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  • 2 days ago
Transcript
00:00The following contest is scheduled for one fall.
00:21And introducing the challenger.
00:26From West Newberry, Massachusetts.
00:28Weighing in at 248 pounds, John Cena.
00:36I'm Michael Cole alongside Taz, and we welcome you to Portland, Oregon.
00:40It's been a long time since we've come to Portland, and it's great to be back.
00:44No doubt, no doubt, Cole.
00:46Tonight, the Rose City's going to get its face rocked, and I can't wait.
00:51And neither can these fans.
00:53We better get started, or we might have a riot on our hands.
00:56Look at him. He's just radiating confidence.
00:59And he's got a lot to be confident about.
01:01Yeah, well, he looks a little overconfident to me, Cole.
01:03And after you come back to fight him on the you-know-what.
01:13You just don't see action like this every day, Cole.
01:16You sure don't, Taz.
01:17And we've got the best seats in the house.
01:20No doubt, front and center.
01:21We couldn't be any closer to this match without being in it.
01:23Whoa, that's your territory, partner, not mine.
01:26I'm perfectly happy staying right where I am.
01:30That was a textbook reversal.
01:32Each of these competitors is looking for the slightest hint of weakness in the other.
01:44That's the law of the jungle, Cole.
01:45And injured superstars like a wounded animal.
01:49It's survival of the fittest.
01:51And that also means that if you're not at 100%,
01:54you've got to be able to hide it from your opponent.
01:57You got that right, Cole.
01:58This business is as psychological as it is physical.
02:02You can't let your opponent think they're easy pickers.
02:05Well, I wouldn't consider any of these superstars to be easy pickies,
02:08no matter how beat enough they get.
02:18I don't think there's any superstars on the roster
02:21who wouldn't love to have the size and strength advantage of the big guy.
02:25Yeah, but the thing about that is,
02:26is when you're the size of the big show,
02:28you're the odds-on favorite in every match.
02:31So the pressure's on you to win.
02:33And if you win, you're just living up to everyone's expectations.
02:36He saw that one coming.
02:45These superstars are pounding the heck out of each other.
02:49How much longer can they keep this up?
02:51I don't know, Taz, but you can bet
02:53that it's going to get a lot worse before it's over.
02:56Watch it.
02:57He reversed it.
02:59I think he's going to fly, Cole.
03:11Hey, the ref's got a tough job.
03:13I mean, trying to keep these superstars on the up and up,
03:15that's hard.
03:15Well, it's easier to get some superstars to play by the rules than others.
03:20Hey, you know what, Cole?
03:20If you're going to get on your high once again
03:22and give us another lecture about playing fast,
03:24I swear to God, I'm going to throw up.
03:26Is it so wrong to ask a superstar to play by the rules, Taz?
03:29That doesn't seem to be so unreasonable to me.
03:33That's because you never competed in a match, Cole.
03:36If you did, you'd know that you've got to do whatever it takes to win.
03:41And if that means bending the rules a bit,
03:42well, then, that's just the way to cookie cross.
03:53Man, Cole, I don't want this match to end.
03:55I'm a new partner, but it's got to end sooner or later.
03:59Well, whichever way it goes,
04:00no one can say that this is a reversal, Cole.
04:07Look at this, Cole! Look at this!
04:09Oh, my God! There's a reason that's called a finishing move!
04:13The match usually doesn't go much longer!
04:19He's got him covered!
04:21One, two...
04:23Kicked out just in the nick of time!
04:29And there's the counter, Cole!
04:31Man, I don't...
04:41He was one step ahead on that one!
04:51Look at these superstars go.
04:53It's obvious they've done their homework on each other.
04:56That's for sure.
04:57This match might have been over by now if they had.
04:5990% of a match is...
05:01There's the cover!
05:02Can you do it?
05:03One, two...
05:04Wow, they don't get much closer than that.
05:07Kicked out! Kicked out! Kicked out! Kicked out! Kicked out! Kicked out!
05:15These superstars give everything they got when they're in a match like this.
05:19But a lot of people don't realize
05:21what they sacrificed behind the scenes also.
05:24No question.
05:25If you want to make it in the WWE,
05:28you've got to sacrifice just about everything for your career.
05:32It has to be as important to you as anything else in your life.
05:35He can get the pin right here!
05:36One, two...
05:38He hasn't done nearly enough to get the pin yet.
05:47Nice quick counter.
05:49Look at this!
05:51No fear on the face of this superstar!
05:53Yeah, that and 50 cents will get you a cup of coffee.
05:56Dude!
06:03Nice reversal!
06:04The big show is a big dude, all right?
06:15Oh, man.
06:16This is just about the last hole you want to find yourself in.
06:19I can imagine.
06:20Just look at the pressure being applied here.
06:22I think John Cena has risen.
06:32On the mat!
06:32Shoulders down!
06:34This could be it!
06:39Great reversal!
06:40One.
06:41Man, I'm telling you, from my in-ring experience, trust me, you could cut this tension with a knife.
06:55Two.
06:55I don't think you need in-ring experience to feel the tenacity radiating off these superstars, Taz.
07:00I don't think anything could be more obvious.
07:03Four.
07:03Spoken like a guy who's never been in there, Cole.
07:06Trust me.
07:06Wow.
07:07When it comes down to you or them, it's a whole different level of intensity.
07:11I'll have to take your word for it, Taz.
07:13I honestly can't imagine a more electric atmosphere than the one in this arena right now.
07:19He likes fighting dirty.
07:21And it's easy to see why.
07:22He's pretty good at it.
07:23He certainly is.
07:24And I hope he's proud of himself.
07:26Personally, I find it disgusting.
07:30Top rope moves can win or lose you the match.
07:32There's very little middle ground.
07:34You look at any other sport in the world, and you won't find a single athlete that can compare with a WWE superstar.
07:49And there's a reason for that, Taz.
07:51There are no off-seasons here in the WWE.
07:54If you're a superstar, you're performing every week of the year.
07:58And we're not talking about just swinging a battle.
08:00And there's the reversal.
08:04Look at these superstars, Cole.
08:10I mean, they're not even contemplating the fact that they might lose here tonight.
08:14They've sacrificed so much.
08:16Man, his opponent looked like a poke with that counter.
08:19He's been looking for that all-match, Cole.
08:21And now he's taking advantage.
08:23Come on, partner.
08:24Taking advantage is a rather generous way to put it.
08:27He's cheating, plain and simple.
08:29What an awesome presence is the Big Show.
08:40Seven feet tall, 500 pounds.
08:42There's no question why he's one of the most dominant superstars on the SmackDown roster.
08:47Yeah, but you know, it's real easy to rely too heavily.
08:50Wow.
08:51Great reversal.
08:53He can talk all he wants, Cole.
08:55Three.
08:55But once he's lost the match, this guy's gonna wish that he spent more time going after his opponent.
09:00I think you're wrong about that, Taz.
09:03I think this is going to make his victory tonight that much sweeter.
09:07Three.
09:07Looks like he's going for it.
09:08He sure is.
09:10The FU.
09:10Four.
09:11FU, Taz.
09:13Oh, no.
09:13They just destroyed the announce table.
09:15That was a lot of expensive gear right there, Cole.
09:18And I hope some of it still works.
09:22One.
09:26Two.
09:27These superstars are so unpredictable.
09:30Three.
09:30I'm having a hard time figuring out what they're going to do next.
09:33Don't bother, Cole.
09:34I don't think you're gonna be able to.
09:36Just sit back and enjoy the ride.
09:37Five.
09:38And what a wild ride it's been so far, with no signs of stopping anytime soon.
09:51You know, I know I say this a lot, Cole, but this is not ballet.
09:55You step between those ropes, you better be prepared to take some punishment.
10:00And to dish some out as well.
10:02I don't think I've ever seen a superstar win a match by being a tackling dummy.
10:05He may get the three count right here.
10:14That reversal might stop his opponent's momentum dead.
10:25Jeez, what a match.
10:26I got no idea what these superstars are.
10:28He's going for the pin.
10:29One.
10:30Two.
10:31You've got to be kidding me.
10:33That was nowhere near three.
10:35You know what?
10:43This Cena, he spends a lot of time running his mouth, Cole.
10:46If it was me, I'd put a little bit more energy in to prove my in-ring skills.
10:50Cena's a WWE Champion, says.
10:53How much more improvement do you really need?
10:55I know the guy's on top.
10:56I understand that.
10:57He's WWE Champion.
10:58I understand that.
10:59Four.
10:59I think we know where he's going with this, Cole.
11:02Here he comes.
11:03He just threw his opponent straight into the ground.
11:07Six.
11:11Seven.
11:15One.
11:17Ladies and gentlemen, we are seen in it.
11:19He does that, but...
11:20Three.
11:20Four.
11:29Seems like things have quieted down a little bit here, Cole.
11:32I think this may just be the calm before the storm task.
11:36Look at these fans.
11:37They didn't like that one bit.
11:39Yeah, well, you know what?
11:40I got some bad news for these fans.
11:43He don't give a damn what you think.
11:54I certainly don't envy the referee in this match.
11:57No kidding.
11:58No matter what call you make,
11:59you're going to get on the bad side of at least one superstar.
12:03And that's about the last place you want to be
12:06if you're not a superstar yourself.
12:08Trust me.
12:09I know.
12:19You know, the key to winning a match like this
12:21is to build some momentum.
12:23And you're not going to see a match won
12:25with just one or two moves.
12:26No, but one or two big moves and a crucial point
12:29could change the direction of it completely.
12:32He anticipated that move perfectly.
12:39I think these fans know what's coming next.
12:42You know it, Cole.
12:44The F.U.
12:46Man, get a load of that power.
12:49He slipped out of that one.
12:51And there's the pin.
12:52What?
12:53No trouble getting out of that one.
12:55I feel like a real jerk
13:03when somebody encounters you like that.
13:14Look at this, Taz.
13:15This could be it.
13:16Good night, Irene.
13:18Nobody sticks around long after taking a finisher like that.
13:25What a reversal.
13:26There's the pin.
13:27Can his opponent kick out?
13:29One, two, three.
13:30I think we're hearing the first.
13:31That was an impressive win, Cole.
13:33I got a new.
13:33He might have gotten a pinfall, Cole.
13:35But I'd be real surprised if we didn't see a rematch after that.
13:37Here's your winner.
13:39And the new WWE champion.

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