Smackdown
Date: May 30, 2008
Location: World Arena, Colorado Springs, Colorado
Commentators: Mick Foley, Michael Cole

It’s the final show before One Night Stand and as was the case last week, the show is completely set up. There isn’t much more than needs to be said around here as Edge vs. Undertaker in a TLC match sells itself. Other than that, Batista vs. Shawn Michaels in a stretcher match is already there so it should be time for the big final push towards Sunday. Let’s get to it.

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

Edge joins us to start and says he will be introducing a series of clips of the Undertaker throughout the night, because this will be Undertaker’s last night on Smackdown. It will also be his first time on the Cutting Edge, which could be fascinating. Ok more like moderately interesting but fascinating sounds better.

Opening sequence.

Here is Batista to get things going and the fans seem rather happy to see him. Batista doesn’t have much to say because the time for talking is LONG gone. If nothing else, he is a man of his word and on Sunday he is going to hurt Shawn Michaels. Some people will have a problem with that but he hopes they can find it in their hearts to forgive him. After that, the winner of the TLC match between Batista and Undertaker….and here is Vickie Guerrero, with the Edgeheads, to cut him off.

Vickie says that it’s great for Batista to be looking at the future, but maybe he’ll be drafted to Raw. On top of that, what if he loses to Shawn Michaels and his bag of trick (Bag of tricks?)? He would humiliate all of Smackdown and VICKIE WOULD LOOK BAD! Batista cuts off whatever she is demanding and says this has nothing to do with her. This is about Batista vs. Shawn Michaels so go worry about Edge. The Edgeheads are ready to fight, but Vickie makes a tag match later, with Batista getting to pick his partner.

We look at Undertaker debuting at Survivor Series 1990.

Matt Hardy vs. Elijah Burke

Non-title. Burke knocks him into the corner to start but Hardy slugs his way out of trouble. That earns Hardy the Four Up before Burke rains down more right hands. The chinlock goes on for a bit until Hardy fights up. Burke drops him with a clothesline for two and we hit the chinlock with a knee in Hardy’s back. Hardy finally suplexes his way to freedom but it’s too early for the middle rope elbow. Instead Hardy settles for two off a Side Effect but Burke blocks the bulldog out of the corner. Not that it matters as Hardy grabs the Twist of Fate for the pin.

Rating: C. Not much to see here as they only had so much time and a lot of it was spent on punches. This felt like a way to get Hardy on the show but it would have been nice if the match had been a bit better. Burke has been pretty much nothing for a good while now so the title not being on the line here made a bit more sense.

MVP says no one cares about Matt Hardy but Jamie Noble interrupts. Noble thinks they’re a lot alike but MVP doesn’t want to hear it. A match is made for later.

Finlay vs. Chuck Palumbo

Hornswoggle is here with Finlay. Palumbo kicks away to start and hits a heck of a right hand in the corner. Finlay ducks a charge though and Palumbo goes shoulder first into the post. Some arm cranking ensues and they head outside with Finlay sending him arm first into the steps. Back in and Palumbo hits one heck of a big boot for two, with Finlay’s arms rolling back into his head. Finlay’s eyes are fine enough to see Palumbo going to the floor off a running clothesline. That means it’s time to go after Hornswoggle, followed by a chain to Finlay’s face for the DQ.

Rating: C. Well they’re certainly trying with Palumbo and having him take it to Finlay like this was a good way to go. They’re having a nice enough mini feud and even though I don’t think it’s going to be some big breakthrough for Palumbo, I can go for some fresh feuds like this one. Just throw some people out there and see what happens.

Jamie Nobel comes into Vickie Guerrero’s office and is granted a match with MVP without much trouble. He thinks its too simple so Vickie and the Edgeheads tell him to get out.

We look at Undertaker throwing Mankind off of the Cell. Foley being on commentary to talk about how important that was helps a bit.

John Morrison vs. CM Punk

The Miz is here with Morrison. Well in theory at least as the referee ejects him before the bell. Punk grabs a fast rollup for two before kicking Morrison down. Back up and Morrison hits a running shoulder, setting up a kick to the head for two. A seated full nelson goes on but Punk is right back up with the running knee into the corner. The bulldog back out of the corner gets two but Morrison cuts him off again. Punk is fine enough to reverse a suplex though and the GTS is good for the fast pin.

Batista/??? vs. Edgeheads

Batista…doesn’t need a partner so here is Vickie to say this can be a handicap match. Actually scratch that, as Batista said he doesn’t need a partner, but he does have one.

Batista/Big Show vs. Edgeheads

Show wheels Vickie to the back before heading to the ring. Hawkins slugs away at Batista to start and is quickly run over. Batista drives him into the corner for the shoulders to the ribs and Show adds the chop. It’s off to Ryder, who is pulled in (by the head, off the floor) for one heck of a chop. Batista easily fights out of the corner and a cheap shot just earn Hawkins a spinebuster. The chokeslam finishes as Show chokeslams Ryder for a bonus.

Rating: C-. Total squash here, and what els were you expecting it to be? Batista winning this on his own wouldn’t have been a stretch so bringing in a fellow monster like Show made it some entertaining destruction. I’m not sure how much it helps get them ready for their One Night Stand matches, but at least they got to do this first.

We look at Undertaker winning the 2007 Royal Rumble after an incredible finish with Shawn Michaels.

Cherry is rather banged up after Maryse kicked her in the face last week. Maryse comes into the trainer’s room and says she hurt her ankle…when she kicked Cherry.

One Night Stand rundown.

MVP vs. Jamie Noble

MVP stomps him down in the corner to start but Noble grabs a leglock. A shot to the ribs and a faceplant bangs up said ribs even more. Noble gets whipped hard into the corner and we hit the abdominal stretch. The big kick to the head is cut of with a kick to MVP’s knee though and a Cannonball (“Throwing your body at your opponent” according to Cole or “upside down back spasm” according to Mick.) rocks him again. A high crossbody hits Noble but MVP drops him ribs first across the top. The big boot finishes Noble.

Rating: C+. I liked this more than I was expecting as Noble was working (as usual) and they even had something of a story between the ribs vs. knee. This was a match that got more effort than it probably needed but it wound up being pretty nice. MVP needs something to do, though I’m not sure what that could be at the moment.

Undertaker beat Batista at Wrestlemania XXIII.

Vladimir Kozlov vs. Shannon Moore

Kozlov chops him down without much trouble. Moore fights back but gets knocked out of the air. A belly to belly overhead suplex sets up the reverse DDT to keep Kozlov undefeated.

Vince McMahon is giving away money starting next week on Raw.

Michelle McCool vs. Maryse

Deuce N Domino are here with Maryse. McCool fireman’s carries her down, with Foley saying that’s the same thing he used to do. A sunset flip doesn’t work for Maryse as McCool rolls through and hits a basement dropkick. Back up and Maryse chokes in the corner but gets knocked down again. Deuce N Domino offer a distraction so Maryse can take out the let and grab a half crab. Cue Cherry for a distraction though, allowing McCool to switch into a heel hook for the fast tap. These matches still aren’t great, but you can see McCool getting better.

We look back at Edge cashing in Money In The Bank on Undertaker last year.

It’s time for the Cutting Edge, with the World Title above the ring, with a ladder set up. Edge is a little more serious than usual here and talks about his feud with the Undertaker over the last year. It all ends on Sunday because it has to, and Undertaker will be gone from WWE. And FOR REAL this time, not just a few months.

It comes down to experience in the match, and we see a video of the two of them in TLC matches. In other words, a blank screen for Undertaker’s half and a bunch for Edge (with an Indiana Jones theme for some reason). Edge finally brings out Undertaker, who makes his rather slow way to the ring and doesn’t seem overly happy. Edge knows that Undertaker isn’t comfortable about all these things, so here is La Familia with a casket to make him feel better.

Undertaker slugs Edge down and the fight is on, with Undertaker fighting through the numbers game. That just lets Edge chair Undertaker in the back, as well as the head, to put him down. More chair shots let them put Undertaker in the casket, leaving Edge to (slowly) climb the ladder. Before he can grab the belt though, the gong strikes and the lights go out. Undertaker is on top of the ladder and house is quickly cleaned. Hawkins is Last Rided through a table to end the show.

Overall Rating: C. This was mainly about Edge vs. Undertaker, which went better than I expected given that they’ve been feuding for months now. Other than that you didn’t get much of a build for Sunday, though there were a few decent enough matches. The Edge vs. Undertaker stuff was good enough, but this was a skippable show as you would be better off just going straight to the pay per view.

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

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

AND

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

Collision
Date: August 5, 2023
Location: Bon Secours Wellness Arena, Greenville, South Carolina
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Nigel McGuinness

It’s another big title night as FTR defends the Tag Team Titles against Big Bill/Brian Cage and Ricky Starks challenges CM Punk for….whatever we’re calling Punk’s title. Ricky Steamboat will be the guest referee, which sounds like a way to boost things up for the local crowd. Let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

CM Punk, Ricky Stark, Brian Cage, Big Bill, Prince Nana and FTR are all ready for tonight.

Opening sequence.

Tag Team Titles: Big Bill/Brian Cage vs. FTR

Bill and Cage, with Prince Nana, are challenging and Cash Wheeler’s mother is here for a bonus. Wheeler and Cage start things off with Cage being a bit too strong. Harwood comes in and gets clotheslined but reverses a gorilla press into a crossbody for two. Cage runs him over though and it’s Bill coming in (to quite the response) for a double shoulder. It’s already back to Wheeler, who is promptly slammed and elbowed for two.

Everything breaks down though and it’s a double clothesline to send Cage outside, but Bill blocks the Shatter Machine. Instead, Bill chokeslams Wheeler onto Harwood and then presses him out onto Harwood on the floor as we take a break. Back with Bill hammering on Wheeler in front of his mom, who is completely unfazed and even slaps Bill in the face. Cage plants Wheeler for two back inside but Wheeler slips out of Bill’s torture rack. That doesn’t work for Bill, who blasts him with a clothesline to cut off any comeback.

Bill misses a splash in the corner though and a German suplex drops Cage, allowing the big tag to Harwood. Right hands abound and Cage gets caught in a Steiner Bulldog for a rather near fall. Back up and Cage gets Harwood in a fireman’s carry before catching Wheeler in the air (geez) and dropping both of them.

A Jackhammer gives Cage two (as Bill chokeslams Harwood) and Bill sends both champs outside. Cage busts out his big no hands flip dive (because that’s something he can do), setting up a big boot to give Bill two on Wheeler. Back up and Wheeler sends Cage into Bill, who gets caught with a quick Shatter Machine to retain the titles at 15:03.

Rating: B. This was a heck of a match and Bill/Cage are a much better team than I was expecting. They did the power stuff well and looked impressive doing it while making FTR work to retain the titles here. I was getting into this one and it was a rather awesome match, especially given how new of a team the challengers are.

Post match FTR grabs the mic and says they’ve done a lot, but there is one more thing they need to do…..so how about they finish things with the Young Bucks at All In?

Video on CM Punk vs. Ricky Starks over the REAL World Title.

Juice Robinson, with Jay White cardboard cutout, says when you’re hot you’re hot. Cue the real White to chop the cutout (a distraught Robinson takes it away) and introduce the Gunns (now the TOP Gunns) to mock commentary in a bit of a weird bit.

TBS Title: Kris Statlander vs. Mercedes Martinez

Statlander is defending and they start fast, with Martinez slipping out of a suplex attempt. A running boot to the head misses for Martinez but Statlander misses a flipping splash. Martinez sends her into the corner and elbows her way out of another suplex as Statlander isn’t off to the best start. A chokebomb drops Statlander for two more and a hard forearm puts her down in the corner as we take a break.

Back with Statlander making a comeback and knocking Martinez to the floor. Statlander misses a crossbody off the apron but manages a backbreaker to slow Martinez down again. Martinez cages her on top though and a rather nasty looking release German superplex drops Statlander hard. A running knee gives Martinez two and a quick fisherman’s driver gives Martinez the same. Martinez drops her again but a running forearm to the back of the head is countered into a rollup to retain the title at 10:15 (Martinez’s shoulders looked to be up).

Rating: C+. This got better near the end but Martinez was dominating most of the match until the quick ending. Statlander working with a veteran like Martinez is a good thing and hopefully she got something out of it. Martinez is someone who has not gotten a ton of TV time in recent months and it would be nice for that to change.

Post match Martinez says her shoulders were up and jumps Statlander. Cue Diamante to help Martinez beat her down until Willow Nightingale makes the save.

Here’s the problem with that post match angle:

1. Diamante has not wrestled a match on AEW TV since last September (A loss to Jade Cargill which ran about two and a half minutes. Her most recent TV match before then was in 2020.).

2. This week on ROH TV, ROH Women’s Champion Athena told Diamante to find what she was missing and fix it.

3. The only thing mentioned about Diamante’s time on this week’s ROH TV was that she lost to Athena. No mention whatsoever of Athena’s comments to her.

Again: Tony Khan really needs to stop assuming that everyone is watching every show, because otherwise this was an unprovoked turn from someone who has had one match in AEW in about two and a half year. Show us a clip, tell us what happened or give us some reason why this is taking place.

Toni Storm seems to be on the verge of snapping over losing the Women’s Title last week. She goes into a rant about how she deserves better because she’s that good.

Samoa Joe vs. Serpentico

Non-title and the Koquina Clutch finishes Serpentico at 16 seconds (more than a fourth of which was spent in a staredown).

Post match Samoa Joe says we are coming up on All In and he has no one to face. He has had to deal with things over the years, while a certain REAL World Champion got to travel the world. Joe knows that man is nowhere near his level, but that REAL World Champion took something from him in the Owen Hart Foundation tournament. A rollup is not good enough for their legacy, so Joe wants to be given what he wants. One more time at Wembley Stadium. If Joe has to wait until next week, he’s coming for Punk (the only time Joe said the name).

Andrade El Idolo seems happy with getting his mask back last week over Buddy Matthews.

We get a sitdown interview with the Acclaimed, who have Billy Gunn’s boots. They have talked to him and he is confirming that he is retiring. Gunn was the only one who believed in them and helped them become champions. For now though, they are going to bring Gunn’s boots to the ring with him. Well that’s morbid.

Trios Titles: House Of Black vs. Action Andretti/Lee Johnson/Darius Martin

The House, with Julia Hart, is defending. Actually hold on as the House Rules are back and the Dealer’s Choice rule is Hart being banned from ringside. King runs Martin over with a shoulder to start but Martin knees him in the face, only to have his high crossbody bounce off. Black comes in to strike away at Andretti, who knocks him outside but gets kicked in the face.

Matthews jumps off the top to stomp on Andretti’s arm before tossing him ribs first onto the top rope for a good looking visual. Andretti is knocked into the barricade and we take a break. Back with Johnson hitting a moonsault into something resembling a double reverse DDT. Black kicks him into the corner though and everything breaks down. Andretti dives onto Black and Murphy before Martin’s top rope splash to King’s back gets two. Matthews and Black knee Martin out of the air though and the titles are retained at 9:10.

Rating: C+. This is one of those matches where the ending wasn’t in doubt but you got some cool moments before the inevitable. There was no way a thrown together team was going to win the titles here, even with the return of the not quite necessary House Rules. It’s a perfectly nice title defense though and they let the guys have some fun.

Next week: CM Punk and FTR get a Trios Titles match. Ok.

QTV throw out Tony Schiavone to talk to Will Hobbs. They offer him a gold chain and suggest that Hobbs get in the ring at All Out. Hobbs doesn’t want or need their help, but he’ll take the chain.

Christian Cage, with his daughter, and Luchasaurus are here with Christian talking about how he wants to be a good father to everyone. She asks to hold his title, but Christian says she didn’t win it so go find your mom and get out of here. Christian: “Security, she’s not credentialed. Have her removed from the building.” Well that was awesome.

Metalik vs. Jay White

The Gunns and Juice Robinson, with the cardboard Jay White (Cardblade) and the former join commentary. White knees Metalik in the ribs to start but gets a headscissors into the corner. A springboard doesn’t work so well for Metalik but he gets knocked back to the apron. White snaps him throat first across the top but misses a baseball slide, allowing Metalik to springboard moonsault onto him. White has had it with this though and grabs a cobra clutch suplex, setting up the Blade Runner for the pin at 5:10.

Rating: C. It was a nice way to get White in the ring and keep him hot as the Bullet Club gets to do their wacky antics. It wasn’t meant to be some competitive back and forth match and while Metalik got in some offense, he isn’t anywhere close to White’s level and everyone knows that. They stuck to the point here and that is nice to see.

Video on Anna Jay vs. Hikaru Shida.

Here’s what’s coming on various shows.

Jim Ross is back for the main event.

Real World Title: Ricky Starks vs. CM Punk

Punk is defending and Ricky Steamboat is the outside referee. They start fast with Punk knocking him out to the floor but pausing to let him back in. Punk runs him over with a shoulder and steals Starks’ pose a few times for a cute spot. Starks is right back with the armdrag (you knew that was coming) to send Punk outside and there’s the mocking the go to sleep motion. Back in and Starks hammers away in the corner, setting up a Cactus Clothesline.

We take a break and come back with thinking picking way up, including Starks unloading with right hands in the corner. Punk strikes away as well (nowhere near as fast but he was trying) until Starks is sent outside. Back in and Starks manages to knock him outside for a change, followed by an elbow to the face back inside. The Steamboat style chop to the head lets Starks glare at Steamboat before grabbing a waistlock. Punk fights up and hits a spinning middle rope crossbody but can’t get a sunset flip (Starks grabbing the rope didn’t help).

We take another break and come back again with Punk hitting a top rope superplex. Some right hands into a swinging neckbreaker keeps Starks in trouble and there’s the running knee into the bulldog for two. Starks rolls through a high crossbody (not exactly smoothly) for two before countering another running knee in the corner with a powerbomb.

The GTS is broken up but Starks misses a charge into the corner and hits the buckle. Punk kicks him in the head for two but Starks’ Alabama Slam gets the same. The ref gets bumped (of course) so Starks goes to yell, allowing Punk to roll him up, with Steamboat (very eventually) counting the pin to retain Punk’s title at 22:20.

Rating: B. They took some time to get warmed up here but it was rolling once they got into the rhythm of things. Punk continues to be able to shift from good to bad in the blink of an eye and he was full on fan favorite this week. Starks continues to be someone who feels like a star, though the loss after that long of a wait on the count didn’t help him. Steamboat looks to be about twenty years younger than he is (if not for the hair color, you wouldn’t think he aged) but he didn’t get to do much here.

Post match Punk pays homage to Steamboat but Starks shoves Steamboat into him. Starks whips out a belt and whips the heck out of Steamboat (he can still sell) until Punk (also very eventually) makes the save. Punk glares at Starks and then chases him off to end the show.

Overall Rating: B-. As tends to be the case with a lot of shows, the opener and main event were the best parts, with the stuff in the middle being mostly ok. What mattered here was setting things up for the future, as Punk vs. Starks isn’t done but Punk also has the House of Black and Samoa Joe to deal with coming up. Collision has really started to figure out what it wants to be and is turning into one of the best shows of the week as a result.

Results
FTR b. Big Bill/Brian Cage – Shatter Machine to Cage
Kris Statlander b. Mercedes Martinez – Rollup
Samoa Joe b. Serpentico – Koquina Clutch
House of Black b. Lee Johnson/Action Andretti/Darius Martin – Double knees to Martin
Jay White b. Metalik – Blade Runner
CM Punk b. Ricky Starks – Rollup

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

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

AND

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

Collision
Date: July 29, 2023
Location: XL Center, Hartford, Connecticut
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Nigel McGuinness

It’s another title match as FTR is defending the Tag Team Titles against MJF/Adam Cole. No matter what the outcome, the result is likely to have a big impact on All In/Out. Other than that, CM Punk is here and that should mean something is going down with Ricky Starks. That should be enough to carry the evening so let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Darby Allin, MJF/Adam Cole and FTR are ready.

Opening sequence.

Buddy Matthews vs. Andrade El Idolo

Ladder match for Andrade’s mask and Julia Hart is here with Matthews. They slug it out to start until Andrade knocks him outside, where Andrade jumps onto a ladder and moonsaults down onto Matthews. Back in and Andrade hits Two Amigos but takes too long on the third. Not that it matters as Matthews is hiptossed into the ladder in the corner. Andrade gets tossed down as well though and we take a break with Matthews’ shoulder in trouble.

Back with Andrade in trouble and Matthews (shoulder seems to be ok) pulling out the really big ladder. Said ladder is bridged between the apron and the announcers’ table and they fight over a suplex. Andrade tries a spear through the ropes but gets DDTed onto the ladder. The table is loaded up in the corner but Matthews takes too long, meaning it’s time to slug it out on the ladder outside. Andrade goes big with a sunset bomb to drive Matthews onto a bridged ladder for a terrifying crash and it’s time to climb.

Back in and Matthews (who should be like, down at least) pulls Andrade into a knee to the face as Hart pulls out some handcuffs. Andrade fights back though and ties Matthews up, only to have Hart climb on his back as he climbs up. That takes long enough that Matthews makes the save, only to be knocked down again. Hart slaps Andrade on the ladder, so he shoves her off and into Matthews, through the table in the corner. Andrade gets the mask (that he doesn’t wear in the ring) to win at 18:06.

Rating: B. It’s a ladder match. That’s about all there is to say on this one, as there is very little that can make something like this stand out. The huge sunset bomb onto the ladder with Matthews up in thirty seconds was stupid, but at this point you just kind of have to accept something like that in this kind of a match. Good enough, but this felt like a ladder match for the sake of having a ladder match.

Miro is asked about the upcoming battle he has promised when Aaron Solo (I believe at least, as he isn’t identified) jumps him with a chair. Miro fights him off and uses the chair on him without much trouble.

Here is Darby Allin with an open challenge.

Darby Allin vs. Minoru Suzuki

Allin wastes no time in dropkicking Suzuki off the apron during his entrance, setting up the suicide dive (with Allin nearly dying). A dropkick off the apron hits Suzuki and they head inside for an opening bell and two. Suzuki grabs a choke over the ropes and kicks Allin down to the floor. We take a break and come back with Allin standing up to start the chop off. This doesn’t go well for Allin so he picks up the pace and hits a springboard body block. The Coffin Drop is pulled into a rear naked choke but Allin backflips over to pin Suzuki at 8:12.

Rating: B-. Well that came out of nowhere and that’s a bit weird. I’m not sure why you would have a fan favorite like Suzuki out there with no notice but it was a fine enough one off match. Allin picks up a win on the way towards All Out, and for a surprise match it went about as well as could be expected.

Post match Christian Cage, with Luchasaurus, pops up on screen to say that Allin is no longer worthy of being the TNT Champion. Cage promises to send him back to Hot Topic.

Toni Storm is ready for Hikaru Shida, “the pandemic champion”, next week on Dynamite.

Samoa Joe vs. Gravity

Joe’s ROH TV Title isn’t on the line (as Gravity is still in the tournament to crown a new #1 contender). Gravity dodges him to start but gets knocked into the corner. Back up and Gravity manages a shot out of said corner, only to take too long going up. The MuscleBuster finishes for Joe at 2:05. So Gravity just got squashed by a champion who he could still earn a shot at later. I can’t wait to see how far he goes next week on ROH.

Here is CM Punk, with the bag, for a chat. He had a rough travel day but always makes his towns because he won’t disappoint his fans. Punk brings up All In, even referencing that the show has pretty much not been acknowledged. Maybe we’ll figure that out by the end of the night, but now he wants to talk about Ricky Starks. Ricky has beaten him twice, but he is more disappointed than anything else.

Now as for the bag, it isn’t that he’s carrying it, but rather he’s been left holding it. After a WHAT’S IN THE BAG chant, Punk pulls out the AEW World Title, which he has never been pinned or submitted for, which is why his name (and blood) are still on it. Punk whips out some spray paint and paints the X on the title. It has been his symbol since the 90s and it still is here.

Cue Ricky Starks, to say play his music because he wants to make an entrance. Starks’ music plays and Nigel loses it because WHAT A SURPRISE, RICKY STARKS IS HERE. Speaking in the third person, Starks says he’s focused on gold right about now. He bit Punk before Punk can bite him and that title belongs to him because he’s beaten Punk twice. Starks calls himself the face of collision but Punk calls him the face of cheating. Punk thinks Starks wants a title shot and says we can do it a third time….with a special referee.

Starks recommends Julio Dinero or Dave Prazak (or someone from Stamford) but Punk has already made a phone call to someone from his past. They shake hands and the match is made for next week….and Tony Schiavone announces Ricky Steamboat as guest referee. Cool reveal, though I’m wondering why MJF, the official World Champion, who is in the building tonight, didn’t storm the ring to say NOT SO FAST.

Video on MJF/Adam Cole.

Bullet Club Gold vs. Darius Martin/Action Andretti/El Hijo del Vikingo

Juice Robinson/The Gunns here but no Jay White. The Gunns get taken down by Martin and Andretti and we take a break less than thirty seconds in (it’s stupid when WWE does it and it’s stupid here). Back with Vikingo diving for a tag but the Gunns pull his partners away. A full nelson slam gets two as there is now a cardboard cutout of Jay White at ringside. The hot tag to Andretti goes through a few seconds later and a double Tajiri handspring elbow connects with the Gunns. Everything breaks down and the 3:10 To Yuma finishes Martin at 6:53.

Rating: C+. I guess this was the “Bullet Club Gold Gets Momentum Back” match, though the thing with the cardboard cutout was a little weird. What mattered here was having a fun enough match without going too far and it worked well enough. That being said, Robinson and White are a lot more interesting than the Gunns, who really don’t need to be involved in this thing.

Kiera Hogan vs. Mercedes Martinez

Martinez tags her in the face to start but charges into an elbow in the corner. A brainbuster gets two on Hogan, who comes back with a knee to the face for a breather. Martinez shrugs it off and hits a neckbreaker out of the corner for two more. We take a break and come back with Martinez suplexing her way out of trouble. The Brass City Sleeper (surfboard dragon sleeper) goes on to make Hogan tap at 7:03.

Rating: C. Not much to this one, but Hogan shouldn’t be any kind of a serious threat to Martinez anyway. Martinez hasn’t been around much lately so it’s nice to have her back in action. There aren’t many more polished stars in the women’s division so she could give anyone around a rather nice rub. That being said, this was also the third straight match to have a break in the middle without going ten minutes, and that isn’t helping anything.

Post match Martinez won’t let it go so here is Kris Statlander for the save. Martinez gets the TBS Title and knocks Statlander silly, saying she’s coming for the title. Willow Nightingale makes the real save. I’ve heard far worse ideas than Martinez vs. Statlander.

Here’s what’s coming on various shows.

Tag Team Titles: FTR vs. Adam Cole/Maxwell Jacob Friedman

FTR is defending. Cole and Harwood exchange headlocks to start before it’s off to Wheeler for a headlock of his own. Everything breaks down and the threat of the double clothesline sends FTR to the ropes for a breather. Harwood slams MJF down but gets kicked away, only to have MJF hurt his knee on a leapfrog. They don’t even waste time with the gold bricking this time though as MJF is up with a poke to the eye. Some shoving causes everything to break down and we take a break.

Back with MJF in trouble but escaping a Sharpshooter attempt. That’s not enough for the tag so he crawls through some legs and hits a double DDT. Now it’s back to Cole to pick up the pace, including a rollup and superkick out of the air for two each. MJF comes back in but can’t hit the double clothesline, instead settling for a fight over a Tombstone with Wheeler.

Cole makes the save and MJF gets two off a rollup but the double clothesline is broken up again. A top rope PowerPlex gets two on Cole, followed by a heck of a slingshot powerbomb for two on MJF. Everything breaks down and MJF, after thinking about it, hits Shattered Dreams for two on Harwood. The Boom is broken up but MJF shoves Cole away from the Shatter Machine and blocks it himself. The Heatseeker is loaded up but MJF gets rolled up for the pin at 17:55.

Rating: B. This was a weird one as while the action was good, the focus was on whether or not Cole or MJF would turn on the other. I’m glad they didn’t change the title here as MJF/Cole can easily continue without the belts involved. FTR is on another planet of awesome right now among the tag teams and having them lose for a short term angle between Cole/MJF wouldn’t have been a good move. Solid main event here, but the angle (or lack thereof) was what mattered.

Post match FTR shows respect to Cole before leaving. Cole helps MJF up and turns his back on him, saying do what you have to do. MJF loads up the belt shot but throws the belt down and hugs Cole instead. They raise each others’ hands to end the show. I’m glad they didn’t pull a trigger here as Cole vs. MJF only has to be set for either All In or All Out and that means they still have time to milk a lot more out of this.

Overall Rating: B. This was a definite improvement over last week and felt a lot more energetic. It was a show that felt like it wrapped up some things while keeping some other stories moving and that is always great to see. While I really didn’t need a ladder match on this show, it felt more like the Collision we had been seeing and that is a very good thing.

Results
Andrade El Idolo b. Buddy Matthews – El Idolo pulled down the mask
Darby Allin b. Minoru Suzuki – Rollup
Samoa Joe b. Gravity – MuscleBuster
Bullet Club Gold b. Darius Martin/Action Andretti/El Hijo del Vikingo – 3:10 To Yuma to Martin
Mercedes Martinez b. Kiera Hogan – Brass City Sleeper
FTR b. Adam Cole/MJF – Rollup to MJF

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

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

AND

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

ECW On Sci Fi
Date: May 27, 2008
Location: World Arena, Colorado Springs, Colorado
Commentators: Tazz, Mike Adamle

It’s the go home ECW for One Night Stand and we have quite the addition in the form of Big Show. Last week Show returned and decided he was getting back in the ECW Title picture, which is at least more interesting than some of the other recent challengers. I’m not sure how well it is going to go but I’ll take it over the other options. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Big Show vs. Tommy Dreamer

Show tosses him around to start and gets in a shot to the ribs to put Dreamer down. There’s an elbow to drop Dreamer again and Show sits on him for a bonus. Dreamer tries to go up but get knocked out of the air, setting up the chokeslam (or body slam according to Adamle) for the win.

We look at Big Show winning the ECW Title from Rob Van Dam in 2006.

Kofi Kingston vs. Mike Knox

Shelton Benjamin is on commentary. Kofi’s kick to the chest is shoved away as Benjamin calls him “the monkey man from Bloodsport.” Knox chokes on the ropes for a bit and a butterfly suplex sets up the chinlock. That’s broken up and Kofi hits a quick dropkick into a high crossbody. Knox’s eye is cut and the spinning kick to the face, officially dubbed Trouble In Paradise, finishes him off.

Rating: C. They kept this one moving due to the lack of time but it was good to see Kofi get some momentum back after last week’s loss. You can tell WWE sees something in him and it is smart to push someone new around here, especially when they are rather unique like Kofi. Getting a big win over Benjamin could do him some good and odds are that is where this whole thing is going.

Post match the villains beat Kofi down so Benjamin can leave with a smirk.

We look at CM Punk beating John Morrison for the ECW Title last September.

We look at Chavo Guerrero winning the ECW Title from CM Punk in January.

Chavo Guerrero vs. CM Punk

Bam Neely is here with Chavo. An early GTS attempt has Chavo panicking so Punk kicks him in the leg. Chavo manages a quick hot shot for a breather and we hit the chinlock with a bodyscissors. We take a break and come back with Chavo being backdropped to the floor for quite the crash. Neely low bridges Punk down though and Chavo starts in on the back. The half crab stays on said back but Punk makes the rope. The GTS is countered into a hurricanrana though and Chavo grabs a rollup with the trunks for the pin.

Rating: C+. The match was good enough but my goodness it’s hard to get overly invested in Chavo doing much of anything. He just isn’t that interesting and there isn’t much of a way around it. Granted it doesn’t help that his two big feuds of the year, against Punk and Kane, have been done so much to death that it’s hard to care about them at all.

Tommy Dreamer won the ECW Title in April 2000.

Raw Rebound.

Colin Delaney is worried about a whole new set of opponents around here in the Draft. He could go for getting rid of Armando Estrada though.

John Morrison won the ECW Title in June 2007.

Kane vs. Miz/John Morrison

Non-title. Miz and Morrison jump him to start and choking on the ropes slows the giant down. Ranted it slows him down for all of a few seconds as the comeback is on, with Kane grabbing Miz by the throat. Morrison comes in and the double teaming is enough for the DQ.

Post match everyone else in Sunday’s #1 contenders match runs in for the big brawl. Kane and Big Show have a staredown to end the show.

Overall Rating: C. The best thing I can say about this show is that it had a focus. It was building towards one match and almost nothing more, but that’s all it needs to be. The Draft could do ECW A LOT of good at this point, but at least they have have something to bridge some of the gaps on the way there.

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

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

AND

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

Summerslam 2008
Date: August 17, 2008
Location: Conseco Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Indiana
Attendance: 15,997
Commentators: Jim Ross, Jerry Lawler, Michael Cole, Tazz, Todd Grisham, Matt Striker

We run down the card because you might have ordered the show blind or something?

MVP vs. Jeff Hardy

MVP makes the ropes and the referee has to keep pulling Jeff out of the corner. Jeff eventually gets free and charges right into a snap belly to belly for two. MVP kicks him in the back and puts on something like a crucifix hold before rolling over into a camel clutch. Off to something like a side leg bar but MVP eventually lets it go. Jeff goes tot he apron but MVP knocks him out of the air to break up a springboard, getting two.

ECW Title: Mark Henry vs. Matt Hardy

Jeff Hardy comes out to make the save and the Hardys suplex Henry.

Raw World Title: CM Punk vs. John Bradshaw Layfield

Punk was basically a glorified midcarder at this point but his time would come. JBL shoves Punk into the corner to start and a hard shoulder puts the champion down. Punk comes back with a flying forearm to send him to the outside and a suicide dive fires the fans up even more. Back in and a high cross body gets a one count for Punk but another shoulder block puts him down. Punk tries to go up, only to be taken down by a middle rope fall away slam for two.

Smackdown World Title: HHH vs. Great Khali

Rating: C+. This match, while slow, was a great example of psychology in a wrestling match. HHH knew that there was only one move he could use to hurt Khali and give him a chance for the win so it was the only thing he tried for most of the match. This was HHH working around someone and it worked quite well as HHH is a very talented wrestler, which unfortunately is often forgotten.

John Cena vs. Batista

Back up immediately and Cena throws Batista to the floor in something resembling an FU before collapsing down. Back in again and Cena fires off the shoulder blocks and the ProtoBomb to set up the Shuffle. The FU is countered again and Batista kicks him in the face to put both guys down. Batista drives shoulders into the corner and catches him in the spinebuster to put Cena down. Cena backdrops out of the Batista Bomb and hits a DDT on the leg to set up the STFU. Batista FINALLY crawls over and gets a rope to shock Cena.

The Cell is lowered.

Edge vs. Undertaker

Taker counters the spear into a chokeslam for a close two and Taker is getting frustrated. The Last Ride is countered by a low blow and an Impaler gets two. Back up and Taker loads up the Last Ride again but wants it through the tables on the floor. Edge slips over the top and hits the spear for a very close two. Now the Last Ride connects but Edge gets out at two.

Rating: A. THIS is how you blow off a feud. Edge was completely destroyed at the end here with Undertaker hitting every big move he had and Edge not kicking out of them at all. These two had some great action all year long and the Cell is the best way to blow the whole thing off. Having it as a TLC match inside the Cell was fine and it made for a great main event.

Taker leaves but Edge very slowly gets up. The big man goes back inside and sets up the ladder before lifting Edge onto it. Taker throws in another ladder and climbs up next to Edge so he can throw the Canadian down through the mat. He raises his arms up and lights the hole on fire to end the show in a corny moment.

Ratings Comparison

MVP vs. Jeff Hardy

Original: B

Redo: B-

Kofi Kingston/Mickie James vs. Glamarella

Original: D

Redo: D+

Matt Hardy vs. Mark Henry

Original: N/A

Redo: N/A

CM Punk vs. John Bradshaw Layfield

Original: B-

Redo: C+

Great Khali vs. HHH

Original: B+

Redo: C+

Batista vs. John Cena

Original: A

Redo: A-

Edge vs. Undertaker

Original: A-

Redo: A

Overall Rating

Original: A-

Redo: A-

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2011/08/11/history-of-summerslam-count-up-2008-punk-as-champion-thatll-never-happen-again/

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

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

AND

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

Collision
Date: July 22, 2023
Location: Prudential Center, Newark, New Jersey
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Nigel McGuinness

We’re back to what I guess passes for normal around here after last week’s huge show. That could make for some interesting changes, as this week’s show features a Trios Titles match. Other than that I’m sure CM Punk is going to want some revenge on Ricky Starks after last week’s screwy finish so let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

The Acclaimed and Billy Gunn, Action Andretti and Darius Martin, Bullet Club Gold and Ricky Starks are ready for tonight.

Opening sequence.

Tony Schiavone brings out Ricky Starks, with the Owen Hart belt and a bag, for a chat. The fans tell him he deserves it and he certainly seems to agree. As for the bag…..there’s nothing in it but he wanted to show off what he treated himself to after he won last week. As for the controversial ending, it isn’t about how he won but how many he won, and anyone in his (Prada) shoes would do the same thing. It’s by any means necessary so talk to him about how stylish he is. He doesn’t want to be a pillar because he stands by himself and those Pillars haven’t won any Owens.

Cue CM Punk (no music) to say this is Starks’ celebration and he is only mad at himself. He’s cheated some people before and so has everyone else. Maybe if the New Jersey Devils did it before, they could have made it out of the first round. Punk says he can live with the loss, but isn’t sure if Starks can live with the win. He goes to leave, but Starks says the bag Punk has been carrying is empty, which brings Punk back.

Punk says he is the real world’s champion…but here are Christian Cage and Luchasaurus to interrupt. They are contractually obligated to be here as champion but this is taking too long. Christian says that he, er, we, are the faces of TNT but here is Darby Allin to interrupt. Allin promises to become the new face of TNT at All Out, though that’s a ways off. For tonight, let’s have a tag match (Allin: “Christian you don’t wrestle anymore so give me the TNT Champion.”) This was the most WWE opening since the last time WWE opened a show in their signature “talking leads to a main event” style.

Andrade El Idolo was not allowed in the building due to his actions last week.

Action Andretti/Darius Martin vs. Bullet Club Gold

The Gunns are here too. Martin takes over on Robinson to start and hands it to Andretti for the twisting crossbody. Andretti’s multiple springboard wristdrag sends Robinson down again but he’s right back with a kick to the face. A hanging neckbreaker on the floor drops Andretti and he’s sent hard into the barricade as we take a break.

Back with Andretti hitting an enziguri and diving over for the tag to Martin. Some right hands and a high crossbody get two on White, followed by Andretti’s Asai moonsault to the floor. Back in and a dropkick into a German suplex (which didn’t look great) gets two on Robinson. Andretti gets dropped though and Robinson hits the big left. The forward DDT into the Blade Runner finishes Andretti at 10:18.

Rating: C+. This was one of those matches that wasn’t about drama but rather Bullet Club Gold having to work a bit to get their momentum back after last week’s classic. There’s nothing wrong with a match like that and it worked well here without lasting too long. Andretti and Martin are fine as the young high fliers and everything worked out there.

We look at Willow Nightingale winning the Women’s Owen Hart Foundation tournament last week and then losing to Athena last night at Death Before Dishonor because Ring Of Honor isn’t about having fun.

Miro vs. Nick Comorato

Comorato jumps him from behind on the stage and sends him into the steps to start fast. Some shoulders in the corner have Miro in trouble as the match officially starts. Miro avoids a charge though and hits the jumping superkick, setting up Game Over to finish Comorato at 1:26.

Video on FTR.

Trios Titles: House Of Black vs. Acclaimed/Billy Gunn

The House of Black is defending and break up Caster’s rap to start fast. Caster gets caught in the wrong corner and Black hits him in the face for two. King drops the backsplash for two and Matthews drives Caster into the corner. Caster manages to send Matthews outside and then kicks him away, allowing the tag off to Gunn. House is cleaned but King blasts him with a clothesline, setting up Black Mass to retain the titles at 4:30.

Rating: C. This was pretty much a squash as Acclaimed and Gunn never got anything going. It was little more than destruction and that isn’t what you expect to see from them. Also, unless I missed it, there was no mention of the House Rules deal so maybe that has already been dropped.

Post match the House seems to show respect to Gunn. The House leaves and Gunn takes off his boots, leaving them in the ring to show his retirement. The Acclaimed tries to stop him but he walks off anyway.

Here is FTR for a chat about their Tag Team Title defense next week against Adam Cole and MJF. They have unfinished business with a bunch of teams but first they have to deal with these two. Wheeler gets that the fans like MJF and Cole at the moment, but he has first hand experience dealing with MJF’s lies. Harwood talks about having to get a job when he was about 14 and some of the rich kids made fun of him for having to work. He always wanted to punch them in the face but it brings him here, where people like MJF take wrestling as a joke.

We pause for a DOUBLE CLOTHESLINE chants before Harwood talks about how he doesn’t like how much of a joke MJF and Cole make wrestling. Next week, Harwood is giving them the beating he should have given those other kids. Nice job here of keeping composure when the fans were on the other side.

Video on Blood & Guts.

Skye Blue vs. Taya Valkyrie

Taya goes with the power to start and takes Blue down, allowing some kicks to the ribs. Back up and Blue gets in an armdrag but is knocked hard off the apron. Blue gets back inside and gets Blue Thunder Bombed for two as we take a break. We come back with Blue kicking away but getting caught in the ropes for the sliding German suplex. Taya hits a hard clothesline and a curb stomp finishes Blue at 8:54.

Rating: C. That was quite the surprise as Taya more or less ran through her here without much trouble. It’s a bit weird that Taya seems to be getting reheated, though I’m not sure how far that is going to take over. Blue seemed ready to move up the ladder and then she just gets beaten clean like this. Weird but ok then.

Post match Taya calls out Britt Baker for Dynamite.

Video on AR Fox.

Here’s what’s coming on various shows.

Ricky Starks/Christian Cage vs. CM Punk/Darby Allin

Luchasaurus is here too. Starks has to start with Punk and is so hesitant to get in that the referee gets to a nine count with Starks on the apron. Once inside, Starks gets rolled up twice in a row and has to get away from the GTS. Christian comes in and gets caught in an armbar, allowing Allin to come in and stay on said arm. It’s already back to Punk, with Christian having to convince Starks to come back in. Punk and Allin clean house, setting up the double dives and we take a break.

Back with Punk in trouble as Scorpio Sky is watching from the sky box. Punk gets away and brings Allin back in for the house cleaning, including a Code Red for two on Starks. Allin’s suicide dive is knocked out of the air by Luchasaurus and Cage sends him head first through the bottom of the announcers’ table. Back with Allin still in trouble but Christian misses a top rope headbutt. Starks pulls Punk off the apron though and there is no one for a diving Allin to tag.

Allin kicks christian away and it’s back to Punk to clean house, including body slams and cartwheels. A clothesline gets two on Christian and the top rope elbow gets the same. Starks blocks the GTS and hits a headbutt to really rock Punk. He’s fine enough to get over to Allin off the tag but a quick Roshambo gives Starks two. Starks takes him up top but a superplex is reversed into a super reversed DDT. Christian saves but gets pulled outside into a GTS on the floor. Luchasaurus breaks up the Coffin Drop though and Starks grabs a rollup, with rope, for the pin at 25:07.

Rating: B. Another long main event here and Starks continues his rise after last week’s big win. The interesting thing here is that he cheated again after saying it didn’t matter earlier, as he is leaning into his turn a bit more. That could be quite the thorn in Punk’s side going forward and I’m curious to see where it goes. Allin vs. Cage/Luchasaurus is already set, so the other side worked well on its own. Good match here, with the time well spent.

Overall Rating: B-. Maybe it was how much Tony Khan produced wrestling I’ve seen in the last few days but this show felt long and didn’t have nearly the same pop to it that the previous episodes have had. There was no big moment for this one and it was hurt a bit as a result. That being said, there was good wrestling throughout and it advanced enough stuff to make it worth a look. Certainly not a bad show, but the first few episodes gave it a pretty high bar.

Results
Bullet Club Gold b. Action Andretti/Darius Martin – Blade Runner to Andretti
Miro b. Nick Comorato – Game Over
House Of Black b. Acclaimed/Billy Gunn – Black Mass to Gunn
Taya Valkyrie b. Skye Blue – Stomp
Ricky Starks/Christian Cage b. CM Punk/Darby Allin – Rollup to Allin while holding rope

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

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

AND

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

Collision
Date: July 15, 2023
Location: Scotiabank Saddledome, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Nigel McGuinness

It’s a big night around here with three title (kind of) matches. First of all, Bullet Club Gold gets their rematch for the Tag Team Titles in a two out of three falls match. That isn’t enough though, as both Owen Hart Foundation tournaments wrap up tonight. You can’t say they’re slacking this week so let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

FTR, Bullet Club Gold, Willow Nightingale, Ricky Starks and CM Punk are ready to win.

Opening sequence.

Tag Team Titles: FTR vs. Bullet Club Gold

2/3 falls and FTR is defending. Harwood and White start things off, with White trying the mind games to no avail. Back in and Harwood shoulders him down, setting up an early headlock. Wheeler comes in to headlock Robinson before running him over hard with a shoulder. The Club needs a breather on the floor as we take a break.

Back with White still in trouble until he rolls over and brings in Robinson. That means the punches can be thrown, with Robinson’s big left dropping Wheeler fast. They trade rollups for two each until Wheeler gorilla presses Robinson. It’s back to Harwood for some chops in the corner before a suplex sets up the chinlock.

Robinson fights up and sends him into the corner for the break before handing it back to White. A bunch of chops in the corner set up a Death Valley Driver for two, with Wheeler having to make the save. White’s bridging belly to back suplex gets two and they clothesline each other down. Everything breaks up and the Shatter Machine is blocked. Instead White grabs the Blade Runner for the first fall at 16:34.

We take a break and come back with Harwood in the corner but backdropping his way to freedom. Wheeler comes in for a running back elbow in the corner but gets taken down by White. We hit the long chinlock until White takes him into the corner some some chops. Another chinlock, this time with a knee in the back, keeps Wheeler down so Wheeler can come in for a backsplash. A second one only hits knees though and Wheeler gets two off a sunset flip.

The chinlock goes on again, but this time Wheeler gets up and brings Harwood back in to clean house. Harwood can’t get the Sharpshooter (big pop for the attempt) so White kicks him into the corner for two. The spike piledriver is broken up and Harwood’s super sunset flip gets two more. Redneck Boogie gets another near fall and FTR is absolutely stunned. The PowerPlex connects but Robinson comes in for a cheap shot so White can get a VERY close two. With nothing else working, a blind tag brings Wheeler back in so the Shatter Machine can tie it up at 37:30.

We take another break and come back with Harwood beat on on White again. They head outside with White managing a hurricanrana over the barricade, meaning we now pause to make sure they’re both alive. White is back up so he gets suplexed again, followed by a double suplex to each challenger on the floor. Back in and they pull themselves up for the big staredown and the fans certainly approve. Wheeler and Robinson crash out to the floor and we take another break.

Back again with Harwood making the ropes to get out of a leglock, meaning White can Tune Up The Band. Instead White grabs the Sharpshooter, with Harwood biting his hand to avoid the tap. White stumbles a bit though and Harwood dives over to make the rope. They go up top with Harwood getting a belly to back superplex as we have five minutes to go.

Robinson pulls Wheeler off the apron to break up the tag attempt, allowing White to grab his bridging belly to back suplex for two more. Everything breaks down and FTR gets stereo Sharpshooters for a huge reaction until both of them fall apart. Back up and Harwood grabs another Sharpshooter on Robinson, who finally taps to retain the titles at 58:10.

Rating: A-. This was another great match between these four as they just let it go nuts and get in everything they could think of for one heck of a performance. What matters is that they tore the house down and had me wondering how it would end with the time calls. It’s hard to talk about a match like this as there was almost nothing to complain about. Save for maybe the required Sharpshooters in Canada, which is a tribute that has LONG since overstayed its welcome. Move on already.

Post match the handshake is offered but the Club walks away instead.

Video on Blood & Guts.

Women’s Owen Hart Foundation Finals: Ruby Soho vs. Willow Nightingale

Soho’s armdrag is blocked and Willow runs her over with straight power. A fisherman’s suplex gives Willow two and we take an early break. Back with Willow’s running powerslam getting two for a British Bulldog reference. A victory roll gives Soho two but Willow spinebusters her into a half crab. Soho grabs a rope and the spray paint, which she throws to Willow for a distraction. No Future gets two but Willow is up with the Pounce. The Babe With The Powerbomb gives Willow the pin and the tournament at 9:04.

Rating: B-. They had a nice match here and it’s great to see Nightingale winning something in this company for a change. She has so much charisma and now she has a prize of her own. Now there is a good chance that she goes on to face Athena for the Ring Of Honor Women’s Title and she has the momentum built in to make it work this time around. Good stuff here, as Willow’s power worked well.

We look at QT Marshall costing Powerhouse Hobbs the Owen Hart Tournament match last week.

Marshall begs Hobbs’ forgiveness but Hobbs doesn’t seem impressed.

Kings Of The Black Throne vs. Randy Myers/???

King shoves them both around to start so it’s off to Black for a kneebar. Cue Andrade El Idolo for a distraction though, only to have Black Mass connect for the pin at 2:51.

The big staredown ensues post match.

Men’s Owen Hart Hart Foundation Tournament Finals: CM Punk vs. Ricky Starks

Feeling out process to start with Punk grabbing a headlock takeover. Starks reverses into one of this own and the fans aren’t sure what to make of this so far. Punk sends him outside for a crash though and holds the ropes open for Starks to return as we take a break. Back with Punk missing a charge into the corner, allowing Starks to hit his rope walk to send Punk outside.

Punk gets back in and drops him again, this time setting up Bret Hart’s Five Moves Of Doom. The chinlock goes on for a bit until Starks slips away and pulls Punk off the middle rope. We take another break and come back with Punk charging into a raised boot in the corner. Starks misses a top rope elbow though and a hammerlock lariat gives Punk two.

Frustration seems to be setting in and stereo crossbodies leave both of them down. Back up and Punk grabs a guillotine choke but Starks makes the rope. Starks is sat on top for a super hurricanrana, which is countered into a rollup so Starks can grab the rope for the pin at 19:38.

Rating: B. Solid main event here, though giving us ANOTHER heel in the end is certainly a choice. AEW has a big problem with making one heel after another and that is what they did here, albeit after giving him the biggest win of his career. I can go for Starks winning and Punk can’t brag about being the undefeated champion, so they covered a lot at once in a good match.

Overall Rating: A. What more could you ask for from this show? The opener was a match of the year candidate and ran over half of the show, plus you got both tournaments wrapped up. Throw in a fun enough squash and this was one heck of a show. I’m not sure if they can keep it up going forward, but egads they made this work very well. Outstanding show.

Results
FTR b. Bullet Club Gold 2-1
Willow Nightingale b. Ruby Soho – Babe With The Powerbomb
King Of The Black Throne b. Randy Myers/??? – Black Mass to Myers
Ricky Starks b. CM Punk – Rollup while grabbing the rope

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

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

AND

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

Collision
Date: July 8, 2023
Location: Brandt Center, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
Commentators: Nigel McGuinness, Kevin Kelly

The Canadian tour continues, as do the Owen Hart Foundation tournaments. In this case, the main draw is Samoa Joe vs. CM Punk, which was the biggest feud on the independent circuit about twenty years ago and could be very interesting today. Other than that, FTR vs. Bullet Club Gold, which could be pretty great. Let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Ricky Starks, Powerhouse Hobbs, Samoa Joe and CM Punk are ready for their tournament matches tonight.

Opening sequence.

Here is CM Punk for a chat. He is ready for Samoa Joe and it is the biggest match of his career. It feels like it should be the final, but he isn’t looking past Ricky Starks and Powerhouse Hobbs. Joe is the reason Punk is missing teeth and has scars on his head, but the name Punk wants to hear tonight is Owen Hart. Owen is the reason a lot of people are here and while there is talent in that locker room, they aren’t here without Hart. Punk isn’t superstitious so he goes over to touch the trophy that he will earn. Win, lose or draw tonight, he will leave it all in the ring tonight.

We get a video on Punk vs. Joe, complete with old and new footage.

Men’s Owen Hart Foundation Semifinals: Powerhouse Hobbs vs. Ricky Starks

QTV is here with Hobbs, who shoves him around to start without much effort. Back up and Starks clotheslines him out to the floor, only to have Hobbs run him over with another clothesline back inside. The beating in the corner ensues and a delayed suplex drops Starks again as the dominance continues.

We take a break and come back with Starks fighting out of a bearhug. Hobbs shrugs it off and fires off some clotheslines in the corner. Some middle rope right hands are countered into a powerbomb and Starks kicks him in the head. A springboard tornado DDT doesn’t go so well and Hobbs is back with the spinebuster. For some reason QT Marshall distracts the referee, allowing Starks to ram Hobbs into him. The spear gives Starks the pin at 11:00.

Rating: C+. Hobbs’ bad luck continues, but at least in this case it might lead to the end of his association with QTV. At the same time, at least the loss was to someone like Starks, who could use the boost that would come with winning the tournament. That isn’t out of the question, though I could still go for having more than bragging rights on the line.

Post match Marshall goes to talk to Hobbs, who shoves him away. Aaron Solo tries to play peacemaker and gets planted with a spinebuster. Harley Cameron gets between Hobbs and Marshall so Hobbs finally leaves.

Miro is ready to hurt anyone because no one can hurt him. Nothing can tempt him. Not a shiny belt, a jealous god or a double jointed hot wife.

Willow Nightingale is upset about being injured when Athena interrupts her. Athena was looking forward to beating her, but Nightingale is ready for this match, which can happen on Rampage.

Video on Blood & Guts.

Julia Hart vs. Bambi Hall

Hart kicks away at the leg and avoids a charge in the corner. Hall runs her over but Hart starts firing off some kicks. Hall’s attempt at a backbreaker is pulled into something like the Rings of Saturn for the tap at 2:22. Hall felt like she could be something with some more time.

Malakai Black talks about how Andrade El Idolo has put too much value and faith in his mask. It’s like a child who can’t let go of his teddy bear but Black is willing to show him the truth.

Andrade says he is a businessman but the mask represents his family and culture. When he takes the mask off, it is time to fight and win.

Bullet Club Gold vs. FTR

Non-title Eliminator Match, so if the Club wins they get a title shot, but if they lose, they can never challenge FTR again. Dax and White start things off with Dax sending him into the corner and grabbing a headlock. With White not being able to get anywhere, he hands it off to Robinson to work on Wheeler’s arm. Everything breaks down and we wind up back in the ring for the four way brawl, with the fans rather approving. FTR get in a part of German suplexes and we take a break.

Back with Robinson getting elbowed and legdropped, setting up an atomic drop out of the corner. A White distraction lets Robinson hit a hot shot to Wheeler to take over. Some shoulders in the corner set up a backsplash to stay on the ribs and we hit the waistlock. White goes after the illegal Dax and sends him into the barricade before suplexing Wheeler into the corner for two. Robinson cuts Dax off again so we can’t have a hot tag, followed by White backdropping Wheeler to the floor as we take another break.

Back again with the hot tag bringing in Harwood to clean house, including a bunch of suplexes. Some rolling German suplexes have White in trouble before a brainbuster gets two. Wheeler and Robinson slug it out on the apron until a belly to back suplex puts Robinson down. The PowerPlex gets two on White but he’s back up with a sleeper suplex to Wheeler. Harwood breaks up the Blade Runner but the Shatter Machine doesn’t work.

White rolls Wheeler up for two but gets caught with the spike piledriver for two more, with Robinson having to make a diving save. Back up and White gets a very close two off a fisherman’s suplex and Wheeler breaks up a double suplex. White’s swinging Rock Bottom hits Wheeler but Harwood reverses another one into a slingshot sitout powerbomb for two.

Robinson comes back in with a leg lariat to Harwood but Wheeler powerslams him for two more. White grabs the Blade Runner though and everyone is down. Harwood and White chop it out but Robinson comes in off a blind tag. The forward DDT plants Harwood and Wheeler can’t break up the pin at 28:11.

Rating: A-. They had me wondering if the time limit draw was coming, which made the pin that much better. This was a heck of a match and they were going nuts with the near falls near the end. It’s hard to praise a match like this as it was one awesome piece after another and it was one of the best tag matches I’ve seen anywhere in a good while. Now how do they top it in a rematch?

Set for Battle Of The Belts: Shawn Spears challenges Luchasaurus for the TNT Title. And that’s why Battle Of The Belts is seen as a nothing show.

FTR is in the back when Bullet Club Gold comes up. They want their title shot next week and let’s make it 2/3 falls. That’s how they top it in a rematch.

Scorpio Sky vs. Action Andretti

Feeling out process to start with Andretti grabbing an armdrag into an armbar. Sky fights out without much trouble and we take a break. Back with Andretti hitting a backbreaker into a neckbreaker, followed by a Spanish Fly for two. Sky can’t get a backslide but he can block a split legged moonsault. Sky’s TKO finishes at 7:26.

Rating: C. So Sky is back after a year away and his match gets about three and a half minutes of TV time? That’s pretty hard to fathom, but it was only so good of a match in the first place. As usual, Sky is a good hand, but that doesn’t make him the most exciting. On the other hand, Andretti continues to be fine in his role as a jobber to the stars and can keep the pace up rather nicely.

Here’s what’s coming on various show, at a reasonable pace.

Men’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournament Semifinals: Samoa Joe vs. CM Punk

Non-title. Feeling out process to start with Punk looking to avoid the strikes. Joe wins a test of strength so Punk hits a chop of his own. You don’t do that to Joe, who runs Punk over without much effort and hits a big chop to the back. Joe snaps off the right hands in the corner and sends Punk outside as we take a break. Back with Joe working on a neck crank until Punk fights up and strikes away.

The leg lariat staggers Joe and Punk hits the running knee in the corner. The bulldog out of the corner is countered into a standing Koquina Clutch, which is countered into a belly to back suplex. Punk’s top rope elbow gets two but the GTS is countered into a crossface. With that broken up, Joe snaps off a powerslam for two and frustration/exhaustion are starting to set in. Punk kicks him in the head for two more but a tornado DDT is blocked. A swinging neckbreaker sets up a failed GTS attempt so Punk rolls him up for the pin at 15:32.

Rating: B-. This was never going to be some barn burner, as they’re both in their mid-40s and broken down from years of wear and tear. This match was build on the feeling and the atmosphere and in that sense, it worked very well. It felt like a big showdown and I was feeling some dread whenever either loaded up one of their finishers as it felt like it would be the end. What matters here is giving a huge feeling while also setting up Punk vs. Starks in what could be a great final. Well done here, though the action wasn’t the point.

Post match Punk offers a handshake but gets pulled into a Koquina Clutch. Joe grabs a chair but FTR makes the save. Ricky Starks comes out to stare at Punk but leaves to end the show.

Overall Rating: B+. The tag match and the feeling of the main event make this a show worth seeing, as this is the much more by the book, wrestling focused series from AEW. I’m not sure how many people are going to be interested in watching it going forward, but for now it seems to be working. If nothing else, the Owen tournaments end next week so we don’t have much longer of them dominating shows. The tag match is absolutely worth going out of your way to see, and that is the kind of stuff Collision needs to put it on the map.

Results
Ricky Starks b. Powerhouse Hobbs – Spear
Julia Hart b. Bambi Hall – Rings of Saturn
Bullet Club Gold b. FTR – Forward DDT to Harwood
Scorpio Sky b. Action Andretti – TKO
CM Punk b. Samoa Joe – Rollup

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

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

AND

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

Collision
Date: July 1, 2023
Location: First Ontario Center, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Commentators: Kevin Kelly, Nigel McGuinness

We’re taped this week and the focus is going to be on tournament matches. We have three Owen Hart Foundation Tournament matches and that should be enough to carry the show. Other than that, we have the Collision debut of MJF and some Forbidden Door fallout to cover. Let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

The Owen Hart Foundation Tournament participants are ready to win.

Opening sequence.

Maxwell Jacob Friedman vs. Kip Morst

Non-title, Morst is a hometown boy, and MJF is in USA flag colors on Canada Day. MJF jumps him to start and the Heatseeker gets two, with MJF pulling him up. A LeBell Lock makes Morst tap at 40 seconds.

Post match MJF wants a local star to come out here so here is a rather large man, only to have Ethan Page come out instead. Page talks about his father coming here as a laborer and being told he would never be anything more. Then he wound up being the president of several companies, which makes Page better than MJF, who is a bare minimum b****.

AEW calls Page when they need something done and his wife wants to know when he’ll get paid back for all the extra he does. Page told her in due time, and now it’s time. The challenge is on and let’s have a title match. This was straight fire from Page and the best thing he has ever done.

AEW World Title: Ethan Page vs. Maxwell Jacob Friedman

MJF is defending and gets stomped down in the corner to start. The Ego’s Edge is escaped though and MJF starts in on the leg. Page tries a handstand in the corner but gets caught in an Alabama Slam. The half crab (ala Lance Storm) goes on until Page finally makes the rope. We take a break and come back with Page hammering away and hitting a Twist of Fate.

The Swanton takes too long though due to the leg, allowing MJF to crotch him on top. MJF goes up as well and it’s a super powerslam to plant MJF down again. The very delayed cover gets two and MJF sends him to the apron. A dragon screw legwhip on the apron sets up the Heatseeker to retain the title at 10:58.

Rating: B-. I get that Page couldn’t win the title here and that this was a one off moment, but dang that was a great promo to set him up really well. Page has never quite broken out around here so it was nice to see him getting to do something special. Good enough match too, as MJF did have to work to retain here.

Men’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournament First Round: Dustin Rhodes vs. Powerhouse Hobbs

The QTV crew is here with Hobbs. Rhodes grabs a headlock to start and hammers away before going up, only to have Hobbs load up a gorilla press. That’s escaped but QT Marshall trips Rhodes up, allowing Hobbs to knock him down. A posting cuts Rhodes open and we take a break.

Back with Rhodes hitting a jumping clothesline into Cross Rhodes. A piledriver gets two on Hobbs and a Panama Sunrise gets the same. Rhodes has to deck Marshall off the apron though and Hobbs hits the spinebuster….for one? Back up and Rhodes’ powerslam gets two but Marshall gets in another cheap shot. The spinebuster finishes Rhodes at 11:07.

Rating: C+. Rhodes put up a nice fight here and it was a lot better than having Hobbs run through him. Hobbs is someone who has all kinds of potential, but it wasn’t a great sign when he was looking a good bit tired less than ten minutes into a match. If he can get that figured out, he should be in a great place for a long time to come.

Video on Roderick Strong vs. Samoa Joe.

Miro vs. Anthony Henry

Miro suplexes him down to start and then suplexes him a few more times for good measure. Henry gets a boot up in the corner and goes up top, only to get kicked in the head. The camel clutch finishes for Miro at 3:08.

Rating: C. What else is there to say here? Miro ran through him and finished with his hold in short order. Doing that again and again is going to make Miro into a star again as he does everything else needed to make it work for him. It’s a shame he has to start over, but he’s awesome enough that it shouldn’t take long.

Here is Bullet Club Gold, complete with official new members the Gunns. Jay White is happy with the team being at full strength and promises Juice Robinson is advancing in the tournament tonight. The Gunns brag about their success and everything that they have done. Tony Schiavone tells them that the Club is barred from ringside, which causes quite the freak out.

With that out of the way, White says he wanted what CM Punk brought back with him in that bag two weeks ago. Oh and they’ll take the Tag Team Titles too. CM Punk/FTR/Ricky Starks pop up on screen, with Punk saying he isn’t worried about White. Punk says he has friends instead of bodyguards and FTR could go for a piece of them too. Starks is ready for Robinson tonight. This version of White felt like a star and you can see why some people are so gung ho about him.

Men’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournament First Round; Ricky Starks vs. Juice Robinson

They fight over arm control to start until Starks grabs a headlock takeover. Back up and Robinson takes out the knee, sending Starks face first into the rope. Robinson works on the leg for a bit until Starks fights up with some shots to the face. The leg is kicked out again though and we a break. Back with Robinson hitting a cannonball but Starks tells him to bring in.

A few shots to the face set up a DDT and Starks nips up, damaging his knee again in the process. Starks grabs a tornado DDT but a hanging DDT is countered into a hot shot. Robinson grabs the Texas Cloverleaf, with Starks finally making it to the rope. Robinson rolls him up for two but something like a spinebuster gives Starks two of his own. A super hurricanrana is blocked but Robinson hits his own spear for two. Starks hits a spear for two but a rollup gives Starks the pin at 15:44.

Rating: B-. What matters the most here is having Starks get the win, as that is something that hasn’t happened often enough. With this out of the way, there is a good chance that Starks can move on from Bullet Club Gold, who have taken his attention for months now. Starks seems to be coming up the ladder a bit in recent weeks and that is great or his future, assuming Hobbs doesn’t crush him in the next round.

Post match the Bullet Club runs in but CM Punk/FTR make the save.

Christian Cage is feeling nice on Canada Day but here is Shawn Spears to say he wants to talk to the champ. Cage gets in between them and says talk, only to say that Spears isn’t dangerous. Spears says he’ll see the champ soon.

TBS Title: Lady Frost vs. Kris Statlander

Frost is challenging and gets powered down to start. Statlander blocks a headlock takeover attempt and they trade missed flips. A backbreaker works a bit better for Statlander and we take a break. Back with Statlander planting her again but Frost grabs a German suplex. A tornado DDT plants Statlander for two but she flips out of a piledriver and hits a discus lariat. Saturday Night Fever retains at 7:56.

Rating: C. This match suffered from the same problem that so many women’s matches in AEW have to deal with: a break cutting out nearly half of the match. I know there’s picture in picture and all that jazz, but going to a break and hearing about where I can get a cheap pizza or what is coming up on TNT is a pretty easy way to take me out of the match. Statlander’s roll continues though and she is feeling like a star. If those knees can hold up, she could be going a long, long way around here.

Andrade El Idolo is annoyed at the House Of Black, who pop up on a monitor behind him. El Idolo turns over a camera.

Here’s what’s coming on various shows, including a video on Wheeler Yuta vs. Kenny Omega on Dynamite.

Men’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournament First Round: Roderick Strong vs. Samoa Joe

CM Punk is on commentary. Feeling out process to start until Strong gets in a few strikes. Joe sends him outside but it’s too early for the dive, allowing Strong to switch places. Strong’s dive can connect just fine and they head back inside for the chinlock. Joe fights up and hits the release Rock Bottom out of the corner for two as we take a break.

Back with Strong hitting a running knee but Joe knocks him right back down. A knee drop sets up a neck crank but Strong fights up and hits another dropkick. Strong manages a backbreaker and the Sick Kick gets two. A middle rope dropkick gets two and a jumping knee rocks Joe again. End of Heartache is broken up and Strong gets pulled into the Koquina Clutch for the win at 13:27.

Rating: B-. These two know how to beat each other up very well and it can be very fun to hear those strikes landing. Eventually though, it’s hard to get away from Joe when he tries to choke you out and that is what happened to Strong here. It made for a good main event, though Joe vs. Punk is going to be the real attraction here.

Post match Punk and Joe have to be held apart, which lets Joe Emerald Flosion Strong onto a chair. Strong has to be taken out on a stretch with Adam Cole coming out to check on him too. Punk looks rather serious to end the show.

Overall Rating: B-. Maybe it was the emphasis on tournaments, but this didn’t feel anywhere near as big or important as the first two shows. The stuff they’re building towards should be good, but this wasn’t keeping my interest as well. I’m not the biggest tournament fan in the world and having so much of the show focus on them didn’t help. Not a bad show, but the weakest of the three episodes so far.

Results
Maxwell Jacob Friedman b. Kip Morst – LeBell Lock
Maxwell Jacob Friedman b. Ethan Page – Heatseeker
Powerhouse Hobbs b. Dustin Rhodes – Spinebuster
Miro b. Anthony Henry – Camel clutch
Ricky Starks b. Juice Robinson – Rollup
Kris Statlander b. Lady Frost – Saturday Night Fever
Samoa Joe b. Roderick Strong – Koquina Clutch

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

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

AND

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

Forbidden Door 2023
Date: June 25, 2023
Location: Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Commentators: Excalibur, Kevin Kelly, Chris Charlton, Taz

It’s time for the annual crossover show as we have a bunch of AEW vs. New Japan matches. The entire build to the show as well as the show itself are a total side trip away from what AEW normally does but it is one heck of a side trip, with an absolutely stacked card that has some serious potential. Let’s get to it.

Zero Hour: Mogul Embassy vs. Best Friends/Rocky Romero/El Desperado

Kaun takes Romero into the corner to start but gets dropped with a hurricanrana. The Best Friends come in for a double elbow so it’s off to Toa, who gets high crossbodied. Everything breaks down and the villains are sent to the floor for the big series of dives. Trent caps it off with a moonsault onto Toa as the fans are rather pleased.

Back in and Toa hits a pop up Samoan drop to cut Trent off, followed by a whip over the corner to the floor. Kaun hits the slingshot hilo and Cage hits the Death Valley Driver on the apron. Trent suplexes his way out of trouble but the Embassy does the pull his partners to the floor thing.

Strickland takes over on Trent but a quick shot allows the tag to Desperado. A shot to Cage on the apron causes everything to break down and Strickland plants Desperado for two. We hit the parade of everyone hitting something until Cage accidentally discus clotheslines Swerve. Strong Zero gets two on Swerve but Cage is back in for the F5 into Swerve’s cutter. The Swerve Stomp finishes for Swerve at 12:24.

Rating: C. It’s always nice to see Swerve getting a pin, even if it is one of the less important matches of the show. What mattered here was starting the fans off with something fun and the Best Friends will always get that kind of a reaction. I’m still not sure why Swerve has to be stuck with these guys, as the Gates continue to feel worthless and Cage isn’t going anywhere, but at least he got a little something here.

Zero Hour: Women’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournament First Round: Billie Starkz vs. Athena

Athena’s ROH Women’s Title isn’t on the line. Starkz fires off the kicks to start and a suplex brainbuster gets two. A headscissors into the corner gets Athena out of trouble and we slow it down as Athena prefers. Athena stays on the ribs with some more kicks but the O Face is countered into a Death Valley Bomb for two.

Starkz gets caught on top though and it’s a pop up powerbomb into a kick to the face for two, leaving Athena annoyed. Back up and they trade dropkicks until Athena misses a standing moonsault. Starkz misses a Swanton onto the apron and crashes hard, setting up a spinning gutbuster to give Athena the pin at 7:48.

Rating: C. That’s all it should have been, as Athena is on a roll and Starkz isn’t in here league yet. Athena didn’t quite run her over but it was hard to believe that there was any danger in this one. Not exactly a classic match, but Athena is on fire right now and any excuse to get her out of ROH and into AEW is a good thing.

Zero Hour: El Phantasmo vs. Stu Grayson

They shake hands to start before Grayson takes him into the corner to hammer away. Grayson pounds away and they stand there for the exchange of chops. Then Phantasmo grabs the nipples to take over, setting up a springboard spinning crossbody. Grayson is sent outside for the suicide dive into the barricade, followed by the springboard Swanton for two back inside.

Phantasmo catches him with a kick to the head on top and snaps off a super hurricanrana. The top rope splash (and a good one at that) gives Phantasmo two but Grayson kicks him back down. A 450 gives Grayson two but Phantasmo is back with a springboard tornado DDT. Something like Diamond Dallas Page’s old Pancake (with the arms held back) finishes Grayson at 7:17.

Rating: C. Of all the matches on the card, this one felt the most like “here’s a way to get more people on the card”. Grayson has been in the middle of an ordeal with the Dark Order on Ring Of Honor for weeks now and isn’t exactly a big star. Phantasmo is a bigger name, but I don’t know how many people were going to sit home if he wasn’t on the show. Fine match, but something that could have been dropped with no consequence.

Zero Hour: United Empire vs. Los Ingobernables de Japon

United Empire: Jeff Cobb/TJP/Kyle Fletcher
Los Ingobernables: Bushi/Hiromu Takahashi/Shingo Takagi

Bushi gets double teamed to start and his comeback is quickly cut off by the numbers game. Cobb comes in to power Bushi around but a dropkick to the knee puts Cobb down. Takahashi comes in to clean house until Cobb pulls him into an overhead belly to belly. It’s off to Takagi, who gets kicked in the face by Fletcher so TJP can come in with a high crossbody. Everything breaks down and Takagi hits TJP with a pop up Death Valley Driver. Cobb has to make a save so Bushi dives onto Fletcher. Takagi’s Last Of The Dragon is blocked so TJP kicks him in the face, earning a discus lariat. Made In Japan finishes TJP at 7:22.

Rating: C+. Best thing on the Kickoff Show and a lot of that probably has to do with the people involved. There were some talented names in this match and I could have gone for a bit more of it. The Empire losing is a bit weird as they’re around AEW more often, but it isn’t like the result truly matters in the grand scheme of things.

The opening video gives a quick look at the major matches.

AEW World Title: Maxwell Jacob Friedman vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi

MJF, who still believes New Japan is an indy company, is defending. Tanahashi takes him down to start so MJF bails to the floor, saying he’s already done. A COWARD chant is enough to bring him back in and a knee to the ribs cuts Tanahashi off. MJF grabs a bearhug into the abdominal stretch with a grab of the ropes keeps Tanahashi in trouble. Tanahashi fights out and knocks MJF down for the middle rope Swanton and a near fall.

MJF catches him on top for a good looking superplex and a near fall. The Heatseeker is blocked though and MJF bangs up his knees. MJF is right back up with a double underhook shoulder breaker, which only hurts the knee even more. Tanahashi is down so MJF calls him a joke (and a fan calls MJF a coward), which is enough to start the comeback.

The bad knee is taken out and the Texas Cloverleaf sends MJF bailing to the ropes. Twist and Shout into the Sling Blade sets up the High Fly Flow, which only hits the raised knees. They’re both down for a bit until MJF rolls outside and grabs the title. The referee takes it away and Tanahashi grabs a rollup for a VERY delayed two. Another referee distraction lets MJF hit Tanahashi with the diamond ring to retain at 16:20.

Rating: B-. Good opener here but the ending didn’t do it any favors. The ribs vs. the knees worked well for a story here as Tanahashi isn’t as fast as he was before so it gave him a reason to slow down. MJF gets over for his talking abilities but it is nice to see him being able to easily hang in a match like this. Nice choice for the first match on the main card here, as the fans still buy into MJF’s antics.

Men’s Owen Hart Tournament First Round: CM Punk vs. Satoshi Kojima

The fans are NOT pleased with Punk and commentary acknowledges the not so positive reaction. They start rather slowly with Kojima’s headlock not doing anything. Kojima goes after the back to take over and stops to pop his pectoral muscles. Punk sends him outside and pops his own pecs before going outside or some chops. A leg sweep knocks Punk down on the apron but he’s right back with a knockdown of his own.

The legdrop connects and we get the required Hogan references. They strike it out in the corner until Punk whips him hard into said corner. Punk hits his own Kojima style lariats in the corner (while shouting “KOJIMA” over and over), setting up a belly to back suplex for two (with quite the evil grin during the cover). A missed splash in the corner lets Kojima fire off his rapid fire chops and then he does it again in another corner. Kojima’s top rope elbow gets two and a DDT plants Punk again.

Punk knocks him down again though and drops a top rope elbow for two of his own. The Anaconda Vice goes on until Kojima hits him in the back of the head to break it up. The GTS is broken up and Kojima fires off his double chops into the Koji Cutter to drop Punk. Kojima’s lariat is countered into a neckbreaker for two more but the GTS is blocked again. A brainbuster gives Kojima two but Punk kicks him in the head, setting up the GTS to finish Kojima at 13:33.

Rating: B. They beat each other up rather well here and Kojima gave him more of a run for his money than I was expecting. If nothing else, it was a lot of fun to see Punk laying into the heel stuff, as he can shift from one side or the other like few in wrestling today. This got physical at the end and it wound up being a rather entertaining match.

International Title: Orange Cassidy vs. Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Katsuyori Shibata vs. Daniel Garcia

Cassidy is defending (Shibata’s ROH Pure Title/Sabre’s NJPW TV Title aren’t on the line) and it’s one fall to a finish. They all block kicks to start until Sabre and Shibata are both sent outside. The Dragontamer has Cassidy in trouble until Shibata makes the save. Shibata Figure Fours Cassidy until Garcia makes a save and grabs a hold of his own. That’s broken up as well and everyone but Cassidy strike it out. Cassidy comes back in and everyone is knocked down for a bit.

Back up and Cassidy and Garcia grab holds, only to have Shibata and Sabre slug it out with said holds still on. With that broken up, Cassidy hits a Stundog Millionaire but Sabre twists the arm around to hit Cassidy in his own ribs. Garcia grabs a belt to knock Shibata silly for two but Cassidy clears Garcia out. That lets Cassidy and Shibata sit down to slap each other until an Orange Punch drops Shibata.

Cassidy’s hand is too banged up to cover so it’s the Beach Break for two. The Mousetrap to Sabre is countered into a double arm trap with a save being made. Sabre pulls Cassidy back into the hold until Shibata makes a save of his own. Everything breaks down again and Garcia pildrives Sabre. Shibata hits the PK on Garcia but Cassidy steals the pin to retain at 11:32.

Rating: B. The match was almost all action and Cassidy continues to show that he can hang with just about anyone. That being said, I’m not sure how many times the story has been “Cassidy is banged up and facing overwhelming odds” but he retains anyway. The point has long since been made and it’s time for someone to beat him for the title. He isn’t really gaining much more by doing it over and over again, yet here we are (after another rather entertaining match).

IWGP World Title: Sanada vs. Jungle Boy

Jungle Boy, with Hook, is challenging and gets run over by the champ. The threat of a Snare Trap sends Sanada straight to the ropes and Jungle Boy is already looking frustrated. Jungle Boy’s attempt at a Paradise Lock is broken up and Sanada gets one of his own, setting up the running dropkick for two. Back up and Jungle Boy fights back before a double knockdown gives them both a breather.

They chop it out until Jungle Boy gets Sanada’s own Skull End, slowly sending him over to the ropes. Sanada is right back up with a TKO for two but a moonsault doesn’t work as well. Jungle Boy snaps off a poisonrana but Sanada is right back with the swinging Skull End. Sanada’s poisonrana sets up a Shining Wizard for two, followed by a moonsault to retain at 10:37. There seemed to be a bit of confusion on the ending there, as the referee checked the shoulders and the bell didn’t immediately ring.

Rating: C+. This was a step down from the rest of the show, but there was only so much that could be done with the idea of Jungle Boy getting a World Title shot. He wasn’t going to win here and it fits in with his recent struggles. Commentary referred to this as a learning experience for Jungle Boy and that’s rather accurate, as he wasn’t going to win but could still get something out of it.

Post match Jungle Boy seems banged up but is fine enough to turn on Hook (Taz is LIVID). The fans give a very loud YOU F***** UP chant as this team with three whole matches together is done.

Blackpool Combat Club/Konosuke Takeshita/Shota Umino vs. Elite/Tomohiro Ishii/Eddie Kingston

Umino takes Page into the corner for some pats on the chest, plus a forearm to annoy Page a bit. Takeshita comes in instead and takes over, only for the Bucks to come in and pick up the pace. A neckbreaker/backbreaker combination hits Yuta (One of the Bucks: “See you in h***!”) and it’s off to Kingston vs. Moxley for one heck of an audience reaction. They stare each other down and then go to the big chop off as the other eight just watch from the floor.

Realizing that doesn’t make a ton of sense, the others come in for a big slugout of their own until the Bucks hit stereo dives to the floor. Page adds the moonsault as Kingston and Moxley are still chopping away. Castagnoli comes in to drop Kingston as Moxley goes outside to pour water on his chest. Takeshita comes in and BLASTS Ishii (on the apron) with an elbow before Kingston is caught in the wrong corner for some elbows from Castagnoli.

Kingston lariats his way out of trouble but Moxley is right there to cut him off. Stereo lariats connect and Moxley’s banged up chest keeps him down even longer. Ishii comes in to run Yuta over and slips out of a Hart Attack attempt. A back suplex drops Umino and a diving tag brings in Page for the big comeback. The Bucks hold Takeshita over the floor so Page can hit a running shooting star press from the apron.

Takeshita is back up but the Bucks start firing off the superkicks. The Blue Thunder Bomb Takeshita two on Matt and a wheelbarrow suplex drops him again. Castagnoli’s swing into Yuta’s dropkick gets two with a bunch of people making the save. Nick breaks up…something from Yuta and a rather cold tag brings Ishii back in as everything breaks down. Moxley cutters Ishii but the Bucks superkick their problems away again. Yuta ducks the Buckshot lariat and Ishii takes his head off with a lariat of his own. The brainbuster finishes for Ishii at 21:22.

Rating: B+. This was the all action match of the night and that’s all it needed to be, as the score (unofficially) is evened up between the Elite and the Club. You can book Blood & Guts from here and it should be rather epic. It was also rather nice to not have the match turn into a wild brawl, as they already covered that at Double Or Nothing. Heck of a fight here, and the storytelling with Kingston/Moxley/Castagnoli worked well. Throw in Takeshita looking like a main eventer and it was even better.

Post match Kingston isn’t having anything to do with his partners and leaves, as he didn’t want to hurt Moxley.

Video on Toni Storm vs. Willow Nightingale. Storm is so mean that even Nightingale doesn’t like her!

AEW Women’s Title: Toni Storm vs. Willow Nightingale

Storm, with the Outcasts, is defending and Nightingale’s NJPW Women’s Strong Title isn’t on the line. They run the ropes to start until Nightingale counters a hiptoss into a cradle for two. Nightingale drops her to the floor but stops to yell at the Outcasts, allowing Storm to hit a hip attack on the way back in. The seated full nelson keeps Nightingale in trouble and Storm forearms her in the back to cut off a comeback.

Back up and they head to the apron with Nightingale hitting a Death Valley Driver to plant her hard. Nightingale goes up but the Outcasts throw in the spray paint. That’s enough for a double ejection but the delay causes Nightingale to miss the moonsault. The hip attack into a DDT gives Storm two, only to have Nightingale pull her into an Indian Deathlock. With that broken up, the Pounce sends Storm outside but she’s right back with a poke to the eye. Storm Zero retains the title at 11:03.

Rating: C+. This was more of the same from the Outcasts, but at least Storm was able to cheat on her own to retain here. Nightingale losing isn’t a surprise but it’s certainly annoying, as it seems to happen far too often. Odds are we’re coming up on Storm vs. Jamie Hayter for the title at All In, but at least Nightingale didn’t get squashed.

We recap Will Ospreay challenging Kenny Omega for the IWGP US Title. Omega escaped with the title at Wrestle Kingdom but now Ospreay is back and more dangerous for the rematch.

IWGP US Title: Kenny Omega vs. Will Ospreay

Ospreay is challenging and seems to be the big favorite. Omega takes him down into an early chinlock but Ospreay reverses into an arm crank. They chop it out but it’s way too early for the One Winged Angle. The Oscutter is countered as well and Omega has to duck a kick, leaving us with a standoff. Omega takes him down and hits a moonsault but here is Don Callis with his “military grade security” for the distraction.

That’s enough for an ejection but said distraction lets Ospreay send him into the barricade and take over back inside. Some shots to the back have Omega in trouble and Ospreay stays on said back for two. Omega manages to hit a quick Kitaro Crusher but Ospreay drapes him over the top rope. That sets up a shooting star press to the back and the Oscutter on the apron keeps Omega rocked. They head outside with Ospreay ramming him hard into the announcers’ table to knock Omega even sillier.

Omega is sent through the table’s covering and is busted rather open, allowing Ospreay to lick the blood off of his own arm. Ospreay V Triggers him to the floor and grabs the Canadian flag to clean himself, ala Shawn Michaels in 1997. That’s enough for Omega to knock him hard to the floor, where Ospreay is sent hard into the steps to bust him open as well. A DDT onto the steps knocks Ospreay silly again and Omega elbows away at the cut to make the blood flow even more freely. Ospreay powerbombs his way out of a choke and they’re both down.

Back up and Omega hits a V Trigger, only for Ospreay to grab the standing Spanish Fly for two. A rather terrible Sharpshooter sends Omega to the ropes but Ospreay pulls him back in and switches to a Crossface. With the rope break getting Omega out of trouble, Ospreay kicks him in the head a few times. The Oscutter is blocked (perhaps shouting OSCUTTER in advance was a bad idea) and Omega hits some Snapdragons. A piledriver gives Omega two and there’s the V Trigger to the back.

Omega tries a super One Winged Angel but Ospreay counters the chance of death into a Cheeky Nandos kick. Ospreay hits a skytwister to the floor, followed by a Liger Bomb for two back inside. Omega knocks him down again but here is Don Callis (the fans are NOT pleased) at ringside. A knee to the face hits Ospreay as Callis hides behind security. Callis’ distraction doesn’t stop the V Trigger but he manages to slip Ospreay a screwdriver.

The One Winged Angel is broken up with the screwdriver to the head and the Hidden Blade into the Stormbreaker gives Ospreay….two. Well that was ridiculous. Ospreay’s One Winged Angel gets one so Omega loads up his own version, only to switch into a German suplex for two. Ospreay Tiger Driver 91’s him for two and it’s a Hidden Blade into Stormbreaker to finally finish Omega at 39:07.

Rating: A. What else do you want here? They sold the idea of two people leaving it all in the ring until one of them couldn’t stand any longer and it felt like a violent war. That’s exactly what this should have been and on almost all accounts, it would have been a bit better without the (awesome) false finish off back to back finishers. That was a bit much and should have been the finish, but that’s a rather nothing complaint all things considered.

Omega has to be helped out due to obvious reasons.

Sting/Darby Allin/Tetsuya Naito vs. Chris Jericho/Minoru Suzuki/Sammy Guevara

Guevara flips over Naito to start before hitting a dropkick to take over. Naito sends him outside though and that’s enough for the Tranquilo pose. Allin comes in to yell at Guevara but gets Suzuki instead. That doesn’t go well for Allin so it’s off to Jericho vs. Sting for the big staredown. Sting takes over without much trouble and hits the Stinger Splash into the Scorpion Deathlock.

Guevara makes the save with a cutter and we get a triple Le Suzuki Gods pose. Naito is back in to clean things out and we settle down to Naito’s Gloria being broken up. Everything breaks down and the villains grab triple chokes, which are quickly escaped. Allin hits a dive onto Suzuki but Jericho hits the Judas Effect to cut off Allin’s sequel dive.

Jericho brings out a table (of course) and puts Sting on it before ordering Sammy to hit the 630 off the top to drive him through it. Naito rolls Jericho up for two but Destino is countered into the Walls. Sting is back up for the save so Jericho gives Naito the Codebreaker for to instead. Naito and Sting beat on Suzuki and it’s an atomic drop into a rollup to finish Suzuki at 15:02.

Rating: C. This one didn’t do much for me and it felt like they were just kind of going through the motions in some places. I’m also guessing that Sting was supposed to get up before that 630 but just didn’t in time, which would explain (not excuse, but explain) his quick save. The match wasn’t bad, but nothing you need to see.

Post match Jericho grabs the bat but Sting clears everyone out.

We recap Bryan Danielson vs. Kazuchika Okada. In summation, it’s Bryan Danielson vs. Kazuchika Okada.

Bryan Danielson vs. Kazuchika Okada

Danielson comes out to Final Countdown for a special moment. Okada goes for the arm to start but Danielson reverses into a surfboard with a double knee stomp to leave Okada a bit annoyed. An elbow to the face drops Danielson and they go to the floor, where Danielson starts working on the arms. Some shots to said arms have Okada in trouble and Danielson cranks away at both back inside. Okada fights up and lets Danielson kick him, which just wakes Okada up even more.

The forearms don’t work because of the arm but it’s fine enough to catch a charging Danielson in a flapjack. They fight to the floor again and this time Danielson is sent into the crowd. Okada is right after him with a big running clothesline, setting up a neckbreaker onto the knee for two back inside. Danielson pops back up and hits a missile dropkick before it’s time to strike it out again.

Okada shotgun dropkicks him into the corner, followed by another dropkick for two. Back up and Danielson goes for the arm again, this time getting in a Disarm-Her. With that broken up, Danielson sends him outside but misses the dive. The Rainmaker is blocked and Okada gets dropkicked up the ramp. The YES Kicks rock Okada but he’s right back with a Tombstone onto the ramp.

Danielson is mostly out of it and the Rainmaker is loaded up. Hold on though as we pause for the doctor, who says Danielson can go, despite convulsing. Danielson is cleared and immediately hits a knee to drop Okada. Danielson declares it time to kick his f****** head in and stomps away but Danielson’s arm seems to have given out.

The YES chant is loaded up but Okada cuts off the running knee with the dropkick. The Landslide sets up the Rainmaker for two but two more attempts miss. Danielson tries the LeBell Lock, only to opt for some weird double arm lock. Okada can’t reach the rope so Danielson lets go and hammers him in the face. The double arm crank goes back on and Okada taps at 27:33.

Rating: A-. This was great in a different way than the Omega vs. Ospreay bloodbath in that this felt more like a traditional classic wrestling match. You had Danielson tearing the arm apart all match while Okada worked on the neck, only to have Danielson get the better of things and tie him up for the win. I had a great time with it, but the lack of a story other than “hey let’s have a classic” slowed it down a bit.

Danielson is banged up to end the show.

Overall Rating: A-. The two big matches and the ten man tag are more than enough to carry this, but it doesn’t quite get to that all time level. There are some matches on here that don’t exactly feel epic, but the good stuff is so, so good that it carries the rest. Definitely check out Okada vs. Danielson and Ospreay vs. Omega, but the rest you might want to pick and choose (save for the Zero Hour stuff, which added pretty much nothing). Another awesome show here, as we now veer back into the normal AEW material.

Results
Mogul Embassy b. Best Friends/Rocky Romero/El Desperado – Swerve Stomp to Romero
Athena b. Billie Starkz – Gutbuster
El Phantasmo b. Stu Grayson – Arm trap faceplant
Los Ingobernables de Japon b. United Empire – Made In Japan to TJP
Maxwell Jacob Friedman b. Hiroshi Tanahashi – Diamond ring to the head
CM Punk b. Satoshi Kojima – GTS
Orange Cassidy b. Daniel Garcia, Zack Sabre Jr. and Katsuyorhi Shibata – Crucifix to Garcia
Sanada b. Jungle Boy – Moonsault
Elite/Tomohiro Ishii/Eddie Kingston b. Blackpool Combat Club/Konosuke Takeshita/Shota Umino – Brainbuster to Yuta
Toni Storm b. Willow Nightingale – Storm Zero
Will Ospreay b. Kenny Omega – Stormbreaker
Sting/Tetsuya Naito/Darby Allin b. Chris Jericho/Sammy Guevara/Minoru Suzuki – Rollup to Suzuki
Bryan Danielson b. Kazuchika Okada – Double arm crank

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

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

AND

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