(7) BRAY WYATT vs. RANDY ORTON WWE Championship match
Bray came out first. Then Orton. The walk to the ring was so long, they seemed to play Orton's song on a loop three times. The bell rang to start this 32 minutes into the fourth hour of the show, not counting the two hour Kickoff Show. So over five-and-a-half hours deep since the Kickoff Show started. Randy went for an early RKO out of nowhere. Bray leaped to ringside. Orton went right after him. They exchanged strikes at ringside. Orton threw Bray into the ring. Bray caught him with a forearm and then a running headbutt to the chest. Bray bent over backwards. The camera showed the action from overhead. They projected maggots on the ring surface. The crowd got all grossed out and let out a collective Ewwww! JBL said he's never seen anything like that in his life. Otunga said Bray's been different since Orton burned down éhe place that houses Sister Abigail's ashes. They won't say compound or shed or anything. It's just that place. Bray methodically beat up Orton. He bent over backwards again and the ring filled with earthworms crawling through dirt. Orton acted creeped out again. Bray pounded on the back of Orton's head with elbows, then yelled out, I am a god! He hit a senton for a two count.
JBL said Orton was as fired up on his way to the ring as he has ever seen him, but the images of the worms and the psychological warfare has taken him out of it completely. JBL said the place is in shock, noting the silence in the stadium. Orton rolled out of the ring and took a breather. Bray rolled out the other side and jogged at him with a running clothesline. Orton gave him an RKO out of nowhere at ringside. Back in the ring and waited for Bray to stand, and he went for the running punt. Bray avoided it and went for Sister Abigail. Orton blocked it and landed a DDT off the second rope. Orton pounded the mat and then charged at Bray, but Bray gave him Sister Abigail. Orton kicked out. Just silence afterward. Now we had a ring full of some sort of bugs. Randy didn't seem to notice, which made it even sillier. Bray pounded on Orton methodically with forearms, but Orton hit an RKO out of nowhere for the pin. They cut to a shocked fan. Or else he's frozen in fear from those creepy bugs.
WINNER: Orton to capture the WWE Championship at 10:30. (**1/2)
(Keller's Analysis: I don't know what to say. The match was what I expected, but worms and bugs were an added bonus? It works in the sense that this whole feud has been about nonsense spookiness, so why get serious now? When someone at WWE HQ said, Wouldn't it be neat if... that person should have been shot down immediately and moved to new division.)
(8) GOLDBERG vs. BROCK LESNAR (w/Paul Heyman) WWE Universal Title match
Lesnar ran the ropes after he arrived in the ring and his music stopped. Then Goldberg's music played. The crowd seemed fatigued. A weak Goldberg chant fizzled quickly. Someone knocked on his door, and Goldberg came out of his locker room. He walked too the ring with the belt around his waist. He looks the part. More gray in the beard, but he looks badass. He walked the whole way to the ring. They should have had the champ come out first in this match, of all matches, so Goldberg could rest up a bit. Heyman insisted on introducing Brock, yanking the mic from JoJo. When Jo Jo got to Goldberg, the crowd booed with whatever little energy they had left. Lesnar sidestepped a spear and gave Goldberg a German Suplex. And two more. Goldberg popped up and speared Lesnar into the bottom rope. Lesnar staggered to his feet and ate another spear. Lesnar rolled out of the ring. Goldberg snuck around the ring and went for a third spear. He speared Lesnar into the time keeper's area through the barricade. Both were slow to get up. Goldberg was selling convincingly. Back in the ring, Goldberg signaled for a Jackhammer. Lesnar countered into an F5 attempt. Goldberg escaped and hit a spear again. Lesnar struggled to stand. Goldberg seemed to be handling the cardio well so far. He set up a Jackhammer and landed it. Lesnar kicked out. Goldberg looked down at him in shock. Heyman pounded the mat as the crowd woke up and cheered. Goldberg waited for Lesnar to stand and set up a spear. He charged, but Lesnar leapfrogged him. Goldberg's head might have caught Lesnar's knee. Lesnar then took Goldberg back to Suplex City. Sexaton said he's trying to make Goldberg a permanent member. After five more, Lesnar staggered to his feet and delivered a ninth overall. The crowd chanted for Tye Dillinger. Lesnar delivered. Then he gave Goldberg an F5. Cole said Lesnar has finally exorcised his demons.
WINNER: Lesnar to capture the WWE Universal Championship. (**)
(Keller's Analysis: That was a best case scenario for this match. Goldberg pulled off the moves well. Neither was asked to do anything they weren't able to do or that the fans weren't in seeing. It delivered Suplex City and some teases of finishers, a bit spot at ringside, and then more of the same in the ring leading to the logical finish. Had Goldberg not been so vocal about regrouping and reassessing after WM, the outcome might have been a bigger mystery.)
