Originally published at https://www.postwrestling.com/2019/04/21/the-shields-final-chapter-full-report-from-moline-illinois/
The WWE presented The Shield’s Final Chapter on the WWE Network on Sunday night from Moline, Illinois at the Raw house show from the TaxSlayer Center.
The show featured two matches from the show, headlined by The Shield’s farewell match involving the departing Dean Ambrose.
Michael Cole, Renee Young, and Corey Graves are ringside to call the matches. Young was wearing a custom made Dean Ambrose jean jacket.
Elias was in the ring. He ran down The Shield and is happy Ambrose is leaving but Seth Rollins will continue to run Raw into the ground. He started playing and was interrupted by Finn Balor, who said he wanted to “walk with Elias”. They did a bit where Elias tried to get Balor to sing and Balor sang that Elias sucked and got the audience to participate.
Finn Balor vs. Elias for the Intercontinental title
Elias snapped Balor’s arm on the edge of the apron and attacked it. Elias ran the left shoulder into the turnbuckle. Balor reversed and did the same to Elias. Balor escaped a Fujiwara armbar but was cut off as he started his comeback.
Balor stopped Elias from the apron and executed a sunset flip, it was supposed to be the finish, but Elias’ shoulders must not have been down as the referee wouldn’t count (the camera angle didn’t show the shoulders). Balor improvised with La Magistral cradle and pinned Elias in 6:32.
Elias got his guitar after the loss, he said Balor got lucky and is going to finish his song but was interrupted by The Riott Squad. They said they respect Elias and don’t want a problem they just want to sing along. Liv Morgan suggested they be “The Elias Squad” tonight. They sang terribly and were booed until Bayley’s music played.
Ruby Riott and Sarah Logan vs. Bayley and Ember Moon
They mentioned this is the Riott Squad’s final night together with Liv Morgan moving to SmackDown. Unlike SmackDown on Tuesday, the audience cheered Bayley.
They got the advantage on Bayley, including Morgan striking her from the floor. Logan applied the inverted cloverleaf and Bayley rolled out. Moon received the hot tag and fired up until she was kicked in the face. Morgan tried to assist Riott with a cover and was ejected. Riott was pleading with the referee and turned around and was hit with the Eclipse as Moon pinned Riott at 7:10.
The Shield did an old-style promo with a handheld camera. They discussed creating a legacy and creating a new culture in this place. Tonight, they go out on their terms.
Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns & Dean Ambrose vs. Drew McIntyre, Bobby Lashley & Baron Corbin
Corbin cut a promo asking if people are expecting a fairy tale ending for The Shield and brought up what he did to Kurt Angle in his final chapter.
Cole explained that Ambrose has chosen not to re-sign with WWE and Young said she wants him to be happy. Seth Rollins is wearing the same vest he wore when the group debuted at the Survivor Series in November 2012.
McIntyre was sent to the floor by Ambrose and hit with a suicide dive. Corbin and Lashley jumped Ambrose on the floor and stomped him. They got the heat on Ambrose in their corner. Ambrose temporarily applied a figure-four onto Corbin and McIntyre came in and raked Ambrose’s eyes to break the hold.
Rollins received the hot tag and attacked Corbin inside the ring as the crowd came alive. He sent McIntyre off the apron and was hit from behind by Corbin to stop his momentum. Reigns tagged in, he dropped Corbin off the apron with a superman punch, hit one to Lashley in the ring and then tagged Ambrose.
Ambrose hit a lunatic lariat and Rollins hit a superkick simultaneously, Reigns speared Lashley, Rollins hit McIntyre with the stomp and Ambrose hit Dirty Deeds to Corbin. The Shield hit the triple powerbomb to Corbin and Rollins pinned him for the win at 14:25 and a strong pop for the finish and was a good house show main event.
The audience chanted, “thank you, Ambrose” and “please don’t go”. Rollins said they tried that one already. Rollins said winning the Universal title was the culmination of 15 years in the industry and thanked his family in the crowd and the people. He said this title would not be possible without Reigns and Ambrose, he said he loved them, and The Shield and they hugged.
Ambrose took the microphone. He told the people if they work hard, they can do whatever they want just like Seth Rollins. He said Roman Reigns overcame something no one can imagine. He gave a motivational speech about giving the middle finger to those that say you can’t do something and that’s what The Shield is all about. They ended the show with one final fist.