Smackdown
Date: September 16, 1999
Location: Thomas And Mack Center, Las Vegas, Nevada
Attendance: 8,219
Commentators: Michael Cole, Jerry Lawler

We’re getting closer to Unforgiven and in this case everything is crashing down around HHH. While he survived a title match with Steve Austin on Raw, Vince McMahon is back after HHH went after Linda McMahon. That can’t end well, but we still don’t have a #1 contender to the pay per view in ten days. Let’s get to it.

Here is Raw if you need a recap.

We open with the referees on strike over unsafe working conditions. Why do wrestling promotions think stories about referees are interesting?

Opening sequence.

Here is Steve Austin to get things going. Just because he got disqualified against HHH on Raw doesn’t mean that they’re done with each other by a long shot. When HHH beat him in the knee with a chair, he should have done that much more, because HHH didn’t get the job done. Austin wants a rematch right here tonight and we should make it No Holds Barred.

Or if HHH wants to do this the hard way, Austin can just beat him so badly that he’s going to the hospital. Cue HHH and Chyna, with a bunch of cops backing them up. HHH says that’s not happening because Austin has to go to the back of the line. The title will be defended tonight though, against a main eventer of HHH’s choice. Austin promises to follow HHH all night and it’s going to involve his foot going….well you get the idea.

HHH will officially defend the title in a Six Pack Challenge at Unforgiven after the five way match went to a no contest. That’s a heck of a way to jump from nothing to something.

Here is Shane McMahon, who calls out Joey Abs because of what Joey said about Stephanie McMahon on Raw. Cue the Mean Street Posse, with Terri, so Shane dives onto Joey to start fast.

Shane McMahon vs. Joey Abs

There’s no referee because of the strike, making me wonder why the bell ring if there was no one to call it. The rest of the Posse jumps Shane before going outside as Stephanie and Test are watching in the back. Here is Gerald Brisco to count two off Shane’s rollup and another two off Joey’s suplex.

Shane’s jumping back elbow gets two but Briscoe gets in a fight with Pete Gas on the floor. Rodney comes in to beat on Shane, who fights the off as Pat Patterson, in shorts, comes out to count two on Joey, with Rodney breaking that up as well. Shane hits a corkscrew Swanton (close to a Spinal Tap) for the pin with Shawn Stasiak of all people coming in as the third referee.

Rating: C-. A match between Shane McMahon and a member of the Mean Street Posse, which didn’t even last four minutes, had three referees, two people interfering, and two fights involving some of those referees, who were replacements because the referees are on strike. That’s about as 1999 as you can get and it’s rather exhausting to keep track of all this stuff. That being said, the place was going nuts for Shane, which is one of the reasons he was around so often.

Post match Stephanie comes out and drops Joey again.

Here is Women’s Champion Ivory, who is SO EXCITED that actress/model Cindy Margolis is here. She invites Cindy into the ring and gushes over Cindy’s beauty and star power. Ivory asks Cindy to do one of the poses she gets downloaded on her website but Cindy declines. That doesn’t work for Ivory, who threatens violence if it doesn’t happen. Cindy eventually does it…and here is Jeff Jarrett to put Cindy in the Figure Four, with Cindy kind of begging him not to and then grabbing her knee. Jarrett Figure Fours Ivory for a bonus.

HHH, in trunks but without elbow pads for a weird look, says he won’t be defending against Steve Austin.

European Title: Mark Henry vs. Steve Blackman

Henry is defending after skipping a tag match with Blackman on Raw. Tony Garea is referee as Blackman kicks Henry down without much trouble. Cue Val Venis with a kendo stick to Blackman though, allowing Henry to get the easy pin.

Post match D’Lo Brown comes in and Sky Highs Henry (that wasn’t bad).

Jeff Jarrett yells at Cindy Margolis as she is put in an ambulance. Test comes in for the brawl.

Post break Jarrett challenges Test to a match tonight.

Here is Chris Jericho, with Curtis Hughes, for a chat. Jericho declares himself one bad mamma jamma and says Ken Shamrock has finally admitted defeat. Shamrock has begged him to make sure that they never meet face to face again and then licked the dust off Jericho’s boots in gratitude. He’s also begged Hughes to not rip him limb from limb, but Jericho is allowing Hughes to take his place against Shamrock tonight. That’s not all though, because Jericho has a special guest referee for this match: the masked Mexican legend, El Dopo!

Curtis Hughes vs. Ken Shamrock

Chris Jericho is on commentary as Shamrock takes Hughes down and strikes away. Hughes takes him to the floor for a drop onto the barricade as Cole dares to ask Jericho why he won’t face Shamrock. With that nonsense out of the way, Shamrock fights up and sends Hughes into various steel objects. Jericho offers a distraction though and Hughes cuts Shamrock off so the double teaming can be on. Back in and Hughes drops an elbow for two but Shamrock kneebars him. Hughes grabs the rope so Dopo immediately calls for the DQ.

Post match Shamrock is livid and unmasks Dopo as Howard Finkel, which was fairly obvious as soon as he came into the arena.

Mankind is expecting total mayhem in the five man Royal Rumble, but he and Rock will be working as a team. They’re like an automobile, with Rock being a fine engine and Mankind being the one who holds the bags. Yes he’s the rear end, but he’s the People’s Rear End. And he doesn’t like HHH either!

Remember how the referees were on strike earlier today? They’re still on strike.

Royal Rumble

Five entrants, because we need 1/6 size Royal Rumble with one minute intervals. Rock is in at #1 and talks about how Big Show, Kane or Undertaker need to go play the People’s Slow Machine to land three Brahma Bulls. You’d see Undertaker, with his Mickey Mouse tattoos and his 33lb head jumping around like a girl, Kane doing cartwheels and using his voicebox to say “I won, I won, let’s party”, and Big Show just scaring people in general.

Then the Rock himself would arrive, watch the tears stream down their cheeks, and gather up all the gold coins that they won and…well you know the bit. Anyway, after that whole thing, which I remember reciting with my friends when I was 11 because it was the funniest thing I had ever heard at the time, Big Show is in at #2 and we’re ready to go.

Rock strikes away to start but gets sent face first into the buckle to cut him off. Mankind ins in at #3 and the double teaming has Show in trouble. After what felt like a rather quick minute, Kane is in at #4 so Rock hammers away on him as Show chokes Mankind in the corner. Undertaker, in street clothes, is in at #5 to complete the field but he sits in on commentary rather than getting inside. The other four brawl, with Mankind clotheslining Kane out, only to get thrown out by Rock. Show hits a chokeslam on Rock but can’t throw him out, which is enough for Undertaker to get in the ring and dump them both for the win.

Rating: C-. What is there to say about a match like this? It wasn’t long and ended with something of a screwy finish as Undertaker did one thing and won the match. There was nothing but bragging rights on the line and that doesn’t leave much in the way of interest. Having the star power in there helped, but you need something more interesting for those stars to do.

Post match Mideon and Viscera come in to help Show beat Rock down.

Here are the Hollys to say Chyna has had more than enough time to find a partner. Cue Chyna, who is going to do this on her own.

Hollys vs. Chyna

Chyna forearms Crash (whose gear says HARDCORE HOLLY) to start so it’s quickly off to Hardcore (whose gear also says HARDCORE HOLLY). A shot to the face staggers Hardcore as well and it’s a double low blow to put the cousins down. Hardcore takes Chyna down and here is Billy Gunn to join in as Chyna’s partner. That doesn’t go well to start as a double elbow to the face puts Chyna down and Hardcore adds a suplex. Chyna DDTs her way to freedom though and it’s Gunn coming in to clean house. The Fameasser is good for the fast pin.

Rating: C. Another nothing mach but at least it was long enough to rate for once. In theory Chyna would want to go it alone here and isn’t likely to be happy with Gunn for making the save. The match was just kind of there to give Chyna a reason to get mad, and there are worse options available.

Post match Chyna yells at Gunn, as she didn’t want help, but here is Jeff Jarrett to hit her in the back with a frying pan and cover her with an apron. Jarrett gives her a soup ladle and the frying pan, saying now all she has to do is start fixing him supper.

Big Boss Man, with a bag labeled “DOGGIE BAG” is ready for….the Pepper On A Pole match. Sweet goodness can Russo quit already?

Big Boss Man vs. Al Snow

Pepper On A Pole, because this is a thing. Snow stops away to start and hits the trapping headbutts (strong grapple plus up plus B) but it’s too early to get the bag. Boss Man catches a diving Snow and then hits him with the nightstick. Cue the rottweilers from Raw with the British Bulldog for a distraction, allowing Boss Man to grab the bag…which doesn’t count as he throws it to the floor, allowing Snow to grab it for the win. The remains of a dog on a pole match involving the British Bulldog leading a team of rottweilers is the match that SETS UP the big gimmick match between these two. For the Hardcore Title.

HHH and Chyna are in the back, with Steve Austin stalking them.

Intercontinental Title: Jeff Jarrett vs. Test

Jarrett, with Miss Kitty and Debra, is defending. Test kicks him in the face to start but Jarrett comes back as the Mean Street Posse comes out. A powerslam plants Jarrett as Stephanie, Shane and the Stooges come out to brawl as everything is thrown out. The fans of course want puppies.

Post match the brawl stays on and Jarrett damages Test’s shoulder. Shane saves Stephanie from Jarrett’s Figure Four.

Here is HHH, with Chyna to defend the WWF Title and there are a bunch of cops on the stage, presumably to cut off an invading Steve Austin. We cut to the back where Stephanie McMahon and Test (with his bad shoulder) are leaving, which writes Test out of the list of possible challengers. HHH says he gets to pick the guest referee, so he would like Shane McMahon to get out here.

With Shane here, HHH says he won’t be facing Undertaker, Big Show or Kane, which leaves the Rock. Since Rock has an obsession with putting things in a certain place on various people, Rock can kiss HHH’s so it’s not him. That leaves one option, and it’s someone with testicles thee size of grapefruits (Lawler: “ME???”).

HHH calls out Vince McMahon and is willing to put the title on the line to get a piece of him. We cut to the back, where Vince doesn’t want to do it but HHH suggests doing, uh, things, with Linda McMahon, which is enough to get Vince out here. Vince still says no but HHH tells him to go hide behind his skirt. HHH throws in that he can keep it up with Linda all night long and that’s enough to start the match.

WWF Title: HHH vs. Vince McMahon

Vince is challenging and hammers away in the corner, only for HHH to stomp him down without much effort. The comeback is cut off again and referee Shane McMahon does not approve. HHH fires off some shoulders in the corner and stomps Vince down even more, allowing Chyna to get in a cheap shot of her own as the beating continues.

They go outside with HHH choking with a camera cable. HHH beats him onto the announcers’ table and drops an elbow through it, with Shane’s pleas to stop not getting him anywhere. Back in and Chyna hands HHH a chair, allowing him to shove Shane down and blast Vince in the head. Shane tackles HHH down and hammers away so Chyna comes in for the save, with HHH chairing Shane in the head as well.

Cue Linda McMahon and the Stooges, with the men getting beaten down too. Chyna holds Linda so she has to watch HHH beat on the bloody Vince. The Pedigree is loaded up and heeeeere’s Austin to beat HHH down. HHH and Chyna get a Stunner each…and Austin puts Vince on top so Shane can count the pin to make Vince champion. As Austin’s music plays.

Rating: C. The match was little more than a squash until Austin came in at the end, making this the second time Austin has caused a title change in such a similar way this year (after the famous Mankind win). Vince barely got in any offense but there is nothing wrong with that kind of a story in small doses. After Vince was around the main event scene for so long, having him win the title isn’t the biggest shock, especially on a fluke like this. It was fun, and that’s what it needed to be.

HHH chases Austin through the crowd as Vince is helped up. Brisco jumps up and down to celebrate as the show ends. This was such goofy fun and Vince was always right in the middle of everything that having him win the title, even on a fluke like this, was rather entertaining.

Overall Rating: C. The ending didn’t save the show but it was good enough to carry it across the finish line. Above all else, there are still too many completely insane things going on (Pepper On A Pole) but things like Chris Jericho and Shane McMahon are bringing things up a bit. Austin is at his usual incredibleness and the show is still working, but dang they could be so much better if they got rid of some of the nonsense.

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WrestleDream 2024
Date: October 12, 2024
Location: Tacoma Dome, Tacoma, Washington
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Nigel McGuinness

We’re back on pay per view and that should make for a solid show. The card has only looked so good during the build, but that does not always translate to what you see in action. The main event is Jon Moxley challenging Bryan Danielson for the World Title so let’s get to it.

Zero Hour: Ring Of Honor TV Title: Brian Cage vs. Atlantis Jr.

Atlantis is defending and has a bad neck coming in. Cage strikes away to start and hits a spinebuster to put him down again. After some posing, a hard whip into the corner has Atlantis in more trouble. Cage is confident enough that he gets to lounge on the ropes for a bit as commentary talks about Taz. The slow beating continues with Cage shouting at the crowd and cutting off Atlantis’ comeback attempt.

Atlantis scores with a crossbody to send him outside, setting up the suicide dive. Back in and Atlantis gets two, only to be planted with a pumphandle slam for two more. Atlantis superkicks him down and hits a frog splash for another near fall. Cage is right back with a discus lariat into the Drill Claw for the pin and the title at 10:55.

Rating: C+. Well, Cage did win something and it gets the title off of Atlantis, who was doing a grand total of nothing with it, but it’s still one of the lower titles on the minor league show. The match had nothing significant built up about it and the title just changes hands. It’s going in the right direction, but dang this isn’t overly interesting, or exactly a great way to fire up the crowd.

Zero Hour: Anna Jay vs. Harley Cameron

Cameron takes her down without much trouble to start and Jay is looking moderately annoyed. A shot to Jay’s back just fires her up and she hits a hip shot to the face. Jay hammers away in the corner and sends her to the apron for a choke. With that broken up, a running dropkick sends Cameron outside, where she gets in some choking and rams Jay onto the floor.

Back in and some knees to the ribs set up a Russian legsweep for two on Cameron but Jay hits a running spinwheel kick in the corner. A running flipping neckbreaker gives Jay two but she gets taken into the wrong corner. Jay kicks her leg out though and hits a nasty Gory Bomb for the pin at 8:18.

Rating: C. So the idea is what Anna Jay is back from Japan and all tough and such. Well then maybe it’s not the best idea to have her take eight minutes to beat a comedy star. Cameron has improved in the ring in recent months but she still isn’t someone who should be treated as a serious threat. If Jay has undergone this big improvement and learned a bunch of new stuff, she didn’t get to show much of it here.

Zero Hour: MxM Collection vs. Acclaimed

The Collection brings out Rico (yes THAT Rico) of all people to counteract Billy Gunn. Mansoor kicks Bowens down to start, earning himself a flip onto his face. Mason comes in and sends Caster to the apron but the posing lets Caster hit a quick shoulder block. The slow beating continues with Caster getting chopped in the corner, setting up an old Smoking Gunns’ Sidewinder for two.

Caster fights up and hands it off to Bowens to clean house. That’s broken up as well and a belly to back suplex/chokeslam combination puts Bowens down. Caster makes the save but has to break up the Collection’s Scissor Me Timbers. Bowens hits a big dive to take out Mason on the floor, which brings Rico in for an attempted save. Billy Gunn cuts that off and gives him a Fameasser to a big reaction, leaving the Arrival into the Mic Drop to pin Mansoor at 11:24.

Rating: C. I liked the Rico stuff a lot here as he’s kind of the perfect choice for such a spot. Between the fashion deal and his history with Gunn, it was about as perfect of a choice as you could have had. I can’t imagine he’s a full time addition to the team, but for a one off bit of nostalgia and a great choice for the spot, it couldn’t have been much better. The match was…well it was exactly what you would expect from these teams.

Mercedes Mone and Kamille complain about things not being ready for them when Queen Aminata comes in. She’s not impressed, but Mercedes doesn’t have time for them.

Here is Tony Khan to bring out Antonio Inoki’s family for the big tribute. Khan wants the fans to do the Inoki chant…..and the fans sit there in silence, with Tony Schiavone having to tell the fans the words. That was hysterical.

Zero Hour: Conglomeration/Outrunners vs. Dark Order/Premiere Athletes

Nese kicks Magnum in the head to start and grabs a headlock before it’s off to O’Reilly vs. Reynolds. O’Reilly easily chokes him down so Cassidy can add some falling headbutts. Reynolds gets sent into the corner for some right hands from various opponents. Cassidy is knocked out to the floor to cut that off though and the big stomping ensues.

Back in and Silver hammers on Cassidy before stopping to pose, allowing Cassidy to get in a backdrop. The tornado DDT is enough for the tag to Magnum as commentary is cracking up. Nese kicks Magnum down and Daivari hammers away, but it’s time to Hulk Up, which has the fans all over this. Cassidy is back in with the Orange Punch but Mark Sterling makes the save. Cassidy’s top rope trust fall takes out the Dark Order and Total Recall finishes Daivari at 11:30.

Rating: C+. This is where AEW tends to lose me a bit. What did the Conglomeration add here? They had a tag match last night on Rampage, so why did they need to be in action again here when the Outrunners are one of the hottest acts in the company? Let them have their own match rather than running the Conglomeration out there and cut down on some of the people clogging up the show.

And now, the show proper, with no opening video but some pyro.

Hangman Page vs. Jay White

Juice Robinson is here with White, who slugs away to start. Page hammers him down in the corner without much trouble but misses a charge into the corner. White starts in on the leg before sending White throat first into the ropes. Back up and White charges into a boot in the corner so Page can fire off some right hands.

A fall away slam into the corner gives Page two but his sleeper is quickly broken up. It’s too early for the Buckshot Lariat though and White gets in a knockdown of his own. White grabs a DDT for two and a bridging German suplex gets the same. Page is sat on top and chopped down, with his leg getting tied in the ropes for some extra pain. Said leg is fine enough for Page to grab a Death Valley Driver onto the apron and a powerbomb onto the steps keeps White in trouble.

Page stops to argue with the referee though, allowing White to drop Page knee first onto the ramp for a nasty crash. Back in and they slug it out until White manages a swinging Rock Bottom for two. The Bladerunner is countered into the Deadeye though and Page heads to the apron. The Buckshot Lariat is loaded up but the knee gives out, allowing White to grab the Bladerunner for the pin at 16:25.

Rating: B. Well it was a good opener, though that’s certainly a surprising result. White getting a win is a nice thing to see, but Page losing clean just after he went all evil and over the top to beat Swerve Strickland is not what I was expecting. We’ll have to see where it goes, but dang that result was a shock.

Women’s Title: Willow Nightingale vs. Mariah May

Nightingale is challenging after winning a four way on Dynamite. May’s early slap in the corner is blocked so she jumps over Nightingale and takes her down. That just earns her a heck of a Pounce but May knocks her back into the corner to keep up the stomping. Nightingale powers out of a chinlock and strikes away, including a superkick for a big knockdown.

A spinebuster gives Nightingale two but May is right back with a release German suplex. Nightingale shrugs that off and grabs something like an Indian Deathlock before ramming May’s face into the knee for a bonus. May’s leg is fine enough to hit a quick dropkick into May Day for two and the shock is rather strong.

The Babe With The Powerbomb is blocked so they trade rollups until Nightingale can kick her in the face. The Death Valley Driver into the corner gives Nightingale two so she takes May up top. May is right back with a super hurricanrana for a great counter though, setting up the running knee and Storm Zero to retain at 10:48.

Rating: B. Back to back strong matches to start here as May felt like she earned the win rather than stealing it. May needed a win like this as she hasn’t looked like the strongest champion at times. On the other hand you have Nightingale, who loses another title match and leaves fans wanting to see her win again. That needs to happen at some point, and this time maybe it could be for her rather than to give Mercedes Mone a big moment.

We recap Jack Perry vs. Katsuyori Shibata for Perry’s TNT Title. Perry attacked Shibata’s friend Minoru Suzuki and gave Shibata a title shot when he was mad.

TNT Title: Jack Perry vs. Katsuyori Shibata

Perry is defending and bails to the floor when Shibata tries too much wrestling. Back in and the threat of a cross armbreaker has Perry on the floor again. Perry comes back inside and fires off the kicks, followed by the driving shoulders in the corner. Shibata easily wins a battle of the chops though, with the fans seemingly pleased with Perry being in pain. A suplex puts Perry down but Shibata sits down or the free kicks to the back.

Perry’s kicks just seem to annoy Shibata, who takes him outside for a suplex against the apron. Back in and another suplex gives Shibata two but Perry pulls him into the Snare Trap. A hanging DDT onto the floor knocks Shibata silly again for two but he’s fine enough to counter the running knee into a Death Valley Driver. Shibata gets the sleeper and drops back, only for Perry to stack him up for the pin to retain at 9:20.

Rating: C+. Well points for a surprise finish if nothing else, as Perry outsmarted Shibata to get the pin. This match was completely fine, but it was dealing with the issue of having very little in the way of drama. Shibata was pretty clearly not winning the title as Perry is probably going to hold it for a long time, but they did have a good ending and that helped a lot.

Post match Perry loads up a belt shot but Daniel Garcia comes in for the save. The staredown is on but here is MJF to interrupt. The distraction lets Perry drop Garcia and MJF brags about his movie career before hammering on Garcia again. MJF mocks the idea of a bidding war over Perry and, after forgetting that we’re in Tacoma instead of Seattle, pulls out the Dynamite Diamond Ring again. That’s loaded up but Adam Cole makes his return and MJF gets to panic a bit. Cole chases him off without much trouble and helps Garcia up.

We recap Will Ospreay defending the International Title against Ricochet and Konosuke Takeshita. Ricochet was getting a title shot when Takeshita interfered (on Don Callis’ behalf), setting up the three way.

International Title: Konosuke Takeshita vs. Ricochet vs. Will Ospreay

Ospreay is defending and Don Callis is on commentary. Takeshita gets kicked down to start before the other two can do their flip into the double pose. Back up and Takeshita takes Ospreay outside for a DDT and it’s already time for a table. Said table is sat up on the floor but Ricochet kicks Takeshita down. A Sasuke Special is pulled out of the air so Takeshita can hold him up, only for Ospreay to Sasuke Special down onto both of them (that was sweet).

Back in and more double teaming has Takeshita staggered until Ricochet drops Ospreay for two. Ricochet can’t Blue Thunder Bomb Takeshita so Ospreay kicks both of them down at the same time. All three head to the apron, where Ricochet has to block an Oscutter. Instead it’s a Death Valley Driver to Takeshita, setting up Ricochet’s middle rope Meteora. Takeshita is laid on the table but Ospreay catches Ricochet with a running Spanish Fly for two back inside.

Ricochet hits a backslide bomb but misses a 450, allowing Osprey to hit a Styles Clash with Takeshita making the save. Ricochet’s handspring is countered into the Blue Thunder Bomb for two and everyone is down again. Takeshita shrugs off shots from both of them and puts them down with a single shot each. Some double teaming puts Takeshita down for a second but he BLASTS THEM with a forearm each to take over again. Ospreay is back up with a springboard forearm to Takeshita, only for Ricochet to come off the top with a 450 for two in a great sequence.

An exchange of poisonranas lets Takeshita German suplex both of them at once, with Callis (and the fans) being rather appreciative. With the other two on the floor, Takeshita hits a big flip dive for two on Ricochet back inside. Ospreay is back in with a hurricanrana to send Ricochet flying into Takeshita before stealing the near fall himself. Ricochet hits a quick shooting star press on Ospreay but Takeshita makes the save and gets two of his own.

Takeshita and Ricochet head to the apron, where Takeshita hits a kneeling Tombstone through the table to a BIG reaction. Back in and the Hidden Blade connects but Callis pulls the referee like a good heel manager should. Ospreay loads up the Stormbreaker on Callis but Kyle Fletcher runs in to deck Ospreay for the save. Takeshita’s running knee finishes Ospreay for the pin and the title at 20:42.

Rating: A-. They got a little too much weight the Fletcher turn (which really wasn’t that shocking) but this was ALL action and Takeshita absolutely had to win the title after that kind of a performance. As great as Ospreay is, he was out shined on this one as Takeshita was in a class by himself and deserved the win. Awesome match which lived up to the hype it had coming in.

Post match Fletcher gives Ospreay the Tiger Driver 91. Geez what a dastardly villain. That might cause Ospreay some mild discomfort for a week or two!

Jerry Lynn talks to Orange Cassidy and says he’s never seen anyone like him. If Cassidy were to try, he could be something special. Hook comes in and seems to agree.

Here is Prince Nana, who plugs his coffee company and brings out Swerve Strickland for a chat. Swerve is happy to be back and thanks the fans for the hometown reception. His neck is still tingling a bit but he is medically cleared. Swerve is here to talk about his future but here are MVP and Shelton Benjamin to interrupt. MVP wants to talk about Swerve’s future as well but he hasn’t heard back from Swerve at all.

The reality is MVP was the one who saw greatness in Swerve years ago and YES this is Swerve’s house. MVP brags about his own resume and wants to talk business. Swerve talks about a match they had in Defy Wrestling (MVP and the fans both approve) and yeah MVP has done some great things for a lot of people. It’s true that things have been going badly for Swerve under Nana’s leadership, but he wouldn’t have had it in the first place without Nana.

Swerve has been hearing things about Nana selling weed to high school students in parking lots, but the reality is Nana is family. That’s something Swerve won’t turn his back on, and MVP can forget his business card. Benjamin doesn’t accept that and takes his jacket off but referees break it up. This really didn’t need to be a long PPV segment as it could have easily been on Dynamite without missing a beat.

Hologram vs. The Beast Mortos

2/3 falls and Hologram’s PPV debut. They trade mostly ineffective springboards to start until Hologram is flipped into a pose. Hologram is up with some superkicks and a backdrop to the floor, setting up a big suicide dive. Back in and Mortos hits a quick bulldog, followed by a pop up Samoan drop for two. The super gorilla press is reversed though and Hologram hits a high crossbody into a crucifix for the first fall at 3:44.

Back up and Mortos runs him over with a Pounce to the floor, setting up a heck of a dive. A running gorilla press plants Hologram onto the ramp and they head back inside, where Hologram is tied in the Tree of Woe. That means a running spear to cut Hologram in half, but he pops up to the top rope for a dive to drop Mortos again. Back in and a heck of a poisonrana plants Mortos but he grabs a backbreaker to cut Hologram off again. A powerbomb backbreaker and a discus lariat ties things up at 8:49 total.

Mortos is smart enough to wait for Hologram to get up before running him over. They go up top, where Hologram spins out of a backbreaker and grabs a headscissors for a needed breather. Mortos rolls outside and that means a big rope walk flip dive to take him out again. Back in and a top rope double stomp hits Mortos but a 450 hits raised knees.

Now the super gorilla press can plant Hologram for two, followed by another powerbomb backbreaker and discus lariat for a rather near fall. Hologram is back up with a rope rope crucifix bomb for two of his own, setting up the torture rack helicopter bomb to finish Mortos at 16:42.

Rating: B. Another rather entertaining match with Hologram looking good, though it’s another case where he’s just kind of put in a spot to entertain the crowd and little more. He needs to have an actual feud or story, and that’s not what we got here. Instead we got a bunch of enjoyable spots with Mortos being a great monster against Hologram’s superhero. Nice stuff here, even if it felt like a Collision main event.

We recap Brody King vs. Darby Allin, which is the result of King, an old rival of Allin, accepting an open challenge. Then Allin hit him in the face with a rock, like any good hero would do.

Darby Allin vs. Brody King

Allin gets a special skateboard themed entrance, complete with video of him, uh skateboarding. King misses a charge into the corner but throws Allin outside without much effort. After picking Allin up with one hand, King loads up the steps and chops the heck out of Allin. A dive over the steps doesn’t work for Allin, only for King to knock him out of the air. King puts the steps onto Allin and climbs onto them, followed by one heck of a chop back inside.

A Cannonball misses though and Allin hits some hard dives. The Coffin Drop to the floor has King rocked and a Code Red gives Allin two. A sleeper goes on but King drops him down onto the apron for the break. King snaps off a German suplex, followed by a release German superplex, because Allin is kind of dumb. It works so well that King does it AGAIN, only to load up another superplex to the floor. This time Allin shoves him onto the steps, setting up a top rope Coffin Drop onto King onto the steps to leave them both down again. Back in and another Coffin Drop finishes King off at 12:25.

Rating: B. Your taste in this match is going to depend on how much you enjoy Allin doing stupid things and taking very painful bumps. As usual, he’s an incredible pinball and can take a great beating, it feels like the same kind of thing he’s done over and over. They were hyping up the idea that Allin had never beaten King so points for tying up a loose end that a handful of people might have remembered coming in.

We recap Private Party challenging the Young Bucks for the Tag Team Titles. Private Party beat then five years ago and, having done pretty much nothing important since, are getting a title shot here.

Tag Team Titles: Private Party vs. Young Bucks

The Bucks are defending and Private Party gets a mini training video before their entrance. Hold on though as the Bucks point out that Private Party beat them five years ago and then beat up Kassidy on the stage. Quen climbs the set and dives onto everyone else before they go inside to officially start. Private Party double teams Matt on the floor for two, with Nick making a save back inside.

The Bucks superkick Kassidy down but the posing takes too long, allowing Kassidy to fight back. The slingshot X Factor is blocked and Kassidy kicks Nick in the head for two. Silly String is broken up though and Nick hits a big step up flip dive to the floor. A poisonrana, Canadian Destroyer and 450 on the floor leave everyone down for a breather. Back in and Kassidy takes Nick up, where Nick grabs a super cutter for a near fall.

The TK Driver is broken up and everyone is taken down again. McGuinness thinks the Bucks are trying to expunge their loss from five years ago. You can’t buy this kind of in-depth analysis people. More Bang For Your Buck is broken up and Gin & Juice gets two on Nick. Private Party hits their own More Bang For Your Buck for two with Matt having to make a save. The EVP Trigger gets two but the second hits knees, allowing Kassidy to get two off a small package. Back up and a quick TK Driver finishes Quen to retain the titles at 15:49.

Rating: B-. This is a fine example of a match where the wrestlers were trying but they were running uphill with an anchor. Private Party were not pay per view level challengers and there was no way around it. The Bucks were getting their win back from five years ago and get to hold onto the titles which lose more and more value every single day. There was no reason to believe Private Party was getting the belts here and they weren’t getting around that reality. This did not need to be on pay per view.

Private Party are left in the ring for the big ovation and get some polite applause.

We recap Chris Jericho challenging Mark Briscoe for the Ring Of Honor World Title. Jericho beat him in a tag match and has made it personal by mentioning Mark’s brother Jay. Those are major fighting words.

Ring Of Honor World Title: Mark Briscoe vs. Chris Jericho

Jericho, with Big Bill, is challenging. Briscoe stomps away in the corner to start and knocks him outside for some more shots to the face. The elbow off the apron connects and Briscoe loads up the chair, only to hit a big running flip dive to take out Jericho and Bill. There’s the Blockbuster off the apron to take Jericho down again but Bill tries to get involved.

Cue Orange Cassidy to fight Bill to the back, leaving it one on one. A Death Valley Driver has Jericho rolling out to the apron, where he knocks Briscoe out to the floor. Back in and Jericho takes him up top but gets sent crashing back down, allowing Briscoe to strike away. A fisherman’s buster gives Briscoe two but Jericho is right back with the Walls.

That’s broken up so here is Bryan Keith, with Rocky Romero running out to fight him to the back. Back up and Briscoe sends him outside for the big step up flip dive through a well placed table. The Jay Driller is countered and Jericho hits a Judas Effect, setting up his own Jay Driller for two. They slug it out from their knees, which fires Briscoe up as he knocks Jericho down again. The Froggy Bow sets up the Jay Driller to retain the title at 15:19.

Rating: B-. Again, a perfectly good match which did have some drama to it as there is always the chance that Jericho will get a big win. Other than that, it’s probably the biggest singles win of Briscoe’s career and he had a nice moment by avenging his brother’s memory. At the same time though, it’s just another Jericho match and that’s kind of hard to get fired up about again.

We recap Bryan Danielson vs. Jon Moxley for the former’s World Title. Danielson has said he’s done the next time he loses, but Moxley has gone all evil and talking about how he has to do this to Danielson, suggesting some kind of a higher power. Danielson is fighting for himself and the company.

AEW World Title: Bryan Danielson vs. Jon Moxley

Danielson is defending and Marina Shafir is here with Moxley. They start the fight on the floor with Danielson hitting a running dropkick but getting choked with a camera cable. Shafir’s cheating is enough for Moxley to hit a clothesline and they go inside for the opening bell and the YES chants are on. Danielson suplexes his way out of a choke and hits the running knee for an early two. Moxley is sent outside for a big dive but he’s right back with a piledriver onto the announcers’ table.

More choking ensues and Moxley yells at the referee, because he’s all tough and mean and such. Shafir gets in a few shots of her own so Moxley can get two, followed by various strikes around the ropes. Moxley stomps away and snaps the fingers before Shafir peels back the floor mats. A piledriver onto the exposed concrete is countered with a backdrop but Moxley is able to catch Danielson on top. They take turns raking each others’ skin until Danielson ties him in the Tree of Woe.

A spider German superplex plants Moxley but the Swan Dive misses, allowing Moxley to hit his own Stomp. The bulldog choke goes on but Danielson rolls out and grabs a piledriver. They slowly pull themselves up and slug it out (BOO/YES) until Danielson hits a running clothesline. Shafir breaks up the running knee so Moxley can hit a cutter, but that’s enough for an ejection.

Now the running knee can connect to give Danielson two and the LeBell Lock goes on. The rope is reached for the break and Moxley heads outside, where he counters a suicide dive into a Death Rider on the exposed concrete. Back in and Moxley grabs a choke, with Danielson climbing the corner and crashing down for the break. Another running knee gets another two but Moxley hits some lariats. The Death Rider gives Moxley one so Moxley piledrivers him into another choke and Danielson is out at 26:52.

Rating: B. Yeah the big bad Moxley wins after kicking out of a bunch of finishers. That’s what you have to expect with Moxley because his whole deal is “I’m really tough and awesome and don’t care and violence and blood and such”. That doesn’t make for the most compelling character, but it’s likely going to be the focal point of the company for another good while.

The bigger story here is Danielson’s in-ring career (at least the full time version) coming to an end and…are you really surprised he went out with someone beating him in what passes for clean in a main event match around here? He’ll be back at some point, but that’s the kind of loss that should put him on the shelf for a long time to come.

Post match Moxley’s crew comes out and whip out the plastic bag but here is Darby Allin to make the save. Wheeler Yuta runs in and takes Allin out (shocking I know) before putting the bag over Danielson’s face. Private Party and Jeff Jarrett run in but get fended off as well, with Castagnoli Pillmanizing Danielson’s neck. A bunch of guys finally run in for the save. Everyone gets all somber and Excalibur is crying as Danielson does a stretcher job to end the show.

Overall Rating: B+. So that’s another pay per view and it’s rather dark times for AEW. Right now, all eleven (yes eleven) champions are heels, leaving a grand total of nothing happy at the moment, at least when it comes to gold. It feels like we’re going to be seeing Moxley and company on top for a bit, and unless the Elite turns good (oh geez), it could be a dark time for a long while.

As for the show, it was your usual AEW fare, with nothing bad, one very good match, and a bunch of solid enough material filling in the gaps. At the same time, as usual, I’m exhausted after watching this show and could use a break from AEW, which is how it feels every time they have one of these four hour pay per views with an hour plus Kickoff Show out in front. The show was good and I did enjoy most of it, but there were times where I needed a breather because there is so much on here. You could have easily cut out an hour and a half of this show and made it an easier sit, but that’s not how AEW works.

Overall, it’s a good but not great show, which needs some things cut out. I’m not overly thrilled with AEW at the moment and as usual, the good in-ring action is all that’s carrying it. Hopefully they find something that can be a bit more fun for a change, because seeing the villains dominate and the two big heel groups and Jericho on almost every show is a bit much to take week in and week out. Just find something for me to get happy over and it’s a lot better. That really shouldn’t be such a rare thing.

Results
Brian Cage b. Atlantis Jr. – Drill Claw
Anna Jay b. Harley Cameron – Gory Bomb
Acclaimed b. MxM Collection – Mic Drop to Mansoor
Conglomeration/Outrunners b. Dark Order/Premiere Athletes – Total Recall to Daivari
Jay White b. Hangman Page – Bladerunner
Mariah May b. Willow Nightingale – Storm Zero
Jack Perry b. Katsuyori Shibata – Rollup
Konosuke Takeshita b. Will Ospreay and Ricochet – Running knee to Ospreay
Hologram b. The Beast Mortos 2-1
Darby Allin b. Brody King – Coffin Drop
Young Bucks b. Private Party – TK Driver to Quen
Mark Briscoe b. Chris Jericho – Jay Driller
Jon Moxley b. Bryan Danielson – Choke

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Rampage
Date: October 11, 2024
Location: Spokane Arena, Spokane, Washington
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Jeff Jarrett

It’s the night before WrestleDream and in this case we won’t be having a Collision tomorrow night, so this is the last push towards the pay per view. That very well could mean a different kind of Rampage, which is often not exactly there for the sake of pushing towards a pay per view. Let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Conglomeration vs. Kingdom

Cassidy and Bennett start things off with an exchange of covers that don’t even get one each. The lazy kicks set up a running shoulder to put Bennett down so it’s off to Taven, who accidentally teams up with Cassidy for a double clothesline. O’Reilly comes in for the knees but gets knocked into the corner so the beating can ensue. That doesn’t last long either as O’Reilly fights out of trouble and everything breaks down.

The tornado DDT hits Taven and O’Reilly gets the cross armbreaker on Bennett, sending him straight tot he ropes and us to a break. Back with Taven backbreakering and DDTing Cassidy, setting up a Lionsault for two on O’Reilly. Some rapid fire strikes have Taven back down but Bennett is back in with a piledriver on Cassidy. Since it’s just a piledriver, Cassidy is back up with the Beach Break to Bennett but Taven hits him with Just The Tip. Back up and O’Reilly guillotines Taven for the win at 10:09.

Rating: B-. The teams works well together, but there was little drama here as the Kingdom has long since been established as losers who certainly aren’t going to beat a team like the Conglomeration. Otherwise, that’s three straight wins for O’Reilly and Cassidy so a title shot isn’t out of the cards. I mean it’s not like Private Party has won three matches…maybe this whole year?

Mercedes Mone and Kamille are rather busy and time is money.

The Acclaimed come out for a match but the MxM Collection jump them from behind. The Collection throw out the challenge for WrestleDream and promise to have a third man in their corner.

Kris Statlander blames Mercedes Mone for making everything all apart. She’s coming for the TBS Title. We’re never getting a clear explanation for why she and Stokely Hathaway are done are we?

Rocky Romero is ready to prove that he’s not the Conglomeration’s lackey.

Kris Statlander vs. Amira

A suplex and Friday Night Fever finish for Statlander at 1:00.

Chris Jericho is ready to become the Nueve. The word of the day is humbled, which is what Mark Briscoe needs to do.

The Beast Mortos vs. The Butcher

Roderick Strong is on commentary. They take turns powering each other around to start and an exchange of shoulders goes nowhere. Morton rolls over him and grabs a snapmare, with Strong approving. Butcher is right back up with a knockdown for two of his own before avoiding a charge to send Mortos crashing to the floor. We take a break and come back with a double knockdown for a double breather. Mortos misses the twisting moonsault and Butcher gets two off a Jackhammer. Back up and Mortos hits a torture rack backbreaker, setting up a twisting top rope headbutt for the pin at 8:33.

Rating: B-. Take two big guys and have the beat on each other for a few minutes until one of them can’t get up. It’s a rather simple formula and they made it work here, with both guys doing their usual good stuff. Mortos gets a nice win on his way to what should be a loss to Hologram while Butcher does what he’s there to do.

Harley Cameron says Saraya is incapacitated and but Cameron wants to fight the newly tough Anna Jay.

Lance Archer vs. Matt Brannigan

Brannigan slips out of an early chokeslam attempt but Archer knocks him into the corner for some running elbows. The Blackout finishes at 2:10.

Jake Roberts is happy with La Faccion Ingobernable. We’ll have to see what they do next.

Anna Jay says she and Harley Cameron aren’t friends. Cameron wants to kick her a**, but this a** kicks back.

Bryan Keith vs. Rocky Romero

Keith jumps him in the corner to start but Romero, still in his ring jacket, is back with a spinning middle rope crossbody. Keith bails to the floor so Romero dropkicks him through the ropes, only to have an exploder cut off. We take a break and come back with Romero stomping away in the corner but Keith hits a double underhook knee to the face for two. The running Sliced Bread gives Romero two, followed by the super Sliced Bread but Romero bangs up his knee. The knee is fine enough to hit a suicide dive…and cue Big Bill to boot Romero in the face. Diamond Dust finishes for Keith at 10:25.

Rating: C+. You kind of knew what you were going to get with this one as the people are talented, though Romero as the unhappy lackey of the Conglomeration isn’t exactly hooking me. He’s been on the team for approximately 18 seconds and is already having issues. Romero is only so interesting in the first place and having him be upset by this stuff isn’t helping.

Overall Rating: B-. The wrestling was good and it added just enough to WrestleDream (ok the Kickoff Show but it’s something) to seem somewhat important. The big stuff is already set so there wasn’t much to cover here, but we did get some good enough matches. WrestleDream isn’t the strongest card, but at least they did well on their last stop on the way.

Results
Conglomeration b. Kingdom – Guillotine to Taven
Kris Statlander b. Amira – Friday Night Fever
The Beast Mortos b. The Butcher – Top rope spinning headbutt
Lance Archer b. Matt Brannigan – Blackout
Bryan Keith b. Rocky Romero – Diamond Dust

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We’re back on pay per view and that could make for a good show, as AEW has a pretty good record on these things. At the same time though, this show hasn’t exactly looked the strongest on paper and that isn’t instilling me with hope. It would be nice to see this show exceed expectations, but there are only a few matches on the top that are feeling important. Let’s get to it.

Zero Hour: Ring Of Honor TV Title: Atlantis Jr.(c) vs. Brian Cage

This was announced a few weeks ago on ROH’s weekly show and it has been barely been mentioned since, with Cage throwing in a quick promo this week and that’s about it. In this case we have Atlantis Jr. having been champion for a few months now and not exactly feeling important. That still puts him ahead of Cage, who hasn’t done anything significant in the better part of ever.

I’ll go with Atlantis Jr. retaining here, as there is just no reason to believe that Cage is going to win anything on his own. I’m not sure why Atlantis Jr. is still holding the title, but for some reason he’s coming up on four months as champion without doing anything important. This should be a fine enough way to warm things up, even if it is the least hyped title match I’ve seen since last week’s Ring Of Honor.

Zero Hour: MxM Collection vs. The Acclaimed

Here we at least have something from the regular AEW TV shows and in that case we could be seeing something interesting as the Collection has said they are going to have someone in their corner. That could go in a variety of ways as they are going to be counteracting Billy Gunn, which is no easy task. Or it could be a complete disappointment, ala the whole Max Caster jacket reveal.

I’ll go with the Collection winning thanks to the person they have in their corner, as they need a win far more than the Acclaimed, who have nothing going on at the moment. This is pretty much entirely built around who might be in the Collection’s corner, as there is just nothing else going on that would make this match work. It would be nice to keep it short and to the point, which is where the Zero Hour show detail gives me some hope.

Zero Hour: Anna Jay vs. Harley Cameron

So Jay is back after her sojourn in Japan and is supposed to be all extra skilled and deadly now. While she has done a few different things, she hasn’t shown herself to be anything that much better than her previous time in the company. She needs to be consistently pushed if AEW wants to turn her into something serious, and facing Cameron is not going to help that in any way.

Of course I’ll take Jay here, as Cameron is just there for the sake of making her look good. That should work well, but it’s not likely to be the match that takes Jay up to the next level. It’s nice to see her getting a win on a bigger show, but Jay is firmly in a place where she needs to be pushed harder or it is going to wind up being in the exact same problem she has had for years.

Ring Of Honor World Title: Mark Briscoe(c) vs. Chris Jericho

Yes Jericho is still getting another title shot and no you should not be surprised by that in the slightest. This is what happens with Jericho over and over and he is doing it again here, with a title he already won a few years ago. Jericho has invoked the name of Mark’s brother Jay to really make this serious and thankfully Mark has been able to carry things a bit further from here.

While Briscoe has done absolutely nothing in his six months as champion, there is no reason to put the title on Jericho. If nothing else, AEW needs to get away from Jericho, who has been around and near titles so frequently that it is little more than a running joke. That being said, yeah I think he’ll win it here, because it’s just kind of what Jericho does. Even if he doesn’t win, it’s hard to believe he’ll take a step back, so just go with Jericho winning here as it cuts out all of the middle nonsense.

Darby Allin vs. Brody King

This is the third match in a feud that has been going on for over a year and while it is kind of good, it feels like a major step down for Allin. After he was stupid enough to put his completely earned World Title match on the line, he then loses to Jon Moxley and is left facing one third of a trio rather than in some kind of a big match. Sure he’ll get a big reaction because he’s Allin and he’s near his hometown, but there is still something missing.

I’ll take Allin to win here, as there is absolutely no reason for King to win. This should be Allin throwing himself around like a pinball against the monster King and that should work out rather well. After this though, Allin needs to do something significant, as otherwise he is running the risk of dropping way too far down the ladder. Beating King won’t fix things, but it will at least give him a win.

TNT Title: Jack Perry(c) vs. Katsuyori Shibata

We’ll get this one out of the way as it might be the most obvious result on the entire show. AEW has made it clear that they are going to do whatever they need to do to make Perry into the most amazing, toughest star in wrestling today and beating Shibata is the next way to go. Shibata feels like someone who is thrown out there to make Perry look better and that is what we’re looking at here.

Naturally I’ll take Perry to win here, as he is clearly the next big project for AEW and he is going to get another win here over someone of Shibata’s status. Perry can win here and move on to his next victim before we hopefully get to someone to take the title off of him. That isn’t going to be Shibata, who is only there to make Perry look like a star, because that is what AEW wants to do.

Tag Team Titles: Young Bucks(c) vs. Private Party

Ok so when I said the TNT Title match might be the most obvious result, I had completely forgotten about this one. This is a match that is being built around the memory of Private Party beating the Bucks in a total fluke FIVE YEARS AGO. The fact that Private Party has done absolutely nothing important since then should tell you everything that you need to know about this match.

Of course it’s going to be the Bucks winning here, giving the fans the most obvious result imaginable. There has never been a reason to believe Private Party was going to win here and while they’ll likely put in a hard fight, the Bucks aren’t going to lose their big, epic reign here. I’m not sure who is going to the titles from the Bucks, but it isn’t going to be a team who has been as nothing as Private Party for so long.

International Title: Will Ospreay(c) vs. Ricochet vs. Konosuke Takeshita

NOW we’re getting somewhere as this could go in all three different directions. Ospreay has issues with both challengers, Ricochet is brand new and could use the win and Takeshita is LONG overdue to win something. When you factor in that Ospreay has lost more than a few times, there is a real chance that he loses here again. That makes things a lot more intriguing and I’m not sure who to pick.

I guess I’ll take Ospreay to win, but my goodness I could go for Takeshita getting the title here. The best thing here is that any of the three are viable options to win the whole thing and that is not something you often see. There is a very good chance that this match steals the show and I’m rather looking forward to what is going to happen. That isn’t something that is going to happen very often on this show and I like what’s going on with this one.

Women’s Title: Mariah May(c) vs. Willow Nightingale

So here we have the latest attempt to have Nightingale win a title (and keep it for any significant time). Nightingale is one of the most lovable stars in all of wrestling and there is almost nothing to dislike about her. At the same time though, it is hard to imagine May losing to anyone not named Toni Storm, or at least not losing until Storm is back. Nightingale is a star, but I’m not sure she’s ready for this spot.

As much as I’d love to see Nightingale pull this off, it is hard to fathom that she gets the title here, which is why I’ll take May. That isn’t the worst idea, but dang Nightingale getting so close and having her one title reign be used to make Mercedes Mone a champion was rough. May wins here and gets to keep her title reign going while hope continues to spring eternal for Nightingale.

Hangman Page vs. Jay White

So White made his return recently and wanted revenge on Page, but that might not be enough here. Page is coming off winning a pay per view main event match over a former World Champion. While White is a former World Champion in his own right, he’s not feeling anywhere near Page’s level at the moment. That should make for a pretty clear result and that is what I think we’ll be seeing.

I’ll go with Page here, as while I like White, there is no reason to believe he has any kind of a chance against Page. Ultimately, Page very well could be the next big thing in the main event scene, though facing White after last month’s war against Swerve Strickland does feel like a downgrade. For now though, Page will be getting another win over a name and that should tide him over until Full Gear.

Hologram vs. The Beast Mortos

This is 2/3 falls, in theory so that Hologram can get credit for two wins or some other such nonsense. Hologram is yet another project for AEW and while he has won a bunch of matches, he hasn’t really done anything significant, it does make sense to put him on pay per view. It doesn’t make sense to have him face someone like Mortos, who was put into a bigger story on Dynamite with Jake Roberts coming on board.

Roberts or no Roberts though, there is no way that Hologram is going to lose his first match in this spot. I’m not even sure I can imagine him losing a fall, at least by pin or submission. This should go to Hologram, but after this, can we please move him on to something a bit more interesting? He has enough wins under his feet to move on but he has to beat Mortos first, which he will here.

AEW World Title: Bryan Danielson(c) vs. Jon Moxley

Believe it or not, Moxley is back in the World Title scene and is talking about how awesome and tough and violent he really is. It’s something we’ve seen time after time and there is nothing that makes this one stand out, to the point where he already has a lot of the same backup this time around. Apparently he has a secret leader this time though, and it wouldn’t shock me to see the big reveal here.

As annoying as it is, I’ll go with Moxley to win here, as it feels like the biggest story in AEW at the moment. Give us the big reveal, let Moxley have his title reign (again) and do whatever he’s talking about this time. Danielson will likely come back later on in some way, but for now, Moxley seems to be the big focal point and we’ll get to hear him talk about how tough and intense he is for months to come.

Overall Thoughts

There are matches on this show that have me interested, but it would be so much better as a seven or eight match card rather than almost twice that long. There is stuff on here which just does not belong on pay per view and matches like that are going to make for a very long show when this thing is pushing four hours. I’m interested in some matches on this show, but it isn’t the strongest pay per view card, which is something I’m saying more and more regularly on the things.

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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Monday Night Raw
Date: September 13, 1999
Location: Arrowhead Pond, Anaheim, California
Attendance: 11,186
Commentators: Jim Ross, Jerry Lawler

We’re closing in on Unforgiven and the big story continues to be HHH vs. the world. Steve Austin returned last week on Smackdown to nearly kill HHH with a semi truck and that means we might have the challenge for the pay per view in sight. Other than that, the rest of the company is as wacky as usual and that should make for an eventful night. Let’s get to it.

Here is Smackdown is you need a recap.

We look at Steve Austin attempting to murder HHH, who has quite a few people after him.

Opening sequence.

A bunch of people (Undertaker, Big Show, Kane, Mankind, Steve Austin) all seem to be looking for HHH.

Speaking of HHH, he gets a full police motorcade escort.

Here is Linda McMahon, with the Stooges, for a chat. Linda wastes no time in making a five way match tonight for the #1 contendership at Unforgiven. For now though, HHH has to remain champion and if Steve Austin wants a title shot, he can have it. Tonight. Cue HHH and Chyna (with security) to interrupt and things are not looking positive. HHH goes on a rant about how Linda is screwing him over but HHH tells her how things go. Cue Big Show, Undertaker, Rock, Mankind and Kane for a brawl, with HHH escaping.

We recap Jeff Jarrett attacking Fabulous Moolah and Mae Young on Smackdown.

Jarrett issues an open challenge to any woman.

The Rock, with Mankind, talks about how he is back in Anaheim and is ready to face anyone to get to HHH. This includes Mankind, even if they are friends. Mankind is ready to have feelings but he’s ready for Rock to beat him up.

Jeff Jarrett vs. ???

Miss Kitty and Debra are here with Jarrett and it’s….Luna Vachon answering the challenge. Luna charges in and gets stomped down to start, followed by a shot to the face. Jarrett hammers away in the corner but cue Ivory to hit Luna with a guitar for the DQ.

Post match Jarrett does not like Lilian Garcia announcing Luna as the winner so he puts Garcia in the Figure Four.

Chyna is not impressed with Jarrett and threatens Steve Austin with a sledgehammer.

Faarooq vs. D-Von Dudley

Strap match, just because. Faarooq starts fast and snaps off a powerslam before choking with the strap. D-Von fights back and chokes away, followed by some nasty whipping. Back up and the spinebuster gets Faarooq out of trouble, only for Bubba to hit a nasty chair to the head to give D-Von the pin.

Post match Bradshaw gets taken out with the steps but comes back with a chair to clear out the Dudleyz.

Undertaker and Big Show are ready to take out HHH, who is now the hunted instead of the hunter. Even the Crocodile Hunter can’t save them now. As for Rock, they’re going to be on him like the leather pants on the girl in the front row. This is a weird version of Undertaker and hopefully it doesn’t last long.

Jim Ross brings out the British Bulldog for a chat. Last week he gave Al Snow the Hardcore Title back because Snow deserves it. He’s also back because he wants to show that he can still do this after his injury. There is only one belt that he has left to win and that is the WWF Title. That’s the one thing he wants to win before he retires, which won’t be for a long time.

Cue the Big Boss Man to interrupt because he did not like Bulldog interrupting him last week. Before this is over between them, Bulldog is going home in a doggy bag. Cue Al Snow (he’s barking) to sing about where oh where has his Boss Man gone. Snow: “There you are Ray!” Snow recaps the Pepper saga and challenges him to a match, which will involve a cage inside the Cell, but Boss Man is only interested if the Hardcore Title is on the line. Snow says sure, so Boss Man is in, but also ready to fight tonight.

One more thing though: Snow introduces some rottweilers who will be in between the two cages. Bulldog jumps Boss Man from behind and they fight at ringside with Boss Man getting the better of things, only to be chased off by the dogs. You could hear them trying to make sense of this as they were explaining the concept and it was showing badly. No one could make this sound good, as it’s a total mess.

The Mean Street Posse, with Terri, doesn’t like Test so they’re going to beat him up, even if Shane McMahon doesn’t want them to. Oh and Stephanie McMahon is a tramp.

Someone has attacked Shane McMahon.

Tony Chimmel comes out to take over for the Fink.

Joey Abs vs. Test

The rest of the Posse is here too and they all ump Test before the bell, allowing Joey to grab a suplex for an early two. Test gets in a shot of his own though and the comeback is on. A full nelson slam puts Abs down but the Posse comes in again. That’s broken up and Test grabs a powerbomb for the fast pin.

Post match the beatdown is on again but Shane McMahon runs in for the save. The Posse is chased outside with Shane and Test giving chase in their car.

WWF Title: Steve Austin vs. HHH

Austin, in street clothes, is challenging. Hold on though as HHH is in street clothes as well and has some cops (and Chyna) with him. HHH brings up the aggravated assault from Smackdown and has personally signed a warrant for Austin’s arrest (I don’t think that’s how warrants work). The cops handcuff and arrest Austin, with HHH getting a cheap shot because of course. No match if that wasn’t clear.

Post break Austin is put in a police car and HHH takes Linda McMahon’s phone and throws it down.

Godfather vs. Chaz

Apparently Chaz and Marianna have amicably ended their relationship, so Godfather isn’t going to offer him the ladies this week. Chaz takes him down with a drop toehold to start and works on the arm as the ladies dance and shout a lot on the floor. Some arm cranking ensues but cue Marianna (wit a black eye) to ask Chaz why. Godather isn’t happy and kicks him into the corner, setting up the Ho Train (but an angry one you see), followed by the Pimp Drop for the pin. That’s not a place you want to go with a wrestling storyline and it doesn’t feel great here.

The Stooges try to get Linda McMahon to leave but she’s staying because it’s family business.

We recap X-Pac and Kane going their separate ways.

A cage is lowered and here is Chris Jericho, but believe it or not he has something to say. Jericho calls out Ken Shamrock, who is certainly a SHAM, but he certainly doesn’t work. This is the Jericho Prison and he is ready to prove himself against one of the most proficient fighters in the world. This brings out GOTCH GRACIE, a masked man who has trained everywhere (Lawler: “JR, you probably know where he played college football!”).

Chris Jericho vs. Gotch Gracie

Gracie is in a mask and all black, with his shirt saying GOTCH. Jericho (“Here goes nothing!”) takes him down for a bow and arrow beore grabbing the mic and saying that could have broken his back. Jericho puts on an Octopus Hold and muscles him over for a suplex, with Jericho saying that’s enough. Gracie fights back with a clothesline but gets pulled into the Liontamer for the fast pin.

Post match Jericho goes for an ankle lock but Ken Shamrock runs in. Jericho and Gracie beat Shamrock down and Gracie is unmasked as….Curtis (Mr.) Hughes. That’s not the best reveal but you know exactly what you’re getting with Hughes.

D’Lo Brown and Godfather have a business transaction.

Chris Jericho shows he just proved that he is the most dangerous man in the WWF. He went out and got Curtis Hue to protect Shamrock from Jericho himself.

Kane vs. Mankind vs. Big Show vs. Undertaker vs. The Rock

For a title shot at Unforgiven and for some reason Undertaker and Show are introduced with a combined weight. The two of them jump Mankind before everyone else get here but argue over the pin. Rock and Kane come out as well with Kane hitting the top rope clothesline on Mankind.

Cue Mideon and Viscera to jump Mankind as this is just a big brawl rather than much of a match. Mankind manages a double arm DDT on Kane but Undertaker drops the referee. Rock gives Undertaker a DDT into the People’s Elbow as another referee comes in, only to get taken out by Kane.

More referees and agents come in and get decked as well, followed by Earl Hebner, who throws up his hands and leaves. Cue the Godfather to go after Undertaker (it goes badly), Crash Holly to go after Big Show (it goes worse) and more people who are beaten up just as quickly. The locker room empties out and everyone starts fighting with everyone as this is thrown out.

Rating: C. What is there to say about something like this? It’s barely a match and is much more about a bunch of people brawling before even more people come in to brawl as well. That doesn’t get you very far, but it was certainly energetic. And we still don’t even have a #1 contender as the lack of organization continues.

And no, that isn’t the main event, because it’s 1999.

The referees tell Earl Hebner to do something about these beatings they’re taking.

Val Venis/D’Lo Brown vs. Mark Henry/Steve Blackman

This feels like it belongs on a Lethal Lottery show. Well hang on as Henry isn’t here so Blackman bets up Venis on his own. Venis fights back and hands it off to Brown, who misses an elbow and gets caught with a dropkick. It’s back to Venis for a spinebuster but Blackman hits an enziguri for two more. Venis is right back with a fisherman’s suplex into the Low Down for the fast pin. It’s almost weird to see a straight match with nothing screwy going on.

The screwiness is after the match as GTV pops on to show Henry getting a lap dance from Godfather’s ladies.

A limousine, with a police escort, arrives.

WWF Title: HHH vs. ???

HHH, in street clothes and with Chyna, is defending and calls out Linda McMahon of all people. HHH wants Linda to say that Steve Austin has forfeited his title shot and has to start all the way at the bottom again. Linda: “No.” That has HHH ready to go after Linda but cue Vince McMahon to make the save. Vince says he gave his word that he wouldn’t interfere in business, but this is personal.

They’re ready to fight so here is Austin (also in street clothes and again, I don’t think this company knows how the legal system works) to start the brawl, and apparently the match, with HHH. Austin beats him around the ring and into the crowd, setting up a suplex on the floor. A bunch of chair shots and a right hand to Earl Hebner are enough to get Austin disqualified.

Rating: C. This was an angle rather than a match (I’m shocked too) and that’s all it needed to be. Austin being back in the arena so soon after a big angle earlier means it should have been a brawl like this, but that’s quite the match to just burn off in three minutes. Either way, the fans were going nuts and I guess that’s what matters the most?

Post match the cage is lowered and Austin beats HHH up both inside and outside to end the show.

We get about five extra minutes, called Extra Attitude, of Austin beating on HHH even more and drinking beer. Real revolutionary stuff there, though the cage is kind of swinging back and forth for a weird feeling.

Overall Rating: C. They were trying to have something coherent here but it was just enough of a mixture of the Russo style of insanity with something more focused. The overarching story of “everyone is out to get HHH and tonight is Austin’s chance” is fine, but there are so many moving parts that you need a scorecard. It kept my interest, though it had the usual problem of feeling like they had three weeks piled into two hours. Calm the heck down and see how much better the show can be. You can even keep the matches short, but let something sink in for once.

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Dynamite
Date: October 2, 2024
Location: Petersen Events Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Commentators: Nigel McGuinness, Excalibur, Tony Schiavone

It’s the fifth anniversary of Dynamite and the big story is a new broadcast rights deal was announced earlier today, with the show staying on TBS/TNT as well as being simulcast on Max. That is going to lead to some changes in the future, but for now, we are ten days away from WrestleDream and Jon Moxley vs. Bryan Danielson for the World Title. Let’s get to it.

Here is Collision if you need a recap.

Jon Moxley and company talk about how they have plans for Wheeler Yuta, with Moxley promising to take out Bryan Danielson and take the World Title. War and casualties are promised.

Apparently Taz has been attacked and is out for tonight, with Nigel McGuinness taking his place.

International Title: Ricochet vs. Will Ospreay

Ricochet is challenging and in the back, Kyle Fletcher (in a WHITE SOX jersey, which isn’t a great look right now) and Don Callis wish him luck before leaving. Feeling out process to start before they go into their signature stereo backflips exchange into the double pose. Ricochet sends him outside, where Ospreay takes too long going onto the barricade and gets taken down with a snap hurricanrana.

Back in and Ricochet hits a springboard flip splash for two but Ospreay kicks him down. The Phenomenal Forearm gets two on Ricochet but he’s back with a kick to the head. Ospreay’s Spanish Fly gets two more but the Oscutter is broken up. They go to the apron to trade strikes to the head until Ospreay hits a superkick. The Oscutter connects this time and they crash out to the floor as we take a break.

Back with Ricochet kicking him down again but missing the 450. The Hidden Blade is countered into a backslide bomb (that was cool) and a piledriver gets two. Ospreay is back with another Hidden Blade attempt but has to roll through, setting up a Styles Clash for two on Ricochet. Now the Oscutter connects for two more but the Hidden Blade is blocked again.

Ricochet’s shooting star press gets two, only for Ospreay to counter vertigo into a poisonrana. Ricochet hits one of his own but Ospreay hits the Hidden Blade….for a double pin with all four shoulders down at 15:55. Hold on though as both of them want five more minutes and Tony Khan approves the match continuing. They trade kicks to the head until Ospreay hits the Hidden Blade….and Konosuke Takeshita runs in and decks Ospreay for the DQ at 18:59.

Rating: B. I’m guessing that’s to set up either a three way or Ospreay vs. Takeshita at WrestleDream, but it’s not exactly an exciting way to wrap up the big opener. I do get the idea of not wanting either of them to lose here, but the ending still felt flat. For now, I can go for a match with two guys doing a bunch of big moves to each other, though a better ending would have been nice.

Takeshita wipes both of them out and poses with the title.

Mercedes Mone, with Kamille, is excited over the fifth anniversary and we get a package on her time on Dynamite. Mone brags about her success and MVP comes in to offer his business card. There appears to be some interest.

The Gunns are ready to see Juice Robinson vs. Hangman Page when Page runs in to take them out with a chair.

Here is the Learning Tree for TV Time with Chris Jericho. Big Bill hypes up how much Jericho has done for him before giving him the introduction. Jericho takes credit for the new TV deal and the Learning Tree demands a THANK YOU CHRIS chant. In addition to five years of Dynamite, it is also 34 years since his debut as a pro wrestler. He went from a small town in Canada to right here in Philad….Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania!

Last week he pinned Mark Briscoe and this week he’s challenging Briscoe for the Ring Of Honor World Title at WrestleDream. Briscoe, with the Conglomeration, comes to the ring and everyone stays on the floor because this is between the two of them. Papa Briscoe taught him to not make excuses, so while Big Bill helped Jericho beat Briscoe last week, he isn’t going to make that excuse because it was a tornado tag team match.

Briscoe would love to face Jericho, because the word of the day is consequentially, because he…is cut off by Jericho, who doesn’t think Briscoe can beat him. Jericho: “Maybe your brother Jay could have.” Everyone knows Mark will never be as good as Jay, which earns Jericho a shot to the face. Mark tells Jericho to keep his brother’s name out of his mouth and accepts the challenge. Briscoe sold his part really strong, but Jericho getting another title shot and everything that happens on Ring Of Honor meaning nothing when it comes to the World Title isn’t helping.

Darby Allin is in what looks to be a park and talks about riding a bus in Washington. One day three guys took turns spitting at the back of his head. Allin tried to keep calm but eventually he got in their faces and wasn’t scared of the knife the guy was holding. It was broken up, but that’s what he was thinking about when Jon Moxley said Allin wasn’t ready o be the face of AEW. Now he needs to fight back, so at WrestleDream, it’s an open challenge. That could go in a lot of directions.

Hangman Page vs. Juice Robinson

They brawl on the stage to start with Robinson sending him off the stage, only to get punched out of the air. Page whips him with a belt and they fight into the crowd, with Page being hit with a beer and a bucket of popcorn. The fight actually goes into the ring for the opening bell, with Robinson choking with the bell for a four count. Page fights back up and takes over as we take an early break.

Back with Robinson’s top rope superplex leaving them both down again. Robinson punches him out to the floor but gets sent into the barricade. A spinebuster sends Page into the apron and a running shot sends Page through the barricade. They get back in with Robinson hitting a powerbomb for two and being shocked at the kickout. The Juice Is Loose is blocked though and Page kicks him low. The Buckshot Lariat finishes for Page at 9:56.
­
Rating: B-. This is another good example of “it shouldn’t take this long for the star to win”. Page took nearly ten minutes (not counting the brawl before the bell) to beat a guy who is mainly known as part of a six man team. They could have easily done this, even with the same cheating finish, in less than half the time. Robinson can look good in defeat and get cheated out of a win without having Page take this long to beat him. That’s been an issue for AEW for a long time and it’s continuing here.­

Post match Page goes for the choking with the belt but the returning Jay White runs in for the save. White spears him through a well placed table in the crowd.

Jack Perry arrives and Katsuyori Shibata pops in to challenge him for the TNT Title at WrestleDream. Perry says he’ll think about it and jumps him before accepting. Maybe, I don’t know, show the clip from Collision that set that up so it’s not so out of nowhere?

Bryan Danielson can’t get the phrase “F*** JON MOXLEY” out of his head because this is the AEW World Title, not Moxley’s. That’s why he’s challenged Kazuchika Okada tonight, title for title, because they’re 1-1 and need to break the tie. This is for AEW.

Serena Deeb vs. Britt Baker

Baker is the hometown girl. They go with the grappling to start with Deeb going for the arm but having to escape a Lockjaw attempt. Mariah May is watching as they fight over a headlock/headscissors. Back up and Deeb hits a hard clothesline, followed by a hammerlock lariat as we take an early break.

We come back with Baker hitting some clotheslines of her own, setting up a discus forearm. Baker hits a Sling Blade into a fisherman’s neckbreaker for two, giving us a frustrated look. They trade shots to the face until an Air Raid Crash gives Baker two. Baker catches her up top with a super Air Raid Crash for two, setting up the Lockjaw for the tap at 11:12.

Rating: C. This was similar to the Page vs. Robinson match in that Baker could have put her away a lot faster and gotten the same result. Instead, the match dragged on with Deeb going move for move with Baker. That’s fine on one hand as Deeb is far more polished in the ring, but if the end game is Baker vs. May, it didn’t exactly make Baker look like a star.

Post match Deeb jumps her again until Queen Aminata makes the save.

Hook swears revenge on whomever attacked Taz.

Christian Cage promises to be the next World Champion.

Mariah May doesn’t think much of Willow Nightingale, who storms in to start the fight, which is quickly broken up.

Private Party vs. Iron Savages

It’s a brawl to start with a double dropkick….kind of connecting to put Boulder down. Bronson is sent to the floor and a messy Gin & Juice finishes at 1:13. I don’t think Private Party hit one move clean in that whole match.

Post match Private Party say they want the Tag Team Titles and call out the Young Bucks. Cue the Bucks, who say they’re not wasting their limited dates on this kind of town so it’s not happening. Jack Perry runs in to beat Private Party down but Katsuyori Shibata makes the save. Christopher Daniels comes in to make a six man tag for Rampage. The fact that Private Party has nothing else to talk about in the five years since they beat the Bucks tells you a lot about what is wrong with AEW.

MVP is about to make an announcement but Prince Nana interrupts. Nana threatens to beat up MVP, who says he doesn’t handle complaints. Instead, he introduces the head of the complaint department: Shelton Benjamin, who gets a big reaction and takes Nana’s coffee. I’ve heard worse ideas.

AEW World Title/Continental Title: Bryan Danielson vs. Kazuchika Okada

This is title for title but the Continental Title is only on the line for the first twenty minutes and this was announced on two days’ notice because AEW. They fight over a lockup to start and Danielson backs him into the ropes for an early break, both for them and us. Back with Okada hitting some clotheslines but Danielson fires off some uppercuts. Danielson goes up and knocks Okada down, setting up a missed Swan Dive.

The cobra clutch has Danielson in more trouble as the neck cranking ensues. Danielson fights to his feet but misses a charge, allowing Okada to dropkick him out to the floor. Back in and Danielson knocks him to the floor for a suicide dive, followed by the YES Kicks. The big one is countered into a rollup for two but Danielson pulls him into a triangle choke with elbows to the head. The LeBell Lock goes on and Danielson cranks back, only for Okada to make the ropes. Danielson hits the running knee to send Okada outside as we hit the 20:00 mark, meaning the match continues, but ONLY Danielson’s title is on the line.

AEW World Title: Bryan Danielson vs. Kazuchika Okada

Danielson is defending and hits a top rope flip dive to hit Okada on the floor. A running charge is cut off though and Okada hits a Tombstone onto a chair on the floor as we take another break. Back again with Danielson (who was on his feet 1:42 after the Tombstone, with a hanging DDT onto the floor in between) getting dropkicked before they grab hands to trade strikes.

Danielson gets the better of it and loads up the running knee, only to charge into the Rainmaker for the double knockdown. They strike it out again until Danielson takes over, only to get caught with a running knee for two. Danielson hits his own Rainmaker for two and it’s time to fire off the elbows. Okada strikes away but here are Claudio Castagnoli and Pac to glare menacingly. Danielson gets a backslide for the pin out of nowhere at 31:42.

Rating: B. I guess the thinking was Okada wanted to burn the clock in the first twenty minutes to protect his own title and then get to the second half where he had nothing to lose. That makes sense from a planning standpoint but it made for a pretty dry first…is the term match or fall? Either way, it picked up in the second half and you knew this was going to be at least good based on the people involved. I still could have gone for building this up more than two days in advance, but that’s another issue entirely.

Post match Okada Rainmakers Danielson and leaves, with Castagnoli and Pac coming in to pick the pieces. Jon Moxley gets in the ring (with Marina Shafir choking Danielson) and talks about how this isn’t about him because no one will fight for AEW like he will. If this was about Danielson, he would have done this a long time ago.

Wheeler Yuta runs in with a hammer for the save. Moxley dares Yuta to hit him with the hammer but Danielson is up to go after Moxley. The fight is on with Yuta and Danielson clearing the ring. Yuta says if Pac and Castagnoli want Danielson, they’ll have to go through Yuta too. Danielson issues the challenge for the tag match (Yuta might have slipped up with the wording and Danielson had to save it), which is officially on to end the show.

Overall Rating: B. I liked the show, but I’m not sure how well it came off as a major milestone event. There was nothing on here that really felt big or majorly important (remember that the TV deal was announced before the show went on the air). The big matches went well enough, but it was coming after Grand Slam (which felt bigger) and is right before WrestleDream (which will feel bigger) and comes just before Title Tuesday and eventually Battle Of The Belts. AEW might want to cool it on the big shows and just have some regular stuff, but this did still work well enough.

Results
Will Ospreay b. Ricochet via DQ when Konosuke Takeshita interfered
Hangman Page b. Juice Robinson – Buckshot Lariat
Britt Baker b. Serena Deeb – Lockjaw
Private Party b. Iron Savages – Gin & Juice to Boulder
Bryan Danielson b. Kazuchika Okada – Backslide

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Dynamite
Date: September 18, 2024
Location: Mohegan Sun Arena, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Taz

We’re a week away from Grand Slam and the big story is a change to the World Title match, in that we won’t be having one. Instead we might be seeing Bryan Danielson vs. Nigel McGuinness, plus the #1 contendership will be on the line as Darby Allin faces Jon Moxley. That should be enough to make for a big build this week so let’s get to it.

Here is Collision if you need a recap.

Chris Jericho vs. Orange Cassidy

The Learning Tree and the Conglomeration are here too. They all get in and slug it out with the non-participants going to the floor, where Cassidy hits a big springboard flip dive. Jericho teases a dive but Cassidy comes back in with the Orange Punch for two. A middle rope hurricanrana is countered into the Walls but Cassidy reverses into a small package for two. Jericho’s running powerslam gets two more and they go outside, where Jericho commandeers a camera and stomps away.

Back in and the Lionsault gives Jericho two but Cassidy is back with the Stundog Millionaire. Jericho is sent outside but the dive is sent into the barricade. A belly to back suplex through a table has Cassidy in more trouble and we take a break. Back with a slugout leaving both of them down until Cassidy knocks him into the corner for some stomping. Jericho scores with a clothesline before countering the tornado DDT into the Walls.

Cassidy gets the Walls but here is Big Bill to kick him in the face. Kyle O’Reilly kicks him to the back, leaving Jericho to hit a Death Valley Driver for two. The tornado DDT and diving DDT give Cassidy two but the Orange Punch is countered into the Codebreaker for two more. Cassidy hits the Beach Break for two but cue Mark Briscoe and Bryan Keith for the brawling distraction. That’s enough for Jericho to pull out a roll of quarters, which Cassidy takes away for the Orange Punch for the pin at 19:30.

Rating: B. The match was a long, back and forth fight with Jericho doing as well as can be expected of him these days. I’m still not sure why we needed to go back to this story with the jacket after years away, but the bigger problem is the story continuing long after it needs to. If this is it for Jericho and Cassidy then it’s fine, but that doesn’t tend to be Jericho’s style.

Last week, Pac and Claudio Castagnoli were unhappy with Wheeler Yuta for not talking to them since All out. Jon Moxley, with Marina Shafir, comes in to say Yuta needs to decide what kind of man he needs to be.

Yuta isn’t sure what to do but he’s willing to fight at WrestleDream (it’s at Grand Slam, because Yuta’s mind isn’t clear) and he even forgot his title in the locker room.

Hook vs. JD Ink

Non-title. Suplexes and crossfaces set up the Redrum for the tap (from Ink) at 1:01.

Komander and Private Party are accepting the open challenge for a Trios Title shot next week.

Christian Cage is ready to win the World Title and wants Nick Wayne to win a title as well. Kip Sabian interrupts and Cage threatens to kill him.

Serena Deeb/Mariah May vs. Yuka Sakazaki/Queen Aminata

Deeb shoulders Sakazaki down to start and they trade covers for two each. Sakazaki is back up with a kick to the face so it’s off to Aminata, whose leg is dragon screwed in the ropes. May comes in for a running dropkick of her own and we take a break. Back with Sakazaki coming in to slam both of them down, followed by an exchange of German suplexes. Sakazaki hits a bit dive out to the floor, setting up the Magical Girl Splash but May breaks it up with the belt for the DQ at 8:04.

Rating: C. Ignoring that it was another eight minute match with a break because that needs to be a thing, Sakazaki is just the next person coming after May. She has been gone for five months but her first match back saw May on commentary mocking her. I’m not sure what lets her jump the line, but it’s a bit difficult to be interested when she was hardly featured before her injury earlier this year.

Post match May whips Sakazaki with the belt and kisses her on the cheek.

Mina Shirakawa is back, just like Mariah May wants. This might mean more if she hadn’t wrestled twice on Rampage in the last month.

Video on Nigel McGuinness vs. Bryan Danielson (which airs after some technical difficulties).

The Blackpool Combat Club comes into the arena but get jumped by Private Party. That means the beatdown is on, with Private Party getting wrecked. Komander comes in but Castagnoli cuts him off. Moxley whips out a hammer and yells about Private Party being in the same place they’ve been in since the beginning. Then he crushes Kassidy’s hand with the hammer. Cue Darby Allin to go after Moxley, who bails from the threat of the skateboard. Allin promises to run through him at Grand Slam and go on to WrestleDream.

Video on Jack Perry since All Out.

Ricochet vs. The Beast Mortos

Ricochet slugs away to start but gets knocked into the corner for a shot to the face. Mortos’ running knee misses though and he crashes out to the floor, where Ricochet hits a big dive. The running shooting star press gives Ricochet two and they trade armdrags. Ricochet sends him into the ropes and out to the floor, where a big flip dive is countered into an apron bomb.

We take a break and come back with Ricochet fighting out of a chinlock but getting caught in a pop up Samoan Drop for two more. Mortos’ running monkey flip doesn’t work as he crashes out to the floor, where Ricochet grabs a Code Red. Back in and a springboard 450 gives Ricochet two but Mortos gives him a super gorilla press for two of his own. Ricochet is right back with the ax kick (which didn’t appear to connect) and Vertigo for the pin at 11:31.

Rating: B. This was a very simple formula and it is something that will pretty much always work. Ricochet is someone who flies around and uses his special set of skills to take out a monster like Mortos. It worked well here and Ricochet looked good in the match that was designed to make him look good. They had a layup of an idea here and it worked well.

Video on Hangman Page’s recent actions.

We look at FTR beating the Grizzled Young Veterans on Dynamite.

Here is Hangman Page for a chat. Page has promised to hurt anyone who held him back from getting revenge on Swerve Strickland. While he was suspended, he heard Tony Schiavone cheering for Strickland, but here is Jeff Jarrett for the save. The fight is on with security breaking it up. Jarrett promises to take Page out.

Ricochet comes up to see Will Ospreay, who will face him at the anniversary show on October 2.

Will Ospreay/Kyle Fletcher/Konosuke Takeshita vs. Elite

Fletcher runs Matt over to start and Ospreay comes in for some double kicks, sending Matt bailing to the corner. Okada comes in and shoulders Ospreay down so Takeshita tags himself in, which doesn’t sit well with Ospreay. The Elite are sent outside for stereo dropkicks through the ropes and stereo slingshot dives as we take a break.

Back with Fletcher hitting a double clothesline on the Bucks and a brainbuster for two on Matt. A Michinoku Driver plants Okada and it’s Takeshita coming in for a middle rope backsplash. The Bucks come in for the save but get sent outside, leaving Okada to get triple dropkicked for two. Okada is back up with his own dropkick to Takeshita for a breather as we take another break.

Back again with the Bucks taking over on Takeshita, setting up the triple middle finger. The EVP Trigger is blocked though and a double German suplex drops the Bucks. Okada is back in and the Bucks hit a double stomp to the back into a sitout powerbomb for two on Ospreay. The Bucks superkick Ospreay down but Fletcher is back in for an assisted middle rope cutter. Takeshita hits a big running flip dive on Okada but Nick gets in his slingshot X Factor and moonsault from the apron. Fletcher hits the spinning Tombstone though and Ospreay adds the Hidden Blade, setting up the Coriolis for the pin on Matt at 19:35.

Rating: B+. This is where AEW tends to shine, as they had a bunch of people out there going nuts until one of them got pinned. It’s something they have done since the beginning and it worked well again here. Takeshita vs. Okada is coming and Fletcher/Ospreay vs. the Bucks is already set and both stories looked good here. Awesome main event, with some nice Grand Slam implications.

Overall Rating: A-. They went with the wrestling heavy show this week and the big important show is all set up. This week was the kind of show that makes AEW feel entertaining and it went well, with nothing bad, an outstanding main event and two other strong matches throughout. Throw in the lack of anything bad and this was a big upgrade over last week.

Results
Orange Cassidy b. Chris Jericho – Orange Punch with a roll of quarters
Hook b. JD Ink – Redrum
Yuka Sakazaki/Queen Aminata b. Serena Deeb/Mariah May via DQ when May used the title
Ricochet b. The Beast Mortos – Vertigo
Will Ospreay/Kyle Fletcher/Konosuke Takeshita b. Elite – Coriolis to Matt

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: September 6, 2024
Location: NOW Arena, Hoffman Estates, Illinois
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Nigel McGuinness

We’re on a Friday due to All Out being in the regular spot. That means we should be in for a hard push towards the show, which will include qualifying matches for the Continental Title match at the pay per view. Other than that, we are going to be seeing the rest of the card getting some build of its own, which could go rather well. Let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

We open with a look at Hangman Page burning down Swerve Strickland’s childhood home. Their cage match is now LIGHTS OUT UNSANCTIONED, because putting them in a cage wasn’t violent enough.

We run down the card for both tonight and tomorrow at All Out.

Continental Title Qualifying Match: Mark Briscoe vs. Lance Archer

Briscoe’s ROH World Title isn’t on the line and Archer jumps him from behind on the way to the ring, as is his custom. They get inside for the opening bell and the fans are rather behind Briscoe. A missed charge puts Briscoe (bleeding) on the floor for some chops against the barricade. Briscoe fights up and gets the chair for the step up flip dive to drop Archer. A spinebuster puts Briscoe down again though and we take a break.

Back with Archer knocking him to the floor again, this time for a chokeslam onto the apron. Briscoe shrugs that off and hits the Blockbuster off the apron, setting up a Death Valley Driver into the Froggy Bow for two. Archer breaks up the Jay Driller and hits a chokeslam into a buckle bomb for two, leaving Archer surprised. Briscoe knocks him off the top and hits a Froggy Bow for….not even one. A third Froggy Bow finishes Archer at 11:25.

Rating: B. This was two guys beating the heck out of each other until one of them couldn’t get up again. They kind of screwed up the timing with one Froggy Bow getting a near fall and then Archer doing the big kickout but that’s pretty minor. I wouldn’t have Briscoe fighting for another title at the pay per view (as he did earlier this year) as being Ring Of Honor World Champion should be enough, but that would imply Ring Of Honor mattered in the slightest. Good opener here.

The Learning Tree is impressed by the Conglomeration but it’s not the right time for Chris Jericho to face Tomohiro Ishii again…and we pan down to Ishii, who is out cold with a chair around his neck.

Grizzled Young Veterans vs. Iron Savages

Gibson and Boulder start things off with the former hammering away and kicking him in the face. Drake comes in to pound away but the much bigger Boulder suplexes them both down (commentary doesn’t actually talk about it). The Veterans manage to send them both outside but Bronson is back in to slug away on Gibson. A double hot shot staggers Bronson though and Grit Your Teeth is good for the pin at 3:16.

Rating: C. Short and to the point here with the Veterans getting a win to establish themselves around here. They’re likely to have a much more important match against FTR sooner rather than later (likely next week on Collision) and that should be a good watch. Nice start for the newcomers, even if they are already pretty well known from elsewhere.

Post match FTR comes in to beat up the Veterans, leaving Jacked Jameson (the Savages’ manager) to get hit with the Shatter Machine.

Video on Will Ospreay vs. Pac.

Orange Cassidy promises to take out Bryan Keith and go on to win the Continental Title, which he’ll put in his backpack next to the $7,000 he’s keeping from Chris Jericho. Cassidy took the glasses off here to make it a much different vibe.

Continental Title Qualifying Match: Bryan Keith vs. Orange Cassidy

The rather serious Cassidy doesn’t even put his hands in his pockets before dropkicking him to the floor for the suicide dive. Two more dives connect with Keith and Cassidy whips him into the barricade as Schiavone and Nigel talk about how All Out will be starting before NFL kickoff (the NFL being the next day makes it easier). Keith gets in a shot of his own and we take an early break.

Back with Cassidy putting his hands in his pockets and knocking Keith into the corner for the lazy kicks. Keith goes after the banged up arm but can’t get him up for a piledriver. A running knee to the chest just annoys Keith but he charges into a boot in the corner. Cassidy’s top rope DDT is countered into a t-bone suplex into the corner and a Michinoku Driver gets two. The Stundog Millionaire and Beach Break give Cassidy two but Keith knees him in the face for the same. Cassidy cuts off a knee with the Orange Punch though and it’s the tornado DDT into the top rope DDT for the pin at 11:14.

Rating: B-. Cassidy’s evolution has been a nice upgrade for him as you can only do the same stuff for so long before it loses is charm. Having a bit more of an edge and a better finisher with the top rope DDT could do him some good. Nice enough match here and it keeps the Conglomeration vs. the Learning Tree going, because that has to be a thing.

Post match Chris Jericho comes up on screen and steals Cassidy’s backpack, which he threatens with scissors. Is…..this some weird parody of the CM Punk stolen bracelet?

Mercedes Mone isn’t worried about not having Kamille in her corner at All Out. Why is Christopher Daniels in her business? Kamille isn’t barred tonight though and you’ll see what she can do.

Outrunners vs. Davey Bang/August Matthews

Erica Leigh is here with the Outrunners. Matthews chops Magnum to start and that just doesn’t seem smart. Magnum shows him how the chopping is done and does it to Bang as well. Floyd comes in for a suplex and the double elbow his Bang. A powerslam/running neckbreaker combination (Total Recall) finishes Bang at 2:17, which is somehow the Outrunners’ first win in AEW.

We get a sitdown face to face interview with Kris Statlander and Willow Nightingale. Statlander talks about being there for Nightingale but when Nightingale won the TBS Title, Statlander never got a rematch. Nightingale thinks this is Stokely Hathaway getting in Statlander’s head and they’re both happy with tomorrow’s match being a street fight so the violence can ensue.

Continental Title Qualifying Match: Konosuke Takeshita vs. The Beast Mortos

Don Callis is on commentary and they shove each other to start. Mortos kicks him in the head in the corner but misses a charge and crashes out to the floor. Takeshita hits a big dive and then whips him into the barricade, only for Mortos to hit a dive of his own. Back in and Takeshita hits a top rope superplex for the big crash and we take a break.

We come back with Mortos hitting a reverse Sling Blade. A backbreaker and Samoan drop get two on Takeshita, who is back with a German suplex and the Blue Thunder Bomb for two of his own. Mortos hits a spear for one but Takeshita rocks him with a headbutt. The running knee and the Raging Fire (spinning Falcon Arrow) finish Mortos at 11:18.

Rating: B. This was a match about two people beating the tar out of each other until one of them couldn’t get up anymore. It’s good to have Takeshita back, as he is one of the more consistently impressive stars in all of AEW. I don’t buy him winning the title tomorrow, but at least he got a good win here.

The Outcasts don’t like Jamie Hayter and accuse her of stalking them. Trouble is promised.

Mariah May says the best way to get to know a woman is to make her scream at your feet. Her championship celebration will be at All Out.

Hikaru Shida vs. Deonna Purrazzo

Purrazzo drives her into the corner for some kicks to the ribs to start before they trade rollups for two each. Shida hits a big boot but gets sent into the corner as we take an early break. Back with Shida hitting a missile dropkick and hammering away in the corner. Purrazzo pulls her into the Fujiwara armbar, sending Shida over to the ropes. Shida grabs a Falcon Arrow for two and the Katana finishes at 9:28.

Rating: C+. This was the way to boost Shida up for her title shot against Mercedes Mone, which is not likely to go as well for her. Shida is already one of the most successful stars in the history of the division so she doesn’t need much more of a push towards the title match. Other than that, Purrazzo continues to kind of float around, though being in a match like this is better than nothing.

Post match Mercedes Mone comes out for a distraction, allowing Kamille to jump her from behind. Mone grabs the kendo stick but hits Kamille by mistake, with Shida hitting the Katana to send Mone running.

FTR wants the Grizzled Young Veterans next week on Collision.

The Acclaimed and Billy Gunn say they can beat anyone. The MxM Collection come in and say they’re better, with the Acclaimed NOT liking their finger thing.

Blackpool Combat Club/Pac vs. Elite

Everyone is a champion, because AEW. Danielson and Okada start things off but we’ll go with Perry instead to take Danielson into the corner. The stomping from Perry allows Matt to come in, only to be taken straight into the corner as well. The Bucks dropkick Yuta into the corner so it’s off to Pac, who chokes Matt down without much effort. Castagnoli hits a backbreaker and everything breaks down with the Elite getting hammered in various corners.

We take a break and come back with Okada hitting a backbreaker on Pac as everything breaks down again. Matt’s 450 hits Pac and Castagnoli as they hang in the ropes and things settle back down. Nick poses a bit and stomps on Pac before Perry’s neckbreaker can get two. Pac sends the Bucks together and hits a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker for two, allowing Castagnoli to come back in. A Hart Attack hits Matt but Nick makes the save. Okada and Castagnoli strike it out until Castagnoli hits a suplex, allowing the tag off to Danielson.

Perry comes in as well and they trade kicks in the corner. Danielson flips over him and hits the running clothesline but gets DDTed by Nick. Perry gets taken down by a missile dropkick and Danielson fires off the kicks as Collision ends and Rampage officially begins. The LeBell Lock is broken up but it’s Yuta coming in to strike away at Perry. The Rainmaker misses but the Bucks superkick Yuta into the Tombstone. That means the Bucks can hit dives, with Okada teasing a dive, only to pose instead.

Pac dives onto the Bucks and hits a springboard 450 for two on Okada. The Club takes over on Okada in the corner, with Danielson adding a middle rope dropkick. We take another break and come back with the Bucks saving Okada from the Brutalizer. Everything breaks down and all of the villains other than Perry get Tombstoned at the same time. A suplex/high crossbody combination hits Matt and Danielson chases Perry into the crowd. The Bucks hit the EVP Trigger on Yuta with Pac making the save. That means the Swing into Yuta’s dropkick can finish Matt at 28:28.

Rating: B+. This got all kinds of time and it felt like a special match before the much more important matches tomorrow. The ending is a tease of the Young Bucks losing but….yeah I don’t buy it either. Anyway, one heck of a main event here and it had the kind of insane action that makes AEW work most of the time.

Overall Rating: B+. The extra time was a one off thing due to the back to back Collision/Rampage deal but we had two rather awesome matches here, with the main event being worth a look. The show also helped set up the Continental Title match, with a rather unique group of challengers. Throw in the Outrunners and Takeshita and this was an easy success.

Results
Mark Briscoe b. Lance Archer – Froggy Bow
Grizzled Young Veterans b. Iron Savages – Grit Your Teeth to Bronson
Orange Cassidy b. Bryan Keith – Top rope DDT
Outrunners b. Davey Bang/August Matthews – Total Recall to Bang
Konosuke Takeshita b. The Beast Mortos – Raging Fire
Hikaru Shida b. Deonna Purrazzo – Katana
Blackpool Combat Club/Pac b. Elite – Giant Swing/dropkick combination to Matt

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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Dynamite
Date: September 4, 2024
Location: UW Panthers Arena, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Taz

It’s the last Dynamite before All Out and the pay per view is starting to come together. The biggest story continues to be Swerve Strickland vs. Hangman Page in a cage match with Bryan Danielson defending the World Title against Jack Perry as a secondary main event. Odds are we’ll get some more added this week so let’s get to it.

Here is Collision if you need a recap.

Here is Daniel Garcia to get things going. Patience is a virtue but he isn’t feeling very virtuous so MJF needs to get out here so Garcia can break his neck. MJF pops up in the crowd saying he doesn’t want to spoil breaking Garcia’s neck on Saturday so he’s staying up here. He doesn’t jump people from behind and he certainly doesn’t do it while looking like “an emaciated skinhead hooked on Ozempic.”

Garcia says everything MJF just said is fake, just like everything about him, down to his fake hair transplants. The thing that bugs Garcia the most is the fake love that MJF has for AEW. It doesn’t matter how many fake tattoos MJF has, because none of it is real. MJF gets cut off and Garcia says that if MJF can find someone who loves him for longer than a year, he should marry her and have a kid. Then the kid can look up at him one day and ask if MJF used to be a wrestler, which he will be until Garcia ends his career.

MJF calls out the fans for turning on him and says the higher Garcia rises, the more the fans want to see him fall. We wrap it up with a reference to Garcia’s mother being, uh, familiar with a variety of men, which has Garcia running into the crowd…where MJF bashes a bottle over his head. MJF sits next to the bloody and unconscious Garcia, promising to send him to paradise on Saturday. A kiss on the head wraps it up. Garcia was certainly trying here but I’m still not buying him on MJF’s level. This was one of the better things he has ever done in AEW, but he’s still out of his league talking with MJF.

The Conglomeration is ready to team with Will Ospreay, with Mark Briscoe recounting a phone call with Kyle O’Reilly about setting up the match. The word of the day is STUPENDOUS because this is a stupendous combination.

International Title: Kyle Fletcher vs. Kazuchika Okada

Okada is defending. They start rather slowly with Okada grabbing a headlock but having to slip out of a slam attempt. The Rainmaker misses and Fletcher knocks him to the floor for the suicide elbow as we take a break. Back with Fletcher hitting a clothesline but Okada hits a fireman’s carry backbreaker for a breather.

Fletcher gets in a shot of his own to knock Okada outside and they fight to the apron, where Fletcher hits a brainbuster for the big knockout. We take another break and come back again with Fletcher getting fired up but getting dropkicked to the floor with five minutes to go in the twenty minute time limit.

Fletcher hits a big dive in the crowd and they head back inside with Fletcher adding a clothesline to the back. Okada hits him with some clotheslines of his own but Fletcher is back with a piledriver for two. We have a minute left as Okada pulls the referee in the way so Fletcher can’t come off the top. The distraction lets Okada hit a low blow and the Rainmaker for the pin at 19:23.

Rating: B-. This was an attempt to make Fletcher look like he was this close to winning the title but it’s hard to imagine him on Okada’s level. Granted it didn’t help that Okada wasn’t exactly kicking it into high gear here. The match was good, but it wasn’t quite the epic showdown that it felt like they were shooting for with this one.

Swerve Strickland shows us his childhood home…which he has bought back with the money from his new contract. There is no way this can end well.

Jamie Hayter vs. Robyn Renegade

Renegade jumps her to start but Hayter knocks her out to the apron. A few shots rock Renegade and the Haterade finishes her off at 2:07. Just a step above a squash.

Roderick Strong complains to Christopher Daniels about his foot being under the ropes during last week’s eight man tag. Hook comes in to offer him an FTW Title shot but Strong will take it in a better city.

Marina Shafir and Jon Moxley arrive to beat up some security. They run into the Young Bucks and Jack Perry, with Moxley saying he doesn’t care what they say; Perry is a sweet kid.

Here are Moxley and Shafir for a chat. Moxley talks about giving Darby Allin a beating and how Allin does things the right way. Moxley is not an impatient man but the clock is ticking. All Moxley wants to do is talk. Short and to the point here.

Chris Jericho and the Learning Tree want revenge on Orange Cassidy for ruining his jacket years ago. Cassidy pops in to say that if Bryan Keith can beat him, he’ll give Jericho the $7,000 for the jacket. Has Jericho just run out of people to latch onto and is starting to circle back around?

Women’s Title: Nyla Rose vs. Mariah May

May is defending and avoids an early charge in the corner, where she slaps Rose to limited success. A crossbody hits May and some slams into a legdrop get two. May’s missile dropkick gets the same and we take a break. Back with May hitting a running dropkick for two before a double headbutt puts both of them down. Rose is back up with a clothesline for two before a World’s Strongest Slam sends May to the floor. The referee checks on May, who sweeps the leg in an attempt to get the countout. Back in and Storm Zero retains the title at 10:30.

Rating: C+. Is Rose just required to lose to every new champion in their first defense? She’s still a monster but there is definitely a pattern to how all of this works. For now though, it helps May look more like a champion, though they are already teasing more between her and Toni Storm. There is a reason for a big rematch, though I can’t imagine it going much better for Storm this time.

Video on Deonna Purrazzo, who needs to reset things after her setback in the bullrope match.

Here are Mercedes Mone and Kamille, with the former bragging about retaining her NJPW Strong Women’s Title last week. She’s ready for Hikaru Shida, who pops up on screen to say she isn’t worried about the two of them. Christopher Daniels appears and bans Kamille from ringside for the title match.

Jack Perry talks about how he needed to change everything about himself and wanted to get better. Bryan Danielson didn’t help him when he could, so now he needs to take the World Title from him.

Blackpool Combat Club/Pac vs. Orange Cassidy/Will Ospreay/Kyle O’Reilly

Bryan Danielson is on commentary. Yuta and O’Reilly go to the mat to start and they fight over armbars with neither being able to get very far. Pac comes in to knock Cassidy into the corner and yes Ospreay is willing to join him. Neither can get anything to connect so it’s a standoff instead as we take an early break.

Back with Yuta German suplexing Cassidy for two and Pac comes in for the Brutalizer. That’s broken up but Cassidy’s partners get knocked off the apron, allowing the Club to triple team Cassidy in the corner. Cassidy manages to throw Castagnoli outside and kicks Yuta away, allowing the tag to Ospreay to clean house.

We take another break and come back with everything breaking down, including Ospreay hitting a dive to the floor to drop Pac. Ospreay dives off the stage to take Pac out again, leaving Cassidy to Stundog Millionaire Castagnoli for two. O’Reilly and Cassidy alternate kicks to Castagnoli and the former grabs a guillotine. That’s eventually broken up and Castagnoli knocks him down. The Swing has O’Reilly in more trouble, with Yuta’s dropkick being enough for the pin at 19:06.

Rating: B+. This was the kind of incredibly fun match that AEW knows how to do and makes them work. It helped set up a few things at once, including what should be a great match between Pac and Ospreay. It got some time (minus the breaks) and there was all kinds of good action throughout. Well done here for a big time main event.

Post match Danielson gets in the ring to celebrate but the Elite jump them from behind. The Club fights up and cleans house, with Castagnoli saying that was a big mistake. Castagnoli thinks those Tag Team Titles would look great on himself and Yuta so the title challenge is officially on. Danielson promises to kick Perry’s head in.

We cut to the back where Pac brainbusters Will Ospreay (who he calls “William”) onto an anvil case.

It’s time for the contract signing between Swerve Strickland and Hangman Page. Swerve and Prince Nana come out first….and there is no Page. We cut to Page going into the childhood home that Swerve was shown buying earlier in the day. Page talks about how horrible of a person Swerve is and how horrible his family life must have been growing up here. Swerve throws the table in the ring as Page pours gasoline on various things.

He sits in a chair with his back to the house and talks about how he wanted to burn everything down. Swerve will be begging for his mercy at All Out, where he will say goodbye to his healthy, his joy and his happiness. Then Page burns the house while the fans chant THIS IS ARSON to end the show.

Well I’d say that’s going to get people talking. The more I think about it, the more I think I like it, but they better embrace going totally over the top with this thing. After the way Page was looking at the camera, he might as well grow handlebars on the mustache so he can twirl it a bit. That’s not a bad way to go, but the rest of the story needs to match it.

Overall Rating: B. This show had a really hard task to pull off with making fans interested in another pay per view so soon after All In. While it’s still way too soon to have All Out, they did about as well as could be expected here. The main event was rather good and the big closing angle was absolutely memorable. All Out is going to be a show that is built around one or two matches at most, but dang they’ve done a nice job of making me want to see what happens.

Results
Kazuchika Okada b. Kyle Fletcher – Rainmaker
Jamie Hayter b. Robyn Renegade – Haterade
Mariah May b. Nyla Rose – Storm Zero
Blackpool Combat Club/Pac b. Orange Cassidy/Will Ospreay/Kyle O’Reilly – Giant swing into a dropkick to O’Reilly

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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Monday Night Raw
Date: August 18, 2008
Location: Allstate Arena, Rosemont, Illinois
Attendance: 14,957
Commentators: Michael Cole, Jerry Lawler

We’re done with Summerslam and the big story is Batista defeated John Cena in one heck of a bragging rights match. That is the kind of match that you do not get to see very often and in theory it should make Batista the #1 contender to the Raw World Title. CM Punk dispatched JBL and is going to need a fresh challenger so let’s get to it.

Here is Summerslam if you need a recap.

Here is a rather serious looking Chris Jericho to get things going. He isn’t here to apologize for what happened to Shawn Michaels’ wife last night because the person who should be apologizing is Shawn himself. Shawn is the person who put her in danger, and here is the proof. We see a long recap of the segment, which capped off with Jericho “accidentally” hitting Shawn’s wife in the face.

Back in the arena, the fans are not exactly pleased with Jericho, who says that Shawn could have just sent in a video or something to make his big announcement. Instead he had to come to the ring and do everything in person, which is why his wife got hurt. All Shawn had to do was admit that Jericho was the reason he’s finished and now look what happened. The reality is Shawn has tarnished his reputation and that is something he is going to have to live with for the rest of his life. Jericho slowly walks out, with commentary not being sure what to make of this. Good stuff here, as Jericho was much more somber and it worked.

Batista vs. Paul Burchill

Batista is coming in with a bad knee. Burchill kicks him in the face to start and Batista actually gets knocked into the corner. A shot to the knee cuts off the comeback attempt but Batista is back with a spear. The spinebuster into the Batista Bomb finishes Burchill quick.

Mike Adamle introduces Primo Colon (Carlito’s brother) as the newest member of the Raw roster but John Cena walks past. Adamle tries to talk to him but Cena walks up to Batista, saying last night was great and the better man won. Batista thanks him for that, but Cena says that was last night. Batista: “All right.”

Kelly Kelly/Mickie James vs. Jillian Hall/Katie Lea

Jillian’s song from Chicago doesn’t make the Peacock cut. Mickie drives Jillian into the corner to start and then takes both of them down at once. Kelly comes in with a sunset flip for two as we hear about Kelly’s dating tips in an interview. Katie gets Kelly up in an electric chair so Jillian can come in to pull her down in a crash.

The reverse chinlock has Kelly in trouble and Jillian knocks her down for two. Kelly gets some knees up though and the tag brings Mickie back in for some slightly more sophisticated stuff. A neckbreaker gets two on Katie as Jillian makes the save. Mickie and Kelly hit a double dropkick on Jillian, followed by the MickieDT to finish Katie.

Rating: C+. Better than I was expecting here, which granted is mostly due to Mickie carrying things for the team. Jillian is little more than a gimmick and Katie has already peaked. At the same time you have Kelly, who is getting better but still feels like more of a long term project. Granted it’s a project with some upside so there are worse ideas.

John Bradshaw Layfield vs. Jamie Noble

Noble strikes away to start and hammers away in the corner, only to get caught with the fall away slam. The slow beating is on until the Clothesline From JBL puts Noble out. JBL won’t cover though and instead hits another Clothesline, followed by another clothesline, which is enough for the stoppage.

Here is Mike Adamle for some announcements. First up, tonight’s main event is CM Punk vs. Chris Jericho. Speaking of the Raw World Title, Shane and Stephanie McMahon have told him to make a new announcement: at Unforgiven, there will be a 20 minute Championship Scramble for the title. There can be multiple falls, but the last person to score one will be the official World Heavyweight Champion. Here are the participants: World Champion CM Punk, Kane, JBL, Batista and John Cena. That’s not bad. Not the concept that is, as that’s a cool idea, but rather Adamle getting through this without any major errors.

John Cena vs. Cody Rhodes/Ted DiBiase

Non-title. Hold on though as here is Cryme Tyme, who steal the Tag Team Titles and run off. DiBiase looks ready to start but Rhodes comes in instead and we take an early break. Back with Rhodes getting in a cheap shot out of the corner, which is enough for a chase around the ring and a tag off to DiBiase. Back in and DiBiase hammers away, setting up a double suplex for two, followed by a dropkick for the same. Rhodes knocks him to the apron and then into the barricade before it’s back to DiBiase.

Cena’s missed charge into the corner lets DiBiase grab a belly to back suplex, setting up a clothesline for two. Cena tries the comeback but DiBiase grabs the arm so Rhodes can drop him again as the numbers advantage continues. A flying shoulder misses for Cena as well as he just can’t keep anything going. DiBiase snaps off a suplex but tries a second, which Cena reverses into one of his own. That’s enough to start the real comeback, with Cena firing off the shoulders into the Shuffle on Rhodes. DiBiase gets knocked to the floor and the STF finishes Rhodes clean.

Rating: C. Yeah not a fan of the Tag Team Champions losing for the second time in three weeks, especially with Cena out there on his own. It also wasn’t a very entertaining match, as it was mostly Cena selling for over ten minutes before coming back with his usual to win. There was no other team other than the champs to take this loss?

Harley Race is here.

We look at Chris Jericho accidentally (in theory) hitting Shawn Michaels’ wife last night.

Last night, Shawn and his wife Rebecca were going to leave the arena but Shawn stopped to say he was going to come home and comfort his family, because she got punched in the face because of him. And then….and then….and I guess that sums it up.

CM Punk says what Chris Jericho did last night was reprehensible but they deal with people like him in Chicago.

Santino Marella vs. D’Lo Brown

Non-title and Beth Phoenix is here with Santino while Kofi Kingston comes out to join commentary. Santino knocks him down for an early two as Kingston wants to know who wears the pants in Glamarella. Brown fights back and hits a quick legdrop but Phoenix gets in the ring to block the Low Down. Brown: “GET TO STEPPIN! I SAID GET TO STEPPIN!” That’s enough for Phoenix to slap Brown in the face for the fast DQ.

Post match Santino goes after Kingston, who knocks him silly with a ram into the announcers’ table.

Classics On Demand: Trish Stratus b. Stacy Keibler in a bikini contest.

Here is Kane to explain why he was carrying around Rey Mysterio’s mask in a bag. He’s been carrying the bag around for a while because it put a smile on his face. Mysterio has not been around for about six weeks, because Kane has never really liked him. Kane calls Mysterio a slithering little slime that hides behind a mask and like a fungus that grows in the marshes of your psyche.

Six weeks ago, he attacked Mysterio but spared his life. Mysterio is alive, but his spirit is broken and dead. We get some evil laughter, which is enough to bring out a limping Batista. The brawl is on but Kane goes after the bag leg and hits a chokeslam to escape. Should be a good hoss fight when we get around to it.

CM Punk vs. Chris Jericho

Non-title and Jericho has Lance Cade with him. The fans are of course behind Punk and Jericho does not like that. They take their time to start until Punk strikes him down for an early two. Punk cranks on both arms but Jericho slips out, only to miss a charge into the post as we take an early break. Back with Punk getting pulled into a chinlock before Jericho bends his back over the knee. That’s broken up with a kick to the head so Jericho pulls him into an abdominal stretch.

Punk fights out again and grabs his own backbreaker for his own two, followed by the corner clothesline. The bulldog is blocked though and Jericho hits the Lionsault for two. The Walls go on but Punk reverses into a rollup for two and the escape. Jericho slips out of a GTS attempt and grabs the Walls, sending Punk crawling over to the ropes. Another GTS attempt is countered and Jericho goes up, only to get kneed in the face. The super bulldog leaves both of them down but a quick Cade distraction lets Jericho hit the Codebreaker for the win.

Rating: B-. Well of course Punk, who is already seen as an underdog champion, loses in his hometown with the least amount of interference. It’s nice that there is a little something in there to protect Punk, but this felt like WWE was trying to make him look bad in front of his friends and family (who they made clear were there). The match was pretty good, but the result felt like such annoying business as usual from WWE.

Overall Rating: B-. This was mainly about setting up the major players before the Championship Scramble, even with the champion himself losing in the end. The good thing is that covers a lot of ground and eats up a bunch of time on the show, as there wasn’t much good on the undercard. Unforgiven feels like it’s going to be a one match show, but it’s one of those matches with so much in it that the show should work out. Now just get a little something else for some insurance, as a two match card sounds even better.

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