WWE Fantasy Universe S1 Ep.8: New Members?

Team Hollywood come out, Hulk Hogan says that Summerslam was just a blip in a run of dominance for them and after Unforgiven, they have began to course correct, brother. The Rock says that they proved against WWE’s best that they are still the greatest faction in all of wrestling and nobody can stop them. The Rock is interrupted by Kevin Nash and X-Pac. They know that they have been on the opposite side of each other and Nash agrees Team Hollywood is the best. However, they can make it even better. Nash says they just wanted to form a group with their good friends, but it seems their friends are too selfish and spineless to support them. So they are not about having fun anymore, they are about making money and they want to make money with Team Hollywood.

The Rock questions why they should even let them into their group. BIlly Kidman is against this since X-Pac “stole” the cruiserweight title from him. Nash speaks to Hogan and knows that he has some swing in this group. He reminds them of their history and the success they achieved together. They wanted Hogan in the new version of the nWo, it was Shawn Michaels who blocked that idea. Nash says that the more the merrier, they will help acquire all of the gold for Team Hollywood. The Rock tells them that they will think this decision over, but it is up to Nash and X-Pac to prove they are a good fit. If they can bring them more gold, then he doesn’t see a reason not to have more members.

Road To No Mercy

A Rematch

The Rock calls out Brock Lesnar and reminds him of a rematch clause in his contract that he is activating ahead of No Mercy. Heyman goes to speak but Lesnar stops him. Lesnar tells Rock that even with all of his team interfering, Brock still beat him. He is happy for a rematch but he pokes fun at Rock not being as good as he once was, relying on old man Hogan and the rest of his goons to get him victories. The Rock calls himself the great one for a reason, because he is the greatest and he doesn’t have to prove that. Brock keeps baiting him and eventually Rock agrees to their match to be strictly 1v1, barring anyone else at ringside. That also includes Paul Heyman.

Heyman criticises this decision but Brock Lesnar quiets him and tells him he knows what he is doing. Heyman tries to give advice but Lesnar says he has got this handled.

Broken Alliance

Steve Austin, Triple H and Booker T did have an alliance but that has broken down after the events of Unforgiven. Although they all blame Kevin Nash and X-Pac’s involvement in the decision, Austin and HHH blame each other for them not winning the match sooner. Booker T blames both of them for their ego’s and not listening to him. Austin and Triple H are too focused on each other and barely take notice to points Booker is raising, so Booker lays them both out.

Booker T approaches Brock Lesnar backstage and reminds him that he was the reason he won the title and thinks it would be a good thing to maybe give him a thank you in the form of a title shot. Steve Austin rejects this notion and he says that he was the one who counted the pin and kept the match as even as he could, he was the real reason Brock won. Therefore, if anyone is deserving of a future title shot it is him. Triple H was another man who ran out to fight Team Hollywood and he claims that his involvement is what gave him the win. Brock is not engaging with this and he tells them to figure this shit out themselves.

Triple H warns Kevin Nash and X-Pac that he has not forgotten them and they are on his hit list, but he wants to deal with his poor excuse for tag partners first. The 3 men are booked for a match, it is not confirmed that it is a contender match but it is alluded to that the winner would have a strong chance of having a future opportunity.

Un-American Badass

Christian and Lance Storm chew out Chris Jericho for his failed involvement at Unforgiven and question his usefulness to the group. They tease just letting him go from the Un-Americans, but they laugh and say they will never let Jericho out of the group. Jericho has been gradually converted towards a heel and he says for the first time that he no longer wants out of this group. Christian says that it is time Jericho proved that he is a serious member of their team by doing something so anti-American that it is undeniable. Chris Jericho has something in mind.

During one of his matches, Undertaker is attacked by Chris Jericho. Jericho then steals Undertaker’s Harley Davidson and rides away. We see video clips of the Un-Americans taking the motorbike on rides between cities for Raw and generally just messing around with it. Jericho starts calling himself the Un-American Bass, mocking Undertaker. Taker says Jericho is a deadman for messing with his bike and demands he returns it if he knows what is good for him. Jericho refuses, but one week he is caught in the car park messing around on it by Undertaker. Taker kicks Jericho’s ass but Christian and Lance Storm make the save. Undertaker will get his hands on Jericho at No Mercy.

Doing it Again

Molly Holly pinned Trish Stratus in a tag match at Unforgiven, therefore she is granted another title opportunity at the women’s championship. Molly says that once and for all, she will put an end to Trish’s “slut reign of terror” and bring back clean, family-friendly wrestling for women around the world. Trish Stratus again is fighting for freedom of expression and promises to stand up to Molly who is nothing but a bully.

Rising Star

Chris Benoit is still after the Intercontinental championship but he is confronted by Ric Flair and Randy Orton. Flair says that he and Benoit go way back, he even made him a member of the Four Horsemen at one time. However, that was a while ago, and Benoit is not the hot prospect anymore. Randy Orton is. He tells Benoit to step aside and give Randy Orton the opportunity to become a champion, it is in his blood. Benoit cannot deny Orton’s heritage but he thinks Orton lacks the talent to compete at that level just yet. Orton says he is young, hungry and ready to prove himself. He displays this by attacking Benoit from behind and laying him out.

Ric Flair says that he regrets choosing Chris Benoit to be a member of the Four Horsemen and if Orton was around back then, he would choose him as the fourth man every time. Benoit doesn’t like to be distracted from his goals, but he sets his sights on taking out Orton before getting back in the title race.

Ducking a Challenge

Spike Dudley is hungry for a championship rematch with Mark Henry. Henry accepts and tells him to meet in the boiler room. Spike goes, but Henry is not there. Turns out, Mark Henry has already left the arena and went home. This cycle continues with Spike and his ally Tazz trying to chase Mark Henry down to give him a title rematch. Mark Henry visits the APA and pays them to protect him and keep challengers away. The APA are happy to oblige as long as there is payment and they prevent Spike and Tazz finding him. This sets up a tag match for No Mercy.

Who’s The Champ

We continue to see Team Hollywood, Kevin Nash and X-Pac interact on weekly TV. Billy Kidman is incredibly vocal about how he doesn’t trust them or want them around. X-Pac pipes up and suggests that Billy is butthurt because X-Pac beat him for the cruiserweight championship. Kidman admits that there is a little of that, but he has seen first hand what the nWo did and he thinks that the same thing will happen if they are brought into Team Hollywood.

X-Pac offers a solution and says that he is willing to give Billy Kidman a title shot at No Mercy, but if he retains then he doesn’t want to hear anymore push back from Billy about their involvement with the group. Before Kidman answers, The Rock interjects saying he likes this idea and he gets the match officially confirmed.

No Mercy

Our show opens with a cruiserweight title match, X-Pac defends against Billy Kidman. Team Hollywood and Kevin Nash are watching backstage. Expectedly, this is a fast paced match full of counters and high risk offence. Kidman dives off the the top rope, X-Pac meets him in mid-air with an X-Factor to win and retain. X-Pac offers Kidman a handshake, but he kicks it away and storms off. Kidman cannot protest their involvement anymore, but he doesn’t have to like it.

X-Pac retains in 3:43.

Next is a tag match pitting the APA against Tazz and Spike Dudley. This is a physical fight in and around the ring. Spike and Tazz work well together to fight off their bigger opponents, but a run in from Mark Henry takes out Spike leaving Tazz on his own. Faarooq hits the Dominator and wins the match.

The APA wins in 9:10.

Chris Benoit faces Randy Orton next. Benoit is able to out wrestle Orton throughout, but Orton shows signs of promise and has clearly been taking on Ric Flair’s guidance well. Benoit counters the Overdrive, locking in the Crossface and making Orton submit.

Chris Benoit wins in 4:58.

Trish Stratus defends her women’s championship against Molly Holly next. Ivory tries to get involved early on, but Torrie Wilson comes out and takes her out, giving Trish a fair 1v1 scenario. A great display of wrestling by both of these women. But Trish Stratus puts an end to this rivalry by defeating Molly with the Stratusphere.

Trish Stratus retain in 4:19.

Next up is Undertaker vs Chris Jericho, the latter entering on the Harley Davidson he stole. Undertaker is on offence a lot here, but Jericho gets some help from his Un-American stablemates to turn the tide. Christian starts destroying the Harley Davidson, prompting Undertaker to chase him on the outside. Jericho exposes a turnbuckle whilst the referee is distracted and he props himself up against it. Undertaker gets back in and charges Jericho, but Chris dodges and Taker hits the exposed buckle. Jericho rolls him up and scores a leverage pin with a foot on the rope. The Un-Americans celebrate and once again leave with Undertaker’s motorcycle.

Chris Jericho wins in 4:49.

Triple Threat action next. Steve Austin vs Triple H vs Booker T. A non-stop brawl between these 3 men. Booker T shines in this one as a great wrestler keeping up with 2 guys who are seen as a bigger star than him. Booker T hits the Scissor Kick on Austin and seemingly has the match won, but Triple H steals the victory from him. He knocks Booker out of the ring, rolling up Austin to win a big match.

Triple H wins in 3:17.

Our main event, Brock Lesnar defends the WWE championship against The Rock. Rock sticks to his word and this is a straight up singles match with no interference. Hulk Hogan does appear to come to the ring, but Rock ushers him away saying that he has got this. The Rock shows signs of being his old honourable self again, but he does still try to cheat and win. However, Brock Lesnar lands the F-5 and scores another win over The Rock.

Brock Lesnar retains in 4:45.

As he is celebrating, Brock is attacked by the Big Show. Show chokeslams him in the ring. Brock rolls out, Show follows him and chokeslams him through both announce tables. Then, Big Show spears him through the barricade at ringside. Lesnar is hurting as Big Show poses over him, a dominant giant.

Brock Lesnar defeats The Rock definitively, but it appears that Big Show is not finished with the WWE championship just yet. Will Lesnar be 100% to continue defending his world title? Tune in next week for episode 9.

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