Thank you for the feedback on Part 1 of this little invasion angle I started on the Fantasy Book last week. Hopefully you will like the direction this continues as I try to book the most interesting thing I can inside my own head.
When we left off, Triple H had returned to WWE Raw with Finn Balor and Samoa Joe in tow. Balor attacked AJ Styles while Joe attacked Roman Reigns. Stephanie and Shane were confused about Triple H’s plans, and were confused and bickering throughout the show. Triple H also spoke with Baron Corbin, the team of Enzo and Cass won the tag team titles, and Anderson and Gallows defeated the Usos.
The Smackdown after this Raw would be mostly a recap of Raw with a couple insignificant matches thrown in. The only match of major significance was Emma and Dana Brooke defeating Becky Lynch and Sasha Banks in a surprise.
The next Raw would begin with Triple H coming to the ring by himself, but before he could speak, Roman Reigns would interrupt. Reigns would rail against Triple H, claiming that this whole thing is because Triple H couldn’t beat him and keep him from being champion. Triple H responds that he offered Reigns a chance to be a part of this, but he refused. And now he has a target on his back and the hunter is Samoa Joe. Reigns bad-mouths Joe before refocusing on Triple H. Triple H pushes Reigns backwards and screams that “NXT has risen and it’s time for revolt!” With that, Dean Ambrose’s music hits which distracts Reigns. Samoe Joe comes out of the crowd and lays a huge beating on Reigns, with the crowd doing a super loud “Joe’s gonna kill you” chant. Dean Ambrose never comes out from backstage. Joe leaves Reigns laying in a heap outside the ring and he and Triple H just walk off.
Rusev would come out next for a rematch with Kalisto. Before the match, Lana would demand that the US title be returned by the Wyatts or face a lawsuit. The Wyatts come out and destroy Rusev and Kalisto again, making the match a no-contest. They don’t touch Lana as she cowers in fear in the corner. Bray Wyatt takes the mic and says that she can say whatever she wants, but her fiance will suffer for it. Bray also declares that he is the greatest US champion of all time and dares anyone to prove him wrong.
A quick cut backstage shows Stephanie and Shane talking and Shane accusing Stephanie of working with Triple H to undercut him. Stephanie claims innocence and offers up the Divas Revolution as her idea alone, therefore proving she is not in cahoots with Triple H. And, that leads to the next match with Charlotte defending her title against some enhancement talent. Charlotte wins against the jobber but Emma and Dana Brooke come out after. Emma says that Charlotte takes the credit, but she was the first, the real revolutionary. This brings out Stephanie to announce another Woman’s title match for Smackdown between Charlotte and Emma.
We have an in-ring debut next. Finn Balor will wrestle against R-Truth and win with the Bloody Sunday. AJ Styles will come out after and confront Balor. Balor will just stare through Styles the whole time. When Balor tries to leave the ring, Styles grabs him and the two start brawling around ringside. Anderson and Gallows come out, but stand at the top of the ramp, not sure about who to assist.
Kevin Owens will defend his Intercontinental title against Zack Ryder. Shane McMahon will approach Owens backstage and ask him if he knows what Triple H is up to since returning. Owens just says that he hasn’t known him long, but that you learn what Triple H is doing when he wants you to know. Then Owens starts bragging to Shane about how he took back his Intercontinental title like he said he would. Shane congratulates him and then says he is giving The Miz his contractual rematch. Owens loses it, yelling about how he never got his rematch but Miz gets one just like that? And they fade to commercial.
This episode of Raw is definitely talk-heavy as Dean Ambrose hits the ring and calls out Seth Rollins. Rollins comes out but is jumped by Jericho before getting to the ring. Ambrose just watches as Rollins turns the tables on Jericho and sends him scurrying to the back. Once in the ring, Ambrose asks Rollins casually, “What’s up?” Rollins takes a mic and says it feels so good to be back. Ambrose asks him why he shouldn’t take his head off right here and now. Rollins replies that he saved his skin at the PPV and should be thanking him. Before Ambrose can reply, Triple H’s music hits and he comes to the ring.
Triple H welcomes Rollins back to action. He then turns to Ambrose and tells him to just listen. Triple H then tells the crowd that this is what he has been waiting for his whole life. More than the championships. More than Degeneration X destroying WCW. More than even marrying Stephanie. He was given an opportunity by Vince McMahon to start something with NXT. Now Vince has to deal with the consequences of that. He says that everything will be known at Money in the Bank. Then he and Rollins go to leave the ring, but Triple H turns and hands Ambrose an envelope and says, “Give me a call.”
The main event of this Raw is Enzo and Cass versus the Usos for the Tag Team titles. Enzo and Cass win, but the Usos jump them after the match. Reigns comes down to the ring and joins in the beatdown of the tag champs. The crowd begins chanting for Samoa Joe, but it is the Vaudevillains who hit the ring to go after the Usos, and everyone separates, staring each other down.
The following weeks leading up to Money in the Bank are a lot of the same, but with more focus on Shane and Stephanie trying to explain to Vince what is happening with Triple H even though they are still confused. Major events through these weeks include the following. Samoa Joe keeps attacking Reigns but does not have a match on the main roster yet. Bray Wyatt also claims he is the true United States champion because he has the belt. He doesn’t care how he got the belt, but he dares anyone to try to take it from him. Seth Rollins and Chris Jericho have some verbal confrontations followed by some physical attacks both ways. And finally, AJ Styles gets the better of Finn Balor a week prior to the pay per view and takes him off the card for that event.
The Money in the Bank card is set up during these weeks of WWE television and looks like this –
- Baron Corbin versus Mark Henry (pre-show)
- Usos versus The Vaudevillains (pre-show)
- Seth Rollins versus Chris Jericho
- Charlotte versus Paige for the Woman’s title
- Emma, Dana Brooke, Alicia Fox, Sasha Banks, Becky Lynch, Natalya, and Summer Rae in a Money in the Bank match for a guaranteed Women’s title match
- Kevin Owens versus Alberto del Rio for the Intercontinental title
- Enzo and Cass versus New Day for the Tag Team titles
- AJ Styles, Sheamus, Dean Ambrose, Dolph Ziggler, Sami Zayn, Cesaro, and Apollo Crews in a Money in the Bank match for a guaranteed World title match
- Samoa Joe versus Austin Aries for the NXT title
- Roman Reigns versus a returning Randy Orton for the World Heavyweight title
- Plus, Triple H has promised a full explanation as to what he is doing back in the WWE
What will happen at the Money in the Bank PPV. Will a returning Randy Orton take away the World title from Roman Reigns? And will it be with Triple H’s backing? Who will come away with the Money in the Bank briefcases? Will Seth Rollins return to form against Chris Jericho? Paige, who has been on a hot streak in this Fantasy Book world, looks to take her place atop the Women’s division, but can she dethrone Charlotte? In a first ever match, will Kevin Owens be able to withstand Alberto del Rio? Plus, what will Triple H have to say to Shane, Stephanie, and Vince McMahon?
Next week, the Fantasy Book takes on this invasion angle from Money in the Bank through Battleground to set up Summerslam. Part 3 is next week. Stick with me on this, there are still lots of twists and turns to enjoy. Until next time…
