We’re back on pay per view and that means it’s time to get ready for a bunch of matches, some of which have been built up rather well. What matters the most here is that we have some big matches on top and I’m interested in where a lot of this card is going. AEW has been doing well as of late and if they can stick the landing with the important show, things could be looking way up. Let’s get to it.

Kickoff Show: Big Boom AJ/Orange Cassidy/Mark Briscoe vs. Johnny TV/MxM Collection

I’m still not big on the Costco Guys but they’re celebrities (work with me here) and AJ is at least a former wrestler so it’s not some big mess. This isn’t something I’m overly looking forward to and I could really go for something better for both Briscoe and Cassidy. That being said, this is going to get quite a bit of attention and that’s the reason it is on the show in the first place.

Naturally the good guys win here, as there is pretty much no reason to bring the Costco Guys onto the show if they’re going to lose. It’s smart to have some other people out there to the bulk of the match but we’ll see stuff from AJ’s son and the Rizzler and that’s all AEW wants out of this. If they keep this relatively short, it has the potential to be perfectly harmless fun which could benefit AEW quite well.

Kickoff Show: Daniel Garcia/Undisputed Kingdom vs. Shane Taylor Promotions

Apparently it’s time to act like the Promotions count again, as for some reason they’re being dragged out more and more frequently in recent weeks. I’m not sure why anyone would expect THIS TIME to be the one instance where it works out but AEW has done some stranger things. This is also going to be more about Adam Cole getting a TNT Title shot against Garcia down the line, but we can worry about that later.

As worried as I am about the idea of Shane Taylor pinning Garcia here to get himself a title shot, I’ll play it safe and say that Cole pins one of the Infantry so the good guys win. There is at least something of a point to this match, but it feels like something that should be taking place around 9:10 on any given edition of Collision. That’s kind of the point of the Kickoff Show, but having this added at the last minute was more “well of course they added in something else” rather than making me want to see it.

Kickoff Show: Ring Of Honor World Title: Chris Jericho(c) vs. Gravity

It’s still not a good sign when your biggest claim to fame is that you are the brother of the star (just ask Ryan Nemeth). Gravity is back and for some reason this feud is continuing after Jericho already beat Bandido in their title match. I still have no idea what the endgame is for Jericho but I’m starting to believe that they’re just killing time until Eddie Kingston is back.

Naturally Jericho wins here, as Gravity doesn’t exactly have the pull to make this work. No matter how you look at it, Gravity is a talented guy but he is known for being Bandido’s brother more than anything he has done in the ring so far. That isn’t enough for him to win the title and this is a match that really did not need to be added to the show. Jericho being around is good, but in what should be a no issue title defense on the pre-show? That’s the best spot you have for him?

Tag Team Titles: Hurt Syndicate(c) vs. Outrunners

This one actually intrigues me a bit as I have no idea why the Outrunners are being given this shot. They’re the fun team and on paper, this is a total squash. I’m not sure why in the world you would have the popular team lose in a match like this, which has me wondering if AEW is thinking about trying something crazy here. The more I think about it, the more crazy I realize that sounds so we’ll move on.

I’ll go with the sane pick and say the Syndicate retains the titles here because…well why wouldn’t they? The Syndicate has been presented as a major team and outside of some major shenanigans, there is no reason to act like the Outrunners are on their level. This should be a squash and I’m really not sure why it’s taking place on pay per view. Maybe they have something wacky planned, but the Syndicate should absolutely be retaining here.

TBS Title: Mercedes Mone(c) vs. Momo Watanabe

Here we have one of AEW’s favorites: bringing someone in mainly on the strength of what they have done in another promotion, having them win a match or two and then putting them right in the title picture. That isn’t the best way to go as it presents the obvious issue: talent aside (and she has it), there is no reason to care about Watanabe. She’s just there for the sake of Mone having an international opponent and that’s not exactly thrilling.

Of course I’ll take Mone to retain, as she has been the champion for what feels like the better part of ever and hopefully AEW is building up for a big moment when she finally loses the title. Watanabe isn’t the right person to do that and even though the match is likely to be quite good from a technical standpoint, it’s hard to get interested in something which feels this thrown together.

Continental Title: Kazuchika Okada(c) vs. Brody King

So the House Of Black broke up thanks to Black leaving the company and now Brody King and Buddy Matthews are getting to lose over and over. I don’t know if this is supposed to be some kind of weird punishment to Black’s former partners or what, but it’s one of the weirdest booking choices that I’ve seen in AEW in a long time. That should explain where this is going.

There is no reason to believe that Okada is going to lose here as King is just being thrown out there for the sake of putting the title match on the show. That’s not the best idea, just like King losing again isn’t but here we are for some reason. Okada will retain here as it seems like he is coming up on a big title showdown with Kenny Omega at All In, meaning he isn’t losing a mostly cold match to King here.

Will Ospreay vs. Kyle Fletcher

This is inside of a steel cage and PLEASE let it be the end of Ospreay vs. the Don Callis Family. I know I’ve been saying that for the better part of a year now, but that’s because THE FEUD IS STILL GOING. Thankfully they have at least been teasing that Ospreay wants to get into the World Title picture and my goodness would it be overdue. There is no reason for these sides to be feuding with each other any longer and this very well may be the big blowoff.

As strong of a possibility as it seems, I see no reason for Fletcher to win here, as if it is the big ending, it should be Ospreay getting the win to blow the thing off. Ospreay being the superhero who gets to finish his former friend by possibly going all violent for once should work out well. That’s what we should be getting here, but it would not stun me for Fletcher to win and somehow keep it going.

Swerve Strickland vs. Ricochet

For the #1 contendership and that opens up some interesting questions. On one hand, I can’t imagine Ricochet getting a title shot against Jon Moxley, but I’m also not sure I can see Cope getting the title. That doesn’t leave many options, but it could give us quite the nice moment. It sets up a good possibility and I think that might just be where it goes, as it should (maybe).

I’ll take Strickland winning here, just because I can’t imagine Ricochet getting a title shot against Moxley, nor can I picture Cope winning. Strickland would be a good choice to get back into the main event picture, but dang they have been teasing the idea of Prince Nana turning on Strickland hard lately. It’s a pick I don’t expect to work, but I’ll go with Strickland winning here.

Women’s Title: Toni Storm(c) vs. Mariah May

This is literally being described as the (Hollywood) Ending and that means we should be done with this feud once and for all. That seemed to be what we were seeing last month but instead here we are again for a rubber match. Storm got her big win back on her home turf at Grand Slam and she kind of has it again here, which makes things more interesting. The violence could help as well here and we are all but promised to see it taking place.

I’m not sure I can see a reason for Storm to lose here so I’ll go with her retaining the title in a brutal match. May is going to be needing to do something else after a loss here, but there is little reason to put the title on her again. The story needs to wrap up here and move on, possibly with Storm finding a fresh challenger. The May feud has been going on way too long now and it’s time for something new after she wins here.

International Title: Konosuke Takeshita (c) vs. Kenny Omega

Here we have part of a pretty long running feud with Takeshita having gotten the better of Omega for a long time. That opens up some options, but they may have spoiled the whole thing with Omega’s staredown with Okada. Maybe it’s just false hope, but egads I could go for the two of them facing off in a title unification match. That needs something to happen first though and that might be what we are going to see here.

I’ll take Omega winning here, as Takeshita has long since proven that he is one of the best things going in AEW today, but Omega needs to establish that he still has it. Winning a big match over someone who has beaten him multiple times before would certainly accomplish that and if we just have to get a really good match out of it, oh well. Takeshita is going to be fine, but Omega doesn’t likely have much time left in the ring so seeing him win the title here would be the right way to go.

Maxwell Jacob Friedman vs. Hangman Page

This is the ultra personal match on the show, even if they might have gone a bit nuts with MJF trying to burn Page alive on Dynamite. It’s the kind of match that should make for a good showdown as they both have the resumes and skill to make it feel big. I’m hoping they haven’t built things up too hard with what they have been doing because that could bring them down in a hurry.

Geez I’m not sure on this one but I’ll go with Page winning, as he seems to be on more of an upward trajectory and needs the win to keep that going. It wouldn’t stun me to see him move towards the Death Riders and possibly a World Title feud (perhaps with Swerve Strickland at his side). Beating MJF would be a great step in that direction, though I’m not sure where that leaves MJF. Page wins here, and then we’ll see where things go.

AEW World Title: Jon Moxley(c) vs. Cope

I guess we have to do this one too due to reasons. This isn’t a match that has me overly interested and a lot of that is due to the Death Riders still being one of the least interesting storylines I’ve seen in a long time. Cope has been taking them out one by one, which means they’re either going to come back and save Moxley here or Moxley is going to win anyway, possibly with the help of Wheeler Yuta, the last Rider standing. Or they go with what feels like the more obvious result.

After so many months of Moxley dominating the World Title scene, it feels like it’s time for that to keep going, possibly, or even likely, with Jay White turning on Cope to cost him the title. That feels like something that been set up for a little while now and while it feels predictable, that doesn’t mean it isn’t where things are going. Cope winning the title doesn’t feel right, meaning Moxley gets to keep the forever reign going.

Overall Thoughts

Normally I try to get through the weaker main card matches first, but the more I looked at this card, the more stacked the whole thing feels. There are only a few weak spots in the whole thing and if AEW does this the right way, we could be in for a heck of a show. What matters the most here is the possibility of some feel good moments, which have been sorely lacking from AEW PPVs in recent months. Just let the fans have a good time for once and we can see where things go from there. Revolution looks solid on paper though and that’s a nice thing to see.

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

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Dynamite
Date: February 26, 2025
Location: Frontwave Arena, Oceanside, California
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Taz

We’re about a week and a half away from Revolution and the card is starting to come together. The big story is Cope taking the Death Riders out one by one, including dropping Pac last week. There is a good chance that he will try to do that again this week, which could mean some violence. Let’s get to it.

Here is Collision if you need a recap.

An ambulance arrives in the back of the arena and Cope is in the back, saying it’s time to take out another Death Rider.

The announcers run down the card.

Earlier today, MJF talks about how the fans have chanted “COWBOY S***” at a fake like Hangman Page. MJF is getting the AEW tattoo removed from his leg because it is time to bet on himself.

Page arrives in his truck and comes to the ring in his street clothes.

Hangman Page vs. Aaron Solo

Page kicks him in the face, hits a clothesline, and finishes with the Buckshot Lariat at 48 seconds.

Post match Page grabs a chair and says the three things he hates in this world are running out of biscuits, English ivy and a spray tanned b**** spitting in his face. Therefore, he is going to sit in this ring until MJF is sent out here for the beating he deserves. Cue MJF, with a bloody towel, calling Page an animal.

He’s not going to have this fight right now because he’ll wait for Revolution in Los Angeles. For now though, we’ll find out who MJF has attacked. We see a rather bloody Christopher Daniels in the back as MJF leaves. Page grabs the chair and heads to the back, where he finds Daniels down. The medics check on Daniels as Page goes hunting.

Don Callis and Kyle Fletcher are in a sky box.

Earlier tonight, Chris Jericho talked to Don Callis, who seems interested in having Bryan Keith take out Will Ospreay.

Will Ospreay vs. Bryan Keith

They go with the grappling to start and it’s an early standoff. Ospreay knocks him into the corner and chops Keith down, setting up a standing corkscrew moonsault for two. A springboard misses though and Ospreay is sent outside, where he comes up holding his knee off the landing.

We take a break and come back with Keith working on the back. Ospreay kicks his way to freedom and hits a Phenomenal Forearm for two of his own. An enziguri staggers Ospreay again but he’s back with a Stundog Millionaire for another near fall. Keith hits a tiger driver for two as the fans think this is awesome. Ospreay slips out of another tiger driver and hits a Styles Clash, setting up the Hidden Blade for the pin at 10:52.

Rating: B-. Good showing from Keith here as he got a good deal in on a bigger star with Ospreay. This is the kind of match that gives Ospreay a sweat before he gets the win on the way to the big showdown with Fletcher. Just please don’t move this on to an Ospreay vs. Jericho feud because….oh just no.

Post match Ospreay goes into the crowd for the brawl with Fletcher.

We look at Mariah May attacking Toni Storm on Collision. This week on Collision: an update on Storm.

Video on Momo Watanabe, who will be challenging Mercedes Mone for the TBS Title at Revolution.

Mone isn’t worried about Watanabe and yells at ROH’s Billie Starkz for getting in her way. Watanabe shows up with a baseball bat to scare Mone off. One thing here: Watanabe last wrestled in AEW on the 2024 Forbidden Door Zero Hour show. Starkz last wrestled on AEW TV on the 2023 WrestleDream Zero Hour show. If you watch Stardom and Ring Of Honor, you know who these two are, but otherwise, these two are relatively strangers, one of whom is going to get a title shot because she won a match at Wrestle Dynasty, which was barely talked about on AEW TV. You might want to work on that.

Outrunners vs. Murder Machines

For a future Tag Team Title shot. The Machines jump Floyd to start but Magnum fights up, with the Machines being knocked outside. The Outrunners are pulled outside and we take an early break. Back with Archer hitting some running charges to Magnum in the corner and it’s off to Cage.

Magnum jawbreaks his way to freedom and Floyd comes in to clean house with a rollup getting two on Cage. Everything breaks down and a splash gives Cage two on Floyd. The powerbomb/chokeslam combination is broken up so Archer chokeslams Floyd for two. The Blackout is loaded up but cue the Hurt Syndicate for a distraction, allowing Floyd to roll Archer up for the pin at 8:22.

Rating: C+. Points to AEW for this one as I was expecting the Machines to beat the popular team and that is absolutely not what they did. It’s quite the relief as the Outrunners are still a hot enough act and it would have been annoying to see them lose to the Murder Machines to set up the title shot. It’s nice to see a bit of a curve here and I’m glad I was wrong on what I thought was going to happen.

Video on Cope vs. Jon Moxley, including Cope taking out Pac on Collision. Claudio Castagnoli is wanting to get his hands on Cope to even the score.

Video on Ricochet taking Prince Nana’s robe.

Here is Swerve Strickland, with Nana, for a chat. Strickland talks about how he has done some good things around here and you could see him headlining All In last year. He is still the man around here and he wants some gold around his waist, but first he has to deal with Ricochet.

Cue Ricochet, wearing the robe, to say that he is going to get some gold but he doesn’t want to deal Swerve anymore. Nana has an announcement though: the two of them can face off at Revolution in a #1 contenders match. Works for Ricochet, who leaves, but Nana has to talk to Swerve. Nana wants Swerve to go back to being the mod dangerous man in AEW. Nana has survived a bunch of bullets for Swerve and now he needs Swerve to get the robe back and leaves Swerve alone in the ring.

Hangman Page is leaving and threatens to run MJF down.

Undisputed Kingdom vs. Daniel Garcia/FTR

O’Reilly and Wheeler start things off with the latter working on the arm. That’s reversed into a heel hook and Wheeler bails straight over to the ropes. Cole comes in and trades missed kicks with Garcia, who takes him into the corner. Everything breaks down and a series of strikes on the floor leaves everyone down as we take a break.

Back with Strong and Harwood slugging it out until the Kingdom clears the ring. Harwood pulls O’Reilly into the Sharpshooter until a rope is grabbed. Everyone gets back in and the Kingdom get stereo small packages for two and a triple clothesline leaves everyone down again. This time it’s Strong getting caught in the Sharpshooter, leaving Cole to roll Garcia up for the pin at 11:00.

Rating: B-. Good back and forth match here but this is one of those stories that feels like it’s just kind of there. It’s not bad, but it’s not exactly lighting things on fire. In theory this will get Cole a TNT Title shot and it’s only so interesting. It was a nice six man though, with entertaining back and forth action throughout.

Post match they almost fight again and the TNT Title match is on for Collision.

Cope jumps Claudio Castagnoli in the back but Wheeler Yuta jumps him from behind. The villains load up a Conchairto but Jay White makes the save. Marina Shafir runs in to choke Cope but gets kneed by Yuta by mistake, which White finds hilarious. Castagnoli gets Conchairtoed as Jon Moxley is panicking in the crowd. Another one is loaded up for Shafir so here is Willow Nightingale to actually crack her head with the chair. So that leaves Yuta as the lone Death Rider to defend Moxley and…that feels a bit of a weak finale.

Harley Cameron vs. Deonna Purrazzo

Cameron goes for the leg to start and is quickly shoved away. Back up and a running headscissors takes Purrazzo down for two but she catches Cameron on top. We take a break and come back with Purrazzo shrugging off a jawbreaker. A Russian legsweep gives Purrazzo two and she ties Cameron in the Tree of Woe. Cameron slips out of that and hits an enziguri, setting up a Shining Wizard for two. Purrazzo kicks her in the face but the cross armbreaker is countered into a rollup to give Cameron two more. Back up and Cameron grabs a rolling cutter for the pin at 8:02.

Rating: C+. This is how the match should have gone as Cameron is starting to turn her confidence into some wins. It would have been too much for her to beat Mone in Australia, but a win like this is a perfectly fine way to go. Purrazzo can make anyone look better in the ring and it was a nice match here, with Cameron getting back on her feet after the big loss.

Video on Orange Cassidy vs. Konosuke Takeshita for the International Title.

Marina Shafir and Claudio Castagnoli are taken away in an ambulance, with Cope, Willow Nightingale and Jay White waving.

International Title: Konosuke Takeshita vs. Orange Cassidy

Takeshita, with Don Callis (on commentary) and Mark Davis, is defending. Takeshita breaks the sunglasses to start so Cassidy whips out another pair. Those are taken away and given to Callis but Cassidy misses the Orange Punch. The lazy forearms just annoy Takeshita, who kicks Cassidy down. Back up and Cassidy stomps away in the corner, setting up a slingshot DDT to drop Takeshita. That doesn’t last long as Takeshita is back up with a heck of a shot of his own and we take a break.

Back with Cassidy fighting out of a Blue Thunder Bomb attempt but the Stundog Millionaire is countered into a Blue Thunder Bomb for two (That was GREAT!). The Beach Break is countered so Cassidy hurricanranas him to the floor instead. Cassidy sits on the announcers’ table and tells him to bring it, eventually hitting the Beach Break onto the table.

They both dive in to beat the count, where Cassidy hits the Orange Punch to send Takeshita back outside. Cassidy hits the diving DDT and takes his sunglasses back but Takeshita knocks him out of the air (Schiavone: “He knocked his a** right out!). The Stundog Millionaire staggers Takeshita but he’s right back with a kneeling piledriver. The Raging Fire retains the title at 12:30.

Rating: A-. I wasn’t overly interested coming into this one but DANG they were on a roll near the end. Like any other promotion, AEW hypes its wrestlers up to an insane level but they might somehow be underselling Takeshita. The guy is just that good and some of the things that he does in the ring leave my eyes bugging out on a regular basis. The fans were into this and the match pulled me in as well. Great stuff here and an excellent main event.

Overall Rating: B. The main event is by far the best thing on the show, but nothing on here is really anywhere near bad. They advanced some stories and it goes to show you how much it helps to have the Death Riders facing some adversity. I’m not sure I can see Cope winning the title at Revolution, but egads it’s nice to see something other than the group dominating so often. Good show here, with Takeshita going off in the main event.

Results
Hangman Page b. Aaron Solo – Buckshot Lariat
Will Ospreay b. Bryan Keith – Hidden Blade
Outrunners b. Murder Machines – Rollup to Archer
Undisputed Kingdom b. Daniel Garcia/FTR – Jackknife rollup to Garcia
Harley Cameron b. Deonna Purrazzo – Rolling cutter
Konosuke Takeshita b. Orange Cassidy – Raging Fire

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

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Collision
Date: February 22, 2025
Location: Arizona Financial Theatre, Phoenix, Arizona
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Excalibur, Jim Ross

We’re about two weeks away from Revolution and things picked up a bit last week at Grand Slam. We now have a few matches set for the show, with the big story still being Cope coming after Jon Moxley and the World Title. Cope seems interested in taking out the Death Riders one by one and we’ll probably see something like that here. Other than that, Chris Jericho is defending the Ring Of Honor World Title against Bandido so let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Mariah May jumps Toni Storm in the back and brings her to the stage for a Storm Zero on the ramp. May demands a spotlight and, cradling Storm, says Storm never knew how to write an ending. This is their spotlight and moment so they can be stars together. They’ll have a Hollywood ending at Revolution. That should be the big ending and Storm winning there does make sense.

We look at Kazuchika Okada retaining the Continental Title over Buddy Matthews last week.

Okada says that is what you do to a b**** and he’ll do it to any other who comes after him.

Hologram vs. The Beast Mortos

Mortos wastes no time in running him over with a shoulder but misses a charge in the corner. Hologram dances around and flips off of Mortos’ chest, setting up a headscissors. Mortos is sent outside for a rope walk hurricanrana, only to grab an armdrag back inside. The Pounce sends Hologram outside for the corkscrew dive and we take a break. Back with Hologram taking him up top, where Mortos super gorilla press slams him back down.

Another hurricanrana sends Mortos outside and the big dive takes him down again. A kick to the head staggers Mortos but he grabs a crucifix driver on the ramp. Hologram grabs a Code Red on the ramp and they head back inside for a rope walk high crossbody for two on Mortos. The pop up Samoan drop gets two on Hologram but he’s back with a Spanish Fly. Another super gorilla press is countered into an anklescissors though and Hologram is back with a sunset flip for the pin at 13:51.

Rating: B. It was another good match between them but I’m only getting so much out of Hologram. He’s just kind of there to do his random matches and that’s only getting him so far. I could go for him doing something and his matches are quite entertaining, but him having a story would go a long way for him. And hopefully soon.

Post match Mortos jumps Hologram and goes for the mask but Komander makes the save.

Speedball Mike Bailey is coming. Yay.

Here is Harley Cameron for a chat. Cameron talks about a little girl who loved singing and puppets but above all else, she loved wrestling. One day she told her grandmother that she would go to America and become a wrestler. That little girl was…her next door neighbor Suzette Dickinson. Cameron doesn’t know what happened to her but she’s ready to make everyone feel her wrath. The awesomeness continues.

Gabe Kidd vs. The Butcher

Kidd strikes away in the corner to start but Butcher sends him outside. That’s shrugged off and Kidd hits a heck of a clothesline (which JR describes as “toxic”). Back in and Butcher kicks him in the face, only to get dropped by another clothesline. A piledriver finishes Butcher at 3:40.

Rating: C+. This wasn’t quite a squash but Butcher was out there for the beating and nothing more. Kidd is one of the bigger names outside of the two main promotions at the moment and it’s a nice deal to have him show up here. Kidd has some great charisma and gets your attention and I could see him being a big deal elsewhere if given the shot.

Don Callis and Kyle Fletcher are ready for Will Ospreay at Revolution in a cage. They’re going to use the cage like a Veg-O-Matic. Can we get a Double Goozle instead?

Julia Hart vs. Queen Aminata

Aminata grabs an armbar to start and wiggles her hips a bit because that’s what fun wrestlers do. A snapmare takes Hart down for a kick to the back and a double chop in the corner makes it worse. Hart knocks her down for two and we take an early break. Back with Aminata hitting a backbreaker and snapping off some suplexes for…no cover, which even commentary realizes is a bad idea. A running boot in the corner gives Aminata two but Hart kicks her down. The moonsault hits Aminata’s raised boots though and Aminata releases some German suplexes. Hart is right back up with an Octopus for the tap at 9:48.

Rating: C. Aminata is a good example of someone who can do all of the things in the ring but she’s still fairly dull. There’s nothing about her that makes her stand out and that isn’t going to leave her much to do. Hart beating her is good and it wasn’t a stretch for it to go this long, but it’s rather difficult to get invested in an Aminata match most of the time.

Murder Machines vs. ???/???

The Murder Machines beat them up on the ramp and throw them inside so destruction can ensue. The powerbomb/chokeslam combination finishes at 1:15.

Post match the Murder Machines want the Hurt Syndicate and the Tag Team Titles. Cue the Syndicate, with MVP not being impressed. MVP says if the Machines beat a REAL team next week, we’ll consider a title shot.

Action Andretti and Lio Rush are now Cru. Does every team need a name? Well in this case, yeah they really kind of did.

Thunder Rosa and Kris Statlander are ready for Megan Bayne and Penelope Ford.

Trios Titles: Daniel Garcia/Angelo Parker/Matt Menard vs. Death Riders

The Riders are defending. Parker dropkicks Yuta down to start but it’s quickly off to Castagnoli. Swiss Death puts Parker down and Garcia has to make a save. Garcia, in red and yellow, comes in to clean house but doesn’t bother to tag, meaning Parker gets beaten down even more. Parker finally gets away and brings in Menard to…get kicked in the face by Castagnoli.

Everything breaks down and Yuta and Pac get suplexed down. We take a break and come back with Yuta kicking Menard down so Pac can kick him while he’s down. Castagnoli powers Menard around and it’s back to Pac for a headlock. Pac teases a springboard dropkick but head fakes Menard, who misses a dropkick out of the air. Menard slams his way out of trouble though and it’s Garcia coming in to clean house.

Garcia rolls Yuta into the Sharpshooter and Parker takes Pac out. Castagnoli makes the save with a Jackhammer, leaving Garcia to strike it out with Yuta. Garcia gets Swung into the dropkick from Pac fort two but Menard breaks up the Black Arrow. Parker superplexes Pac for two and everyone is down. Pac is back up with the Brutalizer to make Parker tap at 16:55.

Rating: B-. This was more of a formality than anything else, with the Death Riders not being in trouble against a team including Menard and Parker. Garcia can hang with the champs long enough but that wasn’t going to be enough here. It wasn’t exactly a top level set of challengers, but I’ll take a title defense over the belts sitting cold for months on end.

Post match the hold stays on but the Undisputed Kingdom makes the save. Pac gets taken out and here is Cope to give him a pair of Conchairtos.

The Vendetta isn’t impressed with Harley Cameron.

Here is Max Caster for another open challenge.

Max Caster vs. Brody King

Caster gets his requested handshake and the pain begins in a hurry. Caster’s headlock is countered into a headscissors as the fans know that pain is coming. King sends him into the corner and finishes with the Cannonball at 1:40.

The Outrunners agree to face the Murder Machines next week. The Hurt Syndicate says the good news is if they win, they get a title shot. But the bad news is if they win, the get a title shot.

Ring Of Honor World Title: Chris Jericho vs. Bandido

Jericho is defending and is here on his own for a change. The fans are behind Bandido to start so Jericho goes to the eyes to take over. Bandido isn’t having that and sends him to the floor for a dive. Back in and a quick Codebreaker gives Jericho two, setting up a super hurricanrana.

We take a break and come back with the two of them striking it out with Bandido going down. Bandido is back up with a belly to back faceplant for two and they trade kicks to the face. They do their ten paces deal but Jericho reverses the knee to the face into the Walls. Bandido breaks out and grabs the one handed gorilla press into a frog splash for two.

The triangle dropkick is countered into a powerbomb for two more but Jericho bulldogs him down into the Lionsault. A flying headscissors (with a wave, called the High Spot) gets two on Bandido and they go up top for Bandido’s tabletop superplex. The 21 Plex is loaded up but Jericho reverses into a cradle to retain at 17:20.

Rating: B-. Well of course Jericho beat him. Bandido was built up for a few weeks here and then loses clean to Jericho, who counters the big finisher for the win. Jericho has already held the title for about four months and it’s only so interesting. Bandido is someone who could have gotten a big moment out of the win here but I have a feeling we’ll be waiting for Eddie Kingston to come back and beat Jericho as a real New Yorker. That’s not exactly a thrilling way to go but Jericho going over someone with that kind of potential isn’t a surprise anymore.

Overall Rating: B. Sigh inducing result of the main event aside, this was a rather good show with a bunch of solid matches. As has been the case recently, there has been a nice mixture of long and short matches to make things move that much faster. Good show here, and if they can stick the landing with a bunch of this stuff at Revolution, we could be in for one of AEW’s best runs in a long time.

Results
Hologram b. The Beast Mortos – Sunset flip
Gabe Kidd b. The Butcher – Piledriver
Julia Hart b. Queen Aminata – Octopus
Murder Machines b. ???/??? – Powerbomb/chokeslam combination
Death Riders b. Daniel Garcia/Angelo Parker/Matt Menard – Brutalizer to Parker
Brody King b. Max Caster – Cannonball
Chris Jericho b. Bandido – Rollup

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

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Dynamite
Date: February 19, 2025
Location: Arizona Financial Theatre, Phoenix, Arizona
Commentators: Excalibur, Ian Riccaboni, Taz

We’re back to the United States after Grand Slam and the big story is Toni Storm got the Women’s Title back. That means we have just over two weeks before Revolution and the card got built up a bit over the weekend. Odds are we’ll get something else added on this week so let’s get to it.

Here is Grand Slam if you need a recap.

Here are MJF and Hangman Page to get things going. MJF brings up losing to Page in his first AEW match and how far he has come since then. We hear about everything he has done and how much better he has done it than Page. MJF hits his catchphrase but Page wants to know why MJF thinks Page doesn’t know him. When MJF listed his accomplishments, he sounded angry about them.

MJF tells him to shut his mouth and insists he doesn’t care about the fans. We hear about various horrible things Page has done but the fans still insist he is a good guy and did nothing wrong. Everyone loves Page but does he love himself? Did he love himself when he ended the career of Christopher Daniels? That sends Page over the edge about how Daniels is a far better man than MJF could ever be.

Page threatens to knock the smug look off his face before talking about how the fans don’t like MJF because of his lies. Yes Page has lied multiple times but he has never lied to the fans. MJF has spent years cheating and scheming his way to the top. For once, for MJF’s sake, Page hopes things have changed a bit. MJF mocks Page for not liking how he got here before calling out Page for being the chosen one. When MJF came in here, he only had a scarf and a mic and look where he got. Name one thing Page does better than MJF. Page: “I am real.”

MJF says he has no problem being the bad guy and they’re ready to go but security comes out and MJF…spits on Page. That leaves Page to go nuts but here is Christopher Daniels to say Page knows who he is. Page walks away and isn’t sure what to think. This was rather long but it was nice to not have MJF doing his insider lines for a change. It was a good promo battle, though I’m not sure if this feels as big as AEW is hoping it to be.

We run down the card.

Video on Grand Slam.

Roderick Strong is ready to face Orange Cassidy because they are required to do this forever. And yes, Kyle O’Reilly is cool with his friends fighting.

Patriarchy vs. Opps

Shibata wristlocks Sabian to start before Sabian’s running shoulder doesn’t work. Joe comes in to backsplash Sabian and stares at Christian, who isn’t interested in coming in. Wayne goes after Joe instead and is chopped into the corner for his efforts. Sabian’s cheap shot lets Wayne get in a suplex on Shibata and we take a break. Back with Hook snapping off suplexes until we hit the parade of strikes. Joe runs Christian over with the suicide elbow and Wayne dives into Redrum for the tap at 9:48.

Rating: C+. The Opps are a fun team despite a rather dumb name and they were showing what they could do here. Joe feels like a killer every time he’s out there and that plays well with the ultra serious Shibata and the rather stoic Hook. The Patriarchy aren’t doing much these days, which feels like a way to get the World Title on Christian as a surprise.

MJF vs. Hangman Page is set for Revolution.

Chris Jericho doesn’t want to hear about Bandido beating him at ROH Global Wars. He got everyone here a job and people still ask him for his picture. Bandido is the person who they ask to take the picture, so at Collision, Bandido gets an ROH World Title shot. This was serious Jericho and it worked a lot better for a change.

Powerhouse Hobbs vs. Big Bill

Street fight and there are weapons provided but they brawl into the crowd to start. Bill gets the better of things and they get back to ringside where he hits Hobbs in the back with a keyboard. Another shot misses though and Hobbs chairs him down a few times to take over. A wrench to the face slows Hobbs down and busts him open so Billy hits a big boot. Hobbs is planted onto the steps and we take a break.

Back with Bill putting a table in the ring and Bryan Keith setting up a barbed wire table at ringside. Hobbs hits him with a trashcan but has to take out Keith, who goes through the table in the corner. A World’s Strongest Slam plants Bill on the ramp and it’s time to whip out some bricks. They slug it out until Hobbs sends him face first into the steps a few times. Bill is sent through the barbed wire table and he can’t beat the count (as apparently we now have a count) to give Hobbs the win at 11:11.

Rating: B. It could have gone a bit longer, but what mattered here was it felt like two big guys beating each other up until one of them was done. Hobbs looked like a conqueror and someone who could be a threat to Jon Moxley…if you forget that Moxley choked him out. The violence was the point here though and they set it up that way over the last few weeks. Good stuff here, with Hobbs getting the win that he needed.

The Murder Machines challenge the Hurt Syndicate for Collision.

Double Or Nothing is coming to Phoenix.

Here is Toni Storm for a chat, saying this tramp is your new champ. She took the title from someone who took her soul, “Mariah May, you sick b****.” May has been compromised to a bitter end and “now for a cheap plug”, Storm will be in Queen Of The Ring coming out May 7. She needs a challenger, from Willow Nightingale to Wendi Richter, but she is TIMELESS. Please find a way to get Richter to show up for a cameo. It would be glorious.

Gabe Kidd will be on Collision.

Willow Nightingale complains about the Death Riders but Marina Shafir jumps her. Jon Moxley steals the camera and comes into the ring to say he is the World Champion, meaning everything belongs to him. Cope isn’t here but if he shows up at Revolution, Moxley will finish the job. Cue Jay White so Pac shows up to surround him, only for Cope to show up and clear the ring. The chase goes into the crowd and Cope says these are his people. Cope is going to take the Death Riders out one by one so that it’s man vs. man at Revolution.

Mercedes Mone wants no surprises or puppets and there is no stopping her. We get a video from Momo Watanabe saying she’s coming for the title shot so Mone says come say it to her face. It would be nice for Watanabe to do something around here, as she’s basically a stranger in AEW.

Kris Statlander vs. Megan Bayne

They trade shoulders do start with Statlander putting her down and hitting a standing moonsault for two. A kick to the head staggers Bayne again but she’s right back with a spear. We take a break and come back with Statlander winning an exchange of clotheslines. Wednesday Night Fever is blocked so they go to the apron, with Bayne getting suplexed down. Back in and they both go up stop but Statlander shoves her off. Cue Penelope Ford to shove Statlander down though, meaning Bayne can hit an F5 for the pin at 8:45.

Rating: C+. This didn’t have much time given the break in the middle and Statlander got in a lot of offense before Bayne got the win. Bayne feels like she could be a big player in a hurry around here and giving her a win like this should help. It wouldn’t surprise me to see Statlander get another shot at her and that isn’t a bad idea.

Post match the beatdown is on but Thunder Rosa makes the save.

Max Caster isn’t deterred by his two losses in open challenges and issues another one for Collision.

Here is Ricochet, with Prince Nana’s robe, for a chat. After insulting Phoenix, he speaks to the crowd at home rather than the animals here. He proved that he was a winner two weeks ago when he beat Swerve Strickland and we hear about some of his big wins. Now it’s time for him to go after some gold because he is too good looking to not be a champion. Cue Prince Nana to interrupt, saying he has asked Strickland to stay home.

Nana doesn’t know where this is going but he wants to talk about that robe. That robe represents pride and integrity but Nana never gave Ricochet that honor. Nana wants the robe back so Ricochet tells him to take it. Instead Ricochet just leaves. Good job of explaining why the robe is important here, as it makes things feel more personal.

Roderick Strong vs. Orange Cassidy

For an International Title shot next week and Jim Ross joins commentary. Strong wrestles him down to start but Cassidy slips out and hits a soft chop. Cassidy gets sent outside where he has a staredown with Adam Cole, only for Strong to be sent outside for a hug to Cole. Back in and Strong stomps away before grabbing a seated abdominal stretch.

We take a break and come back with Cassidy hitting a slingshot tornado DDT. Cassidy sends him to the corner and rams Strong into the buckles, followed by the satellite DDT for two. The Beach Break gets two but Strong is back with some backbreakers for two. The Stronghold sends Cassidy over to the ropes for the break. Strong hits the Sick Kick but gets caught with the Stundog Millionaire. The Orange Punch gives Cassidy the pin at 13:02.

Rating: B-. Good enough match here, though this whole series deal is not exactly logical or something that needs to be taking place. Kenny Omega is already waiting for the champion at Revolution and, barring a rather annoying triple threat, Konosuke Takeshita is going to be facing Omega anyway. That makes this match feel like it’s just added on, and while it was good, it doesn’t feel overly important.

Post match Cassidy is about to be interviewed by Don Callis interrupts. The Don Callis Family beats Cassidy down but Kenny Omega makes the save. JR: “OMEGA IS BACK!” Despite not leaving! The good guys clear the ring and Omega holds up the International Title to end the show.

Overall Rating: B. AEW is on a roll again and, shockingly enough, it continues as the good guys get to stand tall to end the show rather than having the Death Riders running everyone over. The Riders got chased off here and it made for a more entertaining show. Collision is already feeling like a big show and it is nice to see the show being a bit more fun for a change. That was missing for so long and maybe it’s due to Omega being back. Either way, I’ve been having a better time with AEW lately and I’m hoping they can keep it up next month at Revolution. Another good show here.

Results
Opps b. Patriarchy – Redrum to Wayne
Powerhouse Hobbs b. Big Bill when Bill could not answer a ten count
Megan Bayne b. Kris Statlander – F5
Orange Cassidy b. Roderick Strong – Orange Punch

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Dynamite
Date: February 12, 2025
Location: HEB Center At Cedar Park, Cedar Park, Texas
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Excalibur, Taz

It’s the go home show for Grand Slam, which is going to be a big deal as the company goes down to Australia. In this case, we’re taped for a change and that could make for an interesting show. There are two title matches, including the Trios Titles being on the line for the first time in months. Let’s get to it.

Here is Collision if you need a recap.

We get a weird opening featuring some people on the card with no audio. I’m thinking this was supposed to have a voiceover from commentary but otherwise it’s just kind of strange.

Here is Max Caster for his latest open challenge.

Max Caster vs. Hangman Page

Caster bails to the crowd to start but comes back in to snap off a hurricanrana. Page pops up and drops Caster, setting up the Buckshot Lariat for the pin at 1:11. Yep that works.

Video on Ricochet stealing Prince Nana’s robe last week, with Nana saying Swerve Strickland doesn’t need to make everything personal. Swerve points out what happened when he let Hangman Page get away with making things personal.

Trios Titles: Undisputed Kingdom vs. Death Riders

The Death Riders are defending and believe it or not, we start with a brawl on the floor. We take a break about thirty seconds in and come back with O’Reilly in trouble. The champs take turns striking away in the corner, with Castagnoli grabbing a sleeper. O’Reilly fights out of that and brings in Strong to clean house with a series of backbreakers.

Everything breaks down and it’s back to Strong, who is stomped down in the corner again. A Hart Attack gets two and Pac grinds away on a headlock for a bit. Triple running elbows hit Strong in the corner and we take another break. Back again with Strong fighting off Yuta and bringing Cole in to clean house.

Pac gets superkicked out of the air and some triple strikes put Yuta down for two. Everything breaks down (again) and the Fastball Special is broken up. High/Low hits Yuta for two but Castagnoli Swings Strong into the barricade. The referee intercepts a chair but Yuta goes low and small packages Strong to retain at 17:12.

Rating: B. It was a fun match but when the titles hadn’t been defended in three months, it’s hard to make myself care about them when they’re just thrown out here. The Kingdom are good challenges for something like this and they worked well here, but the Trios Titles stopped feeling important months ago. It was good action, though the story didn’t work so well due to the titles being devalued for such a long time.

Post match the beatdown is on again but Matt Menard, Daniel Garcia and Angelo Parker make the save. I would hope AEW has better options for the next challengers.

Cope and Jay White steal the briefcase from Marina Shafir. Jon Moxley isn’t pleased.

Grand Slam rundown.

MJF is ready for Dustin Rhodes but Hangman Page cuts him off, saying this is his interview. MJF isn’t impressed and says this isn’t the real Page. These people deserve an apology and MJF is going to beat Dustin and get a step closer to getting the World Title back. Unlike Page.

Katsuyori Shibata/Hook/Samoa Joe vs. Jon Cruz/Rosario Grillo/Aaron Solo

Joe beats them up, Hook gets in a suplex, Shibata chops a lot, Cruz thinks forearming Joe is a good idea, the MuscleBuster finishes Cruz at 1:41.

Post match Joe talks about how they always have problems and their solution is always beating people up. That brings him to Christian Cage and the Patriarchy and the challenge is on, with the team being named the Ops (?).

Chris Jericho challenges Bandido to a duel.

Marina Shafir jumps Willow Nightingale and Jon Moxley makes threats.

Here is Chris Jericho for the duel with Bandido and for once, he’s alone. Cue Bandido and they go back to back for the ten paces. Then the Learning Tree runs in for the beatdown, only for the Outrunners to make the save. Big Bill goes to collect the bounty but Powerhouse Hobbs comes in for the spinebuster to put Bill down. Bandido does in fact get his hat back. This wasn’t exactly great, but they didn’t waste time.

Dustin Rhodes is ready to take out MJF. B****.

Maxwell Jacob Friedman vs. Dustin Rhodes

They go nose to nose to start, which is impressive as Dustin is a good bit taller. Dustin snaps off the powerslam and MJF bails to the floor, where he snaps Dustin’s arm across the top. Back in and we hit the rather logical armbar before Dustin’s sunset flip attempt is easily cut off with another snap of the arm. Dustin fights up and manages a powerbomb but needs a breather because of the arm.

A boot to the head lets Dustin hammer away in the corner and there’s the bulldog to drop MJF again. Cross Rhodes gives Dustin two and MJF’s piledriver gets the same, with the latter looking stunned. With nothing else working, MJF grabs a chair for some Pillmanizing but Dustin reverses it into Shattered Dreams. The Final Reckoning gets two and MJF cranks the arm again. MJF hits his own Final Reckoning for his own two before grabbing the Salt Of The Earth. That’s switched into a crossface and Dustin is out at 11:15.

Rating: B. I’m still not big on Dustin, but he was trying here and he made MJF look good in defeat. This is more what Dustin is made for these days rather than whatever he’s doing in Ring Of Honor. MJF is at a weird point right now as this feud and the one with Jeff Jarrett have felt like filler. Thankfully there might be something with Hangman Page, but this was a weird way to set that up. Still though, good, emotional match here with Dustin trying to fight through the pain but falling short in the end.

Post match MJF grabs the Salt Of The Earth again but Hangman Page makes the save. The brawl is on and security can’t break it up so they head into the crowd. Security finally separates them and MJF poses, because of course. MJF gets back in the ring and calls out Page…who gets back in the ring to keep up the brawl. Thank goodness Page was there, as it’s not like one of Dustin’s three partners was going to make the save.

Video on Grand Slam.

Post break, we look at what we just saw.

Megan Bayne vs. Maya World

Bayne drives her into the corner to start and snaps off an overhead belly to belly. Some shoulders to the ribs in the corner have World in more trouble and an F5 finishes for Bayne at 1:55. That’s how Bayne should be going at the moment.

Kris Statlander vs. Penelope Ford

Statlander and Bayne have a staredown during Statlander’s entrance. Ford begging off in the corner to start doesn’t work so well for her as Statlander grabs a headlock. Statlander powers out of a headscissors so Ford licks her cheek. It seems to work as Statlander misses a charge into the corner, only for a basement dropkick to drop Ford.

We take a break and come back with Ford grabbing a neckbreaker out of the corner for two. Statlander German suplexes her for the same but Ford snaps off a poisonrana. That’s enough for Statlander though, who comes back with the Wednesday Night Fever for the pin at 9:17.

Rating: B-. This was one of the better Ford matches so far as she can get somewhere good if she is given the right circumstances. That is what we had here, as Statlander has been able to do some rather nice things in the ring. Statlander needed a bit of a boost before she’s Bayne’s first victim and this did well enough.

Post match Megan Bayne comes back out to F5 Statlander on the floor.

We get a Harley Cameron music video (yes with the puppet) mocking Mercedes Mone. Then we cut to Cameron being rather serious and talking about how she is glad Mone pushed her to becoming better. Now it’s time for her to win the TBS Title in her home country. If this were pretty much any other champion than Mone, I could believe the title change could happen but that just doesn’t feel realistic.

Tag Team Titles: Hurt Syndicate vs. The Gunns

The Syndicate is defending and the fans chant for MVP, who is here with the champions. Lashley shoulders Colten down to start and it’s off to Austin, who wants to think about this. Austin gets tossed outside for a beating from Benjamin and we take an early break. Back with Benjamin working on Austin’s arm but a neckbreaker gives Austin a breather.

Lashley isn’t about to give up a tag and cuts Austin off, only for Austin to dive over him for the tag off to Colten. Benjamin grabs the ankle lock but Austin makes the fast save. The Fameasser gets two on Benjamin, who is right back up with a superkick. Lashley comes back in with a spinebuster and the spear for the pin at 11:09.

Rating: B-. They were trying here but the Guns were little more than the first victims for the new champions. It worked about as well as could be expected, but the Gunns are already pretty low down on the list of champions. That didn’t make them feel like the strongest challengers here, though the match could have been far worse.

Post match Brian Cage and Lance Archer come out for the staredown.

Mariah May is ready to take out Toni Storm, who is nothing without her. Storm is going down, and it’s going to be a mercy killing.

Here are Jay White and Cope with the briefcase. Cope teases opening the briefcase but busts out his 2×4 with nails (Spike), threatening the briefcase unless Moxley gets out here. Cue Moxley with the Death Riders, who talks about how Cope has no idea how much the title means to him. Moxley threatens to break Cope’s neck and gives him the title match at Revolution. Cope crushes the briefcase with Spike as White cuts off Wheeler Yuta. Pac’s distraction lets Marina Shafir get the briefcase but Cope and White take them out to end the show. So Moxley loves the title so much that he doesn’t want people to see it?

Overall Rating: B. The wrestling carried this one here, as tends to be the case in AEW, as there were two rather good matches and some more which were just a step beneath them. It also feels like we’re getting some more traditional squashes sprinkled in, as they help move the show along a bit. Just find something more interesting than the Death Riders and AEW could be on a roll rather quickly.

Results
Hangman Page b. Max Caster – Buckshot Lariat
Death Riders b. Undisputed Kingdom – Small package to Strong
Katsuyori Shibata/Hook/Samoa Joe b. Jon Cruz/Rosario Grillo/Aaron Solo – MuscleBuster to Cruz
Maxwell Jacob Friedman b. Dustin Rhodes via referee stoppage
Megan Bayne b. Maya World – F5
Kris Statlander b. Penelope Ford – Wednesday Night Fever
Hurt Syndicate b. The Gunns – Spear to Austin

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

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Ring Of Honor
Date: January 23, 2025
Location: Andrew J. Brady Music Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman

It’s the 100th episode and that means we should be getting something special around here. The key word there is “should”, as this show certainly doesn’t follow the norm for a wrestling series. We do at least have a TV Title match, as QT Marshall and Komander are this show’s version of a big showdown. Let’s get to it.

Mark Briscoe congratulates ROH on 100 episodes.

Opening sequence.

We run down the card.

TV Title: QT Marshall vs. Komander

Komander is defending and is quickly powered down to start. Marshall sends him to the corner and then the apron, only to get caught with a quick hurricanrana. They go outside where Marshall chops the post by mistake but is fine enough to hit an elbow back inside. A Lionsault gives Marshall two but Komander knocks him outside.

That means a big dive to take Marshall down again, setting up a high crossbody for two back inside. Marshall gets his boots up to block another moonsault, only to get caught with a Code Red for two. A 450 to the apron misses but Marshall goes after Alex Abrahantes. That’s enough for Komander to grab a springboard Code Red, allowing Cielito Lindo to retain the title at 9:41.

Rating: C+. And that’s the big match on the show, which had a pretty hard cap on it coming in. Komander isn’t so much presented as a big deal as much as he is presented as someone who is around a lot. Beating Marshall doesn’t mean much because Marshall doesn’t mean much, and Komander is regularly just a warm body to get beaten up in E. Having him win here is fine, but the AEW losses need to stop if this title is supposed to mean anything.

Post match Lee Johnson comes out for a staredown with Komander, who is more than game.

Leila Grey vs. Marti Belle

Grey starts fast with a rollup for two and then runs Belle over for a crash. A flipping neckbreaker drops Belle but she catches Grey on top. Belle hits a running shot in the corner and gets in some posing, followed by a running shot to the face. The chinlock is countered with a jawbreaker and Grey makes the comeback. A neckbreaker into a dragon sleeper makes Belle tap at 4:30.

Rating: C. Grey continues to improve and there is a chance that she could be something if she is given the chance and some more time. That’s the kind of thing that we need around here but it might take some time to get there. For now though, I’ll take a nice win over someone with a bit of name value as Grey gets some ring time.

Outrunners vs. Rosario Grillo/Jon Cruz

Magnum works on Cruz’s arm to start and the non Outrunners need a breather on the floor. They use said breather to STOMP ON THE OUTRUNNERS’ SUNGLASSES, meaning it’s time for a Hennig necksnap on Cruz. The Mega Powers Elbow sets up Total Recall to finish Grillo at 3:38.

Rating: C. Pretty much a squash for the Outrunners here and that’s fine, as the fans are going to go nuts for them no matter what they are doing. They are the definition of a fun act and that is what AEW/ROH could use in a big way. Let them come out there and let them pop the crowd a bit.

Athena is proud of 100 episodes and she’ll be back soon.

The Beast Mortos vs. Lord Crewe

Mortos uses the ropes to flip out of a wristlock to start before going after the leg. La majistral gets two on Crewe and they fight up to a standoff. Crewe kicks him down but Mortos is back with a pop up Samoan drop. A running forearm gives Crewe two but Mortos hits the spinning piledriver for the pin at 4:04.

Rating: C. I’m not sure why Mortos gives up so much in his matches as he is the definition of someone who can run through all kinds of people but he’s going move for move with someone like Crewe. That’s a nice way to make Crewe look good, but you might want to use someone other than Mortos to do that.

From International Challenge.

Tag Team Titles: Christopher Daniels/Matt Sydal vs. Cima/Shingo

Daniels and Sydal are defending. Shingo and Daniels start things off with Shingo pulling him down by the leg to take over. The bigger Shingo runs him over with a shoulder but Daniels, with a lot of momentum, does the same to take Shingo down. Sydal comes in for a spinwheel kick and it’s off to Cima, with the fans approving.

Cima runs Sydal over and it’s back to Daniels, who gets elbowed in the face for his efforts. Sydal comes back in and snapmares Cima down to crank on the neck before Daniels gets two off a slam. A belly to back suplex/springboard elbow to the face combination gets two on Cima but Shingo comes in to choke Sydal down. Shingo starts working on the leg before sending him into the barricade, setting up Cima’s seated full nelson.

More leg cranking ensues before Sydal is caught in a swinging sleeper toss. A cutter/wheelbarrow faceplant combination gets two but Sydal manages a DDT and dropkick. The tag brings Daniels in to clean house and everything breaks down, with Sydal hitting a moonsault out to the floor. Back in and Sydal gets powerbombed into the corner before it’s back to Daniels, who gets caught in an Indian Deathlock.

Cima ties Daniels’ legs up for a brainbuster and a near fall, with Sydal diving in for a tornado DDT. Shingo nails Sydal with a lariat to leave everyone down as the fans approve. Cima superkicks Shingo by mistake and it’s a release Rock Bottom into the BME into the shooting star press to give Sydal the pin on Shingo at 23:52.

Rating: B. Good stuff here, with the champions feeling like they were fighting from underneath and capitalizing on Cima’s mistake with the superkick. Daniels and Sydal looked good as a team even when they felt like they escaped with a win here. It’s a nice match, though I’m not sure how much of a Daniels show case this really was.

Leila Grey wants the Women’s TV Title.

Taya Valkyrie vs. Lady Frost

Deonna Purrazzo is here with Valkyrie, who powers Frost down to start and hammers away on the mat. Back up and Frost kicks her out to the floor and we pause for a breather. Back in and Valkyrie knocks her down again but gets dropkicked in the back for her efforts. Valkyrie gets in another knockdown and we hit the chinlock to slow things down again. That’s broken up and Frost hits a flipping Cannonball in the corner for two. A Blue Thunder Bomb sets up Shania Pain to finish Frost at 6:00.

Rating: C. This was a back and forth match but it was only so interesting. Frost is someone who is there to make someone else look good and she did it well enough here, but there was only so much that was going to work here. Valkyrie feels like someone who has been around for awhile and not done much, with this match not really doing much to elevate her.

Jacked Jameson pitches a new group to Cole Karter, Griff Garrison and Preston Vance but they aren’t overly interested. Thinking about it is promise.

Gates Of Agony vs. Jay Lucas/Terry Yaki

Lucas strikes away at Kaun to absolutely no effect. A heck of a clothesline into a German suplex drops Lucas and it’s off to Yaki, who is beaten down down as well. That means it’s back to Lucas, who gets planted with a double spinebuster for the pin at 2:15.

Chris Jericho talks about the greatness of Ring Of Honor and lists off some historic names, albeit ARMBAR style with various Jericho names coming up over and over.

Shane Taylor vs. Katsuyori Shibata

The rest of Shane Taylor Promotions are here too. The larger Taylor powers him up against the ropes but Shibata strikes his way out of trouble. Taylor strikes him out to the floor and Shibata gets sent into the barricade for a crash. Some heavy forearms set up the chinlock but Shibata is right back up. A clothesline gives Taylor two but he misses a charge into the corner and gets chopped a lot. They strike it out until the Marcus Garvey Driver gives Taylor two. Welcome To The Land is blocked though and Shibata grabs the sleeper. The PK finishes Taylor at 7:18.

Rating: C. Not a bad match but I’m not sure why I’m supposed to stay interested in Taylor and his Promotions when they lose so often. We’ve been seeing hype videos for Taylor and company for weeks now and here their leader just loses clean. I get the idea of having Shibata look good because he’s a bigger star, but there was little reason for him to go over Taylor completely clean here. Just pick someone else for Shibata to beat.

Post match the Promotions jumps Shibata and beats him down. Daniel Garcia and the Undisputed Kingdom make the save. The Kingdom showing up is a nice touch for the anniversary show.

Don Callis and Konosuke Takeshita pop up to challenge Katsuyori Shibata for Collision. I have no idea why this needed to be on Ring Of Honor.

Overall Rating: C. So that’s the big milestone show and I’m not sure what was supposed to be special about this. They did throw in a few cameos with the congratulations and the Undisputed Kingdom at the end was nice, but the wrestling itself was absolutely nothing special. It was a run of the mill show and while nothing was bad, it was another show you didn’t need to see. It also doesn’t help that the classic match, which was good, was longer than the three longest new matches combined. It’s just extending the show and easily could have been trimmed down to about five minutes. Not much to see here, as usual.

Results
Komander b. QT Marshall – Cielito Lindo
Leila Grey b. Marti Belle – Dragon sleeper
Outrunners b. Rosario Grillo/Jon Cruz – Total Recall to Grillo
The Beast Mortos b. Lord Crewe – Spinning piledriver
Taya Valkyrie b. Lady Frost – Shania Pain
Gates Of Agony b. Jay Lucas/Terry Yaki – Double spinebuster to Lucas
Katsuyori Shibata b. Shane Taylor – PK

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

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AND

Remember to check out Wrestlingrumors.net for all of your wrestling headline needs.

Royal Rumble 2002
Date: January 20, 2002
Location: Phillips Arena, Atlanta, Georgia
Attendance: 12,915
Commentators: Jim Ross, Jerry Lawler

This is a show that is rather fondly remembered by some but I don’t recall it being anything special. Maybe it holds up better over time, which has certainly been the case before. The big appeal is the return of HHH, who is back in the ring after about eight months away following the famous quadriceps injury. Let’s get to it.

We open with a look back at some classic Royal Rumble endings. This transitions into a look at HHH returning. In case you thought they were hiding the obvious winner, they aren’t trying in the slightest.

Tag Team Titles: Dudley Boyz vs. Spike Dudley/Tazz

The Dudleys, with Stacy Keibler, are challenging and they jump the champs to start. The reverse 3D drops Tazz on the floor, leaving Spike, in a neck brace, on his own. Another reverse 3D hits Spike inside and there’s another neckbreaker to put him down again. A suplex makes it even worse as Tazz is on the apron.

Spike slips out of another suplex and hits the Dudley Dog but D-Von cuts off a tag. One heck of a double flapjack (JR mentions the Midnight Express) sets up a middle Swan Dive from D-Von and the Dudleys clothesline each other by mistake. Tazz comes in o clean house with the suplexes but stops to Tazmission Stacy. Spike gets thrown over the top for a nasty crash to the floor, leaving Tazz to get the Tazmission on D-Von to retain at 5:07.

Rating: C. This is one of those instances where they were trying to do something different and I get the thinking, but Spike and Tazz as the best tag team around just didn’t work very well. They were certainly trying and there was a story here, but it this could have been on any given Raw and felt as unimportant. Points for trying, though it didn’t click.

We recap Edge defending the Intercontinental Title against William Regal, who has bee using the brass knuckles. Edge fought back with a chair to break his nose, so now it’s time to fight for good.

Edge has his chair and is ready to fight the Devil, who is going to get burned.

Intercontinental Title: Edge vs. William Regal

Edge is defending. We get the old weapons check on Regal…and the referee finds the brass knuckles. You don’t see that very often. I mean, it happens every time I watch this match but that’s probably just an odds thing. Edge starts fast and hammers away as Lawler thinks the referee planted the brass knuckles in Regal’s trunks. Regal comes back with a shot to the face to take over and adds some jumping knees to the face.

The cross arm choke has Edge in more trouble but he suplexes his way to…well not freedom as Regal holds on and hits a tiger bomb for two. They head to the apron where Edge grabs a DDT onto the apron for a rather delayed two, despite his legs being underneath the ropes. Back up and they collide for a double knockdown, followed by Edge grabbing a suplex for two more. Regal shows him how to do a much better suplex so Edge nails a hard clothesline.

A quick Regal Stretch has Edge in trouble, sending him over to the ropes. Naturally Edge grabs the same hold and of course Regal goes right back to the ropes for a break of his own. A top rope spinwheel kick (that always looks good) connects but Regal pulls out even more brass knuckles (How did the referee not notice those?). The spear takes out the referee by mistake and Regal knocks Edge cold for the title at 9:45.

Rating: C+. This was a bit better than the opener but it still felt like something that could have been on a regular television show. The stuff with the brass knuckles was a nice touch though, with Regal being the kind of person to have multiple weapons just in case. Edge would be on his way to some far bigger and better things going forward, not the least of which would be a nice shampoo commercial.

Post match Regal brags about being blessed with the Power Of The Punch. JR: “He’s a liar!”

Women’s Title: Jazz vs. Trish Stratus

Stratus, with a bad hand, is defending and Jacqueline is guest referee. Jazz starts fast and fires off a backdrop, setting up a splash (JR: “Right on the purple puppies!” Lawler: “Hey, that’s my line! Right on the purple puppies!”) for two. Another knockdown lets Jazz start in on the hand but it’s time to argue with Jacqueline. Some shoving ensues and Jacqueline counts a VERY slow two off a rollup. A quick Stratusfaction gives Stratus two but Jazz is back with a DDT for the same. Back up and Jazz charges into a boot in the corner, setting up a bulldog to give Stratus the retaining pin at 3:43.

Rating: C-. I’m not sure how much Jacqueline added here as she was little more than a familiar face who didn’t really do anything for the ending. Maybe it’s a way to give Stratus a chance, but it wasn’t exactly a good match and felt like it could have been on TV. In other words, it was the women’s division in 2002.

Ric Flair’s family is here for his street fight.

We recap Vince McMahon vs. Ric Flair. Back in November, Flair debuted as the new co-owner of the WWF, leading to a not so great business relationship. They hate each other so they’re having a street fight. Naturally Vince dressed up as Flair because that’s one of his favorite deals. Then he beat Flair up with a pipe a bunch of times. This is WAY longer of a recap than this match probably needs.

Ric Flair vs. Vince McMahon

Street fight. They circle each other to start and Vince shoves him down, meaning it’s time to pose. Flair goes for the grappling to take over but gets taken into the corner for some shots to various places. They go outside with McMahon bending a KEEP OFF sign over Flair’s head. Some trashcan shots have Flair busted open as this has been pretty much all Vince so far.

The beating continues with Vince grabbing a camera to take a picture of the bloody Flair but Flair’s daughter takes it away. Back inside and Vince starts in on the leg with some cranking before the required Figure Four. With that broken up, Vince grabs the lead pipe but Flair hits him low for the needed breather.

Flair knocks him outside and gets in a monitor shot to the head to bust Vince open. The beating takes Vince around the ring to Flair’s daughter, who takes pictures with the camera from earlier (nice touch). There’s another low blow and now Flair has the pipe. The big shot to the head sets up the Figure Four and Vince gives up at 14:58.

Rating: B. This was a match where they didn’t go anywhere away from the most basic route and that’s what it should have been. Vince attacked him to start and tried to humiliate him, only for Flair to fight back and do the exact same things to him. Flair then beat him with a wrestling hold because he’s the better man and the fans got behind him throughout. It’s a match that Flair can do in his sleep and it worked well here. Good stuff and by far the best part of the show so far.

Nick Patrick has no idea what he thought of the William Regal title win but Stephanie McMahon comes in. She dismisses Patrick and promises that HHH will destroy everyone. It’s a shame Steve Austin’s wife Debra won’t be there, but Austin pops up behind her for the WHAT treatment (when it was still new). With Stephanie gone, Austin does a lot of WHATing about winning the Royal Rumble.

We recap Chris Jericho defending the WWF Title against the Rock. They had been feuding before Jericho won the title and now they’re doing it again after he won. Rock has made it clear that he’s taking Jericho seriously because this isn’t a joke. Then he said “tick tock, tick tock” a bunch.

WWF Title: Chris Jericho vs. The Rock

Jericho is defending and talks trash to start, meaning the beating is on in a hurry. The Samoan drop gives Rock an early two so Jericho bails out to the floor. Back in and the flying forearm takes Rock down but he avoids a charge into the post. Jericho is fine enough to hit the spinwheel kick for two and of course he complains about the count. The arrogant cover gets two and the missile dropkick connects for the same.

We hit the chinlock for a good while before Jericho goes up, only to get caught by some right hands. A superplex brings Jericho back down and they both need a breather. Back up and Rock hammers away, with his belly to belly throw getting two. Jericho is right back with the bulldog into a pair of Lionsaults for two but dives into the Sharpshooter.

Cue Lance Storm for a distraction as Jericho is tapping, leaving Rock to have to fight off an invading Christian. Jericho’s Rock Bottom gets two as the other Canadians are ejected but a counterfeit People’s Elbow is broken up. They fight out to the floor and Rock hits a heck of a Rock Bottom through the announcers’ table for a huge crash. Back in and Jericho countering another Rock Bottom into the Walls, sending Rock over to the ropes.

The referee gets bumped and there’s a belt shot for two, with another referee running in for the count (If he saw the ref bump, how did he not see the belt shot ten seconds later?). Rock grabs a DDT but the new referee (Nick Patrick, who was screwy earlier in the Regal match) won’t count, earning himself a Rock Bottom. The spinebuster and Rock Bottom get…nothing as there’s no referee. Well Rock brought that on himself. Jericho hits him low and sends him into an exposed buckle for a rollup with feet on the ropes for the pin to retain at 18:49.

Rating: B+. Jericho was reaching a new level at this point and having long form pay per view matches with people on the Rock’s level was only going to help that. It had a lot of shenanigans at the end, but what matters is Jericho beat someone that important. Jericho was needing to make it last while it could though, as the major stars were on their way. Rock was in a weird place too, as he was so huge at this point that he needed something special and going after the title really didn’t feel that important. At least not here. Anyway, rather good match here as these two work together very well.

Don’t try this at home.

Shawn Michaels, in a very Texas shirt, is at WWF New York and loved the McMahon vs. Flair match. He’s got the Undertaker or Steve Austin in the Royal Rumble.

We recap the Royal Rumble, which is HHH’s to win by about a hundred miles, with Steve Austin, Undertaker and Kurt Angle as the other best options….but it’s going to be HHH. They really didn’t even bother trying to hide it, which sometimes can’t be avoided.

Royal Rumble

Two minute intervals with Rikishi in at #1 and the returning Goldust in at #2. The ring is mostly covered in gold confetti as Goldust hammers away, only to be knocked to the apron. This lets commentary explain the rules again, which is perfectly fine and a good way to get fans refreshed before things get crazy. Rikishi knocks him down into the corner and here is Big Boss Man in at #3 to get knocked into the corner as well. A running clothesline turns Rikishi inside out and the slow brawling ensues until Bradshaw is in at #4.

The Stinkface has Boss Man in trouble and that’s the first elimination. Bradshaw powerbombs Goldust and it’s Lance Storm in at #5. The lack of anything interesting continues as it’s just low level people hitting each other without much urgency. Al Snow is in at #6 to pick up the pace a bit (let that one sink in for a bit) and the Clothesline From Bradshaw knocks Storm silly (but not out).

Billy Gunn is in at #7 and is quickly booted in the face by Bradshaw. Snow and Storm fight to the apron with Storm being superkicked out, which is somehow the most exciting part of the match about ten minutes in. Goldust dumps Bradshaw and it’s the Undertaker in at #8 to likely clear out more than a few people. Undertaker cleans house and knocks out everyone else in the ring without much trouble, leaving him standing alone (the fans like it).

Matt Hardy is in at #9 and it goes about as well as you would expect, only for Lita (who Undertaker recently attacked) to dive in for a distraction. A low blow lets Matt get in a running neckbreaker but Undertaker slugs him away. Undertaker loads up a suplex but Jeff Hardy is in at #10 for the save and we get a Team Xtreme beatdown. With Lita on the floor, Undertaker fights back, only to get caught in the Twist Of Fate/Swanton. Poetry In Motion is a bad idea though as Jeff is thrown out, leaving Matt to take the Last Ride, setting up the easy elimination.

Undertaker is left alone and it’s Maven, from Tough Enough, in at #11 (unfortunately with his rather awesome song missing). Undertaker goes after Lita again though and the Hardys come in to jump him. The sore losers are thrown out again….and Maven eliminates Undertaker with a dropkick. This marks the all time high point of Maven’s career and is immediately followed by an absolute massacre, as Undertaker completely wrecks him, including a nasty chair shot to the head.

Maven is thrown back inside as Scotty 2 Hotty is in at #12 and is punched in the face on the way to the ring. The bloody Maven is thrown over the top for an elimination as the destruction continues. Undertaker knocks him through the crowd and into the concession area, where the bloody Maven (as Christian is in at #13) is sent through a popcorn machine. Christian lays over the top as Scotty finally gets in, which is a heck of a lot better than waiting around for someone else to enter.

Diamond Dallas Page is in at #14 and goes after Christian but gets superkicked to the floor (not out). That leaves Scotty to give Christian the Worm…and then get thrown out by Page. Chuck is in at #15 as we’re back to the lack of top level stars. Chuck and Page slug it out (and do better than you might expect) as the Godfather, now the owner of an escort service is back at #16.

This means bringing out twelve women for his entrance, including a lot of dancing (JR: “Well he did give me a coupon earlier today…” Lawler: “HE’S GOT COUPONS!”) as we just stop watching the match. Page is eliminated off camera as Godfather goes back for more dancing. Godfather finally gets in and is promptly beaten down as Albert (the Hip Hop Hippo) is in at #17.

The villains fight up and knock out Albert and then Godfather, as this is still managing to stay slow. Perry Saturn is in at #18 and it’s more of the same generic brawling. We’re desperately needing someone to come in and spice things up….and Steve Austin is in at #19. Yeah that works, with Austin clearing the ring with three straight eliminations.

That doesn’t leave him anything to do, so he throws Christian and Chuck back in for another Stunner and toss over the top each. That’s the kind of thing Austin would do and it made him feel like so much more of a star because he was doing something extra other than just sitting around waiting. Val Venis (also returning) is in at #20 and actually takes over for a bit, which isn’t likely to last long. Indeed it doesn’t as Austin fights up, only to be jumped by Test, who is in at #21.

Austin fights up and eliminates them like they’re Val Venis and Test against Steve Austin in the Royal Rumble. That leaves Austin alone…and HHH is in at #22 for the mega showdown. They stare each other down and eventually slug it out until Hurricane is in at #23, as a double clothesline gives us a double knockdown. Hurricane tries a double chokeslam, giving us a funny look between Austin and HHH before they throw him out.

Faarooq is in at #24 and gets in a few shots before being tossed out as well. HHH and Austin get to fight some more and it’s the returning (we have a theme) Mr. Perfect in at #25 to quite the reaction. Perfect wisely takes his time getting in before going after Austin and punching HHH down. Things slow again until Kurt Angle is in at #26, with the fans knowing they’re in for some bigger stuff now.

For some reason Austin saves HHH from Angle, earning himself an overhead belly to belly. Big Show is in at #27 but the double chokeslam is broken up. Show fights back and tries a gorilla press on Angle, with HHH making the save. JR tries to explain that HHH feels Show is a bigger threat than Angle and….eh I guess I can take that. Show cleans house and chokeslams HHH but it’s Kane in at #28.

We get the big power showdown and Kane dumps Show, only to walk into a Stunner, allowing Angle to throw Kane out as well. Rob Van Dam is in at #29 with a Five Star to Angle and kicks to various people. Rolling Thunder hits Austin but HHH is back with a Pedigree, leaving everyone down. Booker T. is in at #30, giving us a final grouping of Austin, HHH, Perfect, Van Dam, Angle and Booker, who tosses Van Dam with no trouble.

The Spinarooni ensues…and so does a Stunner to get rid of Booker in about thirty seconds. Angle Angle Slams HHH and then rolls the German suplexes, only for Austin to get in a low blow. Austin is sent out to the apron but fights back…and is tossed by Angle and Perfect in something of a surprise exit.

We’re down to three and the beating continues on the floor. That doesn’t work for Austin, who comes back in with chair shots for everyone before leaving himself. Perfect is up with the PerfectPlex and Hennig necksnap to Angle, only for HHH to throw Perfect out. HHH takes Angle down and hammers away before getting in some choking. A backdrop sends HHH to the apron but he’s right back in with a facebuster and clothesline for the win at 1:09:25.

Rating: C+. I couldn’t get into this one for the most part, as there were just so many parts of low level names doing the bare minimum. It had some good parts, like the Undertaker vs. the Hardys, Maven’s destruction, HHH vs. Austin and most of Austin’s shenanigans, but those were feeling really far apart at times. It’s certainly not the worst Rumble, but HHH was the clear winner throughout and that made for a long stretch until we got to the ending.

Overall Rating: B-. This is a show that needed one more good match as the first three were just passable at best. The Flair vs. McMahon and Jericho vs. Rock matches were both worth a look and the Rumble was ok enough, but there just wasn’t much that stood out. The Rumble needed another viable winner, and with Undertaker out early and Austin just past his prime, it wasn’t there. Not a bad show at all, but there are far better options.

Ratings Comparison

Spike Dudley/Tazz vs. Billy and Chuck

Original: C-
2013 Redo: D+
2025 Redo: C

William Regal vs. Edge

Original: C-
2013 Redo: D+
2025 Redo: C+

Trish Stratus vs. Jazz

Original: D+
2013 Redo: D
2025 Redo: C-

Ric Flair vs. Vince McMahon

Original: D+
2013 Redo: C+
2025 Redo: B

Chris Jericho vs. The Rock

Original: B+
2013 Redo: B
2025 Redo: B+

Royal Rumble

Original: C-
2013 Redo: C+
2025 Redo: C+

Overall Rating

Original: B-
2013 Redo: B-
2025 Redo: B-

So most of the matches were lower but the overall rating was the same every time. In case you need any more proof that I used to be really bad at my job, here you go. The first three matches aren’t very good but they’re not as bad as I had said before.

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

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AND

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Ring Of Honor
Date: January 9, 2025
Location: Bojangles Coliseum, Charlotte, North Carolina
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman

We continue the slow crawl towards Supercard Of Honor in a few months and as you might have expected, pretty much nothing happened at Wrestle Dynasty. Ring Of Honor was relegated to the pre-show where the Sons Of Texas retained the Tag Team Titles, likely on their way to what is supposed to be a special title defense at All In: Texas. Let’s get to it.

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

We run down the lineup.

Trish Adora vs. Harley Cameron

Adora rolls her down to start but Cameron does the same thing to her to keep it even. Back up and a flying headscissors takes Cameron down, followed by a northern lights suplex to make it worse. Adora’s snap German suplex sends Cameron into the corner and a Boss Man Slam backbreaker has her down again. The chinlock doesn’t last long as Adora switches to a double arm crank. Cameron fights up and starts striking away, setting up a Shining Wizard for two. Back up and the Lariat Tubman gives Adora the clean pin at 6:23.

Rating: C-. OH COME ON! Harley Cameron is the most charismatic woman in AEW right now and she’s losing clean to Trish Adora, who has done a grand total of nothing in months. Cameron is set to face the AEW Women’s Champion in two days and yet here we are, because Adora needs a win or something. I’m sure she’ll benefit from this win, which will ABSOLUTELY have title implications. Maybe Adora can get one of the better seats in catering when someone else comes in from Japan to get the next title shot after doing nothing in ROH. This place is baffling and this is a perfect example of why.

Blake Christian vs. Serpentico

Christian jumps him before the bell but gets caught with an early dropkick for two. They head outside with Serpentico being sent into the barricade, allowing Christian to stomp him onto said barricade. Christian stomps his head onto the steps before they trade kicks to the face back inside. A neckbreaker gets two on Christian but he’s right back with some running knees to the head for the pin at 7:36.

Rating: C. This was as lower midcard as you can get around here as ROH is now deciding to push Christian as something. Then again, winning matches around here isn’t the way to get title opportunities and that is what Christian is doing so far. Other than that, perfectly fine match here which isn’t likely to mean much going forward.

Griff Garrison vs. Boulder

Boulder powers him around to start but misses a charge in the corner, allowing Garrison to hit a running clothesline. The straps come down as Boulder gets fired up and there’s the running splash in the corner. More splashes have Garrison in trouble and a side slam gives Boulder two. A tilt-a-whirl powerslam plants Garrison again and the basement crossbody (Boulderdash) finishes him at 5:00.

Rating: D+. Nothing to see here as the Iron Savages are now good guys and winning matches. The match was the same short form stuff that we’ve seen around here before and little more than a squash. The show could use a good match to pick up the steam and this wasn’t what it needed.

We’re thirty minutes into an eighty five minute show and the biggest star we’ve seen so far is comedy jobber Harley Cameron. In the words of Lenny Haise, this is an opportune time to pick it up a little.

Billie Starkz vs. Brittany Jade

Starkz rolls her up for two before stomping away. Jade fights up and hits a clothesline in the corner but gets dropped face first onto the turnbuckle. Starkz drops a Swanton for the pin at 3:07.

Rating: C-. Another nothing match with Starkz squashing her without much effort. Other than Jade being Caprice Coleman’s student to tie it into the commentary a bit, this was another match which came and went to fill in time. When you’re over a third of the way through a show, you should have had something more than that by now.

Rachael Ellering vs. Queen Aminata

Aminata takes her down by the arm for some hip swiveling, earning herself a gutwrench suplex. The shout of a splash sends Aminata bailing to the floor, with commentary wondering how smart the shout was. Back in and Ellering takes her down again, setting up the backsplash (with shout) for two. Aminata tries a leglock but gets rolled up for two instead. That doesn’t matter much though as Aminata hits the headbutt for the win at 4:44.

Rating: C. Again, it’s not that these matches are bad, but they’re between people who have nothing going on and they aren’t exactly making things interesting. Neither of the have been anywhere near a title match in months but here they are, getting time on a random show. It feels like a match thrown out there to fill in time and that’s not a great thing to see.

From July 25, 2018 (and from a previous review).

Women of Honor Title: Sumie Sakai vs. Hazuki

Hazuki is challenging and has her Oedo Tai stable mates with her. Sakai starts with the Mongolian chops and gets tossed into the corner with no effort. The announcers make a big deal out of Hazuki being just 20 years old, which is quite the point worth bragging about. A facewash sends Sakai outside and Hazuki hits a middle rope backsplash to a standing champion as we take a break.

Back with Sakai getting rolled up for two but slugging Hazuki in the face to take over. A full nelson slam and another backsplash (this time with Sakai down) give Hazuki two. Sakai is right back with a running dropkick and a missile dropkick to send Hazuki to the floor. That means a big dive onto all three but Hazuki catches her with a Codebreaker off the top for a very close two. The rest of the team fails at interfering and it’s Smash Mouth to retain at 9:55.

Rating: C+. It’s not a good sign when you need to bring in this many people to even have a division, or when a 20 year old showed up your first champion this badly. Sakai has no spark to anything she does and I still have no connection to her, even after the whole tournament. Hazuki came off like a star with a better offense and charisma, but we’re still getting Sakai no matter what logic may dictate.

MxM Collection vs. Dawsons

Mason and Zane fight over a lock up to start with Mason powering him into the corner. Everything breaks down and the Dawsons are cleaned out, meaning it’s time to pose. Mansoor gets in trouble for all of three seconds, meaning it’s a double clothesline to set up the tag off to Mason. The Centerfold finishes Dave at 4:05.

Rating: C. Another squash here but at least they didn’t give it much time. The Collection is another team that came in hot but isn’t doing anything at the moment, while we count down the days to All In: Texas so the Sons Of Texas can have some kind of moment. It would be fun to see the Collection or the Outrunners getting a nice moment with a short title reign, but here we are instead.

Red Velvet vs. Jazmyne Hao

Non-title Proving Ground match, meaning if Hao wins or survives the ten minute time limit, she gets a future title shot. They start somewhat slowly before Velvet stomps away in the corner to take over. Some forearms and running knees to the back have Hao down and a left hand (or right according to Riccaboni) finishes for Velvet at 2:51.

QT Marshall is ready for his TV Title shot next week.

Shane Taylor Promotions vs. Gates Of Agony

Kaun and Moriarty start things off with Kaun taking him down, setting up an exchange of leapfrogs. Taylor comes in for the power showdown with Kaun and takes him into the corner. Moriarty works on the arm before Taylor hits a hard knee to the face for two. A splash gets the same but Kaun fights up with a double crossbody for a double knockdown.

Toa and Taylor come in for the big showdown, including an exchange of headbutts. Toa gets the better of things but Moriarty comes in off a blind tag. That earns him Open The Gates for two but Trish Adora offers a distraction. Cue the Infantry to jump Kaun, allowing Moriarty to roll him up for the pin at 8:57.

Rating: C. Again, fine, but spare me the idea of Shane Taylor Promotions getting back into the title picture or whatever the line commentary is going to feed us will be. Another watchable enough match with some nice power stuff, but the people involved have been running on a treadmill for so long that it’s hard to get interested. Same as always around here.

Here is Chris Jericho, with Bryan Keith, for a chat as we have about five minutes left in the show. Jericho complains about the lack of people cheering for him in the last few matches because the people were chanting for the Rock N Roll Express. Cue the Rock N Roll Express, with Jericho saying he hates rock and roll. Ricky Morton made fun of him in 1994 and Jericho has hated him ever since. The Express quickly clears the ring and Morton says they’re glad to be back in Charlotte to end the show. Morton didn’t even talk for ten seconds.

Overall Rating: F+. Nope. Before I get into this, let me make it clear: the wrestlers aren’t at fault here. They were trying and putting in some effort and the matches were hardly awful. This show’s problems aren’t on them and I don’t want it to seem like this is some dumpster fire of bad wrestling.

The problem here is this show committed the ultimate sin in wrestling: it felt like a waste of time. This show featured absolutely nothing important, with a bunch of lower card stars having matches or a bunch of squashes. I did not care about what I was watching because it didn’t feel like Ring Of Honor cared about what they were presenting. This is one of the most useless wrestling shows that I have seen in a LONG time and shows you just how nothing ROH is right now. I’m sure someone will blame this on people being in Japan for Wrestle Dynasty, but three people being gone didn’t make this show feel so unimportant.

Results
Trish Adora b. Harley Cameron – Lariat Tubman
Blake Christian b. Serpentico – Running knees to the head
Boulder b. Griff Garrison – Boulderdash
Billie Starkz b. Brittany Jade – Swanton
Queen Aminata b. Rachael Ellering – Headbutt
MxM Collection b. The Dawsons – Centerfold to Dave
Red Velvet b. Jazmyne Hao – Left hand
Shane Taylor Promotions b. Gates Of Agony – Rollup to Kaun

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

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Collision
Date: January 11, 2025
Location: Akins Ford Arena, Athens, Georgia
Commentators Nigel McGuinness, Tony Schiavone

We’re on the way to Grand Slam in Australia but first we need to get through next week’s Maximum Carnage. That show is going to feature Powerhouse Hobbs getting a World Title shot against Jon Moxley, albeit in Moxley’s hometown, but it’s going to need more than that. Odds are we’ll see some of it added this week so let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Harley Cameron, Mariah May, the Learning Tree and Rated FTR are ready to fight.

Opening sequence.

Cope vs. Big Bill

Chris Jericho is on commentary. Bill wins a power lockup to start and Cope is quickly sent outside. The brawling goes a bit better for Cope, who sends him into various things on the floor. A Jericho distraction lets Bill drop Cope onto the announcers’ table and then sends him into various things to take over. A drop onto the barricade has Cope in more trouble and we take a break, with most of the match having been on the floor.

Back with Cope managing a clothesline to the back of the head but charging into a swinging Boss Man Slam. Cope goes up top (above an exposed turnbuckle) and Bill is sent face first. A powerbomb out of the corner plants Bill for two as the fans are getting into this. Bill’s boot to the face gets two but Cope is back with an implant DDT for a rather near fall. Back up and Bill tries a chokeslam so Cope kicks him low, setting up the Jon Moxley hammer and anvil elbows. A rear naked choke finishes Bill at 13:33.

Rating: B. This started to click a lot better at the end and that is always nice to see. Cope and Bill aren’t the kind of people you would expect to have this kind of chemistry but they made it work well. That being said, I could go for Cope not feuding with two champions at once, though that certainly seems to be the direction they’re taking.

Post match the Learning Tree runs in for the beatdown but FTR makes the save.

Video on Kenny Omega’s return on Dynamite.

Hangman Page talks about the work that he has put in to protect his family and it was all undone in one night. He could either remain the husk of a man that he was or become something else. That’s why he kept Swerve Strickland from winning the World Title, which is why he gave him such a beating in September. Then he heard what Christopher Daniels said but then Daniels crossed a line with him. They’ll fight next week in a Texas Deathmatch. He knows who he will be against Daniels, who has made his own bed. Good promo, but it’s setting up a Texas Deathmatch between Page and Daniels.

Pac vs. Komander

Non-title. They pick up the pace to start with Komander sending him outside for a slow motion flip into a headscissors. The big rope walk flip dive connects and a high crossbody gives Komander two back inside. Pac isn’t having that and sends him outside, with Komander crashing into the barricade.

Back in and Pac goes simple by kicking him in the face for two but makes the mistake of going after Alex Abrahantes. Komander is right there with the dive and a DDT gets two. Some superkicks into a super Canadian Destroyer connects, only for Pac to pull him into the Brutalizer for the win at 8:01.

Rating: B-. Nice stuff here with Pac oddly being a bit more of the violent star rather than going to the air as he is capable of doing. At the same time, Komander was flying all over the place as…well not only he can but as he can do. Finally, such if life for a Ring Of Honor champion, and there is pretty much a zero percent chance that Pac will go after the belt, as Ring Of Honor continues to look useless.

Post match the Death Riders come out for the beatdown but the Outrunners run in and it’s match time.

Death Riders vs. Outrunners

It’s a brawl to start until Yuta gets taken into the wrong corner as things settle down a bit. That doesn’t last long as Castagnoli takes over on Magnum with the uppercuts against the ropes. Magnum fights up with a Thesz press of all things, allowing the Outrunners to clear the ring.

We take a break and come back with Magnum getting kicked in the head but managing a backdrop to send Castagnoli outside. Floyd comes in for a series of slams to take over and the Mega Powers elbow hits Yuta. Everything breaks down and Yuta dropkicks Floyd and a spinning suplex gives him two. Castagnoli superplexes Floyd down and the Fastball Special is enough for the pin at 11:42.

Rating: C+. Ah there it is, as the Death Riders get to take out another popular team. It makes sense on paper as the Death Riders are way above the Outrunners, but it might be nice to have the popular guys win something over these guys at some point. Or for the Death Riders to defend the Trios Titles, as it’s been over two months now.

Video on Maximum Carnage.

Powerhouse Hobbs has been listening to the Death Riders and wants the World Title.

Harley Cameron vs. Mariah May

Non-title. Cameron starts fast with some rollups for two each and May needs an early breather. May’s chops in the corner just annoy Cameron, who fires off some knees to the ribs and an enziguri for two. Back up and May hits a running dropkick for two and we take an early break. We come back with May putting her on top for a double chop but Cameron fights back again. A few knockdowns set up a belly to back suplex for two on May, who knees her in the face. Storm Zero finishes for May at 9:19.

Rating: C. This was fun stuff with the two of them getting to be a bit goofy, though Cameron was putting in the work as well. There was never going to be any drama about the result here as May is not likely to lose to a comedy star like Cameron, but it was nice to see the two of them having a fun match. It worked well, and I could go for the two of them doing some more stuff later on.

Christopher Daniels is ready for Hangman Page next week.

Brody King vs. Trevor Blackwell

Julia Hart is here with King, who hits a running clothesline, a Cannonball, and the Ganso Bomb for the win at 1:31.

Post break Brody King talks about how this is a strange time for the House Of Black but Cope comes in. Cope says it’s time for King to take the reigns, which has King thinking.

TNT Title: Daniel Garcia vs. Katsuyori Shibata

Garcia is defending. Feeling out process to start with Shibata taking him up against the ropes for an early clean break. They trade chops with Shibata getting the better of things in the corner and grabbing a suplex for two. Shibata ties up the legs and we take an early break. Back with Garcia hammering away in the corner and rolling a neckbreaker for two.

They trade running boots to the face and belly to back suplexes until a double takedown gives us a double breather. Then they both sit up and trade chops and ankle locks, which are both broken up. Shibata stays on the leg and puts on the Figure Four, sending Garcia over to the ropes. Then Garcia grabs a quick jackknife rollup for he pin at 11:27.

Rating: C+. Garcia has done that quick rollup pin thing a few times now and it’s only working so well. At the same time, this was quite the “I do this and you do the same thing and then you do something and I’ll do it after”, making it feel as scripted as possible. I get the idea of Garcia being able to hang with Shibata but….yeah it still looks weird to have them doing the same moves over and over.

Video on the Women’s Casino Gauntlet match.

Chris Jericho vs. Dax Harwood

Non-title and everyone is barred from ringside, which is just something that can be enforced at any given time. They fight over a lockup to start and go to the floor before trading chops back inside. Harwood wraps the leg around the post but gets pulled face first into said post but Harwood wins a brawl in the crowd. Back in and Jericho snaps off a super hurricanrana and we take a break.

We come back with Harwood rolling through a high crossbody for two but Jericho counters a German suplex. The Walls of Jericho are broken up as well so Jericho settles for the Lionsault for two more. Jericho takes too long going up and gets top rope superplexed back down for the crash. They forearm it out from their knees and it’s a double knockdown, with Jericho rolling outside.

Jericho kicks him into the steps and almost wins by countout, only for Harwood to come back in for a Sharpshooter. A belt shot misses for Jericho but he punches the referee in the eye and….I think he’s supposed to put the belt up to cut off a dive but instead just kind of hits a diving Harwood. Then a belt shot gives Jericho two, followed by the Judas Effect for the pin at 15:23.

Rating: C. Not only was it long, as in rather long, but the last thirty seconds felt like it ha about four finishing sequences put together. I have no idea why the belt shot couldn’t have just wrapped it up but I guess they had more time to fill. Harwood can wrestle a fine enough match with anyone, though this was far longer than it needed to be and it hurt things a lot.

Post match the Death Riders run in for the beatdown, with Cope, Cash Wheeler and the Outrunners running in for the save. Naturally Jon Moxley gets to drop Cope with the Paradigm Shift but Powerhouse Hobbs makes the real save and no sells Moxley’s chair shot. Moxley runs off and Yuta is put through the announcers’ table to end the show.

Overall Rating: C+. This show didn’t feel like it had as much filler as last week, but dang did it have a lot of the Death Riders. I don’t know what we’re waiting on, but there is a good chance that Cope is going to be the next challenger for Moxley, and that doesn’t feel like the big ending to the story. Overall, not a bad show at all, but Dynamite next week is feeling like the big show where things actually happen.

Results
Cope b. Big Bill – Rear naked choke
Pac b. Komander – Brutalizer
Death Riders b. Outrunners – Fastball Special to Floyd
Mariah May b. Harley Cameron – Storm Zero
Brody King b. Trevor Blackwell – Ganso Bomb
Daniel Garcia b. Katsuyori Shibata – Jackknife rollup
Chris Jericho b. Dax Harwood – Judas Effect

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Ring Of Honor
Date: December 26, 2024
Location: Hammerstein Ballroom, New York City, New York
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman

We’re done with Final Battle and the big story in the main event is Athena is somehow still Women’s Champion, having beaten Billie Starkz for the second year in a row. That means Athena is going to need a fresh challenger, but it could be a long time before we see that person come around. Let’s get to it.

Here is Final Battle if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

We run down the card.

AR Fox vs. Blake Christian

They don’t seem to be happy with each other to start and Fox hits a quick Stunner to send him outside. Naturally that means a dive but Christian is right back with a kick to the face and a missile dropkick for a knockdown. Fox is sent outside for a suicide dive but he comes back with a bouncing enziguri. A skinning of the cat into a dropkick hits Christian in the corner but he’s fine enough to send Fox outside.

Christian’s showboating takes too long though and Fox dives back in to hit a suicide dive (that was slick). Back in and Fox hits a Swanton for two before Christian’s Spanish Fly gets the same. Christian goes outside and grabs a chair, allowing Fox to take him out with a dive. The 450 gives Fox two so he grabs the chair, which is quickly taken away. A low blow into a running stomp finishes Fox at 9:14.

Rating: B-. The usual fun match between these two but at the same time, Christian doesn’t exactly show much that makes him stand out. He can do the moves and the dives, but there is no reason to care about him. Fox shows more personality and it’s easier to get behind him, even if this was just a match about cranking up the speed and doing a bunch of big spots. That’s a fine way to open a show, but it’s only glorified junk food wrestling.

Serpentico vs. Lee Johnson

EJ Nduka is here with Johnson. Serpentico grabs some headlocks to start and a rollup out of the corner gets two. A nice dropkick puts Serpentico down but he grabs a rollup for a fast two. Johnson isn’t having that and knocks him down, setting up a quick chinlock. Serpentico fights up but walks into a Death Valley Driver for another near fall. A shot to the face staggers Johnson and the referee checks on him, allowing Nduka to get in a chokeslam. A fisherman’s buster onto the knee finishes for Johnson at 5:35.

Rating: C. Johnson wins over a low level opponent and cheats to do so, which isn’t the most thrilling show. It still isn’t a good sign that Nduka barely ever wrestles, as you would think he should be able to be out there squashing someone. Johnson cheating to win is a fine followup to the team’s turn at Final Battle, but I’m only going to get so interested in something involving Serpentico.

Shane Taylor Promotions is coming for the gold.

Katsuyori Shibata/Tommy Billington vs. Premiere Athletes

Billington gets taken into the corner by Daivari to start but pops up to slam Nese. A top rope dropkick into a nipup brings Shibata in to start working on Nese’s arm. Back up and Nese knocks Billington to the floor before Billington dropkicks him out of the air back inside. Everything breaks down and Billington makes Daivari tap to a crossface but Mark Sterling has the referee. Daivari is up with a DDT into Nese’s 450 but Shibata comes in to clean house. Sterling is kicked off the apron, setting up Billington’s Swan Dive into Shibata’s PK to finish Daivari at 6:44.

Rating: C+. Words cannot describe how much interest I lose when the Athletes come out. They feel like they’re on every show, they never win anything and they do the exact same thing every time. Shibata and Billington were just facing each other in a random match at Final Battle and now they have to get their random tag team win over the jobbers of the show. It’s just a way to add more time to the show when it isn’t likely to lead to anything important, which is Ring Of Honor in a nutshell.

Toni Storm vs. Rebecca Scott

Scott tries a choke to start but Storm wins a battle of shoulders. The running hip attack misses for Storm but she’s right back with a spinning Irish Curse. Now the hip attack sets up the Storm Zero to finish Scott at 2:59. I’m enjoying the classic version of Storm while I can, as it feels like a matter of time before she is Timeless again to keep up the feud with Mariah May.

From Night Of The Grudges II on August 20, 2005.

Nigel McGuinness vs. Colt Cabana

This is a Soccer Riot match, which seems to be a street fight, with Cabana doing various things and then declaring them legal. They go into the crowd, where Cabana covers him with a bunch of chairs and the fans shout about how it’s legal. The fight up to the top of the building and Cabana kicks him down he steps for a big crash.

A clothesline sends McGuinness over the hockey boars and Cabana hammers him down against said boards. Some fans hold up chairs so Cabana can ram McGuinness into them over and over. McGuinness FINALLY gets in a shot of his own to take over and kicks away at the barricade. Back in and McGuinness hammers away but Cabana comes back with Shattered Dreams.

Cabana’s dive to the floor misses and they fight to the apron. That doesn’t last long as Cabana sends him back inside for a missile dropkick, only to get caught with a DDT for a breather. McGuinness sens him through a table at ringside for two on the floor but Cabana is back with an iron to the face for two. Back up and McGuinness tries the Rebound Lariat but Cabana hits his own lariat for the pin at 17:31.

Rating: B-. This was more or less a hardcore match and not really anything overly great. It wasn’t a bad match, but as usual there is no context or build to the match. Instead, we get a nearly twenty minute match which didn’t have anything to do with the rest of the show. I’m not sure what the point is in these things other than making people want to crack open the vault, though maybe that could be done in a four minute shortened version.

QT Marshall/Aaron Solo vs. Rocky Romero/???

Romero has a mystery partner in the form of…former Ring Of Honor World Champion Homicide. Before the match, Marshall points out how bad it is that the fans are changing words like HOMICIDE! Speaking of Homicide, he wrestles Marshall down to the mat to start and works on a front facelock. Back up and Homicide bites the ear so Romero comes in with a running hurricanrana. Solo sneaks in with a cheap shot though and an enziguri puts Romero down. The standing Sliced Bread gets Romero out of trouble and Homicide comes in to beat up Solo. Everything breaks down and Romero hits a suicide dive to send Marshall over the barricade. Homicide lariats Solo for the pin at 7:31.

Rating: C+. This felt like a nice surprise for the New York fans as Homicide is one of those people synonymous with the New York area. Bringing back someone like that is something you do not see very often and it made for a fun moment here. I can’t imagine Homicide is going to be a full time star around here again but for a one off, it was nice to have him back.

We look at Danhausen returning at Final Battle to help Atlantis Jr. to defeat Mansoor.

The MxM Collection swears vengeance on nepo baby Atlantis Jr. (son of lucha legend Atlantis and singer songwriter Atlantis Morrissette) and Danhausen.

MxM Collection vs. Kylon King/Dustin Waller

Mansoor isn’t happy to start and chops Waller into the corner. Some running corner clotheslines set up Madden’s hip attack but Mansoor gets taken own. King is dropped onto Mansoor for two but he goes up and over, allowing the tag to Madden. Everything breaks down and the Centerfold finishes King at 4:41.

Rating: C. This was just a squash after one half of the team lost at Final Battle, which isn’t exactly a necessary addition to this show. The Collection is about as over as they’re going to get and unless they randomly win the Tag Team Titles, I don’t see them getting much higher up the card. Therefore, it’s not likely to happen as they certainly aren’t as interesting as two guys who have little chemistry together but happen to be from Texas.

Chris Jericho accepts Anthony Bowens’ challenge for Rampage.

We look at the two Final Battle main events.

At the Final Battle media scrum, Athena promised to fire a minion this week.

Lexi Nair introduces Billie Starkz and Athena for the official expulsion. Athena points out the issues with Starkz but does not want the fans to boo her. She is wondering how to fix Starkz but for now, it is time to praise Lexi Nair. Then Athena fires Nair for a bad Final Battle entrance, not having the Penguin costume to her Two Face, and not handing her the microphone properly. Starkz isn’t sure what is going on but hugs Athena and leaves with her. So…..did they just set up the ring announcer to dethrone Athena? Because it looked like they just set up the ring announcer to dethrone Athena.

We look at Komander winning the TV Title and the ensuing celebration.

TV Title: Komander vs. Johnny TV

TV, with the MxM Collection, is challenging. Komander dodges a bunch to start and sends him into the corner for a running forearm. The Samoan drop into a standing moonsault gives TV two and we hit the chinlock. That’s switched into a dragon sleeper before TV kicks him out to the floor. A running flip dive through the ropes takes Komander out, only for him to avoid a slingshot elbow back inside.

Some kicks to the face set up a springboard hurricanrana for two on TV and a Canadian Destroyer gets the same. Some flipping neckbreakers give TV two more but Komander is back with a poisonrana driver. The Collection breaks up Cielito Lindo so Komander dives onto them instead. Back in and TV misses Starship Pain, setting up Cielito Lindo to retain the title at 9:29.

Rating: C+. Well, that certainly was a Komander match. He did the same stuff he always does, he didn’t do much of anything new, and it’s nothing that other stars can’t do better. The one thing he did do here though was win clean after overcoming some odds and that is a good sign for him. Komander is a perfectly acceptable high flier and having him win here was a nice start to his time as champion around these parts.

Overall Rating: C+. And with Final Battle out of the way, we are right back to where we were before with this show: a bunch of matches that feel like they are there to fill in time and very little that feels like it will matter long term. Most of the champions weren’t in the building and that didn’t make things more interesting. Throw in about twenty minutes being used for a match from 2005 and this wasn’t exactly an enthralling show. It’s a long way to Supercard Of Honor and this was hardly the most interesting first step.

Results
Blake Christian b. AR Fox – Stomp
Lee Johnson b. Serpentico – Fisherman’s buster onto the knee
Katsuyori Shibata/Tommy Billington b. Premiere Athletes – PK to Daivari
Toni Storm b. Rebecca Scott – Storm Zero
Homicide/Rocky Romero b. QT Marshall/Aaron Solo – Lariat to Solo
MxM Collection b. Kylon King/Dustin Waller – Centerfold to King
Komander b. Johnny TV – Cielito Lindo

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

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

AND

Remember to check out Wrestlingrumors.net for all of your wrestling headline needs.