King of the Ring (Contains Spoilers: Updated with live results)

Interesting card.  My vote goes to Neville.  

Yeah I think i'll vote Neville aswell. He's already really over with the crowd and this could cement him as a big deal.

Failing that, I want Ambrose to win. Purely because its Ambrose.

Completely devalues this when no big names actually enter.

Sheamus could make it two in a row. I'd expect Ziggler to be in the final from that draw. Think it'll be either a Sheamus/Ziggler final or Neville/Barrett.

with the ring talent on offer, I wouldn't say it devalues it at all. it could turn out to be a Neville vs ziggler final for the *vacated IC title*. match of the year contender maybe..

Crimey wrote:Completely devalues this when no big names actually enter.

This is practically a begging letter for Vince to add Kane and Big Show to this tournament.

Crimey wrote:Completely devalues this when no big names actually enter.

Billy Gunn is a king of the ring winner, you have no valid point.

The names that aren't in it are basically Reigns, Rollins, Orton. And years passed would show the title picture players don't enter KOTR.

Thought it was a shame to see Ziggler and Stardust out in round one. Presume Ziggler will cost Sheamus and it'll be a Neville/Barrett final, especially with Barrett having what looks like "One True Brit" on his trunks.

Dolphin Ziggler wrote:Presume Ziggler will cost Sheamus

This highlights the Face Vengeance Logic Loophole. If he really wanted to cost Sheamus, he could have attacked Ambrose, causing Sheamus to get DQ'd, not vice-versa.

Too proud and angry. I also think it at least made sense that he did it after Ambrose had been hit with the brogue kick, thus on a count of 6 and on the mat was never making it back to the ring.

Starts with a black screen and "in honour of Verne Gagne" before a vignette of past KOTR winners.

After King introduces a highlights package of last night we get Bryon Saxton interviewing Sheamus. He says hes about to become a two time KOTR winner, first by squashing Neville and then beating whoever. He says hes going to beat every little fella in the WWE, just like Dolph Ziggler, something something arrrrrrrrrrrrse.

It jumps to Renee with the new sensation, the man gravity forgot, Gary Neville. He talks about his impressive title reigns in NXT, and how hes only been here a month now and he will defy expectations and beat Sheamus, showing him exactly what a little fella like him can do.

Sheamus enters first and we then see that the commentary desk is JBL, Cole and, sadly, King. I do hope this is because they are filming Smackdown and not because Booker mentioned Owen Hart. Neville next and hes definitely over. As the pair come face to face Sheamus gestures about how small Neville is and laughs. As you'd expect, Neville uses his pace when afforded the chance but it is broken by the odd moment of Sheamus' power winning through. Once on top Sheamus uses a slow, brutal approach, the commentators selling Sheamus attacking Neville's ribs and Neville selling it too. Commentators doing their best to mention a lot of KOTR winners, Don Muraco, Harley Race, Owen and Bret Hart etc...doing well to sell how big it would be for Neville's name to join them. At this point Sheamus throws Neville from standing on the ring apron and smashing into the comms table; Neville makes it back in on a count of 9. Generally a one way match, Sheamus shouting "little fellas dont belong in my ring before hitting a brutal looking White Noise. But out comes Dolph Ziggler with a mic in hand, addressing Sheamus and putting video of Ziggler rolling up Sheamus from Extreme Rules on the big screen. Sheamus turns around to Neville angry, goes for the Brogue and Neville ducks, Sheamus caught up on the ropes. Neville kicks him to the head then hits the Red Arrow. 1, 2, 3 and Neville makes it through to the final. A match of about 5mins 50secs.

Winner: Neville

The commentary do their best to sell the athleticism more than Ziggler's interjection. Ziggler congratulates Neville on the ramp, getting a good pop. Ziggler talks again, mentioning there was a stipulation from their match at Extreme Rules, saying he was here to "collect" before storming down to the ring. A brief fight sees Sheamus squirm away and then get down the ramp. However he turns back infuriated and the pair brawl in the ring before referees separate them. Sheamus very much cut open in the fight, eyebrow bleeding quite brutally from the eyebrow at this point. Oooooh an advert for the Network, which is good because this is a Network exclusive. I might get this Network (Ok, I'll be fair, they are advertising the original programming from this week.)

Renee backstage with BNB - She claims Neville beating Sheamus is one of the biggest upsets of KOTR. She asks Barrett how confident he is, Barrett laughing off how he would have to be confident against R Truth, calling him a has-been and then Neville a "never will be". Claims Neville will soon become the man that nobody remembers.

Byron is in the back with R Truth. R Truth talks about being scared of spiders. His plan is to win KOTR, be KOTR, then his declarations as king will be to get rid of all spiders. He'll build a castle with a moat, but he hasn't thought about water spiders. Byron asks about his opponent, and R Truth says Barrett isnt invited to the castle, unless he has spider killing experience. I literally can't believe I've typed that sentence in my life. But then the "hilarious" King asks if water spiders can vote. JBL also makes a joke about drowning water spiders. This has all really gone on too long.

Oh good a match. Truth does some dancing during the fight and looks for a few roll ups, Barrett battering him in various ways each time he gets up. I lose the plot for a while to turn back to life when King complains that the commentators need to get back to calling the match. Thats got to be a low for Cole and JBL. Barrett early dominance but at around 2 mins (for any Truth fans) R Truth gets on top for a spell. He's still on top a minute later and we may be looking at the best spell of Truth's career since he wanted to kill Cena. Its back to BNB about 90 seconds after Truth's flurry of offence, but from there its back n forth. Truth nearly finishes it but Barrett gets a sly foot on the rope late into a pin. Barrett rolls slowly out of the ring and as Truth goes after him Barrett rakes the eye. The ref misses it, Barrett gets back in the ring and hits a blinded Truth with the Bullhammer. England represents as Barrett v Neville is set for the final after a 5 minute match here.

Winner: BNB

FINAL: BARRETT vs NEVILLE We will have an English king.

Cole introduces a tribute package to Verne Gagne, a nice touch.

Now Renee is with Dolph, who gets a big pop. They show a video package of Ziggler helping Sheamus advance by getting Ambrose DQ'd when Ziggler attacked Sheamus. They then reference Ziggler just costing Sheamus. Ziggler cuts a promo about how he can't take Sheamus' bullying any more. He apologises to Ambrose and then says a cheesy line about not worrying about Sheamus kissing his ar*e cos he's gonna kick it. Which, of course, means he plans to kick his own ar*e.

They now show higlights of BNB and Neville's match from the pre-show of Extreme Rules. Now Byron is interviewing BNB. Yo, BNB, you now gotta face the man who beat you at ER. I gotta say, its simple stuff, but Barrett, as ever, does the job at delivering a good interviewing even though its pretty much the same schtick as earlier.

Neville's music starts as Cole reminds us that Neville is/was the longest reigning champ in NXT history. They already sell that Neville is "smarting" from his rib injuries earlier. We also find out that Billy Gunn tweeted his support of Neville, so really Neville is a winner whatever happens.

Barrett, after one second, steps out of the ring complaining about something or other. 30 seconds into the match they first come together, BNB gets on top and goes for the ribs, the crowd chant for Neville and the Geordie lad gets his feet moving his a head scissors and then follow up kicks. But as he runs the ropes again Barrett smashes him out of the ring and onto the outside, following it up with a bodyslam to the floor outside. The comms team again sell the rib injury and BNB runs Neville into the ring apron, more rib talk after. The McRib was a huge disappointment by the way.

BNB with "constant shots to the ribs". Ties him up in a submission to put pressure on the ribs, but Neville fights out, showing "the heart of the young man", then using some acrobatics to get into his kicking routine. Barrett clotheslines over the top and Neville hits that springboard moonsault to the outside. The comms again highlight how the ribs were sacrificed by that move. Neville's footwork is very impressive, you can tell hes worked across the globe, and then a nice, but slow, german suplex.

As Neville runs the ropes Barrett changes the pace with a winds of change. Neville struggles out of Wastelands once but caught on escape and gets hit. He gets up on the two, commentary selling Neville's resilience. Barrett, angry, sets up for the Bullhammer. Neville dodges, very close on the roll up with a bridge. Gets up and Neville hits a kick to the back of the head, goes for Red Arrow but Barrett gets up, Neville lands on his feet but turns round to get hit by a Bullhammer. 1, 2, 3. King Barrett.

Winner: Bad News Barrett. I lost the timer on this but it wasn't significantly longer than the others.

BNB is the King of the Ring.

Commentary talk up how much fight Neville had but BNB kept targeting the ribs. Winning with "the Bullhammer that will be heard through England." Jerry Lawler is now up on the stage to coronate the new king. Lawler congratulates Barrett and offers the mic. BNB - "Finally there is a man in WWE with enough class and elegance to call himself the King. And mark my words, I will be ruling my kingdom with an iron fist and a Bullhammer."

And thats it.

Started around the time of my first post and ended about 50 minutes later. Not a bad little show, but could have been a lot more. The matches were fine, but too short to be anything good, and you can see that this is clearly a concept WWE do not like. This kind of format works for them, but they know this could have been a PPV, obviously the repetition of stars appearances is not something Vince is into.

Least the lucky crowd is likely to now watch Main Event and Smackdown, probably before an awful dark match.

I guess Barrett kind of needs it more than Neville. He has some talent to him, his matches are so WWE style it hurts. He hits the average mark pretty much every time. His talking is his talent, and this should give him a platform if WWE want it to.

Neville got to be showcased, get more over, and show off a bit. Automatically I have no idea where he goes from here, but it should be noted he has now beaten Sheamus twice. Could well be his next target. I think a lot is up in the air whilst we wait for Bryan. They made enough mention of Ziggler costing Ambrose to mean Ambrose may have some issue with him, possibly. There's a little group there, from the IC match and this KOTR tournament, who could probably all build ok feuds with one n other.

If anything, R Truth will be happy that Orange is the New Black is returning soon and everyone can enjoy his performances as Crazy Eyes.

I've not seen this yet, but I agree with Dolphin regarding the outcome.

Barrett is a 4 star worker on the mic and 2-3 star worker in the ring.  So, he can make good use of this and then deliver his solidly average matches.  And as a mid-carder that is okay.

Neville I think has the rub of doing well in this tournament.  And I hope to see him with the IC belt round his waist in a few months time.  

The fantasy booker in me hopes they run with the angle of Neville beating Sheamus as a sleight on Sheamus saying that he'll beat up people smaller than him.  Have Finn Balor come down to the ring and tell Neville to pick on someone his own size for once.

While I would have liked to see Neville win, he has still been booked better than everyone else that has came up from NXT since The Shield, and doesnt look bad for losing. Big things are in his future.

Whats the deal with Sheamus? They altered his look albeit slightly, turned him heel and gave him new music, for what? He's losing all over the place, I don't see how prosperous thats supposed to be, a change of attitude is often all thats needed, you can buy into a guy after a heel/face turn as it ca  be percieved that they're now in a different frame of mind to get the job done, I don't see how Sheamus js a credible threat.

Its very odd. I think he'll go over Ziggler and may go over Bryan, if not hes being pushed higher up the card due to lack of credible heels.