The question of who would challenge United States Champion Rey Mysterio was supposed to be answered in a Gauntlet Match featuring 24/7 Champion R-Truth, Akira Tozawa, Ricochet, Matt Hardy, Humberto Carrillo and Andrade. But the match quickly turned from a contest into a bramble patch of grudges and unpaid debts, all of which boiled over into a pair of heinous attacks.

The first such assault came at the end of the Gauntlet Match itself. After Tozawa pinned Truth and Ricochet posted consecutive wins over The Stamina Monster and Matt Hardy, Humberto Carrillo pinned the high-flyer to bring it down to himself and Andrade. But Andrade, clearly out for retribution rather than a win after a pair of losses to Carrillo, instead ambushed the up-and-comer before the match, drilling him into the exposed concrete of the arena with a Hammerlock DDT that brought out Mysterio to assist.

But just as Humberto was being taken up the ramp in a stretcher, Seth Rollins and AOP appeared. Rollins was brandishing Mysterio’s signature steel pipe, which he gave to Kevin Owens to assist in KO’s pursuit of Rollins and AOP last week. Suddenly, Rollins’ unsettled score became clear, and after Akam & Rezar administered a brief beatdown of The Ultimate Underdog, the former Universal Champion seemingly granted him clemency for just one night … only to turn around at the last second and nail him with a Stomp. The only reason it wasn’t worse, according to Rollins, was then if Rey had been hospitalized, he wouldn’t be able to answer a challenge to defend United States Title against Rollins himself on next week’s show — a challenge that Rey decided to accept, despite his very sore temptation to fight Andrade instead. Rollins’ effectiveness as a “leader” may be a matter of opinion, but clearly, his new strategy is getting results.

Credit: WWE.com

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