momentum wouldn’t get much higher than this.)

Third Contest: Alberto Del Rio vs. Zack Ryder: Ryder shoulder blocks Del Rio a few times causing Del Rio to bail to the floor and goes into the crowd to regroup. Del Rio returns to the ring and still gets worked over by Ryder in the corner after a dropkick. Alberto gets out of the corner and rolls to the floor again but is met with a baseball slide dropkick from Ryder. Del Rio nails Ryder with a step up kick on the apron and sends Ryder into the ring steps shoulder first. Del Rio climbs to the top rope and nails Ryder with an axe handle. Del Rio stops Ryder with a tilt a whirl backbreaker for a near fall. Del Rio continues with a DDT but Ryder kicks out at two. Del Rio waits for Ryder to get up in the corner but Ryder comes back with a clothesline. Ryder puts Del Rio on the top rope but Del Rio gets an arm breaker submission over the top rope but lets go since he can’t win that way. Del Rio heads to the top rope and is met with a dropkick in midair. Ryder clotheslines Del Rio followed by a forearm smash in the corner. Ryder delivers a running boot scrape in the corner for a near fall. Ryder misses the Rough Ryder and Del Rio hit a Back Stabber but Ryder kicked out at two. Ryder avoids the cross arm breaker by hitting a neck breaker for a near fall. Del Rio his an arm breaker DDT and a super kick for a near fall. Del Rio puts Ryder in the tree of woe to deliver several kicks. Ryder arm drags Del Rio off the top while upside down. Ryder goes to the top and hits an elbow drop! Ryder has the cover but Del Rio kicks out at two. Ryder misses a splash in the corner and Del Rio misses a kick. Ryder hits the Rough Ryder but Del Rio rolls to the floor to avoid being pinned. Ryder rolls Del Rio into the ring but gets caught in a cross arm breaker and Del Rio wins the match. (***. Well, that was far more entertaining than I would have ever expected it to be. There was some story being told and Ryder was made out to look like he could hang with Del Rio. A good undercard match.)

Fourth Contest: Curtis Axel & Bo Dallas vs. Mark Henry & Jack Swagger: I’m not all that interested in a filler tag team match that involves two guys not even actively competing with the company as of October 2017. So, this will get a short recap. I mean as I write that the crowd is silent as this must be used as a cool down match even though the major matches haven’t even occurred yet. Henry finishes Axel off with a power slam.

Fifth Contest: Chris Jericho vs. Neville: Jericho shoves Neville in the face and Neville returns the favor. Neville gets Jericho down to the canvas for a near fall and controls him with a headlock. Neville shoulder blocks Jericho and counters a hip toss with his own. Neville continues with a cartwheel dropkick to keep control of Jericho. Neville works over Jericho with several kicks and chops in the corner. Jericho stops Neville with a right hand. Jericho works over Neville in the corner with strikes. Neville comes back with a spinning heel kick. Neville catapults Jericho over the top to the floor. Neville fakes out a dive and springboards back into the ring. Jericho gets back int he ring but gets tossed to the floor. Jericho backdrops Neville to the apron and Jericho hits a springboard dropkick to knock Neville to the floor. Jericho takes the time to taunt the fans while Neville is on the floor. Jericho heads to the top rope and nails Neville with a double axe handle for a near fall. Jericho catapults Neville throat first into the bottom rope. Jericho stomps on Neville several times. Jericho kicks Neville on the back and the crowd is getting under Jericho’s skin. Neville forearms Jericho to get momentum, but that doesn’t last long. Jericho keeps Neville on the mat with a sleeper hold. Neville stops Jericho with a jaw breaker and backdrops Jericho to the floor.

Neville takes Jericho out with a somersault dive over the top to the floor. Neville brings Jericho back into the ring and Jericho goes to the referee but is kicked several times by Neville. Neville elbow strikes Jericho and hits a standing shooting star press for a near fall. Neville works over Jericho with strikes in the corner but Jericho comes out with a dropkick to his left knee. Jericho goes for the Walls of Jericho but Neville spins out of it. Neville hits a fisherman suplex for a near fall. Neville kicks Jericho on the chest several times to keep control of the match but Jericho cuts him off looking for the Lionsault but Neville got his knees up. Neville kicks Jericho and goes to the top rope. Neville misses the Red Arrow and attempts a hurricanrana but Jericho counters with the Walls of Jericho but Neville reaches the ropes to break the hold. Neville almost wins with a rollup and boots Jericho in the corner. Neville goes to the top rope but Jericho gets up and is kicked from the apron. Neville attempts a springboard but is met in midair with the Codebreaker to give Jericho the win. (***. A solid match between these two with a stellar finish. I expected this to be solid and it delivered a quality match.)

Sixth Contest: AJ Styles vs. John Cena: Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows are at ringside in AJ’s corner for the match. Styles controls Cena with a headlock but is sent into the ropes. AJ stops his momentum and gets on the middle rope to taunt Cena and the fans. Cena puts a headlock on AJ to continue the slow start to the match. Styles plays to the crowd after an arm drag on Cena. Cena backdrops Styles and AJ rolls to the floor once again. Styles stomps on Cena upon his return to the ring. Styles drops Cena with a right hand. Styles chokes Cena over the top rope. Anderson nails Cena from the apron as the referee was distracted and Styles gets a two count. Styles rams Cena into the corner head first. Styles delivers a few more kicks to the chest of Cena. Styles comes off the ropes to deliver a knee drop for a near fall. Cena sends AJ into the corner and AJ drops Cena with a kick to the head for a near fall. Styles chokes Cena over the top rope and Gallows tries to cheap shot Cena from the apron but the referee sees him and sends him to the backstage area. Styles drops to his knees and is pleading with the referee to reconsider but that isn’t going to happen. Cena hammers away on Styles to get momentum but Styles stops him with a knee lift. Cena comes back with a spinning side slam and Styles rolls to the floor to regroup. Styles appears to have enough and walks up the aisle way but Cena leaves the ring and punches AJ on the floor a few times. AJ sends Cena shoulder first into the ring steps. AJ rolls into the ring and wants a count out victory.

Cena of course manages to roll back into the ring at the count of nine. Styles decks Cena with a right hand. Styles charges the corner hitting Cena with a leaping forearm smash. Styles keeps Cena on the mat with a sleeper hold. Styles kicks Cena on the leg and hits a leaping clothesline in the corner. Styles charges the corner but Cena gets his boot up. Cena comes off the middle rope with a tornado DDT for a two count. They begin to trade strikes with both men staggering. Styles misses a clothesline and Cena nearly hits the AA. Styles counters with a reverse sit out spine buster for a near fall. Styles keeps Cena on the mat with a front face lock. Cena shoves Styles away and turns AJ inside out with a clothesline. Cena misses a splash in the corner and AJ drops Cena neck across his knee out of a AA position for a two count. Styles stomps on Cena followed by a knee drop. AJ comes off the ropes with a standing senton splash. Cena avoids a knee drop but can’t get up to his feet. Cena battles back with right hands but Styles gets a sleeper hold on Cena. Styles misses a clothesline but Cena comes back with a shoulder block only to miss a second one. Styles hits a forearm smash but is caught in the corner and dropped across the top rope. Cena with a shoulder block and a side slam. Cena is taken down with a kip up hurricanrana sending Cena to the floor. Styles goes to the apron and kicks Cena on the floor. Stlyes rolls Cena into the ring and goes to the top rope. Cena cuts off Styles with a few right hands. Cena attempts a superplex but Styles gets out of it. Styles has Cena in a Torture Rack before switching to a spinning slam for a near fall!

Styles goes for the Styles Clash but Cena counters with a pin attempt and switches to the STF. AJ is right in the middle of the ring but isn’t tapping out. AJ counters with a Crossface. Cena gets AJ onto his shoulders and hits the AA but Styles kicks out at two! Styles is put on the top turnbuckle and Cena goes for another AA. Styles wiggles out of it and hits the Styles Clash for a near fall! Styles goes to the apron and attempts a springboard 450 but Cena rolls out of the way. Cena gets AJ onto his shoulders but Styles counters with a Calf Crusher. Cena isn’t going to give in and reaches the bottom rope. Styles kicks Cena’s leg and attempts another kick but nails the referee on accident knocking him to the floor. Cena takes advantage putting the STF on Styles and AJ taps out but there isn’t a referee and Cena thinks he has won the match. Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows come out to attack Cena and they drop him with a face buster/kick combo. AJ is put on top and the referee is rolled back in but Cena kicks out at two. Cena kicks out again and AJ lands onto the referee. Anderson and Gallows attack Cena again looking for the Magic Killer but the Usos run into the ring and brawl with them to make the save. Styles takes Jimmy out with a springboard forearm, but he came up a little short on the move. AJ remains on the apron and attempts the forearm again but Cena moves and puts AJ away with the AA for the three count. (****. Easily one of the best house show matches I’ve ever watched. They went close to a half hour and didn’t feel like they did at all. Great action and the crowd ate it all up. Nicely done match.)

Seventh Contest: Becky Lynch vs. Natalya: As I normally do, this will get the quick treatment. Becky wins the match by submission with her arm bar submission.

Eighth Contest: The Wyatt Family vs. The New Day: All six men brawl in the ring to start the match . Braun sends Kofi into the ring post while Xavier avoids Rowan in the ring. Woods decks Wyatt off the apron. Braun trips Woods but Woods baseball slides Braun. Woods hammers away on Rowan but Rowan stops Woods with a shoulder block. Rowan misses a clothesline on Woods and Woods hits a tilt a whirl head scissors. New Day stomp away on Rowan in the corner for several moments. Woods comes off the top to hit a cross body on Rowan for a near fall. Braun grabs Woods from the apron and slams him down by the hair. Braun legally tagged in and kicks Woods to the floor. Wyatt sends Woods into the railing before delivering a boot on the apron. Wyatt continues with a senton splash for a near fall. Braun enters and works over Woods sending him into the corners a few times. Rowan scoop slams Woods and delivers a clothesline to the back of Woods for a near fall. Woods tries to tag out but is stopped by Rowan. Woods nearly wins with a rollup but Rowan quickly takes him out with a dropkick. Wyatt enters and kicks Woods in the face for a two count. Woods fights to his feet but is shoved away by Wyatt. Woods knee lifts Wyatt in the corner and sends Bray to the floor. Braun gets tagged in and prevents Woods from tagging out. Braun misses a spear and hits the ring post shoulder first. Rowan gets tagged in and Big E clotheslines him several times followed by a power slam. Big E plays to the crowd before hitting a big splash. Big E decks Wyatt off the apron and Rowan nearly pins E. Rowan gets out a slam attempt and spin kicks E for a near fall. Big E rolls out of a full nelson and takes Rowan over with an overhead suplex. Braun tosses Kofi to the floor. Wyatt punches Big E from the floor and Rowan hits a side slam for a near fall. Kofi kicks Braun to the floor. Wyatt attempts the Sister Abigail on Woods but Kofi kicks Wyatt. Woods takes Braun out with a dive to the floor. Kofi and Big E hit their power slam/DDT combo to pin Rowan. (*1/2. The crowd didn’t seem all that invested in the action and probably still burnt out from AJ/Cena. It at least didn’t feel like it dragged on too long, so that’s a positive.)

Main Event: WWE Champion Dean Ambrose vs. Seth Rollins vs. Kevin Owens: As soon as the bell sounds Owens bails to the floor to let Rollins and Ambrose start the match. Owens is actually sitting in a chair as Rollins gets sent into the ropes and shoulder blocks Ambrose. Ambrose arm drags Rollins a few times but Rollins rolls to the floor. Owens attacks Ambrose from behind with a clothesline and taunts Rollins. Ambrose ducks a clothesline and hits Ownes before knocking Rollins off the apron. Ambrose takes Owens out with a cross body on the floor and clotheslines Rollins over the top to the floor. Ambrose follows up with a suicide dive to take out Rollins. Ambrose rolls Seth into the ring but gets stopped on the top rope. Owens crotches Ambrose and knocks him back into the ring. Owens stomps on Ambrose and Rollins gets shots in on Ambrose, too. Rollins dumps Owens to the floor and goes after Ambrose but Ambrose wins with a rollup. Seth hits a neck breaker on Ambrose for a two count. Owens pulls Rollins to the floor and sends Seth into the ring steps. Owens gets back into the ring and works over Ambrose. Owens snap mares Ambrose and runs the ropes before simply going for a sleeper hold. Owens kicks the back of Rollins and Ambrose before applying a headlock to headlock to both men. They get out with a double jaw breaker and Ambrose hammers away on Rollins. They trade a couple of rollups until Ambrose hits a neck breaker for a two count. Rollins stops Ambrose on the top but Owens comes over and power bombs Rollins to hit a Tower of Doom.

Owens stands in the middle of the ring before hitting cannonball splashes on both Rollins and Ambrose. Ambrose comes back with a clothesline to stop Owens. Rollins and Ambrose stagger into each other. Ambrose ends up clotheslining Rollins after he is superkicked by Owens, but Rollins took out Owens just before the clothesline. Rollins knee lifts Ambrose from the apron and comes off the top with a knee lift. Rollins goes for the pedigree on Ambrose but Owens uses a chair on both men. Owens jabs Ambrose in the midsection with the chair and drops Dean back first onto the chair for a near fall. Owens wedges a chair in the corner and grabs Ambrose. Ambrose avoids being sent into the chair and Owens gets double teamed. Ambrose and Rollins hit the Shield power bomb. Ambrose sends Rollins face first into the chair in the corner and nearly wins with a rollup. Ambrose slides a table into the ring bur Rollins super kicks Ambrose for a near fall. Rollins sets up the table in the corner. Rollins goes for the spear but Ambrose counters and is met with a low blow. Rollins power bombs Ambrose through the table. Owens sends Rollins to the floor and nearly pins Ambrose. Ambrose counters a power bomb with a hurricanrana. Owens recovers missing a swanton as Ambrose got his knees up. Rollins leaps off the top to hit a frog splash on Ambrose. Rollins forearm strikes Ambrose in the corner twice but Ambrose hits one of his own. Rollins delivers a few kicks to the face but Ambrose battles back with a headbutt only to be met with a kick. Rollins buckle bombs Ambrose and Owens hits the pop up power bomb. Ambrose gets out of the corner and hits the Dirty Deeds to pin Owens to retain the title. (***. A solid enough main event that was overshadowed by the great Cena/Styles match. Fans just weren’t into this as much as that match likely showing how different the star power is in the WWE. It’s a formula triple threat match, but enjoyable regardless.)

Final Thoughts:
This show is going to get an easy recommendation from me. There was some solid action throughout and the Cena/Styles match is really good for house show standards. It was a breeze of a show to get through, too.

Thanks for reading.