Collision
Date: October 24, 2026
Location: LJVM Coliseum, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Nigel McGuinness, Paul Wight

The pretty quick road to Full Gear continues here and the card for the next pay per view is already starting to come together. We have a few weeks to go before then though and that means AEW needs some big stuff to fill in the time. That’s what we’ll be doing tonight with FTR vs. the Motor City Machine Guns in the second match of their best of five series. Let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Here is Jay White, flanked by the Bang Bang Gang and what is left of the Dogs. White teases the Guns Up line but thinks the team needs a new name. It’s supposed to be the Bullet Club but America is too stupid for that, so they’re…..The Last Outfit? Are they going to team with a washer/dryer combination in a low rinse cycle street fight against a dry cleaner?

Anyway they’ve had issues before but they can be friends again and take out the Death Riders. Marina Shafir and Roderick Strong can be together and happy now that the team is going after them. White can’t stand Orange Cassidy with his stupid kicks, but he’s going to take the Continental Title from Jon Moxley. You better be down with the Last Outfit and if not, they have two words for everyone. No starch?

Kyle O’Reilly and the Conglomeration aren’t impressed with the Last Outfit.

We look at the Motor City Machine Guns beating FTR at WrestleDream.

FTR vs. Motor City Machine Guns

Match #2 in a best of five series with the Guns up 1-0. Wheeler and Shelley start things off but it’s quickly off to Harwood, who gets caught in the Dream Sequence. We settle down to Sabin fighting out of the corner and backdropping Harwood for two. Wheeler comes in off a blind tag for a bulldog but everything breaks down. FTR is sent outside for a suicide dive and we take a break.

We come back with Shelley giving Harwood a belly to back superplex. The Shatter Machine is broken up and the tag brings in Sabin to clean house. Everything breaks down and Shelley’s sunset flip gets a quick two. FTR tries a spike piledriver but Sabin breaks it up and gets two off a high crossbody. Another Shatter Machine attempt is broken up and Sabin is elbowed into a German suplex for two more.

A small package gets Sabin out of trouble and he gets over to Shelley for the tag. Sabin’s missile dropkick sets up Shelley’s frog splash for another near fall. Skull & Bones is loaded up so Stokely offers a distraction, only for Wheeler to be sent into Stokely and Harwood. Back up and the Shatter Machine connects out of nowhere, with Shelley diving in for the save. Sabin and Harwood crash out to the floor, leaving Wheeler to grab a rollup and the rope for the pin at 16:11.

Rating: B. It’s not quite as good as their match at WrestleDream, but this was still a treat to watch as you probably expected. You have two of the best teams of their era getting a lot of time to see what they can throw out there. I liked the match again and thankfully it’s only best of five rather than seven, which is that sweet spot to avoid running it into the ground. Hot match here, again, which shouldn’t be a surprise at all.

Video on Blood & Guts being set up.

Will Ospreay is ready for Blood & Guts and none of his teammates are going to submit or surrender. Adam Copeland says he swims in blood and guts and is ready to end the Don Callis Family.

Death Riders vs. Shane Taylor Promotions

Mixed eight person tag. The brawl starts fast with Moxley and Taylor slugging it out in the ring, with Moxley hammering away in the corner. The Riders beat up the Promotions on the floor as Taylor takes over on Moxley inside. Bravo comes in and gets double shouldered by Moxley and Shafir.

It’s off to Shafir to armbar Adora, with Dean making a save. That earns Dean the running clotheslines in the corner, followed by Moxley’s cutter as we take a break. We come back with Garcia getting crushed in the corner, with a BBC (Wight: “Is that the British Baseball Club?”) making it worse. Moxley comes in with a dive for the save and Garcia gets in a spinning neckbreaker. Castagnoli (in a mask) is in to clean house, including muscling Taylor up for a suplex. It’s off to Shafir vs. Adora for the standing clotheslines, with Garcia grabbing Dean in the Dragontamer. The Brutalizer makes Adora give up at 9:55.

Rating: B-. I saw the Riders beat up the Promotions enough over the summer to not need to see it again anytime soon. That was the case here, though it was nice to see Shafir getting some focus on the way to her big showdown with Mercedes Mone. Having her use the Brutalizer is a nice tribute and I could absolutely go for that being a regular thing. More good stuff here.

Post match Moxley says Jay White thought he started a war, but the Death Riders have been at war with everyone. White made a move, but now it’s Moxley’s move.

Josh Alexander vs. Blade Brown

Alexander backs him into the corner to start and snaps off a belly to belly. Brown is allowed to get in some free chops and is promptly destroyed. An arm trap piledriver and the ankle lock finish Brown at 1:46. Total squash.

Post match Alexander puts over the Don Callis Family and thinks it’s time to bring in some gold. So on Dynamite, he wants the TNT Title. He’d be a fighting champion, just like Adam Copeland, but they smashed his head in on Dynamite. Cue Copeland, who beats up RPG Vice as Alexander runs. More of the Family runs in to lay Copeland out.

We look at Ilja Dragunov’s debut on Dynamite, where he beat Mike Bailey.

Swerve Strickland vs. Myron Reed

Strickland jumps him before the bell but Reed says he’s in. The Vertebreaker is blocked though and Reed sends him outside for a dive. Back in and Strickland easily wins a slugout and sends Reed to the floor again for a kick to the head. Reed is back up with a posting though and the big running flip dive over the post drops Strickland again. Strickland easily plants him again and we take an early break.

We come back with Strickland getting serious enough to take his shirt off but getting Stundog Millionaired. Reed plants him down on the apron and hits some clotheslines but the diving cutter is blocked. A poisonrana and 450 give Reed two but Strickland (eventually) muscles him up into the Vertebreaker for the pin at 10:55.

Rating: C+. This is where AEW’s booking style becomes an issue, as you don’t need someone on the level of Myron Reed giving a former World Champion this much trouble. That’s not even factoring in that Strickland jumped him before the bell and still had this much trouble. It’s to let someone like Strickland run through an opponent and that’s what we should have seen here.

United Empire vs. Allen Brothers

Bailey kicks Steve away and then blasts Robert with a kick to the head. Andrade takes off his pants (Nigel: “Tony, what are you doing? Put those dollar bills away.”) and the Tornado Kick finishes Steve at 1:54.

Post match Andrade loads up the photo with the fan but gets jumped by Tommaso Ciampa. Bailey chases Ciampa off.

Lena Kross/Megan Bayne vs. Wrathlander

Bayne shoulders Statlander down to start but gets knocked down. That brings Kross in for an elbow from behind and a double boot drops Statlander again. A double clothesline gets Statlander out of trouble though and it’s off to Cameron for a headscissors. Everything breaks down and Wrathlander fire off the right hands in various corners but Kross and Bayne are back with stereo fall away slams.

We take a break and come back with Bayne booting Cameron down for two. Cameron chops her way out of trouble and everything breaks down. A crucifix bomb puts Bayne down and Cameron kicks Kross away, allowing the tag to Statlander. Everything breaks down and something like a cartwheel dive off the apron hits Kross on the floor. Bayne and Cameron fight to the floor and Statlander’s toss Blue Thunder Bomb sends Kross flying. Cue the Sisters Of Sin to jump Wrathlander for the DQ at 10:41.

Rating: C+. I was liking the match but I’m not sure why you wouldn’t want Wrathlander to get a win on the way to their title shot. They’ve only been a team for a little while and some wins would help them. Then again there is a good chance for this to be setting up Blood & Guts, which shows the problems with building to a pair of matches at once, as Wrathlander needed to get a better win here.

Post match Thekla whips Kris Statlander with a belt but Willow Nightingale runs in with a chain for the save. Bayne is back up though and the villains stand tall.

Post break Nightingale and Wrathlander say the Brawling Birds hate those five too. How about Blood & Guts?

Jay White vs. Kyle O’Reilly

White immediately bails out to the floor as Wight and McGuinness do their weekly bickering on commentary. Back in and they go with the grappling with O’Reilly taking over on the arm. White kicks him into the corner so O’Reilly goes after the leg. The ankle lock sends White over to the rope and it’s a diving knee off the apron to take White down on the floor. An attempted chair shot is cut off so White dragon screw legwhips him over the rope.

We take a break and come back with White staying on the leg. O’Reilly strikes him down, including a legsweep to set up a guillotine. That doesn’t last long so O’Reilly grabs a reverse fisherman’s suplex for two more. Another guillotine is broken up and a Downward Spiral gives White two.

White goes after the leg again but O’Reilly is back with a rebound lariat. A brainbuster gives O’Reilly two more and he grabs a cross armbreaker to send White over to the ropes. O’Reilly misses a dive off the apron and hurts his leg again, meaning it’s a Blade Runner on the floor. Another Blade Runner inside gives White the pin at 14:03.

Rating: B. It’s no surprise that these two had a good match as they’re talented wrestlers who were allowed to do their thing. If nothing else, White absolutely should have gotten the win as the Last Outfit is officially a thing. It’s a good way to close the show after White and company got the big moment to start the show so they have a nice bookending here.

Post match the Conglomeration runs in but the Last Outfit surrounds them for the beatdown. The Death Riders come in (from the entrance rather than the crowd as a surprise) and the big brawl is on. Claudio Castagnoli throws some people around but gets caught with a low blow. Moxley goes Abdullah The Butcher by grabbing a fork but gets taken out as well. Orange Cassidy is up with some Orange Punches and a dive, only to hit Moxley by mistake. White gets in a Blade Runner to end the show.

Overall Rating: B+. I liked this show for the most part, but I’ve been a Jay White fan for a long time. He’s far better as a heel and while having that many people in a stable is a stretch, the biggest problem is the name. Granted the fact that I’m a few days late with this and AEW has already seemed to rename them The Cut (not great, but better) shows that at least AEW isn’t tone deaf. Other than that, good show here, with the opener being a hot match and the Blood & Guts announcement feeling important.

Results
Motor City Machine Guns b. FTR – Rollup with ropes to Shelley
Josh Alexander b. Blade Brown – Ankle lock
Swerve Strickland b. Myron Reed – Swerve Stomp
United Empire b. Allen Brothers – Tornado Kick to Steve
Wrathlander b. Lena Kross/Megan Bayne via DQ when the Sisters Of Sin interfered
Jay White b. Kyle O’Reilly – Blade Runner

 

 

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

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AAA On FOX
Date: October 24, 2026
Location: Gimnasio Olimpico Juan de la Barrera, Mexico City, Mexico
Commentators: Corey Graves, John Bradshaw Layfield, Rey Mysterio

It’s the first week of Heroes Inmortales and the big main event this week is a TripleMania rematch for the Mega Title. Dominik Mysterio is getting a chance to take the title back from El Grande Americano, which should be a heck of a showdown. The Reina de Reinas Title is also on the line so let’s get to it.

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

The opening video talks about the difference between being a hero and a villain. Some do it for the need to be immortal, with a look at the matches on the card.

Trios Titles: Los Perros del Mal vs. Nino Hamburguesa/La Parka/Mr. Iguana

Los Perros are defending but get jumped by the challengers to start the match fast. Well kind of as the referee keeps calling for the bell and doesn’t get one, eventually just shrugging it off. Hamburguesa hits an early splash and blows a kiss to Karmen Petrovic but Iguana gets caught in the wrong corner. Daga stomps Iguana down and sends him outside for some cheap shots from Angel and Berto.

As JBL talks about Iguana cheating on Lola Vice with an otter, the slow pounding continues and the half crab goes on. The other Perros take Hamburguesa and Parka off the apron so there’s no one for Iguana to tag, even as he fights up. The tag goes through a few seconds later and it’s Parka coming in to clean house. Everything breaks down and Hamburguesa goes after Petrovic, allowing the other Perros to go after him. Parka makes the save with a dive but gets hit low by Daga for the retaining pin at 8:34.

Rating: B-. These titles aren’t exactly there to be regularly defended (as is the case in Mexico most of the time) but rather to give a reason for teams to be mauled by Los Perros. That was the case with these three, as the fans got to see them get wrecked. The fans are going to react and Los Perros definitely feel like a big deal, so this was a good start.

Post match the beatdown stays on and Petrovic slaps Hamburguesa but Big Mami (barely taller than the top rope and Rikishi sized) runs in to take her out. The threat of a Cannonball has the other Perros making the save.

We recap the Reina de Reinas Title match. La Catalina defeated Flammer to end her record long reign and Flammer wants the title back. La Hiedra, Flammer’s stablemate, wants the title as well so it’s a triple threat.

Las Toxicas are ready, with Lady Maravilla calming Flammer and La Hiedra down.

Reina de Reinas Title: La Catalina vs. La Hiedra vs. Flammer

Catalina is defending and Maravilla grabs her leg to start so Hiedra and Flammer can start the double teaming. A double crotching against the post has Catalina in more trouble but she’s able to get in a double clothesline. Flammer is sent outside but catches Catalina on top, allowing Hiedra to get back up. A splash in the corner and a high crossbody Doomsday Device crushes Catalina. She fights out of trouble though and hits a big high crossbody out to the floor.

Back in and another high crossbody gets two on Hiedra, followed by a wheelbarrow bulldog. Flammer Codebreakers Catalina and hits the running dropkick in the ropes, only for Hiedra to break it up. Maravilla calms things down and Hiedra’s belt shot almost his Flammer. Catalina dropkicks them into each other though and a running knee to Flammer retains the title at 7:57.

Rating: B-. This is a good example of a story that we’ve seen time after time but it still works. Anyone can get the idea of “here’s the muscle behind the former champion and now the muscle wants her turn and the former champion isn’t happy”. Catalina was just kind of there in this match, but much like the opener, there was no reason to have her lose so soon. This was more about Las Toxicas having issues and that’s a good story.

Mini Vikingo is injured and needs surgery so he’s out of his Cruiserweight Title shot. Champion Rey Fenix is going to do everything he can to keep the title until Vikingo gets the shot he earned. For now though, it’s an open challenge next week.

We recap Dominik Mysterio challenging El Grande Americano for the Mega Title. Americano took the title at TripleMania and an angry Mysterio wants it back.

Mega Title: Dominik Mysterio vs. El Grande Americano

Mysterio, with Dorian Roldan, is defending. We get the Big Match Intros and Roldan chairs Americano, allowing Mysterio to get in a 619 for a very early two. Americano gets in some right hands but is knocked right back down. A discus lariat works a bit better for Americano and he gets in some more rights…and here is Omos.

The distraction lets Mysterio take over on Americano and knock him to the floor, including an ax handle from the announcers’ table. Back in and an Edge-O-Matic gives Mysterio two but Americano gets out of a double arm crank. Even more right hands and an Air Raid Crash give Americano two but Mysterio flips out of that neck crank that I can’t spell.

Mysterio gets in a DDT on the apron and tries the frog splash, which hits raised knees. Omos breaks up the running headbutt and goes after Pimpinela Escarlata (in the front row) so Americano makes the save with the dive. Back in and the Aztec Headbutt looks to finish Mysterio so Omos pulls the referee at two. Cue Rey Mysterio to 619 Omos and fire off some chair shots, leaving Americano to hit the Aztec Headbutt and retain at 11:55.

Rating: B. They’ve got something with Americano facing what feels like insurmountable odds and then surmounting them to great cheers. That was what we got again here and while it wasn’t as good as the TripleMania match, it worked well, especially with Rey getting some revenge on Omos. Americano needs a fresh challenger though, and I’m really not sure who is ready. Daga would seem to be the long term solution, but it’s too soon. Anyway, rather nice main event here.

Overall Rating: B+. It’s kind of amazing that they had this much stuff in about 50 minutes factoring out commercials. As usual, AAA keeps things moving at a rather efficient pace and it worked again here. This could have been a special on its own but we’ll get some more over the next few weeks. For now though, heck of a start to the three week special.

Results
Los Perros del Mal b. Nino Hamburguesa/La Parka/Mr. Iguana – Low blow to Parka
La Catalina b. La Hiedra and Flammer – Running knee to Flammer
El Grande Americano b. Dominik Mysterio – Aztec Headbutt

 

 

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

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Smackdown
Date: October 23, 2026
Location: Toyota Arena, Ontario, California
Commentators: Michael Cole, Wade Barrett

We’re rapidly approaching Crown Jewel and that means we could be seeing some title changes in the coming weeks. There are regular title defenses plus the Money In The Bank briefcases floating around, which very well could see the title picture shaken up. The rest of the card needs to be set up as well so let’s get to it.

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

Happy Birthday Wife/Happy wedding day in-laws.

We open with a look back at Roman Reigns and Sami Zayn arguing on Raw. Even Michael Cole says this is a battle for pride.

Here is Zayn, with Johnny Gargano and Candice LeRae, to get things going. Zayn acknowledges that there are people who don’t like him but asks who is here to ride or die with him. There is this misconception that the alpha male is the biggest and strongest but the reality is that it’s the smart one who survives. He isn’t going to take this from anyone, including Penta, which brings Rey Fenix to interrupt.

Fenix says he isn’t sure what Penta is going to do. He and Zayn are still family but if Zayn disrespects his family, they have a problem. Zayn says there’s no problem between them, but rather with people who disrespect him. Cue Trick Williams, who says he doesn’t feel any threat from Zayn. He’s only been here ten months and look how far he’s come. Zayn has been here for twenty five years and still trying to convince people he’s the king of the jungle.

Williams says that Zayn is Timon and he’s Simba and a real champion. Williams wants a title shot, but Zayn says he could use his sharp tongue to destroy Williams. That won’t be happening though, because Zayn is a good guy. Sooner or later, the people will realize that Williams doesn’t have IT. Therefore, no title match. Williams demands the shot instead and threatens to beat it out of him, which has Zayn getting in a cheap shot and running. Nick Aldis comes out to make Williams/Fenix vs. Zayn/Gargano tonight. Good stuff here, as we’re getting a bunch of people lining up to come after a beatable champion.

Women’s Title: Roxanne Perez vs. Chelsea Green

Green is defending. Perez ties her up in la majistral for an early two so Green gets in her own rollup for two more. Something like a Zig Zag gives Green two more and a running dropkick sends Perez outside. Green gets in a suicide dive but Perez dropkicks the leg out and sends her into the post. The arm gets stomped into the turnbuckle rod and we take a break.

We come back with Green hitting a superplex and they’re both down. Green is up with some running knees in the ropes but the Unprettier is reversed into a small package to give Perez two. Green goes up again but here is Raquel Rodriguez to shove her off, allowing Perez to get in a running knee. Cue Iyo Sky to cut off Rodriguez, only to have Perez send Sky into the steps. Back in and Green hits a superkick into the Unpretty-Her to retain at 9:23.

Rating: C+. They’re playing up the idea that the title could change hands before Crown Jewel and that’s an interesting way to go. Unfortunately the problem is these issues basically go away as soon as the show takes place as everyone (in theory) goes back to their own show and moves on. Anything involving Green being around is a good thing though and it’s nice to see her beat someone like Perez.

Post match Liv Morgan runs in for the beatdown, with Rodriguez joining in. Sky tries to make the save but the numbers game is too strong. Tiffany Stratton runs in for the real save. Stratton tries to cash in but Judgment Day gets Morgan out of the ring before it’s official.

We look at Cody Rhodes Punting Baron Corbin last week (with the Punt being shown in the replay on Netflix after not being shown on the same platform last week).

Corbin is out of action for the time being.

Chelsea Green, Iyo Sky and Tiffany Stratton celebrate together. Apparently it’s martini time.

Giulia vs. Blake Monroe

Street fight. Giulia jumps her on the floor for the opening bell but can’t send her into a pile of chairs. Monroe gets in some kendo stick shots to take over but gets crotched on the barricade. That means Giulia can dropkick her over the barricade and now Monroe is sent through the chairs. We take a break and come back with Giulia in control as they fight to the stage.

The brawl goes through the Gorilla Position and into the back, where Monroe sprays hairspray in Giulia’s eyes. We pause for Monroe to look in a mirror though, with Giulia sending her into said mirror. Giulia beats her back through the aisle and into the ring, where a missile dropkick connects. A fire extinguisher blinds Giulia though and Monroe hits a superplex from the steps onto the chairs on the floor. Back in and a Neutralizer finishes Giulia at 10:54.

Rating: B-. I liked the tower of chairs, as it fits in with the Beautiful Madness thing. They didn’t really go far enough with the broken mirror thing, as you would think that would be a bigger deal. At least Monroe got what is supposed to be a big win but my goodness I have no idea what is happening to Giulia. This is the best they have for her?

Here is Randy Orton for a chat and yeah the fans like him. Orton brings up Cody Rhodes and the fans don’t seem as thrilled. He’s proud of Rhodes, dubbed “Kid”, for kicking someone in the head, because Orton is the only one to make Rhodes crack. Rhodes can kick anyone in the head but it doesn’t matter until he does it to Orton himself. Orton is the one who has done that to people for years around here but he knows that Rhodes won’t be able to pull the trigger again.

Cue Rhodes so Nick Aldis and the agents are immediately here on standby. Rhodes wants to know when Orton became a coward because he remembers Orton as the Apex Predator and the Legend Killer. The reality is that Orton is an anomaly from his OVW class as he’s the last one standing. Well Rhodes is the anomaly to Orton because he’s not scared of Orton anytime. So why are they waiting for?

The fight is teased but Aldis calls it off and makes the match at Crown Jewel. That works for Rhodes, but he wants it to be Last Man Standing. Orton is in too, but Rhodes asked for this. There’s your non-title main event and it feels big, though either have Rhodes kick him in the head or move on already.

Women’s Tag Team Titles: Alexa Bliss/Tatum Paxley vs. Michin/B-Fab

Michin/B-Fab, with Jade Cargill, are challenging. Bliss and B-Fab start things off with the former taking over with some right hands. The sliding lariat gives B-Fab two so Bliss dropkicks her into the corner so Paxley can come in. Paxley is sent outside and scores with an enziguri from the floor before low bridging Michin to the floor as well.

We take a break and come back with Paxley hitting a step-up enziguri so Bliss can get the tag. The running Blockbuster looks to set up Sister Abigail so B-Fab grabs the hair for the break. Bliss high crossbodies B-Fab and it’s back to Paxley, who misses a 450 to Michin. Cargill gets in a cheap shot and Michin’s Styles Clash finishes Paxley for the titles at 7:57.

Rating: C+. They’re certainly rolling with the women’s matches tonight. I’m not wild on the title change as they’ve been moving around a lot lately and B-Fab and Michin are hardly a great team. I guess the theory is to keep up the idea that any title can change hands at any time, but this only felt so important.

Trick Williams is thrilled because he’s getting a World Title shot next week. Rey Fenix comes in to say they need to get ready, with Damian Priest coming in to sneer.

Danhausen is hosting next week’s Very Nice Very Evil Halloween special.

Tag Team Titles: MFTs vs. Bakusi

The MFTs, with Haku, are defending but Kyoki sneaks in from behind to steal Haku’s staff. Haku sends them after the stick and the big brawl is on in the aisle. Agents and referees break it up and there’s no match.

Earlier today, Nick Aldis sat down with CM Punk and Kevin Owens. Aldis announces a match between them in two weeks in Brooklyn. Punk blames Owens for losing the title, with Owens saying Punk cost Owens the title in Toronto. Owens brings up something that happened in a locker room twenty years ago and thought they were done after Money In The Bank. Punk says Owens will be a thorn in his side until Punk puts him down. They argue over each other and Aldis thinks that’s enough, with Punk calling Owens a piece of garbage as he leaves. They only had so much to talk about here but it was entertaining.

Sami Zayn/Johnny Gargano vs. Trick Williams/Rey Fenix

Candice LeRae is here with Zayn and Gargano. Williams and Zayn start things off but nah we’ll go with Gargano instead. Williams powers him around without much trouble so it’s off to Zayn. Hang on though as here is Ricky Saints to jump Fenix and it’s a DQ at about 1:20.

Post match the big beatdown stays on but Penta runs in for the save and let’s do that six man thing.

Sami Zayn/Johnny Gargano/Ricky Saints vs. Trick Williams/Lucha Bros

The Bros hit a big double running flip dive and we take a break before the bell. We’re joined in progress with Fenix elbowing Zayn out of the corner but Zayn powerbombs him down for a quick two. A Helluva Kick knocks the illegal Williams off the apron and it’s off to Gargano, who is kicked in the face. Penta comes in for a backbreaker to Gargano and some kicks to his partners.

The slingshot dropkick in the corner gets two on Gargano and Fenix dives onto Saints. The Penta Driver hits Gargano for two but the Mexican Destroyer is cut off with a superkick. It’s back to Williams to clean house but Saints cuts him off with a quick Revolution for two. Gargano poisonranas Fenix, only to get caught with Penta’s Mexican Destroyer. Williams cuts off the Helluva Kick and the Trick Shot hits Zayn, followed by a Bookend to pin Saints at 4:45 shown.

Rating: B-. They didn’t have much time here but the fans are way into Penta and it’s fun to see what he can do every time he’s out there. I can’t imagine Williams having any serious chance to win the title next week but this was as good of a build as he could have gotten. Zayn has everyone coming after him right now and he’s a vulnerable champion, making the pressure that much better. Good, fast paced main event here.

Zayn knows he’s in trouble to end the show.

Overall Rating: B-. This was kind of a chaotic night but they did so many things that it never got boring. The action was mostly good, with the main event not lasting long but being fun while it was around. Crown Jewel is still a very hard sell and the idea seems to be keeping the ball moving so much that it’s hard to realize that on the way there. Solid show this week and a good preview for things to come.

Results
Chelsea Green b. Roxanne Perez – Unpretty-Her
Blake Monroe b. Giulia – Neutralizer
B-Fab/Michin b. Tatum Paxley/Alexa Bliss – Styles Clash to Paxley
Rey Fenix/Trick Williams b. Johnny Gargano/Sami Zayn via DQ when Ricky Saints interfered
Trick Williams/Lucha Bros b. Johnny Gargano/Sami Zayn/Ricky Saints – Bookend to Saints

 

 

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

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Impact Wrestling
Date: October 22, 2026
Location: Dothan Civic Center, Dothan, Alabama
Commentators: Tom Hannifan, Matthew Rehwoldt

We’re coming up on Destination X and now we have a #1 contender to the World Title, as Trey Miguel won a ladder match last week. That sets him up to challenge Leon Slater, which should be a heck of a match. Other than that, the card needs to be set up and that should be done this week. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

We open with the return of Daria Rae, who tells these disgusting human beings to “shut up, I’m talking”. She brags about her success and says that if she had been around, Indi Hartwell wouldn’t have become Knockouts Champion. This brings out Hartwell, who mocks her with the belt and says that Rae’s time away didn’t make her any better. Hartwell offers to let Rae slap her but Rae says Hartwell has to defend the title against Xia Brookside right now, even if Hartwell is in street clothes.

Knockouts Title: Indi Hartwell vs. Xia Brookside

Brookside is challenging and jumps her to start as the beatdown is on fast. Back up and Hartwell kicks her to the floor, where Brookside grabs the title. That’s broken up so Brookside rams her arm first into the apron. The arm is smashed into the steps and then wrapped around the rope back inside, followed by the armbar. Back up and Brookside misses a charge into the corner but the Hurts Donut is countered into a Fujiwara armbar. Hartwell breaks out of that and counters Darkside into the Hurts Donut to retain at 6:23.

Rating: C+. This was another step forward in Hartwell vs. Rae, which is another attempt to recreate the Austin vs. McMahon dynamic. The problem is Rae doesn’t wrestle (yet) and she’s still such a generic villain that there’s no spark to the story. Hartwell is only so interesting either and it’s a shame to see Brookside stuck in this kind of a spot.

Post match Apex comes in to beat up Hartwell, with Rae approving.

Leon Slater is fired up to be the youngest World Champion of all time. Trey Miguel comes in to say he’s going to do anything to take the title, which is cool with Slater. They depart in peace.

Xia Brookside has a meltdown about her loss but holds up something in her hand, which calms her down.

Fabian Aichner vs. Cedric Alexander vs. KC Navarro vs. Rich Swann

For an X-Division Title shot next week. Aichner and Alexander take over to start, with Alexander knocking him into the corner. Navarro is back in to fire off the superkicks and a tornado DDT but Swann gives him a standing moonsault for two. We take a break and come back with Swann and Aichner trading big shots.

Alexander blocks Navarro’s tornado DDT and Aichner gives Alexander a double springboard moonsault. Swann’s Canadian Destroyer on the apron is broken up and Aichner hits a big corkscrew dive to take out all three of them on the floor. That’s enough to bring out the System to jump Aichner though, allowing Alexander to hit a moonsault for the pin at 9:41.

Rating: B+. It’s a formula that has worked forever and it worked rather well here, with everyone flying around and getting in their offense where they could. The System interfering is about as good of a way to get out of the match as possible, as it’s not like anyone was really standing out over the others. Heck of a fun match here, which is what makes the concept work time after time.

Post match Amazing Red comes out for the staredown.

Tasha Steelz tells Special Agent Zero that there is one thing left to do and they shake hands.

AJ Francis isn’t happy with what the Hardys did to Expressions. Mila Moore and John Skyler come in, with Skyler setting up a match with Francis for next week.

The Hardys and Moose give Avery Styles a pep talk before his Impact debut.

The System isn’t happy with Eddie Edwards, who walks off with Alisha Edwards. That implosion feels like it’s a long time coming.

Avery Styles vs. Joe Alonzo

Alonzo says he’s going to make Styles finally put away those chairs. They go technical to start and neither of them gets anywhere, so Styles hits a dropkick instead. Alonzo bails to the floor and gets taken out again as Frankie Kazarian approves. Back in and Styles knocks him down and grabs the chinlock but Styles is up with a Pele. A running Fameasser and a sliding forearm give Styles two and Alonzo is staggered. The Phenomenal Forearm is superkicked out of the air for two but a second attempt connects with Alonzo. The Spiral Tap gives Styles the pin at 5:59.

Rating: C+. So the point here wasn’t so much showcasing everything Styles can do, but rather giving us a preview of him. He’s brand new to wrestling and this is by far his highest profile singles match to date. He wasn’t out there for very long and what he did went well enough. Obviously he’s a long term project but he has to get his feet wet, and that’s what we saw here.

The Elegance Brand brags about their success but Elayna Black comes in to say she had M beaten and only needed five more minutes. Jada Stone comes in to back Black up but the Brand walks off.

Santino Marella announces a men’s and women’s Ultimate X for Destination X, plus the return of the World X Cup. Daria Rae comes in to glare at him without saying anything.

Here are Allie and Kiera Hogan for a chat. Allie sounds rather nervous as she says they want a rematch for the Knockouts Tag Team Titles. Hogan: “Are you finished?” Hogan is tired of how this has been going because Allie is the reason they lost the titles. Allie was always the weak link in this team and they’re done. Cue Tasha Steelz to jump Allie and Fire N Flava is back together.

The lights go out though and Shotzi Blackheart runs in to take the villains out. There was a lot going on here, and while I like the Fire N Flava reunion, please do not turn the split with Allie into a big thing. Allie and Hogan had four matches together as a team. That doesn’t need some huge feud.

Harley Hudson comes up to the Righteous, who want an answer about her future soon.

We get an exclusive clip from last week with Elijah jumping Nic Nemeth for costing him the ladder match.

Elijah promises that Nemeth will reap what he sewed. Ryan Nemeth comes in to deliver a threat from Nic, with Elijah not being impressed.

International Title: Mustafa Ali vs. Jason Hotch

Ali is challenging in a 2/3 falls match. They shove each other to start and Ali grabs a headlock, which doesn’t get him very far. Hotch knocks him down and Ali isn’t looking pleased. A dropkick puts Ali on the floor but he gets up to the apron and catches Hotch with a nasty German suplex for the big crash. We take a break and come back with Ali’s rolling neckbreaker being countered with a DDT. They trade some rollups and Ali actually gets a clean pin at 9:29.

Ali – 1
Hotch – 0

Hotch slips out of a powerbomb attempt and kicks him in the face. That’s enough to send Ali outside, with Hotch hitting a suicide dive. A triangle moonsault hits Ali as well but he grabs the title to knock Hotch silly for the DQ at 11:39.

Ali – 1
Hotch – 1

Ali throws him back in for some near falls and Hotch’s kickouts just make Ali all the more frustrated. The referee gets bumped in the corner by mistake, allowing Ali to get in a rather harsh low blow. Ali grabs a belt to whip away, at least until Hotch takes the belt for some whips of his own. They go outside again and Ali sends him into the post to knock him silly.

Ali loads up a superplex to the floor but gets shoved down, only to superkick a diving Hotch out of the air. Back in and Hotch charges into a Spanish Fly for two and they slug it out. Hotch gets suplexed into the corner but is still able to avoid the 450. Ali misses a charge into the corner of his own and gets put in a torture rack for a flipping knee to the face to retain the title at 18:45.

Hotch – 2
Ali – 1

Rating: B. The good thing here is that Hotch felt like he belonged. That’s more than you can say about a lot of people who are trying to get into the deeper waters and TNA might have something with him. It was a good, solid TV main event and Hotch beat Ali again, which hopefully wraps up their feud for the time being, though Ali pinning him clean to start might mean one more match.

Post match Leon Slater comes out to congratulate Hotch on his win, saying the new generation isn’t waiting anymore because they’re right now.

Syx challenges the Hardys to step into their world to end the show.

Overall Rating: B+. The build to Destination X has been kind of thrown together, but it’s a show that sort of has its own setup built in. The focus is on the X-Division and therefore we’re getting two Ultimate X matches and a competition, plus two mostly X-Division wrestlers fighting for the World Title. That part went well, and you had two very good TV matches. Not bad for a night’s work.

Results
Indi Hartwell b. Xia Brookside – Hurts Donut
Cedric Alexander b. Fabian Aichner, KC Navarro and Rich Swann – Moonsault to Aichner
Avery Styles b. Joe Alonzo – Spiral Tap
Jason Hotch b. Mustafa Ali 2-1

 

 

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

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Ring Of Honor
Date: October 22, 2026
Location: WJCT Studios, Jacksonville, Florida
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman

The long and winding road to Final Battle seems to have begun, as we officially have a date and location for the show. That gives us about six weeks before the event, meaning we’ll likely go another two weeks before the real build begins. Bandido is going to need a challenger for the title and we might even start hearing about that soon. Let’s get to it.

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

Shane Taylor Promotions brag about their success, with Tehuti Miles officially joining the team. He’s here to win titles, as is the rest of the team.

Opening sequence.

Main Man Oro vs. Bishop Kaun

Kaun doesn’t shake hands to start and Oro isn’t pleased, which he displays by snapping off some armdrags. Kaun knocks him down on the top though and a running suplex drops Oro again. Oro knees his way out of another suplex but gets knocked outside anyway. Kaun runs him over again and hits a running dropkick, sending Oro crashing into the edge of the steps for a very painful looking crash.

Back in and Kaun grabs a waistlock but Oro comes back with a release German suplex. A neckbreaker gives Oro two but Kaun gives him a quick Wasteland for the same. Oro’s spinwheel kick in the corner gives him two more, only for Kaun to be right back with the fireman’s carry gutbuster. A Pedigree finishes Oro at 6:39.

Rating: C+. Kaun has been on something of a roll in recent weeks and he’s certainly not bad at this power stuff. That’s good to see as it worked well enough here, with that dropkick into the steps looking great. Oro is pretty much the definition of a good hand and that’s about all, which is a problem given the roster around here.

Post match Kaun beats on him some more but Bandido of all people makes the save. That has to be a TV title defense rather than Final Battle. There’s no…ok there’s always a way around here.

Rascalz vs. Cole Radrick/Matt Diesel

Xavier headlocks Radrick to start and dropkicks him down. Wentz comes in for a Bronco Buster in the corner but Radrick actually gets in a shot of his own. That means Wentz could be in trouble for all of 8 seconds before it’s back to Xavier to clean house. Everything breaks down and the Rascalz smash through both of them, with the Hot Fire Flame finishing Radrick at 3:28.

Rating: C. This was a total squash and if the Tag Team Titles were regularly defended around here, the Rascalz would be a good choice for the title shot at Final Battle. They’re more than capable enough to hang with Sky Team and it would be cool to see the four of them go at it. Just don’t have ladders involved, as there’s no need for them in any match for the most part.

Quick recap of the Dark Order’s issues between John Silver and Preston Vance.

Dark Order vs. Premiere Athletes/Beef

Silver is nowhere in sight here. Reynolds and Nese start things off with an exchange of arm cranks until Nese backs him into the corner. An elbow to the face drops Nese for a knee drop and it’s off to Uno, who drops Daivari with a running shoulder. The referee accidentally catches Daivari’s boot to the ribs and Uno gets in a neckbreaker.

That means Vance and Beef can come in for the power off, with Vance using the power of TEN to shoulder him down. Everything breaks down and the Order gets in a triple suplex to send the villains outside, with Reynolds hitting a big dive. Uno boots Beef down on the floor but gets caught by the Athletes, allowing Beef to rake the eyes. Back in and Uno can’t fight out of the corner, with Nese stomping him down instead.

Nese’s cheap shot superkick to Vance has Reynolds rather angry and Uno’s double clothesline lets Reynolds come in to blow off some steam. Vance comes in to fire off a string of shots in the corner and it’s a big spinebuster to Beef. The slingshot spear hits Beef but Nese makes the save. We get the parade of knockdowns, with Mark Sterling getting in a cheap shot to Vance. That earns him a full nelson before the same thing finishes Beef at 11:06.

Rating: B-. The best thing here is that the Order have been doing some things in recent weeks and there was an actual story to the match. I can go with that, especially with the Silver aspect hanging out there. The fact that the match went pretty well was a nice bonus too, making this a good addition.

Bandido wants a new challenger and Bishop Kaun comes in to say he wants a shot. Works for Bandido, with no date given.

We look at Skyflight’s recent successes.

Zayda Steel vs. Xanti Li

Li would rather dance than shake hands to start so Steel shakes Christopher Daniels’ hand instead. Steel backs her against the ropes and is quickly kicked into a headlock. That’s broken up so they fight over a wristlock instead. Steel’s armdrag works a bit better and she dropkicks Li outside.

Li grabs a DDT onto the apron (or close enough) before pulling Steel out of the corner for a hard crash. Steel avoids a charge though and rams Li’s head into the mat a few times. A Codebreaker out of the ropes looks to set up an Unprettier but Li bites her neck to escape. One heck of a superkick gives Li two but Steel is back with the spinning Unprettier for the pin at 6:47.

Rating: C+. As usual, Steel does the moves well and she has come a long way since she started around here. The problem is she isn’t getting anywhere and that is going to need to change. On the other hand you have Li, who got to showcase herself a bit and I wouldn’t mind another match from her.

Il Cartello Grillo are here to make noise, and apparently rip off the FBI.

Il Cartello Grillo vs. The Swirl

Swirl jumps them to start and fire off the rapid strikes. A triangle moonsault takes out Impala on the floor and a standing moonsault gives Johnson two back inside. Seal is sent outside and stomped against the barricade but a sunset flip gives him a breather. It’s back to Impala to clean house but a 619 connects in the corner. The top rope double stomp/Death Valley Driver combination finishes Impala at 5:39.

Rating: C+. This was pretty much what you would have expected, as the Swirl work very well together and have some rather impressive chemistry. On the other hand you have Il Cartello, who are in fact Italian. That’s the extent of what they have and that is hardly enough to make them interesting.

Video on Isla Dawn vs. Mina Shirakawa.

Isla Dawn vs. Mina Shirakawa

Dawn yells a lot and grabs a lockup but Shirakawa wins an exchange of kicks to the leg. The kick to the head out of the corner is cut off though and Dawn gets in a Dragon Sleeper on the rope. That’s broken up so Dawn takes her down again and gets in a kick to the back. Shirakawa sends her into the corner though and a hanging DDT drops her again.

More kicks to the leg have Dawn down but she’s fine enough for a belly to back suplex. They kick each other down and then slug it out from their knees. Dawn gets knocked to the floor for the big dive but is fine enough for a running knee to the head for two back inside. Shirakawa is right back up with some kicks and backfists of her own, followed by the Figure Four to make Dawn tap at 8:33

Rating: B-. I guess this counts as a grudge match around here as they had a few weeks of talking about each other before Shirakawa beat her clean. It’s hard to buy that this is going to be some big step up for Shirakawa, who is little more than the talented but fun star in the women’s division. Dawn is rather good too but neither of these two feel like they really matter around here and that isn’t being fixed in one match.

We look at Hyan accidentally helping Athena, who wants her to be a Minion.

Pure Rules Title: Mance Warner vs. Lee Moriarty

Moriarty is defending and grabs a headlock takeover to start. A cross armbreaker has Warner using his first rope break and Moriarty takes him down by the arm again. Warner slaps on a quick crossface so Moriarty uses a rope break of his own. A quick knockdown and cover sends Moriarty’s leg into the ropes (not on purpose) for the second rope break. Back up and Moriarty drops him face first onto the turnbuckle and Warner is sent outside. Warner is busted open and Moriarty bulldogs him down for two more.

The cross arm choke goes on so Warner reverses into one of his own. That’s reversed right back and Warner goes to the rope for the second break. Some clotheslines gives Warner two and a top rope superplex gets the same. Warner grabs a chair and sits down for a chinlock but Moriarty is up with a Samoan drop for two more.

Something like an octopus sends Warner into the ropes for his last break so he chops away and grabs another crossface. Moriarty’s last rope break resets things again, meaning Warner headbutts him to the floor. The tornado DDT off the chair drops Moriarty on the floor and a running knee gives Warner two back inside. Moriarty gets out of a crossface chickenwing and ties Warner’s arm around the rope for the tap to retain at 13:02.

Rating: C+. This was most of the Moriarty title defenses, as they find a way to run through the rope breaks and then go to the finish. That’s the formula for these things and Moriarty knows how to do them but they’ve been done for so long that I could really go for something new. Warner had apparently found ways to break the rules but then didn’t do much of anything out of the ordinary, which is hardly a surprise.

Overall Rating: B-. In theory, this was a good first step towards a bunch of title matches at Final Battle. The problem though is actually getting those matches made, which is a lot easier said than done. The wrestling and storytelling were good enough here and they didn’t waste a lot of time. ROH doesn’t get focused very often but it works when they do, which they did again here.

Results
Bishop Kaun b. Main Man Oro – Pedigree
Rascalz b. Cole Radrick/Matt Diesel – Hot Fire Flame to Radrick
Dark Order b. Premiere Athletes/Beef – Full nelson to Beef
Zayda Steel b. Xanti Li – Spinning Unprettier
The Swirl b. Il Cartello Grillo – Top rope double stomp/Death Valley Driver combination to Impala
Mina Shirakawa b. Isla Dawn – Figure Four
Lee Moriarty b. Mance Warner – Arm crank in the ropes

 

 

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

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Dynamite
Date: October 21, 2026
Location: Watsco Center, Coral Gables, Florida
Commentators: Excalibur, Taz, Tony Schiavone

We’re done with WrestleDream and Will Ospreay is still the World Champion, having survived Clockwork Carnage. That probably isn’t the biggest surprise but he was pinned a few times in the match and that very well could set up some challengers for him in the coming weeks. Those coming weeks also include Full Gear so let’s get to it.

Here is WrestleDream if you need a recap.

We run down the card.

Young Bucks vs. Don Callis Family

Non-title. The Family jumps the Bucks to start fast and they’re sent outside, with the Bucks being sent into the steps. A powerbomb sends Nick onto the announcers’ table and another puts him through it. Back in and the double standing clothesline hits Matt and three piledrivers knock him cold. Doyle bearhugs Nick out and it’s a double pin on the Bucks at 2:49. The Bucks had no significant offense here whatsoever and it was a total squash.

Long WrestleDream recap.

Adam Copeland/Will Ospreay vs. Don Callis Family

This would be Kyle Fletcher/Kevin Knight for the Family. Copeland and Knight start things off with Copeland hitting an early clothesline. Knight is right back up to choke in the corner, earning himself a swinging neckbreaker. Ospreay comes in to face Fletcher and it’s already time to slug it out. Fletcher gets knocked down for the standing corkscrew moonsault and it’s back to Copeland. Ospreay’s running hurricanrana is blocked though and a standing Doomsday Device dropkick drops Copeland as we take a break.

We come back with Ospreay in trouble and getting kneed in the face. The brainbuster is countered into a Stundog Millionaire but Knight is over to cut off the tag. A Phenomenal Forearm gets Ospreay out of trouble though and it’s back to Copeland to start firing off the clotheslines. Knight gets back up with a springboard clothesline of his own and Fletcher’s Michinoku Driver gets two.

Everything breaks down and Fletcher knocks Ospreay off the apron. Cue Kazuchika Okada to distract Copeland, who is fine enough to give Fletcher a Killswitch. The spear hits Knight but Okada gets in a belt shot to Copeland. That and a brainbuster are enough to give Fletcher the pin at 13:22.

Rating: B-. This was your standard big time tag match and it was a good way to set up a few things. Copeland has quite a few options for singles matches and it seems like Okada is going to be up next. There is definitely something to be done with Copeland going after the World Title but warming up with Okada isn’t a bad idea either.

Okada’s diabolical smile after costing Copeland is great, but he stops to come in and beat on Copeland instead. More of the Family comes in and Ospreay is beaten down as well. Fletcher holds up the World Title and the lights go out. Darby Allin, the returning Steven Borden and a Young Buck run in for the save. Borden: “I’m back. For Blood & Guts.” On one hand, I get the idea, but with the Bucks getting wrecked, Borden having had about five matches, and there only being so much reason for him to hate the Family, this feels like a less than thrilling Blood & Guts team.

Swerve Strickland vs. Tome Filip

Strickland gives him the House Call before the bell and finishes with a Vertebreaker at 22 seconds.

Orange Cassidy/Jay White vs. Death Riders

Garcia grabs a waistlock to start but gets backed into the ropes so White can escape. A chop and suplex give White an early one and Cassidy comes in for a less than strong effort on a double suplex. Yuta comes in to take Cassidy down by the leg before blocking the Stundog Millionaire. Cassidy gets tied up in the ring skirt and pummeled, leaving White to get taken down with a suicide dive as we take a break.

We come back with Cassidy escaping a sunset flip attempt and calmly walking over to bring in White. Some chops and a DDT get two on Yuta but it’s Garcia grabbing the Dragontamer. Cassidy offers the lazy strikes for…I guess we’ll call it a save as everything breaks down. The Fastball Special hits raised knees and it’s a pair of Orange Punches into the Blade Runner to pin Yuta at 10:27.

Rating: B-. This was about what you would have expected, with the makeshift team getting to beat the lower part of the Death Riders. I do love seeing White getting a chance to win as the important thing he’s back and at least he’s getting to have some success. That just needs to stay the case for a long time, which is far from a guarantee.

Hangman Page and Brodido are happy to be the first three time Trios Champions but Swerve Strickland comes in. He and New Level (not here) want a rematch so Page says name the time and the place. That would be Full Gear, but Swerve wants Texas Death. Page says no way as he’s not letting them get dragged down to that level again. The rematch seems to be set though.

Nick Wayne, with a shirt advertising his win over Chris Jericho, arrives and glares at Jericho’s image on a truck.

Here is Mercedes Mone for a chat. She brags about her recent wins and calls her challengers stupid before telling Renee Paquette to get out. Mone is the division and she wants to know who is next…so here is Marina Shafir, who has Mone a bit shaken. Shafir tells her to not be a pu*** and Mone bails.

Roderick Strong vs. Jon Moxley

Non-title. They go with the grappling to start and Moxley gets a hammerlock on the mat. Strong is back up with a quick dropkick for two but Moxley wins a strike off. A running dropkick to the leg has Strong going outside, where he drops Moxley onto the apron. We take a break and come back with Moxley in trouble but grabbing a quick Paradigm Shift.

Strong falls outside so Moxley hits him with a suicide dive before unloading on him in the corner. Some backbreakers have Moxley in more trouble but he’s right back with the big clothesline. A tiger driver lets Strong grab the Stronghold, which Moxley escapes rather quickly. The rear naked choke finishes for Moxley at 11:02.

Rating: B-. Yeah this was what you have to expect from Moxley as he runs through another name. The match is pretty formula based at this point, which makes it a bit pesky when Moxley is on the shows so often. It was a perfectly fine match, but I’ve seen Moxley do something like this so many times that it’s hard to get that interesting.

Post match Moxley rolls out and Strong is left in the ring, when the Dogs run in to jump Strong. Moxley sees it and gets back inside to call them off…so the Dogs jump Moxley from behind. Gabe Kidd runs in to stop them but gets beaten down by the Dogs as well. The Conglomeration and Jay White run in, but White turns on the Conglomeration (ending their partnership after what must have been a good 30 minutes).

The rest of the Bang Bang Gang runs in to jump the Conglomeration, as well as the Death Riders who try to make a save. Claudio Castagnoli tries to fight back but can’t hang with the numbers. So the Dogs are split and most of them have joined the Bang Bang Gang (which now has seven members) but Kidd seems to be full time Death Riders. I still have no idea why the Dogs need to be here but this was a hot angle for sure, and White is FAR better as a heel.

Video on Ilja Dragunov, who is ready to share all of the passion that he has around here.

Megan Bayne, Lena Kross and the Triangle Of Madness jump Kris Statlander, Harley Cameron and the Brawling Birds to leave the latter four laying.

Here is Nick Wayne for a chat. Wayne brags about his TWO wins over Chris Jericho and we get a double shot of pyro. That means Jericho needs to come out here and apologize (which was established before the rematch) and, eventually, he does show up. Wayne keeps cutting him off, saying how excited he’s been to hear this, eventually getting a WOULD YOU PLEASE SHUT THE H*** UP!

Jericho praises Wayne for his win and says Wayne has learned a lot. Wayne brings up the win again and more pyro goes off. Jericho: “How do you do that?” Wayne: “I’m a prodigy.” Wayne keeps demanding the apology and Jericho calls him a douchebag. Then again, Jericho was the same when he was 21 and does apologize.

Jericho says this is the turning point of Wayne’s career and he can get to the top of his business, just like Jericho did. He lists off some great names that have helped him over the years and if Wayne listens too, he can become that big of a star. Jericho: “So don’t f*** it up.” Jericho leaves and Wayne looks like he has something to think about. Wayne has been doing very well in this and that continued here.

We look at the first Motor City Machine Guns vs. FTR match from WrestleDream.

Queen Aminata vs. Maya World

For a TBS Title shot against Persephone, who is on commentary with Britt Baker. World flips out of a wristlock to start but gets pulled into Chocolate Kisses. The fisherman’s neckbreaker is broken up and World sends her outside for a middle rope crossbody. We take a break and come back with the exchange of forearms.

Aminata misses a boot in the corner and gets moonsaulted for two. They trade rollups for two each until World’s running knee gets two. Aminata sends her into the ropes but the threat of Off With Her Heads has World bailing to the floor. World is put in a chair for the running shot off the apron and Off With Her Head finishes for Aminata at 10:13.

Rating: C+. World is back and is already losing, though Aminata will be fine as another victory for Persephone. I’m not sure if I get the appeal of Aminata for the most part but AEW certainly sees a lot in her as she has been around rather frequently. She’s far from bad, but I’m not sure I can picture her as a real threat to win the title.

Don Callis announces that the Don Callis Family is in for Blood & Guts.

Samoa Joe, with the Opps (minus Anthony Bowens), wants the World Title back. Jack Perry comes in to say he wants one more match with Joe to get the handshake he didn’t get last time. Sure.

Mike Bailey vs. Ilja Dragunov

They go to the mat to start before Dragunov takes him to the corner for a missed chop. Bailey takes the leg down and we’re off to a chinlock. A headscissors sets up a running kick in the corner but Dragunov is right back with a jumping kick. They head outside where Bailey kicks the apron by mistake, allowing Dragunov to hit a German suplex as we take a break.

We come back with Dragunov unloading with forearms but getting kicked in the head for a double down. Bailey can’t get a cross armbreaker and has to kick his way out of a half crab attempt. Back up and Dragunov wins a strike off before rolling the German suplexes (with Taz doing his always great physics lessons). Dragunov’s top rope backsplash gets two and they go to the apron, where Bailey hits some moonsault knees to put him down.

Dragunov catches him on top and fires off a bunch of headbutts, setting up the superplex. The D Bomb (a running forearm to a downed opponent) misses as Bailey gets two off a small package and a crane kick puts Dragunov down again. The tornado kick connects but Bailey’s Ultimate Weapon is broken up. Instead it’s a D Bomb to the leg and a regular D Bomb for the pin on Bailey at 16:04.

Rating: B. This was certainly a Dragunov match but it was necessary to introduce him to the new audience. Dragunov isn’t the biggest guy in the world but he knows how to beat the fire out of someone. This was a good way to show what they have with him and Dragunov looked good. Bailey was his usual self here and that’s all he needed to be.

Dragunov celebrates to end the show.

Overall Rating: B. They were in a weird place here as they only had so much to build from coming out of WrestleDream. What we got worked, though they’re now building towards Blood & Guts as well as Full Gear at the same time. This was a good first step, but they need to find some time to let things breathe a bit. Having so many big shows in a row can wear things out a bit and that’s a danger they’re approaching. That might start clearing up after Full Gear, but at least the build is off to an effective start.

Results
Don Callis Family b. Young Bucks – Double pin
Don Callis Family b. Will Ospreay/Adam Copeland – Brainbuster to Copeland
Swerve Strickland b. Tome Filip – Vertebreaker
Orange Cassidy/Jay White b. Death Riders – Blade Runner to Garcia
Jon Moxley b. Roderick Strong – Rear naked choke
Queen Aminata b. Maya World – Off With Her Head
Ilja Dragunov b. Mike Bailey – D Bomb

 

 

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

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

Evolve
Date: October 21, 2026
Location: WWE Performance Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Robert Stone, Blake Howard

We’re done with the latest Succession and both titles were retained, albeit in quite the quick fashion with the men’s version. It should be time to start looking for new challengers, but Harley Riggins doesn’t seem to be done with Harlem Lewis and the Evolve Title just yet. That just might be a problem as Riggins attacked Lewis with the steps last week and left him bleeding. At the same time, you have no idea what you might see around here so let’s get to it.

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

Succession recap.

Opening sequence.

Chazz Hall/Cappuccino Jones vs. Mog Squad

Jones rolls Ball up for an early two and it’s off to Hall for a headscissors. Ball powers him into the corner and it’s off to Rivera, who is taken down rather quickly. A double dropkick has the Squad on the floor but Ball gets in a cheap shot from behind and the stomping ensues.

We take a break and come back with Hall still in trouble thanks to some alternating shoulders to the ribs in the corner. The armbar goes on for a bit, followed by a wheelbarrow neckbreaker for two. Ball kicks Hall in the head a few times and gets two off a snap suplex. The chinlock doesn’t last long as Hall gets up and dives out of the corner, allowing the tag off to Jones.

A double springboard high crossbody hits the Squad and a Michinoku Driver gets two on Rivera. The Froggy Brew misses though and it’s a Codebreaker into a German suplex to Jones, with Hall having to make the save. Jones crossbodies Rivera outside and a pair of dives takes the Squad out. The Froggy Brew and shooting star press give Jones and Hall the double pin at 11:19.

Rating: B-. This was a long match for Evolve and that’s not exactly a bad thing. They all got some time to showcase themselves and it’s nice to have Jones actually win a match for a change. He was red hot at the start of Evolve and then just kind of stopped mattering. There’s a good chance this means nothing, but it’s better than what he was doing.

Post match Jones and Hall are glad to be done with the Mog Squad and it’s time to go to the top of Evolve. Everyone seems to dig it.

Aaron Rourke talks about how he and Kale Dixon have cost each other matches. He isn’t letting Dixon make a name for himself at the sake of his own name so tonight, Dixon is in the wrong ring.

Elijah Holyfield is ready for Marcus Mathers and Braxton Cole. The triple threat appears to have been made.

Skylar Raye vs. Sloane Jacobs

Jacobs powers her down to start but Raye is back up with a headscissors. A running dropkick has Jacobs in more trouble but she gets in another knockdown of her own. Jacobs drops an elbow to the back and gets two off a backbreaker. Raye’s comeback is quickly cut off and a springboard elbow gives Jacobs two more. Raye is right back up with Starfall out of the corner for the pin at 4:51. It’s as sudden as it sounds.

Rating: C. That ending had me so surprised that I went back to make sure I didn’t stop to pet my cat. The fact that I don’t have a cat makes this all the stranger. Raye continues to feel like someone the company wants to push and she’s at least off to a start. Beating the champion’s lackey is often a good start, but I’m curious if something was edited out here, because it really does just come that out of nowhere.

Post match Raye says she wants Nikkita Lyons, not the puppet.

Monica Monroe won the Women’s ID Title.

Alix Brooks and Kale Dixon can’t stand Aaron Rourke and are ready to show Evolve why they’re the stars this place needs.

Kale Dixon vs. Aaron Rourke

Alix Brooks is here with Dixon. Rourke jumps him to start and strikes away in the corner. A clothesline puts Dixon on the floor so he gets back inside, where another clothesline puts him on the floor again. The dive connects for Rourke but Brooks offers a distraction so Dixon can take over. We take a break and come back with Dixon working on a reverse chinlock. That’s reversed into a half crab, with Dixon quickly escaping for a backbreaker.

Dixon gives him a suplex but gets cocky, allowing Rourke to do an Undertaker situp. Rourke headscissors him off the top and they slowly slug it out. Dixon gets knocked around and it’s Eat Defeat into a middle rope Codebreaker. Back up and Dixon’s big wind up shot to the face (the 96) gets two but Rourke gives him a pop up powerbomb for two more. Rourke goes up and gets shoved down by Brooks, meaning another 96 can give Dixon the pin at 10:41.

Rating: B-. Yeah that makes sense, as Rourke is going to want revenge and might need a friend to help him take care of Brooks. This is a good sign for Dixon (though it’s only going to go so far when his name is still Kale), who is starting to get a little somewhere around here. Rourke is still being featured, though it’s not a great sign that he hasn’t spent much time in NXT.

Harlem Lewis calls in to commentary and says that the only way he loses the Evolve Title is when he gets called up to NXT with the title around his waist.

Overall Rating: C+. This was more of a “let’s get to next week” show, with only Rourke vs. Dixon feeling like part of an important story. The ending was little more than Lewis saying he wasn’t hurt despite seemingly being hurt last week. That’s not much of an update but it’s at least something, which is where Evolve does well. I’ll take a small update over ignoring it, as it keeps the interest going. Passable show here, though the whole place is feeling a bit cold at the moment.

Results
Chazz Hall/Cappuccino Jones b. Mog Squad – Double pin
Skylar Raye b. Sloane Jacobs – Starfall
Kale Dixon b. Aaron Rourke – 96

 

 

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NXT
Date: October 20, 2026
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Booker T.

We are a week and a half out from Halloween Havoc and the NXT Title match is already set. That should be enough of a headlining showdown but we have a few more shows to get through first. We’ll be seeing one of those big matches tonight as Cruz Montana faces Dion Lennox to seemingly wrap up their feud. Let’s get to it.

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

The opening is a bit different this week as we look at Montana vs. Lennox, showing the differences in their backstories and how they got here, setting up their main event. That’s a nice way to change things up a bit.

Here is Tony D’Angelo for a chat. D’Angelo wastes no time in calling out Grayson Waller, who comes out and says they have a lot of similarities. They were even teammates in WarGames. For some reason they’ve never had a match though as something always got in the way. Is D’Angelo running from him?

D’Angelo says if they had faced each other one on one, Waller wouldn’t be NXT Champion. Waller says D’Angelo is the top name on his list, with D’Angelo saying he had no reason to take Waller seriously. Waller calls out D’Angelo for not knowing what he was doing here, even having to show him what a WarGames match was. D’Angelo is glad Waller has finally gotten a little meaner but he’s still someone who hides behind a one liner or a meme.

They’re foundation guys who have been here while the 2.0 guys are stars on Raw and Smackdown. They compare their success with the NXT Title before D’Angelo promises to drag him down like a shark in the water at Halloween Havoc. This was good, as I’m more interested in what they’re doing than I was before so call it a success.

Izzi Dame isn’t happy with a present she was going to give to Zaria (I think?) but Layla Diggs interrupted to ask what this is about. Dame is ready to take Zaria apart piece by piece but first she’ll do that to Diggs tonight.

Birthright cuts off commentary and promises to win the Dusty Classic. They leave and a car pulls into the parking lot.

Chantel Monroe promises a new experience. Hopefully it’s better than her Evolve experience.

Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Quarterfinals: Galeno/El Hijo de Dr. Wagner Jr. vs. Birthright

Galeno and Wagner’s AAA Tag Team Titles aren’t on the line. Wagner and Dempsey go to the mat to start, with Wagner actually taking over and working on a leglock. Dempsey wrestles him over for two and they’re back up, with Wagner grabbing a Japanese armdrag. A regular armdrag lets Wagner work on the arm until Dempsey gets up for the tag to King. Galeno knocks him down with a shoulder and Birthright is sent outside. Wagner isn’t having any of the Grace distraction and nails a big running flip dive as we take a break.

We come back with Dempsey pulling Wagner down to crank on the arm, with Wagner getting to the rope. They lock hands and trade forearms with Wagner getting the better of things. Galeno gets the tag and takes over on King, including a running splash for two. It’s already back to Wagner, with Dempsey breaking up the rocking horse. All four are knocked down and Galeno suplexes Dempsey out of a guillotine choke. Wagner’s frog splash hits raised knees but cue Zilla Fatu to go after the rest of Birthright. That means a Wagner Driver and frog splash can finish King at 13:02.

Rating: C+. The Wagner Brothers being protected and treated as a big threat to win the whole tournament is a bit of a surprise, even as they’re the AAA Tag Team Champions. They work well together (shocking I know) and it’s nice to see a fresh team getting a run in this thing. On the other hand Birthright….yeah I’m not sure how far they’re going, but they’ll probably be around for a long time.

Post match Fatu takes out Birthright.

Darkstate looks at a video of Cruz Montana promising to take out Dion Lennox. The team has an idea of how to deal with Montana.

Commentary hypes up Halloween Havoc and Joseph references the Boogeyman. Booker, who had issues with Boogeyman in the past, does not take kindly to this in a nice bit of continuity.

Kam Hendrix shows off his athleticism by catching footballs in tricky ways.

Here is Tavion Heights for a chat. He talks about how Myles Borne lied to him about turning on him at Heatwave and then Pillmanized his ankle. Heights doesn’t make the same mistake twice and he hasn’t started being a problem for Borne. Cue Borne and they quickly brawl into the parking lot, where it’s broken up.

The Vanity Project walks through the back and meets Chantel Monroe, who sees potential in them. The team keeps walking into Robert Stone’s office and Stone yells at them for apparently attacking Mini Vikingo. As a result, Jackson Drake can defend the North American Title against EK Prosper next week instead. Drake’s face suggests his mind has gone on vacation.

Izzi Dame vs. Layla Diggs

Dame shoulders her down without much trouble to start but Diggs cartwheels out of a headlock. They fight over wrist control and Dame sends her shoulder first into the buckle. Dame gets in a boot to the face but gets sent outside, where she cuts off Diggs’ suicide dive. Diggs kicks her right back down though and we take a break.

We come back with Diggs dropping Dame with an elbow and they both get a breather. Back up and Diggs strikes away and a sitout gordbuster plants Dame again. A top rope splash gives Diggs two more but Dame is up with a running crucifix bomb for the same. Dame hits a belly to back cutter for two and gets in a big boot, only to get sidekicked down. Diggs misses a moonsault though and the running knee gives Dame the pin at 10:29.

Rating: C+. This was a good enough performance from Diggs, while Dame got a successful enough win. Dame is on her way to the big match with Zaria and it’s nice to see her looking strong on the way there. Diggs should be fine when she gets back in the groove of things, with the moonsault alone being enough to to carry her somewhere.

Post match here is Zaria to say Dame has gone far enough messing with her. If Dame wants a Women’s North American Title shot, she can have it at Halloween Havoc. Dame agrees….but says it doesn’t have to be a title match.

Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Quarterfinals: Hank & Tank vs. Creed Brothers

Julius easily waistlocks Tank down to start and gets in some head slaps and hands it off to Brutus. That means a Backstabber/fall away slam combination to send Tank into the corner, leaving Brutus to yell a lot. That takes too long and allows Tank to get over for the tag to Hank, who helps beat on Brutus in the corner. A hard whip into the corner has Hank in trouble again and a lifting Pedigree gives Brutus two. The pounding continues and we take an early break.

We come back with Hank hitting a quick clothesline out of the corner and handing it off to Tank. A slingshot splash crushes Brutus but Julius knocks him off the top. The chinlock does on for a bit before Tank avoids a charge in the corner. Tank heads over for the tag but gets caught with a heck of a dropkick to sent him outside. Back in and Tank is able to get the tag off to clean house, including some running clotheslines. A running shoulder has Brutus in trouble on the floor and the powerslam/running neckbreaker combination finishes Julius at 11:02.

Rating: B-. It’s already feeling like NXT is giving up on the Creeds again, as they were brought in as a big return and are already losing clean here. Hank & Tank are already a successful team and winning the tournament would boost them up even further. They’re growing on me a bit too as they’ve gotten to the point where they know how to do their match, which helps quite a bit.

Birthright asks Robert Stone to give them a match with Zilla Fatu, who has been causing problems for them for weeks.

Wren Sinclair and Kendal Grey are ready for Sinclair’s contract signing when Chantel Monroe comes in. Monroe asks if her video was cute and is mostly ignored.

It’s time for the contract signing. Sinclair says she’s ready to take the Women’s Title and wants Kelani Jordan out here to sign the contract. Cue Jordan to say she has a present for Sinclair, which is an attacked Grey. Sinclair runs up to chase Jordan off with no signing ensuing.

Zilla Fatu wants to fight Charlie Dempsey and says let’s do it with Spin The Wheel Make The Deal. Works for Robert Stone.

Sean Legacy says Mini Vikingo will be out for two months. Saquon Shugars seems obsessed with a recent loss and doesn’t want to hear from Legacy. Violence seems teased.

Darkstate goes into the locker room to go after Cruz Montana, who beats both of them up until security cuts him off. Dang these guys can be lame.

Naraku threatens to unleash the black mist at Halloween Havoc. Well that’s just scary.

Lizzy Rain and Shiloh Hill talk about the black mist when Chantel Monroe comes in to ask if anyone has heard of her. Rain is impressed by how many people Monroe has managed to annoy in two hours so they can have a match next week.

Dion Lennox vs. Cruz Montana

The brawl starts fast and Montana hits a running clothesline in the corner. A belly to back suplex gives Lennox two and a spinebuster gets the same. Some running chops put Lennox down though and Montana hits a nice running Cannonball to crush him again. They head outside though, with Montana being sent into the steps. Lennox peels the ring mats back (that’s becoming a thing again) but gets sent into the post as we take a break.

We come back with Montana fighting out of a chinlock and getting in a superkick to leave them both down. The rolling Buck Fifty gives Montana two but Lennox is back with a slingshot Blue Thunder Bomb for the same. Lennox sends him into the corner and talks a lot of trash, including about Montana’s daughter (uh oh), which presses a button on Montana so the big beating is on. Montana beats on Lennox against the announcers’ table and hits a spear through the barricade as it’s a double countout at 9:59.

Rating: B-. This took some time to get going but the stuff at the end with Montana being pushed over the edge being a highlight. That’s what they were trying to do here and Montana is absolutely at his best when things get personal for him, which is exactly what Lennox did here. It was a good example of Lennox playing mind games and I liked the result, though he might get destroyed as a result.

Post match Montana beats on Lennox and Darkstate even more, with Lennox being slammed onto the exposed concrete. Montana takes out some referees and sends Lennox into one of them, which is enough for Montana to get handcuffed by security. Montana’s eyes seem to say he knows he went too far to end the show. This worked well, as Montana snapping and losing the focus and control that got him here is an interesting way to go. If nothing else, it should be a good way to wrap up Darkstate, as Montana very well could destroy them all.

Overall Rating: B. This show felt like it had a bunch of things to cover and got to most of them. The angle at the end was the best part of the show but they did a nice job with the tournament stuff too. Halloween Havoc took a big, and necessary, step forward here and it’s enough to make me want to see the show. Good, well put together show here, with the ending being the highlight.

Results
El Hijo de Dr. Wagner Jr./Galeno b. Birthright – Frog splash to King
Izzi Dame b. Layla Diggs – Running knee
Hank & Tank b. Creed Brothers – Powerslam/running neckbreaker combination to Julius
Cruz Montana vs. Dion Lennox went to a double countout

 

 

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Monday Night Raw
Date: October 19, 2026
Location: Pechanga Arena, San Diego, California
Commentators: Joe Tessitore, Wade Barrett

It’s a big show as Roman Reigns is back, likely to help deal with the even bigger 946. Last week saw Carmelo Hayes join the team, giving them a new weapon to use in their war against everyone. In addition, we’re coming up on Crown Jewel so it’s time to pretend that the big matches on that show matter in the slightest. Let’s get to it.

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

We open with a long recap of last week’s big six man, with 946 taking out the Usos and Solo Sikoa thanks to the introduction of Carmelo Hayes.

Roman Reigns arrives and is handed his belt. Sami Zayn arrives, carrying his belt, and Reigns isn’t pleased.

Here is Zayn to get things going. He hears some haters in the crowd but asks how many are here to ride or die with him…and here is Reigns to interrupt. They have a bit of a moment talking about what it means to be champion and the pressures that come from it but we pause for ACKNOWLEDGE ME.

Zayn says this is like old times and nothing has changed. Reigns thinks it’s interesting that Zayn is on his show and Reigns has an opportunity for him. The most important title that Zayn has ever had is Honorary Uce. So are they here to discuss the titles or the 946? Is Zayn here out of love or to serve the Bloodline? The fans show off their memories by calling this UCEY and Zayn praises his time in the Bloodline.

The thing is though, now he’s the head of his own table and the Undisputed WWE Champion. Reigns: “That’s a title. This is the title.” Zayn asks why the title that he’s currently holding was THE title for 1400+ days and thinks maybe it’s the arrogance of the person holding it. Reigns says that title hasn’t meant s*** since Wrestlemania XL and THIS is the title now.

Zayn gets serious and calls the title one in a billion, because he’s the only one holding it. What bothers Zayn is that Reigns isn’t treating him like a threat for Crown Jewel. Reigns says he’s sweating Zayn, who might not even be champion by the time they get to Crown Jewel. As Reigns goes to leave, here is Penta for the big staredown with both champions.

Bron Breakker vs. Penta

Breakker powers him around to start and gives him a big running clothesline. A spinning headscissors gets Penta out of trouble and he kicks away at the leg. That’s enough to send Breakker outside, where he….kind of catches a dive, but falls down while trying. Breakker is fine enough to drop Penta onto the announcers’ table and we take a break.

We come back with Breakker knocking Penta down again. Penta comes up with some running shots, including a clothesline, before going back to the legs. Breakker catches him on top though and the running Frankensteiner gets two. The Super Spear is countered with a superkick though and the Penta Driver gives Penta two of his own.

Cue the Vision for a distraction but Penta fires off the superkicks, only to get speared out of the air….for two, with the fans being WAY into the kickout. Austin Theory goes for the briefcase but Je’Von Evans runs in to take it away and clock Breakker. The Mexican Destroyer gives Penta the pin at 11:55.

Rating: B+. The kickout on that spear was excellent and actually got me on the false finish. What matters the most here was having Penta get the pin here, as you need to do that if he’s getting built towards the title. As usual, Penta can have an exciting match with anyone, including Breakker, who needs to do something with the Tag Team Titles already. I keep forgetting the team even holds the things.

We look back at Judgment Day cheating Chelsea Green out of a match last week.

Roman Reigns goes to leave and is asked about having everyone come after him from so many directions. Sami Zayn turned him down but it’s time to go back to the drawing board. And he leaves.

Chelsea Green/Iyo Sky vs. Judgment Day

Sky works on Perez’s arm to start so Perez cartwheels away and gets in a slap. Green comes in to help take Sky down but Rodriguez runs Green over without much trouble. It’s quickly back to Sky for a running crossbody but Rodriguez gets away from the Bullet Train. Sky is sent hard into the barricade and we take a break. We come back with Sky slugging away at Perez, who kicks her in the head.

Rodriguez misses a running boot and gets kicked in the head as Perez is sent outside. Sky FINALLY dives for the tag but Green is pulled to the floor (that was a terrible sequence, as there were multiple times where Sky could have easily tagged and just didn’t for no logical reason). Back up and the tag brings in Green to take over on Perez but Liv Morgan crotches Green on top. Sky is up for the save and Green dives onto Judgment Day, leaving Sky to hurricanrana Rodriguez for the pin at 12:10.

Rating: C+. The match was fine, but it reminded me just how annoying the Crown Jewel stuff has to be. It’s going to see a pair of champions facing off with one of them losing for a prize that everyone has been firmly established as worthless. That’s all we’re going to hear about for the next few weeks and good night I do not care, much like WWE, about what they’re fighting over.

946 says they didn’t miss last week.

JD McDonagh vs. Joe Hendry

Dominik Mysterio is here with McDonagh and they’re fighting because of a fake Funko Pop. Hendry comes out with the walking Funko Pop and a guitar so McDonagh jumps him before the bell. They get inside where Hendry knocks him into the corner for the right hands. McDonagh fights out and throws the boxed Funko Pop at the human Funko Pop, the latter of whom eats up Mysterio on the floor. Hendry hits a big dive to take both of them down and we take a break.

We come back with Hendry fighting out of a chinlock and dropping backwards for the escape. The fall away slam sends McDonagh flying but Hendry’s back is banged up. Hendry sends him head first into the post and gets two off a DDT. The Funko Pop cuts off Mysterio’s interference and Hendry grabs the guitar, which McDonagh takes away. McDonagh destroys the Funko Pop with the guitar and gets clotheslined by Hendry back inside. Mysterio holds McDonagh away from the ropes though and the jumping headbutt finishes Hendry at 9:20.

Rating: F. This is one of the dumbest feuds I have seen in wrestling for a long time and it’s making me actively hate this show. Hendry and McDonagh both deserve better than what feels like an idea designed to entertain Vince McMahon. Get rid of whomever came up with this stupid idea and make the show a better place.

Earlier today, Lyra Valkyria thought Bayley was following her and accidentally hit Lola Vice. A match was made.

Lyra Valkyria vs. Lola Vice

Vice tries to wrestle her down to start but gets reversed into a rocking horse of all things. With that broken up, Vice hits a spinebuster and starts slugging away. Back up and Valkyria chokes her in the ropes and they head outside, where Valkyria gets in a nasty backbreaker. We take a break and come back with Vice getting out of trouble, including ducking an enziguri.

Vice kicks her down for two and trade some rollups for two each. Nightwing is reversed into a rear naked choke, which is broken up rather quickly. They head outside where Valkyria gets in a shot of her own but Bayley pops out from underneath the ring to grab Valkyria’s foot. Vice gets in a running seated senton off the apron and the spinning backfist finishes Valkyria at 10:53.

Rating: C+. This was all about waiting for Bayley to pop up to do something, which she finally did at the last second. Valkyria being all crazy about Bayley is working well enough, though I’d take anything after that Funko nonsense. Vice got the win here, though there’s only so much to gain when the focus was on Bayley vs. Valkyria.

Post match Valkyria goes after Bayley, who sends her into the timekeeper’s area to send Valkyria running. Bayley says she wants to finish this once and for all next week in a No DQ match.

We look at the Agents Of Shadow or whatever this nonsense is called series.

Stephanie Vaquer is told to stay off her ankle for another week so Becky Lynch comes in to mock her. Lynch tells Adam Pearce she should get the first shot at Liv Morgan. Pearce tries to calm things down and suggests they can fight each other later.

Intercontinental Title: Rey Mysterio vs. Dragon Lee vs. Chad Gable

Gable is defending and is knocked outside rather quickly, leaving Lee and Mysterio to forearm it out. Lee knocks him down in the corner and cuts off Gable on the way back inside. Gable is back up to German suplex both of them at once and we take a break. We come back with Gable slipping out of a powerbomb but getting caught in a Styles Clash attempt.

Mysterio breaks that up with a springboard crossbody and Lee is knocked outside. The ankle lock is broken up as Lee comes back in and gets his ankle locked as well. Mysterio sends Gable outside but gets knocked down again. Lee comes back in and Gable takes him down by the leg. Back up and Lee snaps off a running hurricanrana to the floor but Mysterio hits both of them with a dive as we take another break.

We come back again with Lee hitting his top rope double stomp to Mysterio’s back and getting his feet up to block Gable’s moonsault. Mysterio sends both of them into the ropes, where Gable blocks the 619. Lee cuts Gable off and powerbombs Mysterio for two and then does the same thing to Gable for two more. Mysterio is back up with a pair of 619s and the frog splash hits Lee, with Gable diving in for the save. Lee is sent outside, leaving Gable to sunset flip Mysterio to retain at 15:49.

Rating: B. I did like the match and they were all working hard, which is far from a surprise, but my goodness I am sick of triple threats. Just seeing the match announced as one took away so much of the interest and that’s a bad thing. Do Gable vs. Mysterio in Mysterio’s hometown and let them do their thing without Lee being involved. You know, as has been done forever in wrestling.

Post match Ethan Page runs in to lay Gable out. Then he does it again.

The Usos arrive and come to the ring with weapons in hand. Post break they get right to the point in calling out 946, who come into the arena. Royce Keys says no one is safe but here is Solo Sikoa from the crowd to take him out. The brawl is on but Carmelo Hayes saves Keys from the Samoan Spike. The Usos and Sikoa are laid out and Keys says he’s coming for Roman Reigns…who is here to join the festivities.

We get the big staredown and the brawl is on, with 946 being easily dispatched. The spear drops Nima and 946 runs off to end the show. This was the best thing on the card as WarGames awaits these guys, which should be more than good enough. Reigns alone just makes it feel more important, though I’m not sure if the 946 lineup is enough to be a threat to the Bloodline/Sikoa.

Overall Rating: C. The main event segment helped this show a good bit but my goodness there were a lot of things on here that dragged it down. The Crown Jewel stuff does nothing for me, just like it didn’t when it was called The Battle For Brand Supremacy for all those years.

Throw in the run away leader for worst angle of the year with the Funko stuff and I was miserable for a good chunk of this show. The opener, which was very good, was forgotten rather quickly for the sake of stupid and I could not stand way too much this week. Unfortunately the focus is going to be in the same place for a few weeks and that’s not going to make the next month or so very easy.

Results
Penta b. Bron Breakker – Mexican Destroyer
Iyo Sky/Chelsea Green b. Judgment Day – Hurricanrana to Rodriguez
JD McDonagh b. Joe Hendry – Jumping headbutt
Lola Vice b. Lyra Valkyria – Spinning backfist
Chad Gable b. Dragon Lee and Rey Mysterio – Sunset flip to Mysterio

 

 

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

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WrestleDream 2026
Date: October 17, 2026
Location: Addition Financial Arena, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Paul Wight, Excalibur, Tony Schiavone

We’re back on pay per view and it has been a rushed build to say the least. Not only are we only a few weeks removed from All Out, but the Pac tribute show took away some of the time. That’s absolutely not on AEW (or anyone, as it was a tragic situation that had to be dealt with) but it has made things a bit tricky. The big main event is a new concept match called Clockwork Carnage for the World Title, which is certainly intriguing. Let’s get to it.

Kickoff Show: Megan Bayne/Lena Kross vs. Sisters Of Sin

Hart and Kross grab each other to start with Kross grabbing a backbreaker. Hart’s armdrag is blocked and it’s off to Blue, who is taken into the wrong corner. A middle rope hurricanrana gets Blue out of trouble and a crucifix gets two on Bayne. Kross offers a distraction though and Bayne suplexes Blue as we take a break.

We come back with Blue slugging away and grabbing a tornado DDT. It’s back to Hart to pick up the pace with some kicks to the face, followed by a crucifix bomb for two on Kross. A running…I think Codebreaker hits Kross in the ropes but Bayne German suplexes both Sisters at the same time. Blue catches Bayne with a Cheeky Nandos kick and a powerbomb out of the corner but Bayne grabs a release gordbuster. Kross knees her in the face and Divine Intervention finishes Hart at 9:38.

Rating: C+. Perfectly fine opener here with Bayne and Kross continuing to be the monsters that they are. Getting them back on their horses after losing to the Brawling Birds is the best thing that can be done and it worked well enough here. The Sisters will be fine as long as they’re with Thekla and there’s no reason to think that will be changing anytime soon.

Kickoff Show: Don Callis Family vs. Alex Breeze/Papi D/Rhys Maddox

The destruction starts fast with Papi being clotheslined on the floor. Maddox tries some chops to Wardlow, who runs him over without much effort. A bunch of powerbombs give the Family a triple pin at 2:45. I have no idea why this needed to be on the show.

Kickoff Show: Death Riders/The Dogs vs. Bang Bang Gang/Conglomeration

12 man tag and Jay White is back. Connors chops Strong in the corner to start and it’s a string of double suplexes to put the Riders and the Dogs down. Castagnoli isn’t having that and grabs his own double suplex, followed by a ridiculous 70 second (and by real time, not the off speed fan counting) Swing to Cassidy.

Castagnoli falls outside and we take a break, coming back with Austin fighting his way out of the corner. The diving tag brings in White as everything breaks down and some dives have the villains in trouble. Finlay gets in a backbreaker so it’s back to Colten, who gets in a dropkick to Castagnoli.

That’s it for the offense though as Colten is sent into the corner for the running clotheslines. Marina Shafir gets in one of her own so Willow Nightingale sends her crashing out to the floor. Yuta sends Nightingale outside and the fans are not exactly pleased. We get the parade of knockdowns until the Gunns start taking over but Yuta cuts that off. The Fastball Special finishes Colten at 11:03.

Rating: B. This was the fun kind of match where AEW excels, even with so many people in there that only Castagnoli, with that absolutely ridiculous (in a good way) Swing getting to stand out. It doesn’t help that it feels like these teams have been feuding for the better part of ever without much changing. With so many people involved though, that’s about all they can do to get them all a chance. Rather entertaining match here.

Kickoff Show: FTR vs. Motor City Machine Guns

Match #1 in a best of five series and Stokely is here with FTR. Shelley and Wheeler start things off but it’s quickly off to Harwood, who gets caught in a hammerlock. The Guns take turns working on the arm so it’s back to Wheeler, who gets armdragged into an armbar of his own. Harwood is knocked outside and we take a break.

We come back with everything breaking down and the Guns clearing the ring, much to the fans’ delight. Wheeler tries a tag on the floor and for once the referee enforces a rule, meaning Harwood has to come back in to take over on Shelley. That doesn’t last long as it’s back to Sabin for the alternating chops to Harwood as the pre-show ends and we go into the main pay per view. Therefore the pyro goes off, apparently rather pleased about Wheeler getting caught in the Dream Sequence.

Shelley’s baseball slide misses though and he gets dropped face first onto the apron. That means Shelley can get caught in the ropes and kicked in the face a few times, followed by an abdominal stretch. Wheeler switches in for one of his own before it’s back to Harwood, who gets dropped with a clothesline. That’s not enough for the tag though as Wheeler is back in with a chinlock, which is broken up rather quickly as well.

A Stunner over the top rope slows Harwood down but he drops Shelley with a right hand. Shelley gets his gord bustered for two and the chinlock goes on again. Shelley fights up again and dives over for the tag to Sabin, who is pulled off the apron in one of those spots that will always work. Wheeler misses a charge into the corner though and it’s finally back to Sabin to clean house. Stokely offers a distraction but punches Harwood by mistake, leaving Wheeler to get in a cheap shot.

Harwood gets in a spinebuster for two but Sabin grabs a cutter. That means a missile dropkick into a frog splash for two and a pair of sunset flips get two each. Skull & Bones hits Harwood so Wheeler puts the foot on the rope for the save. Sabin chases Harwood, who catches him in a spike piledriver for two. The Shatter Machine is broken up though and it’s a Dirt Bomb to finish Wheeler at 26:05.

Rating: A-. Well yeah of course these teams are going to have a great match. They’re teams who are basically designed to have awesome matches and that’s what they did here. This was exactly what you would have been expecting and if they keep that up in the next few matches, we should be in for something awesome. Granted there is also the chance that things will get stale as they face each other so often, but that is the chance you run with something like this. Anyway, heck of a match here.

The opening video looks at the work that has to be done to become a champion and the issues that have brought us here.

We recap Thekla challenging Mercedes Mone for the Women’s Title. Thekla says Mone has never been toxic and Mone implies that she has a large belt shaped penis.

Women’s Title: Mercedes Mone vs. Thekla

Thekla is challenging. Mone sends her into some buckles to start and chokes with the boot. The Statement Maker goes on less than a minute in but Thekla spiders out in a nice counter. Thekla poses in the ropes and avoids a charge to send Mone outside, where Mone is whipped into the barricade. A running boot and high crossbody give Thekla two but Mone is back with a quick gutbuster.

The Meteora gives Mone two and she’s already getting annoyed. Some double arm cranks have Thekla in more trouble and Mone grabs the surfboard. Back up and Mone misses a charge in the corner and gets caught in an upside down leg choke. They head to the apron with Mone hitting a Codebreaker but the running Meteora hits the post. Thekla stomps her off the apron and dances and the spider superplex connects back inside.

A spear drops Mone for two but she’s back up with a sunset bomb into the corner. Now the Meteora can connect in the corner and the middle rope version gets the same. Thekla is right back with something like an Octopus on the mat, followed by a stomp for two. Mone has to roll out to the floor, where she takes off the mask and smacks Thekla upside the head. Thekla escapes the Mone Maker but misses a stomp, allowing Mone to hit the Mone Maker to retain at 14:33.

Rating: B. This was about what I was expecting, with Thekla feeling like enough of a threat to keep the match interesting. Mone is likely to hold the title for a long time and Thekla is one of the few women right now who feels strong enough to give her a real threat. That’s a good thing to see, though I’m not sure who is supposed to come after the belt next without feeling like a nothing challenger.

We recap Chris Jericho vs. Nick Wayne. Jericho thinks Wayne is a young whippersnapper and Wayne is mad that Jericho broke his necklace. They’re 1-1 and like to trade low blows so we’re having a rubber match.

Nick Wayne vs. Chris Jericho

Wayne insists that he is described as really handsome and such, which the fans don’t like. Wayne spits in Jericho’s face to start and is quickly knocked outside for a whip over the barricade. Jericho stops to hug Paul Wight at ringside before catching a diving Wayne for an AA onto the steps. We get the Jericho camera spot before he takes Wayne inside to stomp away.

The super hurricanrana is broken up as Jericho is knocked outside for a moonsault. Back in and Jericho trips him to cut off a dive before winning an exchange of chops. The Judas Effect misses but Wayne’s World is countered into a Codebreaker to leave them both down. They chop it out until Jericho gets in a brainbuster but the Lionsault is broken up. Wayne misses a dive while Jericho is tied in the ropes, meaning Jericho can hit a big dive to the floor. Back in and Wayne hammers away in the corner but gets powerbombed down, setting up the Walls.

That sends Wayne over to the rope and he grabs some water on the floor, which he spits into Jericho’s eyes. A Sliced Bread on the apron hits Jericho and a 450 gets two back inside. Wayne’s World misses so Wayne settles for a middle rope cutter. Jericho Hulks Up though and catapults Wayne into the corner. The low blow….doesn’t do anything to Jericho so Wayne kicks him low again with no effect for a second time. Jericho reveals a cup and uses it to hammer Wayne, who ducks the Judas Effect and gets a small package for the win at 14:50.

Rating: B. The ending is going to need some time to sink in as Wayne got a clean win but it felt like he caught Jericho rather than beating him. That’s about as good as you’re going to get and the good thing is that Jericho did indeed get pinned with no cheating. Well no effective cheating at least. They need to move on though as the match has been done enough, with Jericho giving him a pair of wins.

Post match Wayne brags about winning another match against Jericho, who looks disgusted.

We recap the Don Callis Family challenging the Young Bucks for the Tag Team Titles. The Bucks won the belts at All out and the Family has won some matches to set this up.

Tag Team Titles: Young Bucks vs. Don Callis Family

The Family (Kevin Knight/Kyle Fletcher in this case) are challenging. Nick and Knight lock up to start with Knight getting in a shoulder and doing the muscle pose. Back up and Nick is knocked out to the floor so we’ll try Matt vs. Fletcher instead. They trade shoulders with the much bigger Fletcher getting the better of things to take over, with Knight coming in for a pop up dropkick.

Everything breaks down and the Family does the stereo running bulldogs, ala the Bucks, and Matt stays in trouble. Back up and Matt avoids a charge, allowing Nick to come in and clean house, with the Family being knocked outside. The big moonsault connects and Don Callis is chased into the crowd to a positive reaction. Back in and Fletcher gets German suplexed but Matt is dropkicked out of an electric chair. Knight’s pair of clotheslines (corner and sliding) gets two but Matt gets in the slingshot X Factor.

The moonsault to the floor takes Fletcher out and there’s the rolling tag off to Nick. Everything breaks down and the rolling northern lights suplexes get two on the Family. The springboard double stomp to the back sends Fletcher crashing into a sitout powerbomb for two. A nasty Michinoku driver gets two on Matt but Nick is up with a step up Canadian Destroyer off of Matt’s back to take Fletcher out. The Bucks give Fletcher an assisted springboard hurricanrana to take him down again before going up.

That takes too much time though and it’s a double crotching, followed by Knight’s UFO Splash to Matt. A DDT onto the apron drops Fletcher but Knight gets out of a Meltzer Driver on the floor. That only works once though, as Nick runs the announcers’ tables to hit the second Meltzer Driver to drop Knight, leaving a hurricanrana to get two on Fletcher back inside.

The EVP Trigger gets two but Fletcher is back up to send Matt into the Tree of Woe. Nick is sent into the corner as well and Knight his a double Coast To Coast, setting up Fletcher’s brainbuster for two. A super brainbuster onto the turnbuckle and the UFO Splash gets two more, with Matt making a save. Fletcher loads up something in the corner but Knight tags himself in, only to springboard into a superkick. Fletcher comes back in for some running shots in the corner before walking into a string of superkicks. Knight springboards into Fletcher by mistake and the EVP Trigger to Knight retains the titles at 22:39.

Rating: B+. As usual, the Bucks have a very entertaining match with the teams both getting in a bunch of cool looking stuff. It might not look the most realistic (an understatement) but it’s some of the best junk food style wrestling out there. The Bucks weren’t going to lose the titles so soon after their latest crowning moment, but I can hardly complain about something like this.

Quick recap of the TBS Title match. Persephone is champion and a bunch of women are after the title. That’s about it.

TBS Title: Queen Aminata vs. Hyan vs. Dani Luna vs. Persephone

Persephone, with Britt Baker, is defending and runs her mouth a lot to start, earning a quick triple beating. Back up and Persephone gets stared at by all three at once, with Persephone and Aminata fighting to the floor. That leaves Luna to basement clothesline Hyan for two but Aminata is back in for the Chocolate Kisses. Hyan is back up with the knees to Aminata with Persephone having to make a save.

A fall away slam drops Luna and a German suplex gets two with Aminata making the save this time. Luna’s middle rope dropkick is speared out of the air to give Hyan two but Luna is back up with an apron German suplex to Persephone. That just earns Luna another shot from Aminata, who hits a top rope double stomp but Persephone makes the save. Luna kicks Persephone to the apron and they slug it out on the apron. Aminata headbutts Luna into a powerbomb onto the floor from Luna before Aminata stomps Hyan through an open chair.

Back in and Aminata’s Off With Her Head hits Persephone for two, with Hyan making another save. A Michinoku Driver gives Hyan two before Luna fall away slams Hyan and Persephone at the same time. The slingshot Blue Thunder Bomb gives Luna two on Aminata and it’s Luna winning a slugout with Hyan. Persephone moonsaults onto the two of them and hits another to Hyan for the pin to retain at 13:56.

Rating: B. It was an exciting match with some good near falls, though this title still feels like a rather low level title. Persephone just does not seem like a top star or really someone who matters that much. She’s certainly talented and is smooth in the ring, but she still doesn’t come off some that big of a star. Maybe she needs some kind of a change to make that work, but it’s not getting there thus far.

We recap Andrade El Idolo defending the National Title against Tommaso Ciampa. There isn’t much to this one, as Ciampa wants a title and helped Samoa Joe pin Andrade earlier this week.

National Title: Andrade El Idolo vs. Tommaso Ciampa

Ciampa is challenging. They stare at each other to start and immediately strike it out, with Ciampa missing the knee to the face. An exchange of suplexes stagger both of them until Andrade hits a high crossbody to send Ciampa bailing to the floor. The removal of the pants takes too long though and Ciampa jumps him from behind. A running clothesline looks to set up the running knee again, with Andrade bailing out to the floor.

The Three Amigos have Ciampa in trouble on the floor and a split legged moonsault gets two back inside. Ciampa is sent outside for a springboard corkscrew dive and we pause for a photo with the woman at ringside. Which woman? The woman there to take a photo with Andrade. Back in and Ciampa sends him into the ropes for the running knee out to the floor, meaning it’s time for Ciampa to be pleased with himself.

Ciampa stops for a photo with a child (I’m assuming his daughter given the kiss thrown in) and we hit the chinlock back inside. Andrade fights out of a chinlock but gets knocked right back down. Ciampa stomps away in the corner but the super Air Raid Crash is broken up. Instead Ciampa settles for a running knee in the corner, allowing him to take off his own trunks, revealing I JUST KNOW trunks. Andrade fights up and hits a backbreaker but only gets his pants half off as Ciampa jumps him again.

Andrade knocks him off the top for the double moonsault and NOW the pants come all the way off. The running knees in the corner and ropes get two on Ciampa as the fans are rather into this. Ciampa is able to catch him on top for a shove out to the floor but he stops to beat up Andrade’s pants. That takes so long that Andrade is back up for Dia de los Muertos and two more. Ciampa’s running knee cuts him off for two of his own and they knock each other down for a double breather.

Back up and they strike it out again with Ciampa rolling him up for two. They go outside where Andrade misses a middle rope moonsault and gets shoved into a cameraman. Ciampa knees him down for two more and grabs the belt, with the referee cutting it off. The chair is cut off as well but it’s enough for Andrade to hit a DDT onto the belt for two. The DM retains the title at 20:57.

Rating: B. I was getting into this one more and more as Ciampa getting the title was far from out of the question. That’s what makes for a better match as you don’t know where it’s going. Other than that, it was a hard hitting match, though Ciampa stopping to beat up the pants for so long was rather out of character for him. He’s more focused than that most of the time and that’s not great to see.

We recap the Trios Titles match, which is pretty much a backdrop for Hangman Page vs. Swerve Strickland.

Trios Titles: New Level/Swerve Strickland vs. Hangman Page/Brodido

Page/Brodido are challenging in a 2/3 falls match. Creed headlocks Bandido to start but Bandido flips away for the finger guns. They run the ropes with Creed avoiding a bunch of shots and the champs triple teaming Bandido down. Bandido is able to muscle Kofi up into a suplex for two and it’s off to Page for the fall away slam. It’s already time for Page and Strickland to brawl on the floor with King getting involved and having to be pulled off of Creed.

Bandido has to calm Page and King down and we settle to Page booking Kofi in the face. A belly to back suplex into a backsplash gets two on Kofi but he kicks King out of the corner. That and a moonsault put King down and it’s Creed coming back in to take over. A springboard tornado DDT plants Bandido and Swerve is in for a suplex. Bandido’s very spinning DDT drops Strickland but New Level catches Bandido with a springboard wheelbarrow Fameasser for a near fall. The assisted top rope DDT plants Bandido (of course) for the first fall at 9:29.

New Level/Strickland – 1
Page/Brodido – 0

Page and Strickland get into it again with Page being sent to the apron, where he gets tagged back in a few seconds later. Strickland gives Page a backbreaker but Page gets the Deadeye, with New Level pulling him to the floor. The camera goes wide for some reason and we come back with Bandido hitting his pop up cutter on Creed. King sends Creed and Strickland into the corner for a cannonball and Page blasts Kofi with a clothesline. The monkey flip 450 gives Bandido the pin on Creed at 13:48.

New Level/Strickland – 1
Page/Brodido – 1

Bandido flip dives onto New Level on the floor but Strickland hurricanranas Page off the apron. Bandido is draped over the barricade for a double stomp to the back but King is back up with a suicide dive onto all three champions. A shooting star press gives Bandido two on Creed and the X Knee into the Buckshot Lariat into the German suplex gets two with Kofi making a save. Everyone is down and of course we get the big Page vs. Strickland showdown.

Strickland kicks King off the apron and hits Page with a rolling Downward Spiral. Page Deadeyes Kofi on the apron but gets caught with the Swerve Stomp. Creed fails at slugging away at King and is taken up top but King is taken down with a Vertebreaker. Bandido is back up with a springboard poisonrana to Creed, followed by a super fall away slam to New Level. Strickland is back up and tries Big Pressure but gets reversed into a rollup to give Bandido the pin and the titles at 24:21.

Rating: B+. It was a wild match and little more than an excuse for Page and Strickland to fight again, as they always do. At the same time, the match was a ton of fun and that’s what you knew it was going to be. They got to do all kinds of insane spots and kept their feud going even longer. If nothing else, I’m glad to get the titles off of New Level, who feel ready to move into the tag team scene where they belong.

Post match New Level and Brodido show respect but Strickland drops the title rather than handing it to Page. Yeah that fits.

We meet the newest member of the roster: Ilja Dragunov. Yeah that’s not surprising but it should be a lot of fun.

Quick recap of Mark Davis vs. Jon Moxley for the Continental Title. Davis pinned him in a tag match and that’s about it. Moxley is seemingly on a downward spiral but is ready to fight through it, as he tends to do.

Continental Title: Mark Davis vs. Jon Moxley

Moxley is defending and Pac’s chair now has his name on the towel. They fight along the ropes to start and go nose to nose in a rather aggressive way. Back up and a running shoulder doesn’t work for Moxley, who bounces into the corner. Davis takes him into another corner and chops away before raking Moxley’s eyes over the rope. A Downward Spiral into the buckle has Moxley in more trouble and Davis gives him a running forearm. Moxley is already busted open and gets forearmed even more to draw extra blood.

They go outside with Moxley’s leg getting bent over the barricade and we’re off to the chinlock inside. The right hands to the cut in the corner don’t seem to do much to Moxley, who knocks him off the top. There’s the suicide dive over the announcers’ table and Moxley hits some more effective right hands back inside. Some clotheslines and a cutter drop Davis but Moxley can’t get a cross armbreaker. Then he does indeed get a cross armbreaker, which is broken up just as fast.

Dirty Deeds is blocked and Davis’ tilt-a-whirl faceplant gets two. The piledriver onto the apron knocks Moxley silly but he’s back on his feet about a minute later. Naturally Moxley is all angry but we pause for the referee to check on him, with the Death Riders popping up in the crowd to cheer him on. See they’re not at ringside so it doesn’t count. Moxley gets back in with a stomp for two and they slug it out again. Davis dropkicks him into the corner but Moxley is back with a running clothesline to knock both of them down.

Back up and Moxley puts his own hands behind his own back so Davis can hit him harder. Davis knocks him silly and grabs a choke, which Moxley reverses into one of his own, which is broken up with a cannonball into the corner. Moxley breaks up another piledriver on the apron and hits a suicide dive. Back in and Davis hits a clothesline to the back of the head setting up a German suplex. Moxley’s Death Rider gets two so he slugs away, only to get clotheslined. Davis gets pulled into a Brutalizer, followed by a choke for the tap to retain the title at 23:26.

Rating: B. This has been “Jon Moxley is TOUGH and AWESOME and THE BEST FIGHTER EVER” part….whatever we’re up to now. The idea was that Moxley needed to prove himself and the only way to do that was to get beaten up a lot and then come back and win. That might work a bit better if we hadn’t seen it so many times, but I never bought the title being in jeopardy. But at least we know that Moxley is indeed, awesome and tough.

Post match Moxley is rather pleased. And don’t forget tough.

We recap the Clockwork Carnage match for the World Title. So it’s basically an eight man Royal Rumble and if you survive all of the entrances, you advance to a 15 minute Iron Man match with the most falls leaving as World Champion.

AEW World Title: Clockwork Carnage

Will Ospreay (one of eight entrants with three minute intervals) is defending and it’s Ospreay in at #1 and Konosuke Takeshita in at #2. They forearm it out to start and the fans are indeed behind Ospreay. Takeshita is sent outside for a slingshot forearm and some rather loud chops have him in more trouble inside (as the ring is sounding strange here for some reason). Ospreay is knocked outside for a dive from Takeshita and it’s Mike Bailey in at #3 (as the clock is already being trimmed, which is pretty normal).

Bailey and Ospreay double team Takeshita and kick him down for two but spend too long posing. That lets Takeshita knock both of them down and Ricochet is in at #4. An anklescissors sends Ospreay outside for the big running dive and Ricochet’s springboard high crossbody hits Bailey back inside. Bailey and Ospreay go up top with Takeshita, who superplexes both of them at once. Ricochet’s 450 gets two on Takeshita and Darby Allin is in at #5.

A quick Code Red gets two on Ricochet and a Coffin Drop to the floor hits Takeshita. The suicide dive hits Takeshita’s jumping knee but Ospreay takes Takeshita out as Kazuchika Okada is in at #6 (That would be the fourth entry with three minute intervals, meaning twelve minutes. We’re just over ten minutes into the match, so they’re certainly trimming time.).

Okada gets to clean house, including a dropkick to put Allin on the floor. Bailey comes back in to flip Okada off and the Rainmaker is countered into a sunset flip for two. Takeshita gives Bailey a heck of a wheelbarrow suplex and the Blue Thunder Bomb into Raging Fire gets rid of Bailey at 13:51.

Adam Copeland is in at #7 and finally catches Ricochet with a big boot as the fans sing the song. The spear misses but Copeland gets his knees up to block Ricochet’s shooting star press. Takeshita counters the spear into a Blue Thunder but Okada Rainmakers Takeshita for the elimination at 15:58.

An Oscutter gets two on Okada and Vertigo gives Ricochet two on Allin. Samoa Joe is in at #8 to complete the field (Joe, Ospreay, Ricochet, Allin, Okada and Copeland) and start us off on the 15:00 Iron Man section (with only pins and submissions counting). Ricochet’s suicide dive is sidestepped by Joe, who backsplashes Allin’s knee. The MuscleBuster gives Joe the pin on Allin with 14:27 to go.

Joe – 1 (for the sake of simplicity, I’ll only list points earned and will omit anyone with no points)

Joe dives onto someone on the floor and Ricochet is smart enough to pin Allin with 14:13 to go.

Joe – 1
Ricochet – 1

Copeland is in with a full nelson slam to Ricochet but gets caught with a Rainmaker to give Okada the pin at 13:48 to go.

Joe – 1
Ricochet – 1
Okada – 1

Ospreay’s Phenomenal Forearm hits Okada and Ricochet steals another near fall, with Joe pulling him to the floor. Stormbreaker plants Okada but Ricochet dives in for the save, with Ospreay breaking up the cover. A Styles Clash gives Ospreay the fall on Ricochet with 12:11 to go.

Joe – 1
Ricochet – 1
Okada – 1
Ospreay – 1

Allin Coffin Drops Ospreay for the pin with 12:06 to go.

Joe – 1
Ricochet – 1
Okada – 1
Ospreay – 1
Allin – 1

Copeland and Allin have a staredown (as commentary points out that it’s sudden death between anyone who is tied in the event of a draw) and Allin la majistrals Copeland for the pin with 11:28 to go.

Allin – 2
Joe – 1
Ricochet – 1
Okada – 1
Ospreay – 1

Copeland can’t believe it and misses a charge to the floor, leaving Ospreay to Hidden Blade Allin for a fall with 11:00 to go.

Allin – 2
Osprey – 2
Joe – 1
Ricochet – 1
Okada – 1

Ricochet and Ospreay slug it out in the corner until Ricochet’s super hurricanrana gets two. A running knee knocks Ospreay down again and a shooting star press gives Ricochet two. Ricochet beats up some more people on the floor (where a table has been set up) but gets sent to the apron by Ospreay with 7:00 left.

Ospreay charges into a boot but Copeland spears Ricochet off the apron and through the table at ringside. Joe and Allin fight on the floor and Okada drops a top rope elbow on Ospreay. A standing Spanish Fly gives Ospreay two on Okada and Joe plants Allin on the floor with 5:00 left. Joe walks away from the Oscutter and then does it again before grabbing the Koquina Clutch on Ospreay. Commentary is begging Ospreay to tap out, which he FINALLY does with 3:32 to go.

Allin – 2
Ospreay – 2
Joe – 2
Ricochet – 1
Okada – 1

Joe is looking rather cocky as he slowly beats on Ospreay. The MuscleBuster is escaped though and Copeland spears Joe for the pin with 2:09 to go.

Allin – 2
Ospreay – 2
Joe – 2
Ricochet – 1
Okada – 1
Copeland – 1

Another spear out of the air pins Ricochet with 2:01 to go.

Allin – 2
Ospreay – 2
Joe – 2
Copeland – 2
Ricochet – 1
Okada – 1

Another spear to Ospreay is countered into a small package for two as we have 1:30 left. The Hidden Blade misses and Copeland hits an Impaler but can’t cover. Instead he pulls himself up for another spear but Okada cuts him off. Okada gets speared down but Ospreay hits a Hidden Blade on Copeland and steals the pin with 3 seconds left.

Ospreay – 3
Allin – 2
Joe – 2
Copeland – 2
Ricochet – 1
Okada – 1

And time expires to retain Ospreay’s title at 32:05.

Rating: B+. There’s a lot to go through here. First of all, it was fun, and the drama at the end was good. The star power was absolutely there and it felt like a big match. You can also tweak it a bit with the amount of people involved in the second half. At the same time, I’m not sure if this felt like a pay per view main event. It feels more like a #1 contenders match and maybe that’s what it becomes later on now that it’s established. For something where they didn’t really have anything else ready, this was about as good as it was going to get and I did enjoy it, so well done overall.

Post match Copeland shows respect to Ospreay to end the show.

Overall Rating: B+. For a show with very little in the way of stakes or hype (again, not AEW’s fault given the circumstances), this more than over delivered. I had a good time with the show and while there were some matches that definitely could have been trimmed, it was a heck of a second tier pay per view. All things considered, this was a big hit and while it wouldn’t work every time, they escaped through hard work and a unique main event format. Solid show here, but they need to make the next one feel a lot more important.

Results
Megan Bayne/Lena Kross b. Sisters Of Sin – Divine Intervention to Hart
Don Callis Family b. Alex Breeze/Papi D/Rhys Maddox – Triple pin
The Dogs/Death Riders b. Conglomeration/Bang Bang Gang – Fastball Special to Colten
Motor City Machine Guns b. FTR – Dirt Bomb to Wheeler
Mercedes Mone b. Thekla – Mone Maker
Nick Wayne b. Chris Jericho – Small package
Young Bucks b. Don Callis Family – EVP Trigger to Knight
Persephone b. Queen Aminata, Hyan and Dani Luna – Moonsault to Hyan
Andrade El Idolo b. Tommaso Ciampa – DM
Hangman Page/Brodido b. New Level/Swerve Strickland 2-1
Jon Moxley b. Mark Davis – Bulldog choke
Will Ospreay won Clockwork Carnage

 

 

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