WWE Live show results
February 27, 2015
New York City at MSG
Report by Mike Omansky, PWTorch correspondent

Good crowd; estimate 12,000-13,000 range (some upper seats were unsold, but most of the Garden sold)... No return date was announced. ... Long show that started 7:30 p.m. and ended at 11:05. Thus, three hours and 35 minutes with intermission.

- Promo by Bad News Barrett aired before the first match. He vowed to leave MSG still IC champion, and with his belt, which has been stolen by Dean Ambrose.

(1) IC champion Bad News Barrett beat Dolph Ziggler and Dean Ambrose in a triple-threat match to retain the Intercontinental Title. Barrett retained by pinning Ziggler. Good action, with “every man for himself” all the way through, including the two faces fighting and stopping pins. For the finish, Ambrose was down, Barrett leaped into ring with a bullhammer to Dolph, and he clocked him to get the pin. (**)

- Promo by Seth Rollins. He doesn’t like N.Y. or MSG, but before he leaves, he and Kane will defeat Roman Reigns and Daniel Bryan tonight. (A change from Bryan teaming with Randy Orton tonight.)

(2) WWE tag champs Cesaro & Tyson Kidd beat New Day (Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods w/Big E.) to retain the WWE Tag Titles. No reaction to entrance of New Day. Fans booed them when they exited after the match. For the finish, Kidd pinned Woods with a springboard drop. (*)

- Fans voted for the next match if Brie Bella would be allowed to stay at ringside. She won the right 63 to 37 percent (giving the heels the advantage).

(3) Divas champion Nikki Bella (w/Brie Bella) beat Paige to retain the Divas Title. Nikki scored the pin from behind when Paige was distracted by Brie. Adequate match. (*)

(4) Chris Jericho beat Luke Harper with the Codebreaker for a pin following a quickly aborted "Highlight Reel." Jericho entered, talked about how bad The Authority is, and Harper came out and challenged him to a match. Magically, a ref appeared. Fair match dominated by Harper until the finish. (*)

(5) John Cena beat U.S. champion Rusev (w/Lana) via DQ; Rusev retained the U.S. Title in a match that had been the advertised main event. It turned out to be best match of the night, going about 15 minutes. Started slow, and built. Both men were booed coming out - Rusev heavily booed and Cena mostly booed. That changed toward end of the match when Cena got Rusev in the STF. The finish was well done, as follows: ref kicked by Cena-Rusev by accident, bump, Cena got the STF on Rusev, who tapped out, but no ref. Rusev recovered and low-blowed Cena, called for a second ref, and Cena kicked out at two. Rusev, upset, threw the second ref out of the ring. Rusev brought a chair into the ring, used it multiple times on Cena, the first ref recovered, and called for the bell for the DQ on Rusev. Rusev tried to attack Cena again, but he recovered with an Attitude Adjustment. (**1/2)

(6) R-Truth beat Fandango (w/Rosa Mendes) via roll-up in less than five minutes. But a very long five minutes. (DUD)

(7) Randy Orton beat Bray Wyatt with the RKO and pin in what was not the best but maybe the most interesting match-up of the night. Incredible light entrance for Wyatt, who bowed to the crowd to applause after he entered. Orton was cheered coming in; the crowd seemed to like both. Both got their moves in. (**)

Hulk Hogan Appreciation Night

This went about 30 minutes. The details:

- Jimmy Hart was out first. He spoke about history with Hulk, and them being back at MSG. Hart came out to "Eat Your Heart Out Rick Springfield," a song from an album that he recorded in the early 1980s.

- Scott Hall and Kevin Nash came out next (to the NWO theme). Hall spoke first about the NWO and WCW. When people booed WCW, he said, "I’m with you - I didn’t like it there either." Kevin Nash spoke about Hogan making the NWO by being "the third man."

- Hulk Hogan was brought out to "Real American" to a huge ovation. He started to speak, when Ric Flair’s music hit.

- Ric Flair came out. Fans chanted “This is awesome” as he faced Hulk to address him. Flair listed many men who he had wrestled, but said that none of them was as adored by fans as Hogan. He also said that five days a week the two men in life he can count on are Vince McMahon and Hulk Hogan.

- The first of multiple video tributes aired. It included footage against Rock and Andre. It included messages from Shawn Michaels, New Age Outlaws, Sylvester Stallone, Rock, and Vince McMahon.

- Triple H's music then played. Hunter came out with an MSG photographer from 1984 and a current MSG executive. Hunter acted as a "face" through the whole segment. Hunter said that MSG is that “house that Hulk Hogan built." Hunter said that he wasn't in the ring as the COO or as Triple H, but as a kid who was a fan. "I am humbled and in awe of Hulk Hogan." Hogan said that the only reason he is back with WWE is because of Hunter. They hugged.

- MSG officials presented a giant photo from WrestleMania I in 1985 of Hulk celebrating. Another video package aired.

- Hunter then had another surprise - a flag for Hogan's 30 years was hoisted up in MSG, along with the sports team flags. The segment wrapped with more posing by Hogan andfinal cheers.

(8) Roman Reigns & Daniel Bryan beat Seth Rollins & Kane in about ten minutes to close the show. Reigns pinned Rollins with a punch for the pin. Bryan was beaten up by the heels for most of the match. Reigns was booed when he got the "hot tag." Mixture of cheers and boos when he finished off Rollins. Slightly rushed main event, as it was after 11:00 p.m. (*1/2)

Very good show, overall. No match was "unbelievable," but no shortage of content.

[Torch art credit Grant Gould (c) PWTorch.com]

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