When there is too much wrestling.

https://www.smarkdownsblog.com/wrestling-oversaturation

Evolve
Date: July 1, 2026
Location: WWE Performance Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Peter Rosenberg, Blake Howard

We’re done with Succession III and the big story coming out of the show seems to be Timothy Thatcher’s security going into business for themselves. It’s going to be a little while before we find out about that though as Thatcher is gone this week, with KevOnStage in his place. We also have a six person elimination tag so let’s get to it.

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

KevOnStage recaps Succession III and previews tonight’s show.

Opening sequence.

Layla Diggs vs. Gianna Capri

Masyn Holiday is with Diggs. Capri misses an early pump kick so Diggs grabs a headlock. Diggs’ sitout gordbuster and a Shining Wizard combine for two but Capri is back with some knees to the ribs. A belly to back suplex gets two but Diggs avoids another pump kick. Diggs kicks her into the corner for a running knee so Capri hits her in the back again. Hold on though as Anya Rune offers a distraction from the VIP section and shoves her hands at Capri, which she calls punishment (I believe it’s a Dragon Ball Z thing). Diggs knocks Capri down and drops a moonsault (that thing looks great) for the pin at 4:38.

Rating: C-. So was that the nerd version of Danhausen’s curse? Other than that, the match felt like it was in slow motion with both of them looking like they were trying to remember their next step. Diggs is quite the athlete and she’s already doing more on NXT, though this wasn’t the best work from either of them.

Post match Diggs and Holiday dance but Braxton Cole pops up with the NXT Rule Book, saying that there is nothing that can make him have a No DQ match with Harlem Lewis. Cue Lewis to jump him from behind and sends him into the steps as we take a break.

Braxton Cole vs. Harlem Lewis

No DQ. We come back with the opening bell and Lewis hitting him in the back with a cookie sheet. Said sheet is put into the corner so Cole can whip Lewis into it for the big crash. Cole finds a cane in the VIP area and hammers Lewis down as they go outside again. Somehow Cole finds a belt in the crowd for some whipping before Lewis punches him in the face. That lets Lewis get the belt for some whipping of his own but Cole gets in a sheet to the throat.

A hanging neckbreaker to the floor drops Lewis again and Cole whips out a pool cue of all things. Some more shots to the ribs have Lewis in even more trouble and Cole uses the stick to tie Lewis to the post. That just gets the stick broken but Cole is back with a Crash Landing onto the sheet for two. Cole busts out a trashcan full of more weapons, including a large mop. Said mop is broken over Lewis’ back but another mop is used to hit Cole low. That makes Cole beg off so Lewis puts the mop into Cole’s face. The Boom Slang finishes for Lewis at 7:11.

Rating: B-. I liked this well enough, with Lewis desperately wanting to prove himself and then doing just that, as he absorbed everything Cole threw at him and then won. That’s the story that they set up and then paid it off here, which is always appreciated. Cole got in some nice shots of his own, but this was all about Lewis and that’s how it wound up going.

Post match here is Aaron Rourke to congratulate Lewis on his win. Rourke thanks him for helping him against the Mog Squad, which Rourke never even asked him to do. He thinks they’ve developed some respect for each other so he wants to give Lewis a proper thank you. The fans get ahead of Rourke by asking for a title shot and Rourke is going to try to get it made, but at least for now, he offers a sincere thank you. They shake hands and part in peace, with Lewis staring at the title. That was the logical way to go and it’s nice to see them taking the simple path.

Sloane Jacobs praises Nikkita Lyons for her title win last week. It was Lyons in “her full luminosity.” She wants to thank Lyons so next week it’s going to be a huge championship celebration.

Here is Kale Dixon for a chat. Dixon talks about how he left his ego at the door during his first time in NXT and that got him nowhere. He came from college baseball and turned down MLB contracts to be here. Now he knows that everyone in the back is scared because he is going straight to superstardom. Everyone is jealous of him because they don’t possess the athleticism and abilities that he has.

Chuey Martinez goes to end the interview but Dixon isn’t done, saying it’s not over until he says it’s done. Martinez asks about the woman who was with him last week and she pops up next to them, saying Evolve is about to change forever. Cue Darkstate’s Cutler James, who doesn’t seem to be on the same page as the two of them.

Cutler James vs. It’s Gal

Gal runs in to jump James from behind and we’re ready to go anyway. James sends him into the corner for an eye rake across the rope but Gal gets in an enziguri. Back up and James grabs a swinging backbreaker before cutting off a comeback attempt. A giant swing sends Gal swinging and a pop up uppercut gives James two. The abdominal stretch lets James rip at Gal’s sunburn (DUDE TOO FAR!) but Gal reverses into one of his own. Gal’s clotheslines get two but James buckle bombs him rather hard. Dark Matter finishes for James at 4:51.

Rating: C+. I’m trying to get over the pain of messing with the sunburn, which is just pure evil. James could use the rehab assignment after Darkstate crashed out so hard as there is definitely something for him to do. At the same time, I have no idea what Gal is supposed to do, as he’s little more than a quirky jobber at this point and that isn’t the brightest future.

Elijah Holyfield doesn’t think much of Brooks Jensen cheating to beat him and they’re far from done. In Holyfield’s family, if you don’t fight, you don’t eat, so he’s ready to knock Brooks silly on sight.

Kam Hendrix and Harley Riggins come in to see Timothy Thatcher (Why is he here?) and want to get rid of Tate Wilder for good. Thatcher will talk to Robert Stone and figure something out. Viktor Zanov and Shida Ash come in to chase them off but Thatcher yells at Zanov and Ash for going too far last week. They’re fired as security and no they aren’t wrestling, as that would be a reward for their behavior. Zanov and Ash say they know how to do what they want.

Mog Squad vs. Sam Holloway/Cappuccino Jones/Marcus Mathers

Elimination tag and Max Abrams is here with the Squad. Holloway has very banged up ribs after last week so Mathers starts with Rivera. Mathers doesn’t like being backed into the corner to start so he headlocks Rivera down without much trouble. A headscissors doesn’t get Rivera very far as Mathers slams him down and drops a jumping elbow. Mathers’ jumping kick to a seated Rivera gets two and it’s off to Holloway for a springboard elbow

The ribs are banged up again though and Jones has to come in instead. Ball charges into a nice dropkick and Holloway crotches Valor against the post. Back in and Ball hits a dropkick of his own and it’s off to Valor for some quick shots to the throat. Naturally Abrams gets to play cheerleader on the floor but Jones gets over to Mathers for the springboard crossbody comeback. A cutter hits Ball and a superkick puts Valor down, allowing Mathers to moonsault outside onto all three of them. Back in and Ball kicks Mathers in the face, setting up Valor’s Sling Blade Hart Attack for the elimination at 5:24.

Holloway comes in for a heck of a big boot to Rivera and an atomic drop but the ribs are banged up again. Holloway fights out of trouble and makes the tag to Jones to pick up the pace. The Froggy Brew gets two with Valor making a diving save. Holloway distracts the referee like a goof and Rivera gets in a Codebreaker, meaning it’s another Sling Blade Hart Attack to pin Jones at 8:16.

We take a break and come back with Holloway down 3-1 and Valor’s Chaos Theory getting one. A chokeslam drops Valor but Rivera distracts the referee to prevent the count. Ball rolls some gutwrench suplexes for two but Holloway gets in a desperation chokeslam. Rivera cuts off the count AGAIN though and comes in with a sitout Slapjack for two of his own.

Back up and Holloway chokeslams Valor and Rivera at the same time but they both roll outside. Abrams offers a distraction so Holloway punches him down and hits a big flying dive to take out all four of them at once (that looked awesome). The trio gets back inside though and a pop up spear finishes Holloway at 13:05.

Rating: B-. The big thing here is that this match told a story. You had the ID guys trying as hard as they could but not really being a unit. That let the Squad take over and cut them down one at a time, with Holloway having to fight out of desperation. It made for a good ending and the Squad got a much needed win. Nice job here, though it’s frustrating to see Mathers lose so quickly again.

Overall Rating: B-. This show walked a pretty nice line between dealing with fallout from last week and doing a bunch of stuff this week. I liked the wrestling for the most part and there are things set up for the future. It was back to the normal nicely done Evolve and as usual the time went by and they had a good mixture of stuff to keep the show interesting. In other words, it’s the kind of show that makes Evolve one of the better watches of the week. Oh and what was the point of KevOnStage?  I don’t think he was ever around after the opening segment and Thatcher was there anyway!

Results
Layla Diggs b. Gianna Capri – Moonsault
Harlem Lewis b. Braxton Cole – Boom Slang
Cutler James b. It’s Gal – Dark Matter
Mog Squad b. Sam Holloway/Cappuccino Jones/Marcus Mathers last eliminating Holloway

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

Dynamite
Date: July 1, 2026
Location: Viejas Arena, San Diego, California
Commentators: Excalibur, Nigel McGuinness, Tony Schiavone

We’re done with Forbidden Door (thank goodness) and it’s time to get ready for Redemption, the pit stop in July, on the way to London for All In. Will Ospreay and Mercedes Mone are in line for title shots, but first up is Mark Briscoe challenging MJF for the World Title tonight. Let’s get to it.

Here is Forbidden Door if you need a recap.

We get a clip from after Forbidden Door with Will Ospreay being rather happy with his win. Ospreay then ran into Jon Moxley and asked what Moxley meant about seeing something in him. If Moxley could explain it in words, he would explain it to anyone. This place could be something special but if Ospreay wants the Death Riders’ patch, he has to ride with them

Ospreay went on to see Kenny Omega, who praised him for his win but not being wild on the Death Riders tease. MJF came in to mock them both, with Omega threatening to come after the title and MJF not really caring. With MJF gone, Omega seemed to suggest that everything was fine with Ospreay.

AEW World Title: Mark Briscoe vs. Maxwell Jacob Friedman

MJF is defending and insists on being announced from the Best Coast, the east coast. Briscoe knocks him down to start but MJF is right back up to rip the bandage off of Briscoe’s head. MJF bites at the cut but Briscoe flips out of a backdrop, meaning it’s time for Red Neck Kung Fu.

Briscoe gets crotched on top but knocks MJF down, with the Froggy Bow getting two. Another shot sends MJF outside for the dive, followed by the chair step up flip dive for a bonus. The table is set up on the floor but Briscoe takes too long and knocks him off the top. That lets him return the table under the ring and we take a break. We come back with Briscoe winning a slugout and knocking him out to the floor, with Briscoe pulling the pads back.

MJF is able to backdrop him onto the concrete but can’t hit a Tombstone, instead getting slammed on the concrete. The Bang Bang Elbow on the floor and a Cutthroat Driver connect for two back inside, allowing Briscoe to set up the table again. Once again it takes too long but once again Briscoe cuts MJF and gives him a Blockbuster on the floor.

The Froggy Bow puts MJF through the table for two, as the foot on the rope saves the title. MJF goes to the eye but gets clotheslined for a double down. Another Froggy Bow connects and the Jay Driller gets a rather near fall. A sunset flip doesn’t work for Briscoe so he tries another Jay Driller, which is countered into an Alabama Slam. The Heatseeker retains the title at 18:23.

Rating: B. Well, that was quite the use of Briscoe’s title shot after building it up for a good while. I was expecting this to be at Beach Break but I guess they want to clear the way for Ospreay for the next month and a half. The match wasn’t an instant classic but it was physical and hard hitting, with Briscoe being so easy to cheer for to make it better.

Post match MJF loads up the Diamond Ring and knocks him silly. He loads up another shot but Kenny Omega runs in for the save. Omega wants a title shot tonight but MJF shoots that down, saying he’s beaten Omega before. MJF will face Omega next week, but if MJF wins, Omega can never challenge for the World Title again (note that MJF did not say Omega had to win the title). Omega has until the end of the night to decide.

Post break, MJF promises that payback is coming for Andrade El Idolo. With that out of the way, he lists off all of the names he has beaten, including Cody Rhodes, with Kenny Omega being 0-2 against him. He knows Omega won’t agree because MJF is gutless. Will Ospreay comes in to ask why the stipulation, with MJF saying it’s because he’s the champion. MJF will see Ospreay at Wembley.

He is Andrade El Idolo for a chat. He is done with the Don Callis Family and wants the World Back Title. How you know? Cue the Family to jump him from behind and the big beatdown is on. Don Callis wants Andrade out of here for Kevin Knight’s match.

Mercedes Mone brags about winning the Women’s Owen Hart Cup because she is the conversation no matter where she was going.

TNT Title: Kevin Knight vs. Lio Rush

Only Knight is defending. Rush scares him to start and throws Knight a backpack, containing…a black version of the ROH TV Title. Knight is freaked out so Rush sends him into the ropes, with Knight bailing to the floor. Rush does his run around the ring for the suicide dive and we take a break.

We come back with Knight hitting a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker but banging up his knee on a springboard attempt. Rush grabs a weird choke (as in Rush looks like he’s trying a cutter but just holds on when they’re on the mat) until Jake Doyle pulls Knight outside. Back in and Knight hits a sitout spinebuster, followed by a Rock Bottom to retain at 8:45.

Rating: B-. The match was fine, but did they really need to have Rush lose here? Rush is A, on fire with his new gimmick and B, a champion in ROH. Bandido and Athena have already lost recently and it would be nice for the ROH champions to be something other than jobbers to the main roster stars. I get that they’re beneath the AEW stars, but there are so many people in AEW/ROH who aren’t champions who could lose just as well.

Post match Darby Allin comes out to say he wants the TNT Title shot or the same things are going to keep happening to Knight. That has Knight ready to agree but Callis cuts him off because Allin was a criminal at Forbidden Door. Allin says that’s Knight digging his own grave.

We look at Chris Jericho beating up JD Drake and mocking Tommaso Ciampa.

Ciampa calls Jericho a bully but Jericho jumps him from behind. They go outside, where Ciampa rolls a shopping cart at him and then tries to stab Jericho in the head with a drill. Security tries to break it up but Jericho dives out of a truck to take out both Ciampa and some guards. The drill was dumb but I want to see these two fight.

Kenny Omega talks to the Young Bucks about the stipulation but Omega hasn’t made a decision just yet. He didn’t like what he had to do to win the title in the first place and wants to do it on his own. The Bucks have his back no matter what but Omega still hasn’t decided.

Will Ospreay/Jon Moxley vs. The Swirl

The Swirl jumps Moxley to start fast and seem to hurt his knee. Moxley fights back like he’s Jon Moxley and they’re the Swirl, allowing him to roll over for the tag to Ospreay. A running hurricanrana sends Christian outside and there’s the running flip dive to take the Swirl out again.

We take a break and come back with the Swirl’s Death Valley Driver/top rope double stomp combination getting two on Moxley. Marina Shafir beats up Jay Lethal on the floor and Moxley makes the comeback, allowing Ospreay to come back in. Johnson gets beaten up in the corner and Christian springboards into a cutter. The Paradigm Shift into the Hidden Blade finishes Johnson at 9:15.

Rating: C+. On one hand, I get the idea of Ospreay and Moxley as the unlikely super team, but at the same time, I’m still not sure why they’re together in the first place. In theory Ospreay got the help that he needed and now wants to see how far they can take him and Moxley is happy with getting the new member of the team. I guess that’s the story and while it makes sense, I’m not sure I buy Ospreay just suddenly being cool with the Death Riders. Or Moxley being cool with him for that matter.

After retaining their Tag Team Titles, Christian Cage and Adam Copeland weren’t sure about Jay White. Cage still doesn’t like him and Copeland isn’t sure what to think.

Here is the Bang Bang Gang for a chat. Jay White says they have waiting for well over a year to do this and he’s glad to get to say the catchphrase again. He remembered people not liking the Death Riders but now they’re hanging with the biggest fraud in wrestling. That aside, he wants to talk about the Dogs, who he doesn’t like because of things that happened in New Japan.

White remembers joining the New Japan Dojo with David Finlay, who is a fourth generation wrestler and raising a fifth generation star. Finlay has wrestling in his blood but he’s still a whiny little boy. White is still the catalyst of wrestling and this is still his era. If the Dogs, or anyone, has a problem with that, Guns Up. I still like White a lot and he can talk very well, but he has to prove that he can go more than a few months without a major injury.

Shane Taylor Promotions want the Bang Bang Gang in an eight man tag on Collision.

TBS Title: Kris Statlander vs. Maika vs. Harley Cameron vs. Persephone vs. Queen Aminata vs. Hikaru Shida

Survival Of The Fittest (six way elimination match) for the vacant title. It’s a brawl to start with Persephone standing tall but Shida takes her down with a rollup for two. Cameron is back in with a Shining Wizard to Maika before hammering on Aminata in the corner. Persephone sneaks up on Cameron for a Razor’s Edge and the elimination at 2:33. Well there goes the crowd favorite. Statlander Angle Slams Persephone and we take a break

We come back with Maika and Statlander slugging it out until Shida comes in with the kendo stick. Maika drops Shida with a discus clothesline but Statlander takes away the kendo stick. Shida hides behind the referee and rolls Maika up for the elimination at 7:52. We’re down to four and it’s Aminata coming back in to slug it out with Shida. Aminata’s fisherman’s neckbreaker gets two but she misses a top rope double stomp. The big headbutt sends Shida into the ropes for the running knee, only for Persephone to roll Aminata up for the pin at 9:49.

Persephone actually does the L on her forehead to mock Aminata as we take another break. We come back again with Statlander’s Blue Thunder Bomb getting two on Persephone. A bridging German suplex drops Statlander for two but Shida is back in, only for Statlander to chop Shida and Persephone. Staturday Night Fever is broken up but Statlander cradles Persephone for the pin at 15:30.

Shida kicks Statlander in the head, only for Statlander to grab the Falcon Arrow for two more. They fight over a rollup until Shida gets the ankle lock, with Persephone getting in a belt shot (fine with the referee). Shida grabs the leg and adds a choke to the out cold Statlander for the title at 17:27.

Rating: B-. This was kind of a strange match as there wasn’t a heavy betting favorite coming and a few different people could win the thing. Shida certainly fits the description, as she has a long history of winning titles so this is a nice fit. She might not be champion for a long time (though it wouldn’t be crazy), but beating her means enough that it could be a big moment.

Here’s what’s coming on Collision and next week at Beach Break.

Will Ospreay tries to talk Kenny Omega out of making a bad decision but Omega says if he’s going out, it’s with guns blazing.

Here is Omega for his big decision. Omega talks about how he has been doing this for over half of his life and he always gives this everything he has. He has a career that he could hang his hat on and be proud about but there is a part of him that believes he still has it. If the Elite can believe and the people can believe, then he knows he can be a champion AEW can be proud of one more time. At Wembley, against Will Ospreay.

All he has to do is put everything on the line against MJF, but Cody Rhodes and Hangman Page have done the same thing. He is still the best bout machine and yes the match is on and he’ll be ready for whatever MJF has for him. MJF runs in for the brawl but Omega fights back, with security breaking it up to end the show. That’s a huge match and they’re throwing it out there pretty quickly, but the result feels far from certain, which helps a lot.

Overall Rating: B. There was a lot on this show but the best part about it is that the show flew by. Nothing felt like it was dragging here and I had a good time with the show. It set up something big for next week and gave us the MJF vs. Briscoe match, even if it came and went rather quickly. There’s a new TBS Champion as well so that gap is covered, making this a pretty eventful night for the Forbidden Door follow up. See how nice it is when AEW can focus on AEW?

Results
Maxwell Jacob Friedman b. Mark Briscoe – Heatseeker
Kevin Knight b. Lio Rush – Rock Bottom
Will Ospreay/Jon Moxley b. The Swirl – Hidden Blade to Johnson
Hikaru Shida won Survival Of The Fittest last eliminating Kris Statlander

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

Mid-South Wrestling
Date: November 9, 1984
Location: Irish McNeil Boys Club, Shreveport, Louisiana
Commentators: Boyd Pierce, Bill Watts

Apparently this is something that is being released weekly, at least for the time being and I can think of worse things. You never know what you’re going to get on something like this but the first few weeks have been rather good. There have been some rather good stories taking place, with the biggest being Jim Duggan’s attack at the hands of Ted DiBiase two weeks ago. Let’s get to it.

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

Again this is presented in its most complete form. This show is a few minutes shorter and I’d bet on a music video of some sort missing.

Opening sequence.

Commentary runs down the card and explains that we can write in via postcard to pick the main event we want to see on TV. I don’t buy it as legit but that’s a cool idea as a way to tie the fans into the show. This is what is edited out of the WWE Vault version.

Commentary recaps the Rock N Roll Express’ issues with the Midnight Express, featuring Ricky Morton putting Robert Gibson in a straitjacket to demonstrate what they had planned for Jim Cornette. They really earned the beating that Cornette (still in a mask) and the Midnights put on them as a result.

Back in the arena, commentary talks about how brave the Rock N Roll are before throwing it to Jim Ross (who gets a nice bio of his own) to reveal the real stipulation.

Ross and the Rock N Roll are on top of a scaffold (uh oh) and want the match up there so Cornette can’t interfere. Ricky Morton admits that he’s scared as Robert Gibson throws a melon down to the floor for quite the visual.

Jack Victory/Dale Veasey vs. Rock N Roll Express

Non-title and the double dropkick finishes Victory at 27 seconds.

Here are Skandor Akbar, the masked Jim Cornette, Buddy Landell and Hercules Hernandez for a chat. Akbar gets right to the point: he has purchased Hercules from Cornette (this just keeps happening to him), who is happy with the deal. As a bonus, Hercules can even be a sheik, but he has to wait on the harem.

Hercules was Cornette’s bodyguard to protect Cornette from Jim Duggan but Duggan was beaten up so Cornette feels safe. Landell tries to take credit for this but Akbar tells him to stay out of it. Oh and why is Landell wearing that watch when he hasn’t delivered as promised yet? Akbar promises that he and his army will crush everyone because he is now Mr. Mid-South. Good, logical way to get Hernandez away from Cornette and on to something else.

Butch Reed vs. Jim Horton

Hold on though as here is Buddy Landell to talk to Reed. That doesn’t work for Reed, who rants about being the man. Reed doesn’t need anyone because he is the #1 man in Mid-South. Landell says he taught Reed everything he knows but Reed only let Landell hang around out of pity.

Landell offers Reed the watch, which sends Reed even further over the edge. Reed throws the watch down and stomps on it, sending Landell into hysterics. Landell shoves Reed, who drops him with a big right hand. Skandor Akbar and company come out to talk in peace, with Akbar talking about how he should have talked to Reed man to man. He is ready to give Reed the offer of a lifetime but Reed says he stands alone.

Akbar makes it clear: Reed is either with them or against them so Reed starts swinging. The brawl is on and Reed is beaten down, with poor Horton getting beaten up for standing in the wrong place. Jim Duggan makes the save with the 2×4 to a ROAR. So I guess we’re not going to have a match. How rude.

Post break Duggan and Reed are at the commentary desk and say they need to talk to each other. The reality is they both want to stand alone but Duggan respects Reed after years of fighting him. They’ve given each other everything they have and come back for more. They have to do something to stop Akbar and even if they’ll keep an eye on each other, they can do it together.

Reed returns the respect and shouts about how something has to be done, with Duggan saying he doesn’t need the board. Instead he needs a fired up Hacksaw Butch Reed. OUTSTANDING stuff here as this was a crazy hot promo, with both guys coming together after a long time fighting. In other words, standard wrestling booking with people the fans cared about and respected. That’s why Mid-South worked so well.

Hector Guerrero/Chavo Guerrero vs. Shawn Michaels/Mike Jackson

Michaels, with short hair and in black tights and an MTV shirt, debuted less than a month before this was taped so he couldn’t have had more than a handful of professional matches. Chavo works on Jackson’s arm to start and hands it off to Hector (my goodness does he look like Eddie) to stay on said arm.

The take turns on the arm with Hector hitting a splash but Jackson manages to trip him down for an elbow drop. It’s off to Michaels, who is snapmared down and gets in a single right hand to no avail. A dropkick and double back elbow sets up a spinning splash to give Hector two. Michaels fights out of the corner and hands it back to Jackson for some dropkicks before Chavo avoids another one. A full nelson brings Jackson down and Chavo adds a Swanton for the pin at 3:22.

Rating: C. It says a lot when Jackson, who had one of the longest in-ring careers ever, is the least interesting person in a match. Obviously the appeal here is a 19 year old Michaels and he looked like a 19 year old who had been in the business for about a month would look. There was nothing at all to him here and no reason to believe he would one day become a huge star. You also have the Guerreros, who are a totally underrated team who was doing stuff that no one could pull off at this point. Quite the fascinating match here, for a bunch of reasons.

Ted DiBiase vs. Lee Ramsey

DiBiase hammers away to start and gives him a slam, followed by a backdrop. The powerslam and Figure Four finish Ramsey at 1:32.

Master G./Brickhouse Brown vs. Midnight Express

Jim Cornette handles the Midnights’ entrance (of course) and we’re ready to go. The Midnights jump them on the way in but get sent outside for some yelling from Cornette. Eaton and Brown start things off with Eaton’s right hands not getting him very far. A backdrop puts Eaton down and it’s off to G. for the running shoulders.

Condrey comes in off a blind tag and stomps on G. as the Midnights get to take over in the corner. G. fights out of trouble though and it’s back to Brown as everything breaks down. Cornette trips Brown so Condrey goes up top, with the referee not letting him dive (as it’s illegal). Like a good villain, Eaton uses the distraction to drop a top rope elbow for the pin on Brown at 4:03.

Rating: B-. The more I see of Brown, the more I like him. The more I see of G., the more it makes me want to see Brown. On the other hand you have the Midnights and they really are as great as they’re advertised as being. There is such an amazing teamwork between them and stuff like that ending made them look like they were smart to go with athletic. Very fun stuff here.

Ernie Ladd/Buddy Landell vs. Tony Falk/Bill Dundee

Hold on though as Magnum TA comes in to take Falk’s place so Ladd walks out, refusing to face Magnum and let him try to steal the title back. Dundee is down to face Landell one on one but Landell walks out instead. No match.

Here’s how to pick your dream match again.

Steve Williams has his football helmet and accuses Jim Duggan of being a coward for bring out his 2×4. Williams wants to face Duggan next week if Duggan isn’t a coward.

Roll credits.

Overall Rating: B+. The wrestling here was your usual collection of squashes, plus that snappy Midnights match. That’s not the important part here, as this was all about the Duggan/Reed/Akbar stuff, as Duggan and Reed gave some of the best fired up promos you’ll ever see. I barely watch this promotion and I want to see them get their hands on Akbar and company in a big fight.

That’s what you should want from a big face turn and my goodness did it work. Definitely check out some Duggan and Reed from this era as they’re two big guys who could fight but now they’re fighting a common enemy. Really fun show here and I’ll be watching whatever they put up from Mid-South.

Results
Rock N Roll Express b. Jack Victory/Dale Veasey – Double dropkick to Victory
Hector Guerrero/Chavo Guerrero b. Shawn Michaels/Mike Jackson – Swanton to Jackson
Ted DiBiase b. Lee Ramsey – Figure Four
Midnight Express b. Brickhouse Brown/Master G. – Top rope elbow to Brown

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

So as you’ve probably noticed, the site has had issues with things like “insufficient storage” and other such errors.  They’ve been driving me crazy but since I’m not a tech guy, I’ve had no idea how to fix them.  Now though, I think I’ve figured it out and I’ll be trying to fix it.  I’m not sure how well this will work and I ask for a bit of patience while I tweak things.  It should work, but I’m not sure how long that will take.  I’ll be posting as usual, but hopefully with fewer site errors slowing me down.

Thank you as always,

KB

NXT
Date: June 30, 2026
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Booker T.

We’re done with the Great American Bash and the big story coming out of the show was Lola Vice losing the Women’s Title to Kendal Grey. We’ll get to see where things go for the new champion going forward, probably in the form of meeting a new challenger. Other than that, Tony D’Angelo turned back a challenge from Naraku and he’ll be needing a new challenger of his own. Let’s get to it.

Here is the Great American Bash if you need a recap.

We open with a long Great American Bash recap.

Here is Kendal Grey for a chat. She’s more nervous to be out here now than she was in the main event on Sunday. Ever since John Cena picked her to be in the Women’s Iron Survivor, her life has been crazy. No one puts pressure on her like she does and she kept dropping the ball. This Sunday, she proved she belonged here, even though she doesn’t look like a normal champion.

No she isn’t going to dress like a Barbie but when the bell rings, she’ll be wrestling like a champion. Sooner or later, everyone is going to find out they can’t keep up with Kendal. Cue Wren Sinclair with a cake but before they can celebrate, here is Kelani Jordan to say she wants the title shot she has earned. Tatum Paxley pops up out of the crowd to dive onto Jordan as Wren and Kendal have cake.

Keanu Carver has attacked El Hijo del Vikingo, saying the title match is off.

Izzi Dame is complaining about how she doesn’t have a title but Zaria isn’t pleased with her issues. Lizzie Rain comes in and annoys both of them with loud music.

Kelani Jordan complains about everything to Robert Stone, who has no time for this. Stone gives her Tatum Paxley in tonight’s main event before going to deal with Keanu Carver. Thankfully Carver is a few feet away and says that he doesn’t like being overlooked. His reward: a match with EK Prosper tonight. WWE is getting annoying with announcing things and then changing them lately.

Tag Team Titles: Vanity Project vs. Galeno/El Hijo del Dr. Wagner Jr.

The Project is defending. Baylor shoves Galeno into the corner to start and gets punched by Wagner as a result, with Wagner hitting a big running flip dive to take the champs out. We take a break and come back with Wagner enziguring his way out of the corner and bringing Galeno in again. House is quickly cleaned, including a toss dropkick to send Wagner up for a dropkick to Smokes.

The Project is right back with a dropkick Hart Attack for two on Wagner but Galeno’s reverse suplex connects for the same. Wagner climbs onto Galeno’s shoulders for a splash on Baylor but Galeno accidentally backdrops Smokes onto the cover to break it up. Jackson Drake offers a distraction as well and a top rope double stomp/reverse DDT combination to Wagner retains the titles at 10:10.

Rating: B-. This worked well enough for a team of guest stars popping in for the sake of a one off title match. It’s not like there is any story to the match and the Project are seen as weak enough that they could lose the titles at any time. It wasn’t great but it was the Project getting to capitalize on a mistake, which does make sense for them. Or anyone really.

A bunch of tag teams want a title shot so Robert Stone makes a four team #1 contenders match next week. Romeo Moreno/Noam Dar are left out as Stone says they need to build up their resume first (fair and accurate).

Mason Rook vs. Jackson Drake

The rest of the Vanity Project is here with Drake. Rook blocks an early headlock takeover attempt and gets two off an early powerslam. Hold on though as Kam Hendrix calls Booker T. to say he’s about 60% cleared to return to the ring and will be back soon. But did he get a new sling to cut down on the chaffing?

Anyway Rook misses a backsplash but does a Samoa Joe sidestep of a springboard moonsault. Rook’s second backsplash attempt connects and Drake rolls outside as we take a break. We come back with Drake getting two off a cutter but Rook drops him with a toss Blue Thunder Bomb. The cannonball crushes Drake in the corner but he avoids a sitdown splash.

Drake hits a Lionsault double stomp (OUCH) for two, only for Rook to slam him down again. Another powerbomb is countered into a heck of a Code Red to give Drake two. Back up and Rook’s sitout powerbomb gets two more and the fans are (rightfully) losing it over this stuff. The Project gets up for a distraction though and Drake gets a Backstabber, with Myra Lockwood holding Rook’s foot for the pin at 11:51.

Rating: B+. Well where in the world did that come from? These two just happened to have great chemistry together and I was wondering where this was going. This was a couple of guys trading one big move after another and while Rook has been treated like a big deal since he debuted, I didn’t know Drake had this in him. Shockingly awesome match here and I could go with a rematch.

Post match Rook wrecks the Project.

Tate Wilder gives EK Prosper a pep talk.

Kali Armstrong comes in to Robert Stone’s office and wants a chance. He tells her that actions speak louder than words.

EK Prosper vs. Keanu Carver

Carver powers him into the corner to start and grabs an early armbar. Prosper is up with a dropkick and a low bridge to the floor, naturally setting up the big running flip dive. Back in and a top rope splash gives Prosper two and we take a break. We come back with Prosper fighting out of a chinlock and seeing Carver hitting a great looking release German suplex during the break.

Carver’s powerslam is countered into a Stunner (that was different) but he cuts off a dive to drop Prosper onto the announcers’ table. Cue Hank to knock Carver through the barricade (in revenge for Carver attacking Tank at the Great American Bash) for nine, leaving Prosper to hit a moonsault for the pin at 10:12.

Rating: C+. There is something to be said about having Carver run through people but getting taken out as a result of his own actions. That’s a far cry from Carver slipping on a banana peel or getting cheated unfairly as it also keeps him strong. Prosper is looking good too and it is nice to see him getting a chance of his own, including being the kryptonite to Carver.

Kendal Grey is in Robert Stone’s office where he announces a four way Women’s North American #1 contenders match next week. Nattie and her new friends come in with Nattie praising them and then asking for a title match. Stone and Grey are in so the match is set for next week.

Jaida Parker vs. Karmen Petrovic

Nattie, Layla Diggs and Nikkita Lyons are here with Petrovic. Parker powers her into the corner to start and grabs a quickly broken headlock. Back up and Parker sends her into the corner for the Tear Drop but a Nattie distraction lets Petrovic drop Parker onto the apron. Petrovic stomps away inside and a suplex sends Parker flying for two. Parker reverses a kick to the chest into the Rings Of Saturn, sending Petrovic straight to the rope. A baseball slide drops Petrovic so Nattie and company get in some cheap shots. Back in and Parker shrugs it off, setting up the Hipnotique and Deja Vu for the pin at 4:48.

Rating: C. I would hope that we’re not going to see Parker run through Nattie’s group to get at Nattie because I don’t want to see Nattie around that long. I do like Petrovic getting a chance to do something but losing in about five minutes is hardly some big upgrade. At least Parker got a win, and her getting even more would be a nice thing to see.

Shiloh Hill and Tatum Paxley talk about enjoying fun and knowing how to turn into their dark versions when necessary. Paxley leaves and Niko Vance comes in, saying they need to get rid of weak stars one by one. Hill doesn’t like the implication that Paxley is weak and Vance says the toothless look makes for a nice smile.

Sean Legacy comes up to Dorian Van Dux (who wasn’t in the tag team meeting earlier) and says they need to be on the same page. Dux says they will be.

Myles Borne and Wren Sinclair are happy with their wins on Sunday but Tavion Heights comes in. Heights says that no matter what, friends stay together no matter what, in an effort to erase what he had said to Borne. It doesn’t quite work, as Borne says that’s what he’s been trying to tell Heights all along before leaving.

Here is Tony D’Angelo for a chat. When you do things every day, you start taking them for granted. Last week he got his eye burned and had to sign a document before he was able to fight at the Great American Bash. That made him stop for a second, because he wasn’t sure if he was going to risk his health to defend the NXT Title. Of course he was, and that’s why he gave it his all against Naraku.

There is no one in that locker room willing to swim deep enough to take the title from him. And that’s that, with Kendal Grey coming out for the main event but Naraku comes in to chair D’Angelo down. An STO onto the chair leaves D’Angelo down. I’m really not getting the reason for this feud continuing when D’Angelo beat him clean.

After a break, we see Naraku backstage before the attack, where he misted D’Angelo to leave him completely blinded before laying him out. That’s a nice touch that didn’t come across earlier.

Tatum Paxley vs. Kelani Jordan

They fight over a lockup to start and go to the mat, with Jordan taking over. Jordan’s headlock doesn’t last long as Paxley is up with a dropkick to the floor. Jordan is right back up but misses an Asai moonsault, allowing Paxley to hit a superkick to the chest. We take a break and come back with Paxley forearming away and seeing Kali Armstrong jumping Kendal Grey on commentary right before the break.

With Grey gone, Paxley strikes away at Jordan, including a step up kick from the floor to the head. Paxley misses a 450 though and tweaks her ankle (which was also banged up during the break). Jordan stomps her down and cranks on the leg, with Paxley rolling her out to the floor. The Cemetery Drive is countered and Jordan goes after the leg to set up something like an Angle Slam. One Of A Kind finishes Paxley at 12:20.

Rating: B-. I’m not happy to see Paxley losing here but at least Jordan’s push towards the big showdown for the title is being built up. It might not be interesting, but at least it’s coming together. Paxley is in a weird place as she doesn’t have much to do right now and she’s on a losing streak, which is hardly a great sign for her future.

Post match Jordan leaves but a woman (Vic: “We all know who that is!”) comes in to jump Paxley and lay her out to the end the show. Naturally commentary never said the newcomer’s name but it’s Nikki Blackheart.

Overall Rating: B-. I liked the show for the most part as it followed a logical path, save for Naraku vs. D’Angelo continuing. You can see where a lot of these feuds are going and I want to see how some of those stories play out. This was a bit of an upgrade over the last few weeks of NXT and I’m glad to see that, as the Great American Bash was only so interesting. Throw in the rather awesome Rook vs. Jackson match and it was a nice show this week.

Results
Vanity Project/Galeno/El Hijo del Dr. Wagner Jr. – Top rope double stomp/reverse DDT combination to Wagner Jr.
Jackson Drake b. Mason Rook – Backstabber with assist from Lockwood
EK Prosper b. Keanu Carver – Moonsault
Jaida Parker b. Karmen Petrovic – Deja Vu
Kelani Jordan b. Tatum Paxley – One Of A Kind

Head over to my website at kbwrestlingreviews.com with thousands of reviews from around the world and throughout wrestling history.

Monday Night Raw
Date: June 29, 2026
Location: Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey
Commentators: Michael Cole, Corey Graves

We’re done with the Saudi Arabian excursion and the big story for the red people is Oba Femi and Iyo Sky winning their respective crowns. Sky has already announced that she is challenging Liv Morgan at Summerslam but Femi has a choice to make. Other than that, Roman Reigns is back so let’s get to it.

Here is Night Of Champions if you need a recap.

We open with a long Night Of Champions recap, capped off by Sami Zayn getting the long awaited WWE Title win.

Here is Femi to get things going. He appreciates the chants but those are for a ruler. Now he deserves a reaction for a king. Lady Destiny is not done with him and a choice has to be made…and here are Brock Lesnar and Paul Heyman to interrupt. Lesnar actually handles his own introduction and says that while he doesn’t watch the show, he knows that being King Of The Ring is an accomplishment.

Heyman has told Lesnar that Femi has a big decision to make and maybe Lesnar can help him with that. Lesnar understands that Femi called him a coward and a b**** while he was gone. Heyman has said that Femi is a h*** of a promo and Lesnar could never do that, which is why he has Heyman around.

As the saying goes though, talk s***, get hit, so it’s a low blow and F5 to leave Femi laying. Heyman: “NOW THAT WAS A GREAT PROMO!” The two of them go to leave but Femi calls Lesnar a b**** one more time. He wants to fight Lesnar at Summerslam to settle the score. That’s fine with Lesnar….who wants it in the Cell. Heyman panics as you would expect. That’s a heck of a match, but dang I hope they don’t just pull a bait and switch with the King Of The Ring title shot.

Post break we recap what we just saw.

Heyman is in the back with Adam Pearce, saying that the match was just given to him (imagine the t-shirt sales). They have the biggest match of all time in the Summerslam main event. Austin Theory comes in to say that he didn’t know Heyman was back and he has a match tonight. Heyman: “Well now you know.” Heyman goes off and Pearce goes to talk to Femi, who says he can get the title shot later. I really, really hope they aren’t just going to say that the King Of The Ring means nothing and that we wasted all of our time on it.

Ethan Page vs. Rey Mysterio

Mysterio picks up the pace to start and knocks Page down but gets caught up top. Page stomps away in the Tree Of Woe, followed by a backbreaker onto the turnbuckle. We take a break and come back with Mysterio trying a sunset flip, resulting in Page punching the mat by mistake.

Page is sent outside for the sliding splash and Mysterio rains down some right hands inside. A reverse sitout powerbomb gives Page two of his own and a big boot gets the same. Mysterio is fine enough to grab a super hurricanrana, setting up the 619. The frog splash finishes Page at 10:48.

Rating: C+. Mysterio’s ability to have these matches at his age and after all of those injuries is nothing short of remarkable. He’s nowhere near what he once was (of course) but he’s still having absolutely watchable and acceptable matches out there. Page losing clean isn’t the best sign, but at least it gives Mysterio some revenge.

Judgment Day goes to find Danhausen in a search for their money and steal something New York Knicks related.

Here is Joe Hendry for a concert, with special guests the Street Profits. They’re very happy with their title win last week and Ford thanks the fans for always believing in them. They also thank Seth Rollins and call last week’s win a beautiful song. That’s enough for Hendry to sing about how we have new champs and how pathetic the Vision happens to be.

This brings out Austin Theory, who calls the Profits thieves. The rematch is officially set for next week and the Profits approve, but they’re not sure if Bron Breakker is healthy enough. For right now though, Theory wants to face Hendry, who seems to approve. Theory already said he had a match tonight so why is this a surprise?

Joe Hendry vs. Austin Theory

We’re joined in progress with Hendry in trouble but he fights up with the Hit Single (discus lariat). Graves wants to know who declared that a hit as Theory gets in a hard forearm for two. The Last Shot gives Theory two more and he slugs away, only to charge into a Side Effect to give Hendry the pin out of nowhere at 3:34.

Rating: C. That was kind of a sudden finish but I’ll take Hendry getting on the show and getting to do something after weeks of pretty much nothing. They set this up last week as Hendry goes after what is left of the Vision and the song makes it even better. Hendry is still finding his place around here and this is a good enough spot to start, even in a short match.

Raquel Rodriguez complains to Adam Pearce and gets a match with Maxxine Dupri tonight. Liv Morgan and Roxanne Perez come in with Morgan going on about her problems but Rodriguez says she has Morgan’s back. Perez didn’t get to say a word.

Here is Queen Of The Ring Iyo Sky, who is very grateful to be back here with the crown. Sky celebrates her win but Liv Morgan interrupts. Morgan is tired of hearing from Sky and promises to win at Summerslam, where she will remain the greatest Women’s Champions of allllllll (this goes on for about ten seconds) time.

Until then though, Sky is in trouble and here is the rest of the Judgment Day, who are quickly cleared out. An Oblivion attempt is countered and Sky grabs a German suplex. A big kick to the head looks to set up Over The Moonsault but Rodriguez is there to put Sky in the Tree Of Woe. The team works on Sky’s knee and Morgan gets the half crab until agents and referees break it up. They’ve got a long time to build to the match and Sky taking out Morgan’s friends is a good enough way to go.

We recap LA Knight turning down Solo Sikoa’s offer of teaming up from Smackdown.

LA Knight vs. Jimmy Uso

Jey Uso is here with Jimmy so Knight goes outside to yell at him for a bit. Back in and Knight grabs a headlock but gets switched into an armbar. Knight stomps Jimmy in the corner, with a running shot getting two. Jimmy is back up with an enziguri and high crossbody for two, followed by the suicide dive.

We take a break and come back with Knight striking away, followed by the jumping neckbreaker out of the corner. Knight misses something off the top though and Jimmy hits a spear for two. The Superfly Splash is countered as Knight runs the corner for the top rope superplex and the big crash. Knight takes out Jey and hits his jumping top rope elbow on Jimmy. Jey offers a distraction though and Jimmy grabs a rollup for the pin at 11:53.

Rating: C+. And then Sikoa will help Knight after the match and it feels like I’ve seen this story a few dozen times now. This is hardly anything that original and I could really go for Knight not losing so often. He still feels like he’s just on the cusp of breaking through and the kind of thing isn’t helping him. At least he’s doing something though, much like Jimmy for a change.

Post match the beatdown is on but Solo Sikoa runs in for the save. That’s enough for Knight to come back up with a BFT.

We look at Gunther and Nick Aldis getting into a shoving match after Night Of Champions. Aldis and Gunther have been sent home and the former is on administrative leave. For now, Adam Pearce is running both shows.

Jey Uso wants to face Sami Zayn for the title at Summerslam. Jacob Fatu is off to do something about it. Jimmy Uso: “Group text!”

Lyra Valkyria isn’t sure why people are getting on her for turning on Bayley. The anger got the better of her ONE TIME but she isn’t letting it get her down. She wanted to bring Bayley up with her and never hurt her. Last week felt so good though just because she got to close the gap.

Maxxine Dupri passes Chad Gable without saying anything but stops and says she’s sorry, which Gable says isn’t necessary. He wishes her luck in her match.

Maxxine Dupri vs. Raquel Rodriguez

Dupri has to pull a Matrix to avoid an early big boot and they’re quickly on the floor. Rodriguez pulls her down by the hair and hits a slingshot Jackhammer. The back and forth elbows in the corner have Dupri in more trouble and Rodriguez grabs a torture rack. With that broken up, a hard clothesline drops Dupri again. She’s right back up with a kick and the straps come down, only for Rodriguez to counter a second attempt into the Tejana Bomb for the pin at 3:15.

Rating: C. The Dupri experiment seems to be over as Rodriguez shrugged off everything Dupri threw at her here and won in the end. That very well might put Rodriguez on the path to a title shot and there are certainly worse ideas. As for Dupri, she’s got the Theory deal to keep her busy and that should be enough for the time being. It’s probably better for her anyway.

Danhausen finds his lab ruined and his Knicks gift missing. Liv Morgan comes in and Danhausen accuses her of doing this, with Morgan saying it was all of the Judgment Day. She wants their money back and the curse lifted as Morgan flips her hair in his face and leaves.

Chad Gable vs. JD McDonagh

Dominik Mysterio, in the stolen Danhausen jersey, is here with McDonagh. They fight over technical control to start with McDonagh working on the arm. Gable fights up and grabs a backdrop into an armdrag as McDonagh is in trouble. Mysterio has to save McDonagh fro the ankle lock and McDonagh uses the distraction to send Gable into the steps.

We take a break and come back with Gable rolling German suplexes, followed the rolling Liger kicks in the corner. McDonagh is back up with a standing Spanish Fly for two, with Gable rolling him up for the same. A brainbuster gives McDonagh two more but Gable suplexes him into the corner.

The ankle lock goes on again before Gable goes up top, where Mysterio offers a distraction. That lets McDonagh hit a super Spanish Fly for two and here’s Danhausen, complete with a briefcase. That gets a chase from Mysterio, allowing Gable to lock the ankle again for the tap at 11:36 (Gable is favoring his hamstring as he leaves so hopefully that’s nothing).

Rating: B-. Right now it isn’t a question of whether Gable will get to do something but rather what and when. Gable is on fire coming back from Mexico and it seems that they have stripped away a bunch of the stupid stuff and let him be himself. I’d like to see what he can do and right now it seems like he could be in for some kind of a story, which has me hopeful for Summerslam and beyond.

Post match Judgment Day goes for the briefcase, which sprays smoke in their face. Danhausen pops up to steal the jersey back. Danhausen declares that he won but Raquel Rodriguez shows up to jump him and steal the jersey again.

Austin Theory comes up to Maxxine Dupri and doesn’t like what she said to Chad Gable. If Dupri wants to go back down that road, maybe this isn’t working out. Theory leaves and the Alpha Academy come in to ask if she’s ok. Dupri doesn’t know and leaves on her own.

Here are Roman Reigns and Jacob Fatu for a chat. Reigns hits the catchphrase and here is Seth Rollins to interrupt immediately. They stare at each other for a long time until Rollins says “hello my brother”. They have been tied together for fourteen years and Reigns is in possession of something that belongs to Rollins. Yes his brother, it is time to collect. Reigns says Rollins is the back of the line but Rollins says he owns Reigns no matter what.

Rollins lists off some of the times he’s been one step ahead of Reigns over the years, going all the way to the chair shot that ended the Shield. Reigns may be as great as the people think he is but he has never beaten Rollins. This may be Reigns’ last chance to do this because they cam through the crowd together and made this place their own together.

Now there is a new generation ready to come in and take over so this may be their last chance to do this together. Reigns is one of the best ever but if he doesn’t accept this challenge, he may never escape Rollins’ shadow. Reigns says that’s the first truth he’s heard from Rollins in a long time and he needs to beat him. The match is set. This was hardly a big shock but Rollins sold the match rather well.

Overall Rating: B. This was the SUMMERSLAM AHOY show as Night Of Champions is basically forgotten about and we’re on to the build to the big show next month. On one hand I can go for that, but at the same time I’m not wild on seeing the King Of The Ring deal just dropped for the sake of a grudge match. The action here wasn’t great but that wasn’t the focus for the most part, as this was all about setting the stage for later. Good enough show here, but they definitely have a new focus and that’s nice to see.

Results
Rey Mysterio b. Ethan Page – Frog splashes
Joe Hendry b. Austin Theory – Side Effect
Jimmy Uso b. LA Knight – Rollup
Raquel Rodriguez b. Maxxine Dupri – Tejana Bomb
Chad Gable b. JD McDonagh – Ankle lock

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Forbidden Door 2026
Date: June 28, 2026
Location: SAP Center, San Jose, California
Commentators: Excalibur, Walker Stewart, Nigel McGuinness, Tony Schiavone

It’s time for the international show with guest stars from CMLL, New Japan and Stardom coming over. At the same time though, we have a bunch of #1 contenders matches, with the finals of the Owen Hart Cups and the 12 man cage match, with MJF having challengers on both his team and his opponent’s. Let’s get to it.

Kickoff Show: Daniel Garcia (AEW) vs. Drilla Moloney (NJPW)

Feeling out process here with Garcia taking him down and spinning up, which annoys Moloney. The running shoulders put Garcia down for a change and Moloney knocks him outside for a chop over the barricade. Back in and Garcia knocks him out to the floor again, this time for a running kick in the chair. Marina Shafir gets in some choking (of course) and Garcia locks up the ankle.

With that broken up, Garcia settles for a dropkick to the leg and the right hands in the corner to keep Moloney rocked. Moloney is right back with the AJ Styles drop down into a dropkick and it’s time to chop it out. Garcia charges into a powerbomb for two and of course pops up for a Sharpshooter, sending Moloney over to the ropes. Back up and Moloney grabs an over the shoulder backbreaker, with Shafir making the save. Garcia strikes away and grabs a rolling neckbreaker but charges into an over the shoulder piledriver for the pin at 10:23.

Rating: C+. Moloney isn’t a regular around here and it was a bonus match but I’ll take it for an opening match to a rather long night. If nothing else, seeing Garcia lose, even with the interference from Shafir, is kind of amusing. They kept this moving and it was about all you could have expected here.

Survival Of The Fittest Qualifying Match: Maika (Stardom) vs. Skye Blue (AEW)

Blue backs her into the corner to start and pulls Maika down by the air. Back up and Maika runs her over for a basement clothesline but misses a charge to the floor. The hurricanrana attempt is countered into a powerbomb onto the apron, which naturally doesn’t do much damage.

Back in and Blue kicks her in the face in the corner but Maika grabs some suplexes for two. A superplex gets the same but Blue Cheeky Nandos Kicks her into a powerbomb out of the corner. That and a tornado DDT give Blue two and they fight out to the apron, where Maika hits a brainbuster. Back in and a Michinoku Driver finishes for Maika at 9:20.

Rating: C+. It was nice to have this actually mean something, with Maika getting to qualify for the title match. While she isn’t likely to win, it’s perfectly fine to have her win here and get onto the bigger stage, as it’s a nice way to give Stardom a win. Besides, it’s not like Blue has any status in the first place.

Kickoff Show: Olympia/Persephone (CMLL/AEW) vs. Megan Bayne/Lena Kross (AEW)

Bayne and Kross are defending. Rosa hammers on Kross to start and is quickly dropped with a running shoulder. Everything breaks down and a pair of hurricanranas send the champs outside. Rosa’s corkscrew dive takes both of them out and Olympia adds a dive of her own. Back in and Rosa gets sent into the wrong corner for some shoulders to the ribs, setting up Kross’ basement clothesline for two.

Rosa fights up and gets over to Olympia, who cleans house as everything breaks down. A step up basement dropkick in the corner hits Kross and Olympia’s splash gets two. The parade of strikes leaves everyone down and it’s Olympia striking it out with Kross. Bayne is up with a super hurricanrana to Olympia, who is back with a gorilla press out of the corner. Bayne’s powerbomb is countered into a hurricanrana for two but it’s a German suplex/running boot combination to put Olympia down. Divine Intervention retains the titles at 10:49.

Rating: B-. There was no reason to believe that a makeshift team was going to take the titles here but it was a fast paced match with both teams working hard. AEW has done a good job of building up the champions as a pair of monsters and it is going to take something special to get the titles off of them. I’m just not sure who that is going to be.

And now, the show proper.

Young Bucks (AEW) vs. Sky Team (CMLL) vs. Unbound Co. (NJPW)

Sky Team’s ROH Tag Team Titles aren’t on the line. Mistico and Titan start things off with Titan knocking him down and stomping away. Mistico is right back up with the great looking springboard hurricanrana and it’s already off to Dorada vs. Matt. Neither of them can make any contact and it’s a pair of dropkicks into stereo nipups for a standoff. Nick backbreakers Dorada so Matt can add a top rope double stomp but Dorada armdrags both Bucks without too much trouble.

Takagi comes in to add some power and Titan’s springboard splash gets two. It’s right back to Mistico to pick up the pace but the Bucks take over on Dorada again. Dorada is fine enough to hurricanrana Titan onto the pile at ringside and Mistico adds a springboard Swanton for two. Back in and Matt snaps off his rolling northern lights suplexes, at least until Takagi cuts him off with a DDT.

Mistico is in with his wristdrags and Dorada’s shooting star takes out the pile on the floor. Takagi comes back with the hard clotheslines but a bunch of superkicks take him down, followed by clotheslines to put everyone else down. That’s enough for a six way breather before Mistico catches Takagi up top with a super Spanish Fly.

Dorada shooting stars onto the Bucks but they’re back up to save Takagi from La Mistica. Takagi is back up to plant Mistico for Titan’s top rope double stomp, with the Bucks making another save. The Bucks and Unbound slug it out until the Meltzer Driver finishes Titan at 17:44.

Rating: B+. You had AEW vs. CMLL vs. NJPW and somehow, ROH lost. Anyway, this was exactly what you would have expected and it was as exciting as you would have expected, with pretty much nothing resembling a tag match for the most part. That being said, it was also rather entertaining, as the Bucks and Sky Team could do this stuff in their sleep and Takagi was there for the power. Good start to the show here and the right kind of match to get things going.

We recap Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Kenny Omega. There’s no real story here, other than Sabre wanted the match and Omega was in.

Zack Sabre Jr. (NJPW) vs. Kenny Omega (AEW)

They actually go technical to start and that’s good for an early standoff. A battle over arm control goes to Sabre and he sends Omega into the corner, with Omega fighting out rather quickly. Sabre is sent outside and Omega hits a dive, followed by the chops to take over. The top of an announcers’ table is dropped onto Sabre and Omega adds a stomp but can’t superplex him through the table.

Instead Sabre gets an Octopus before being nice enough to put the cover back onto the table (how British of him). Back in and Sabre kicks away in the corner but Omega is back with the running Fameasser. Sabre is knocked outside again and there’s the big running flip dive, setting up the missile dropkick to the back inside. A Last Shot drops Sabre again and it’s time to strike it out. Omega gets the better of things and the knees to Sabre’s ribs set up some Snapdragons.

For some reason Omega tries to go to a cross armbreaker but Sabre slips out to kick him in the chest. Sabre pulls him into a Fujiwara armbar, which is broken up as well so they can trade some more hard strikes. Once again Omega gets the better of things and there’s a V Trigger to Sabre in the corner. Sabre grabs a sleeper but Omega climbs the corner and drops backwards onto the mat for a crash that probably makes Mick Foley cringe.

Another V Trigger is countered into an ankle lock, which Omega quickly escapes for a poisonrana. Omega misses the V Trigger yet again though and the European Clutch gets two. Back up and Omega smashes him with a V Trigger but Sabre’s Zack Driver connects for another near fall. Omega wins another strike off and tries the One Winged Angel, which is reversed into a triangle choke. A powerbomb into a knee to the head knocks Sabre silly though and the One Winged Angel finishes for Omega at 26:28.

Rating: A-. This was about Omega’s striking against Sabre’s technical style, which is pretty much exactly what you knew it was coming. They went with just that and it wound up being awesome stuff, with Omega getting to show that he still has it. Sabre is one of the big stars who does not show up around here that often and his reputation helped boost this up again. Outstanding match here and it was the dream match it was designed to be.

We recap Jon Moxley vs. Bandido. There isn’t much to this one either, as Bandido just popped up and wanted to face Moxley. It should be noted that there have been rumors that this was going to be Moxley vs. Callum Newman but Newman got hurt, so there might be a reason for the complete randomness.

AEW Continental Title: Jon Moxley vs. Bandido

Moxley is defending. I would tell you that Bandido’s Ring Of Honor Title isn’t on the line too but you’re smart enough to figure that out by yourself. Bandido goes with a front facelock to start but Moxley is back up with a middle finger. Then it’s a double middle finger from Moxley before they trade flips over each other. The big exchange of chops lets Moxley send him outside for the suicide dive but Bandido is back up for a running flip dive of his own. Back in and Moxley gets his boots up in the corner to cut Bandido off again, followed by a piledriver onto the steps.

Bandido is busted open and sitting up less than a minute later so Moxley goes outside and bites at the mask. Back in and Moxley rips at the mask so Bandido slaps him in the face, earning one heck of a clothesline. Moxley hammers away in the corner but Bandido gives him a heck of a release running Liger Bomb. Moxley is nice enough to stay down for a full twenty seconds before Bandido hits a spinning high crossbody. The right hands in the corner wake Moxley up again so Bandido gives him a running knee for two.

The one armed gorilla press sets up Bandido’s frog splash, which only hits raised knees. They strike it out again until a snap German suplex…has Moxley popping up for a hard clothesline. Moxley goes up so Bandido catches him with the super flipping fall away slam. Bandido tries the 21 Plex and gets reversed into the bulldog choke on the apron. Moxley pulls him back inside and, even with Bandido standing up to drop back onto him, holds on until Bandido is out at 18:10.

Rating: B. It was a hard hitting match but my goodness it felt like Moxley would have kicked out of being hit by a bus. Bandido threw everything he had at him here but it never felt like Moxley was in any danger. This was also the third pay per view out of four that saw Bandido lose a singles match with zero indication that any of the people beat him cared about the ROH World Title. Why do it that way?

Post match Bandido shows respect to Moxley, just in case Moxley hadn’t taken everything from him yet.

We recap Shota Umino defending the IWGP Global Title against Pac. Again, it’s pretty much “Hey, want to fight? Yeah sure.”.

IWGP Global Heavyweight Title: Shota Umino (NJPW) vs. Pac (AEW)

Pac is challenging and charges at Umino at the bell to stomp away. They’re already on the floor with Umino being sent into the barricade a few times, followed by a heck of a missile dropkick back inside. Umino finally gets in some offense with a dropkick and a fisherman’s suplex for two as we settle down a lot.

A slingshot DDT drops Pac onto the apron and Umino drapes him into the barricade for a hanging DDT. Back in and Umino gets two off a powerbomb but he charges into an overhead belly to belly into the corner. It’s time for a table (erg) but Pac cuts him off and hits a heck of a moonsault out to the floor.

Pac takes him inside again and hammers away, which wakes Umino up one more time. The strike off goes to Umino, who is quickly German suplexed and powerbomb outside through the table. Back in and a 450 sets up the Brutalizer but Umino makes the rope. Umino hits him in the face and nails a running knee for two of his own. One heck of a clothesline and a Paradigm Shift sets up a northern lights bomb to retain the title at 18:12.

Rating: B+. You had two guys beating the living daylights out of each other until one of them couldn’t get up again. That’s not a bad way to go and the reason this worked so well is because Pac has been established as a rather tough man to beat. This made Umino feel like that much of a bigger deal for beating him and it was a good fight to get there. I liked this a good bit, as Pac continues to be one of the more dependable stars on the AEW roster.

Post match Jon Moxley gets in the ring to stare at his former partner/student Umino but here is Hiroshi Tanahashi to put the belt on Umino.

We recap Thekla vs. Starlight Kid, which is more about Thekla vs. all of Stardom. I’m not entirely sure who I’m supposed to cheer for here but it’s one of the few stories on this show that feel like it’s actually promotion vs. promotion.

AEW Women’s Title: Thekla (AEW) vs. Starlight Kid (Stardom)

Thekla is defending and comes to the ring with some fire dancers. Kid flips over her to start and hits a dropkick so Thekla wants a breather on the floor. Back in and Thekla knocks her down before ripping at the mask, which has Kid slugging away. They’re quickly on the floor with Thekla sending her into the barricade and ripping at the mask some more, as we have a theme here.

Hold on though as Thekla needs to go yell at the Stardom president before stomping away back inside. Kid is back up with a springboard spinning crossbody before starting in on Thekla’s knee. The knee is fine enough for a hanging choke in the ropes, plus a spider superplex. They head out to the apron where Thekla runs into a heck of a knee to the face (that looked great).

Kid picks her up and spikes her onto the apron, followed by something like a fisherman’s suplex for two back inside. Thekla is right back up with a spear for two so Kid dropkicks her in the back. Another strike off goes to Thekla and a high crossbody drops Kid for two more. Kid is right back to grab a stretch muffler while grabbing the arm (geez) but Thekla uses the free arm to make the rope. Something like a Tombstone gives Kid two and her moonsault gets the same. Thekla escapes a tiger suplex and cuts her in half with another spear for another two. Back to back stomps finish Kid to retain the title at 18:40.

Rating: B. They had a good back and forth match, with Kid showing off some rather impressive and painful looking stuff. I could have gone without Thekla being dropped on her head on the apron but that’s almost tame given some of the ridiculous things people have popped up from tonight. The match was good, but I’m glad we’re back to the regular AEW roster getting a chance at the title, as it’s been missing for a few weeks.

Post match Thekla takes off the mask and hits the Stardom president with it.

And with that, the outsiders are done and the rest is all AEW.

We recap the Dogs challenging Adam Copeland and Christian Cage for the Tag Team Titles. The Canadians won the belts and need some challengers so the Dogs have mocked the Five Second Pose and are coming for the titles as well. Nothing wrong with a basic story.

Tag Team Titles: Adam Copeland/Christian Cage vs. The Dogs

The Dogs are challenging. Cage, with his still injured arm, and Connors start things off with the latter missing a right hand in the corner. Connors charges into a boot to the ribs and Cage gets two off a middle rope sunset flip. Copeland and Finlay come in with Copeland grabbing a headlock to grind away. A side slam/reverse DDT combination puts Finlay down and Cage hammers on Connors in the corner.

Cage’s charge hits the post though and Connors posts him again for a bonus. Back in and Finlay slows things down by stomping on the bad arm, followed by Connors getting in some basic cranking. A backdrop doesn’t get Cage out of trouble and Connors goes lights a match to burn Cage’s head. As you do. Copeland finally gets smart by coming in to take both of them out and brings Cage over for the tag.

House is quickly cleaned but Finlay avoids the spear and Copeland is double shouldered down. Cage is up for the save but it’s a chop block/spear combination for two on Copeland. Back up and Copeland tosses Finlay into Cage’s spear, with Connors making the save by bumping the referee. Finlay and Copeland spear each other at the same time so Finlay grabs the shillelagh. The lights go out though and the Bang Bang Gang is here, complete with the returning Jay White. Finlay is taken out and the speared by Copeland to retain the titles at 16:46.

Rating: B. Yeah this worked, as they didn’t really try to do anything too complicated and just let the veterans work a match. It’s nice to see that they can still do it and without a bunch of shenanigans so this was kind of a treat. At the same time, it’s nice to see White back, though it’s also hard to believe that he’ll stay healthy for more than about 18 days.

We recap Maya World vs. Mercedes Mone in the Women’s Owen Hart Cup finals, with World being the big underdog and in over her head against the star in Mone.

Women’s Owen Hart Cup Finals: Mercedes Mone vs. Maya World

World backslides her for a fast two to start and Mone is thinking twice about this. Back up and World cartwheels over her and dances a bit before avoiding a charge to put Mone on the floor. Mone finally comes back with something like a 619 from the apron but can’t get the Statement Maker back inside.

With the hold not working, Money kicks her into the corner, only to get driven into another corner. Mone knocks her outside for the Meteora off the apron, followed by a middle rope Meteora for two back inside. A third Meteora (erg) gives Mone two more and she throws World outside before mocking the fans a good bit. Back in and World gets some boots up in the corner but can’t hit a Tombstone.

Mone stomps her down instead but World gets in a rollup into a stomp of her own. A springboard cutter gives World two and she connects with a Shining Wizard, only to get caught with Three Amigos. The frog splash hits raised knees but Mone is right back with the Statement Maker. Some rolling fall away slams result in Mone being tossed outside, followed by the suicide dive.

Back in and a Swanton gives World two but she can’t hit a Cheeky Nandos Kick. Mone can’t get her up for a powerbomb so she goes with a running sunset bomb into the corner. Another Meteora gets two on World and Mone is getting frustrated. Mone’s spinning faceplant drops World again but she’s back with her own sunset bomb to the floor.

A moonsault takes Mone out again and another gets two back inside. World gets her own Statement Maker but they roll into the middle of the ring (ala the famous Bayley counter) with Mone getting one of her own. World actually doesn’t tap…so Mone Backstabbers her into it again and this time World taps at 24:51.

Rating: B. Shockingly, Mone makes World tap after making her tap after winning the semifinals and in their tag match on Collision. I’m sure the idea here is that World gets elevated by getting close to beating Mone (close being a bit of a stretch) but unless she beats Athena or gets promoted to the main roster full time, it pretty much means nothing. The match also went a good bit too long and would have been much better served by chopping off about seven minutes. And probably two of Mone’s Meteoras.

Athena brags about being great and mocks World, her former student, for dreaming so many big dreams. The title match is coming and while it would make sense for World to win, Athena has seemed primed to lose about a dozen times now.

The cage (a big circular one) is lowered.

We recap the twelve man cage match. Mark Briscoe wants a World Title shot against MJF but MJF doesn’t want to give him one. Therefore, we’ll have a twelve man cage match (likely due to MJF’s knee being banged up) and if Briscoe’s team wins, he gets a title shot. MJF is teaming with the Don Callis Family, some of whom want title shots if they win too.

Team MJF vs. Team Briscoe

MJF, Kevin Knight, Kyle Fletcher, Jake Doyle, Kazuchika Okada, Andrade El Idolo
Mark Briscoe, Orange Cassidy, Roderick Strong, Kyle O’Reilly, Konosuke Takeshita, Darby Allin

In a big round cage, which thankfully has room to fight on the floor and the villains even have matching shirts for a nice touch. It’s a big brawl to start (as it should be) and a bunch of them head to the floor (as they should) with a bunch of brawls breaking out around ringside. Doyle powerbombs Allin against the cage and it’s already table time.

Briscoe fights back but it’s time for another table, complete with the MJF/Don Callis painting. MJF and Andrade stop for a pose off and have to be separated, allowing Strong to come back with a rather large bag. The good guys find their own backpacks, complete with an NES (and controllers) to hit MJF in the head. Briscoe pours out tacks but Doyle saves Fletcher from a suplex.

Briscoe takes Doyle out and O’Reilly is launched face first into the middle turnbuckle. Briscoe gets thrown onto the tacks so Allin is back up with the skateboard. That earns him a face first drop onto the tacks because Allin is not a well man. With the damage done, MJF grabs a broom to sweep the tacks out (rather on point for him, but him paying someone else to do the sweeping would have been perfect).

That’s enough for Cassidy to get up with a bag from Willow Nightingale…and everyone gets orange slices. Naturally the juice is sprayed into the cut on Fletcher’s head because we’re actually getting a spot involving oranges. Takeshita and Okada slug it out and Takeshita grabs a backpack containing…his middle finger. Fletcher is back in and accidentally superkicks Okada, allowing Takeshita to German suplex both of them.

Knight and Allin get in a brawl with Allin hitting a Code Red, only to get chaired in the back by Doyle. Knight’s Coast To Coast dropkick drives the chair into Allin’s face and MJF chairs Briscoe in the head (nope). MJF rakes at Briscoe’s bleeding head and Okada goes for the big bag…which contains Lio Rush. I guess he’s the new Orange Cassidy who has to appear in every random place possible.

Rush beats up the Don Callis Family and goes after MJF’s ring but Doyle and Knight manage to get him back in the bag and chain him up. Rush is deposited underneath the ring…and I guess he’s just staying there from now on. Briscoe finds a ladder to spin around, even when there is no one around to hit. Strong Angle Slams Doyle off the apron and through a table before Andrade hits running knees to drive a chair into O’Reilly’s face. Takeshita beats up Okada on the apron but gets superkicked by Fletcher.

The Blue Thunder Bomb drives Fletcher through the table at ringside, leaving MJF to punch Cassidy in the jaw. A Coffin Drop puts MJF down and Knight splashes him by mistake. Knight and Allin climb to the top of the cage…where some pyro goes off (apparently set up by Allin) to send Knight crashing through the cage. Allin Coffin Drops onto the pile and the Jay Driller hits MJF, with Doyle making the save. MJF wants Andrade to hold Briscoe but gets elbowed in the face. Andrade takes off his shirt revealing one saying “F*** MJF AND F*** DON”. Briscoe pops up with a Jay Driller to pin Doyle at 30:45.

Rating: B. It had its spots but this was the usual “and everyone gets to do everything they can think of” match. The cage was a nice feature as it kept them from running all over the arena, so at least it was somewhat different. The spot with Andrade was good and it gets the Family’s numbers down a bit, which is always appreciated. It was another wild match, but I’ve seen so many of them in AEW that they don’t mean as much anymore.

The winners are at least nice enough to drag Lio Rush away, albeit still in the bag out of fear. I’ll take that over them just standing still.

Mark Briscoe yells a lot but the audio doesn’t work so it’s even harder to understand than usual. Excalibur explains that Briscoe was challenging MJF for Dynamite.

We recap the Men’s Owen Hart Cup Finals. Will Ospreay had a broken neck but worked with the people who broke it to get back in the ring. Now he wants to go to Wembley Stadium and win the World Title, which means he has to win the tournament. Oh and Swerve Strickland is all evil and wants to hurt Ospreay and win too. Can’t you tell how much of a chance Strickland has here?

Men’s Owen Hart Cup Finals: Will Ospreay vs. Swerve Strickland

Ospreay looks like Bane from the Dark Knight Rising and Strickland is on a motorcycle, looking like Lobo. I’ve seen worse. Ospreay misses a springboard to start and a missed Hidden Blade sends Strickland out to the floor. Back in and Ospreay snaps off a hurricanrana before kicking Strickland in the face.

Strickland’s rolling Downward Spiral gets two and he rolls some neckbreakers to stay on the obvious target. Ospreay comes up with a handspring kick to the head and a Phenomenal Forearm to put Strickland down again. The Styles Clash is countered though and Ospreay flips him up into a powerslam (that always looks good) for two. Strickland pulls the pad off one of the bars that holds the turnbuckle and sends Ospreay outside.

That’s fine with Ospreay, who grabs a cross armbreaker for the tap, which doesn’t matter as they’re on the floor but has Strickland in trouble. Strickland is right back with a shot of his own before catapulting Ospreay into the exposed bar. Ospreay is rather busted open but yells at Strickland anyway, earning himself a suplex. The House Call is countered into a Spanish Fly, followed by the Styles Clash for two.

The Hidden Blade connects but Ospreay is too weak so Strickland just hits him in the face to take over again. Ospreay breaks up the Swerve Stomp and the 630 Kick gets two. The Oscutter is countered into the Deadeye for two more but another Swerve Stomp misses, with Ospreay swinging him into the steps for a big crash. The announcers’ table is loaded up but Ospreay goes after Prince Nana, earning himself a House Call.

Ospreay is gushing so much blood that the steps are stained as Strickland loads up the Vertebreaker. That’s reversed into a Styles Clash onto the announcers’ table and the Oscutter gets two back inside. Ospreay hits him in the face a few times and Strickland seems a bit unconscious. Strickland gets counted but is up at nine, with the Hidden Blade connecting for two. Back up and Strickland ties him in the ropes for a Swerve Stomp to the back, followed by a House Call and Hidden Blade for one each.

They hit each other at the same time and both of them are down again. They both stand up, stare at each other, go to different corners, and Ospreay Hidden Blades him into the Stormbreaker for two. The referee almost gets hit so Strickland gets in a low blow, followed by the Vertebreaker for two. Strickland hits a Hidden Blade into a JML Driver and here are the Death Riders. A Buckshot Hidden Blade into the Death Rider into the Tiger Driver 91 gives Ospreay the pin at 34:45.

Rating: A-. I’m not sure how much drama there was to the result here, but it wasn’t so much about would Ospreay get there but how. That’s not a bad thing whatsoever and they beat each other senseless, thankfully without getting ridiculous like Strickland could do at times. The Vertebreaker was a perfectly logical spot for the match and Ospreay kicking out of it made for an awesome moment. This was a heck of a fight, with Ospreay bleeding buckets to make it feel that much more intense.

Ospreay says something to Strickland and the Death Riders celebrate with Ospreay to end the show.

Overall Rating: A-. The main event and Omega vs. Sabre are both rather awesome and the show as a whole is another great one. There was only so much drama to who was winning the main events (or most of the matches for that matter) but the action made up for the issues.

The problem here (aside from the show lasting nearly six hours of course) is more that it’s about setting up a bunch of stuff for the future rather than anything really happening here. You have to have shows like that at times and there was only so much that MJF could do given his injury, but it still makes the show feel a bit less important. Either way, awesome show, but could we maybe keep it on a single day?

Results
Drilla Moloney b. Daniel Garcia – Over the shoulder piledriver
Maika b. Skye Blue – Michinoku Driver
Megan Bayne/Lena Kross b. Olympia/Persephone – Divine Intervention to Rosa
Young Bucks b. Sky Team and Unbound Co. – Meltzer Driver to Titan
Jon Moxley b. Bandido – Bulldog choke
Shota Umino b. Pac – Northern lights bomb
Thekla b. Starlight Kid – Stomp
Adam Copeland/Christian Cage b. The Dogs – Spear to Finlay
Mercedes Mone b. Maya World – Statement Maker
Team Briscoe b. Team MJF – Jay Driller to Doyle
Will Ospreay b. Swerve Strickland – Tiger Driver 91

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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Slammiversary 2026
Date: June 28, 2026
Location: Agganis Arena, Boston, Massachusetts
Commentators: Tom Hannifan, Matthew Rehwoldt

It’s the annual anniversary show (because it would be weird for anniversaries to not be annual) and we have a pretty big main event this time. In this case it’s Mike Santana defending the World Title against Nic Nemeth. That’s in addition to Ultimate X and a four team ladder match so let’s get to it.

Kickoff Show: Indi Hartwell vs. Mara Sade vs. Elayna Black

Black’s early rollup gets two so she gets sent outside, leaving Hartwell to clothesline Sade for two. Sade’s spinning middle rope crossbody gets two but Black trips her up. Hartwell neckbreakers Sade but Black is back in with some running knees. Black is sent back outside with Hartwell following, leaving Sade to dive onto both of them. Sade goes up for a moonsault to Hartwell but Black runs back in for the Black Out to pin Sade at 5:00.

Rating: C. Black absolutely should have won here as she needs the slightest bit of momentum to do anything at all. She’s been around for months now and feels like she has done absolutely nothing. I’m not sure if this is the big upgrade for her but at least she got on the show (technically) and won.

Post match Black leaves and the other two wind up on the stage, where Hall Of Famer Traci Brooks comes out to announce a tournament, starting on Thursday, to crown the Inaugural Knockouts TV Champion.

Kickoff Show: Eric Young vs. Ricky Sosa

A Boston Celtics broadcaster is on commentary. Sosa sends him (Young, not the broadcaster) into the corner to start and knocks him outside for the big dive. Back in and Young slams him off the top and starts stomping away, only to have Sosa jump up to the top for a super hurricanrana. Sosa fires off some running uppercuts in the corner but Young is back with the wheelbarrow neckbreaker. The top rope elbow gets two so Sosa gets up for a northern lights suplex into a Falcon Arrow. A Blue Thunder Bomb finishes Young at 6:00.

Rating: C+. This was a perfectly fine match but the important thing here is that Sosa got a win, which he needed to get his time in TNA started. Beating Young only means so much but it’s better than nothing, as TNA can certainly use some fresh blood. Maybe Sosa can be that person, but it’s certainly worth a shot.

The roster comes out for a ten bell salute to Joe Doering. Cody Deaner gives a rather awesome speech about getting to be Doering’s partner and friend. The show is dedicated to him.

The opening video looks at the history of the company and focuses on how important tonight is, especially the World Title match. Makes sense.

X-Division Title: Amazing Red vs. Frankie Kazarian vs. Giovanni Vinci vs. Mr. Elegance vs. KC Navarro vs. Leon Slater vs. Cedric Alexander

Alexander is defending in Ultimate X and this is Slater’s official rematch for the title, which feels like a stretch. It’s a brawl to start and Red is left alone but Kazarian has to be pulled down. Red hits a big dive to take out the pile but it’s too early for him to climb. It’s off to Slater vs. Navarro with the latter posing in the ropes to frustrate Slater a bit. Navarro goes for a climb but gets pulled down, only to be thrown at Aichner for a DDT on the floor.

Kazarian and Red go up and kick away over the ring until they come crashing down. Elegance goes up until Navarro makes a save and gets a showdown with Red. Some Code Reds put various non-Reds down, leaving Kazarian to go up. Aichner cuts that off with a big high crossbody and almost everyone goes to one corner. Slater hits a double Doomsday Blockbuster before going up, with Red going up as well. Slater pulls the belt down but Alexander grabs it and hits the floor, which is enough to retain at 10:24.

Rating: B. This was what you would have expected from this kind of a match as it was all about Red getting to show that he still has it and Alexander stealing the win to retain. It also gets Slater out of the X-Division Title picture without having him take another fall. This was a hot way to start the show and that’s why you have a match like this one. Nice job.

Post match Kazarian shows respect to Red and praises him for the influence he has had on the TNA locker room. Kazarian throws us to a video package announcing that Red is going into the Hall Of Fame. Yeah that’s fine.

We run down the rest of the card.

We recap Elijah vs. AJ Francis, which is over Francis basically stealing Elijah’s image, likeness and music catalog. Now Elijah is fighting for all of them.

Elijah vs. AJ Francis

A man with a rather nice hat introduces Francis. Elijah mocks the two as being No Skill Uncle Phil and a bad Jazzy Jeff. A jumping knee gives Elijah two at the bell but Francis knocks him outside for the tease of a dive, which of course doesn’t happen. Instead Francis mocks the crowd but gets taken down with a springboard clothesline. Francis’ Styles Clash is cut off so he settles for a big right hand to drop Elijah instead.

A Stunner of all things gets Elijah out of trouble but Francis is right back with the TFL. An Alabama Slam sets up Francis’ middle rope moonsault (and it looked nice) for two but Elijah catches him going up. The Highwayman’s Farewell connects for two so the man with the hat grabs the guitar. Elijah takes that away and knocks him silly but it’s a Styles Clash to give Francis two. The Down Payment is loaded up but Elijah walks the corner, then goes down the rope for a super Canadian Destroyer for the pin at 9:01.

Rating: C+. This was a match that went the right way but I was kind of hoping that the build had gone on longer. Francis only took everything from Elijah about two weeks ago so it only had so much time to build. Elijah had to win in the end but he could have suffered more than he did. Either way, perfectly fine match with the bully getting what was coming to him.

Post match Elijah gets his guitar back in a big moment.

Mike Santana is ready for Nic Nemeth and wants him to bring it.

Knockouts Tag Team Titles: Elegance Brand vs. Rosemary/Allie

The Brand, with the rest of their ilk, is defending. M grabs a quickly broken waistlock on Rosemary to start so Rosemary takes her down for the right hands. Allie comes in for some shoulders to Heather and the Brand gets caught in stereo Upside Downs. Ash offers a distraction though and the champs get out so M can Death Valley Driver Allie for two.

M’s basement dropkick to the back gets two but Allie snaps off a neckbreaker. A distraction allows the Personal Concierge to break up a tag attempt and Ash goes Coast To Coast. Er, apparently Toast To Toast, as in champagne. Allie gets up for a double clothesline though and it’s back to Rosemary to clean house.

A side slam gets two on Heather but M gets in a cheap shot, allowing Heather to hit a moonsault. Everything breaks down and Rosemary spears M, earning a distraction from Ash. Rosemary mists the Concierge and escapes Nip And Tuck. Allie gives Heather a Codebreaker and Rosemary’s reverse DDT connects for the titles at 9:42.

Rating: B-. This was what it should have been with the Brand not needing to be champions all the time. Rosemary and Allie don’t need to be champions forever but it’s good for them to win the titles here, as they need to show that they still have it after being gone for so long. Also they’re a bit more fun after the Brand has held the titles for such a long time.

Daria Rae and Santino Marella argue over Marella making the International Title match a triple threat.

International Title: Mustafa Ali vs. ??? vs. ???

Ali, with Tasha Steelz, is defending against two mystery challengers in the forms of….Rich Swann and Uhaa Nation, the latter of whom is better known as Apollo Crews. Nation gorilla presses Ali over the top to start and shakes hands with Swann before slugging it out. They go out to the apron with Nation knocking him to the floor, followed by a top rope splash for two back inside.

Ali tries to come back in but gets crotched on top, only to give Ali a super Styles Clash onto Nation’s back. Swann is back up with a hurricanrana to send Ali to the floor and a middle rope 450 gets two on Nation. Back up and Nation starts muscling them up for German suplexes but Ali and Swann knock him down.

Swann drops Ali and gives him a frog splash but Ali bridges up to shock Swann in a great visual. Nation is back up so Steelz offers a distraction, as does the incoming Agent Zero. That’s enough for Ali to hit a suicide dive, allowing Zero to bury Nation underneath the steps. Back in and Swann avoids the 450 and kicks Ali in the face, only to get caught in a bridging backslide for the pin to retain at 9:31.

Rating: B. This was a good way to bring in Nation without taking the title off of Ali. Having the match be a triple threat came out of nowhere but it’s the best way TNA had of having it both ways. At least Ali gets to keep the title, as it’s either this or having him move up to the main event and I don’t quite see that happening just yet. Nation can be put into pretty much any spot on the card and be fine, which is just what the company needs at this point.

We recap Moose vs. Eddie Edwards in a No Surrender match. Edwards and company threw Moose out of the System so he’s out for revenge, having gone through the team one by one. Now it’s just Edwards left and the match can only end when the corner person throws in the towel.

Moose vs. Eddie Edwards

Anything goes and you can only win once your opponent’s corner person (JDC for Moose and Alisha Edwards for Eddie) throws in the towel. In the back, Moose runs into Uhaa Nation and they’ll be talking later. Moose jumps Eddie to start fast and gives him a powerbomb onto the apron, followed by a powerbomb into the post. Another powerbomb onto the steps is escaped though and Eddie backdrops him onto the steps.

They get inside where Moose hits a release Rock Bottom into a backsplash and let’s get a table. The chop off goes to Moose but he walks into a clothesline. The Boston Knee Party drops Moose again, which isn’t enough for JDC to throw in the towel, so let’s get a chain. Eddie wraps it around his knee but charges into another powerbomb. That earns him a double middle finger from Alisha so Eddie hits a superkick.

With Moose down, Eddie zipties him to the rope and it’s time to beat on him with the kendo stick. That’s enough for Moose’s wife to jump the barricade and try to throw it in, only for JDC to cut her off. Moose’s son comes over the barricade and gets pulled inside by Eddie. Said son hits Eddie low and Moose’s wife beats up Alisha. Moose breaks free and hits some spears, including one with a chain, but Alisha throws in the towel to avoid the spear through the table at 13:00.

Rating: B-. It felt like they had a bunch packed into one match and they never got to some extreme moment for the towel. Moose’s family getting involved was fine but they haven’t exactly been around much before and it took away some of the impact. If nothing else, hopefully it wraps up the feud already, because it is beyond time to finish it off already.

Post match JDC gives Eddie a Stunner and Moose spears both Edwards’s through the table. Ok that has to end the feud right?

We recap Xia Brookside challenging Lei Ying Lee for the Knockouts Title. They were friends and partners until Brookside got jealous of Lee’s success and turned on her. That’s enough to set up the title match, as Lee wants to beat her up as well.

Knockouts Title: Xia Brookside vs. Lei Ying Lee

Lee is defending and takes her down to hammer away to start fast. Brookside is sent into the corner by the hair, followed by a hard knee to her face. Lee sends her outside for a dive from the apron but Brookside is back up to send the leg into the post. Said leg is wrapped around the post again and Brookside ties up the leg inside.

Some kicks to the chest have Lee in more trouble but she pulls Brookside into a half crab. With that broken up, Lee kicks her in the head and fires off even more kicks, only to bang up her own knee. They go into the corner where Brookside gets powerbombed down, bringing a turnbuckle pad with her. Back up and Lee is sent into the exposed buckle, setting up the Darkside to give Brookside the title at 11:55.

Rating: C+. This was another match that felt like it ended out of nowhere, but what mattered here was Brookside getting the title. After losing over and over, she needed to finally win something here and it was more than time for her to win the title. The match was kind of weird as Lee’s leg was worked on for so long but didn’t go anywhere, but the result was right.

Lockdown is coming to Chicago in August.

Destination X is coming in November.

Tag Team Titles: Hardys vs. Righteous vs. The System vs. Great Hands

The System is defending in a ladder match. The Hardys start with the ladder while their music is still playing but it’s way too early to go for the belts. That’s enough for the Righteous to fight back and clean house, with Dutch hitting a big dive to the floor. Skyler picks up Vincent for a Regal Roll off the top onto the pile, leaving Hotch to climb up. The ladder is tipped over though, with Hotch busting out a moonsault as he crashes down.

Back in and the Hardys load up a pair of ladders but are easily knocked down. Matt and Vincent go up again, with Matt ramming him into each rung on the way back down. Naturally it’s time for some tables but the Hands are up with the steps for the save. More tables are stacked onto the previously stacked tables (uh oh) but the System uses the ladders to beat up the Hands.

Cue the Righteous with the barbed wire ladder (of course), with Bronson being powerslammed into said ladder. Vincent’s Swanton crushes Bronson onto the ladder, which Bronson is then crushed inside of for a bonus. The Righteous set up the really big ladder but get it turned over just as fast. The Hands are back up to cut off the Hardys, including a G9 off the ladder to Matt.

Vincent cuts Skyler down and climbs up to slug it out with Myers. That earns Myers the poisonous flower and he falls down but Bronson is up to piledrive Vincent onto the barbed wire ladder. Bronson and Dutch go up at the same time and yes they do indeed go crashing through the four tables. The Hands pull the Hardys down, earning themselves a double beating. Jeff Swantons the Hands through a bridged ladder at ringside…and the Hardys win the titles back at 17:09.

Rating: B-. Yeah wow that’s fascinating: the Hardys winning the Tag Team Titles in a ladder match. This is one of the more annoying results I can imagine as the Hardys haven’t needed to win a title in years. Somehow they get to pad their resumes even more, but even worse, it means we’re likely STILL not done with the Hardys vs. the Righteous. How in the world is that their best idea? If nothing else, the System looks completely useless and the Hands were there…why?

Mike Santana gives a rather heartfelt message about all of the help Konnan gave him over the years by believing in him. Therefore, he’s thrilled to induct Konnan into the Hall Of Fame. I’m liking these multiple person classes as the company has more than enough history to cover them.

We recap the World Title match. Nic Nemeth is calling his shot for the title match and that’s fine with Mike Santana. Nemeth has attacked him a few times and brought up Santana’s daughter, which is the champ’s trigger.

TNA World Title: Mike Santana vs. Nic Nemeth

Nemeth is challenging. The fans get on the New York Yankees and declare that they suck (Santana mouths “they do”) and we’re ready to go. They start slowly and feel each other out a bit until Nemeth sends him outside. Back in and Nemeth gets two off a rollup but gets went outside for a breather. They switch places before Santana tosses him outside again for a die. The big chops have Nemeth knocked up against the barricade, with Santana appreciating the echo.

Santana throws him over the announcers’ table so Ryan Nemeth gets inside for a distraction. Said distraction earns Ryan an ejection but Nic gets in a trophy shot to take over. Santana is busted open and Nic rips at the cut, followed by a crossface to make it worse. Nic switches to a sleeper but Santana fights up to start the comeback. Santana hammers away and hits the rolling Buck Fifty for two but Spin The Block is cut off with a superkick.

The Danger Zone gives Nic two so he hits another superkick, only to walk into Spin The Block for another two. Nemeth kicks the knee out and hits a basement superkick for….one. Uh oh. Another Spin The Block doesn’t work though as the blood loss gets to Santana. The Danger Zone gives Nic the pin and the title at 14:45.

Rating: B. It was a good match with Santana getting to go out on his shield, but it seems like we are on the way to Santana moving over to WWE anyway. The good thing is that the promotions have a working relationship so Santana might not be entirely gone. If this is it for Santana though, he has come a VERY long way and deserves all kinds of credit for his rise. As for Nemeth, he doesn’t feel like a long term champion but he’s fine as a placeholder until TNA figures out who is next.

Nemeth celebrates to end the show.

Overall Rating: B. Hardys winning aside, this was a strong enough show, with the right moves being made for the most part. If Santana is indeed leaving, the only option was to take the title off of him and Nemeth is as good of a choice that the company has. I liked most of the matches, with some of them being better than others, but nothing was bad and the show felt logical enough throughout. Nice job, with the Hall Of Fame announcements being a rather appropriate bonus.

Results
Elayna Black b. Mara Sade and Indi Hartwell – Black Out to Sade
Ricky Sosa b. Eric Young – Blue Thunder Bomb
Cedric Alexander won Ultimate X
Elijah b. AJ Francis – Top rope Canadian Destroyer
Allie/Rosemary b. Elegance Brand – Reverse DDT to Heather
Mustafa Ali b. Uhaa Nation and Rich Swann – Bridging backslide to Swann
Moose b. Eddie Edwards when Alisha Edwards threw in the towel
Xia Brookside b. Lei Ying Lee – Darkside
Hardys b. Righteous, The System and Great Hands – Hardys pulled down the titles
Nic Nemeth b. Mike Santana – Danger Zone

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

Great American Bash 2026
Date: June 28, 2026
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Wade Barrett

It’s the first live special on the CW and that means we should be in for a heck of a show. There are actually seven matches on the card, which is rather high for WWE these days. The main event will see Tony D’Angelo defending the NXT Title against Naraku, which should be a big deal. Let’s get to it.

The opening video talks about the greatness of America and the matches on the card.

NXT Title: Tony D’Angelo vs. Naraku

D’Angelo is defending and is coming in with a badly burned eye. The bell rings and they go outside, where Naraku grabs a chair but gets speared through the wooden wall less than ten seconds into the match. Back in and Naraku starts going after the eye, with the referee asking D’Angelo if he wants to continue.

Of course he does so Naraku goes after the eye again before grabbing a half crab. A suplex puts D’Angelo down again and we take a break. We come back with Naraku hitting a powerbomb before going up, where D’Angelo grabs a powerbomb of his own. D’Angelo fights up and grabs some German suplexes but Dead To Rites is blocked. Naraku hits a German suplex but D’Angelo pops up with Dead To Rites to retain at 10:10.

Rating: B-. That’s it? That’s the NXT Title match to open the show? It wasn’t a bad match but I was expecting a bit more than a ten minute match with a break in the middle. The eye thing only meant so much here and D’Angelo just won without much trouble. I’m still not sold on D’Angelo as the guy but at least he had a nice title defense here.

We recap Zaria defending the Women’s North American Title against Tatum Paxley. Zaria beat her up to get the title but Paxley isn’t done with her and interfered in one of Zaria’s matches. Now it’s about the title and revenge.

Women’s North American Title: Tatum Paxley vs. Zaria

Zaria is defending. They get in a tug of war over the belt to start and the fight is on, with Zaria using the power to drive her into the corner. The shoulders to the ribs have Paxley in trouble but she manages a double stomp onto the back. Paxley ties her in the ring skirt and fires off a superkick into an enziguri. That’s enough to set up a sleeper on the floor but Zaria drops her back first onto the floor for a big crash.

We take a break and come back with both of them going up, with Zaria being dropped onto the post. A high crossbody connects for Paxley and she drops Zaria with a superplex. Zaria pops back up with a spear and they’re both down. They go up again and Paxley ties her in the Tree Of Woe, with Zaria sitting up before a Coast To Coast. They slug it out on the apron until Paxley drops her with a sunset bomb.

Paxley goes over to grab the title for some reason before hitting a Cemetery Drive on the floor. Another one back inside gets two and everyone is surprises. The F5 is countered into a rollup but Zaria is back up with a spear. Now the F5 connects….for two in a heck of a near fall. Zaria hammers away and hits a curb stomp, followed by another F5 to retain at 14:04.

Rating: B+. This was a heck of a fight and I bought on a few of those near falls. These guys beat the living daylights out of each other and it was fun to see them having this kind of a brawl. The best thing is that Zaria gets another win in a big match, which is what she needs to reset her reputation. I’m not sure what is next for Paxley, but putting her into the Women’s Title picture isn’t crazy.

Kendal Grey and Wren Sinclair fire each other up.

The Vanity Project brags to Robert Stone, who get their matches for this week: Jackson Drake vs. Mason Rook and the Tag Team Titles being defended against Galeno/El Hijo del Dr. Wagner Jr. The Project isn’t happy.

We go outside to the watch party, with Kevin Owens (in a Waylon Mercy shirt) being rather interested in what we’ll be seeing tonight, with the next two matches in particular. Owens’ t-shirt closet must be amazing.

Shiloh Hill vs. Tristan Angels

Hill starts fast and even steals Angels’ sash before grabbing quite the airplane spin. Angels is back up with a shot to the face in the corner though and we take a break. We come back with Hill pulling Angels underneath the ring and the lights go out. We go to the under the ring cam (because that’s a thing) and Angels finds a ringing phone. A voice on the other end says THE FOG IS COMING and Hill (in a mask) grabs a choke from behind.

They get out and Hill pops up for another choke but Angels slips away. The steps are loaded up and Angels knocks Hill into the corner as we take another break. We come back with Hill using the steps to run from the floor for a spear through the ropes. Hill goes up but dives into a Codebreaker, only for Angels to miss a driving knee. The Whisper Of The Beast gives Hill the pin at 13:01.

Rating: C+. This match got some time and Hill winning continues his rather odd push. There’s something so strange about him and yet it’s kind of working. I could have gone without the weird underneath the ring deal but this could have been a lot worse. Angels will be fine as he is one of the easiest stars to dislike around here.

Post match Hill grabs the Mr. NXT sash and says this was proof of why no one should sleep on him.

Nikkita Lyons praises Nattie on her latest Guinness World Record. Nattie brags about the Sharpshooter and praises Karmen Petrovic and Layla Diggs. Nattie doesn’t like Jaida Parker but Diggs doesn’t think much of Parker.

EK Prosper is in Robert Stone’s office and complains about Keanu Carver putting him through a table. Stone calms him down by giving him a AAA Latin American Title shot against El Hijo del Vikingo. Works for Prosper.

Women’s Speed Title: Arianna Grace vs. Wren Sinclair

Grace, with Birthright, is challenging. Grace starts fast with a neckbreaker and goes after Sinclair’s bad knee. A Robinsdale Crunch gives Grace two as Sinclair can’t get anything going early on. Sinclair breaks up a superplex attempt but has to go after Charlie Dempsey, allowing Grace to get two off a small package. A spinning sitout powerbomb (like Dalton Castle’s Bang A Rang) sets up the Final Wrench to retain at 4:47.

Rating: C+. This was a short and to the point match and that’s not a bad thing. It’s nice to see Sinclair get a win in a higher stakes match, if nothing else because she’s healthy for a change. I’m still not sure why we need the Speed Titles but at least it’s getting Sinclair television time, which is rather appreciated.

We recap Saquon Shuggars vs. Dion Lennox. Shuggars got kicked out of Darkstate and wants revenge, which has included picking off the team one member at a time with Lennox being the only one left.

Dion Lennox vs. Saquon Shuggars

Lennox punches him down to start but Shuggars, still in his jacket, comes up with a shot of his own. The running clothesline has Lennox down again but he goes after the knee. That doesn’t seem to work as Shuggars grabs a neckbreaker for two. Another neckbreaker puts Lennox on the apron but here is the rest of Darkstate for a distraction, allowing Lennox to come back with a release Rock Bottom. A splash to the back gives Lennox two and we take a break.

We come back with Lennox snapping off a spinebuster for two. Shuggars fights up with a toss suplex into a basement dropkick and they’re both down. A slingshot legdrop gives Shuggars two but Lennox drops him back first across the turnbuckle (GEEZ that looked bad). Back in and a powerslam gives Lennox two and some big clotheslines connect for the same. Shuggars pulls him out of the corner and…kind of drops him. A top rope Vader Bomb finishes for Shuggars at 14:10.

Rating: D+. I feel bad about getting on this match but dang this did not work. The action wasn’t smooth, the ending looked awful and the story was only so interesting in the first place. This really did not work and hopefully it wraps up the feud for good, as I don’t need to see any more from these two.

Post match the rest of Darkstate is suddenly healthy and comes in to lay Shuggars out.

Tatum Paxley, with very red eyes, is upset about her loss and feels like she let everyone down. Kelani Jordan comes in to say no one cares because she’s always being overlooked for people like Paxley. That earns her a forearm to end “Bad Line Reading In NXT”.

North American Title: Myles Borne vs. Tavion Heights

Borne is defending and they show some respect to start. They go with the grappling to start, which is a stretch for Borne when he’s against an Olympian. A ram of heads leaves both of them down so Borne is back up with a dropkick to the floor. They go face to face on the floor and we take a break.

We come back with Heights snapping off some suplexes, including a capture version for two. Borne gets the same off a northern lights suplex and slugs away, only for Heights to get in a shot to the throat. Heights dumps him outside and the muscles him up for a suplex back inside as we take a break.

We come back with Borne striking away and grabbing a Nightmare On Helm Street for two. A dropkick only hits ropes though and Borne is down again. Heights is back up and grabs a fireman’s carry, which is reversed into a not so great looking Borne Again to retain the title at 17:05.

Rating: B. This was a good bit better, with the two of them working well together and beating the fire out of each other. That’s what it needed to be, with Heights having a good shot at the title but not being able to pull it off in the end. Borne has become a rather nice star around here and I could go for him holding the title for a good while.

Post match Borne talks about how Heights is going to be a champion one day but it’s not happening now, because he’s holding this title for a long time.

The watch party panel recaps the show, with Kevin Owens making it clear that he has never turned on anyone in his life. Hank & Tank come up to talk about next week’s show, including mentioning Keanu Carver’s loss. This brings out Carver to wreck Tank and put him through a table. They kind of asked for it.

We recap Lola Vice vs. Kendal Grey. Vice is the defending champion and the former top prospect, while Grey is the current big up and comer. It’s her time to move up to the next level.

Women’s Title: Kendal Grey vs. Lola Vice

Vice is defending and they go to the mat to start. Back up and Grey gets taken down with a judo throw for two. Grey gets back up and they have a standing switch, only for Vice to knock her down. Vice strikes away, only to get taken into a chinlock. Grey is sent outside so here is Kelani Jordan to go after her but Wren Sinclair cuts her off. Vice hits a dive off the apron to drop Grey and we take a break.

We come back with Vice hitting some running hip attacks in the corner but Grey drops her with a suplex. The straps come down and Grey snaps off some more suplexes until Vice gets in a German suplex of her own. Grey gets in a superkick but springboards into another kick. They go outside with Vice getting rolled into an ankle lock, which is let go so Shades Of Grey can connect off the barricade.

Back in and they trade ankle locks until Grey switches into a cross armbreaker. That’s escaped as well so Vice grabs a sleeper. Grey escapes but misses a moonsault, allowing Vice to kick her in the head for two. The guillotine choke has Grey in trouble but she reverses into a cradle. They hit a back elbow each and it’s a double cover for a double two. They slug it out until Grey ducks a shot and gets up for a middle rope Shades Of Grey for the pin and the title at 15:09.

Rating: B. These two worked rather well together and it was clear that they knew each other. The idea here seemed to be that Grey kept learning what Vice was going to do and eventually caught her, which even played into the end as Vice went for one big shot too many and got caught. Grey gets her win to become the new star of the division while Vice can move on to the main roster. Not bad at all.

Grey celebrates to end the show.

Overall Rating: B-. There were good parts to this but it felt like an extended version of the weekly show, especially with the backstage segments. The ending was the only part that really felt important, with the NXT Title match just kind of being there. It liked it well enough and you can only get so annoyed at a show that airs on free television, but not my favorite overall. This was a show that could have benefited from being trimmed down, perhaps by dropping the Shuggars/Lennox and Hill/Angels matches. Either way, good enough but it could have been a lot stronger with another draft of the format.

Results
Tony D’Angelo b. Naraku – Dead To Rites
Zaria b. Tatum Paxley – F5
Shiloh Hill b. Tristan Angels – Whisper Of The Beast
Wren Sinclair b. Arianna Grace – Final Wrench
Saquon Shuggars b. Dion Lennox – Top rope splash
Myles Borne b. Tavion Heights – Borne Again
Kendal Grey b. Lola Vice – Middle rope Shades Of Grey

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