February 10, 2013 - HWL Best Of The Best - Detroit, MI

Attendance: 12,040

Pyrotechnics shoot off from the stage, and the crowd starts cheering, as Josh Daniels and Scott Michaels welcome everyone to Detroit and the Best of the Best pay-per-view. They announce that there will be seven matches tonight, including the 15-man battle royal to determine who will get a Heavyweight Title shot at Wrestleocalypse next month. They quickly send things to ringside for the opening match.

Tyson Kidd vs. Alex Riley
Good opening match from these two men, who were both trying to get back into the win column. Kidd and Riley went all over the ringside area, using anything they could get their hands on, hoping to wear down the other. Riley was able to get change the momentum of the match after sending Kidd knee-first into the steel ring steps, causing Kidd to limp through the rest of the match. Unable to gain a good base, Kidd quickly fell victim to a stiff Discus Punch by Riley, which led to victory.

Alex Riley pinned Tyson Kidd after the Discus Punch in 13:29.
Rating: ** ½

Backstage, Alisha Hicks is seen with The Independents and Shane Hagadorn. Steve Corino says that everyone’s first complaint about them is that Hagadorn has a presence at ringside. He says that those people are simply jealous because they don’t have someone watching their back, doing anything he can to help his team win. Hagadorn adds that they will be the ones laughing at the end of the night, when they leave this hell-hole of a city with the Tag Team Titles.

A video showing the feud between Nikki and Brie Bella is shown.

Women’s Title Match
Nikki Bella vs. ©Brie Bella

It has been months since these sisters have stepped into the ring with the Women’s Title on the line. Last time, they squared off in front of their family and friends, and Nikki walked out with the title around her waist. Since then, their seeming dislike for each other didn’t go away, and was only rekindled heading into this event. In a hard-fought, yet little-enjoyed match (by the crowd), Brie shocked Nikki with a back elbow and, using her tights as leverage, picked up the victory to retain her title.

[Women’s Title Match]:
Brie Bella pinned Nikki Bella after a back elbow in 10:16.
Rating: ¾*
(Brie Bella retained the HWL Women’s Title.)

A highlight package is shown of all the teams AJ Styles and Kofi Kingston have defeated since becoming Tag Team Champions back in September.

Backstage, Jay Briscoe tells Alisha Hicks that wrestling tonight, in two separate matches, will be worth it ONLY if he walks out with a shot at the Heavyweight Title.

Tag Team Title Match
The Independents (w/Shane Hagadorn) vs. ©AJ Styles & Kofi Kingston

Shane Hagadorn has done quite a number when it comes to getting his men into a position to challenge for the Tag Team Titles. Hagadorn has led men to championship gold in the past, and tonight he brought the best possible chance to take the titles away from Styles and Kingston. But the champions have been in this position before, has they’ve taken on all challengers since winning the titles back in September. As they mentioned in the weeks leading up to tonight, Styles and Kingston did have to contend with Hagadorn at ringside. Seeing Kingston getting the better of Corino, Hagadorn grabbed a title belt from ringside. Styles jumped off the apron and confronted Hagadorn, only to have Claudio Castagnoli attack him from behind. The referee left the ring to break up the brawl, while Hagadorn slid into the ring with the title belt. He struck Kingston in the back of the head, allowing Corino to take over. Corino grabbed Kingston, leaving an opening for another shot from Hagadorn. As Hagadorn swung again, Kingston ducked, and the belt hit Corino instead! Kingston tossed Hagadorn out of the ring and covered Corino. The referee slid back into the ring and counted the pinfall, and Styles and Kingston escaped with another title defense.

[Tag Team Title Match]:
AJ Styles & Kofi Kingston defeated The Independents (Claudio Castagnoli & Steve Corino) when Kingston defeated Corino by pinfall in N/A
Rating:
(AJ Styles & Kofi Kingston retained the HWL Tag Team Titles.)
[Shane Hagadorn interfered against Kofi Kingston.]

Backstage, Christopher Daniels tells Alisha Hicks that, even though he’s not in the Battle Royal tonight, if he can be a thorn in Jay Briscoe’s side, he can leave the arena happy.

Standing by himself, backstage, X-Division Champion Kevin Steen says that, after he wins the Battle Royal tonight, he plans on starting a new level of hype for himself heading into Wrestleocalypse.

Christopher Daniels vs. Jay Briscoe
Jay Briscoe has been trying to overcome a set of loses in the past couple weeks, his last coming up short in his bid to win a Top Three entry into tonight’s Battle Royal. Tonight, he was unable to get on the winning path as a mistimed move to the outside caused him to land on the concrete, knocking the wind out of himself. This allowed Daniels to roll him back into the ring before hitting a Discus Punch for the 1-2-3.

Christopher Daniels defeated Jay Briscoe via pinfall in 9:54.
Rating: *** ¼

Backstage, Eddie Edwards says that it was a huge moment, on Monday night, when he won the chance to challenge for the X-Division Title tonight. He talks about the history he has with Kevin Steen, stemming back from their time in Ring of Honor. Edwards says that tonight is going to be a tough match for both of them, and that whoever wants it more will come out on top.

Also, backstage, Kurt Angle tells Alisha Hicks that he left CM Punk laying in a pile of broken wood on Monday night. Angle promises to shatter Punk’s dream of going into Wrestleocalypse as Heavyweight Champion, just like he’s going to shatter his ankle!

X-Division Title Match
Eddie Edwards vs. © Kevin Steen

Kevin Steen has been on fire ever since winning the X-Division Title, even engaging in a feud with Randy Orton during that time. Steen, calling himself “Mr. Wrestling”, has made his motives known since the start of the year, that he intends on becoming a dual champion after Wrestleocalypse. Eddie Edwards, who defeated Colt Cabana on Monday night, was hoping to be the man that put those intentions to rest. Edwards looked poised to defeat Steen, standing on the top rope; but Steen hit the ropes, racking Edwards on the top turnbuckle. From that position, Steen hit the Package Piledriver for the 1-2-3.

[X-Division Title Match]:
Kevin Steen pinned Eddie Edwards with the Package Piledriver in 9:17.
Rating: * 3/4
(Kevin Steen retained the X-Division Title.)

In response to Kurt Angle’s comments earlier tonight, CM Punk tells Alisha Hicks that Angle showed how much of a coward he really is on Monday night. Punk says that Angle was unable to face him like a man, attacking when Punk was trying to do the right thing. Punk says that Angle doesn’t have a choice tonight, and that retaining the Heavyweight Title is no longer his top priority – getting even is.

A preview for the Best of the Best Battle Royal is given.

Heavyweight Title Match
Kurt Angle vs. © CM Punk

Last Monday night, Angle and Punk started off Anarchy with a contract signing for their match tonight. That signing did not go as Peter Bradshaw had planned, ending with Angle putting Punk through a table with an Angle Slam. Angle claimed he would do the same – and more – tonight, including walking out of Detroit with the Heavyweight Title. After Monday night, Punk vowed revenge, and that it was morAe important that retaining the title. Angle’s actions seemed to have pushed Punk to the edge, as “The Best in the World’ stopped at nothing until hitting the G.T.S to retain the Heavyweight Title and await his opponent for Wrestleocalpyse.

[Heavyweight Title Match]:
CM Punk pinned Kurt Angle with the GTS in 10:04.
Rating: **

A preview for Wrestleocalypse is shown. Wrestleocalypse 3 will be held from the XL Center in Hartford, CT, on March 25th!

Best of the Best Battle Royal
It was finally that time of the year, when 15 men, who have battled it out for the past month, got the chance to earn themselves a shot at the Heavyweight Champion – now confirmed as CM Punk – at Wrestleocalypse in late March. Alex Riley got things start off quickly by eliminating Brutus Magnus merely 17 seconds into the match. Riley got another elimination just after the six-minute mark, tossing Matt Morgan over the top rope. Riley only lasted a few more minutes, getting tossed out by Mike Sydal just after the nine-minute mark. Sydal lasted nine minutes, out-lasting Eddie Edwards, Steve Corino, and Shannon Moore, before getting dumped over the top rope by Tyson Kidd. Kidd, himself, lasted just past the 20-minute mark, until AJ Styles eliminated him. Styles, determined to win another shot at CM Punk and the Heavyweight Title, outlasted everyone for the final 12 minutes, watching as John Cena eliminated Kevin Steen, Chris Hero, and Randy Orton all in a row. In the end, it came down to Cena and Styles in the ring. Styles went for the flying forearm of the top rope, but was caught by Cena, who used the F-U to dump Styles over the top rope for the final elimination! Cena was announced the winner and the new challenger for the Heavyweight Title!

John Cena won a 15-man battle royal:
X A. Riley threw out Magnus in 0:17.
X E. Edwards threw out Castagnoli in 5:51.
X A. Riley threw out Matt Morgan in 6:09.
X M. Sydal threw out A. Riley in 9:03.
X S. Corino threw out E. Edwards in 13:05
X J. Briscoe threw out S. Corino in 16:12.
X J. Briscoe threw out S. Moore in 16:55.
X T. Kidd threw out M. Sydal in 18:28.
X AJ Styles threw out T. Kidd in 20:52.
X R. Orton threw out J. Briscoe in 24:30.
X J. Cena threw out Kevin Steen in 30:59.
X J. Cena threw out Chris Hero in 31:08.
X J. Cena threw out R. Orton in 31:47.
X J. Cena threw out AJ Styles in 32:12.
Rating: ***

Card rating: ** ½

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