(4) RONDA ROUSEY & KURT ANGLE vs. TRIPLE H & STEPHANIE MCMAHON
Triple H and Stephanie came out on three wheel motorcycles. That likely means no Biker Taker tonight. The announcers just gushed about the ring entrance and talked up the career of Triple H like their jobs depended on it. Then Angle came out to his music. Finally Rousey in a kilt and a Roddy Piper jacket. She was wearing her Facil Expression #2 – her smile. (Cole said only two people have transitioned from “starting in UFC” to WWE – Ken Shamrock and now Ronda Rousey. Shamrock was a pro wrestler before UFC existed, so if you include him, then you include Brock Lesnar, unless he’s talking strictly WWE and UFC as brands.)
A loud “Ronda Rousey” chant broke out early. Steph and Hunter entered the ring to boos. Stephanie pie-faced Rousey pre-match. She ran up behind Rousey and yanked her down by her hair. The ref separated them and then the bell rang. Angle began against Triple H. Cole said Hunter and Steph told the referee before the match, “Remember who signs your paychecks.” (I half-expected Cole to say, “They usually only tell us that.”) Stephanie pulled the top rope down so Angle tumbled over the top rope and crashed at ringside. Hunter then whipped Angle into the ringside steps. Hunter walked over and trash-talked Rousey. (Foreshadowing that Rousey taps out Hunter to end the match?)
Hunter was calling spots pretty loud as he carried Angle through the early minutes one laborious move at a time. Hunter charged at Angle, but Angle ducked and Hunter almost hit Stephanie. They froze in place. When Angle reached for a tag to Ronda, Stephanie ran over and yanked her off the ring apron. Cole said: “It is completely manipulation of rules tonight by Triple H and Stephanie.” (That phrase doesn’t sound accidental or impromptu.) Steph smiled. Angle locked a Pedigree attempt and threw Hunter into the corner and Hunter bumped to the floor. Steph called out, “Hunter! Hunter!” Angle crawled over milked it but tagged in Rousey. Rousey yanked Steph into the ring by her hair, flipping her over the top rope. She had a great intense look. She ducked a clothesline and then clotheslined Steph, flipping over herself afterward. Then she one-arm slammed her. Rousey punched away at Steph in the corner. The crowd ate it up. Intense heat. Fans were standing. She whipped Steph across the ring by her hair.
Rousey grounded Steph and set up an armbar. Stephanie blocked it by holding her hands together and pulling back. Take notes, MMA students. “Ronda might get pinned!” said Graves. Steph raked Ronda’s eyes, then crawled over for a tag. Hunter hadn’t returned to the ring apron yet. Steph turned and kicked Rousey and then DDT’d her for a two count. Coach said he was surprised at how good Rousey has looked, but Stephanie has surprised her too. Stephanie applied a standing surfboard. Rousey cried out in pain and then stood and poured out, but Steph yanked her down hard by her hair.
Steph charged, but Rousey grabbed her by her throat. She got her intense look, then lifted Stephanie on her shoulders and gave her a spinning Samoan drop for a two count. Hunter yanked the ref out as he was about to try for a third slap. Rousey yelled at Hunter and said she’s going to go back to beating up his wife. Hunter yanked Rousey out of the ring by her leg. Angle ran over and attacked Hunter. He set up a back suplex on the announce table. Hunter blocked it and threw Angle onto the next table.
Rousey re-entered the ring and looked ready to fight. Hunter stood up and looked around. Rousey looked ready to fight him. The ref told him he had to leave. Rousey said she wanted him. Hunter pushed the referee into the corner as if to signal that he signs the checks. Hunter turned around and smiled and said, sure, if that’s what you want. Rousey punched away at Hunter’s face and body rapid-fire.
Ronda then lifted Hunter for a Samoan slam, but Steph saved him and yanked him down, then slapped Rousey. Rousey turned and stared at her. Steph bailed out and ran. Rousey chased after her and caught her. (She’d have never caught Braun Strowman.) Rousey lifted Steph, but Steph slipped free and shoved Rousey into the ringpost face-first. Angle came up behind Hunter and gave him two belly-to-belly suplexes. Hunter came back with a knee to the face, but Angle then went into his unreleased German suplex sequence – three in a row. Hunter tried for a Pedigree, but Angle went for an Anklelock. Hunter blocked it and again went for a Pedigree. Angle catapulted Hunter into the top turnbuckle and then hit an Angle Slam for a near fall that popped the crowd.
Stephanie entered the ring and yelled at Angle, saying this whole thing is his fault. She tried to kick him, but he grabbed her leg and held it. The ref told Angle to let go. The crowd chanted “Yes!” Angle put her in the Anklelock. Hunter made the save and gave Angle a Pedigree. Rousey broke up the pin. Hunter stood and stared down Rousey. Fan chanted “This is awesome!” Cole said fans were chanting it for Rousey. Hunter then set up a Pedigree, but instead set up a powerbomb. Rousey countered with a a huracanrana and applied her armbar with a leg scissors. Steph made the save and put Rousey in a rear naked choke. “Rousey could fade here!” Cole said.
Rousey stood and flailed to escape and eventually flipped out and put an armbar on Stephanie. Angle put Hunter in an ankle lock to stop him from breaking it up. It looked like a possible finish, but Hunter escaped and flung Angle into Rousey and he clotheslined her. Oops.
Cole called it an incredible match. Hunter shoved Angle into the corner ringpost shoulder-first. Stephanie got up and checked for a plan with Hunter. They set up stereo Pedigrees. Angle backdropped Hunter out of the ring. Rousey then broke free and went for her armbar. Stephanie blocked it and yelled, “Please, no! No! No!” Then she made her tap. They cut to Dana White in the front row applauding the win. Cole said he was very impressed with Rousey “as she embarks on her career here in WWE.” Angle hugged her.
WINNER: Rousey & Angle when Rousey tapped out Stephanie.
That went about as well as anyone could have hoped. If there were concerns about Rousey – and there were – adapting to pro wrestling, this allieviated many of them. She still has to do a singles match, but I thought her selling and her general sense of timing was 9 out of 10 for the range that was possible here with so little evidence.
