Playhouse (2016)

the logo for Playhouse (2016)

**Playhouse (2016)** was a professional wrestling pay per view event produced by War Hawks Entertainment Inc. for their LWL brand. It took place on February 27, 2016 from the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia. It was the first event in the WHEI Playhouse chronology, the last LWL pay per view of season 1, the third LWL pay per view, and the eighth pay per view overall.

The main event was a Money In The Bank Ladder Match for a contract for a future LWL World Heavyweight Championship match at a time and place of the winner's choosing for up to a full year. Brock Lesnar won the match and the contract.

Elsewhere on the card War Hawks member Will York defeated Stone Cold Steve Austin ('97) in a singles match to retain the LWL World Heavyweight Championship.

## Background

The card included matches that resulted from scripted storylines that played out on WHEI's LWL brand. Storylines played out on the War Hawks' weekly Twitch show *LWL: Lethal Wrestling Legends.* Wrestlers portrayed heroes, villains, or less distinguishable characters as they built tension that lead to a match or series of matches.

The Main feud heading into the event was between War Hawks member Will York and Stone Cold Steve Austin. With the two feuding over the LWL World Heavyweight Championship. At Muerte De Mayo the previous month, Will defeated the Terminator (T2) to win the title. He then proceeded to vow to be a fighting champion no matter what and offered to defend his title at Playhouse against the first person who came through the curtain. Unfortunately the first person wound up being Austin, who would then go on to take Will up on his offer, Will, realizing he bit off more than he could chew but a man of his word, accepted.

A secondary feud heading into the event was between Neville, Cesaro, Andre The Giant, Randy Orton, Brock Lesnar, and Dean Ambrose. Following Muerte De Mayo, LWL General Manager Stephanie Hudson-Lytle announced her brand would be getting its own Money In The Bank Ladder Match at the upcoming pay per view. Ambrose, who had been injured by Ironman the previous month, came out and requested to be put in the match. Steph agreed and announced that the other 5 particpants would be Neville, Cesaro, Andre, Orton, and Lesnar before wishing Ambrose luck. The last LWL before the pay per view Ambrose laid out all the other opponents with a ladder and climbed to it grab the briefcase before standing tall over them all.

Another feud going into the event was between the Eternal Masters (Xerios & Seito) and Enzo & Cass (Enzo Amore & Colin Cassidy). With the teams feuding over the LWL World Tag Team Championship. At Muerte De Mayo, Xerios and Seito defeated the Brothers Of Destruction to win the title. They would come out the next LWL and gloat over how they were the most dominant tag team in LWL. Enzo and Cass then made their LWL debut, interrupting the new champions and challenging them to a match. The two accepted, and offered to shake the pair's hands, this turned out to be a ruse as they attacked them, injuring Enzo in the process. A furious Cass went to General Manager Stephanie Hudson-Lytle, who made the match a Hell In A Cell Match so the champions had no way of escaping and removed the champions advantage from them.

Another major feud heading into the event was between Sydney (WGP) and Alicia Fox, with the two feuding over the LWL Leading Lady Championship. At Muerte De Mayo Fox defeated Tamina to retain the championship, the following LWL, Sydney challenged Fox to a match at Playhouse, which was accepted. Sherania made the match a Submission Match in order to challenge Sydney to see what she was made of.

## Event

Other on-air talent
 Sherania | LWL General Manager
 Dark Raven | Color Commentator

### Preliminary matches

The show opened with a Steel Cage Tornado Tag Team Match for the WHEI Diva's Tag Team Championship between champions Paige and Natalya and Lady Hawks members Amber and Kat. The challengers made quick work of the champions, and while Natalya escaped the cage on one side both Amber and Kat escaped on the other to win the match and the championship.

Next was a Submission Match for the LWL Leading Lady Championship pitting champion Sydney (WGP) against Alicia Fox. In the end, Sydney made Fox tap to a surfboard type move to win the match and the championship for the first time in her career.

After that was a No Holds Barred match between Stephanie McMahon and LWL General Manager Stephanie Hudson-Lytle. In the end, Hudson-Lytle delivered a Chokeslam to McMahon and pinned her to win the match.

Then was a Tables, Ladders, & Chairs Match for the LWL Zodiac Championship pitting champion Paul Wight against Sheamus. In the end Wight tossed Sheamus out of the ring with a Chokeslam and climbed the ladder to retrieve the championship and retain.

Following that was a Hell In A Cell Tornado Tag Team Match for the LWL World Tag Team Championship pitting champions The Eternal Masters (Xerios & Seito) against Enzo & Cass (Enzo Amore & Colin Cassidy). After a relatively short match which was dominated by the champions Xerios hit a 450 Splash on Cass to win the match and retain the championship for his team.

The penultimate match was for the LWL World Heavyweight Championship pitting champion Will York against Stone Cold Steve Austin ('97). After yet another relatively quick match that was dominated by the champion Will hit a Uranage to win the match and retain the championship.

### Main event

The main event was a Money In The Bank Ladder Match for a contract for an LWL World Heavyweight Championship Match anytime any place of the winner's choosing up to a full year. The participants were Andre The Giant, Neville, Cesaro, Randy Orton, Dean Ambrose, and Brock Lesnar. In the end, Brock took advantage of everyone else being either preoccupied or incapacitated to retrieve the briefcase and win the match.