Dynamite
Date: March 29, 2023
Location: Chaifetz Arena, St. Louis, Missouri
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Taz

We are on the way to Double Or Nothing and that means the card needs to start coming together. You can probably guess a few of the matches that are expected, but there is also a big show next week in New York. There is a good chance that we will be finding out some of the matches on this week. Oh and Kenny Omega vs. Jeff Cobb, if we just have to. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

Jungle Boy vs. Matt Hardy

Ethan Page is here with Hardy, who stares Jungle Boy down to start before working on the arm. That’s reversed into Jungle Boy’s wristlock and a dropkick puts Hardy on the floor early on. They trade places and Matt hits a dive before the brawl can continue. A Side Effect on the apron plants Jungle Boy and we take an early break.

Back with Jungle Boy fighting back but Page pops up on the apron. Cue Hook to even things up and brawl with Page but he accidentally hits Hardy for trying to break it up. Back in and Jungle Boy backslides Hardy for two before nailing a superkick. A running Downward Spiral sets up the running elbow to the back of the head for the pin at 9:57.

Rating: C+. It’s a good idea to have Jungle Boy in the ring with someone like Hardy, who isn’t going to go too nuts and can keep things a bit more grounded. Jungle Boy is talented at what he does but can use some help in the ring from time to time. Hardy is a shell of the shell of himself but he can still wrestle a basic match, just like he did here.

Post match here is MJF, who says he runs the show around here so the fans can shut up. Not that it matters though as next week, they’re back in the best place in the world in Long Island, New York MJF isn’t happy with how Jungle Boy interrupted things two weeks ago and calls his entire AEW run mid. It’s not MJF’s fault that things are falling apart for Jungle Boy and he brings up their match at Double Or Nothing.

For the first time, MJF felt like he had met the man he would be at war with for the rest of his career. That night, MJF shook his hand but now, here they both are. MJF says that people like Marko Stunted Growth and Christian (MJF: “Great call by the way.”) held him down and Hook will do the same.

They could have run this place together but now Jungle Boy only cares what the fans think. Jungle Boy calls him selfish and self centered, which is enough for MJF to keep running his mouth. MJF finally goes too far by saying Anna Jay wasn’t impressed with Jungle Boy’s, uh, yeah, meaning the fight is on. Jungle Boy beats him down in the corner but MJF bails from the running forearm to the back of the head. It still feels like we are going towards that four way and this might have been adding another pillar to the founda….I have no idea how construction works but you get the idea.

Kenny Omega is getting taped up for his match tonight when Don Callis, who tells Omega to not worry about Hangman Page. Callis is off to apologize.

The Jericho Appreciation Society treats the Acclaimed and Billy Gunn to a night on the town, complete with a St. Louis Blues game, ice cream and a rather nice looking dinner. The Acclaimed will make their decision about joining the team next week. When Matt Menard sees the bill for the night, he hopes all of this is worth it. The Acclaimed could have a hotter feud than this in an igloo.

Dalton Castle/The Boys vs Blackpool Combat Club

The Club jumps them to start and Moxley brawls with Castle on the floor. The bell rings and Castagnoli Riccola Bombs Brent for the pin at 49 seconds. Well that was unexpected and exactly what it should have been if Castle wasn’t in the ring.

We look back at Kenny Omega vs. El Hijo Del Vikingo. Tonight, Omega is ready to defend the IWGP United States Title against Jeff Cobb.

Don Callis tries to apologize to Hangman Page, saying he just lost his balance last week and knows Page didn’t do anything. Page isn’t sure but the Blackpool Combat Club comes in to deck him. Callis tries to shake Moxley’s hand but gets beaten down as well, leaving him busted open.

Post break Omega is told about what happened to Callis and Page. He’s shaken but has a match.

IWGP United States Title: Kenny Omega vs. Jeff Cobb

Omega is defending. They stare each other down to start until Omega’s shoulder has no effect. Cobb is sent to the floor though and Omega hits the big flip dive. Back in and Cobb goes after Omega’s banged up ribs to take over, with a hard shot sending Omega outside. We take a break and come back with Omega slipping out of a bearhug and trying a backslide.

With that not working, Omega blasts him with a V Trigger into a pair of snap dragons. Cobb pops right back up though and hits a hard clothesline to leave them both down. They go up top with Cobb hitting a delayed superplex and a V Trigger of his own. Omega is able to counter the Tour of the Islands into a ripcord knee and another V Trigger. The One Winged Angel retains the title at 9:57.

Rating: B. I’m not the biggest Omega guy but he is miles better on the good side than the evil one. Omega’s offense is built to be a hero and it has been on display in the last two weeks, both of which have worked well. Let him be more of the AEW superhero than anything else and he should be a lot easier to watch week in and week out. Cobb continues to be a guy who feels like he could be slotted into any main event spot but he’s never around long enough to do so.

Post match the Blackpool Combat Club comes to the apron surround Omega….and Bryan Danielson returns to get in the ring. Danielson chases them off and says no before offering to help Omega up. Omega accepts but, after going after Wheeler Yuta, gets caught with the running knee and the LeBell Lock, with the rest of the Club stomping away. Security and Brandon Cutler come in and are beaten down too.

Video on FTR vs. the Gunns.

The Gunns are ready for FTR and know they’re just as good as FTR could ever been. They don’t respect FTR though and next week it will be top guys, out.

International Title: Orange Cassidy vs. The Butcher

Blade is challenging and has Blade with him. Cassidy gets jumped before the bell but says he’s fine enough to go. Butcher beats the fire out of him for a bit before taking it outside. A hard whip into the barricade drops Cassidy again and we take a break. Back with Cassidy rolling through a Texas Cloverleaf and going to the eyes to escape a powerbomb.

The Stundog Millionaire connects and the tornado DDT plants Butcher for two. The diving DDT gives Cassidy the same but Blade comes in with a cheap shot to the back (with some kind of object) to give Butcher two. Cue the Best friends to go after Blade, plus a cheap shot to Butcher, with the same object, so the Orange Punch can connect. The Beach Break finishes Butcher at 7:54.

Rating: C+. Cassidy wins again as I believe that is 17 in a row since winning the title. It’s still working, but I’m not sure how long he can go without some of the charm wearing off. Having him out there week after week is going to start taking away some shine, especially if it’s just a bunch of one off opponents.

Jade Cargill and company think Taya Valkyrie is going too far by stealing Jaded. Vengeance is promised on Rampage.

Juice Robinson is ready for Action Andretti on Rampage before he gets to Ricky Starks.

Willow Nightingale vs. Ruby Soho

The rest of the Outcasts are here too. Soho is chased to the floor to start and we get a meeting with the Outcasts. That’s not cool with Nightingale, who pulls her back in and counters No Future. A side slam into the basement crossbody gives Nightingale two. Hold on though as Soho has something in her eye, allowing Saraya to get in some knees to the face. Choking on the ropes ensues and we take a break.

Back with Nightingale hitting a hip attack in the corner and a powerbomb gets two on Soho. That’s enough to make Soho ask for a truce, only to get caught in a Death Valley Driver for two more. Nightingale goes up but gets distracted by Toni Storm, allowing Soho to hit a pair of No Futures….for two (ok they got me). Destination Unknown is countered into a backslide but Nightingale is back up with a hard Pounce. Storm breaks up the doctor bomb though and Soho grabs a rollup with feet on the ropes for the pin at 9:03.

Rating: C+. It’s kind of sad that AEW has someone as naturally charming as Nightingale but you know she is going to lose as soon as her music starts playing. The Outcasts claim another victim as this story continues to not exactly be great. It’s just another female heel group, which has been done to death in wrestling over the last few years. It isn’t like they’re doing anything interesting and that is starting to show fast.

Post match the Outcasts load up the Pillmanizing on Nightingale’s ankle but Riho and Skye Blue run in. That devastating pair is beaten down but here is Jami Hayter for the real save.

Powerhouse Hobbs is ready to hurt more people. The lack of QT Marshall or QTV made this roughly 485% better than anything he has done in recent weeks.

Adam Cole vs. Daniel Garcia

Feeling out process to start with Garcia grabbing a headlock. Cole reverses into one of his own before shouldering Garcia down. A headscissors drops Cole though and a piledriver sends him outside as we take a break. Back with Cole hitting a pump kick and the brainbuster onto the knee gets two.

They trade kicks to the face until Cole gets caught in a German suplex. Some elbows to Cole’s head keep him in trouble but he’s back up with a failed Panama Sunrise. The Dragon Tamer has Cole in more trouble until he makes the rope. An arm trap piledriver (that’s a new one) gives Garcia two but he charges into a boot in the corner. The Panama Sunrise sets up the Boom to finish Garcia at 11:05.

Rating: B-. This was all it needed to be (despite further death of the piledriver) as Cole comes back and gets a win over a wrestler with some status. Garcia was there to help Cole get his feet wet again and it was a good match to help him do just that. Cole is still smooth and my goodness I’m glad to see him as a hero for once. His heel stuff is good but I could go for seeing him do something else, which is actually happening for a change.

Post match Britt Baker comes out to celebrate with Cole as a bunch of streamers fly. Cue Chris Jericho to….help Garcia to the back and glare at Cole without doing anything. Cole and Baker celebrate to end the show.

Overall Rating: B-. Between last week’s huge main event and next week’s big show in New York, this was the show between the shows. As a result, AEW rightfully took its foot off the gas a bit, as you don’t want to run through everything you have. Next week should be a heck of a big show and this helped set that up with nothing bad and some good action throughout. I liked the show and it has me more invested in next week so well done here.

Results
Jungle Boy b. Matt Hard – Running forearm to the back of the head
Blackpool Combat Club b. Dalton Castle/The Boys – Riccola Bomb to Brent
Kenny Omega b. Jeff Cobb – One Winged Angel
Orange Cassidy b. Butcher – Beach Break
Ruby Soho b. Willow Nightingale – Rollup with feet on the ropes
Adam Cole b. Daniel Garcia – Boom

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

AND

Remember to check out Wrestlingrumors.net for all of your wrestling headline needs.

Dang it feels good to say that. It’s the biggest week of the year for wrestling and it is going to be the busiest week I have by far. I have my schedule ready and from Wednesday – Monday, I’ll be covering 22 shows, which might go up to 26 if some more are streaming. The regular schedule is going to be more than a bit off from Thursday – Saturday but if it is a show I usually do, it will be posted at some point, hopefully less than 24 hours after it ended. I’m really not sure what order they are going to go up in, but it is mostly going to be whatever I can find/get to next. It’s going to be a crazy few days, but I’ll have everything I can for you as fast as I can.

KB

Make sure you check out a recent review:

NXT – March 28, 2023

D’Oh! SmackDown Star’s Mistake Not Being Taken Well On Social Media.

https://wrestlingrumors.net/tommyhall/doh-smackdown-stars-mistake-not-taken-well-social-media/

That Thing? Update On Long Forgotten WWE Concept.

https://wrestlingrumors.net/tommyhall/thing-update-long-forgotten-wwe-concept/

WRESTLING RUMORS: WWE May Have Planted Seeds For A Major Feud On Monday Night Raw.

https://wrestlingrumors.net/tommyhall/wrestling-rumors-wwe-may-planted-seeds-major-feud-monday-night-raw/

WRESTLING RUMORS: WWE Considers Reunion For Very Successful Team.

https://wrestlingrumors.net/tommyhall/wrestling-rumors-wwe-considers-reunion-successful-team/

One Down: Popular AEW Star Suffers Torn Bicep During Title Match.

https://wrestlingrumors.net/tommyhall/one-popular-aew-star-suffers-torn-bicep-title-match/

End Of The Road? Logan Paul Reveals His WWE Contract Expires Very Soon.

https://wrestlingrumors.net/tommyhall/end-road-logan-paul-reveals-wwe-contract-expires-soon/

She’s Back: Injured NXT Champion Returns, Officially Added To Major Title Match.

https://wrestlingrumors.net/tommyhall/shes-back-injured-nxt-champion-returns-officially-added-major-title-match/

Not So Fast. WWE Passes On Hiring Former Ring Of Honor Champions.

https://wrestlingrumors.net/tommyhall/not-fast-wwe-passes-hiring-former-ring-honor-champions/

As always, hit up the comments section to chat about what is going on and get on the Wrestling Rumors Facebook page.

NXT
Date: March 28, 2023
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Booker T.

It’s the go home show for Stand & Deliver and there are a few spots that still need to be filled, albeit in multi person matches. Other than that, we get to find out if Grayson Waller vs. Johnny Gargano will be sanctioned or not, plus probably a lot more on Bron Breakker vs. Carmelo Hayes for the NXT Title. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

Battle Royal

Apollo Crews, Axiom, Dabba Kato, Hank Walker, Dante Chen, Xyon Quinn, Edris Enofe, Scrypts, Nathan Fraser, Jinder Mahal, Dijak, Charlie Dempsey, Quincy Elliott, Oro Mensah, Damon Kemp, Malik Blade, Odyssey Jones, Drew Gulak, Javier Bernal, Bryson Montana

The winner is the final entrant in the Open Challenge for the North American Title at Stand & Deliver, with champion Wes Lee at ringside. Scrypts flips in to hit Axiom as the bell rings, with Elliott being tossed out. The brawling ensues and Chen is kicked out as well. Montana is tossed and Kemp is kicked out as well. Enofe and Blade get together and send Dijak to the apron, where Jones gets rid of him.

Dijak pulls Jones to the floor and sends him into the steps before throwing him back in. That lets Mahal toss the banged up Jones, with Blade and Enofe fighting Mahal to the apron. Crews dropkicks Enofe out and Blade is sent as well, with Scrypts being tossed too. Mahal gets back in as Crews tosses Bernal out.

We take a break and come back with Dempsey tossing Walker but eliminating Gulak at the same time. Mahal is knocked out and we’re down to Axiom, Fraser, Kato and Dempsey. Everyone else gets together to get rid of Kato before knocking each other down. Axiom knocks Dempsey to the apron and then out, leaving us with two. They trade shots to the face until the Golden Ratio is cut off. Another superkick knocks Axiom silly but he sends Fraser to the apron anyway. Fraser skins the cat but gets superkicked anyway, which oddly brings him back in. Axiom tosses him out to win at 14:33.

Rating: C+. This was more fun than most battle royals, at least partially due to how fast they kept the pace. Axiom winning wasn’t a guarantee, as they had me wondering if someone would cost him the match and have him come back later in some way. It’s the right call though, as he has been chasing the title shot for a good while now.

Post match Lee gets in the ring and everyone in in the title match appears for a staredown.

Pretty Deadly, in matching hats, pick JD McDonagh to win the North American Title. More on this later.

Andre Chase thanks Tyler Bate for the great performance last week. They’re ready for Stand & Deliver, but Duke Hudson doesn’t seem thrilled.

Brooks Jensen is worried about his relationship with Kiana James but Josh Briggs says it’s cool. Cue James and Fallon Henley, with James saying she has gotten the guys a match tonight. If they win, they’re in the Tag Team Title match at Stand & Deliver. Henley is skeptical but the guys are happy.

Tyler Bate vs. Von Wagner

Chase U and Mr. Stone are here too. Wagner kicks him in the face to start and grabs a neck crank. Bate is sent into the corner but gets a boot up to cut Wagner off. A knee lift staggers Wagner again, setting up a middle rope elbow. There’s a rebound forearm into Bop and Bang. Stone grabs the leg though and Chase isn’t happy. Thea Hail jumps Stone and Hudson gives a half hearted low bridge so Bate can dive onto Stone. Back in and Bate drops Wagner, setting up the Spiral Tap for the pin at 4:04.

Rating: C. Nothing out of the ordinary here as Wagner is a punching bag and Bate is one of the more talented stars in NXT. It’s nice to see Bate getting a chance to do something for a change, even if sliding him into Chase U is a bit weird. For now though, he’s the ace in the tag match on Saturday and that should be enough.

Chase U celebrates but Schism pops up on screen with a video of how Chase U will be under Schism’s control. Some of the students seem to have already embraced the changes. Screwing up Chase U would be bad enough, but PLEASE don’t put even more focus on Schism. I can’t take it.

Roxanne Perez is looking for Shawn Michaels but he just stepped out.

Post break, Perez talks to Shawn, saying she is cleared to return. Shawn says her health is the priority though and defending the title in a ladder match isn’t the best idea. We can get a new champion crowned and she’ll get the first title shot. Perez talks about having anxiety, which has Shawn wondering if she is all cleared mentally instead of physically.

She needs to know that there are other chances but Perez wants to steal the show like he did at Wrestlemania. Shawn finally relents and lets her in the match but sends her away before he has a nervous breakdown. That’s a very different way to go and it could be interesting and/or a disaster depending on which way they take things.

Elektra Lopez vs. Valentina Feroz

Lopez powers her into the corner to start and it’s time to work on the leg. Feroz fights up and kicks her down, only to get pulled out of the air. Electric Shock (sitout chokebomb) finishes Feroz at 1:53.

Eddy Thorpe is ready to represent his people as an alpha wolf.

Eddy Thorpe vs. Myles Borne

Borne grabs the wrist to start before hammering away to stagger Thorpe a bit. A belly to belly cuts off Thorpe’s comeback but he kicks Borne in the face in the corner. Thorpe hits a jumping elbow for two and a Saito suplex makes it worse. Back up and Thorpe grabs a rolling neckbreaker for the pin at 2:55. Thorpe looked dominant in the second half but he gave up a god bit of offense here.

Pretty Deadly predicts problems for Johnny Gargano.

Gallus doesn’t care how many teams they have to face because they’ll win.

Indi Hartwell vs. Sol Ruca vs. Ivy Nile

The winner is in the Women’s Title ladder match at Stand & Deliver. Ruca and Nile brawl to start until Nile and Hartwell are sent to the floor. Ruca’s big flip dive connects but Nile grabs an armbar back inside. Hartwell makes the save and gets springboard splashed by Ruca for two. Ruca’s flipping splash this Nile in the corner but Hartwell is back with the spinebuster for two. The Sol Snatcher drops Nile but Hartwell kicks Ruca to the floor. The running forearm to the back of the head gives Hartwell the pin on Nile at 4:04.

Rating: C. I am having a really hard time caring about Hartwell and her “oh well, I guess I’m wrestling here, doesn’t matter if I do or not though” moroseness over the last several months. Putting her in the title match seems to designed to give the match another powerhouse, but dang it would be nice if she did something else. Or if Nile and/or Ruca got a chance of their own, which granted would be better served outside of a multi person ladder match.

Post match all of the women come out to stare each other down.

Pretty Deadly pick Tiffany Stratton to win.

Grayson Waller teases not making his match with Johnny Gargano unsanctioned.

We get a special video on Bron Breakker vs. Carmelo Hayes. They came in as part of the new NXT recruiting class and now it’s time for a showdown. Hayes has an incredible resume but he’s training harder than ever for this match. He even turned down extra celebrating time in order to hit the gym more. Breakker talks about all of the training that he does and isn’t worried about going to the deep water. Breakker has been doing this for years and Hayes isn’t going to have an answer for a Steiner Line. Hayes says he’s the king now give him his f****** crown. As usual, this was excellent, as WWE knows just how to put them together.

Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn are ready to win the Women’s Tag Team Titles.

Drew Gulak vs. Hank Walker

Charlie Dempsey is here with Gulak. Walker takes him down by the arm to start but can’t get a cross armbreaker. Back up and Gulak runs him over and hits a clothesline to the back of the head as Booker goes on an insane rant about how Walker doesn’t deserve to wear a singlet. Walker fights out of a crossface and hammers Gulak down, setting up a running shoulder for two. Gulak reverses a wheelbarrow slam into another crossface, which is reversed into an armbar. That’s broken up as well and a Dempsey cheap shot sends Walker into a small package to give Gulak the pin at 5:55.

Rating: C. I don’t know if they’re going for some kind of everyman deal with Walker, but it isn’t quite working. The idea of presenting him as this run of the mill guy who is trying to hang with submission masters is weird to say the least and it isn’t exactly making me want to keep watching. Thankfully he isn’t beating them or anything, but it is still a strange way to go for someone who doesn’t really stand out.

Pretty Deadly talk tag teams and say they’ll see us Saturday.

Tony D’Angelo/Stacks vs. Josh Briggs/Brooks Jensen

If Briggs and Jensen win, they’re added to the Tag Team Title match. Jensen and Stacks lock up to start with Jensen grabbing a rollup for two. D’Angelo comes in to wrestle Briggs down as Fallon Henley and Kiana James are watching in the back. James takes credit for the match but Henley threatens to tell Jensen what she knows, which has James panicking. Briggs and Jensen hit matching sliding uppercuts and we take a break.

Back with Jensen getting caught in something like a Demolition Decapitator (not a Doomsday Device Booker) with Briggs having to make the save. Jensen gets over to Jensen for the tag as Henley and James are at ringside. For some reason Jensen wants back in for a Doomsday Device (spinwheel kick instead of a clothesline, which wound up being more of a hip attack than anything else) but D’Angelo makes a save. D’Angelo sends Briggs outside and it’s a double slam to finish Jensen at 9:55.

Rating: C+. I’m glad they didn’t add another tam to the title match and make it even messier, as six wrestlers in a match at once is enough. Other than that, this was almost entirely about the romance stuff as D’Angelo and Stacks had nothing to prove. Briggs and Jensen are a completely serviceable team and the James/Henley issues make them a bit more interesting. It’s nice to see an actual story, even if it has more than a few flaws.

Post match Henley wants James to tell Jensen the truth….so James kisses him. Joseph: “BROOKS IS ON BASE!”

Stand & Deliver rundown.

Here is Grayson Waller to decide if he will sign to make his match with Johnny Gargano unsanctioned. Vic Joseph hands him the contract (which Gargano left with him last week) and Waller gets in the ring, which is surrounded by security. Waller talks about what he has done during hi time in NXT, including Gargano getting the spotlight after Waller dove off the WarGames cage. That’s why he jumped Gargano during the farewell speech, and he hit his mark. Waller: “Johnny, you are the biggest mark in this business.”

Now Waller has Gargano begging him for a match at Stand & Deliver. Gargano is the greatest big match star in NXT history and is Mr. NXT, but just like Mr. Wrestlemania would do, Gargano is going to lose. Cue Gargano……’s music, because Gargano is a disguised cameraman. The big brawl is on, with security eventually holding them apart. Vic says it’s unsanctioned, though I didn’t see Waller actually sign the contract.

Overall Rating: C+. This was a bit of a different show than Raw last night, as they had more action rather than focusing so much on talking. Granted it helps that this show was taped and they could probably make some time saving adjustments if needed. For now though, Stand & Deliver is looking good, though they need to be pretty tight to make everything work. Nice enough go home show though, and hopefully it pays off this weekend.

Results
Axiom won a battle royal last eliminating Nathan Fraser
Tyler Bate b. Von Wagner – Spiral Tap
Elektra Lopez b. Valentina Feroz – Electric Shock
Indi Hartwell b. Sol Ruca and Ivy Nile – Running forearm to the back of Nile’s head
Drew Gulak b. Hank Walker – Small package
Tony D’Angelo/Stacks b. Josh Briggs/Brooks Jensen – Double slam to Jensen

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

AND

Remember to check out Wrestlingrumors.net for all of your wrestling headline needs.

Make sure you check out some recent reviews:

Monday Night Raw – April 14, 2008

Monday Night Raw – March 27, 2023

One More? 47 Year Old Former World Champion On Returning To The Ring After 12 Year Absence.

https://wrestlingrumors.net/tommyhall/one-47-year-old-former-world-champion-returning-ring-12-year-absence/

It Looks Likely: WWE Legend Likely Returning To TV Soon Following Lengthy Absence.

https://wrestlingrumors.net/tommyhall/looks-likely-wwe-legend-likely-returning-tv-soon-following-10-month-absence/

The More They Change: Original WrestleMania Women’s Title Plans, How Ronda Rousey Changed Them.

https://wrestlingrumors.net/tommyhall/change-original-wrestlemania-womens-title-plans-ronda-rousey-changed/

Rhea Ripley ERUPTS Over Fan Incident At Airport.

https://wrestlingrumors.net/tommyhall/rhea-ripley-erupts-fan-incident-airport/

It’s Been A Bit: WWE Star Loses Nine Month Streak On Monday Night Raw.

https://wrestlingrumors.net/tommyhall/bit-wwe-star-loses-nine-month-streak-monday-night-raw/

It’s Up? WWE Gets Some Rather Positive Results From An Unexpected Place.

https://wrestlingrumors.net/tommyhall/wwe-gets-rather-positive-results-unexpected-place/

He’s In? Update On How WWE Views Sami Zayn Following Huge Push.

https://wrestlingrumors.net/tommyhall/hes-update-wwe-views-sami-zayn-following-huge-push/

That’s Harsh: Ronda Rousey BLASTS WWE Creative Over Her Feud With Liv Morgan.

https://wrestlingrumors.net/tommyhall/thats-harsh-ronda-rousey-blasts-wwe-creative-feud-liv-morgan/

As always, hit up the comments section to chat about what is going on and get on the Wrestling Rumors Facebook page.

Happy Birthday Pop.

Monday Night Raw
Date: March 27, 2023
Location: Footprint Center, Phoenix, Arizona
Commentators: Kevin Patrick, Corey Graves

It’s the go home Raw before Wrestlemania and that means it is time to get the final push for a lot of this show’s weekend matches. In addition, we’ll have Cody Rhodes facing Solo Sikoa before his final showdown with Roman Reigns on Smackdown. We might get one or two more additions to the card but there isn’t much left to do. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

Here is the Miz to get things going. He is fired up to be here and promises to get to the bottom of a very personal feud. This brings out Trish Stratus, Lita and Becky Lynch for a chat. Becky accuses Miz of having small testicles, with Miz saying his wife disagrees. Becky: “It must be comforting to know that Maryse didn’t get around much before you were married.” Lynch talks about how she respect these two but Miz asks Lita and Trish what it’s like to be Becky’s backup. Lita says she feels like a champion but here is Damage Ctrl to interrupt.

Bayley accuses Lita of meaning something 20 years ago but Trish says that title says she means something now. Bayley talks about how being in the ring with these two would be a dream 20 years ago. Now though, it’s still a dream for people who can’t accomplish anything. They want the titles back, which sends Becky into a rant about how many times Damage Ctrl loses, they keep coming back. The triple staredown ensues.

Becky Lynch vs. Iyo Sky

Lynch starts fast with a suplex to send Sky outside. With Damage Ctrl having a meeting, Becky grabs Bayley by the hair to bring her back in. Sky hits a running dropkick to take over but Becky is back with a running forearm for a double knockdown. With Sky on the floor, Lynch hits a baseball slide, followed by a forearm off the apron.

Back in and a layout reverse DDT gets two on Sky as we take a break. We come back with Lynch getting two off a suplex but Sky catches her on top. That means an Asai moonsault can drop Lynch on the floor for two back inside as the fans approve. Over The Moonsault misses though and the Manhandle Slam finishes Sky at 11:50.

Rating: B-. This was another good example of what happens when you have two talented stars going in there and getting to do their thing. Lynch is able to wrestle a good match when she is given the chance and Sky really can make the high flying work as well as probably any woman in the division. Good match here, and the six woman tag could have a lot of potential.

We look back at Cody Rhodes predicting that the Bloodline would turn on Roman Reigns.

Video on Asuka, with various Hall of Famers and legends talking about how awesome she really is.

We recap Logan Paul knocking out Seth Rollins last week. Then in the back, Paul stole the mic and shouted about getting to do it again at Wrestlemania.

Seth Rollins….is interrupted by Mustafa Ali, who wants Rollins to be more positive. Rollins laughs at the Positive Ali idea and the result is a match later tonight.

Seth Rollins vs. Mustafa Ali

Ali forearms him in the face to start and Rollins seems annoyed. A clothesline turns Ali inside out and the stomping is on in the corner. Ali gets tied in the corner for a running stomp, followed by the regular version to give Rollins the pin at 2:07. The stomp in the corner looked painful.

Post match Rollins says if he can’t beat Logan Paul at Wrestlemania, he’s the joke. The match is on Paul’s anniversary and Rollins wants to take him out, so sing that song!

Earlier today Baron Corbin was asking Adam Pearce what was going on with his losses when Chelsea Green interrupted. She wants to know why she isn’t in the Women’s Showcase at Wrestlemania. Pearce says she doesn’t have a partner, but here is Sonya Deville to say Pearce is just jealous that she didn’t do as well as she did in this role. That’s enough or Pearce, who puts them in a qualifying match for the showcase. Corbin is still there and asks “seriously?” but Pearce leaves.

It’s time for a weigh-in between Omos (with MVP) and Brock Lesnar. Before Lesnar comes out, MVP talks about how Lesnar has done great things at Wrestlemania, including beating people like Kurt Angle, Goldberg, Roman Reigns and even…..the Undertaker. Unlike those men though, Lesnar cannot suplex or F5 Omos. With that, Omos weighs in at 410lbs. Cue Lesnar, who goes right after Omos and even picks up the scale, only to get kicked in the face. That’s enough for Lesnar to bail outside and look a bit scared. This was pretty quick but they got the point across.

Video on Charlotte being awesome over the years.

Finn Balor talks about Edge wanting to be inside the Cell with him and says there is nothing more dangerous than a caged demon.

Street Profits/Braun Strowman/Ricochet vs. Alpha Academy/Viking Raiders

Valhalla is here with the Raiders. Dawkins takes Gable down to start but has to slip out of the ankle lock. Strowman comes in to clean house on the villains until Ford (with his own double bicep pose) comes in for some armdrags. Everything breaks down and we get the Ivar vs. Strowman vs. Otis showdown. Otis plants an invading Ford and the Academy stands tall as we take a break.

Back with Erik chinlocking Ford and handing it off to Otis, as Maxxine Dupri is watching in the back. Maxxine likes the Otis shirt coming off for a running elbow (with Otis telling her he’s here). An enziguri gets Ford out of trouble and it’s Dawkins coming back in to clean house. Strowman comes in to do the train around the ring. Ricochet Swantons off of Strowman’s shoulders to hit Erik, followed by Ford (who tagged in) diving OVER Strowman with the frog splash for the pin at 11:21.

Rating: C+. The ending looked great as Ricochet did his crazy flip and then Ford made it look even better. This was probably a lot more interesting than the showcase is going to be, as I still can’t believe there isn’t even a title shot on the line. For now though, this was a good match with a better finish so maybe they’ll surprise me at Wrestlemania.

Cody Rhodes finds it interesting that he has to face the Bloodline’s enforcer this week. The question has been if he has earned it and Cody says he has always earned it. Tonight he beats Solo Sikoa, and at Wrestlemania, it’s Roman Reigns.

This week’s parody trailer: the Bloodline are Goodfellas. At least that matches up.

Video on Bianca Belair coming up the ranks and becoming a major star. Belair really is one of the only women who has come up with no wrestling background and become part of the top group.

Earlier today, Austin theory was in the empty arena and talked about how John Cena allegedly humiliated him on the microphone a few weeks ago. The only thing Cena can’t see is the future, because Theory is a star. It doesn’t matter if Theory is in an empty ring or in a sold out stadium, because he’ll show Cena what a star really is. Good stuff here, but Theory needs to win in a pretty dominant fashion on Saturday.

Stacy Keibler is going into the Hall of Fame.

Wrestlemania Showcase Qualifying Match: Sonya Deville/Chelsea Green vs. Michin/Candice LeRae

Michin gets taken into the wrong corner to start so Deville and green can take turns hammering on her. A double neckbreaker gets Michin out of trouble as everything breaks down. A quick Unprettier gives Green the pin on Yim at 2:57.

Paul Heyman gives a Roman Reigns vs. Cody Rhodes version of the 23rd Psalm before saying Rhodes isn’t ready. Yes he needs to face Solo Sikoa tonight because Roman Reigns has been guided from being the Big Dog to the Tribal Chief. Rhode isn’t ready for Sunday but needs to be ready to take a beating tonight and then another from Reigns. Be ready for pain, and to acknowledge the Tribal Chief.

Here are Dominik Mysterio and Damien Priest (who have been standing in the ring since before a break and Heyman’s interview) with Dominik talking about what a horrible father Rey Mysterio really is. We see Rey punching Dominik and agreeing to face Dominik at Wrestlemania. He should have told his mother to shut up a long time ago and wishes Eddie Guerrero was his real father.

Damien Priest vs. Rey Mysterio

Dominik Mysterio is here with Priest and we’re joined in progress (19 minutes after Priest’s music started to play) with Rey taking Priest down. Priest plants him with a lifting Downward Spiral for two but misses a big boot. The 619 is broken up with a heck of a clothesline but Rey super hurricanranas him down. Now the 619 can connect but Dominik crotches Rey on top for the DQ at 3:10.

Rating: C. This was about having Dominik screw over Rey before they fight at Wrestlemania so there wasn’t much to expect from the match itself. They did as much as they could with the time they had so this was good enough to fulfill its purpose. Other than that, can we please find something for Priest to do? Or at least a feud of his own? It has been a long time now for him.

Post match the beatdown is on but Legado del Fantasma runs in for the save.

Video on Andre the giant, who has a battle royal named after him on Friday.

The Good Brothers and Johnny Gargano are in the Andre battle royal and go to do something else. Rick Boogs is excited about being in and Elias promises to win. Dexter Lumis and Bronson Reed both scare Elias, as does Bobby Lashley.

We look at the Usos jumping Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn on Smackdown.

Owens and Zayn talk about how this is going to be the biggest Tag Team Title match of all time. They have to win because the Bloodline has to be stopped.

Gunther vs. Dolph Ziggler

Non-title and Imperium is here with Gunther. Ziggler hits a dropkick and the jumping DDT but Gunther gets him in the corner for the boot choke as we take a break. Back with Ziggler getting two off a Fameasser but getting chopped HARD out of the air. A German suplex and the powerbomb set up the Last Symphony to finish Ziggler at 5:43. Not enough shown to rate but Ziggler got in some offense before getting crushed by the monster that is Gunther.

Post match Gunther promises the same thing for Drew McIntyre and Sheamus.

Cody Rhodes vs. Solo Sikoa

Paul Heyman is here with Sikoa. A dropkick hits Sikoa to start but he snaps off a Samoan drop for a breather. They head outside with Sikoa being whipped into the steps but he suplexes Rhodes back inside. That’s enough to send Cody outside, where Sikoa can drop him onto the announcers’ table as we take a break. The swinging Rock Bottom onto the table has Cody in trouble as we take a break.

Back with Cody fighting out of a nerve hold but getting clotheslined in the corner. Cod jumps over him in the corner and snaps off the powerslam, followed by the Disaster Kick. The Cody Cutter connects and Cross Rhodes drops Sikoa again for a rather delayed two, with Sikoa getting a foot on the rope.

A moonsault misses for Cody but the Samoan Spike misses. Cody grabs another Cody Cutter but here are the Usos (with music), allowing Sikoa to hit a superkick. Spinning Solo gets two (Heyman is surprised) but here are Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn to brawl with the Usos. Another Samoan Spike is countered into Cross Rhodes to finish Sikoa at 12:53.

Rating: B-. Rhodes winning to shake Heyman (and presumably Reigns) up is a smart move and I don’t think Sikoa is going to be ruined by having his first loss be to someone who very well could be World Champion next week. This was the best way to end Raw, as Rhodes only has Reigns left in front of him. We’ll get a showdown on Friday and a match on Sunday, so nice job on setting things up.

A serious looking Heyman pulls out his phone to end the show.

Overall Rating: C+. I’m sure there are going to be a lot of complaints about this show not being the most exciting or the highest quality and those are pretty fair. At the same time though, this is one of the few shows of the year that isn’t about what takes place between the bells. This show is all about getting things ready for Wrestlemania and it went fairly well, with a few good matches thrown in. Good enough show, but none of it is going to matter once the bell rings on Saturday.

Results
Becky Lynch b. Iyo Sky – Manhandle Slam
Seth Rollins b. Mustafa Ali – Stomp
Street Profits/Braun Strowman/Ricochet b. Alpha Academy/Viking Raiders – Frog splash to Erik
Sonya Deville/Chelsea Green b. Michin/Candice LeRae – Unprettier to Green
Rey Mysterio b. Damien Priest via DQ when Dominik Mysterio interfered
Gunther b. Dolph Ziggler – Last Symphony
Cody Rhodes b. Solo Sikoa – Cross Rhodes

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

AND

Remember to check out Wrestlingrumors.net for all of your wrestling headline needs.

Monday Night Raw
Date: April 14, 2008
Location: 02 Arena, London, England
Attendance: 17,363
Commentators: Jim Ross, Jerry Lawler

We’re over in England this week with less than two weeks to go before Backlash. The Raw World Title match at the pay per view is now a four way and that means we should be in for some build on the way in. Other than that, Batista and Shawn Michaels aren’t happy with each other and that likely won’t end well. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

William Regal is drinking tea in his office when JBL comes in. JBL doesn’t care where we are tonight or that Regal is wrestling in his home country. What he cares about is that Regal has become spineless, just like Prime Minister Gordon Brown. Why are John Cena and HHH in his title match at Backlash? Regal didn’t want a match as awful as Orton vs. JBL, which doesn’t work for JBL either. He wants out of here on a private plane, but Regal gives him a match with HHH instead (the fans approve).

Opening sequence.

Here is Shawn Michaels to get things going. He recaps the build up to and match with Ric Flair at Wrestlemania, where Shawn gave Flair his best, just as requested. That should have been closure and everyone is cool with it….except for Batista. Last week on Smackdown, we came to the realization that Batista’s problem is with Shawn himself (Shawn: “Shocking.”).

Back in 1998, doctors told him he would never wrestle again but he came back in 2002, proving them all wrong. He has done a lot of things in the past though and now he is tired of apologizing. At Backlash, Shawn is going to kick Batista’s teeth down his throat….but here is Ric Flair….’s music, as Chris Jericho comes out instead (the fans are NOT pleased). Jericho says Batista thinks Shawn is a phony, but Jericho knows that what Shawn loves the most is Shawn Michaels.

In reality, Shawn probably liked taking out Flair and probably wanted to send him through a barber shop window. Jericho thinks Batista is being irrational about Flair being gone, but he isn’t being irrational about Shawn. Maybe Shawn is the one who suggested the retirement stipulation in the first place. Then Shawn superkicks him silly and says he’ll admit this: that felt pretty good. This story is getting better, though that might be because it moved on from the Flair worship.

Carlito/Santino Marella vs. Brian Kendrick/Paul London

For a future title shot. Santino and London start things off with London taking over. Carlito comes in with London dragging him over to the corner so Kendrick can come in with the kicks. Carlito gets in a sitout spinebuster as we see Hardcore Holly and Carlito watching in the back. The villains take turns beating Kendrick down but he slips over and brings in London to pick up the pace. Everything breaks down and Kendrick misses a hard charge to the floor. London dropkicks Santino tot he floor but gets Backstabbed to give Carlito the pin.

Rating: C-. I’m not sure what WWE sees in Marella and Carlito but it feels like they have fought Holly and Rhodes over and over again at this point. The division needs a lot more depth and it would seem that London and Kendrick could be quite the option. Instead, we get the low level team who might not exactly be the most inspiring choice. The division hasn’t been good for a long time now and the lows are getting even worse.

Post match Santino and Carlito promise to get the titles.

Women’s Title: Beth Phoenix vs. Mickie James

Mickie is challenging and gets powered down without much trouble to start. Some forearms and kicks slow Beth down but she rams Mickie hard into the corner. A slingshot suplex sets up a dragon sleeper (that’s a unique sequence) but Mickie fights up again. This time Beth pulls her into a double arm chickenwing, with Mickie’s legs around her waist (ow).

Since that can’t last long, Mickie sends her into the corner and Beth is rocked. The MickieDT is cut off though but Mickie is fine enough to hit the top rope Thesz press for two (which JR calls a bulldog for some reason). The Glam Slam is loaded up but Mickie reverses into a cradle for the pin and the title out of nowhere.

Rating: C+. You really can see how much further along these two are in the ring as they had a much better match than almost any other women in the company could pull off. Mickie winning the title makes the England show feel bigger, but also Beth had carried the title for a long time and a change was needed. The fact that it took place in a good match made it even better.

Post match Mickie can’t believe she won, with Maria and Ashley coming out to celebrate with her. Mickie is so happy that she kisses Todd Grisham.

William Regal is warming up and suggests Mike Adamle let him get ready. Chris Jericho comes in to talk about Shawn Michaels vs. Batista, so Regal makes him guest referee. Jericho wants to wrestle, so he can face Umaga tonight.

JTG vs. Trevor Murdoch

Shad Gaspard and Lance Cade are here too. Earlier today, Cade gave Murdoch a pep talk, which didn’t seem to include getting dropkicked by JTG. A big boot drops JTG for two and we’re already off to the chinlock. Murdoch goes up for a high crossbody but JTG rolls through for the surprise pin.

Post match Cade pats Murdoch on the back and walks away without him.

Here is Randy Orton for a chat before his match. Orton talks about how the win at Backlash is only going to make him feel like a bigger star because we are living in his age.

William Regal vs. Randy Orton

Non-title. Regal neck bridges to avoid getting powered to the mat so they go with the test of strength instead. The fans are WAY behind Regal as Orton gets flipped into a bodyscissors. Orton’s headlock doesn’t get very far but his backbreaker has Regal writhing in pain.

We hit the chinlock and the fans still haven’t dropped the LET’S GO REGAL chants. Regal fights up and grabs a reverse fisherman’s suplex, sending Orton bailing to the floor. Back in and a running knee gives Regal two before he starts stomping on the leg. The referee won’t let him do it near the legs though, and the distraction is enough for Orton to grab the RKO for the pin.

Rating: C+. The intensity was there and the fans were way behind Regal, which makes Orton getting the win all the better for him. Orton is the top villain around at the moment and as Regal was always going to be incredibly popular here, it makes Regal feel like bigger threat. If nothing else, it is nice to see Regal being all intense and focused here, as you don’t get to see it very often.

Umaga is ready for Chris Jericho.

Intercontinental Title: Chris Jericho vs. Umaga

Jericho is defending and gets knocked to the apron early on. Back up and Jericho dropkicks the knee before striking away as well as he can. That earns him an elbow to the face but Umaga isn’t quite interested in following up in a hurry. Jericho gets launched hard over the top for a crash to the floor and we take a break.

Back with Umaga knocking him out of the corner and the nerve hold going on. With that broken up, Jericho avoids a charge to send him outside, followed by the baseball slide through the ropes. Umaga takes Jericho’s head off with a clothesline but Jericho gets the knees up to block a sitdown splash.

Jericho tries a slam for no logical reason and is whipped hard into the apron to put him down again. The running hip attack misses though and Jericho scores with the missile dropkick to the back of the head. The Walls are blocked so Umaga Samoan drops him for two, only to miss the Samoan Spike. Umaga kicks him into the corner but misses the splash and hits the post. That’s enough for Jericho to roll him up (with feet on the ropes) to retain in a bit of a shifty move.

Rating: B-. This was a back and forth match and the two of them both looked good. Jericho had to cheat to beat Umaga but he survived so much from Umaga in the first place. That being said, Jericho has been needing a shakeup for the time being and maybe a heel turn is the right way to go. Good match here and the amount of time it got helped.

Jim Duggan vs. Paul Burchill

Katie Lea Burchill is here with Paul. Duggan gets jumped at the bell to start and the beating is on, with the fans not being pleased with Duggan getting mauled. Back up and Duggan slugs away but a corner clothesline sets up a curb stomp to give Paul the pin.

After plugging his DVD, HHH says he’s going to make JBL play the game.

Backlash rundown.

John Bradshaw Layfield vs. HHH

Joined in progress with HHH grabbing a headlock takeover to put them both on the mat. JBL powers up and drives him into the corner, meaning it’s time to go nose to nose (HHH might have an advantage). A neckbreaker gives HHH two and we hit the armbar. That’s broken up and JBL knocks him down again, setting up a full nelson of all things. HHH powers up and slugs away, setting up the facebuster. A running clothesline sends JBL to the floor and the brawl is on in the aisle…and here is Randy Orton to jump HHH for the DQ.

Rating: C-. Pretty basic match as JBL isn’t the person you want doing exciting stuff. This was just a way to get Orton out there for the fight with the two of them, which isn’t much of a surprise with the four way coming up. JBL just can’t back it up in the ring that well without a bunch of shenanigans so keeping it short here was as good of a call as they had.

Post match Orton unloads on HHH, who comes back with the spinebuster. The Pedigree is loaded up but JBL breaks it up with a big boot. Now the big double teaming is on, including the RKO to HHH. The Punt is loaded up but JBL cuts Orton off with the Clothesline From JBL (that looked good too). JBL poses with the title and hits another Clothesline on HHH before posing again to end the show.

Overall Rating: C. These British shows can be a bit all over the place when it comes to quality and this one was no exception. Maybe it was jet lag or maybe it was just not very interesting choices but the show wasn’t the most thrilling. Backlash has come together well enough already and I’m interested in seeing the show, but this wasn’t their best TV. The title change was fun and the Jericho stuff worked, though the rest wasn’t all that good. Get to Backlash already.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

AND

Remember to check out Wrestlingrumors.net for all of your wrestling headline needs.

First off, Happy Birthday Dad.

Make sure you check out some recent reviews:

Rampage – March 25, 2023

Wrestlemania XXXI (2016 Edition)

Wrestlemania XXXII (2017 Edition)

Wrestlemania XXXIII (2018 Edition)

NXT LVL Up – March 24, 2023

Take Your Time: Update On NXT Star Missing For Two Months Now.

https://wrestlingrumors.net/tommyhall/take-time-update-nxt-star-missing-two-months/

Not For Him: New Details On AEW Creative Plans Miro Reportedly Turned Down.

https://wrestlingrumors.net/tommyhall/not-new-details-aew-creative-plans-miro-reportedly-turned/

A Sacred Place: WWE Reportedly Considered Running Angle At Hall Of Fame Ceremony.

https://wrestlingrumors.net/tommyhall/sacred-place-wwe-reportedly-considered-running-angle-hall-fame-ceremony/

Maybe? Brock Lesnar’s Future WWE Status A Closely Guarded Secret, These People Know.

https://wrestlingrumors.net/tommyhall/maybe-brock-lesnars-future-wwe-status-closely-guarded-secret/

Homecoming: Several WWE Legends Set For WrestleMania Weekend.

https://wrestlingrumors.net/tommyhall/homecoming-several-wwe-legends-set-wrestlemania-weekend/

Cheer Up! WWE Unhappy With Recent NXT Fan Reactions, Plan To Fix Them.

https://wrestlingrumors.net/tommyhall/cheer-wwe-unhappy-recent-crowd-reactions-plan-fix/

It’s A Chance: Missing WWE Star Teases Possible WrestleMania Appearance.

https://wrestlingrumors.net/tommyhall/chance-missing-wwe-star-teases-possible-wrestlemania-appearance/

In Competition: 27 Year Old Second Generation NXT Star Set For Miss Universe Canada Pageant.

https://wrestlingrumors.net/tommyhall/competition-injured-wwe-star-set-miss-universe-canada-pageant/

They Have A Plan: Interesting Report On How WWE Decides Where To Hold Major Events.

https://wrestlingrumors.net/tommyhall/plan-interesting-report-wwe-decides-hold-major-events/

Hanging It Up: 36 Year Old Former NXT Star Announces Retirement.

https://wrestlingrumors.net/tommyhall/hanging-36-year-old-former-nxt-star-announces-retirement/

Double Shot: Two Missing AEW Stars On The Injured List.

https://wrestlingrumors.net/tommyhall/double-shot-two-missing-aew-stars-injured-list/

Welcome Back! WWE Reportedly Bringing Back 54 Year Old Attitude Era Star For WrestleMania 39.

https://wrestlingrumors.net/tommyhall/welcome-back-wwe-reportedly-bringing-back-54-year-old-attitude-era-star-wrestlemania-39/

As always, hit up the comments section to chat about what is going on and get on the Wrestling Rumors Facebook page.

NXT LVL Up
Date: March 24, 2023
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Blake Howard, Byron Saxton

We are just over a week away from Stand & Deliver and in this case, that is not going to make the slightest bit of difference to this show. There is still no way of knowing what to expect around here from week to week but hopefully we have a few bigger names. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

Odyssey Jones vs. Kale Dixon

Jones powers him around to start and grabs a large headlock before hitting an atomic drop. Dixon goes to the eyes and hammers away so he can send Jones face first into the buckle. Some dropkicks give Dixon two and we hit the quickly broken chinlock. Jones clotheslines him down, setting up the rolling splash. A swinging Boss Man Slam finishes Dixon at 4:38.

Rating: C-. This was a squash for Jones and that’s all it needed to be. Dixon hasn’t shown much outside of a decent look so in this form, he isn’t ready to give someone like Jones a run for his money. Jones is a big man with the ability to move and it makes sense for NXT to want to try to use him for something. Now if they could just find out what that something is.

Lola Vice is ready to dominate NXT and show then what real power is like.

Kale Dixon says he could beat Odyssey Jones if he had the same experience because he has the biggest upside around here. These promos can actually do something for the people around here. More of these things.

Malik Blade/Edris Enofe vs. Tavion Heights/Damon Kemp

Kemp headlocks Blade to start and they go to the mat with Kemp getting the better of things. Enofe comes in for a reverse Sling Blade to Heights, only to get punched out of the air. The villains take turns hammering on Enofe, including Heights cranking on both arms. With that broken up, Kemp grabs a bridging German suplex out of the corner. Enofe slips away though and it’s back to Blade to clean house. Everything breaks down and Enofe’s top rope splash sets up Blade’s top rope elbow to finish Heights at 5:52.

Rating: C. Better match than the opener here, as Blade and Enofe still have all kinds of energy and enough charisma to back it up. I’m still not sure why they haven’t gotten a better chance on the main NXT show but maybe that can happen one day. Kemp is the latest partner for one of the multiple big, strong newcomers around here and I don’t see much of a future for the team.

Overall Rating: C. This show was almost ten minutes shorter than most editions so either something was cut or they didn’t do as much due to NXT being taped in advance. What we got was little more than some ok at best dark matches, so aside from the very short run time (and that second promo) there wasn’t much to think about here.

Results
Odyssey Jones b. Kale Dixon – Swinging Boss Man Slam
Malik Blade/Edris Enofe b. Tavion Heights/Damon Kemp – Top rope elbow to Heights

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

AND

Remember to check out Wrestlingrumors.net for all of your wrestling headline needs.

Wrestlemania XXXI
Date: March 29, 2015
Location: Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, California
Attendance: 76,976
Commentators: Michael Cole, John Bradshaw Layfield, Jerry Lawler

Pre-Show: Tag Team Titles: Tyson Kidd/Cesaro vs. Los Matadores vs. Usos vs. New Day

Pre-Show: Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal

Ryback gets rid of Goldust but Kane saves Big Show for no logical reason. Miz and Mizdow take a double chokeslam from Kane, who is quickly slammed out by Cesaro. Show dumps Jimmy but gets picked up by Cesaro again, only to escape and dump Cesaro with ease. Ryback grabs a spinebuster on Show and is eliminated for trying to get any momentum.

Aloe Blacc sings America the Beautiful.

Intercontinental Title: Daniel Bryan vs. Bad News Barrett vs. Dolph Ziggler vs. Stardust vs. Luke Harper vs. R-Truth vs. Dean Ambrose

Truth sets up the big ladder but Stardust goes for the climb, only to get superplexed back down by Barrett. Bryan, Ziggler and Ambrose go up top until Dean drops down and shoves the ladder over. Dean goes up until Harper powerbombs him off the ladder and through a ladder bridged between the barricade and ring. Ziggler tries a sleeper on Harper as he climbs, followed by the Zig Zag to bring them crashing down.

Somehow Dolph is able to climb up, only to have Barrett pull him down into the Bull Hammer. Another one knocks Truth off but Bryan makes a quick climb and kicks Barrett down. Barrett is right back up though and makes a save, followed by a quick running knee from Bryan, allowing him to climb up, headbutt Ziggler off and win the title at 13:55.

Seth Rollins vs. Randy Orton

Rollins is Mr. Money in the Bank and has Joey Mercury and Jamie Noble as his personal stooges. Seth starts by flipping away from Orton, only to eat a dropkick and bail to the floor from the threat of an RKO. Back in and a big clothesline looks to set up the RKO again but the Stooges offer a distraction to break it up. Orton deals with them early off a double elevated DDT from the apron.

Ronda Rousey is here.

HHH vs. Sting

No DQ or countout. Sting is played to the ring by some kind of Japanese band with drums and a gong. As you might expect, HHH completely upstages him with a full on Terminator commercial with the robots rising from the stage, a clip from the movie, HHH dressed as a Terminator and Arnold Schwarzenegger himself appearing on screen for the introduction. It might be time to call in Robocop.

Sting fights them off with ease and backdrops HHH onto them, setting up a dive off the top (remember that Sting is 56 here) to take them all out. Back in and a Pedigree gets two so HHH gets the sledgehammer (one of at least two under the ring). This brings out the NWO (Hall, Nash and Hogan) to save Sting (SO much wrong with that statement, not even counting trying to remember if the Kliq exists in storylines or not). They take their sweet time and eventually clean house, allowing Sting to hit the Scorpion Death Drop (reverse DDT) for two.

Ads for new shows coming to the WWE Network, including the new Divas Search.

Maria Menunos, in a Bushwhackers shirt, brings in Daniel Bryan. First ever Intercontinental Champion Pat Patterson comes in to congratulate him, as do Roddy Piper, Ricky Steamboat, Ric Flair (of course) and Bret Hart, who starts a YES chant. Ron Simmons comes in and scares them all before hitting his catchphrase.

AJ Lee/Paige vs. Bella Twins

Real people vs. reality stars (from Total Divas), even though Paige had already become a cast member. Nikki is Divas Champion and in the middle of her reign of doom. Paige debuted at the Raw after Wrestlemania last year and has formed a dream team with AJ to take on the sisters.

Rating: C-. This was a handicap match for the first half with Paige cleaning house, which was made even weirder when AJ came in anyway. Not that it mattered though as the Bellas were going to be pushed as the stars as long as they wanted to because of that stupid reality show. In theory this should have set up AJ as the next challenger but she retired later in the week and left the company for good.

We get a tale of the tape for Lesnar vs. Reigns, which Cole says is the result of a computer analysis. The stats include height, weight and career accomplishments. Did this computer analysis take place in the Korean War?

Hall of Fame video, with highlights of Lanny Poffo reading a poem to induct his brother Randy Savage and Connor Michalek receiving the first Warrior Award.

The Class of 2015 includes Rikishi, Larry Zbyszko (mainly famous in the 80s), Alundra Blayze, Connor Michalek, the Bushwhackers (with Butch on crutches but still doing the strut), Tatsumi Fujinami (a legendary Japanese wrestler), Randy Savage (represented by his brother), Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Kevin Nash (for the required Kliq member, though I wonder why he can go in under his real name and not Hall).

US Title: Rusev vs. John Cena

Rusev blames Lana for the loss.

Wrestlemania XXXII is in Dallas.

The pre-show panel talks about the Tag Team Title match and Big Show winning the battle royal. Thanks for reminding me.

Here are HHH and Stephanie to brag about the new attendance record and desperately fill in some time as we have two matches left and nearly an hour and a half to go. Stephanie talks about watching Wrestlemania I live and seeing her friend Andre the Giant (This was a thing for her around this time as she would mention this whenever she could. For some reason this was her justification for not letting Cena be in the Andre battle royal.).

Bray Wyatt vs. Undertaker

Ad for Extreme Rules.

WWE World Title: Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns

A belly to belly overhead brings Reigns back in over the top rope but Reigns shakes his head at Brock again. Another F5 gets two and now Brock take the gloves off. Some hard slaps put Reigns down but he tells Brock to bring it on. Another German earns him another bring it on so Brock gives him suplex number ten. The third F5 gets two more, putting Reigns past Undertaker last year. Brock takes Roman outside but Reigns posts him, drawing some real blood from Lesnar.

WWE World Title: Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins

The Curb Stomp puts Brock down but Reigns has to spear Brock down to save Seth from an F5. Another Curb Stomp (and a whisper of “thank you so much” to Reigns) gives Seth the title at 16:43!

Rating: A-. They went in a TOTALLY different direction here and it was the best thing they possibly could have done. Reigns vs. Lesnar had little interest as a match but as a one sided war with Reigns giving it everything he had near the end, they turned it into one of the most dramatic spectacles you could find. They had me on the near fall after that second spear and I lost it when Rollins came out.

Fireworks and posing take us out.

Overall though, this was a major surprise and a better show than it had any right to be. The low expectations helped it a lot, but this was looking like one of the worst Wrestlemanias in history and wound up being a lot of fun. Nothing on it really stands out above the rest (save for maybe the main event) so the whole is greater than the sum of all its parts. Really fun show here.

Ratings Comparison

New Day vs. Los Matadores vs. Usos vs. Cesaro/Tyson Kidd

Original: C+

Redo: B

Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal

Original: D+

Redo: D

Intercontinental Title Ladder Match

Original: B

Redo: B

Seth Rollins vs. Randy Orton

Original: B

Redo: B

Sting vs. HHH

Original: B

Redo: B-

Paige/AJ Lee vs. Bella Twins

Original: C+

Redo: C-

Rusev vs. John Cena

Original: B-

Redo: C+

Bray Wyatt vs. Undertaker

Original: B

Redo: C+

Roman Reigns vs. Brock Lesnar

Original: B+

Redo: A-

Overall Rating

Original: A

Redo: B+

Yeah the shock had a lot to do with it but there was good stuff throughout.

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2015/03/29/wrestlemania-xxxi-shock-and-awe-shock-and-awe/

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up my new book of the History of the Intercontinental Title at Amazon for just $3.99 at:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01D4D3EGQ

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6