NXT UK
Date: March 10, 2022
Location: BT Sports Studios, London, England
Commentators: Andy Shepherd, Nigel McGuinness

It’s time for another title match as Noam Dar will be defending the Heritage Cup against Joe Coffey in the main event. The other big match will see A-Kid facing Charlie Dempsey in what could be a spectacle of technical wrestling. This show is such a breath of air compared to the main roster stuff so let’s get to it.

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

We open with a look at the Heritage Cup Title match.

Opening sequence.

Charlie Dempsey vs. A-Kid

During his entrance, Dempsey says he’s doing this himself, without Die Familie. Dempsey’s early cravate is escaped with a cartwheel and they stare at each other a bit. A-Kid gets taken down by the arm but reverses into a headlock. That is countered into a headscissors as they stay with the technical stuff to start. They go to the test of strength and flip around a bunch, with Dempsey bridging up on his neck.

A-Kid can’t break it down no matter what and gives up, looking a bit disturbed as a result. With that not working, it’s time to slug it out until an Octopus sends Dempsey to the ropes for the break. A-Kid starts twisting on the ankle instead but has to fight out of a kneebar, instead kneeing Dempsey in the head. Back up and Dempsey goes right back to the knee before switching things up with Cattle Mutilation. Dempsey switches to an armbar but A-Kid slips out so Dempsey grabs a fisherman’s suplex for two.

A-Kid is back with his own suplex for his own two but can’t get an arm crank. Instead he settles for an enziguri to drop Dempsey, which draws out Rohan Raja for a distraction. That’s enough for Dempsey to grab Checkmate (Where he ties up the head and leg so that A-Kid is almost kicking himself in the back of the head. It’s almost like he is covering and hooking the leg backwards.) for the tap at 12:34.

Rating: B-. This was the kind of technical exchange that is always going to be entertaining. Dempsey is quite the savage on the mat and knows how to make it look like he is destroying people. A-Kid is awesome, and now he might be on his way to the regular NXT, which should be quite good for everyone.

Sid Scala announces that an American is on his way here…but Wolfgang interrupts. That’s perfect for Scala, who gives Wolfgang a match with Roderick Strong next week.

We look back at Isla Dawn attacking Meiko Satomura last week to interrupt her special ceremony. The title match is in two weeks.

Aleah James is asked about the Women’s Title match but Stevie Turner interrupts to ask why we should care what James thinks. James walks away from her chattering.

Danny Jones/Josh Morrell vs. Symbiosis

Primate hiptosses Morrell over to start but gets caught with a pop up dropkick. T-Bone comes in so Jones does as well, setting up an exchange of shoulders. Jones takes over on the arm and it’s Morrell coming in with a top rope stomp to the arm. T-Bone pulls Morrell into the corner though and the beating is on, including Primate coming in off the middle rope with an ax handle to the back.

Morrell shrugs it off though and the hot tag brings in Jones to start cleaning house. T-Bone gets knocked down and Morrell climbs on top of Jones’ shoulders, setting up a Spiral Tap for two. That’s enough for T-Bone though, who is back with a powerslam and brings in Primate for a top rope headbutt and the pin at 6:04.

Rating: C. Jones and Morrell continue to be some of the more promising guys around here and it is nice to see them getting their chance here, even if they lose to a bigger team like Symbiosis. I don’t know if Symbiosis is going to the title scene, but they could make for some good challengers for Moustache Mountain. Not a showcase for either of them, but it did well enough.

Post match Symbiosis celebrates but Wild Boar runs in for his return and clears them out with a chair.

Nina Samuels mocks Emilia McKenzie, who steals the mic and asks how Samuels must feel to be this desperate for attention.

Ashton Smith/Oliver Carter think Moustache Mountain is trying to get out of the Tag Team Title rematch but Trent Seven tells them to earn it in a pair of singles matches. We’ll start next week.

Heritage Cup: Noam Dar vs. Joe Coffey

Coffey is challenging and has Mark Coffey to cancel out Sha Samuels. Round one begins with Dar circling around him before his leg dive attempt is thrown away. Coffey cranks on a wristlock before taking him to the mat. A Boston crab is escaped so Coffey goes after the leg again, only to have Dar grab the ropes as the first round ends.

Round two begins with Coffey grabbing a headlock takeover and grinds away for the first minute. Dar slips out and kicks away at the ribs but Coffey snaps off a hard German suplex. A running shoulder in the corner gives Coffey the pin at 2:25 of the first round and 6:11 overall.

Round three begins with Dar having to pull himself up so Coffey knocks him right back down. A top rope spinning crossbody gives Coffey two but Dar is back with a kick to the head. The kneebar doesn’t work for Dar so he rolls Coffey up to tie the score at 1:49 of the round and 8:35 total.

Round four begins with Dar going to the arm to cut off the slugout but stops to yell at the camera. Dar kicks him down and stays on the arm but Coffey gets to the apron for a hard slingshot shoulder. They’re both down for a bit until Coffey gets the Boston crab, sending Dar straight to the rope as the round ends. They fight to the floor between rounds though and Dar gets in a cheap shot.

Round five begins with Dar running over a staggered Coffey in the corner. The Nova Roller is cut off by a flying headbutt/shoulder though and they’re both down again. Coffey hits a clothesline for a knockdown but Dar is back up to badly lose a slugout. All The Best For The Bells knocks Dar silly but Samuels puts the foot on the rope. The distraction lets Dar hit the Nova Roller for the pin at 2:54 of the round and 15:45 total to retain.

Rating: C+. This wasn’t a bad match but it was the kind that came and went. Dar might have felt like he was in a bit of danger but it was nothing serious, even if Coffey winning the title could have been interesting. They seem to see something in Dar holding the Cup for a long time and I could go with that, but this was only a pretty good match.

Overall Rating: C+. In something I’ve said before about other promotions, they’re going to be fine if this is one of their bad ones. The star power wasn’t really around this time and they focused on the midcard guys, which worked out fairly well. You can’t have the big names on every week so it isn’t some horrible idea. Good enough show, though they have had better ones.

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NXT
Date: March 8, 2022
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Wade Barrett

It’s a special show as we have Roadblock, because this company likes to hit you over the head with the Road To Wrestlemania, or in this case Stand & Deliver, motif. The main event is a triple threat for the NXT Title between champion Bron Breakker, Dolph Ziggler and Tommaso Ciampa, but we are also going to get more of the women’s Dusty Classic. Let’s get to it.

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

The opening video looks at the triple threat title match.

Women’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Semifinals: Raquel Gonzalez/Cora Jade vs. Wendy Choo/Dakota Kai

Choo takes Jade down for some peek-a-boo and we pause so she can take a nap, with commentary whispering. An elbow misses for Gonzalez but she grabs an airplane spin to put Choo in trouble. Jade’s running elbow in the corner gets two but Choo drives her into the other corner. Kai elbows her down and starts alternating stomping/choking in the corner. It’s back to Choo for an elbow but Jade blocks some suplexes attempts.

Jade gets sent to the apron for a baseball slide to the floor from Choo. Kai goes out after her but Gonzalez joins them to glare. Cue Toxic Attraction to take out Kai’s leg with a club, plus send it into the post as we take a break. Back with Gonzalez not being able to get up on the apron as Jade clotheslines Choo. Kai comes back in and gets kicked in the face, allowing the tag to Gonzalez.

That earns her a kick to the face but Kai starts hearing Voices before trying the running boot in the corner. The Chingona Bomb is loaded up but Gonzalez’s knee gives out. Now the running boot connects and Choo hits her top rope Vader Bomb into a top rope double stomp (which did not look to connect very well) from Kai for the pin at 13:58.

Rating: D+. This was rough, from Choo sleeping (and commentary whispering because that joke needs support) to Kai losing her mind at various times to one of the only teams with some chemistry losing in the semifinals. I’m not wild on this tournament in the first place and now having to deal with the nonsense that Choo is stuck with is going to make it even worse.

Tommaso Ciampa is ready to win the NXT Title for the third time. Dolph Ziggler and Bron Breakker can fight it out to be 2A and 2B, but there has never been a bigger gap between #1 and #2.

Sarray watches Tiffany Stratton walk.

The Creed Brothers have been attacked in the parking lot.

Raquel Gonzalez gets checked out in the back.

Tiffany Stratton vs. Fallon Henley

Stratton grabs a front facelock to slow Henley down to start but stops to check her nails. Henley fights back but gets muscled up into a Samoan drop. Some smoke starts to go off at the entrance though and here is Sarray to knee Stratton in the back of the head. Henley hits a Shining Wizard for the pin at 2:43.

Brooks Jensen and Josh Briggs come out to celebrate with Henley.

Andre Chase yells at some of his students for screwing up last week. Bodhi Hayward did his job, even if he winds up with a black eye. One student asks about Hayward’s bad eye. Chase: “Jamie when did you graduate and become a f****** doctor?” Threats are made and Jamie leaves. Chase is way too good in this role.

We go to the barber shop, where Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams are happy with what they are doing. Hayes is ready for his ladder match at Stand & Deliver but Williams is worried. Don’t worry though, because Melo don’t miss.

And now, the return of Lashing Out with Nikkita Lyons as this week’s guest. Legend recaps Lyons’ backstory, with Lyons talking about how her mom taught her not to be judgmental. Legend isn’t convinced and they argue about each others’ looks. Time is up though and arguing continues. At least it was short.

Imperium denies having anything to do with the Creed Brothers being attacked. MSK comes in to say they’ll take the shot if the Creeds can’t go.

Josh Briggs and Brooks Jensen accuse Legado del Fantasma of attacking the Creeds. Elektra Lopez: “Don’t go accusing me because you can’t get laid.” Jensen says he’s working on it but Fallon Henley wonders if Briggs and Jensen actually did it. Of course not!

LA Knight vs. Grayson Waller

Last Man Standing. Knight jumps him in the aisle to start and the fight is on, with Waller being sent into the steps. They head inside for the first time, with Knight catapulting him throat first into the bottom rope. Waller is fine enough to hit a hot shot and kick Knight into the corner to take over. A neck snap across the top rope sets up the rolling Stunner for a seven count so Waller elbows him in the face.

Waller goes up top but Knight runs the corner and hits a superplex. The BFT plants Waller but he gets to his feet and hits a trashcan shot as we take a break. Back with the two of them fighting on the balcony until Knight knocks him off and into….wherever. Knight heads to the ring and it’s Sanga carrying Waller, who is mostly out of it. A chair to the back does nothing to Sanga, so he chokeslams Knight onto the apron. Some handcuffs come out but Knight cuffs Sanga around the post.

That means a jumping neckbreaker and slam can put Waller down as the fans want a table. Waller goes to the eyes and tries another rolling Stunner, only to be tossed over the top and through a ringside table. That’s not enough to finish Waller so Knight grabs a chair, which he throws back down to kick Waller in the chest instead. A trashcan is put over Waller, leaving Knight to go and beat on Sanga with the chair. Waller fights back and hits Knight with….something, setting up a top rope elbow through the announcers’ table. They’re both down but Waller uses Sanga to pull himself up and beat the count at 16:12.

Rating: C+. Of all the garbage street fight style matches I’ve seen over the last few months, this was the most recent. I’m not sure what else there is to say here, as they had the same kind of weapons based match that you constantly see around here but with Waller winning in the end. It was good enough, but I’m not going to remember it in a few days because it didn’t stand out.

Bron Breakker talks about what the NXT Title means to him and how much it motivates him in the ring. He is running through the roadblock.

Tony D’Angelo is in a restaurant and promises to become the new Don of NXT at Stand & Deliver.

Women’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic: Io Shirai/Kay Lee Ray vs. Kayden Carter/Kacy Catanzaro

Toxic Attraction is watching from the balcony, where Malik Blade and Ednis Enofe have beaten up their waiters and taken their place. Ray and Carter start things off with Carter getting the better of things, meaning Catanzaro can come in. Catanzaro and Shirai trade rollups for two each and it’s a big staredown in the middle. Carter and Catanzaro clear the ring and we take a break.

Back with Carter hitting a running shot to Shirai in the corner, allowing Catanzaro to come back in for a faceplant. Shirai hits a quick dropkick for two on Carter as everything breaks down. The neckbreaker/450 combination is broken up so Carter gives Ray a doomsday poisonrana, with Ray landing SQUARE ON HER HEAD. Shirai has to shove Carter into the corner for the break and thankfully Ray can still walk. Ray is up with the KLR Bomb to Carter, setting up the Moon Over Moonsault for the pin at 11:10.

Rating: C. Other than Ray getting dropped on her head (and popping right back up), this was another case of the thrown together team beating the established team. Granted the two singles stars are a good big more experienced than the other two here so it isn’t as big of a stretch. This whole tournament has just felt there though and that is not exactly making it prestigious.

Cora Jade jumps Mandy Rose as payback for Raquel Gonzalez getting jumped earlier in the night.

Indi Hartwell and Persia Pirotta, with Duke Hudson, argue over who cost them their Dusty Cup match. A match is set up, with Hudson offering to help Pirotta train. She shoves him against the locker and kissing ensues.

Tiffany Stratton wants to break Sarray’s face.

Tag Team Titles: MSK vs. Imperium

MSK is challenging in place of the injured Creed Brothers. Carter kicks Barthel in the face to start and it’s off to Lee for two off a rollup. Aichner comes in to slam Lee legs first into the ropes. It’s back to Carter, who gets chopped and clotheslined down to set up a chinlock. Carter fights up and kicks Barthel down, allowing the hot tag off to Lee to clean house. A moonsault sends Barthel outside and Carter hits a dive but Lee’s is cut off Aichner. Cue the Creed Brothers to beat up both teams for the DQ at 5:32.

Rating: C. The tag division has fallen so far in recent years and that was the case again here. MSK is a good enough high flying team and Imperium do well with their more scientific style, but you can only get much out of the four of them. The Tag Team Titles haven’t important in a long time and that was on display here, as this seemed to set up another triple threat title match.

Post match the beatdown is on, with Aichner nearly getting dropped on his head off a German suplex.

Draco Anthony and Harland have a staredown but Joe Gacy tells Anthony to let more people in. Xyon Quin comes in to tell Anthony to be his own man, with Gacy telling Anthony to think about it more. They’ll be waiting.

A-Kid is coming from NXT UK to NXT. This is a good thing.

Jacket Time is happy A-Kid is coming.

NXT Title: Bron Breakker vs. Dolph Ziggler vs. Tommaso Ciampa

Breakker is defending and Ciampa gets knocked outside early. Back in and Breakker suplexes both of them down at once, with neither of them landing at the same time. This time it’s Breakker being sent outside, leaving Ziggler to get clotheslined down. Breakker gets back up so Ciampa clotheslines both of them over and over until Ziggler superkicks Ciampa to break up a diving…I think clothesline?

We take a break and come back with Breakker grabbing the Recliner on Ciampa but Ziggler puts Breakker in a sleeper to cut him off. The Fameasser and Zig Zag get two on Ciampa, leaving everyone down. Ciampa loads up Project Ciampa on Ziggler, sidesteps Breakker who completely mistimed the spear, and drops Ziggler for two.

Breakker is back in with a spear on Ziggler and the gorilla press powerslam connects, only to have Robert Roode run in and pull the referee out. Willow’s Bell and the Fairy Tale Ending hit Breakker, with Ziggler running in to throw Ciampa off and get two. Roode pulls Breakker out of the way of Ciampa’s running knee though and it’s a superkick from Ziggler to pin Ciampa for the title at 12:27.

Rating: B-. I like it as that ending should set them up for the next month. Breakker can get his rematch with Ziggler and beat a former World Champion to get the title back at the biggest 2.0 show yet. That’s not a bad thing and it isn’t like Ziggler pinned Breakker to get the title. Good action (though Breakker’s mistimed spear was a pretty bad miss) and an ending that sets them up well make this a nice main event.

Overall Rating: C-. The main event helped but there are so many things on here dragging it down. Between some of the dumb characters and sloppy wrestling and the women’s Dusty Classic feeling like something they are obligated to do, this was a pretty rough sit. There are so few things to get invested in or even like around here that it continues to be the weakest of WWE’s shows. At least Raw has the three hour excuse and Vince McMahon being nuts to throw things off. This is a show with a bunch of badly written characters and it is showing more and more. There are good parts, but those parts aren’t showing up as much.

Results
Wendy Choo/Dakota Kai b. Raquel Gonzalez/Cora Jade – Top rope double stomp to Gonzalez
Fallon Henley b. Tiffany Stratton – Shining Wizard
Grayson Waller b. LA Knight when Knight couldn’t answer the ten count
Kay Lee Ray/Io Shirai b. Kayden Carter/Kacy Catanzaro – Moon Over Moonsault to Carter
MSK vs. Imperium went to a no contest when the Creed Brothers interfered
Dolph Ziggler b. Tommaso Ciampa and Bron Breakker – Superkick to Ciampa

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

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NXT LVL Up
Date: March 4, 2022
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Sudu Shah, Nigel McGuinness

NXT has started to change a bit now as it has a big show coming up next month. That is something they have been needing, though again I can’t imagine it makes much of a difference around here. This is the same dumping ground for lower level NXT stars who need to be in the ring and that isn’t exactly exciting stuff. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Dante Chen vs. Javier Bernal

A lockup goes nowhere to start as they roll away from each other before Bernal grabs a headscissors on the mat. Back up and Chen slips out of an abdominal stretch attempt but gets rolled up for two. A belly to back suplex gets Chen out of trouble but his chinlock doesn’t last long. Bernal comes back with a crossbody for two, only to have Chen roll him up for the pin at 3:26.

Rating: C-. Two wrestlers had a match and one of them won. This felt like the kind of match you would put on for fifteen minutes at the start of an old school house show to fill in time. This wasn’t an interesting match whatsoever because neither of them have any kind of a character. They were people in trunks having a match and that isn’t going to get you very far when the match is just as generic as they are.

Respect is shown post match.

Tiffany Stratton vs. Erica Yan

They circle each other to start with Stratton cartwheeling out of an early wristlock, only to get taken down to the mat. A basement dropkick gives Yan two and we’re already in the chinlock. Stratton fights up and loses it because Yan pulled out some of her extensions, meaning the stomping is on in the corner. This time It’s Yan being knocked down and put in a chinlock for a change but she fights up just as fast. A Downward Spiral drops Stratton but she is right back up with a spinning slam. The standing moonsault into the corkscrew Vader Bomb finishes Yan at 3:52.

Rating: C. If this wasn’t better than the opener, at least it was something more interesting. Stratton and Yan stand out a bit more than the guys in the first match and that is at least a step forward. Stratton seems to be something of a project around here and even though she has one of the most generic gimmicks around, it is better than having nothing at all.

Edris Enofe/Malik Blade vs. Legado del Fantasma

Elektra Lopez is here with Legado. Mendoza takes Blade into the corner to start but Blade armdrags him into an armbar. Enofe comes in off a blind tag though and hits a belly to back suplex. It’s off to Wilde, who gets rolled up for a fast two from Enofe as frustration is setting in. Blade comes back in and gets his leg taken out to put Blade in trouble in the corner.

A running forearm in the corner gives Wilde two and it’s Mendoza coming back in to stay on the leg. Mendoza grabs a half crab before cannonballing down onto the leg. That doesn’t work twice though as Blade kicks him over the top to escape, allowing the hot tag off to Enofe. A half crab has Mendoza in trouble until Wilde makes the save. Everything breaks down and a Lopez distraction lets Legado hit their Russian legsweep/running boot combination to finish Enofe at 8:44.

Rating: C+. Match of the night by far and that is not a surprise, as you had more talented wrestlers getting extra time. Blade and Enofe are making a completely decent tag team and that is always something that you can use. Legado is already established and they helped put together a solid enough match here, which is more than I would have expected.

Overall Rating: C. They did a bit better this week as you could see different kinds of wrestlers getting a chance to showcase themselves. The action wasn’t too bad either, though the opener was pretty dry. Stratton, Blade and Enofe are starting to develop though and the main event worked. As usual, completely watchable show, even if it doesn’t serve a very effective purpose.

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NXT UK
Date: March 3, 2022
Location: BT Sports Studios, London, England
Commentators: Andy Shepherd, Nigel McGuinness

It’s time for another title week here as Ilja Dragunov is defending the United Kingdom Title against Nathan Frazer. That should make for a great one, as the two of them have a nice record of rising to the occasion in the big matches. Other than that, Gallus gets Sha Samuels in a preview of Joe Coffey vs. Noam Dar for the Heritage Cup later this month. Let’s get to it.

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

We open with a video on Nathan Frazer vs. Ilja Dragunov.

Opening sequence.

Sha Samuels vs. Mark Coffey

There are no seconds here for a change. They slug it out to start with Samuels headlocking him over. With that not working, Coffey is back up and starts working on the arm, setting up a Russian legsweep. A backdrop sends Samuels rolling to the floor but he’s right back in to kick away. Samuels drops him with a running clothesline before pulling up the suspenders for some reason.

Coffey gets twisted down by the arm and the logical armbar goes on. That’s broken up and Coffey runs him over for a change, setting up a double clothesline for a double knockdown. Back up and they slug it out until Coffey hits a half nelson slam, setting up a sliding uppercut for the pin at 7:40.

Rating: C. It’s almost strange to see Coffey having a singles match but he looked good enough in there. Samuels has gotten himself in pretty impressive shape so the his stuff has an extra impact. This was little more than a preview for next week though, which is probably going to feel like a major title match when we get there.

Charlie Dempsey interrupted A-Kid’s training session and asks for a demonstration of the style A-Kid was using. A-Kid says no because Dempsey will use it against him, only to have Die Familie jump him from behind. Dempsey tells them to back off as medics come in to check on A-Kid.

Isla Dawn is around what seems to be some castle ruins and sings a lot, talking about how Meiko Satomura will soon fall. Then she puts a flower in a box.

We look back at Trent Seven kind of cheating to retain the Tag Team Titles last week.

Moustache Mountain is happy with retaining the titles when Ashton Smith and Oliver Carter come in to yell about the ending. Seven says it’s about retaining the titles by any means so Smith and Carter want a rematch. Cool with the champs.

Dave Mastiff/Jack Starz vs. Pretty Deadly

Carter now has his leather vest to match Mastiff. Howley isn’t sure what to do with Mastiff to start so Mastiff drives him up against the ropes. Some kicks to the leg stagger Mastiff but he clotheslines both of them down at once. Stoker comes in and gets caught in the wrong corner so Starz can come in with a slingshot splash for two. It’s back to Howley, who gets his arm cranked on but Stoker is back in off a blind tag. That means Starz is sent into the post and the beating is on.

A splash/legdrop combination gets two on Starz and an assisted middle rope bulldog gets two. The chinlock goes on but Mastiff hits Howley from the apron. That means when Stoker catapults Starz, he is able to sunset flip Howley for two. The hot tag brings in Mastiff to clean house but Stoker grabs Starz’s new vest. It’s back to Starz to clean house in a hurry, including a powerbomb to finish Stoker at 10:35 (leaving Mastiff STUNNED).

Rating: C+. This is an interesting way to go for the story as Mastiff and Starz seemed to being on their way to a split and then come back to win a big match here. It makes enough sense and now we might be in for a new direction for the team. If nothing else, it was cool to see Starz get a win like this, as he has come a long way over the years.

Xia Brookside calls her dad and asks her for help with something. Then she yells at the cameraman for filming her.

The truck driver from last week is walking in the woods while someone (not clear if it is the truck driver or not) talks about surviving. The driver finds a tin can and some bones before what looks to be a masked man pops out from behind a tree. Voice: “The hunt has begun.” So it’s Wild Boar?

Video on Joe Coffey vs. Noam Dar, who meet next week for the Heritage Cup.

United Kingdom Title: Ilja Dragunov vs. Nathan Frazer

Dragunov is defending and can’t get very far off a wristlock to start. With that not working, Frazer backs him into a corner for the tease of a clean break, only to pull him down into a headlock instead. That’s fine with the champ, who switches into one of his own until Frazer fights up and starts running the ropes rather quickly, allowing him to run Dragunov over. Back up and Dragunov gets in a few shots of his own to slow things back down and start striking away.

A cobra clutch keeps Frazer down for a few more seconds so Dragunov chops him in the corner, setting up a spinning elbow for two. The cobra clutch takes Frazer back to the mat but this time he pulls himself up for an enziguri. Dragunov is fine enough to roll some German suplexes, with Frazer landing on his feet off the third though. Frazer gets knocked down again though and this time it’s a cobra stretch to put him in more trouble.

That’s escaped as well and Frazer superkicks him into a standing hurricanrana for two. An exchange of shots to the head goes to Dragunov, who forearms the mat by mistake. Frazer scores with a Sling Blade and a pair of superkicks get two more. That lets Frazer go up top but he has to roll through a slam back down.

Dragunov hits him with the bad arm before going up top but the injury lets Frazer catch up and hit a super hurricanrana. The phoenix splash gives Frazer two more and it’s time for the big slugout. Another hurricanrana is countered into a powerbomb to give Dragunov two so Frazer starts kicking at the bad arm. Said bad arm blasts Frazer with a clothesline, setting up Torpedo Moscow to retain the title at 14:31.

Rating: B. This didn’t quite get as good as I was expecting but it was very entertaining for a big television main event. Dragunov is likely going to hold that title for a long time to come and this was his latest effort against a rather tough challenger. Frazer will be back around the title picture one day, but he needed to be a bit more seasoned, which is where a loss like this can be helpful. Good match here, as both of them could be top stars for a long time to come.

Dragunov helps him up and shakes his hand to end the show.

Overall Rating: B-. As usual, the main event is the best part of the show and carries a lot of the rest of the week. Dragunov gets to keep his reign going for probably at least another month as we get to find out his next challenger. Other than that, Mastiff and Starz get their momentum back and we have another title match next week. Not too shabby, as always seems to be the case around here

Results
Mark Coffey b. Sha Samuels – Sliding uppercut
Dave Mastiff/Jack Starz b. Pretty Deadly – Powerbomb to Stoker
Ilja Dragunov b. Nathan Frazer – Torpedo Moscow

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

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AND

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NXT
Date: March 1, 2022
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Wade Barrett

We are about a month away from Stand & Deliver, which could stand to deliver some of its card this week. You can all but guarantee Bron Breakker defending the NXT Title against Dolph Ziggler, but they are going to need something a little bit better than that. Those two are in a tag match this week so let’s get to it.

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

Bron Breakker/Tommaso Ciampa vs. Dolph Ziggler/Robert Roode

Ciampa is in a Breakker style singlet here, which commentary calls Steiner-esque. Roode throws in a big bonus with the GLORIOUS theme It’s a brawl in the aisle to start with Ciampa hitting a big slingshot corkscrew dive to take out both of them in the floor. We settle down for the opening bell with Ciampa working on Ziggler and handing it off to Breakker, who gets dropped by Roode’s neckbreaker.

Ziggler grabs a chinlock but Breakker fights up and hands it off to Ciampa to clean house. A double clothesline looks to set up the Fairy Tale Ending but Roode drives him into the corner to escape. Roode’s spinebuster gets two and we take a break. Back with Ciampa getting caught in the wrong corner, setting up a powerbomb/neckbreaker combination for two.

Ciampa fights out of trouble though and the hot tag brings in Breakker to wreck both of them with suplexes. The Steiner efforts continue with Ciampa playing Rick in a Steiner Bulldog for two on Ziggler with Roode having to make the save. Ziggler’s rollup gets two but the Fairy Tale Ending gives Ciampa the pin at 15:03.

Rating: B-. Anything involving more of the Steiners is a good thing and that was the case here. Ciampa might not be Rick, but they had a good match here, especially with Breakker getting to wreck things. I’m not sure why Ziggler took the fall here with the title shot coming up, but Ciampa getting a win is a nice thing, as he could be in for a big Stand & Deliver match of his own.

LA Knight wants us to call someone and tell us to watch him call out Grayson Waller. I called a local beekeeper and told him to watch. He didn’t know who LA Knight or Grayson Waller were and yelled at me for disturbing him and his bees. Then he screamed because the bees were annoyed and stung him. But I did call like Knight told me to.

Gunther is ready for Solo Sikoa.

Here is LA Knight for a chat. He goes over his history with Grayson Waller, including some still photos. Cue Waller with Sanga on the platform, with Waller saying everyone sucks and goodbye. Knight shows us a shot of Knight standing over him last week. That was 2-0 for Knight, which is enough for Waller to agree to one more match next week: Last Man Standing. Works for Knight.

Persia Pirotta and Indi Hartwell make sure they are both focused, though Pirotta sneaks off to text someone.

We look back at the first matches of this year’s women’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic.

Women’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic: Indi Hartwell/Persia Pirotta vs. Dakota Kai/Wendy Choo

Toxic Attraction is watching from the balcony. Choo tries a drop toehold on Pirotta but stops to play peek-a-boo. Pirotta isn’t impressed and takes him into the corner, allowing the tag off to Hartwell. Choo isn’t having that and brings in Kai, for a double whip into the corner. A double faceplant gives Choo two but Hartwell elbows her down.

Hartwell grabs a top wristlock but Choo small packages her and rolls over to Kai for the hot tag. The running kick in the corner rocks Hartwell, who is over for the tag to Pirotta without much trouble. The fireman’s carry faceplant gets two on Kai, who is right back with a pump kick before knocking Pirotta to the floor. Choo, in slippers, goes up for a top rope Vader Bomb, setting up Kai’s top rope double stomp for the pin at 5:24.

Rating: C. The thrown together wacky team going over the established team? In this tournament? I’m as shocked as you are. The good part about this match is the fact that Persia and Indi are ready to move towards a split, which could make for an interesting story. The match wasn’t anything special, but what are you expecting from a short match with a team thrown together like this?

Video on the Creed Brothers vs. Imperium, who meet for the Tag Team Titles next week.

Lash Legend vs. Amari Miller

This is fallout from Legend blaming Miller for her debut NXT loss. Legend kicks her in the face to start and then bends Miller’s back over her knee. Miller slips out and crawls over to the ropes, allowing her to hit some running kicks of her own. A low superkick sets up a step up moonsault for two on Legend, who pops back to her feet. That means a fireman’s carry slam is enough to finish Miller at 2:56. Miller is getting there but Legend continues to look like she’s in over her head in the ring.

Post match Legend says she’s ready for Nikkita Lyons. Oh boy.

Solo Sikoa wants Gunther to respect him and it’s going to be a fight.

Josh Briggs and Brooks Jensen want to ride something all night. Elektra Lopez comes in and doesn’t like it, but they mean a truck instead of a woman, as she seems to think. Lopez says they wouldn’t know how to handle a real woman, but Jensen says he’s never been with a real woman. Jensen: “BOOM! IN YOUR FACE!” Briggs looks stunned as Lopez walks away.

Gunther vs. Solo Sikoa

Gunther looks like he has slimmed down a lot. Sikoa gets elbowed in the face to start and a slam puts him down again. Some shots to the face stagger Gunther but he knocks Sikoa silly with a boot to the face. Sikoa’s fireman’s carry is broken up and Gunther blasts him with a clothesline.

The Boston crab goes on for a bit, with Sikoa getting out and slowly striking away. This time the Samoan drop connects to send Gunther outside, setting up a splash from the apron. Back in and Sikoa hits a superkick but the Superfly Splash misses. Gunther’s sleeper is broken up with a jawbreaker but he grabs it again and Sikoa…is planted with a powerbomb. Another powerbomb finishes Sikoa at 7:38.

Rating: C+. This was good but it didn’t hit that next level. Maybe it was the lack of believing that Sikoa had a chance, as Gunther seems like he should be a major player around here almost immediately. I was expecting more from Sikoa though, as he was almost squashed here save for a quick run at the end. Still though, Gunther winning is the right call and that is what matters.

Dolph Ziggler is annoyed at his loss but he’s still #1 contender. Tommaso Ciampa comes in to say he beat Ziggler so he should be getting that shot. Cue Bron Breakker, who says he’s ready for anyone at Stand & Deliver. Ciampa says he’s beaten Breakker so Breakker says he’ll beat them both. Ziggler is ready for his title shot next week as Breakker and Ciampa stare at each other.

Joe Gacy is ready to let Harland beat up Draco Anthony, but Anthony isn’t the cause of Harland’s anger.

Indi Hartwell and Persia Pirotta are annoyed at their loss but Duke Hudson comes in to console Pirotta. Hartwell can’t get Dexter Lumis to text her back. Shouldn’t he be here? Like he was last week?

Next week: Bron Breakker defends against Tommaso Ciampa and Dolph Ziggler.

Harland vs. Draco Anthony

Anthony snaps his arm across the top rope to start but gets splashed in the corner for his efforts. Another splash to the back crushes Anthony again but he’s back up with a flying shoulder. Harland slams him face first into the mat to cut Anthony off, setting up the belly to back slam for the pin at 2:29. Harland continues to be rather limited.

Post match Harland hugs the unconscious Anthony.

Carmelo Hayes, with Trick Williams, is ready for Pete Dunne.

Ivy Nile is training and tells Tatum Paxley to be serious if she wants to be part of the Diamond Mine.

Women’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic First Round: Cora Jade/Raquel Gonzalez vs. Yulisa Leon/Valentina Feroz

Leon works on Jade’s arm to start so it’s quickly off to Gonzalez. That’s fine with Leon, who brings in Feroz to work on Gonzalez’s arm as well. A sunset bomb does not work for Feroz though, as she gets tossed into the corner. Everything breaks down and Feroz LAUNCHES Leon over the top (the camera angle made that look incredible) onto Gonzalez, with Feroz adding her own dive. Back in and Feroz powerslams Jade for two but Jade gets over for the tag to Gonzalez. The Chingona Bomb plants Feroz and Gonzalez plants Jade on top of her for the pin at 4:48.

Rating: C. That’s how the match should have gone as Jade and Gonzalez have spent weeks being set up. Yes they’re another wacky team, but at least they’re a team with a monster who can run over most of the people she faces. It can be fun to watch Gonzalez wreck people and that is what she did here, even though Feroz and Leon’s big dives looked great.

Sarray shows her sun necklace to a bunch of the women when Tiffany Stratton comes in to call it tacky. Stratton offers one her necklaces but Sarray turns it down, earning herself a beating.

Tony D’Angelo is ready for Stand & Deliver.

Von Wagner vs. Andre Chase

Robert Stone and Bodhi Hayward are here too. Wagner starts fast and knocks him into the corner, setting up the big toss back out of the corner. Chase avoids a shot though and comes back with a knockdown of his own. The CHASE U stomp has Wagner in trouble but Hayward and Stone get into it on the floor. Wagner breaks it up with a punch to Hayward’s eye but Hayward tells Chase to get back in there. That’s what Chase does, and a fireman’s carry neckbreaker (Robert Roode’s Roode Bomb) finishes Chase at 4:05.

Rating: C-. I cannot get into Wagner no matter what he does and this was another good example. He doesn’t do anything outside of the ordinary and a lot of his stuff is just standard power offense. It seems that NXT wants to turn him into something but he feels as midcard heelish as you can get.

Nikkita Lyons is ready to face Lash Legend, perhaps on Lashing Out. That was one of the most awkward sounding promos I have heard in a long time. I don’t know if she was scared or something, but if that is normal for her, she shouldn’t be talking.

North American Title: Carmelo Hayes vs. Pete Dunne

Hayes, with Trick Williams, is defending. They run the ropes to start with neither getting anywhere, so instead it’s an exchange of hard shots to the face until they both go down. Something like the X Plex drops Hayes and we take an early break. Back with Hayes knocking Dunne does again and grabbing a neck crank.

A right hand to the face drops Dunne again but he punches a springboard out of the air. Hayes is fine enough to counter a suplex into a Backstabber for two but Dunne manages a quick Bitter End. The cover takes too long though and Hayes rolls away before Dunne can get on him.

Dunne goes for the fingers but Hayes reverses into the Crossface. Another Bitter end is countered into a suplex into a cutter to put Dunne down again. The top rope ax kick is broken up so Williams tries for a save, only to get his fingers snapped. Hayes shoves Dunne off the top though and finishes with the top rope ax kick to retain at 12:28.

Rating: B. As weird as it still feels to see Dunne taking a fall (even if it wasn’t an entirely clean ending), it’s nice to see Hayes continuing to add to his resume. Hayes has turned into one of the most consistent names in NXT and I’m starting to look forward to his matches. He has solid matches and he’s a good promo. That’s the kind of person NXT should be pushing and that is what they are doing here.

Post match Hayes and Williams brag about the win, with Hayes saying he’s on to Stand & Deliver, where the title will be defended in a ladder match. How long has it been since their last one? A month or so?

Overall Rating: C+. I’m not entirely sure when it happened, but NXT has gotten downright watchable over the last little while. The characters are starting to get established and they aren’t introducing a bunch of new people every week. This show had a lot of matches and some of them were rather quality, with the main event being a good showcase for both of them. Stand & Deliver could be a heck of a show, but it would be nice to actually announce something for the thing.

Results
Bron Breakker/Tommaso Ciampa b. Dolph Ziggler/Robert Roode – Fairy Tale Ending to Ziggler
Wendy Choo/Dakota Kai b. Indi Hartwell/Persia Pirotta – Top rope double stomp to Hartwell
Lash Legend b. Amari Miller – Fireman’s carry slam
Gunther b. Solo Sikoa – Powerbomb
Harland b. Draco Anthony – Belly to back slam
Cora Jade/Raquel Gonzalez b. Yulisa Leon/Valentina Feroz – Splash to Feroz
Von Wagner b. Andre chase – Fireman’s carry neckbreaker
Carmelo Hayes b. Pete Dunne – Top rope ax kick

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

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NXT LVL Up
Date: February 25, 2022
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Sudu Shah, Nigel McGuinness

It’s week #2 of this show, or week roughly #20 if you consider this to be the revamped 205 Live that it really is. Therefore the matches aren’t going to be anything of note but we might get some slight NXT star power around here. That is almost the only way to make the show feel important, though it is hardly consistent with what it offers. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Xyon Quinn vs. James Drake

Zack Gibson is here with Drake. Quinn can’t get a grab on him against the ropes to start so Drake mocks him a bit. A hammerlock works a bit better for Quinn, who stands up so Drake’s crossbody can bounce off of him. Drake bails to the floor and a Gibson distraction lets Drake get in a cheap shot. Back in and Quinn slugs away but has to power out of a sleeper. Quinn slams him off the top but Gibson offers another distraction, allowing Drake to grab a rollup for the pin at 4:47.

Rating: C. I’m not sure what happened to Quinn but he looked like someone who should have been a breakout star in the making. That hasn’t happened though, as instead he has fallen pretty far through the floor and can barely get on NXT these days. The match was a standard formula with the villains cheating with the numbers game and then picking up the win, meaning there wasn’t much to see here. Other than Quinn losing again.

Post match Quinn beats up Gibson to blow off some steam.

Sarray vs. Elektra Lopez

Legado del Fantasma is here with Lopez. Sarray tries to start fast and it’s a springboard armdrag to frustrate Lopez early on. That earns Sarray a grab of the hair and a wheelbarrow faceplant to plant her on her face. Sarray is back up with a rollup into a dropkick, setting up a double stomp. Another double stomp gets two but Sarray’s running dropkick against the ropes hits Joaquin Wilde and the distraction lets Lopez hit a spinning Dominator for the pin at 3:47.

Rating: C-. Another watchable enough match with Lopez getting to look good against Sarray, who is already seeming to drop down the ranks. I’m still not sure how much of a future there is in the whole transforming schoolgirl thing, but losing to the occasionally wrestling manager isn’t exactly a good sign for her immediate future.

Jacket Time vs. Joe Gacy/Harland

Well, I guess this does count as star power. Gacy and Kushida fight over wrist control to start with Kushida spinning around on Gacy’s back and handing it off to Jiro. After teasing a hug, the threat of the jacket punch sends Gacy backpedaling. The jacket punch connects on the second try, but it knocks Gacy into the corner for the tag off to Harland. Dominance ensues, with Harland driving him into the corner and knocking Kushida off the apron as a bonus.

It’s back to Gacy, who catches Jiro with a DDT to put him down. That doesn’t last long though as Jiro is up for the tag back to Kushida without much trouble. House is cleaned, with Kushida grabbing the Iron Octopus on Gacy. Harland makes the save but has to be held back from massacring Kushida. It’s back to Harland to run Kushida over and splash Jiro for the pin at 6:55.

Rating: C. This was about as good as you’re likely to get around here, as Gacy can wrestle a decent match and Kushida can work with anyone. Jiro may be annoying but his style works out fairly well most of the time. That leaves Harland, who thankfully isn’t getting a lot of ring time at this point. Not much of a match, but it felt a good bit bigger than the other two.

Overall Rating: C-. I still can’t get too mad about a show that lasts around thirty minutes but this isn’t exactly interesting stuff. Above all else, it is the kind of show that comes and goes without anything happening. I’m not sure how much good it is doing as far as developing or improving some of these people, but at least they are getting in the ring in front of people in some way. That’s an improvement, right?

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

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NXT UK
Date: February 24, 2022
Location: BT Sports Studios, London, England
Commentators: Andy Shepherd, Nigel McGuinness

It’s time for another title show as Moustache Mountain is defending their Tag Team Titles against Ashton Smith and Oliver Carter. That could be quite the showdown, as NXT UK tends to do rather well when it comes to title matches. I’m curious to see what else they have on the show so let’s get to it.

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

The opening video looks at the Tag Team Title match, as Smith and Carter are ready for their big shot at the gold.

Opening sequence.

Amale vs. Xia Brookside

They fight over wrist control to start with Amale taking her down into an armbar. Back up and a shoulder drops Brookside, who can’t believe Amale would do that to him. Amale tries to pull her out to the corner but Brookside says Amale can’t do that. Brookside: “I’M SPECIAL!” Amale counters a crossbody into a slam and a basement dropkick gets two. Brookside finally gets in a shot of her own and chokes Amale on the ropes before standing on her back for some screaming.

The armbar has Amale in trouble and the look on her makes would make you think she is being stabbed by a lightning bolt. Some elbows to the head have Amale in more trouble and Brookside mocks her again. Back up and Amale strikes away, including a running boot to the side of the head. Brookside forearms her back though and a kick to the head makes it worse. Amale isn’t having that though and sends her into the corner for a running boot to the face. The Hope Breaker gives Amale the pin at 6:17.

Rating: C+. Brookside is really starting to feel it with this stuck up brat daddy’s girl and that could suit her very well going forward. At the same time though, Amale continues to seem to be the future of the division and odds are she will wind up being the Women’s Champion one day. If nothing else, they are building her up some something and having her win matches over and over is the right way to go.

Sha Samuels and Noam Dar want to see Gallus suspended for stealing Supernova Sessions. Instead, Sid Scala is giving Joe Coffey a Heritage Cup shot. Mark Coffey can face Samuels too.

Pretty Deadly walks through a Jack Starz/Dave Mastiff interview. Mastiff tells Starz that he knows what to do. That brings us to Challenge #4: Bomber Initiative. Starz goes into Pretty Deadly’s dressing room and we cut to Pretty Deadly in their street clothes….which now have holes in the chest. Yelling ensues.

Rohan Raja vs. Danny Jones

The rest of Die Familie is here with Raja. Jones can’t spin out of a wristlock to start but some right hands in the corner work a bit better. A knee to the ribs takes Raja down and a boot to the face sends Raja outside for a Die Familie meeting. For some reason Jones decides to go outside after him and gets driven into the apron to put Raja back in control.

A running basement dropkick to the back of the head gives Raja two but his trash talk brings Jones back up. An enziguri into a belly to back suplex drops Raja again but it’s a rather slow near fall. Jones’ banged up back gives out though and it’s a Backstabber into a jumping Downward Spiral to give Raja the pin at 5:03.

Rating: C. It wasn’t a classic or anything but it was a way to have Jones get in some offense before going down to the bigger star. That was a nice rub to Jones, with is really just a guy in trunks, which makes it a little harder to find something for him to do. Not a bad match whatsoever, and Raja gave him a pretty good bit here.

Post match the big beatdown is on with Jones being left laying, though Charlie Dempsey didn’t seem sure about it at first.

Eddie Dennis whispers to Symbiosis about how an arrow has to be pulled back before it can go forward. The team looks ready to come back.

A truck driver is distracted by eating a hamburger and hits….what might have been a werewolf. The wolf/person is watching from the road as the driver looks at some fur on the road. I have no idea who or what this was supposed to be about and thought it was some weird commercial.

Sha Samuels runs into Mark Coffey for an exchange of insults before their match next week.

Die Familie again runs into A-Kid and stares at him. Charlie Dempsey calls the other two off and asks if A-Kid has something to say to him. A-Kid thought Dempsey was better than that and Dempsey says maybe.

Andy Shepherd brings out Meiko Satomura to honor her career. First up, we see a video on her title reign and Andy hands her a bouquet of flowers. Satomura says thank you but Isla Dawn pops up (with the camera going a bit wacky, like it’s in a weird world) to say she is distressed over not receiving an invite.

She thanks Satomura for giving us something to desire but now she needs her final trophy. At the moment, Satomura possesses it, so Satomura says if she wants a title shot, all she has to do is ask. Dawn says she takes things and kicks Satomura in the head. Then she takes and eats the flowers. So she’s Maleficent with a taste for flowers?

Sam Gradwell tells himself to get over having his hair being shaved but what gets to him is people, like his son, asking what happened to his mohawk. He can get over Kenny Williams doing that, but he doesn’t think Williams can get over what Gradwell is going to do to him.

We look back at Nathan Frazer challenging Ilja Dragunov for the NXT UK Title.

Ilja Dragunov accepts the challenge, even though he had to win a battle royal just to get a title shot. Then he failed, because he wasn’t ready yet. He knows how good Frazer is, but he also knows how great he can be. Frazer isn’t ready, but he’ll take his first step.

Here’s what’s coming next week.

Tag Team Titles: Moustache Mountain vs. Oliver Carter/Ashton Smith

Moustache Mountain is defending. Bate and Smith lock it up to start with Smith having to bail to the corner to escape a takedown attempt. Carter comes in and gets taken to the mat as well but manages to pull Bate into an armbar. That’s broken up and Bate takes him down, allowing Seven to come in for an assisted twisting moonsault. Carter is able to forearm him into the corner and there’s an armdrag into an armbar.

Smith comes back in and gets chopped/slammed, allowing Seven to drop a leg for two. It’s back to Bate to grind away on a headlock before unloading with forearms to both of them. Smith gets in a shot of his own though and brings in Carter, whose springboard…is pulled out of the air. Bate swings him around to knock Smith down as well but it makes Bate dizzy too. That means Carter can kick Bate in the head before a hurricanrana out of the corner sends him flying.

Carter even knocks Seven off the apron before he can do anything about it but Bate is back up with a suplex. The running shooting star press looks to set up the Tyler Driver 97 but Carter backdrops his way out. Bate settles for the rebound lariat and it’s back to Seven, leaving Bate to knock Smith off the apron. Something like Private Party’s Silly String into a tornado DDT lets Carter hit a springboard moonsault for two of his own and Seven is in trouble.

Seven sends Carter outside though and hits the Seven Star Lariat on Smith. Emerald Flosion gets two with Carter having to make a save. Bate comes back in so Smith Blue Thunder Bombs him for two of his own. An assisted moonsault (how they won the tournament) gets two on Bate and Carter is down too. A Silly String moonsault is cut off by Seven so Smith goes with a top rope Rough Ryder for two on Bate.

One heck of a Doomsday cutter drops Bate again but this time it’s Seven making the save. Everyone is down for a much needed breather Smith knocks Seven’s right hand back into Bate but Seven and Carter are knocked outside. That leaves Smith to hit a great superkick on Bate but Bop and Bang into an enziguri knock Smith silly. Bate knocks Smith silly with a left hand and covers, with Smith getting his foot on the ropes….but Seven shoves it off so Bate (who didn’t seem to see what Seven did) can retain the titles at 13:12.

Rating: B. Action packed fight here as Moustache Mountain was stretched to their breaking point here, with Seven having to tease a bit of a turn to keep the titles. Smith and Carter were keeping up from these two every step of the way and that was an awesome thing to see. Pretty great main event here and I’m not sure who is going to be able to take the titles, but at least it will be fun to watch people try.

Overall Rating: B-. As tends to be the case, the main event carried this show as the other two matches were fairly skippable. The main event was worth seeing though and it made the show feel important. I’m curious to see where some of these stories are going and then you can expect some good matches to blow the stories off. Now just get some kind of a major show scheduled and we could get somewhere special. For now though, it just continues to be the best weekly WWE show.

Results
Amale b. Xia Brookside – Hope Breaker
Rohan Raja b. Danny Jones – Jumping Downward Spiral
Moustache Mountain b. Ashton Smith/Oliver Carter – Left hand to Smith

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

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NXT
Date: February 22, 2022
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Wade Barrett, Vic Joseph

We are done with Vengeance Day and that means it is time to head on to whatever the next special show is going to be. The show is going to need a main event and odds are we will find out what that is tonight as Tommaso Ciampa and Raw’s Dolph Ziggler meet in a #1 contenders match. Let’s get to it.

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

We open with a long Vengeance Day recap.

Here is NXT Champion Bron Breakker for a chat. He talks about Santos Escobar being a tough opponent last week but now it is time for a new opponent. That could be as soon as Stand & Deliver, which will take place over Wrestlemania weekend. Cue Dolph Ziggler, who says he’ll be NXT Champion sooner than later, but the question is whether Breakker will make it to Stand & Deliver as champion.

Tonight, Ziggler is going to take out Tommaso Ciampa and get his title shot, but Breakker wants to fight over Ziggler superkicking him last week. Ziggler says Breakker has the night off this week, meaning he can watch Ziggler do what he does best. These two could make for a good title match and it’s a smart way to use Ziggler to help get Breakker over.

LA Knight vs. Grayson Waller

Sanga is here with Waller, who runs away to start, then does it again for a bonus. Back in and Waller gets in a cheap shot, only to get crotched on top. We take a break and come back with Knight yelling at Sanga and getting sent into the steps as a result. A top rope elbow gives Waller two but he spends way too much time setting up his rolling Stunner (from the floor), allowing Knight to counter it with a belly to back suplex. Knight hits his running clothesline into a backdrop but a Sanga distraction blocks the BFT. Waller grabs a rollup with trunks for the pin at 9:54.

Rating: C. The ending suggests that this is going to keep going and that is not the worst idea. It would make sense for Knight to continue going after Waller, perhaps on his way to the main roster just after Stand & Deliver. I’m not sure if they can stretch it out that far, but Waller getting wins is the right thing if they want him to be such a big deal.

Post match Knight beats on Waller again and drops Sanga with the BFT. Waller gets one as well.

Dakota Kai finds Wendy Choo, who is her partner in the Dusty Cup. Didn’t Kai make it clear last week that they WEREN’T going to team together? Anyway, Kai is upset that Choo is asleep and is worried about having a partner. Choo says Kai has never had her as a partner and leaves. Kai laments to her imaginary/invisible friend.

Cora Jade took Raquel Gonzalez to an adventure park to train and it turns out that Gonzalez is scared of heights. Jade: “You are the height!” They climb on various things and Gonzalez does not take it well, especially the ziplining finale. She finally goes through and her fear is conquered. Now, to conquer the Dusty Cup. This has been your latest example of NO ONE TALKS LIKE THIS!

Toxic Attraction is on the platform in the Toxic Lounge and mock Jade and Gonzalez.

Women’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic First Round: Kay Lee Ray/Io Shirai vs. Lash Legend/Amari Miller

Legend shoulders Shirai down to start but Shirai gets over to the apron. She seems to slip off a springboard but a regular dropkick frustrates Legend instead. Miller tags herself in and misses an elbow, allowing Shirai to hit a flapjack. Ray comes in and takes over on Miller, including some hard chops. It’s back to Legend, who gets caught in the KLR Bomb. Shirai’s Moons Over Moonsault finishes Legend off at 2:42. Basically a squash, as it should have been.

Dante Chen is ready to take out Duke Hudson and get his revenge.

Josh Briggs films Brooks Jensen for a dating service, but Jensen can’t even remember his name.

Dante Chen vs. Duke Hudson

Chen jumps Hudson from behind in the aisle and we start fast with Hudson in trouble. They get inside where Chen grabs a DDT for two before hammering away in the corner. Hudson is back with a kick to the face and a Razor’s Edge finishes Chen at 2:17. Hudson has talent and thankfully didn’t have much trouble with someone as low on the ladder as Chen.

Here are Trick Williams and Carmelo Hayes to brag about Hayes retaining the North American Title over Cameron Grimes last week. Hayes doesn’t care who he is facing or where he is doing it, because he’s what people will be talking about. Cue Pete Dunne to interrupt and the challenge is on for next week. Williams doesn’t seem interested but Hayes says he’s on, only to get jumped from behind by Cameron Grimes.

Cameron Grimes vs. Trick Williams

Joined in progress with Grimes running Williams over and taking him down with a clothesline. Williams manages a kick to the chest and a jumping clothesline of his own, meaning the stomping can ensue. The chinlock goes on as Barrett sings the Applebees jingle. Williams shrugs off a comeback attempt by knocking him down again and grabbing something close to a cobra clutch.

Grimes fights back up and hits a powerslam swung into a Side Effect. They head outside with Grimes missing a Cave In off the steps but hitting a superkick instead. Back in and Grimes comes off the top with a high crossbody, which mostly hits Williams in the face. The Cave In finishes Williams at 5:58.

Rating: C. There were some sloppy parts in here and it’s weird seeing Grimes have a match that is so off. At least Grimes is winning again as it makes a lot of sense to give him a nice win to get him on track after last week. Not a great match due to some less than sharp work, but it’s how things should have gone.

Brooks Jensen still can’t get the dating video right. He doesn’t know what Transformers are and is still rather hung up on Kayden Carter.

Bron Breakker comes in to see Tommaso Ciampa as he is warming up. Breakker leaves him in the zone but Ciampa says they’re 1-1 and he needs to know who is the better man.

Nikkita Lyons says she is a whole lot of woman who is ready to do a whole lot of whipping.

We go to Chase University for a lesson on intestinal fortitude. Andre Chase does not think Von Wagner has much fortitude left now that he has aligned himself with Robert Stone and freaks out over the idea of someone asking what he’ll do in the ring with Wagner. That was a teachable moment, as Chase continues to nail this stuff.

Nikkita Lyons vs. Kayla Inlay

This is Lyons’ debut and she doesn’t think much of Inlay trying a wristlock. An armbar keeps Inlay in trouble and a hiptoss makes it worse. Inlay blocks a German suplex though and chokes on the ropes, setting up some knees to the ribs. Lyons punches her in the ribs for trying a comeback. Another German suplex is blocked with a stomp to the floor but a third attempt sends Inlay flying. A splits sitdown splash finishes Inlay at 4:02.

Rating: C-. Lyons certainly has a unique look and is a giant compared to a lot of the division, but this needed to be much more one sided. Inlay got in a lot here for someone who is lucky to make it to LVL Up and her blocking the German suplex over and over didn’t work. Lyons will probably be fine, but this wasn’t a good start.

Persia Pirotta says Duke Hudson looked good out there and Hudson kisses her. Indi Hartwell comes in to say gross so Persia leaves. Hudson says Hartwell used to enjoy it but Hartwell says that was a long time ago. Hudson says it doesn’t have to be and Dexter Lumis just happens to be standing by. Lumis leaves with Indi going after him and saying she despises Hudson. NXT’s co-ed locker rooms continue to be odd.

Robert Stone and Von Wagner are ready for Andre Chase.

Here are the Creed Brothers with Malcolm Bivens to celebrate winning the Dusty Classic. Imperium doesn’t have their amateur wrestling background and haven’t defended their titles in weeks. The Creed Brothers are the real deal and Imperium are a bunch of coleslaw and sauerkraut eating….and here is Imperium to interrupt. Gunther doesn’t like what he is hearing and the brawl is on, with Gunther grabbing Bivens by the throat. Cue Solo Sikoa to superkick Gunther down, much to Bivens’ surprise/thankfulness. Bivens offers a very shaky thumbs up but doesn’t seem to know what is going on.

The dating video still doesn’t work but Fallon Henley comes in to say Brooks Jensen can just take a picture, which she does, and set up his profile, which he’ll do. Jensen yells at Josh Briggs for wasting so much time on a video. Henley did something amazing here: she talked like a human being.

Joe Gacy and Harland show us a clip of the two of them going after Draco Anthony in the gym. Gacy sees Anthony as someone he can mold and that will starts next week.

Women’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic First Round: Tatum Paxley/Ivy Nile vs. Kayden Carter/Kacy Catanzaro

Catanzaro rolls Paxley up for two t start and tries a headscissors, only to get punched in the face by Nile. A kick to the throat drops Catanzaro again but she slips over and brings in Carter to pick up the pace. An assisted spinning side slam drops Carter and Paxley adds a standing twisting moonsault. Catanzaro makes the save though and sends Nile outside, leaving Paxley to get caught with the neckbreaker/450 combination for the pin at 3:23.

Rating: C+. Carter and Catanzaro continue to be one of the better women’s teams around here and that could be a good thing for the rest of the tournament. Odds are the tournament has a decent final four, though it does make you wonder why they needed to have eight teams in the first place. I know four is kind of a lousy number, but why stretch it out for the sake of stretching it out?

Post match, Nile chokes Paxley out.

Solo Sikoa is ready to take out Gunther next week. Malcolm Bivens comes in to say that he had Gunther where he wanted him, but good luck next week. Sikoa says he did that for himself.

LA Knight wants another shot at Grayson Waller.

Tommaso Ciampa vs. Dolph Ziggler

For a future shot at Bron Breakker’s NXT Title. They go to the mat to start with Ciampa hitting him in the face to start the frustration. It’s too early for the Fairy Tale Ending and Ciampa misses a running knee to the face as well. A headbutt takes Ciampa down for two and we’re already on the chinlock. Ciampa fights up and makes the clothesline comeback but has to block the Zig Zag. A knee to the face puts Ziggler down and we take a break as Ciampa applauds himself.

Back with Ciampa fighting out of another chinlock and hitting a hard running clothesline for two. They slug it out until Ziggler scores with a dropkick into the Fameasser for two of his own. The superkick is cut off with another knee and Project Ciampa gets two. Ciampa lowers the knee pad and hits another running knee (following the Kenny Omega formula) for two more, with Ziggler getting a foot on the ropes.

They fall out to the floor for a bit before Ziggler grabs a sleeper with a bodyscissors back inside. That’s broken up as Ciampa gets to his feet and then drops backwards for the break and a near fall. They head to the apron for a slugout and an Air Raid Crash onto said apron (with about four camera cuts in five seconds) knocks Ziggler silly. Hold on though as a cameraman decks Ciampa with his camera, leaving Ziggler to hit the superkick for the pin at 15:35.

Rating: B. This felt like a heavyweight slugfest, meaning a match between two main event stars who were beating each other until one of them was left standing. The cheating was a good way to protect Ciampa, who didn’t need to take a clean loss. It was the best match on the show by far and felt like it belonged in this spot.

The cameraman is….Robert Roode. The beatdown is on but here is Bron Breakker for the save. Breakker makes the challenge for the tag match for next week. Ziggler and Roode charge back in and get beaten down again in a huge brawl to end the show.

Overall Rating: B-. The main event carried this a lot higher as it got time and was high quality, but the rest of the show was only so good. The Dusty Classic matches could have been a lot worse, mainly because they didn’t include the segments of the teams being put together. Some of the other stuff, such as Knight, Grimes and Hudson worked as well, making this a pretty good show. Maybe things are starting to come together around here, which would be nice after some dry months.

Results
Grayson Waller b. LA Knight – Rollup with trunks
Kay Lee Ray/Io Shirai b. Lash Legend/Amari Miller – Moons Over Moonsault to Legend
Duke Hudson b. Dante Chen – Razor’s Edge
Cameron Grimes b. Trick Williams – Cave In
Nikkita Lyons b. Kayla Inlay – Splits sitdown splash
Kayden Carter/Kacy Catanzaro b. Tatum Paxley/Ivy Nile – Neckbreaker/450 combination to Paxley
Dolph Ziggler b. Tommaso Ciampa – Superkick

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NXT LVL Up
Date: February 18, 2022
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Sudu Shah, Nigel McGuinness

It’s a new show, which seems likely to be a fresh coat of pain with a new name for what 205 Live has been for the last several months. That does not exactly get my attention going, but 205 Live has been decent enough recently. Granted some of that was due to how short the show has been and that might be changing. Let’s get to it.

Opening sequence (which 205 Live hasn’t had in forever).

Here are Joe Gacy and Harland for a chat. Gacy says that he told us he was an agent of change and now everyone is welcome around here. That’s why Harland will be in the first match on this show.

Harland vs. Javier Bernal

Harland hammers him in the corner and tosses him right back out of it. Bernal’s face is rammed into the mat over and over but he comes back with forearms and a dropkick. That’s broken up with no trouble and a belly to back slam (ala John Cena’s finishing sequence) gives Harland the pin at 2:04.

Fallon Henley/Kayla Inlay vs. Ivy Nile/Tatum Paxley

Malcolm Bivens is here with Paxley (debuting) and Nile, who seems very popular. Nile takes Inlay down without much effort as the fans think Ivy is going to kill her. Henley comes in to help double team Nile down and then a solo shot does the same for an early two. A blind tag brings Paxley in though and she chokes away on Henley in the ropes. Paxley’s standing flip dive gives Nile two and a German suplex gives Nile the same. Nile grabs a headscissors choke but Henley rolls away and brings in Inlay to clean house. Everything breaks down and Nile dragon sleepers Inlay out at 4:13.

Rating: C. The rush to make some teams for the women’s Dusty Classic continues, even if it feels more like a Lethal Lottery than anything else. It isn’t like there is any kind of a division at this point and there never has been, so this is about as good as it could be. Maybe they could find something that even works for the future.

The Rock narrates the Rocky Johnson Black History Month video.

Kushida vs. Edris Enofe

Ikemen Jiro and Malik Blade are here too. Feeling out process to start with Kushida taking him to the mat for a quick amateur ride. A headlock has Enofe in more trouble but he slips out and grabs one of his own. Back up and a running hurricanrana drops Enofe and Kushida sends him outside.

They head right back in with Enofe running him over for two, setting up a half crab. The rope is grabbed so Enofe hits a quick suplex. Enofe heads up top so Kushida hits a handspring kick to the face for a breather. Kushida gets kicked away but manages to dropkick him out of the air. Some kicks stagger Enofe a bit and it’s a tornado DDT into the cross armbreaker. With that broken up as well, Kushida tries the handspring elbow but Enofe dropkicks him in the back. A shooting star press gives Enofe the upset pin at 7:01.

Rating: C+. Kushida is always good for a look and that was the case again here. He did a great job of putting Enofe over, which gives me some hope for Enofe’s (and Blade’s) future. Hopefully they actually follow up with some of this stuff, but you never can tell around here. For now though, at least Enofe got a little something out of this win.

Overall Rating: C. Oh yeah this is still 205 Live and nothing has changed but the name and look of the show. The wrestling was the same, most of the people were the same and the vibe was the same. That being said, these changes are LONG overdue and the show isn’t exactly bad. Nothing worth going out of your way to see, but it’s fine for an NXT B show.

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NXT UK
Date: February 17, 2022
Location: BT Sports Studios, London, England
Commentators: Andy Shepherd, Nigel McGuinness

Things toned down a bit last week after back to back title match weeks. This time around seems to be more of the former as well, with the main event being a grudge match between Wolfgang and Jordan Devlin. Other than that, it’s hard to say what we might be getting around here week to week. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Sam Gradwell vs. Kenny Williams

Hold on though as Williams, in street clothes, is out on crutches. There was a terrible accident so the match cannot happen. Hold on to that holding on though as Sid Scala pops up on screen to say there is no evidence of Williams being injured, so start the match. Gradwell pulls him in and hammers away to start as Williams is rocked early.

A forearm out of the corner staggers Gradwell and a rake to the eyes lets Williams hit a rebound lariat. The cravate goes on for a bit before Williams rakes at the back. Gradwell fights up and hits some clotheslines into a butterfly suplex, only to get rolled up for two. Back up and Williams tries a sunset flip but Gradwell sits down on him for the pin at 3:58.

Rating: C. Williams finally gets caught and oddly enough it’s in a wrestling counter, which was a nice change of pace after Gradwell being all intense most of the time. It’s nice to see Gradwell getting a win, even if it is a small one like this. Odds are the feud continues though and I’m not sure if that is the best thing, as it’s only so interesting.

Post match Williams jumps Gradwell with the crutch as this is indeed going to continue. Williams pulls out some scissors from underneath the ring and cuts off Gradwell’s mohawk to really make this personal. Gradwell is furious, though not quite furious enough to go after Williams, who is standing at the entrance.

We recap Gallus stealing Jordan Devlin’s sunglasses last week.

The Coffeys find this funny but Wolfgang takes it a bit more seriously.

Xia Brookside is very happy to have an interview but she freaks out when she is asked about Amale. Her daddy will be hearing about this!

We recap Jack Starz wanting to earn one of Dave Mastiff’s bomber jackets, meaning Mastiff has some challenges for him.

First up it’s Challenge #1: Bomber Physicality. That means an hour of free squats, but Mastiff forgets to check on him and comes back three hours later, with Jack mostly still squatting and a pool of sweat underneath him.

Challenge #2: Bomber Appetite. Starz has to eat a bunch of what looks to be cookies or crackers.

Challenge #3: Bomber Guts. Starz has to streak through the Performance Center but he can’t do it and runs off (censored) instead.

Sam Gradwell is furious and goes hunting for Kenny Williams.

Angel Hayze vs. Emilia McKenzie

McKenzie grabs a headlock to start but gets rolled up for a fast two. Hayze hiptosses her over for two more and it’s off to a front facelock. That’s eventually broken up with McKenzie powering her down for two of her own. There’s a forearm for two more and McKenzie grabs a chinlock.

This time it’s Hayze fighting up and hitting her own forearm for a breather. A running elbow in the corner sets up a Sling Blade for two as McKenzie is having to work here. McKenzie is right back with a fisherman’s neckbreaker into a belly to back suplex for a needed breather. A superkick gives Hayze two more but McKenzie grabs a wheelbarrow faceplant for the pin at 4:57.

Rating: C+. This was a back and forth match and much better than I would have expected. Hayze got in a ton of offense here and looked like a pretty solid prospect, making this a very nice surprise. The women’s division can always use some fresh stars and if that is Hayze, good for her.

Earlier this week, Nathan Frazer talked about how last week’s win over Teoman might shut up Die Familie for a bit. As for facing the Ring General (no name given), he was scared to death of what was in front of him and he didn’t know how he got there. Now he needs something new though, so he’s challenging Ilja Dragunov for the NXT UK Title. That’s a big step forward.

Die Familie is in their apartment, where Teoman says he’s ashamed of his loss. Rohan Raja says Teoman kept his promise of looking after his family, but Teoman says he will never be a loser, as long as the family wins. Charlie Dempsey says the loss might make the family come closer together.

Stevie Turner vs. Myla Grace

They fight over a lockup to start with Turner taking her into the corner. Grace armdrags her down into an armbar but Turner is back up with a Thesz press. A running boot to the face knocks Grace against the ropes for two and we’re off to the chinlock. Nigel tries to explain Stevie’s futuristic deal as Grace fights up, including a clothesline which is more like a punch to the stomach. Turner cuts that off without much trouble though and finishes with a Side Effect at 4:36.

Rating: C. I’m not sure what is missing from Turner but she has yet to click around here. Granted part of that is due to the still weird futuristic deal, which seems to involve her wearing slightly strange clothes. Grace was fine here, but didn’t exactly stand out for the most part.

Sid Scala announces that Meiko Satomura will be presented with a gift next week.

Moustache Mountain is very happy with their Tag Team Titles and now they’re ready to defend against Ashton Smith and Oliver Carter. Smith and Carter are ready too, with the title match coming next week.

Jordan Devlin vs. Wolfgang

Feeling out process to start with Wolfgang driving him into the corner. It’s time to work on the arm, including some driving shoulders to put Devlin down. Back up and Devlin’s running shoulder has no effect so Wolfgang shows him how it’s done, which bangs up the arm even more. Another shoulder puts Devlin on the floor but he pulls Wolfgang outside too. It turns out that it’s a bad idea to brawl with someone named Wolfgang, as Devlin is beaten up against the barricade.

Back in and the slingshot cutter is blocked, allowing Wolfgang to hit a delayed vertical suplex for two. It’s back to the armbar but Devlin knocks him outside. The Asai moonsault is pulled out of the air but Devlin manages to post him shoulder first for a breather. Devlin’s armbar is broken up as well but he kicks at the arm to cut Wolfgang down again. The arm is fine enough to hit a gorilla press drop, only to have Devlin get his knees up to block a moonsault.

Devlin gets a cross armbreaker but Wolfgang is in the ropes almost immediately. There’s a running kick to Wolfgang’s arm and another puts him down on the floor. Back in again and Devlin grabs a hammerlock before kicking at the arm again. Wolfgang manages a catapult over the top to send Devlin outside for a breather before hitting a top rope ax handle back inside.

The spear only hits buckle though and now the slingshot cutter gives Devlin two. Devlin unloads on him with shots to the head but Wolfgang hits a spear, which hurts his arm even more though. Wolfgang goes up top but gets caught with a super Spanish Fly….for two. That’s enough for Devlin, who hits the 450 for the pin at 13:43.

Rating: B. This was the kind of match where they didn’t have much of a build coming in (stolen sunglasses remember) but put together a good story with both of them having bad arms. Wolfgang looked solid in a rare singles match but there wasn’t much drama as Devlin needed to get a win after losing to Ilja Dragunov a few weeks back.

Overall Rating: C+. The main event is quite good but this show was really feeling the lack of star power. Maybe they front loaded these tapings too much or something but the last two weeks haven’t been as sharp as the weeks before them. I’m not sure what they are going to do next with with Satomura’s gift, though maybe it can lead to something bigger. Good show, assuming you don’t mind the midcard getting the focus.

Results
Sam Gradwell b. Kenny Williams – Rollup
Emilia McKenzie b. Angel Hayze – Wheelbarrow faceplant
Stevie Turner b. Myla Grace – Side Effect
Jordan Devlin b. Wolfgang – 450

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

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