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WWE Great Balls of Fire 2017 Results: Highlights, Analysis, and Grades

By Rob Wolkenbrod

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30-Minute Ironman Match for the Raw Tag Team Championship
Cesaro and Sheamus (c) vs. The Hardy Boyz

Result: Cesaro and Sheamus defeat The Hardy Boyz, 4-3, to retain the Raw Tag Team Championship.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

The Raw Tag Team Championship match went under the radar, especially with the Ironman stipulation. It’s a unique setting for a tag title bout, given this is usually used for singles matches. Would this difference play in favor of The Hardy Boys, though?

  • Just 20 seconds into the match, Cesaro and Sheamus got the first fall. Cesaro provided a distraction to Matt Hardy, while Sheamus swooped in with a Brogue kick. Yikes.
  • 10 minutes in, Sheamus and Cesaro got their second pinfall. It came off an assisted White Noise. So the struggle was real for The Hardys.
  • Finally, The Hardys got a pin. It came off a Side Effect and Twist of Fate on Cesaro, making it 2-1.
  • A third fall came via countout, as Matt was left outside the ring to give the champions a commanding 3-1 lead. For the time, it didn’t look good.
  • The Hardys came back with a fall around 23 minutes in, as they narrowed it to 3-2.
  • A Twist of Fate from the top rope got the pinfall for The Hardys, making it 3-3 with four minutes left.
  • After Jeff hit a Swanton, Cesaro ran in for a surprise pinfall on Jeff and got it, with 25 seconds. They won, 4-3.

The last 15 minutes of the match was plenty fun, showcasing some of the most exciting tag team action all year. These teams made it suspensful, including the comeback from the Hardys Boyz.

However, the sneaky heel work from Cesaro got their team the successful win and retaining the titles. So it likely knocked Matt and Jeff out of the picture.

Who could be next to challenge for the titles? Maybe The Revival, if WWE chooses a heel vs. heel dynamic. If not, Rhyno and Heath Slater are another face option.

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