WWE Superstars Report 1/28/16: Titus O’Neil vs. Tyler Breeze‏

by Matt Storm

WWE is well on the Road to Wrestlemania and this week on Superstars, The Prime Time Players venture back into singles competition in hopes of find themselves featured at the Showcase of Immortals!

At ringside bringing us the action this week are Rich Brennan and Byron Saxton.

1. Darren Young vs. Stardust

Both men are cautious early on, neither wanting to make a mistake. Stardust is rattled by the crowd chanting “Cody” and goes onto the apron to yell at them. When they finally lock up, Young applies a side headlock;Stardust lands a shot to the ribs and Young is pushed into the ropes Young comes off with a shoulder tackle knocking Stardust off his feet.

Stardust crawls into the corner to catch a breather. It looks as if he’s going to engage in another tie up but instead bows and curtsies for no discernible reason. This is followed by a cartwheel as a bemused Young watches on. Stardust traps Young in a side headlock but is quickly shoved off towards the corner and onto the mat.

Stardust rolls under the bottom rope to the floor, not at all pleased with the aggressiveness with which he was pushed. “He pushed me too hard!!” he repeatedly yells from the aisle. The crowd is no help as they further unhinge him with a second round of “Cody” chants. Once he does return to the ring, Stardust applies a second side headlock and again is pushed away; this time into the corner and Young catches him coming out with a hip toss. From his back, Stardust uses both feet to kick Young in the chest.

Stardust rolls to his feet but is immediately taken back down with an armdrag. Young drops a leg across the arm before settling into an armbar/ When Stardust begins to pivot up, Young transitions into a side headlock. Stardust breaks the hold with shots to the ribs then backs Young into the corner for a second blow.

Young reverses an Irish Whip across the ring and follows in; Stardust goes up& over to avoid contact. Young fails to connect with a clothesline and a chop, Stardust ducking both times. He goes for a right hand but Stardust slides under his legs and his the ropes. Young finally catches him with a spinning forearm. He follows with an inverted atomic drop and a swinging neckbreaker for a nearfall.

Young returns to the headlock and gets sent into the ropes; Stardust drops down then stops Young dead in his tracks with some classic begging off. It works and he takes control after barreling his head into the midsection. With Young down, Stardust delivers a stomp to the lower abdomen followed by a wicked stomp on the left ankle.

Stardust traps Young against the ropes with another set of stomps, one connecting with the right arm. Yong is caught in the corner with a body shot. Stardust lets out a hiss before executing a snapmare and dropping a knee to the small of the back. Young is worn down with a unique armbar, Stardust grinding his forearm against the side of the neck. He fights to his feet and lands a forearm. Stardust responds with a slap to the face which proves to be unwise. Young lights into him with rapid punches and jabs.

Stardust is able to duck a clothesline but not an overhead belly to belly suplex. He rolls onto the apron but no respite is offered; Young delivers his patented back suplex onto the apron and rolls him back into the ring for a nearfall. Young looks for Gutcheck but Stardust grabs onto the top rope and escaped out onto the apron. Young ducks a clothesline and goes for one of his own; Stardust blocks it and hook his arm. Stardust delivers the Queen’s Crossbow for the pinfall.

Winner: Stardust

Anaylsis: Good back and forth opener. I think Young still has untapped potential as a singles star. He’s come off great when interviewed outside of the company and would love to see him get more shine. Stardust is likely just treading water until he’s finally able to hook up with Stephen Amell for the next part of their feud. Good win for him though it remains to be seen if it’ll actually lead anywhere.

Still to come: This week’s feature match will see Titus O’Neil take on Tyler Breeze.

We to go to break

Raw Recap:

We’re shown highlights of AJ Styles making his Raw debut and picking up a victory over Chris Jericho

Raw Recap: Following another break, highlights air of The Rock’s return to Raw and confrontation with The New Day. The Usos also got in on the action and aided their cousin in administering a beating to poor Xavier Woods.

Backstage:

Jojo welcomes in Tyler Breeze. Breeze scoffs when asked were his head is at going into his match with O’Neil.

“My thoughts tonight, are going to be the same for every match I have in my life. Whoever stands across the ring from me, insert here, is going find out Tyler Breeze is more than just a pretty face”

Breeze then notes he isn’t feeling his outfit so “Prince Pretty.. OUT” abruptly ending the interview.

We go to break.

2. Titus O’Neil vs. Tyler Breeze

Once the bell rings, Breeze dodges O’Neil’s attempt to lock up and struts over to the corner. There he lays across the top rope, striking his signature pose. Once they do lock up, Titus powers Breeze backwards off his feet, then does a mock version of his pose on the middle rope to cheers.

Angered, breeze leaves his feet going for a forearm but gets caught and put into the corner. Breeze ducks out of the way of a right hand, delivers a chop that has no effect on Titus.

An open palm chop to the chest doesn’t either so Breeze comes off the ropes right into a shoulder block. O’Neil drives Breeze into the corner and lands a hard chop across the chest, following with an open palm chop that sends him stumbling into the other corner. Breeze is sent across the ring but gets a boot up as O’Neil rushes in. Breeze comes off the middle ropes with a crossbody but is caught and hit with a backbreaker. O’Neil delivers two more before flinging Breeze away like a cruiserweight. He offers up his trademark bark as we go to break..

The action picks up with O’Neil having found himself on the apron, Breeze delivering a dropkick and nudging him off onto the floor. We’re shown action from during the break where Breeze drove O’Neil back first into the ring post. Breeze reaches for O’Neil but gets his throat snapped across the middle rope driving him backwards. O’Neil looks to press his advantage, Breeze kicking out his knee in the process.

Breeze nails the Supermodel Kick for a nearfall. O’Neil finds himself back in the corner as Breeze kicks away at his midsection. O’Neil pushes Breeze away but Breeze rockets back with a forearm smash. More kicks to the midsection until O’Neil shoves Breeze away a second time. O’Neil comes out of the corner and is met with a dropkick.

Breeze brings O’Neil to his feet and whups him into the corner. Breeze is perched on the middle rope delivering punches until Titus launches him into the air and he pancakes onto the mat chest first. O’Neil mounts a comeback with a shoulder block followed by a clothesline. O’Neil goes for a backdrop but Breeze halts his momentum off the ropes abd lands a kick to the chest. Breeze comes back off the ropes right into a big boot.

O’Neil does his bark again then splashes Breeze in the corner. He goes for Clash of The Titus but Breeze uses momentum to go up& over him in a sunset flip attempt. O’Neil grabs Breeze by the throat, pulls him up, and sends him into the ropes to deliver Clash of The Titus. That’s good for the pinfall and the win.

Winner: Titus O’Neil

Anaylsis: Solid, high energy feature match. As a matter of fact, it shone a spotlight on something I’ve felt for awhile now; WWE continues to sleep on O’Neil as a potential top tier babyface. He’s got the look, the size, he does so many great, genuine acts of kindness outside the ring.. What is there not to love and fully utilize? I think he’s earned a legitimate chance to sink or swim in an expanded role. Breeze continues to bring the quality effort he did in NXT but sadly, if Vince McMahon doesn’t see anything, it’s all for naught. Serious waste of talent I say.

The show concludes with the Raw Rebound video package highlighting Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose defeating The League of Nations and Stephanie McMahon announcing Reigns vs. Ambrose vs. Brock Lesnar at Fastlane.

Final Thoughts:

Pretty good show this week. Both matches featured talent that wore their working shoes in spite of what I perceive as being underutilized. I’d recommend watching them both and skipping through the recap unless you missed Raw.

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