IMG Credit: AEW

Dynamite
Date: February 12, 2020
Location: HEB Center, Austin, Texas
Commentators: Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone, Excalibur

We’re less than three weeks away from Revolution and the card is either set or pretty clear from this point. There is still some work to do, but at the same time there are major matches to get through on television. That would include tonight, as Riho defends the Women’s Title against Nyla Rose and SCU challenges Kenny Omega/Hangman Page for the Tag Team Titles. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening recap.

Tag Team Titles: Kenny Omega/Hangman Page vs. SCU

Omega and Page are defending but hang on because the Dark Order pops up on the screen before the match. They make it clear that there are many of them and they may be closer than it seems. That sends Christopher Daniels to the back to check on things, which doesn’t bode well. Omega armdrags Kazarian to start but stops to yell at Sky, allowing Kazarian to break up a dive.

Everything breaks down in a hurry and Page loads up the Buckshot Lariat, only to have Kazarian break it up. Sky hits a big running flip dive, followed by the same thing from Omega. Back in and Omega hits a missile dropkick to Sky’s back, followed by a fisherman’s buster for two. There’s the running Fameasser from Omega but You Can’t Escape hits knees. Page gets shoved off the top and into the barricade with Omega being sent in as well.

Back in and Kazarian’s spinning springboard legdrop gets two as Omega is favoring his ribs. Kazarian charges into a boot though and it’s back to Page to start kicking people in the face. A standing moonsault gets two on Sky and an assisted DDT gets the same on Page. Kazarian hits a Backstabber into a slingshot cutter from Sky, setting up stereo dragon sleepers.

JR accurately points out that the match can’t end here because there are two illegal men in the ring but Omega rams Kazarian into the other two for the save anyway. The Snapdragon ropes Kazarian but the Buckshot misses. Omega V Triggers Kazarian anyway and, with Sky taken out by a dive, it’s the V Trigger/Buckshot combination for the pin at 13:15, with Kazarian grabbing a rope a split second after the bell.

Rating: B. This is a good example of the kind of match that makes AEW work: they’re all action and very exciting, though I can understand why some fans might not be thrilled with them. They have very little in terms of traditional tag team offense and a majority of the match is spent with everyone in the ring at once. What matters though is AEW has made that the norm and the matches are certainly entertaining. This was a lot of fun and while the ending wasn’t a surprise, it made sense on the way there.

Post match the champs leave in their separate ways (as tends to be the case) and here are the Dark Order, the Best Friends, the Hybrid 2, Butcher and Blade and the Young Bucks for the big brawl to preview next week’s tag team battle royal. The Bucks clear the ring and then dive onto everyone else, which would be very stupid in a battle royal. Daniels did not come back out here.

We get a sit down interview with JR and Santana. There was a time when Santana was in a dark place, living in a terrible apartment in the Bronx and he couldn’t take anymore. He called his dad and said every day of his life was terrible. His dad started going blind at 14 and knew that he would be blind at 25. Imagine how that feels. Then last week Jon Moxley attacked his eye. JR think Santana should be mad at Jericho but Santana goes on a rant against Moxley for throwing everything away. Tonight, Moxley learns what it’s like to be in the dark. This was a rather emotional interview and not something you hear from Santana.

Here’s another video from Darby Allin, this time with messages written on pieces of cardboard. It was a mistake to smash his throat with a skateboard and he’ll find them sooner or later. In the meantime though, he’ll face Sammy Guevara at Revolution. The final sign is a picture of Sammy’s face, saying “kissing Jericho’s a** gave me herpes.” These things are different and that’s what makes them work, plus Darby coughing in the background to sell the throat injury.

Sammy Guevara vs. Dustin Rhodes

Guevara has Jake Hager in his corner. Sammy bails to the floor to start so Dustin has to wait to throw him down back inside. A running knee to the face gives Dustin two and it’s time for another breather on the floor. That’s fine with Dustin, who hits a running clothesline off the steps and stares Hager down.

Back from a break with Dustin hitting a Downward Spiral and going up, only to get distracted by Hager. Sammy grabs a torture rack and flips Dustin over into a GTS for two. Dustin shoves him off the top so Sammy runs the ropes, only to get taken down with a release gordbuster. A Panama Sunrise plants Sammy and the Final Reckoning gives Dustin the pin at 6:47.

Rating: C. To clarify, a middle rope Canadian Destroyer isn’t the finish. I know it’s not Dustin’s finisher but egads man, stop overthinking this stuff. The match was fine enough and gets us closer to the match that makes the most sense. Guevara continues to be great as the member of the Inner Circle who takes a beating and keeps annoying everyone and that’s a great place for him.

Post match Dustin calls out Hager (“Jericho’s b****.”) for Revolution. Hager leaves without saying anything but the fans seem to like the idea.

We look back at Britt Baker attacking Yuka Sakazaki after last week’s loss.

Britt Baker talks about following her ethical obligations by taking out Yuka’s decaying tooth for free. We don’t even know if she had health insurance! Tony does though, right Mr. Starbucks? Baker mocks the fans with their Whataburger faces and lists off her resume, including her degrees and being the first woman signed to this company. She is the women’s division and throws in an upside down Hook Em Horns sign. JR: “This is terrible.”

Women’s Title: Nyla Rose vs. Riho

Riho is defending. Rose powers her into the corner to start but Riho rolls her up for two. That just means Rose can run her over for two, with Riho bridging out of the cover. Rose crushes her with a backbreaker and let’s set up a table. JR: “She’s not even from Dudleyville!” Riho uses the distraction to hit a dropkick off the table and we take a break.

Back with Riho getting two off a crucifix bomb and avoiding a sitdown splash. A basement dropkick gives Riho two more but Rose is right back with a Samoan drop for the same. Rose drapes her across the top and hits a top rope knee to the back of the head for a big crash and a near fall.

They go up top with Riho biting her on the nose, only to get taken down with a super Death Valley Driver. That’s only good for to and Riho is back with a pair of Snapdragons. A northern lights suplex gets two but the top rope double stomp gets one. Riho hits two more double stomps but Rose is in the rope. Back up and the spear into the Beast Bomb gives Rose the title at 12:24.

Rating: C+. They had to do it. Riho was fine for a first champion but there comes a point of “she has so much heart” just isn’t enough to carry things anymore. The match was your usual David vs. Goliath fight and Rose winning was the right call. You can only have her lose so many times before she stops mattering so giving her the title was the only call.

Chris Jericho is sick of Jon Moxley so if Moxley can make it past Santana tonight, he can face an assassin next week: Jeff Cobb.

We get a quick highlight video on Cobb. I’m rather glad to see him on the big stage, as Cobb can be rather awesome.

Video on last week’s awesome closing segment with Maxwell Jacob Friedman and Wardlow whipping Cody.

Maxwell Jacob Friedman vs. Jungle Boy

They’re both on their own here and Brandi Rhodes is on commentary. MJF trips him down to start and poses a lot, only to have Boy jump up and grab a rollup to annoy MJF quite a bit. They stare each other down and Boy shoves him outside for a breather. Back in and Boy is smart enough to not fall for a handshake as he knocks MJF into the corner.

MJF slugs away and takes it to the floor for a whip into the barricade. We see Arn Anderson watching in the back as MJF slams Boy on the floor. Back from a break with Boy hitting a backdrop and sending MJF outside. That means two straight suicide dives, plus a big flip dive to put MJF down again.

A reverse hurricanrana gets two back inside but Boy’s back gives out on a powerbomb attempt. MJF grabs an inverted Gory Stretch until Boy flips out. Boy gets crotched on top though, allowing MJF to grab his crotch and shout that Brandi can have a real man. A sunset bomb gets Boy out of trouble so here’s Wardlow to give MJF the big ring. MJF knocks him silly and the Double Cross finishes Boy at 11:49.

Rating: C. Boy continues to impress and MJF continues to be the best heel in wrestling today. The match wasn’t anything great but it accomplished everything it was supposed to be. Boy got to show off a little bit and MJF cheated to win to keep his momentum high going into Revolution. It might not have been a classic, but it was efficient and that’s a great sign.

Post match, Wardlow lays out Boy again.

Next week: Cody vs. Wardlow in a cage.

Pac can’t wait for his Iron Man match with Kenny Omega.

Next week: a tag team battle royal.

We look at the Inner Circle attacking Jon Moxley’s eye.

The Inner Circle is in the crowd.

Santana vs. Jon Moxley

Moxley comes in from the concourse and Chris Jericho isn’t happy. Santana jumps Moxley on the floor and the fight is on in a hurry with Moxley sending him into the barricade. They head inside for the opening bell but Moxley sends him right back outside for a top rope ax handle to the floor. Santana tries to send him eye first into the corner of the steps but settles for a baseball slide instead.

We take a break and come back with Moxley hitting a series of clotheslines into a release German suplex to drop Santana. A rolling cutter gives Santana his own two and he plants Moxley with a piledriver for the same. The top rope splash hits raised knees though and Moxley blasts him with another clothesline. Moxley goes up for a change but Ortiz spits booze into the good eye. Santana hits a frog splash for two but Moxley pokes him in the bad eye. The Paradigm Shift finishes Santana at 10:00.

Rating: B-. This was similar to the Rhodes vs. Guevara match in storytelling but a bit higher quality. Moxley has an issue with Santana after last week but it’s a glorified warmup before he gets to the match that he really wants. What we got was good though and Moxley keeps rolling towards Revolution.

Post match the Inner Circle runs in to destroy Moxley, including a 630 from Guevara and a Judas Effect from Jericho. Jeff Cobb comes out and hits the Tour of the Islands to end the show. So….why are they bringing in a power monster with amateur skills when the Inner Circle already has a power monster with amateur skills?

Overall Rating: A-. This was a heck of a show with some very good action and several Revolution matches being advanced. It’s the kind of show that they needed to have and the company is officially on a roll as we head towards Chicago. This was one of their better shows yet and that makes me more interested in where they’re going after the pay per view. Really good stuff this week.

Results

Kenny Omega/Hangman Page b. SCU – Buckshot lariat/V Trigger combination to Kazarian

Dustin Rhodes b. Sammy Guevara – Final Reckoning

Nyla Rose b. Riho – Beast Bomb

Maxwell Jacob Friedman b. Jungle Boy – Double Cross

Jon Moxley b. Santana – Paradigm Shift

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

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

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

IMG Credit: AEW

Dark
Date: February 11, 2020
Location: Von Braun Center, Huntsville, Alabama
Commentators: Tazz, Excalibur
Host: Tony Schiavone

This show continues to be all over the place and that is rather interesting at times. You never can tell what to expect on something like this and that’s one of the best things about it. Hopefully it’s a bit shorter than last week, which was longer than a show like this needs to be. Let’s get to it.

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

Tony runs down the card.

Riho vs. Shoko Nakajima

Non-title. They go with the technical stuff to start with Nakajima grabbing a headlock to little avail. A dropkick puts Nakajima down but she’s able to send Riho out side for a suicide dive. Back in and a cravate with knees to the head rock Riho some more, setting up a running basement Blockbuster. Nakajima pulls on both arms at once but Riho rolls through into a double stomp.

Riho misses a 619 so Nakajima tries and misses her own, only to keep swinging to hit a second attempt for a cool spot. They slug it out until Nakajima grabs a guillotine, only to get reversed into a northern lights suplex for two. A top rope double stomp gets two on Nakajima and it’s off to a pinfall reversal sequence for two each. Nakajima misses a top rope backsplash, allowing Riho to hit a running knee to the face for the pin at 7:32.

Rating: B-. The action was pretty good but Nakajima is the latest name added to a long list of women who aren’t all that interesting in the first place. The biggest problem continues to be we know nothing about them and there is little that sets them apart other than their name and their gear. Yes the action can carry them, but they are going to need something else.

Jimmy Havoc vs. Sonny Kiss

Havoc takes him to the mat to start and Sonny can’t spin out of a wristlock. A quick reversal into a sunset flip gives Kiss two and he takes Havoc down with a hurricanrana. The handspring splash just annoys Havoc so he knocks Kiss down in the corner. They fight to the floor with Kiss chopping the post by mistake, allowing Havoc to bend the arm around the turnbuckle.

Back in and we hit the armbar on Kiss, followed by a suplex to send him into the corner for two. A Death Valley Driver gets two and we hit the Fujiwara armbar to keep Kiss in trouble. That’s broken up and Kiss hits a one armed belly to belly, plus a front flip kick to the ribs for two. Kiss tries a Matrix but hurts his arm, setting up Havoc’s cross armbreaker, with the finger being bent back to make Kiss tap at 10:01.

Rating: C. I was shocked by the fact that the arm actually played into the finish and that’s a good thing. It’s the kind of a finish that you don’t get very often and I’m glad to see them doing something like that for a change. Nice enough match and I’m not sure what Havoc is doing next, but I’m not sure I even remembered him being around.

Dr. Luther seems to threaten Jimmy Havoc.

Here’s where Dynamite is coming.

Hikaru Shida vs. Cassandra Golden

Golden is taller and grabs a headlock to start. Shida’s shoulder has no effect and Golden throws her down by the hair. A whip into the corner gets two but Shida manages a backbreaker. Golden is right back with a much bigger side slam and a Vader Bomb gets a deep cover for two. This time it’s Shida coming back with a running forearm and a missile dropkick puts Golden down. She isn’t down long though as she is right back up with a running enziguri and a Falcon Arrow. Shida is fine enough to hit a running knee (popular move around here) for the pin at 6:29.

Rating: C-. Golden was impressive enough here and Shida has already proven herself. I got more out of Golden than I did Nakajima earlier, if nothing else because she stood out a bit more. We got a good enough match here but it’s nothing overly memorable, which is fine enough on a show like this one.

Dark Order vs. Jurassic Express

Jungle Boy/Marko Stunt here while Alex Reynolds and John Silver are out with the Order. Stunt avoids a charge from Grayson to start and hits a springboard bulldog. That just earns Stunt a running elbow to the face so it’s off to Jungle Boy for a hiptoss. A basement superkick has Grayson in trouble and it’s Uno coming in for an elbow to the face. Uno hits a Swanton for two more and Grayson adds a spinebuster for the same.

Boy tries to fight up but gets his back raked to take him down again. A slingshot hilo to the apron keeps Boy down and there’s a t-bone suplex to make it worse. The Fatality is broken up though and it’s Stunt coming back in for the dodging disguised as offense. A tornado DDT plants Uno as everything breaks down.

Boy hits a suicide dive on Silver and Reynolds, followed by a Samoan drop for two on Uno. Grayson gets caught in a bridging German suplex so Uno slams Stunt onto him for the save. Uno tells Boy to stop and then punches him in the face before Grayson catches Stunt’s super hurricanrana. That means Stunt can be thrown at Uno for a sitout powerbomb and now the Fatality is good for the pin at 9:45.

Rating: C. I’m not sure on having a THIS IS AWESOME during this one but at least they had some fast paced action at times and Stunt took the fall. It’s amazing how much more interesting the Dark Order is when they’re not talking and how much less intimidating they are when Uno is one of the focal points. Grayson looks fine but Uno looks like an indy guy who stumbled in here. Fix that and you might have something.

Post match the Dark Order goes after Boy but here are Luchasaurus and SCU for the save. Posing ends the show.

Overall Rating: C+. The wrestling is what mattered here and we had a nice enough night. Couple that with the show being shorter than last week and the lack of a match being shot with a handheld camera and this was an upgrade. They had a decent enough variety this week and I liked what we got well enough. This show is going to be built entirely around the wrestling and this week’s was better than most so call it a good one.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

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

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

IMG Credit: AEW

Dynamite
Date: February 5, 2020
Location: Von Braun Center, Huntsville, Alabama
Commentators: Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone, Excalibur

We’re less than a month away from Revolution and you can see a lot of the card from here. The big story continues to be Jon Moxley challenging Chris Jericho for the World Title and that means he has to go through the Inner Circle. He’ll start with that tonight against Ortiz, but other than that we have Cody dealing with MJF. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening recap.

Jon Moxley vs. Ortiz

Santana is here and Chris Jericho, flanked by Jake Hager and Sammy Guevara, goes to commentary. A shoulder puts Ortiz on the floor to start so Moxley chases both of them around with a chair. They go outside again with Ortiz getting in some biting and a whip into the steps. Jericho: “He might have knocked his patch right off of his stupid face!” Back in and we hit a camel clutch with Ortiz raking a forearm over Moxley’s eye patch.

Moxley is out in a hurry and takes out the knee to set up a Figure Four. Ortiz is smart enough to poke him in the eye for the break, only to have Moxley send him outside. A suicide dive hits Santana and Ortiz gets sent over the barricade. Back in and a Boss Man Slam gives oxley two but Ortiz sends him right back to the floor. That means a suicide flip dive to put Moxley down as well but he’s back up again. This time he sends Ortiz into Santana and hits a quick Paradigm Shift for the pin at 7:55.

Rating: C. That’s what I was hoping for here as there was no need for this to be an extended match. Moxley is the #1 contender and he’s facing someone who isn’t used to wrestling singles matches. There was no need for this to be a back and forth fifteen minute match. What they did here was the right setup and it’s not like losing to Moxley hurts Ortiz. Well done on the setup, not a bad match.

Post match Moxley gets jumped by Santana but takes him out with another Paradigm Shift. Moxley pulls out the Ford GT key and says “an eye for an eye” before stabbing the key into Santana’s eye. The Inner Circle chases Moxley off.

Best Friends vs. SCU

Orange Cassidy is here but there’s no Christopher Daniels. Kazarian headlocks Trent down to start and JR thinks 2 Cold Scorpio is on the apron. Trent is right back up with the double running knees and a double elbow keeps Kazarian down. Sky spins out of a wristlock but Chuck grabs a headlock. With Sky down, Chuck hits the double bicep but misses a middle rope moonsault. Sky hits a good looking dropkick and everything breaks down for a bit, with Kazarian hitting a slingshot Fameasser to send Trent onto the apron.

Chuck’s standing Sliced Bread connects as Sky is sent into the barricade. A release German suplex drops Trent on the floor but Chuck adds a Blockbuster off the steps to put everyone down. Cassidy gets in his designated comedy spot on the floor by laying down with them as we take a break. Back with things having settled down a bit and the Best Friends taking over. We pause for the Big Hug until Chuck kicks Kazarian into a Code Red from Trent for the fast pin at 9:08.

Rating: C+. The post break part was really short but I’m glad they didn’t make this one go too long either. I still don’t care for the Best Friends and having to pause for Cassidy’s shtick still feels forced every single time. SCU continues to be steady but very good and that’s a valuable asset to have on the show.

Post match the Dark Order runs in for the beatdown so Orange Cassidy gets in to confront them. He’s offered a mask but puts his hands in his pockets, earning himself a beatdown of his own. Christopher Daniels runs in for the save and the Dark Order bails.

Yuka Sakazaki vs. Britt Baker

Sakazaki (the Magical Girl) was at Fyter Fest back in June and has some Arabian Nights style gear. Baker forearms the much smaller Sakazaki and chokes in the corner, setting up a running kick to the face for two. Sakazaki is back up with a top rope flip dive and a springboard plancha to the floor. JR: “Not just a regular splash ladies and gentlemen. The by God Magical Girl splash.” Back in and they slug it out until Baker hits a swinging fisherman’s neckbreaker for two. Lockjaw is broken up though and Sakazaki grabs a crucifix rollup for the pin at 3:12.

Rating: C. Spend two weeks building Baker up, then have her lose to someone else making her debut on the show. The division continues its spiral into nothing as we sit around with the champion barely ever around (save for a mixed tag with Kenny Omega, the only person who seems to get what he’s going for in the whole thing) and a bunch of people trading wins and losses.

Post match Baker hits her in the back with the bell and drives her mouth into the ropes. Sakazaki loses some teeth so Baker puts on Lockjaw to the bloody mouth. Good post match segment, but it might go somewhere if Baker hadn’t just lost clean in about three minutes.

Butcher and Blade/Lucha Bros vs. Young Bucks/Kenny Omega/Hangman Page

JR: “Not even I could misidentify the Bunny.” Graphic for the week: “Hangman is not happy with this music.” Makes sense as to why he power walks to the ring in front of ht eother three. Page chps away at Blade to start and it’s quickly off to Omega for some kicks to the chest and the running jumping Fameasser (more of a bulldog here) gets two. The Bucks come in for a bunch of dropkicks, including a triple dropkick to Butcher with Omega joining in.

Kenny and the Bucks hit stereo dives to the floor as Page doesn’t look impressed. Everything breaks down and Page comes in to help with that, only to be thrown outside. Fenix hits the crazy springboard flip dive and we take a break. Back with Nick taking care of both Lucha Bros on the floor, including a moonsault from the apron to Fenix. The hot tag brings in Matt for the rolling northern lights suplexes to Fenix, plus a bonus one to both Bros at once.

We settle down to Butcher working over Omega in the corner and shoving him back first onto Blade’s knee. The slugout goes to Butcher but Omega comes back with a hurricanrana. The hot tag brings in Page to clean house, including a springboard clothesline and a slingshot dive. An overhead belly to belly suplex puts Pentagon down and there’s a big moonsault to the floor. Everything breaks down and it’s Matt getting caught in the corner for Fenix’s running kick to the head.

The rolling cutter sets up a powerbomb/top rope shoulder combination but Omega is back in for the save. The Bucks clean house but Page misses the Buckshot lariat. Superkicks abound from the Bucks and Bros. Another Buckshot hits Blade and a fall away slam sends Blade flying but Page’s knee is banged up. Page won’t tag either of the Bucks so it’s a Sling Blade from Pentagon. The spike Fear Factor finishes Page at 13:13.

Rating: B. Who in the world watches the Lucha Bros wrestle that way and then thinks that they should be heels? They’re the best high flying team in the world and that rarely makes you heels. Anyway, the good storytelling continues and they have a ton of options available for what should be a heck of a Tag Team Title match against the Young Bucks at Revolution.

The losers argue post match.

Post break, Omega is in the ring for an interview but we cut to Pac, who stalks threatens Riho. Why Riho doesn’t RUN AWAY when Pac has his back turned to her isn’t clear but Omega agrees to the match so Pac will leave her alone. Pac says he wasn’t going to attack Riho, but she will. Cue Nyla Rose to powerbomb Riho onto (not through) a table and issue a challenge for next week. Well at least the champ is here for once.

Darby Allin can’t breathe after last week’s attack….so he shoots a flamethrower at a cardboard cutout of Jericho and Guevara.

Kip Sabian vs. Joey Janela

We wouldn’t want to miss this blowoff. Janela takes him into the corner and hammers away to start but Sabian is right back with some right hands of his own. A suplex gives Janela two and he kicks Sabian in the back. That’s enough for Janela, who tells Sabian to kick him in the back to keep things even. Sabian goes with a chinlock instead, with Janela fighting up in a hurry. Janela sends him to the apron and then face first into the steps, with Ford ramming the back of his head into the steps again.

Back from a break with Sabian hitting a hanging suplex for two but Janela sends him outside. That means a suicide dive but Janela needs to threaten to punch Ford, allowing Sabian to kick him in the face. Janela blocks a flip dive though and hits a German suplex to drop Sabian on the floor. Back in and Janela hits a superkick, followed by his hard Death Valley Driver for two. Ford gets on the apron to kiss Sabian but Janela knocks her to the floor by mistake, allowing Sabian to roll him up with tights for the pin at 11:21.

Rating: D+. This is up there on the list of least interesting things AEW has done so far as Janela is not worth watching and Sabian, while better, isn’t that much better. The whole feud being about Ford isn’t worth this much time as the feud feels like it has been going on for several months. I’d love for this to be it but the ending suggests another rematch down the line.

The Inner Circle isn’t happy with what happened and Santana swears vengeance. He’ll take Moxley on a walk through the park next week and it’s eye for an eye.

The Bucks ask Page what was up with that but Nick thinks it was the booze talking.

Next week: Riho vs. Nyla Rose for the Women’s Title, SCU vs. Page/Omega for the Tag Team Titles and Moxley vs. Santana.

In two weeks: a tag team battle royal for the Revolution title shot, plus Cody vs. Wardlow in a cage.

In three weeks: Omega vs. Pac in a thirty minute Iron Man match.

Dustin Rhodes knows Cody has this because he’s tougher than MJF thinks.

Here are MJF and Wardlow so Cody can take his ten lashes. Hold on though as MJF wants to use Cody’s belt. MJF snaps it behind his head to play some mind games and Cody is rather jumpy. The first lash hits and MJF takes off his coat as a bunch of heels come to the stage to watch. There’s the second lash so Cody gets in his face and MJF demands Cody hit him. The third lash puts Cody onto the ropes and here’s Arn Anderson to the ring. Arn tells him to give up now but Cody takes another lash, putting him on the mat.

The fifth drops Cody to his face so Dustin Rhodes comes out to say he’ll take the other five lashes. That doesn’t work for MJF so Dustin can go watch with everyone else. MJF gives Cody two in a row and he looks near tears. Now it’s the Bucks coming down to beg Cody to stop and he rolls to the floor for a bit while MJF chills on the ropes. Cody gets back in and tells MJF to do it, meaning there’s the eighth. MJF: “STAY DOWN B****!” Cody fights up and says two more but it’s going to be Wardlow with the last pair.

Wardlow drops him with one shot and Cody can’t pull himself up. MJF says that means no match so here’s Brandi Rhodes (sane this week) to encourage him to get up. MJF hits him in the chest for the tenth but he’s furious that Cody didn’t give up. Cody’s back looks terrible as everyone comes in to check on him….and MJF gets in a low blow before running off with Wardlow (with a fan jumping them but being subdued in a hurry) to end the show.

This was GREAT and maybe the best thing that AEW has done to date. Something like this is all about building the drama and that’s what they did here, with Cody selling the heck out of each one and getting MJF angrier and angrier as he couldn’t keep Cody down. Having people come in to try and convince Cody to stay down was a great piece of storytelling and while you knew how it was going to end, they took you on a good journey to get there and I was into it rather soon. Really great way to end the show and an outstanding segment.

Overall Rating: B. The wrestling wasn’t the strongest here but they did a good job with the storytelling and laying the show out. That’s what matters more and I would much rather they focus on that rather than trying to get in the long matches every single week. You can do those on occasion, but it’s a lot better to give us some meat rather than just sizzle. Not a great show this week, but check out the ending segment for sure.

Results

Jon Moxley b. Ortiz – Paradigm Shift

Best Friends b. SCU – Code Red to Trent

Yuka Sakazaki b. Britt Baker – Crucifix rollup

Butcher and Blade/Lucha Bros b. Young Bucks/Kenny Omega/Hangman Page – Spike Fear Factor to Page

Kip Sabian b. Joey Janela – Rollup with a handful of tights

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

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

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

IMG Credit: AEW

Dark
Date: February 4, 2020
Location: Wolstein Center, Cleveland, Ohio
Commentators: Excalibur, Tazz
Host: Tony Schiavone

This show has gone in a very different direction over the last few weeks as they have been averaging about half an hour. I’m not sure what that means for the future but it’s been rather nice just getting in and getting out. Granted the show hasn’t been around long enough to exactly have a history or lineage so it could be completely different this time. Let’s get to it.

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

Tony welcomes us to the show and talks about the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He’s rather glad that KISS finally got in….six years ago.

Jurassic Express vs. Brandon Cutler/Sonny Kiss

Marko Stunt/Jungle Boy for the Express here. Stunt and Cutler start things off as we hear about Stunt being exactly a foot shorter than Cutler. Not something I’d point out but Stunt is unique or something and that makes it fun. Some rollups give Stunt two and it’s off to Jungle Boy, who ducks underneath a moonsault out of the corner. A multiple springboard armdrag puts Cutler down and it’s off to Kiss for the splits armdrag. Jungle Boy gets laid over the middle rope and Kiss flips forward into a kick to the ribs. This of course means dancing, which is a theme for this match.

Boy beats up both of them at once and launches Stunt onto him in a flipping splash. Cutler is right back to run Stunt over and a swinging slam gives Cutler two. A hurricanrana finally gets Stunt over to the corner though and it’s Boy coming in to clean house. Something like a Last Chancery (with Cutler on his knees instead of on his stomach) has Cutler in trouble but Kiss makes the save. That earns Kiss a trip to the floor and Boy puts Cutler in a Gory Stretch. Stunt comes off the top with a flipping Stunner for the pin at 7:28.

Rating: C-. It was a step above a squash and that’s a good thing, mainly as it didn’t go on too long. Stunt getting a pin is more acceptable in this situation, though it’s still a big stretch to believe that anything he does can do much damage. That being said, Cutler and Kiss are the lowest of low level wrestlers so it’s not like it makes a difference.

We go to therapy with Brandi Rhodes because we need to get her on the show. She knows something isn’t right and has visions of the therapist wearing her own clothes. Brandi needs to let go of the people she hates. I wouldn’t mind if we let go of this story in general but that’s just me.

Mel vs. Hikaru Shida

Back in and Mel hits an enziguri to drop Mel, followed by a snap suplex for two. Mel kicks her down and drops a leg for her own near fall. A few shots to the face are shrugged off and Shida hits a running knee to the face for two more. Luther offers a distraction so Kong can interfere, only to hit Mel with the kendo stick by mistake. Another running knee finishes Mel at 8:16.

Rating: D+. This is another match that just kind of happened, which tends to be the case with the women’s division. The Nightmare Collective is still one of the least interesting groups (out of several of them) in AEW and I don’t need to see them around all that often. Shida is one of the better women in the division, but the thing is such a mess these days that it doesn’t make much of a difference.

Post match Shida leaves so Kong yells at Mel, who fights back. She and Mel double team Kong and send her through the barricade. A legdrop off the steps leaves Kong down. I’m not sure how one of the most dominant female wrestlers ever will deal with an old hardcore “legend” and a loser like Mel.

Here’s where Dynamite is coming.

From the Jericho cruise.

Kip Sabian/Penelope Ford vs. Kenny Omega/Riho

Gotta get Riho in there. She and Omega are in matching pink and white because they’re long term partners. In Japan but that’s just something we’re supposed to know about. As a bonus, there’s no commentary here and it’s shot indy style with a handheld camera. Ford slaps Omega to start and they lock up as the fans chant for AEW while declaring this wrestling. An exchange of headlocks lets Ford take him down, only to have Omega reverse into a headscissors.

Sabian comes in and says he wants Riho, who works on her own wristlock. That earns her a forearm to the back but she hits a running dropkick and armdrag. Sabian slams her a few times but Riho slips out of a third and brings in Omega to clean house. A running powerslam gives Omega two and it’s Riho coming in for a double stomp and half crab. Back up and Sabian sends them into the corner together but Omega comes out with the jumping Fameasser for two.

It’s back to Riho for some chops in the corner but he takes her over to Ford for the standard stomping and choking package. We’re clipped to Sabian dropping Riho into a camel clutch so Omega can come in for the save. Omega stomps away on her so Ford comes back in to punch Riho in the stomach for two. Riho kicks her down and headscissors Sabian, allowing another hot tag to Omega. You Can’t Escape gets two and Riho’s high crossbody is good for the same.

Sabian scores with an enziguri to Omega and Ford is back in for the handspring elbow. We’re clipped again to Ford hitting a Codebreaker and Sabian adding a legdrop to the back of the head to give her two. Omega finally hits a V Trigger on Sabian and the women come in again, this time with Ford hitting a Stunner for another near fall. Riho misses her top rope double stomp and it’s back to Omega for the slugout and Snapdragon on Sabian. Ford hits Omega low though, leaving Riho to Snapdragon Sabian as well. Omega Snapdragons Ford to even it up and the One Winged Angel finishes Sabian at 16:49.

Rating: C-. Ignoring the parts with Sabian and Omega selling for people half their side or the continued push for Riho, this was a lot longer than it needed to be and not something that needed to be broadcast. It’s one thing as a special feature for the live crowd but having the lack of commentary and handheld camera deal made it feel like I was watching a bad indy. The action was good enough but this didn’t need to air and would have been better left on the cruise deck.

Post match Omega talks about how wrestlers like him are told to stay in their place but this was the beauty of pro wrestling. Now they’re running international TV from a cruise ship and we get some applause for everyone involved. Goodnight and goodbye.

There is no update on Awesome Kong.

Best Friends vs. Shawn Spears/???

It’s another mystery partner and this time that would be….Colin Delaney, with Tully Blanchard thinking he looks good on paper. Is there a point to this story other than making Blanchard look stupid and out of touch? Orange Cassidy and Tully are here of course. Spears flips Cassidy off to start but gets hammerlocked by Trent for his efforts. That’s escaped but Spears cuts himself off from the TEN.

Some chops have Spears wincing and Trent knees him in the chest to send him outside. Delaney (who was the loser jobber in ECW about ten years ago) comes in and armdrags Chuck into an armbar. They flip around a bit into a standoff so Spears comes in at the same time, allowing Chuck to beat them both up. The ring is cleared but Delaney and Spears break up the big hug. Delaney wants his own hug but Spears goes to hug Tully instead.

Back in and Spears gets in an argument with the referee over a count before Delaney grabs a chinlock on Chuck. That’s broken up and it’s Trent coming back in to chop away. A hard clothesline drops Delaney and a running flip dive takes him down as well. Things settle back down and Trent slips out of a double suplex and brings Chuck back in. Soul Food into a half and half suplex gets two on Delaney but Spears crotches Trent on top.

Delaney hits a top rope Stunner into Spears’ Death Valley Driver for two with Chuck making the save. Everything breaks down again so let’s get the Cassidy vs. Blanchard showdown. All four hands go into the pockets and Cassidy does the kicks to the legs but Spears jumps him from behind to break that up. Trent sends Delaney into Spears and it’s a running knee to set up the big hug. That’s enough for Tully and Spears who walk out, leaving Delaney to take Strong Zero for the pin at 15:03.

Rating: D+. What exactly was the point of this? To continue the joke of “Spears needs a partner” which is leading….where? Spears has shown that he is little more than just a hand in the ring and Tully is there with him for the sake of they have nothing else for him. If the best you have is having him put his hands in his pockets so Orange Cassidy can do his signature deal, stop bringing Blanchard out there because he’s a lot more valuable than that.

Delaney and the other three have a group hug.

Tony says goodnight.

Overall Rating: D. So to recap, we had what should have been an extended squash, a match that focused entirely on the Nightmare Collective, that weird indy special match and the latest edition of Spears Needs A Partner/Blanchard Isn’t That Bright. We needed nearly an hour and twenty minutes to get through that? This felt like the lower level card getting their shine and showing why they’re the lower part of the card.

Omega and Riho are the only names of value here and they were in a complete throwaway match which had nothing to do with what they’re doing. It was a waste of time tonight and not a good show, which isn’t a good feeling. Stick with the short and sweet stuff or recaps, not these long, drawn out matches which don’t serve much of a purpose other than catering to people already watching your promotion.

Results

Jurassic Express b. Sonny Kiss/Brandon Cutler – Gory Stretch/Flipping Stunner combination to Cutler

Hikaru Shida b. Mel – Running knee

Kenny Omega/Riho b. Kip Sabian/Penelope Ford – One Winged Angel to Sabian

Best Friends b. Colin Delaney/Shawn Spears – Strong Zero to Delaney

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

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

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

IMG Credit: AEW

Dynamite
Date: January 29, 2020
Location: Wolstein Center, Cleveland, Ohio
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Jim Ross, Excalibur

We’re back on dry land after last week’s show on a boat. We are also a month away from the Revolution pay per view and that means it’s time to hammer home some of the card. A few matches have already been set, with the World Title match between champion Chris Jericho and Jon Moxley being set up last week. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening recap.

Here’s Moxley to get things going and the fans are very happy to see him. He’s known it was coming for a long time but as soon as Jericho stabbed him in the eye, it was clear that the fun and games were over. Now he has his title match and the top of the mountain is in sight. It’s not just the title match though because it’s everything that comes with Jericho. It’s the Inner Circle and everything Jericho will do to keep the title.

Jericho has attacked Cody, stolen Rey’s mask and punched a woman in the face. Moxley isn’t perfect but the title doesn’t matter if you don’t live by a code. Part of that code is that he doesn’t like bullies and he’s ready to deal with one. Moxley is looking down the barrel of a gun at Revolution but he’s taking the title anyway. It’s not the kind of man that you are because it’s about Jericho being the kind of man he isn’t. Moxley knows he’s going to have to look everywhere before he gets to Revolution so let’s just do it tonight.

Cue Jericho, who doesn’t think much of the fans singing him to the ring. The only thing Moxley earned was a spike to the eye because all he had to do was accept the offer to join the Inner Circle. Now he looks like a jacked up Captain Jack Sparrow. Jericho: “Yo ho ho and a bottle of dumb.” Jericho saw Moxley’s mother backstage today and she was looking rather fetching. She must be worried because Moxley is in over his head and it all started with that champagne bottle.

Moxley can’t take the title from him because he can’t even blink with both eyes. The fans want to see the fight tonight but Jericho tells them where they can go. Jericho calls out the Inner Circle so Moxley counts the five of them. He’s not that crazy and stupid because he was born in Ohio. After some cheap pops, Moxley says it’s him and the rest of the arena against the Inner Circle. Moxley is ready to fight but Jericho has even more backup from the south Bronx.

That would be….just a bunch of guys to make it ten on one. It’s time to fight so Ortiz comes at Moxley with an ax handle. That earns him a headbutt and Paradigm Shift on the floor so Moxley can go after everyone else (ignoring the ax handle for some reason). Agents and security come out to break it up so Moxley takes one of them out before walking away through the crowd. I kept waiting for someone to join Moxley but it makes more sense that he did this alone.

Maxwell Jacob Friedman and Wardlow go into a butcher shop where the Bunny is waiting on them with a knife. MJF hands her an envelope with YOUNG BUCKS written on it.

Butcher and Blade vs. Young Bucks

The Bunny is at ringside and MJF is on commentary, ranting about how unsafe last week was because he can’t swim. Blade runs Matt over to start but a rolling tag brings Nick in as MJF confirms that there was money in the envelope. Matt slingshots in with a legdrop to Blade’s back but Blade runs Matt over, allowing MJF to rant about how the Bucks are backyard wrestlers.

Matt runs around and makes the tag off to Nick, who misses a spinning kick to the head. A Bunny distraction lets Butcher run Nick over on the floor, followed by Blade hitting his own flip dive to the floor. Back from a break with Nick in trouble, including a gutwrench powerbomb from Butcher. Nick is fine enough to roll over for the hot tag to Matt and it’s time to clean house. The flip dives and a standing Sliced Bread #2 set up the Meltzer Driver to finish Butcher at 8:38.

Rating: C. Pretty standard formula match here and that’s about all you can ask for. The Butcher and Blade continue to fall, even though they never were all that high up in the first place. I can get the idea of them being the hired guns but at some point they need to, you know, do something.

Post match the beatdown is on again but Kenny Omega runs in for the save. Hangman Page follows (drink in hand) and literally has Matt hold his beer so he can hit a Buckshot lariat.

Nyla Rose vs. Big Swole

Swole slugs away to start and takes her down for a low Downward Spiral for two. A dropkick puts Rose on the floor but she blocks a kick from the apron and sends Swole into the barricade. Swole gets posted and we take a break. Back with Swole grabbing a guillotine and kicking away at Rose even more. A springboard cutter gives Swole two and another Downward Spiral drops Rose again. Swole loads up Dirty Dancing but Rose cuts her down with a spear. The Beast Bomb gives Rose the pin at 8:53.

Rating: D+. I wasn’t feeling this one as it was mainly Swole dominating her until the one big move at the end. Rose still isn’t clicking and I’m not exactly thrilled at seeing her face Riho again. That seems to be where we’re heading for Revolution though and maybe we can see something fresh for a change.

BUY MERCH!

Cody vs. Kip Sabian

Arn Anderson and Penelope Ford are at ringside. Sabian hits a running dropkick in the corner to start and goes to yell at Anderson so we slow down a bit. Cody gets in a dropkick of his own and they go to the floor, where Ford gets knocked down by a stray Cody elbow. Cody picks her up so Sabian can get in a cheap shot as Ford is, of course, fine. We pause for kissing and take a break.

Back with Cody taking off the weightlifting belt but Ford takes it away and throws in her shoe. Anderson freaks out and gets in the ring, where he bumps the referee for an ejection. Cody tells him it’s ok but Ford uses the distraction to take him down. Sabian adds a big flip dive so he goes to kiss Ford, only to have Joey Janela pop up between them.

Rating: C+. There was too much going on in this one and while the action was good, the distractions got annoying here. Sabian is a good midcard heel and that’s a fine place to put him. What isn’t a fine place to put him is in this feud with Janela, which has been dead on arrival since the start. It’s getting really old in a hurry and doesn’t seem to be going anywhere at all. Just end it already and let them move on to anything else.

We look back at Britt Baker humiliating Tony Schiavone last week.

Here’s Baker for a chat with Tony on the stage. She thinks they’re a dream team, but she isn’t happy with Jim Ross for treating her badly last week. Baker rips on him for constantly bringing up her being a dentist and taking a big paycheck while always getting the wrestlers’ names wrong. She’ll be here every week to show off her smile, unlike Riho. As for Tony, it’s pretty clear that he has gingivitis so pick up a toothbrush. Congratulations Cleveland, because you finally have a Baker you can trust in. I’m not sure how good of a heel tactic it is to point out that your commentary is bad at his job.

Kenny Omega and the Young Bucks are in the back to talk about getting back on the winning track. Page comes in and says he’s glad they got their name plates on the title today. They don’t say Buck though. Page leaves and Kenny says it’s ok because next week it’s the four of them against Butcher and Blade and another tag team of their choice. The Bucks seem happy with that one.

SCU vs. Hybrid 2

SCU (Kazarian and Sky here with Daniels at ringside) are all in Kobe Bryant jerseys. Kazarian starts with some headlock takeovers to Angelico, who can’t do much about them. A snap suplex and release German suplex give Kazarian two and it’s Sky coming in for a headbutt to the back.

Evans comes in and kicks Sky down to take over and we take a break. Back with Kazarian cleaning house, including cuttering Angelico for two with Evans having to springboard in for the save. Evans misses a Sasuke Special to the floor and gets kicked in the face. SCU Later finishes Angelico at 10:12.

Rating: C. There’s something about the Hybrid 2 that keeps me from getting into them. Maybe it’s being heel high fliers. SCU continues to be their usual awesome selves though, which is all they need to be to stick around. They rarely hit the higher gears of athleticism that other teams do but they do everything so crisp and smoothly that it’s hard to not like them. Nice enough match and the right team won.

Post match the Dark Order says the Exalted One is sending them after Christopher Daniels’ friends.

Pac is mad at losing and says he’s coming for Moxley after Revolution. He hasn’t forgotten about Kenny Omega either and next week, he’s coming for Kenny’s blood.

Next week: Cody takes ten lashes, Elite vs. Lucha Bros/Butcher and Blade.

Darby Allin/Private Party vs. Chris Jericho/Santana/Ortiz

The rest of the Inner Circle is here and the fans are way into Allin to start. Jericho, with the Puerto Rican bandanna around his neck, starts with Allin, who picks up the pace early on. A very high angle springboard armdrag sends Jericho crawling over to Santana and Ortiz in a bit that will always work. Kassidy and Ortiz come in with the former hitting a kick to the head.

Quen follows and it’s some fast paced double teaming, including the camel clutch/double stomp to the back of the head, connecting on Ortiz. A dropkick puts Quen down as the announcers make jokes about plugging the movie coming up next on TNT. Quen hits a hurricanrana on Ortiz to send him into Santana for a rather weak looking spear. Kassidy comes back in for a spinning rollup, followed by a victory roll for the same. Jericho dropkicks Kassidy down though and we take a break.

Back with Kassidy still in trouble, this time thanks to a Lionsault and Ortiz’s falling splash for two. A hurricanrana gets Kassidy out of trouble though and it’s the hot tag to Allin. House is cleaned, including the flipping Stunner and a Code Red for two on Santana. Everything breaks down and Kassidy hits a slingshot crucifix bomb on Ortiz.

Santana grabs a rolling cutter to drop Kassidy but the legal Allin is right there to forearm him. A springboard moonsault gets two on Jericho and there’s the Coffin Drop to the floor onto Hager. Quen hits a flip dive of his own and the Swanton gets a close two on Jericho. Not that it matters as the Judas Effect knocks Kassidy silly for the pin at 12:20.

Rating: C+. Nice six man tag here with the Inner Circle not getting involved all that much. Private Party getting pinned by Jericho is hardly a downgrade and the match worked out well enough for what they were going for. Allin continues to look like a star in the making and that’s the kind of good sign that he needs for the future.

Post match the Inner Circle leaves but comes back to beat the three of them down again, including some whips with the title. Sammy even uses the skateboard to crush Allin’s throat. Moxley finally jogs out with a baseball bat for the save to end the show.

Overall Rating: C. I really wasn’t feeling this one tonight, even though it was a completely watchable show. They did a good job of setting up Moxley vs. Jericho but there wasn’t anything else of note that I wanted to see going forward. Some of the wrestling was fine enough, but there is nothing you really needed to see this week.

Results

Young Bucks b. Butcher and Blade – Meltzer Driver to Butcher

Nyla Rose b. Big Swole – Beast Bomb

Cody b. Kip Sabian – Cross Rhodes

SCU b. Hybrid 2 – SCU Later to Angelico

Inner Circle b. Darby Allin/Private Party – Judas Effect to Kassidy

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

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

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

IMG Credit: AEW

Dark
Date: January 28, 2020
Location: Watsco Center, Miami, Florida/Norwegian Pearl, International Waters
Commentators: Excalibur, Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone
Host: Tony Schiavone

We’re back on the boat and I’m not sure what to make of this show anymore. Last week’s edition was just under half an hour long and I’m kind of digging that. There is something nice about getting in and getting out, as you don’t want to overload the fans with too much content. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

From Miami.

Nyla Rose vs. Shanna

Tables match. Shanna goes right after her to start and the right hands fly in a hurry, only to have Nyla shove her away. The first table is pulled out early on so Shanna dives off the apron to take Rose down. That just earns her a shove into the barricade and the table is set up in the corner. A drop toehold sends Rose head first into but not through the table. Shanna hits a running dropkick in the corner and takes her up for a super hurricanrana right back down.

The table is set up in the middle this time but Shanna can’t lift her up. She can however block an AA through the table and DDT Nyla onto the side for a nasty landing. The table is set up outside so Nyla is sent to the apron. Shanna tries a dive but gets caught in a chokeslam through the table to give Rose the win at 8:04.

Rating: D. This was really bad with neither looking good and the table stipulation not being needed. JR acknowledged how bad it was with the bowling shoe analogy and I don’t know what else they were expecting. How else was something like this to go? Pretty bad miss here but at least Rose is being rebuilt.

Post match Rose goes after her again but Sadie Gibbs comes out for the save. That just earns her another chokeslam through another table.

Here’s where AEW is coming.

From the cruise.

QT Marshall vs. Kip Sabian

Penelope Ford is here with Sabian. They run the ropes to start without getting much contact until Marshall hits a handspring kick to the face. Marshall goes up but gets pulled down by Ford, allowing Sabian to hit Eat Defeat for two. Sabian works on the arm for a bit, followed by a hanging swinging neckbreaker for the same. Hold on though as Marshall needs to go outside and yell at a fan, allowing Marshall to make the comeback. A tilt-a-whirl slam gets two on Sabian and Ford has to save him from an armbar. Back in and Sabian grabs a sunset flip so Ford grabs his hands for the leverage and the pin at 6:36.

Rating: C-. Battle of two good hands here and that’s not really enough to keep my interest. The wrestling was fine enough, with Ford being fine as the cheating manager. Neither of them are going to go anywhere anytime soon, but that is the case with a lot of people featured in AEW at the moment.

From Miami again.

Dark Order vs. Sonny Kiss/Brandon Cutler

Cutler has some new gear, including a 20 sided die. Grayson runs Kiss over to start and drives him into the corner so Uno can come in for two off a big boot. It’s back to Grayson to suplex Kiss down while telling him that he can be more. Kiss is back with a legsweep and a slingshot splits legdrop. One of the Creepers grabs the leg though and it’s Nightfall into the Fatality for the pin on Kiss at 3:10. Cutler was never in the match.

Rating: D. The squash was a good idea for the team but Uno is still dragging things way down for the team. He looks like a joke and Grayson’s good look isn’t enough to overcome anything. I could go for more squashes like this though as it lets the winners showcase themselves, which isn’t the case around here often enough. Try some more of them out and see where you get.

Overall Rating: D-. I really can’t call this a waste of time as it’s only thirty two minutes long but this show has rapidly become the Main Event/Superstars show without the recaps. In other words, it doesn’t offer a ton of value and I’m curious to see how they’re going to retool this to make it work for television. No one would watch this show on regular TV and I’m not sure how much value it is going to have online either. It’s not bad, but it’s a completely nothing show.

Results

Nyla Rose b. Shanna – Chokeslam through a table

Kip Sabian b. QT Marshall – Rollup

Dark Order b. Sonny Kiss/Brandon Cutler – Fatality to Kiss

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

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

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

IMG Credit: WWE

Dynamite
Date: January 22, 2020
Location: Norwegian Pearl, International Waters
Commentators: Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone, Excalibur

And now, we’re on a boat. If there is one thing that AEW has managed to do well it is offering in some changes of venue. That is the case again here as they are presenting this week’s show from Chris Jericho’s Rock N Rager cruise, with the matches taking place on the deck of the boat. That’s cool enough as it is, but there are some big matches as well. Let’s get to it.

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

Tag Team Titles: SCU vs. Hangman Page/Kenny Omega

SCU is defending and Page’s name graphic says “was hoping this was a booze cruise”. Kazarian headlocks Page to start as JR gets to talk about Danny Hodge a bit. Page tries to send him into the ropes and drops down, only to get headlocked again. Back up and Kazarian strikes away, setting up a discus lariat to put Page down again. Page fights up and shoves Kazarian away so it’s off to Omega and Sky.

The feeling out process goes on until Omega shoulders him down, only to have Sky nip right back up. The running Fameasser puts Sky down again and it’s back to Page for some chops. A blind tag brings Kazarian back in though and it’s a spinwheel kick to drop Page and put the champs in control again. The springboard legdrop gets two and Page gets dropped on his head, with Omega coming in before the referee can even get to the mat. Sky gets sent to the apron though and Page blasts Kazarian with a clothesline. JR: “Clothesline from Page, who has delivered the mail tonight!”

Kazarian is back up with a Backstabber and an Unprettier for two on Page but a double clothesline gives us a double knockdown. That’s enough for the hot tag to Omega so the pace can pick up a little bit. Omega hurricanranas Sky and Snapdragons Kazarian, setting up YOU CAN’T ESCAPE (with Page adding a shooting star in the middle) to Sky. Page dives onto Kazarian as Omega plants Sky for two, only to miss the V Trigger. A jumping knee works a bit better but Sky catches him on the middle rope with a super hurricanrana.

Back with Page superplexing Kazarian down and Omega feeding him into a discus forearm from Page. The Snapdragon drops Sky and a Jay Driller gives Omega two. Everything breaks down again and a quick SCULater gets two on Omega with Page shoving Sky into the cover for the save. Page cleans house again and hits a pop up powerbomb on Kazarian, followed by the Buckshot Lariat to Sky on the ramp. Another Buckshot Lariat finishes Kazarian for the pin and the titles at 19:09.

Rating: B+. It’s almost hard to believe that it’s the first time a title has changed hands around here. It was a heck of a match too with both teams looking great until the finish. I’m not sure where this is going to go with Page splitting away from the Elite and the whole alcohol thing but it’s a story that has a lot of possibilities. There was a lot of action here though and it opens up a lot of doors going forward.

Post match the Young Bucks come out to celebrate but Page goes into the crowd to drink and crowd surf.

Priscilla Kelly vs. Britt Baker

Baker takes her down for an early rollup and we take a slightly less early break. Back with Baker getting tied in the ropes for a pull of the arms, setting up a running dropkick from behind. Baker hits a clothesline and they run the ropes without hitting anything for a bit. A Sling Blade gives Baker two but Kelly kicks her in the head for the same. Baker hits her own kick though and pulls Kelly down into Lockjaw for the tap at 6:02.

Rating: C-. Just a match here as they try to get Baker over without giving her the title. Baker is someone where she seems to have all the tools but the whole is different than the sum of all the parts. It just isn’t clicking for some reason and I’m not sure if that’s going to get better. Kelly has a great look but she didn’t do much of anything here, albeit without having much time.

Post match Tony Schiavone goes to the ring to talk with Baker, who says we all love him even though he used to work at Starbucks. Sure he was a bad barista but no one looks down on him for that. The people look up to her and shouldn’t hate her because she’s beautiful, smart and a dentist. She keeps talking down to Tony as we take a break.

We look back at Jungle Boy surviving ten minutes against Chris Jericho.

Jurassic Express vs. Santana/Ortiz/Chris Jericho

Believe it or not, Chris Jericho (with Jake Hager) is the most popular guy on his own cruise with the fans singing him to the ring. Jericho and Boy start things off with Jericho shoving him in the face, earning himself a bunch of shots to the face. Ortiz comes in and avoids a dropkick but can’t do it twice, allowing Boy to get the first near fall. Luchasaurus comes in and sends Boy at Ortiz for the Downward Spiral.

Stunt comes in (wearing a child size life jacket) with a splash off of Luchasaurus’ shoulders and no count because the referee didn’t see the tag. Stunt gets in a fight with the life jacket but finally gets it off as the Express gets to pose. Luchasaurus kicks Santana in the head and Boy kicks him in the back for two of his own. Santana knocks him off the top though and we take a break.

Back with Jericho standing on Boy’s hair and handing it off to Santana to do the same. Santana works on a backbreaker with Boy being bent over the knee. It’s back to Jericho, who gets shoved off the top and hit with a high crossbody for two but Santana and Ortiz prevent the hot tag. Ortiz’s running splash gets two but Boy is right back with a reverse hurricanrana to plant Ortiz on the afro.

The hot tag brings in Luchasaurus to clean house and grab Jericho by the throat, with Ortiz making the save. JR: “Ortiz is insane.” More strikes, including the Tail Whip, knock the Inner Circle down again and it’s a standing moonsault for two on Jericho. Luchasaurus goes after Hager on the stage though, leaving Stunt to hit a 450 on Jericho for two. That’s enough for Jericho who hits the Judas Effect on Stunt for the pin at 14:08.

Rating: C+. I think I can live with Jericho getting a pin on a glorified mascot on his own cruise. It was a nice enough match too and Luchasaurus got to look great, which is what mattered more than anything else. They’ve done a great job of protecting him and if this means we get Luchasaurus vs. Hager in a hoss fight at Revolution, so be it.

Video on MJF vs. Cody.

Maxwell Jacob Friedman vs. Joey Janela

MJF shoves him away to start and it’s some headlock takeovers with headscissors breaking them up. A handshake offer doesn’t work as MJF spits in his face, only to bail from the threat of a right hand. He changes his mind though and charges down the ramp at Janela, who backdrops him back inside.

MJF hides behind the referee though and the distraction lets him forearm the heck out of Janela. Back from a break with Janela superplexing MJF but here are Kip Sabian and Penelope Ford on the ramp to distract Janela. The top rope elbow misses and MJF hits Cross Rhodes for the pin at 9:00.

Rating: C-. I don’t think it’s any secret that MJF is better on the mic than in the ring but this was fine enough. Janela on the other hand has just fallen through the floor and feels like the biggest afterthought in the company these days. His feud with Sabian isn’t interesting and I’m not sure why it keeps going, but that’s what we’re getting for weeks on end. It isn’t much every week, but both guys need to do something else.

Post match MJF talks about Cody getting all intense last week but MJF wasn’t impressed. Cue Cody to interrupt but MJF demands that his music be cut. MJF reminds Cody that he can’t touch him and MJF is very sorry about that. He offers Cody the mic and then drops it, demanding that Cody pick it up, only to kick it away. MJF gets on the ramp and Cody agrees that he can’t touch him. Instead, here are the Young Bucks to superkick MJF and then throw him in the pool.

Video on the cruise.

Kenny Omega and Hangman Page are proud of their win with Page taking most of the credit (and most of the drinks). As for Pac, Omega is willing to get his rubber match. The Young Bucks pop in and Omega says the two of them always have their backs. Page laughs that the Bucks didn’t win the titles first and walks off. Omega plays peacekeeper again.

Jon Moxley vs. Pac

#1 contenders match with Chris Jericho on commentary and Moxley’s eye bandaged after last week’s spike attack. After the Big Match Intros, they go technical to start with the fans seemingly behind Moxley. Some chops have Pac in trouble and a release German suplex makes it even worse. Pac is right back with some crossface shots and choking as the fans shout at another ship pulling up beside this one.

They head outside with Moxley sending him into the post as we take a break. Back with Moxley hitting a heck of a clothesline and they’re both down. A release vertical suplex gets two on Pac, who comes right back with an eyebreaker (as in a jawbreaker but he puts his head under Moxley’s eye instead). Pac takes him up top for a superplex but Moxley shoves him off. The top rope elbow hits knees though and Pac tries the Brutalizer. That’s broken up so Pac kicks him in the eye over and over.

Pac hits a running dropkick to the eye but a 450 hits knees, allowing Moxley to grab his own two. A release German suplex sends Moxley flying but the Black Arrow misses. Pac hits a superplex but Moxley is right back with the Paradigm Shift for two. Jericho: “STAY DOWN MOXLEY STAY DOWN!” Moxley goes up top again, earning himself a top rope superplex into the Brutalizer. That’s broken up with a foot on the ropes so Pac hammers at the bandaged eye some more. Moxley grabs a small package for two, followed by the Paradigm Shift. Another Paradigm Shift finishes Pac at 17:13.

Rating: B. Good stuff here, even if the ending wasn’t the most shocking in the world. Moxley vs. Jericho should be very good, but well done with having Jericho talk about wanting to face Pac. The eye was a nice addition too and Moxley sold it rather well. This was the kind of hard hitting match that both of them can do very well and it should set up another awesome match at Revolution.

Moxley stares Jericho down to end the show.

Overall Rating: A-. Another very good show here with the book ending matches both working. They did a great job of setting things up for the future, both at Revolution and at some undetermined point. I liked what they did here with a lot of stuff and the atmosphere made it even better. Heck of a show here and they’re clicking well in the new year.

Results

Hangman Page/Kenny Omega b. SCU – Buckshot lariat to Kazarian

Britt Baker b. Priscilla Kelly – Lockjaw

Chris Jericho/Santana/Ortiz b. Jurassic Express – Judas Effect to Stunt

Maxwell Jacob Friedman b. Joey Janela – Cross Rhodes

Jon Moxley b. Pac – Paradigm Shift

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also -available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

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

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

IMG Credit: WWE

Dark
Date: January 21, 2020
Location: Watsco Center, Miami, Florida
Commentators: Excalibur, Taz
Hosts: Tony Schiavone, Dasha Gonzalez

It’s another show from the Bash At The Beach special, though I’m not sure if this one counts or not. Dark has gotten a lot shorter in recent weeks and that’s a good thing. Keeping things short lets the show pack a bit more of a punch without wearing out its welcome. Now hopefully they keep it that way. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

The hosts welcome run down the card.

Big Swole vs. Diamante

Swole grabs the wristlock to start and rolls her up for a fast one. An exchange of rollups is good for an exchange of one counts and sets up an exchange of headlocks. Swole wins an exchange of shoulders and kicks Diamante in the face for the first real knockdown. Diamante knees her right back and chokes a bit, but can only hit two Amigos.

A lot of taunting the crowd doesn’t get Diamante very far so she German suplexes Swole into the corner for two instead. Frustration sets in so Diamante grabs….a pair of sandals? One of them is taken away but the second connects for a few shots, only to have Swole take it away. That means an abdominal stretch for some spanking with the sandal, much to the fans’ delight. Now even more annoyed, Diamante misses a bunch of kicks before getting headbutted away. Dirty Dancing finishes for Swole at 7:22.

Rating: D+. I wasn’t feeling this one very well, but Swole is the kind of person that AEW needs. She isn’t well known but has an interesting story that people could get behind. Push her and see what she can do as she can back it up well enough in the ring. I don’t know if she’s going to be the next big thing, but they need a big thing for the future at some point so see what she might have.

Here’s where Dynamite is coming.

Strong Hearts vs. Jurassic Express

Jungle Boy headlocks T-Hawk to start but loses a battle of the shoulder blocks. The pace picks up a bit with Boy flipping him into a pair of kicks to the face. A chop knocks Boy back though, meaning it’s Stunt tagging himself in to face Lindaman. Stunt pumps himself up to try some shoulders, which go as well as you would expect. A slingshot sunset flip gets two on Lindaman but he avoids a leg lariat for a standoff.

It’s off to Cima for a running dropkick on Luchasaurus, which doesn’t have much effect. Luchasaurus cleans house and throws Boy at Cima for a Downward Spiral. Back to back springboard armdrags put T-Hawk and Cima on the floor and that means back to back suicide dives. Luchasaurus throws Stunt onto the two of them for a bonus and we settle down to Stunt pounding on Cima, only to get caught with a triple basement dropkick.

Something like an STF has Stunt in more trouble until a rope grab is good for the save. Stunt forearms away but runs into a sitout spinebuster for two, setting up an assisted double flip powerslam (Chikara fans would know it better as Ragnarok). Jungle Boy makes the save as everything breaks down.

The hot tag brings in Luchasaurus to start wrecking people, including slamming T-Hawk onto Cima. A standing moonsault gets two on Lindaman and it’s Boy’s lifted Downward Spiral for two. Luchasaurus gets to kick more people in the face and then tosses Lindaman into a sitout spinebuster (similar to the North’s finisher) to give Boy the pin at 10:51.

Rating: C+. I’m still not big on Stunt but this was a fun six man with Luchasaurus getting to show off and Boy continuing his good roll over the last few months. The Jurassic Express got off to a pretty slow start so it’s nice to see them getting back on their feet in the new year. Hopefully that continues, as Luchasaurus could go somewhere with or without the other two.

Tony and Dasha wrap it up.

Overall Rating: C. Well that was quick. This one didn’t even clock in at half an hour, which makes it more like the kind of show I was expecting when the show was announced. You don’t need all of the recaps and story building things around here (though the latter are nice bonuses on occasion) and going with a straight wrestling show is a good idea. Not a bad show here, but the length was the most surprising part, as the show has been cut by nearly forty five minutes in just a few weeks.

Results

Big Swole b. Diamante – Dirty Dancing

Jurassic Express b. Strong Hearts – Assisted sitout spinebuster to Lindaman

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also -available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

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

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

IMG Credit: AEW

Dynamite
Date: January 15, 2020
Location: Watsco Center, Miami, Florida
Commentators: Jim Ross, Excalibur, Tony Schiavone

It’s the first half of Bash At The Beach, with the second half coming next week from a boat (yes a boat). The big story this week is the fallout from last week with Jon Moxley turning down Chris Jericho’s offer of a spot in the Inner Circle with a champagne bottle. That all but guarantees a title match at Revolution so it’s time to built things up. Let’s get to it.

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

In Memory of Rocky Johnson, though JR makes sure to mention La Parka, Kendo Nagasaki and Pampero Firpo passing away recently as well.

The set has a beach theme, complete with a lifeguard in a swimsuit.

Kenny Omega/Hangman Page vs. Santana/Ortiz vs. Young Bucks vs. Best Friends

They don’t waste time on this show. One fall to a finish for the #1 contendership. Trent shoulders Nick down to start but Nick is back up to miss a kick to the face, giving us a standoff. Page comes in to knock Chuck down so it’s off to Matt vs. Kenny, who shake hands before we’re ready to go. Santana tags himself in and everything breaks down for a bit, with the Bucks taking over again.

It’s Trent getting caught in the Bucks’ corner with Matt hitting the rolling northern lights suplexes. Matt tries one too many though and gets caught with a tornado DDT. It’s Chuck coming in to take over, including a standing Sliced Bread and a sitout powerbomb for two on Matt. Santana breaks up the big hug though and it’s a double belly to back flip to plant Matt. The big flips have Santana and Ortiz in even more in control and it’s the passing delayed vertical suplex to Matt.

Ortiz even throws in the Eddie Guerrero dance for a nice moment. Matt hits the flip Stunner out of the corner but since Nick isn’t on the apron, he tags Omega in instead of Page. Omega cleans house with Snapdragons all around and everything breaks down again. Page moonsaults onto Ortiz and Chuck but Omega’s dive is broken up. Santana hits a springboard flip dive onto Page and Omega, followed by Chuck and Nick hitting stereo flip dives.

Trent one ups them all thoug by superplexing Matt onto the huge pile at ringside to put everyone down. We get the huge group suplex with the Bucks, Omega and Page being suplexes at the same time, with Orange Cassidy coming in for the deciding help. That means a big hug and JR is dying of laughter.

The Best Friends hit stereo piledrivers on Omega and Page and there’s Strong Zero to Omega, with the Bucks having to make the save. The Bucks clean house with superkicks and Page runs into a knee from Chuck. Santana and Ortiz get superkicked to the floor, leaving Trent to have to save Chuck from the Meltzer Driver. Page tags himself in though and low bridges Trent to the floor, leaving Chuck to take the Buckshot Lariat/V Trigger combination to give Page the pin at 16:34.

Rating: A-. This was a blast with almost all action for the better part of seventeen minutes. I know it might not be the best in terms of psychology or build but that’s not the point here. It was a crazy, fast paced match and even managed to advance Page’s issues with the rest of the Elite. Great stuff, set up a title match and had storytelling as well.

Post match the Bucks aren’t happy with Page.

Here’s Cody, looking very Miami Viceish, to address MJF’s conditions for a match. We look at the stipulations (Cody can’t touch him until Revolution, Cody has to take ten lashes on live TV and Cody has to face Wardlow in a cage match) and Cody gets it. He understands what it’s like to have someone steal your thunder so maybe MJF understands that once Wardlow debuts, people will think MJF should be carrying his bags. He’s willing to take the lashes, but the easy one is not touching MJF until Revolution.

Cody is already living rent free inside MJF’s head and everyone knows MJF is stalling. MJF has wanted to be famous his entire life and he’s living off the old school wrestling people saying he’s a real villain. Cody accepts the stipulations and is willing to take the lashes because at Revolution, he’ll give MJF his own scar. More good stuff from Cody here, who feels like a star. That’s impressive in a white suit.

Joey Janela talks about looking forward to a new year but got hit low by Penelope Ford. Now Ford is with Kip Sabian, so Sabian can bring it on. Joey is ready to face Fenix next week and get the year on track in a good way.

Mel/Brandi Rhodes vs. Hikaru Shida/Kris Stadtlander

Luther is here with Mel and Brandi, as commentary tries to explain that we should know who Luther is. Stadtlander goes after Brandi but Mel blocks her, leaving Luther to stop Shida in the aisle. Shida isn’t having that and beats him down with a kendo stick to get inside and save Stadtlander.

Mel gets sent outside to start so Stadtlander kicks her from the apron (clearly missed) and then moonsaults from the apron to the floor for….kind of a slap to the back at best. Shida grabs the chair for the step up knee to Mel’s face as Luther has the referee by mistake. We settle down to Mel choking Shida, followed by Brandi getting in some choking of her own. Stadtlander tries to come in for the save so Brandi and Mel do the switch without making a tag.

JR isn’t sure why you wouldn’t just make a tag when you’re in control and we take a break. Back with Stadtlander coming in and hitting a spinning slam for two on Brandi. Mel makes the save so Shida comes in with a missile dropkick which grazed Mel at best. Brandi spears Stadtlander down for two and Mel plants her down for the same. Shida is back up with a superplex to Mel so Stadtlander can hit a running knee for two. Brandi gets knocked off the apron and it’s a kneeling Tombstone to finish Mel at 11:15.

Rating: D. This thing dragged really badly and felt a lot longer than it actually was. There were a lot of noticeable botches as well with several shots just completely missing. Brandi and Mel didn’t work in the ring here whatsoever while Stadtlander and Shida deserve a lot better than what they got here. This didn’t work in the slightest and was just bad on a lot of levels.

A member of the Dark Order talks to the supreme leader about some cases they’re working on. They want Michael Nakazawa, Brandon Cutler and Hangman Page, all of whom have already been interested in the team or are prime targets. See, now this works, mainly because Evil Uno isn’t involved.

Jon Moxley vs. Sammy Guevara

Moxley drives the expensive car into the arena to show off. Sammy hits a running dropkick in the corner to start but Moxley sends him into another corner and hits a clothesline. A springboard cutter plants Moxley to send him outside though setting up the big running flip dive so Sammy can pose a bit. Moxley is right back up but can’t hit the Paradigm Shift on the apron. Instead Sammy hits a middle rope double stomp to the apron and then poses in the ring for a bonus.

We take a break and come back with Sammy hitting a running shooting star press for two. Moxley’s headlock driver gets two and he goes up top, only to get caught with a super Spanish Fly. A jumping knee to the head sets up a torture rack flipped into another knee to the face for two on Moxley and Sammy can’t believe the kickout. Sammy tries a moonsault press but Moxley pulls him straight into a rear naked choke for the pin at 9:25.

Rating: B. This was Sammy’s big match here as he looked awesome and put up more of a fight than he has in any match he’s had to date. He was hanging in there with Moxley until the surprise ending, which offers another direction for Moxley. I liked this one a lot more than I would have bet on and it wasn’t the glorified squash I was expecting.

Post match Chris Jericho’s music hits and the lights to out. They come back to reveal the Inner Circle so the big beatdown is on in a hurry. Everyone gets in a shot and Jericho pulls a spike off of his jacket. It goes into Moxley’s eye, which is finally enough to bring out the referees.

Post break, Jericho says that was all on Moxley because they offered him the keys to the kingdom and he smashed a champagne bottle on Jericho’s head. They’ll beat up the Jurassic Express next week when Jericho wipes the deck with Jungle Boy’s hair. Oh and they’ll see Moxley next week, even if he can’t see them. Sammy hits on the interviewer before leaving, which fits him perfectly.

Butcher and the Blade/Maxwell Jacob Friedman vs. Diamond Dallas Page/QT Marshall/Dustin Rhodes

MJF is wearing an “I BANGED DALLAS’ DAUGHTER” shirt, complete with the Diamond sign. Page, who is actually wrestling without a shirt, and MJF start but it’s already off to the Butcher before anything happens. Marshall comes in to face Butcher so it’s already back to MJF as we’re doing that thing. A cartwheel gets on MJF’s nerves and his offer of a handshake just earns him a middle finger.

Dustin comes in and cleans house but Wardlow slips in the diamond ring for a cheap shot. Bunny and Wardlow both get in their cheap shots and we take a break. Back with “Michael” Jacob Friedman dropping down onto Rhodes’ back and striking a few poses. He drops down onto some raised knees as well to crotch himself (an old Arn Anderson spot) and Dustin sends him outside, allowing the hot tag to Page.

House is cleaned with discus lariats all around and a Diamond Cutter drops Butcher. Another Cutter to Page is blocked so Dustin hits a middle rope Canadian Destroyer instead. Now the Cutter connects to send MJF to the floor and Dustin Cannonballs off the apron onto Butcher and Blade. Page DIVES OFF THE TOP ONTO EVERYONE and we spend so much time looking at replays that we miss MJF rolling up Marshall with trunks for the pin at 10:32.

Rating: C. Butcher and Blade look more and more useless every single week and that’s not going to help them. It doesn’t help when Bunny is getting every bit of the attention and that isn’t going to stop anytime soon. MJF getting the pin was the only logical option to pick here but Page was the star of this match and looked like he did 20 years ago (when he was in his 40s, because he’s that much of a freak).

A drunk Hangman Page interrupts SCU’s interview but Omega breaks it up. Omega shows respect and everything is cool, mainly because he gets Page out of there.

Darby Allin vs. Pac

The winner faces Moxley next week for the #1 contendership. Darby starts flipping a lot and dropkicks Pac down, only to walk into a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. A shotgun dropkick puts Pac on the floor but he’s fine enough to counter a hurricanrana into a swing into the steps. Back from a break with Allin being sent into the barricade and a missile dropkick connecting back inside. Allin reverses a super Samoan drop into a super crucifix bomb and the adrenaline is flowing.

A Coffin Drop to the floor drops Pack again and a Code Red gets two on Pac back inside. Pac cuts off a baseball slide by tying Allin in the ring skirt and a hard clothesline gives Pac two. We get a quick pinfall reversal sequence and we have five minutes of TV time remaining. Pac grabs a sitout powerbomb for two, with Tony freaking out on the kickout. Allin gets headbutted off the top though and the Black Arrow to the back finishes Allin at 11:46.

Rating: B-. This was a good example of how to pick someone apart as Pac destroyed Allin’s back the entire match. Pac vs. Moxley should be a heck of a fight and the cool atmosphere should make it even better. Allin continues to wrestle very hard every single week and he has become a star by doing it. Nice match here and Pac looks like a killer.

Post match Pac declares himself #1 contender because Moxley can’t go next week. Pac is coming for Jericho and the title but Tony cuts him off. We see Moxley, with his eye bandaged, being loaded into an ambulance but he gets out and comes to the ring. Moxley says he’ll wrestle blind if he has to and promises to go on to Revolution because it’s his title shot.

Overall Rating: B+. They were this close to having a classic show but the women’s tag and the six man didn’t do them any favors. What worked here worked very well though with the great opener and some awesome angle advancement throughout. It was a heck of a show with everyone working hard and Revolution really starting to take shape. I liked this one a lot and if you fix the glaring problems, it’s their best show ever by a mile.

Results

Kenny Omega/Hangman Page b. Santana and Ortiz, Best Friends and Young Bucks – V Trigger/Buckshot Lariat combination to Taylor

Kris Stadtlander/Hikaru Shida b. Mel/Brandi Rhodes – Kneeling Tombstone to Mel

Jon Moxley b. Sammy Guevara – Rear naked choke

Maxwell Jacob Friedman/Butcher and the Blade b. QT Marshall/Diamond Dallas Page/Dustin Rhodes – Rollup with trunks to Marshall

Pac b. Darby Allin – Black Arrow

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also -available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

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

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

IMG Credit: AEW

Dark
Date: January 14, 2020
Location: Landers Center, Southaven, Mississippi
Commentators: Excalibur, Dave Brown
Hosts: Tony Schiavone, Dasha Gonzalez

It’s a special show this week as we focus on the legends of Memphis wrestling. This was teased back on last week’s Dynamite but then it was “hey check out Dark for that thing we built the advertising for this show around”. I can always go for a legends ceremony so hopefully we get some cool stuff here. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence. This show has an opening sequence?

Excalibur and Dave Brown, open the show in the style of the classic Memphis show. They even have the tracking issues on the side of the screen. It’s a nice touch, but please tell me that Excalibur won’t spend most of the show doing a Lance Russell impression.

The hosts welcome us and send it to the legends ceremony.

There are a bunch of legends in the ring and each gets their own introduction with a quick bio:

Handsome Jimmy Valiant

Kevin Lawler (representing Brian Christopher (and he looks EXACTLY like him) and realistically Jerry Lawler)

Dave Brown

Shane Russell (representing his father Lance Russell)

Austin Idol

Doug Gilbert (representing his family and, to a much lesser degree, himself)

Rock N Roll Express (biggest reaction so far by a mile)

Lanny Poffo (representing his family and, to a much lesser degree, himself)

We get a ten bell salute to all of the legends who have passed away.

This was VERY nice and a cool moment and felt like it was done out of pure respect and honor rather than trying to pop a bigger audience. In a pretty rare moment, I have no criticisms of this at all.

Brandon Cutler vs. Darby Allin

They lock up to start as Brown talks about seeing Flex Kavana in Memphis, who is better known as the Rock. The lockup keeps going even as Allin goes up and monkey flips him (Brandon, not Brown). A shoulder puts Cutler down and a dropkick sends him into the corner. Cutler gets in his own whip into the corner and a very spinny Boss Man Slam gets two.

Allin is right back with a Fujiwara armbar before dropping a knee on the arm. That’s broken up as well and Cutler slaps on a torture rack, which is broken up with a pull of the hand. Allin is busted open over his nose and Cutler makes it worse by crotching him on the top. A running legdrop with Allin hanging in the ropes puts him on the floor. Back up and Allin knocks him away and hits a quick suicide dive to put Cutler down again. The front flip Stunner drops Cutler and it’s the Coffin Drop to give Allin the pin at 9:02.

Rating: C. Cutler continues to be your designated jobber to the stars and that’s not the worst role to have. He’s going to be around as long as he wants to be due to his connection to the Young Bucks and he can do well enough in the ring to back it up. Allin continues to be a potential top star of the future and the cult response to him is growing.

Nyla Rose vs. Shanna

Shanna jumps her from behind in the aisle and the beatdown is on early. Rose drives her back into the barricade but can’t hit a powerbomb on the floor. Instead Rose shrugs off a kick to the head and hits a spinebuster to make it even worse. A table is loaded up but Shanna escapes another powerbomb and spears Rose off the apron through the table. Cue the referees to break it up. No match.

After a quick chat with the hosts, Shanna’s interview is broken up by Rose, who says Shanna just made this personal. She tries to cut a promo of her own but Shanna starts the fight again.

Here’s where AEW is coming over the next few weeks.

Gunn Club vs. Peter Avalon/Shawn Spears

Tully Blanchard is with Avalon and Spears and that would be Billy and his son Austin. Before the match, Austin says if the crowd gets loud enough, Billy might hit the catchphrase. He manages to pull it off but here is Peter Avalon (with Leva Bates) to talk about the royal history around Memphis, with one king having a restaurant so bad that after you eat there you’ll die just like another king. Leva apologizes and we’re ready to go.

Spears tells Billy to suck it and it’s time to walk around a bit before the contact begins. Billy shoulders him down a few times and Spears winds up kneeling in front of Billy’s crotch. Imagine what he is told to do from there. Austin, with the headband, comes in and Spears bails to the apron for a little while. Avalon comes in as well so Austin picks up the pace, setting up a hiptoss into a neckbreaker for two.

It’s back to Billy, meaning Leva has to save Avalon from a powerslam. Spears’ chops just annoy Billy so he chops away until Spears wants time out. Austin comes in and misses a dropkick, allowing Spears to send him into the post a few times. It’s back to Avalon to work on the arm some more but Austin fights up with a clothesline. The hot tag brings Billy back in to clean house as everything breaks down. Avalon rolls Austin up for two but walks into the Fameasser for the same. Spears gets sent into the barricade and it’s the cobra clutch slam into a Swanton from Austin for the pin at 11:05.

Rating: C-. Just a match here to get the Gunns on TV and that worked out well enough. They’re not a great team and Austin looked rather green. That’s going to happen to everyone at some point though so it’s really way too early to say anything about him. The rest of the match went fine and it wasn’t bad by any stretch. Just kind of there really, but Austin wasn’t a disaster.

Tony and Dasha wrap us up in a hurry.

Overall Rating: C+. That legends ceremony helped bring this way up as it was easily the best part of the show. What mattered most here was keeping the show shorter over the last few weeks. I’m good with this show being just shy of an hour after a few weeks approaching an hour and fifteen minutes. The show has stopped being anything worth seeing most weeks, but it has also gotten less annoying so we’ll call it a little bit in both directions.

Results

Darby Allin b. Brandon Cutler – Coffin Drop

Gunn Club b. Peter Avalon/Shawn Spears – Swanton to Avalon

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also -available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

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

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