Dynamite
Date: September 21, 2022
Location: Arthur Ashe Stadium, New York City, New York
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Excalibur, Taz

It’s probably the biggest Dynamite of the year as we are in a stadium for Grand Slam. As expected, the show is going to be a huge one with a World Title match between Bryan Danielson and Jon Moxley for the vacant championship. Other than that, Swerve In Our Glory is defending the Tag Team Titles against the Acclaimed in an All Out rematch. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Ring Of Honor World Title: Chris Jericho vs. Claudio Castagnoli

Castagnoli is defending and starts fast by gorilla pressing Jericho onto the top rope. A big boot knocks Jericho outside and Castagnoli follows him, only to have Jericho hide behind former Ring Of Honor owner Cary Silkin. That’s enough for Jericho to get in some cheap shots to stagger Castagnoli but he’s right back with the uppercuts back inside. They fight to the apron and fight over a suplex before forearming it out instead. Jericho gets the suplex onto the floor and they’re both down as we take a break.

Back with Jericho charging into a boot in the corner but managing to catch Castagnoli on top. A super hurricanrana pulls Castagnoli down for two and the fans bought that kickout. The Judas Effect is blocked though and a double stomp sets up the Sharpshooter to put Jericho in trouble.

A rope is grabbed so Castagnoli hits the Riccola Bomb for two. Castagnoli goes up but dives into the Codebreaker for two more. The Walls go on but Castagnoli is out fast, setting up the Swing. That and a clothesline are enough for two so Jericho grabs Floyd the baseball bat. That’s taken away but the distraction lets Jericho hit him low. The Judas Effect gives Jericho the pin and the title at 14:48.

Rating: B. I’m really not sure on this one as Jericho is the definition of someone who doesn’t need to win a World Title. Castagnoli was on a roll since winning the title and he loses to Jericho of all people? I’m not exactly interested in more of the Sports Entertainers vs. Wrestlers (read as WWE vs. AEW) feud but that seems to be where we’re going. Good match of course, but that result is a head scratcher in a lot of ways.

Post match the Jericho Appreciation Society, including Daniel Garcia, come out to celebrate.

Tag Team Titles: Swerve In Our Glory vs. Acclaimed

Acclaimed is challenging and Caster’s rap makes reference to a glory hole. The champs have rapper Fabulous in their corner while the Acclaimed have Billy Gunn. Lee runs Bowens over to start and then snaps off a running hurricanrana, which has Bowens scared and the crowd impressed. Bowens comes in and manages a hiptoss, meaning it’s scissoring time. Strickland isn’t having that and breaks it up with a dropkick, much to Gunn’s annoyance.

We take a break and come back Caster powerslamming Swerve and brainbustering Lee (which might have been planned as a suplex). The hot tag brings in Bowens to clean house, including a hurricanrana (or maybe a headSCISSORs) to Lee and a rollup for two on Strickland. Back up and Lee tosses Bowens HARD onto the ramp but misses a moonsault to Caster. Swerve goes for a boombox shot but hits Lee by mistake, allowing Bowens to hit a Blockbuster.

The Mic Drop connects for a VERY delayed two as Caster seems to hurt his knee. Strickland comes back in and drives Caster (knee seems ok) into the corner. Lee Pounces Caster and throws him into Swerve’s sitout powerbomb for a rather near fall, with the kickout bringing the crowd back to life. Strickland’s springboard flip dive is more of a springboard flipping kicks to their faces but Gunn gets in his face. The Fameasser on the floor hits Swerve and it’s the mic Drop to give Caster the pin and the titles at 13:41.

Rating: B-. It wasn’t the match they had at All Out but there was no way it was going to be able to live up to that standard. That being said, this was ALL about the huge moment as the fans were ready to see it and AEW went exactly where they should have. The Acclaimed has turned into one of the most over acts in the company and they needed the titles here.

Post match scissoring ensues as Swerve is stunned.

FTR congratulates the new champs but it’s time for their title shot. The Gunn Club comes in to mock them and I think FTR has their next non-Tag Team Title feud.

Wheeler Yuta….is interrupted by MJF, who comes to the stage with a Ric Flair strut. MJF says Wheels will never get a reaction like this. These people love him and would drink his sweat or let him sleep with their wives. The only reason he wouldn’t do it is because he has standards but Yuta calls him the King of The Low Hanging Fruit.

Yuta brings up MJF getting engaged to be married recently and suggests that MJF’s fiance is too smart for her. His fiance has figured out that MJF is a spineless piece of garbage who will walk out on her like MJF walked out on AEW. MJF: “Give it up for Wheeler. He has went from drying paint to pet rock personality.” MJF is here to wish the “Blackpool Cuckold Club” luck in the main event tonight and mocks both Danielson and Moxley. Oh and William Regal can teach him how to pop pills! That earns MJF a slap to the face but he headbutts Wheeler and SHOVES TONY SCHIAVONE! Yuta is back up but W. Morrissey comes in for the save.

Jade Cargill and the Baddies aren’t worried about Diamante and her friend. Cue Diamante, who brings in her friend….Trina, who is apparently a rapper. Not that commentary or anyone else tells us that of course.

All-Atlantic Title: Pac vs. Orange Cassidy

Cassidy is challenging and throws his sunglasses at Pac to start. Pac doesn’t care for that and the lazy kicks make him even angrier. They’re enough to make Pac stomp him down in the corner as Tony keeps talking about how MJF will be fined but it won’t matter. They head outside with Cassidy getting posted, setting up the big flip dive over the top.

We take a break and come back with Cassidy raising his boots to prevent the Black Arrow from launching. Cassidy knocks him outside for a dive, setting up the top rope DDT back inside. The Orange Punch is blocked though and Pac pulls him into the Brutalizer, which is countered into a rollup for two. The Orange Punch connects for two and Pac rolls outside for a breather. With the referee not able to see it, Pac gets in a shot with the ring bell hammer to knock Cassidy silly and retain at 12:15.

Rating: B-. This is where Cassidy has found his sweet spot. He isn’t likely to ever become a main eventer or a World Champion but giving him a title shot like this, only for him to come up short is fine. Good match here and Pac continues to be someone who feels like a major star every time he’s in the ring. The fans would have gone nuts for the title change, but it wasn’t the right call.

Interim AEW Women’s Title: Britt Baker vs. Serena Deeb vs. Athena vs. Toni Storm

Storm is defending and Rebel is here with Baker. It’s a brawl to start with everyone getting a quick near fall. Deeb even breaks up a backslide and rolls Baker and Athena up at the same time. Then it’s a leglock to Storm and an abdominal stretch (and then a suplex) to Athena at the same time.

We settle down to Storm hitting a running dropkick for two on Baker before going up top. That means a Tower Of Doom to bring everyone down and we take a break. Back with Storm and Deeb holding half crabs but slapping each other instead of cranking back harder. With those broken up, Athena dropkicks Baker to break up the Stomp and Deeb neckbreakers Baker over the ropes.

A swinging neckbreaker gives Deeb two on Storm and the Serenity Lock goes on. Athena breaks that up and throws Baker and Deeb at the same time. A powerbomb swung into a faceplant gives Athena two on Storm and Deeb makes the save. Baker tries the Lockjaw on Storm, who reverses into a crucifix to retain the title at 9:47.

Rating: C+. They went fast here and got to the point, with Storm getting the pin to retain in the end. Storm needs more wins to make her feel like a bigger star and pinning Baker is one of the best ways to do so. Storm needs a feud for the title, but getting rid of the Interim name would make things better than anything else.

Post match Baker (whose nose is busted) goes after Storm but Jamie Hayter runs in to pull her off. Then Hayter and Baker beat Storm down together and hug. Deeb beats on Athena at the same time. Lockjaw is loaded up….and Saraya (Paige) debuts. She clears the ring and invites anyone to come fight her but no one accepts. There’s your big debut, but seeing her in the ring is going to be a scary sight.

Darby Allin drags a body bag around New York before getting in a cab, saying he’s going to a funeral.

Here is what is coming on Rampage.

AEW World Title: Jon Moxley vs. Bryan Danielson

For the vacant title and William Regal is on commentary. Danielson goes for the leg to start before we get to the chops that you knew were coming. The chop off goes to Danielson, who takes Moxley into the corner for more chops and kicks. The running dropkick misses but Danielson keeps striking away anyway. Another kick knocks Moxley off the top and down to the floor for the flying knee as MJF, with the chip, is watching in the crowd. Moxley gets him onto the apron and tries a choke, only to get German suplexed hard. The running knee from the apron drops Moxley again as we take a break.

Back with Danielson striking away but Moxley pulls him into a half crab, followed by the ankle lock. With that broken up, they go up top with Moxley raking the back and backdropping him down. Moxley grabs a LeBell Lock of his own but Danielson slips out. They lock legs and wind up standing on their heads to slug it out, with Danielson getting the better of things.

Danielson grabs Cattle Mutilation to keep Moxley in trouble and the Hammer and Anvil elbows make it even worse. Moxley manages to survive and hits the King Kong lariat as MJF is chuckling over what he’s seeing. Danielson suplexes his way out of the Death Rider and hits the running knee for two, which has MJF on his feet. Moxley stomps Danielson in the ankle and hits the Death Rider for two.

Back up and Danielson starts kicking away, setting up some stomps. A triangle choke goes on before shifting to the LeBell Lock but Moxley makes it to the ropes. That’s fine with Danielson, who goes up top and hits a knee onto the arm. Moxley is right back with a Death Rider on the ramp for two, setting up a sleeper to make Danielson tap for the title at 19:32.

Rating: A-. They had a heck of a fight here and what matters most is that the title situation is set as we get ready for MJF to take the title, probably at Full Gear. You knew this was going to be an awesome match and that is what they pulled off in another great one. Moxley winning the title is a safe way to go, even if it makes it feel like we could have been here a few months ago.

Post match Regal comes in to hand Moxley the title but Danielson takes it away and points at Regal to end the show.

Overall Rating: A. What else is there to say here? The action was great, big things happened, and the main event set up things for the future. What mattered the most here was the atmosphere though, as they were in front of a ton of people in a huge venue and it was an outstanding show that delivered on every front. Absolutely worth checking this one out, as there is nothing bad in the slightest and some of the stuff was excellent.

Results
Chris Jericho b. Claudio Castagnoli – Judas Effect
Acclaimed b. Swerve In Our Glory – Mic Drop to Strickland
Pac b. Orange Cassidy – Hammer to the head
Toni Storm b. Britt Baker, Serena Deeb and Athena – Rollup to Baker
Jon Moxley b. Bryan Danielson – Choke

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.

Rampage
Date: September 16, 2022
Location: MVP Arena, Albany, New York
Commentators: Jim Ross, Excalibur, Chris Jericho, Tony Schiavone

The road to normalcy continues this week but there might not be as much to get hyped about with this show. The problem is that with no tournament matches for this week, there is only so much that can be done to bring in the interest. Rampage has a tendency to not feel the most important but maybe they can pull it off. Let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

Matt Hardy vs. Darby Allin

They shake hands to start and it’s Allin grabbing a headlock takeover. Hardy fights up so Allin crucifix bombs him for two. With Hardy on the floor, Allin’s dive is cut off but he drives Hardy into the steps to knock him silly again. Allin goes Jeff/PCO by trying a Swanton, which only hits apron because people like him never learn.

We take a break and come back with Hardy hitting a Side Effect out of the corner for two. The Twist of Fate is countered and a suplex is as well, with Allin grabbing a Scorpion Death Drop to put them both down. Allin loads up the Coffin Drop but gets powerbombed out for two. Hardy misses a moonsault and gets Code Reded for two, followed by the Last Supper to give Allin the pin at 10:00.

Rating: C. Well at least Hardy didn’t go over. If Hardy can go at a pace like this then he’s fine to keep around, as long as he isn’t given a story to go with it. Allin winning is of course the only way to go here, even if he doesn’t have much going on. They didn’t exactly go extreme here, which was the point, but it could have been worse.

Post match Allin leaves so the lights go out. Cue Brody King and Julia Hart to run Hardy over, with King calling out Allin and Sting. The challenge is on for a No DQ match next week, so King chokes Hardy (playing off Sting’s longtime association with Matt) until the lights go out again and King disappears. This is a feud that was wrapped up and is continuing, which is rarely a good idea.

Eddie Kingston wants Sammy Guevara next week in New York. The match is already made.

Here is Claudio Castagnoli, flanked by Wheeler Yuta, for a chat. Claudio says the title represents what he can do and the Blackpool Combat Club represents the new symbol of excellence. Last week, Yuta lost the Pure Title to Daniel Garcia but you learn the most by losing. Then last week, Castagnoli defended his title against Dax Harwood, who was one of the toughest opponents he ever faced.

Next week is a great week for the Club though as it’s two members of the team fighting for the AEW World Title. Next week, the Club will have two World Champions in its ranks….but Chris Jericho interrupts. Jericho wants to talk about the Jericho Appreciation Society’s great week, including how he should be fighting for the World Title. Castagnoli reminds Jericho for tapping so the fans get on him, with Jericho saying he wishes he was in Albany, Georgia. Jericho brags about his World Title wins and now he wants #8 to be the Ring Of Honor World Title. Castagnoli was hoping for that so it’s on.

Jade Cargill and the Baddies were cut off by Diamante, who challenges her for the title. Note that Excalibur said Diamante was “red hot”, despite that she has lost her last two matches.

Penelope Ford vs. Willow Nightingale

Kip Sabian is here with Ford, who sees to have caught JR’s eye. Ford slugs away to start but gets caught in a headlock for her efforts. Nightingale takes her down for some rollups and we pause for Excalibur to rapid fire the matches for next week. A basement crossbody lets Nightingale get a rather smiley two, only to miss a Pounce. Some middle rope knees crush Nightingale and we take a break.

Back with Nightingale getting fired up and hitting a spinebuster for two. Ford is fine enough to Matrix away from a clothesline and hit a jumping cutter for two of her own. A kick to the face rocks Nightingale and something like a Stroke sets up a Muta Lock for the tap at 8:27 (as Sabian talks to the box helmet).

Rating: C. Ford is being reheated after her long absence but dang it is depressing to see Nightingale lose so often. She has so much charisma and is rather fun to watch every time she’s out there, but I do get why AEW wants to push Ford so much more. Decent enough match too, as Ford gets her footing back.

Hangman Page and the Dark Order are ready for the Golden Ticket Battle Royal at Grand Slam for, say it with me, a future World Title shot. La Faccion Ingobernable comes in to glare and shout.

Danhausen vs. Ethan Page

Stokely Hathaway is here with Page, who isn’t having anything of this being cursed. A big boot and running shoulder sets up the Ego’s Edge for the pin at 1:27.

Ricky Starks tells Powerhouse Hobbs to think about everything that is about to happen to him because Hobbs has his undivided attention. They’ll see each other in New York.

Josh Woods and Mark Sterling are ready to send Samoa Joe on a permanent vacation. Joe doesn’t buy it.

Here’s what’s coming on various shows.

Ring Of Honor TV Title: Samoa Joe vs. Josh Woods

Joe is defending and drives him into the corner to start for an exchange of grins. Woods cranks on the arm so Joe reverses into a cravate. With that not working, it’s time for the big forearm exchange, because that’s what so many AEW matches become. Joe sends him outside but Tony Nese snaps Joe’s arm across the top as we take a break.

Back with Joe rolling him up for two but not being able to get the Koquina Clutch. Joe puts him down and hits a backsplash for two but his arm is giving out. Nese and Sterling offer distractions so Woods can escape the rollup. A knee to the face rocks Joe and a pin into another knee to the face gets two more. Back up and the Rock Bottom out of the corner cuts Woods off, followed by the MuscleBuster to retain at 10:09.

Rating: C+. This felt like a Ring Of Honor match with Joe doing his usual stuff to win. I can go with more and more Joe so this was one of those fun matches that will work almost every time. It worked for a Rampage main event, even if the ROH TV Title feels like it has no value whatsoever.

Post match the triple teaming is on but Wardlow comes in for the save. Sterling escapes the Powerbomb Symphony and we get a Wardlow/Joe staredown to end the show. Unify some titles and I’m thrilled.

Overall Rating: C. The main thing that this show did was prove how easy it would be to have a regular Ring Of Honor show. This week featured two Ring Of Honor champions, including a title defense in the main event. There’s no reason to have Dark and Dark Elevation, so turn one of them into a Ring Of Honor show and keep all that stuff there. As for the show itself, this was little more than the final table setting show for Grand Slam, which is going to be huge. Not a must see show, but it gets us to the must see shows.

Results
Darby Allin b. Matt Hardy – Last Supper
Penelope Ford b. Willow Nightingale – Muta Lock
Ethan Page b. Danhausen – Ego’s Edge
Samoa Joe b. Josh Woods – MuscleBuster

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

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AND

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

Dynamite
Date: December 16, 2020
Location: Daily’s Place, Jacksonville, Florida
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Jim Ross, Excalibur

The run of big shows continue as we are now on the way to New Year’s Smash in two weeks. The big story continues to be World Champion Kenny Omega, who is going to be headlining the Impact Wrestling Hard To Kill pay per view in January. That could mean an invasion on this week’s show. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Hangman Page/Dark Order vs. Matt Hardy/Private Party

Page and Quen start things off with Quen grabbing a headlock. That doesn’t go very long so it’s Hardy coming in for a kick to the ribs in the corner. Private Party both comes in but the Dark Order comes in as well for a triple big boot. The ring is cleared so Silver jumps on Page’s back to celebrate. Kassidy comes in and gets slammed down so Page drops Silver down onto him for two.

Reynolds tags himself in and it’s a double flipping faceplant to put Kassidy down again. Page adds the running shooting star to give Silver two and he knocks Kassidy into the corner. That lets Silver strike a pose, and Page isn’t sure what to think. Kassidy gets in a shot of his own and it’s off to Quen to start picking up the pace. Stereo basement dropkicks get two on Silver and Hardy comes in for a sleeper. That’s countered into a brainbuster from Silver and it’s back to Page to clean house.

The Side Effect cuts Page off but it’s too early for the Twist of Fate. Page nails a hard clothesline and it’s off to Reynolds to start cleaning house again. A neckbreaker drops Quen and Kassidy is sent outside. Page hits a pop up sitout powerbomb and Reynolds gets two off a rollup. Hardy breaks up the cover and hits a hanging Twist of Fate to pull Silver off the apron for a thud. That leaves Reynolds to take Gin and Juice, with Hardy stealing the pin at 10:48.

Rating: C+. Pretty good action and it didn’t go all that long. I was surprised by the ending too, though I could go for Less Hardy being involved in….well almost anything with some kind of a character for that matter. Private Party winning is a nice surprise and Silver continues to look more and more like a star every time he is out there. I’m curious to see where he goes and the further he gets away from the evil Dark Order, the better he’ll be doing.

Here’s what’s coming tonight.

Maxwell Jacob Friedman is given a plaque from the New York Times for Best Performance of 2020. Chris Jericho mentions that he was involved as well and MJF actually gives him credit. MJF sees the greatest of all time and his best friend when he looks at Jericho, who can only say thank you.

We go to Cody and Brandi Rhodes’ house where they are trimming the tree. Their doorbell rings and there is a box waiting for them. Inside is a Christmas ornament saying…..that they’re expecting a baby. Pharaoh has a collar saying “Baby Security In Training.” That’s great.

Cody Rhodes vs. Angelico

Cody is introduced as The Future Father in a nice moment. Angelico snapmares him down to start and wipes his hair back. Cody is right back with one of his own before they fight over a wristlock. Angelico kicks him away though and we have a standoff. With nothing else working, Cody takes him down so Angelico kicks his feet for protection. Back up and they shoves each other away, setting up a crisscross. Cody drops down into a dropkick for one and we take a break.

Back with Cody knocking him down again and hitting a few clotheslines. The powerslam gets two but Angelico ties him up in some kind of wacky double arm hold using his legs. Cody bites the rope for the escape because sometimes it’s all you can do. The Disaster Kick misses though and Angelico tweaks his knee, allowing Angelico to grab his Navaro Death Roll. That’s broken up as well and Cody is right back up with the Cody Cutter for the pin at 9:45.

Rating: C. Not too bad here and having Cody doing his thing while having to deal with Angelico’s technical/submission stuff worked….in the little amount of time that Angelico did it. That being said, the announcement before the match is going to make a lot of people smile and it’s a lot more important in the first place. Fine enough match, though I could have gone for more from Angelico.

Post match here’s Team Taz to say they don’t get why they didn’t receive their own congratulations for taking out Darby Allin. They’re about to come to the ring to put Cody on paternity leave, but here’s Sting to cut them off. Powerhouse Hobbs has to be held back as Sting stand around with the bat and Darby Allin looks on from the rafters. Sting winks at Cody and leaves so Team Taz goes to the ring and pummels Cody. Well in theory at least, but instead they stand there as we go to a break due to wrestling logic.

Miro has been fined $75,000 for attacking various production workers last week. He says it’s all about the numbers and that is money Orange Cassidy owes him. Next week he’s breaking the internet again when he faces Sonny Kiss and then next week it’s the wedding date announcement. When asked about the people being put in the hospital at Christmas, he says BAH HUMBUG because Christmas is his birthday.

Here’s Eddie Kingston to address his enemies. First up is Pac, who has been injured and left on the shelf. Where is he anyway? Then there is Lance Archer, who rushes the ring to start the fight. Butcher, Blade and Bunny come to the ring for the save but Archer fights them off. The Lucha Bros come in for the save and Pac is back to make it even worse. Death Triangle beats up all four of them with Fenix hitting the big corkscrew dive. Archer grabs Kingston by the throat but Pac kicks Kingston in the face, which Archer doesn’t like. No violence ensues as Kingston and company bail.

Dustin Rhodes says Seven was a bad idea years ago and it was a bad idea last week. Uno said Rhodes was the least important member of the Rhodes Family and that’s just not true. Last week it was Ten and next week it’s Uno going down.

Best Friends/Top Flight/Varsity Blonds vs. Inner Circle

Orange Cassidy sits in on commentary, even though his headset isn’t plugged in and his mic isn’t down. Jericho chops Pillman into the corner to start and poses in the corner while standing on Pillman’s throat. Back up and Pillman nearly slips out of the corner but manages to hit a springboard crossbody to rock Jericho. The triangle dropkick sends Jericho to the floor and a slingshot dive takes Jericho down again.

Back in and it’s off to Garrison for a slam but Jericho drives him into the corner for the tag to Guevara. Dante comes in for a leg lariat to Guevara and Darius comes in for a crucifix (despite what looked to be a bit of confusion). Guevara punches him down with a hard shot and it’s off to Trent vs. Santana for a showdown. Ortiz and Chuck come in as well and the big brawl is on with everyone getting involved. The Inner Circle is cleared out and it’s a six way hug.

Back in and Ortiz suplexes Trent a few times, allowing Santana to come in with a top rope double stomp to the arm. Trent gets sent outside and we take a break. Back with Jericho and Guevara running Trent over and stopping for the double pose (that still works). Sammy misses the shooting star press so Trent nails the running knee. A suplex to Ortiz allows the tag off to Darius to pick up the pace.

The standing Spanish Fly hits Ortiz and Dante hits the big running dive to take out Santana and Ortiz. Pillman adds the springboard shoulder to Ortiz and Hager is low bridged to the floor. Garrison forearms Ortiz but Jericho gets in a baseball bat shot from the floor. Hager is in and hits Wardlow’s F10, allowing MJF to get the pin at 14:09.

Rating: C+. What we got was good enough, but they really could have cut this down to about eight people so there weren’t so many people standing around without much to do. They booked the match well though and the good guys got to showcase themselves rather well before going down. Garrison taking the fall doesn’t hurt him as he got to show off a bit first. Good enough here, and they didn’t get too messy for their own good.

Post match Top Flight clears the ring and we get the big staredown.

Thunder Rosa blames Britt Baker for costing her the NWA Women’s Title and doesn’t like her saying Rosa doesn’t belong here. Rebel comes up for a distraction and it’s Britt Baker jumping Rosa from behind. Baker traps the arm and Rebel pours water on Rosa to mess up the paint. With Rosa out (From what?), Baker looks at the camera to make sure it still works after looking at Rosa’s face.

SCU vs. Acclaimed

Acclaimed raps their way to the ring, including saying that Daniels is an out of date format like a CD and Kazarian’s back must be hurting with the carrying. Kazarian and Daniels rhyme right back, saying the Acclaimed suck. Daniels chops away at Bowens to start but gets backdropped down for his efforts. Castor comes in and hammers away in the corner as commentary talks about Castor’s father’s NFL career. Daniels knocks Castor down for a slingshot lariat to give Kazarian two.

Kazarian grabs an armbar to keep Castor in trouble but he gets sent outside, allowing the beating to be on as we take a break. Back with Kazarian in trouble until he uses the ropes to take Castor down. Bowens gets kicked away and it’s Daniels coming in with some clotheslines to take over. The Blue Thunder Bomb gets two on Bowens and a high crossbody is good for the same. Daniels rolls Bowens up but gets kicked away, allowing Castor to hit him in the face with the boom box. Bowens hits a Rock Bottom slam for the surprise pin at 8:17.

Rating: C+. If there is one thing AEW is good at, it is using its younger talents to put people over. The match worked rather well for the Acclaimed, as the tag division continues to grow by leaps and bounds with all of the additions the make seemingly every month. SCU are a made team so this doesn’t hurt them whatsoever. Good match too.

Post match the Acclaimed rap a challenge to the Young Bucks for next week.

Top Flight challenge Chris Jericho and MJF for next week. They can either accept or run away like b******.

Ivelisse/Diamante vs. Big Swole/Serena Deeb

Swole and Diamante slug away to start and Swole suplexes her down over without much effort. Diamante jumps Deeb on the apron and takes Swole into the corner as we take a break. Back with Deep fighting both of them off at the same time, including an Indian Deathlock to Ivelisse while she suplexes Diamante.

A neckbreaker over the ropes puts Ivelisse down again and a Figure Four goes on. Diamante makes the save and it’s a double slam for two on Deeb. Swole is back in with a headbutt to Diamante and it’s a Clearwater Cloverleaf (with Swole not even stepping over) to make Diamante tap at 9:21.

Rating: C-. Deeb is so far ahead of Swole and Diamante it’s not even funny. Ivelisse can do some things well enough but there’s a polish to Deeb that just isn’t there with her. Diamante and Ivelisse do work well together though and it’s nice to have a team that means a little something. That being said, at least step over to make the Cloverleaf work.

Post match it’s Nyla Rose and Vickie Guerrero coming in to help beat down Deep and Swole. Red Velvet makes the save with a chair. Can we just not with Rose and Guerrero?

The Best Friends are going to be at the Holiday Bash (next week) when Miro announces the wedding date.

Video on the Jurassic Express. They’ve kind of disappeared in recent weeks.

FTR and Tully Blanchard storm the broadcast booth and complain about not getting any time while a grown up Tarzan and a wannabe dinosaur are featured. This is how Harwood feeds his family and these two men are his family. Top guys out, after a heck of a fired up promo from Harwood.

Here’s what’s coming next week.

Kenny Omega vs. Joey Janela

Non-title and no DQ with Don Callis/Sonny Kiss as the seconds. During Omega’s entrance, Tony says he’s glad that Omega took Impact’s numbers from one to six. Not so much on the second week but it did work the first time. Janela throws a trashcan at Omega to start and Callis goes to commentary to take Tony’s headset. Tony tells him what to kiss as Janela whips Omega into the barricade.

Omega is right back with a Kitaro Crusher onto an open chair. There’s a baseball slide into a running flip dive to send Joey into another chair, allowing Callis to praise Kenny on his mic. Hang on as Omega gets the mic and blasts him with a cookie sheet, making sure to show off the extra sound. Back in and a moonsault with a trashcan crushes Janela for two.

Omega is annoyed at the kickout so he beats on Janela some more, setting up a springboard double stomp onto the trashcan. The One Winged Angle is countered with a reverse hurricanrana, allowing Kiss to whip out a table. The top rope legdrop sends Omega through the table but the moonsault misses back inside. Omega hits some V Triggers and the One Winged Angel finishes Janela at 7:01.

Rating: B-. This wasn’t about the action and that’s the way it should have gone here. There was no reason to believe that Janela was going to be a threat here and Omega dealt with him as such. The trash talk and Callis doing commentary were great heel touches and the kind of thing that fits them perfectly. It wasn’t a good match, but it was perfectly put together.

Post match Callis says all of the loose ends have been tied up and now there is no one left with a complaint. Cue Death Triangle with Pac saying that Fenix never got his shot against Omega in the tournament. Callis offers to teach him a lesson, because Pac has no authority. Wrestlers don’t tell the champ what to do, but Pac has talked to Tony Khan and Fenix is getting his title shot on December 30. Omega is livid to end the show.

Overall Rating: B. The wrestling wasn’t exactly the point tonight as this was all about setting things up for the next few big shows. There are going to be three straight big weeks coming up and that could be some very good news for AEW. I’m not sure what to expect out of those shows, but dang they are making me want to see what they have coming. Another good show this week, and it has me wanting to see more, which is the more important result.

Results

Private Party/Matt Hardy b. Hangman Page/Dark Order – Gin and Juice to Reynolds

Cody Rhodes b. Angelico – Cody Cutter

Inner Circle b. Top Flight/Varsity Blonds/Best Friends – F10 to Garrison

Acclaimed b. SCU – Rock Bottom slam to Daniels

Serena Deeb/Big Swole b. Ivelisse/Diamante – Clearwater Cloverleaf to Diamante

Kenny Omega b. Joey Janela – One Winged Angel

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

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

IMG Credit: All Elite Wrestling

Dark
Date: October 20, 2020
Location: Daily’s Place, Jacksonville, Florida
Commentators: Excalibur, Taz

We’re back and somehow the show is even bigger, at a sixteen match card. That’s a record even for this show and up there with the biggest Wrestlemania lineups of all time. I’m not sure why that needs to be the case around here but it’s not like there is much else to talk about with this show. Let’s get to it.

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

Commentators welcome.

Shawn Spears vs. Christopher Daniels

Again with the idea of opening with what could be the headliner. Spears works on the wrist to start before switching off to a headlock. Daniels is right back up to flip him to the floor though and we get a breather. Back in and an exchange of leapfrogs goes badly for Spears as Daniels clotheslines him down. A Fargo Strut sets up a t-bone suplex to send Spears outside again, with Daniels hitting a slingshot dive this time.

This one doesn’t go as well as Daniels is whipped hard into the barricade, setting up a neckbreaker on the floor. Back in and Daniels whips him hard into the corner, followed by a DDT to stay on the neck. The C4 is countered though and Daniels grabs a Downward Spiral. The STO plants Spears and another C4 is countered again into a rollup for two. Daniels gets another two off a high crossbody but the Angel’s Wings is blocked. A slingshot is cut off though and now the C4 can finish Daniels at 7:16.

Rating: C. As expected, two people who have done this for a long time and have shown that they can do good things in the ring have a completely watchable match. It’s nothing that hasn’t been done before, but there wasn’t a bad thing about the match and it was well set up throughout. Spears is still totally uninteresting, but it could have been far worse.

Post match Spears hits a second C4, drawing out Scorpio Sky to chase him off. Spears beats up a production guy to blow off some steam.

Brandi Rhodes vs. KiLynn King

I don’t see King breaking her losing streak here. King spins her down into a hammerlock but gets reversed with a headscissors. Back up and Brandi snaps off a headlock takeover as the mat grappling continues. King’s rollup gets two and Brandi’s gets the same, setting up an early standoff.

An armdrag into an armbar has Brandi in trouble again but she sends King into the corner for the running elbow as commentary makes radio jokes. Cue John Silver to campaign to be on Brandi’s cooking show, but Brandi is fine enough to hit a Sling Blade for two. They slug it out from their knees and it’s the Shot Of Brandi (which looked like it needed a camera cut) for the pin on King at 3:22.

Rating: D+. This was all you could have expected as Brandi isn’t going to lose a match like this, even if it’s against someone who seems like they could be a breakout star in King. The wrestling wasn’t anything great, but they did well enough with the counters and reversals. That finish still doesn’t look great, but it’s better than Brandi using the spear.

David Ali vs. Ricky Starks

Ali hammers away to start but gets picked up and dropped hard. The chopping is on as Taz is rather pleased with all of this. Ali manages to get to the corner though and it’s a missile dropkick to stagger Starks. After being confused for a second, Starks goes up again and gets crotched back down. A running boot in the corner connects and the Roshambo finishes Ali at 2:57.

Starks joins commentary, as is his custom.

Scorpio Sky vs. Fuego del Sol

Fuego flips out of a wristlock to start so Sky slows him down with a headlock. A front chancery has Fuego in trouble and a Russian legsweep gives Sky two. Sky hits a backbreaker and bends Fuego over the knee as the announcers talk about Goosebumps. The abdominal stretch goes on but Fuego is out in a hurry for a dropkick. That’s enough to send Sky outside and Fuego adds a slingshot dive. Back in and Sol rolls him up out of the corner for two, followed by an enziguri for the same. Not that it matters as Fuego dives into a very quick Scorpion Deathlock for the tap at 5:41.

Rating: C. Sky continues to be one of the smoothest workers around here and it’s nice to see him doing this kind of thing every time he’s out there. Fuego got to showcase himself here and Sky is someone who can do something with anyone. I liked this well enough, with Sky working on the ribs throughout and then getting the win with a hold that works on the back. Makes enough sense.

Post match Shawn Spears’ music hits but he doesn’t show up.

Aaron Solow vs. Luchasaurus

Luchasaurus shoves him down without much effort and unloads on him in the corner as Starks talks about his time teaming with Solow. Back up and Solow hits a headscissors to the floor but the suicide dive is caught. A tornado DDT on the floor works a bit better but Luchasaurus is right back with a kick to the face inside. Solow knees him in the face, only to get blasted by a running clothesline. The Tail Whip into the chokeslam into the standing moonsault finishes Solow at 3:36.

Rating: C-. Solow got in a lot of offense here and it was probably too much. Luchasaurus is a monster and not the kind of person who should be giving up so much. At the same time, he probably shouldn’t be needing to do so many big moves at the end. The Tail Whip, the chokeslam and the standing moonsault could all be finishers. Use one or two at most, not three.

Griff Garrison/Brian Pillman Jr. vs. Butcher and Blade

Eddie Kingston is here with Butcher and Blade. It’s Garrison getting chopped in the corner to start but it’s off to Pillman to kick away at Blade. A superkick doesn’t work on Butcher though, as he crushes Pillman with a running crossbody. It’s back to Blade for some choking on the ropes and Butcher drives in some knees to the back.

Pillman gets in a dropkick but Butcher whips him hard into the corner to cut him off again. A quick spinning high crossbody gives Pillman enough space for the hot tag to Garrison though and everything breaks down. Pillman is sent to the floor though and it’s a powerbomb/neckbreaker combination to finish Garrison at 6:03.

Rating: C. There is something to be said about Pillman taking a beating like that and then making a comeback. It worked out just fine here and that isn’t the most surprising. Garrison and Pillman as a small, plucky team is fine enough and I won’t be surprised when they’re both signed soon enough.

Penta El Cero M vs. QT Marshall

Dustin Rhodes is here too. Penta takes his time in removing the glove so Marshall hits him in the face. A running headscissors takes Penta down again but a dive is cut off with ease. Back in and Penta throws him right back to the floor for the strikes against the post. They head inside again with Penta charging into an elbow and then getting elbowed down again. Penta kicks him down and hits a double stomp for two but Marshall hits a handspring kick to the face.

A Sling Blade gives Penta two and here’s Eddie Kingston with a microphone to watch. The package piledriver is blocked and they kick each other down. Eddie waves at Marshall and says he has a surprise. Cue Allie in the Bunny gear again but she leaves with Eddie. Marshall is fine enough to get two off a backslide but Penta is back with a Pentagon Driver for two of his own. A Michinoku Driver gives Marshall two more so Penta goes up for a change. That means it’s the middle rope Canadian Destroyer into the Fear Factor to finish Marshall at 8:31.

Rating: C. They avoided the styles clash here and had a nice match, though the point is ending the rather unnecessary Allie/Marshall deal. I’m still not sure what the idea behind that was but maybe we get to find that out later. Either way, Penta winning is nice and it’s not like Marshall is hurt by a loss.

Jungle Boy vs. KTB

KTB charges but gets dropkicked to the corner. Boy snaps off a headscissors out of the corner but KTB sends him into the corner for the rolling shoulder to the ribs (that’s a new one). A dragon screw legwhip sets up a fireman’s carry slam for two and it’s an atomic drop into a quick splash for the same.

Boy pops off a clothesline and hits his own dragon screw legwhip to the floor. That means a suicide dive and a slingshot DDT gives Boy two more. Boy goes to the ropes again but gets caught in a Razor’s Edge flipped down into a knee to the face for two more. KTB misses a moonsault though and it’s a running elbow to the back of the head. Boy’s top rope double knee drop is good for the pin at 5:27.

Rating: C+. KTB got to showcase himself here and that was all you could hope for. Boy is not big enough to be someone to look dominant so having him fight from underneath is the right idea every time. The match worked a lot better than I would have bet on and that’s always a nice surprise.

And that’s the halfway point.

Ivelisse/Diamante vs. Skyler Moore/Kenzie Paige

It’s a brawl to start with Moore and Paige being cleared out in a hurry. Diamante muscles Moore up in a not great looking suplex and there’s an uppercut into the corner. A double suplex gets two on Moore and we hit the chinlock. Diamante charges into a boot though and it’s a double clothesline for the double knockdown. Paige and Ivelisse come in to pick up the pace and Paige’s Natural Selection gets two. Diamante is right back with a quick Stunner though and Ivelisse hits the rolling kick to the face for the pin at 4:09.

Rating: D+. Just a quick match here to remind you that Ivelisse and Diamante exist. You might have forgotten after they won that tournament, which wound up meaning a grand total of nothing. Moore and Paige are both find enough, but there is only so much that can be done in a situation like this.

Colt Cabana vs. Bshp King

There’s no Dark Order with Cabana and he seems to be confused. Commentary talks about Cabana’s jackets and make an Orange Cassidy/Pockets reference to make sure that we know they listen to Jim Cornette. Feeling out process to start with both taking turns going after the arm as John Silver and Alex Reynolds come out.

Actually never mind as Cabana sends them back before kicking at King’s legs. Something close to an old Stump Puller has King in more trouble and some elbows to the head make it worse. The Order is here again and the distraction means Cabana can’t hit the Chicago Skyline. The Flying Apple into the Superman Pin is enough to finish King at 4:07.

Rating: C-. Another match that came and went with little of interest. I guess Cabana is having issues with the Dark Order now and this needed to be on the show because…maybe having sixteen matches sounds better than having fifteen? Yeah this is the first candidate for the match being cut so far and that’s not a good place to be.

Adam Priest vs. Alan Angels

Most of the Dark Order is here with Angels. Priest gets knocked into the corner to start and Angels hits a middle rope springboard clothesline. A quick moonsault gives Angels two but Priest is back with a big boot and clothesline of his own. Angels grabs a twisting fisherman’s buster and the Wing Snapper finishes Priest at 3:16.

Rating: C-. Ironically enough this didn’t get enough time and it hurt things a lot. It wasn’t a bad match at all and Angels continues to get to showcase himself well. Priest is another guy in a long list of them around here and while I don’t think this was meant to be a showcase for him, he didn’t quite get to do much here.

Frankie Kazarian tells Jack Evans that respect is earned and now he wants to be at the top of the industry. He has always been the bridesmaid but never the bride so tonight is the start of his wedding march.

Frankie Kazarian vs. Jack Evans

Angelico is here with Evans. Kazarian takes him down by the arm to start but Evans gets a quickly broken chancery. Back up and a shoulder runs Evans over, setting up an armdrag into an armbar. A cartwheel into a headscissors takes Kazarian down but he’s right back with the armdrag into a second armbar. That’s broken up and Evans offers a distraction so Angelico can get in a cheap shot, setting up a northern lights suplex. Evans pops up onto Kazarian’s ribs into a standing moonsault for two more.

A hair takedown gets another two on Kazarian and there’s a hard whip into the corner. Kazarian gets a sunset flip out of the corner for his own two but he has to deal with Angelico. Evans gets clotheslined down for another near fall and there’s two more off a springboard spinning legdrop. Kazarian’s leg is kicked out and a standing sky twister press (geez) gives Evans another two. Kazarian reverses the moonsault into a reverse DDT into a reverse DDT of his own to finish Evans at 7:57.

Rating: C. Kazarian can go with anyone and Evans was doing all of his flips and dives, as he is known to do. It’s another case of having a steady hand like Kazarian in there and that’s the best way to use Evans. It wasn’t a classic or anything but it got a little time and they traded some nice spots so it went well enough.

Post match Angelico jumps Kazarian but Christopher Daniels runs in for the save.

Louie Valle/Baron Black/D3 vs. Dark Order

It’s 3/4/10 for the Order here and the fact that we have now had two different stables with three matches each and have four matches left might suggest that this show is TOO FREAKING LONG. Taz: “Maybe we should call this show AEW Dark Order.” See? Even he gets it. Valle is offered a spot in the Dark Order to start but turns it down, meaning Reynolds beats him up. That’s broken up with Valle getting in a few shots of his own but not being ready to follow up.

Black comes in but gets crotched, meaning it’s off to D3, who is shouldered down by Silver. An arm trap rollup gives D3 two so Silver knocks him down again. Vance comes in and blocks a hurricanrana, followed by a hard fall away slam into the corner. A double flipping faceplant drops D3 again and there’s a delayed suplex from Vance. Silver sends D3 flying across the ring but he slips out of a gorilla press. The hot tag brings in Valle for a running crossbody as Taz talks about how short both of them are. Everything breaks down and Vance spinebusters Black. The double flipping slam finishes Black at 5:48.

Rating: C. In case you didn’t get the idea the first 183 times we’ve seen it, the Dark Order can beat up jobbers in a match that doesn’t last very long and look good together as a trio. I don’t know how many times we need to see them do this or some combination of it to get the point already, but since this is the third Dark Order match on the show, it probably isn’t enough yet. The team has gotten better, but I’m sick of seeing them do the same stuff over and over like this.

Wardlow vs. Vinny Pacifico

Wardlow’s knee in the corner knocks Pacifico out at 40 seconds. This is just like last week when Wardlow’s knee in the corner knocked out another jobber in a short match, but you needed to see it twice to get the point or something.

Post match Wardlow gives him an F10.

Eddie Kingston and company welcome Allie to the fold to complete the team.

Matt Sydal vs. Shawn Dean

Sydal takes him down into a headscissors to start before cranking on the arm. A front facelock keeps Dean in trouble but he’s back up with some armdrags into a dropkick. That earns him a jumping spinwheel kick and a standing twisting Swanton gets two on Dean. Back up and Dean slugs away but gets pulled down into a reverse Rings of Saturn. That’s broken up as well because we’ve already had our short matches of the night. Dean grabs a tiger driver for two but Sydal hits a jumping knee. A kick to the head sets up the cobra stretch to finish Dean at 6:02.

Rating: C-. Another Sydal match as he gets to show what he can do outside of the high flying. It was fine enough and Dean can go better than most of the job squad. I just didn’t need to see another six minute match after fourteen matches throughout the card so far. That’s where this show gets in trouble: everything gets crushed by all of the other stuff and it defeats the purpose of making Sydal look good.

Sonny Kiss vs. Rey Fenix

Joey Janela is here too. Kiss shoves him away to start and they go to a test of strength to show off their counters. A step up hurricanrana takes Fenix down so Fenix rolls into a hurricanrana of his own. Fenix dropkicks him into the corner and then pulls him shoulder first into the corner.

We hit the armbar for a bit until Fenix goes with a sunset flip but cranks on the leg instead (that’s a new one). Something like a Tequila Sunrise has Kiss in more trouble and Fenix kicks the arm to make it worse. Kiss is back with a twisting elbow to the face and the front flip kick to the ribs in the corner. A victory roll gives Kiss two and he drops Fenix on top of his head. Fenix is fine enough to catch him on top though and the Black Fire Driver finishes Kiss at 7:44.

Rating: C. This was Kiss doing his gymnastics and Fenix doing his lucha stuff and it wound up being ok. The arm and leg stuff from Fenix was a nice twist and I’m glad to see him getting a chance in the big tournament. I could see him getting to the second round and after not being able to do much else around here, that’s a pretty good result all things considered.

Overall Rating: D+. What even is there to say? It’s a longer version of the same problems that this show always has. Last week’s show was fourteen matches and they even had four matches that were similar to last week, down to the same people. I honestly have no idea what this show is supposed to be or who it is supposed to appeal to, but if they keep this up, plus Dynamite and the third show, they are going to risk burning out their audience REALLY fast.

The point of Dynamite was the same as the glory days of NXT: the best show you get all week and it leaves you wanting more. This isn’t the same as Dynamite, but it has a lot of the same people and there is rarely anything worth going out of your way to see. It’s still AEW though, and if you keep pumping out this much content, fans are going to get burned out one day and there is no one to blame but yourselves.

Another problem with the show itself is in the matches. It would be one thing if these matches were all a minute or two, but when it’s one five to six minute match after another, that time adds up in a hurry and, again, nothing gets to stand out. There’s nothing here that hasn’t been done better elsewhere and I don’t get invested in anything they do. It has a nice idea and if you fix things up it would be a good supplement to Dynamite. At this rate though it’s WAY longer than Dynamite (with commercials factored out) and that’s killing whatever benefits it has. Cut it down by two thirds (geez) and it works, but this was insane.

Results

Shawn Spears b. Christopher Daniels – C4

Brandi Rhodes b. KiLynn King – Shot Of Brandi

Ricky Starks b. David Ali – Roshambo

Scorpio Sky b. Fuego del Sol – Scorpion Deathlock

Luchasaurus b. Aaron Solow – Standing moonsault

Butcher and Blade b. Brian Pillman Jr./Griff Garrison – Powerbomb/neckbreaker combination to Garrison

Penta El Cero M b. QT Marshall – Fear Factor

Jungle Boy b. KTB – Top rope double knee drop

Ivelisse/Diamante b. Kenzie Paige/Skyler Moore – Rolling kick to Paige’s face

Colt Cabana b. Bshp King – Superman Pin

Alan Angels b. Adam Priest – Wing Snapper

Frankie Kazarian b. Jack Evans – Reverse DDT

Dark Order b. D3/Baron Black/Louie Valle – Double flipping slam to Black

Wardlow b. Vinny Pacifico – Knee to the face

Matt Sydal b. Shawn Dean – Cobra stretch

Fenix b. Sonny Kiss – Black Fire Driver

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

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

IMG Credit: All Elite Wrestling

Dynamite
Date: August 22, 2020
Location: Daily’s Place, Jacksonville, Florida
Commentators: Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone, Taz

It’s a special Saturday edition of the show and as luck would have it, the only time that the show could air this week was opposite the first hour of Takeover. With that coincidence out of the way, it’s a big night with the finals of the Women’s Tag Team Tournament and we get a sitdown interview with Orange Cassidy. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

FTR vs. Private Party

Tully Blanchard is here with FTR. Dash Harwood hiptossed Marq Quen to start and everything breaks down in a hurry for not quite stereo dropkicks from Private Party. We settle down to Cash Wheeler offering a distraction so Harwood can rake Quen’s eyes to take over. It’s off to Kassidy anyway and a top rope ax handle hits Harwood’s arm. Some quick double teaming takes Harwood down to give Quen two and we hit the hammerlock.

Harwood bails to the floor for a second and it’s a Wheeler distraction to set up a double clothesline to take Quen down. Choking ensues behind the referee’s back, followed by some old school eye raking across the top rope ala Arn Anderson. The chinlock goes on but Quen fights up and we go to an overhead camera shot. Wheeler comes back in for two off a powerbomb and another chinlock goes on.

Quen fights up and sends both of them to the floor, allowing the hot tag off to Kassidy. A blind tag brings Quen back in for two off a springboard crossbody plus a small package for the same. Wheeler hits a spinebuster for two more and everyone is down again. Kassidy’s slingshot dive to the floor misses thanks to a Tully save, leaving Quen to go shoulder near to the post. The Goodnight Express is good for the pin at 12:51.

Rating: B. That’s the best FTR match in AEW so far as they had a solid, back and forth effort here. Pairing them with Tully is about as perfect as you can get outside of Arn Anderson and I’m not sure why it took so long to get us here. This worked rather well and I could go for more of it down the road. Private Party looked good here too and FTR felt even more old school than usual here.

Jon Moxley likes to let his actions do the talking. MJF thinks he’s the future but Moxley would be one to disagree. Moxley wants the company to succeed for the next twenty five years and since he won’t be here that long, he needs MJF to move out of his basement. On September 5, MJF is going to take one heck of a beating and then get dumped on top of his head. MJF better be ready.

MJF, in a neckbrace and using a walker (which matches the scarf of course), says he hopes Moxley knows his actions have consequences. He hopes that he can have kids some day and wants to hear “Pa-pa, can we have a game of catch? But now he might be too injured to allow that to happen. MJF’s lawyer takes over to talk about the Paradigm Shift, also known as the double arm DDT, being so dangerous. If MJF is injured, who is next? Wardlow? Gum Guy? They have put a petition online to get the Paradigm Shift, also known as the double arm DDT, banned, and FIVE MILLION people have signed. That’s why they have a contract ready to ban it and if Moxley doesn’t sign it, they’ll sue.

Lucha Bros/Butcher and Blade vs. Natural Nightmares/Jurassic Express

It’s the Dark Special making it to Dynamite. The brawl is on before the introductions until Marshall hits a handspring forearm to Blade. Marshall has to flip out of a double belly to back suplex and the hot tag brings in Dustin to clean house. Dustin gets taken to the floor though and the beating is on. Back in and Pentagon starts working on Dustin’s leg before handing it off to Fenix for more of the same.

We take a break and come back with Luchasaurus coming in off the hot tag and cleaning house, including a bad chokeslam to Pentagon. The standing moonsault gets two as everything breaks down. The Sling Blade connects for Pentagon but he gets caught in Jungle Boy’s tornado DDT. Jungle Boy gets backdropped into a piledriver from Pentagon but Blade goes up top instead of Fenix. Pentagon shoves Blade…right into a rollup to give Boy the pin at 9:42.

Rating: C. It feels like we’ve seen some version of this match between all of the midcard tag teams around here at least once a week. They aren’t bad and there was no Marko Stunt involvement so it couldn’t be as bad. The match was short enough to not overstay its welcome but it’s nothing we haven’t seen far better before, including anything from the Lucha Bros.

Post match the losers argue a lot but here’s Eddie Kingston to ask why they’re fighting. TNT knows drama so why is there drama here? After that good line, he says that if the four of them follow him, they can have anything they want. The five of them hug and Eddie winks at the camera, because we have another stable around here.

We go to the gym with Britt Baker talking about how awesome she is but Kip Sabian and Penelope Ford are physically expressing their affections with each other. Baker calls them off because that’s a way to exchange germs and offers free dental care for a year if they’ll help get rid of Big Swole. Oh and Reba will do her makeup for a year. Ford says deal.

Tony Schiavone is in the ring and brings out Orange Cassidy for an interview. The Best Friends are here too because they’re on every single show in the history of ever. Tony talks about it being the biggest win of Cassidy’s career but here’s Chris Jericho to interrupt. Jericho congratulates Cassidy on his win because it doesn’t happen around here very often. That means Cassidy is learning, because now he knows what it takes to be a main eventer around here. Jericho wants to offer him a toast but there is one more thing. They’re even in their two matches so they need to do it again.

Jericho invented a match involving a ladder and a briefcase so they need to do something else: the Mimosa Mayhem Match. We see a video explaining the rules: there will be an eighty gallon tub of orange juice mixed with A Little Bit Of The Bubbly at ringside and you win by pinfall, submission, or throwing your opponent in. Back in the arena, Cassidy gives him a thumbs up for All Out. Jericho is pleased and still wants to toast Cassidy, but not alone. Cue the Inner Circle to surround the ring and Jericho says get them. The beating is on and Cassidy is held upside down with Jericho pouring champagne over his face.

Kenny Omega/Young Bucks vs. Dark Order

It’s Alan Angels/John Silver/Alex Reynolds for the Order here. Nick and Angels (I think, as the Order are all in masks) start things off and Matt comes in for the early double teaming. The Bucks shrug off a triple teaming and Omega comes in to show them how it’s properly done. The Order is sent outside until it’s Omega chopping away at Reynolds. Omega is sent outside for a stomp to a chair to his chest and Reynolds hits a suicide dive. Back in and Omega gets beaten down in the corner as we take a break.

We come back with Nick in and cleaning house, including a Backstabber out of the corner to Reynolds. It’s Reynolds getting caught in the corner, including a bulldog/dropkick combination. Omega misses a charge in the corner though and it’s the Order starting with the running corner elbows. Reynolds’ powerbomb to Omega is broken up and it’s time to unleash the snapdragons.

The Meltzer Driver is broken up though and the Order hits back to back Tombstones on the Bucks. Angels comes in with a top rope double stomp for two on Matt with Omega diving in for the save. Angels’ moonsault is superkicked out of the air and Nick hits a moonsault onto the other two. A launch into the Indytaker into the One Winged Angel finishes Angels at 11:17.

Rating: C+. This was as good as the Elite beating up three masked goons was going to be. Omega and the Bucks are fine as a mini stable inside the Elite but it’s only going to be so good given their opponents. Omega wasn’t quite as aggressive as he had been teasing, but then again how angry can you get in a match against the Dark Order?

Post match Omega grabs a chair and loads up a powerbomb to send Angels through it, with the Bucks having to break it up. There’s your aggression.

FTR and Tully Blanchard like the idea of a #1 contenders gauntlet match next week. Tully says it’s time to prove that they are the best and they’ll go through everyone to get there. Hangman Page comes in to share drinks and they seem to be cool with the idea of coming after the titles once they win the gauntlet match. Page and Omega have beaten everyone, but not FTR. Things seem to be all cool.

Darby Allin vs. Will Hobbs

Allin jumps him during the entrance and dropkicks him outside. The dive takes Hobbs out again but he says ring the bell anyway. Allin can’t whip him in so Hobbs hits a heck of a backdrop. Hobbs pulls him out of the corner for two before yelling a lot. That takes a little too long and Allin hits a headbutt to the ribs. The Coffin Drop finishes Hobbs at 2:46.

Post match Taz laughs at Darby and introduces the newest member of Team Taz. His name is Darby also, and it’s…..Ricky Starks in Darby face paint. Starks talks about how no one likes him while he only likes skateboards. He also likes shredding someone’s back with thumb tacks because life is a joke. Ha ha ha. Cue Brian cage from behind to hit Allin with the FTW Title.

We come back with Matt Hardy unloading on Sammy Guevara (who had been out with his signs about Matt) with a chair. Sammy is thrown off the stage and through the table. Matt isn’t done and grabs the same kind of chair that busted him open a few weeks back but referees won’t let him throw it.

NWA Women’s Champion Thunder Rosa, with the title, is coming for Hikaru Shida so she can make the women’s division mean something. She wants a shot at Shida at All Out and nothing else.

Women’s Tag Team Tournament Finals: Nightmare Sisters vs. Diamante/Ivelisse

Veda Scott joins commentary for the four person booth. The Natural Nightmares are here, with Dustin keeping track of Brandi’s action figures. Ivelisse strikes away at Brandi, including kicking out her knee for a kick to the chest. Diamante comes in to kick her down as well but it’s quickly off to Allie for a forearm in the corner.

We take a break and come back with Allie putting Diamante on top but Diamante comes back with a quick suplex to get a breather. The double tag brings in Allie for the reverse DDT but Ivelisse make the save as everything breaks down. Allie is caught in a double team but QT Marshall offers a distraction. He gets knocked off the apron and Brandi is dropped onto him, leaving Allie to be snapmared into a kick to the head for the pin and the tournament at 9:34.

Rating: C-. And that’s the tournament, thank goodness. This was one of the worse things that AEW has done so far and thank goodness it didn’t go on longer. They didn’t have the personnel and it wasn’t exactly interesting as a big trailer for Brandi and Heels. The final could have been worse, but the whole thing felt like such a horrible waste of time. Either get better with the talent or don’t do this again. Keep Veda though, as she was great on commentary.

Post match Madusa comes out to present the trophy. That doesn’t involve saying anything, but the winners get some medals too.

TNT Title: Brodie Lee vs. Cody

Cody is defending and has Arn Anderson in his corner. Brodie starts fast with a dropkick and Cody is sent outside, meaning it’s a hard whip into the barricade. Back in and the smiling Lee drops him again for two. A powerbomb sets up the discus lariat….and Lee wins the title at 3:06. Cody got in no significant offense.

Rating: D+. This was a complete squash and my eyes bugged out on the pin. That’s a good way to send in a shock and I didn’t see it coming. This was in the Brock Lesnar squashes John Cena mold, albeit the shorter form. It wasn’t a good match, but it was a big shock and that’s a positive thing here.

Post match the Dark Order comes in to celebrate as Lee says he told us so. Cody is taken out on a stretcher. He does the big thumbs up….and Lee sends the Dark Order after Arn. Anderson slugs away but gets knocked down, allowing Lee to turn the stretcher over. Dustin Rhodes runs out and gets laid out as well. Lee hits Cody in the head with a rolled up bag and poses over him. Cue Brandi to stand over Cody but Anna Jay chokes her out. Lee calls her off and poses with the title to end the show.

Overall Rating: B. The wrestling wasn’t as good here but the ending angle and title change were quite good. They moved some things forward here and All Out is starting to come together. They don’t have a lot of time left before the pay per view and hopefully now they can hammer things down and blow it out of the water again. Good show here, and things are looking bright down the road.

Results

FTR b. Private Party – Goodnight Express to Quen

Jurassic Express/Natural Nightmares b. Lucha Bros/Butcher and Blade – Rollup to Pentagon

Kenny Omega/Young Bucks b. Dark Order – One Winged Angel to Angels

Diamante/Ivelisse b. Nightmare Sisters – Kick to Allie’s head

Brodie Lee b. Cody – Discus lariat

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

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

IMG Credit: AEW

Women’s Tag Team Tournament Episode 3
Date: August 10, 2020
Location: Daily’s Place, Jacksonville, Florida
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Veda Scott

We’re down to the semifinals this week and that means we should be in for some more interesting matches. It almost hast o be better than last week’s show, which really did not live up to the hype. Hopefully this one is an improvement, but you never know what you might get around here. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

The announcers recap and preview.

Semifinals: Nightmare Sisters vs. Big Swole/Lil Swole

Brandi and Allie have the Natural Nightmares with them and we also get to meet Lil Bran Bran (the action figures), which dive to the floor (to Dustin Rhodes) before we’re ready to go. Lil and Brandi trade rollups for two each and it’s Allie coming in to work on Lil’s arm. It’s off to Big to take Allie into the corner for dancing and stomping. The Swoles hit a double stomp and a northern lights suplex connects. Lil dives onto Marshall, sending Brandi over to check out the action figure.

Back in and Brandi stomps on Lil in the corner, followed by some knees and shoulders to the ribs. Brandi scores with a superkick and has to be pulled off from the mounted right hands. Lil gets in a snap suplex but Brandi takes her back over for the tag to Allie. Choking in the corner ensues and we get a Paisan elbow for two.

The pump kick misses for Brandi and a butterfly suplex allows the tag to Big. Brandi stops to check on her action figure as Big hits a side slam for two. Everything breaks down and Brandi is sent outside, where we see Britt Baker yelling at Big. That’s enough to allow Allie to hit her reverse DDT to pin Lil at 8:31.

Rating: D. Well it was an improvement over last week as the most obvious push to the finals (and likely the win) ever continues. Brandi has a bunch of things to push so they needed the tournament to serve as a big commercial for both Heels and her action figure, so it’s not like they had another choice. Not a good match of course, but at least Lil looked good in short doses.

Semifinals: Anna Jay/Tay Conti vs. Diamante/Ivelisse

The Dark Order is here with Anna and then walk away before the bell. Conti and Ivelisse strike it out to start with Ivelisse taking her out to the apron. That earns her a choke from Conti and it’s quickly off to Jay for a dropkick on Diamante. Jay is sent face first into Ivelisse’s raised boots and a flapjack gets two. Ivelisse hammers away with right hands and Diamante feeds her into a kick to the face.

A suplex sets up the cravate and it’s back to Ivelisse for a double underhook crank. Jay finally fights up and hits a dropkick, allowing the tags to Conti and Diamante. A Widow’s Peak spun into a knee to the face rocks Diamante with Ivelisse making the save. Everything breaks down and it’s a spinning DDT/Stunner from Diamante and Ivelisse. Jay is sent outside and an assisted Sliced Bread finishes Conti at 7:21.

Rating: D+. It was slightly better than the previous match but that might be due to the lack of hype about the action figures. Ivelisse making the finals is a good sign for her future, but it would be better if she had anyone better than Diamante as her partner. The match wasn’t terrible, but it was another meandering match that was hardly interesting in the first place.

Brandi takes credit for saving Allie, who brings up that she got the pin. Brandi admits that she remembered it wrong and praises Allie for their success. We hear more about the action figures and Brandi is off to do some Instagram influencing.

Ivelisse and Diamante talk about their combined history and say they have to do it for their people.

Overall Rating: D. I’ve been very impressed by AEW in their early work but this tournament has been a mess. They’re not even hiding the fact that it’s a glorified commercial for Brandi, the action figures and Heels and the wrestling just isn’t very good. It’s watchable at best and horrible sub-indy level work at worst, making it a pretty bad mark on AEW’s limited history. AEW’s women’s division started off pretty terrible and made a nice comeback, but this has been a pretty terrible downgrade and I can’t wait for the whole thing to just end. Another bad show and thank goodness the finals are on Saturday.

Results

Nightmare Sisters b. Big Swole/Lil Swole – Reverse DDT to Lil

Ivelisse/Diamante b. Tay Conti/Anna Jay – Assisted Sliced Bread to Conti

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

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

IMG Credit: AEW

Women’s Tag Team Tournament Episode 2
Date: August 10, 2020
Location: Daily’s Place, Jacksonville, Florida
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Veda Scott

We’re back with presumably the second half of the first round, meaning the tournament is probably going to go another three weeks at most. One of the two matches has been announced and there is a bit of a surprise entrant included. Last week’s show wasn’t quite a smash so hopefully they pick it up a bit this week. Let’s get to it.

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

We open with a quick recap of last week’s first round matches.

Opening sequence.

Big Swole draws her name and gets….someone she knows, whose name isn’t important enough for her to say. Dasha names her Lil Swole. Sure why not.

Leva Bates and Rache Chanel are teaming together.

Quarterfinals: Leva Bates/Rache Chanel vs. Big Swole/Lil Swole

Bates, with Peter Avalon, brings Chanel a book about fashion, much to Chanel’s appreciation. As Veda talks about how great Lil Swole is (And mentions that she is a former Shimmer World Champion. Since I have to do research to find out who these well known wrestlers are, that’s enough to tell me that it’s Nicole Savoy.), she takes Chanel down by the arm to start. Back up and Lil is sent outside, where Big carries her around the ring for the save.

They get back in with Big taking over on Leva, with Lil grabbing the Rings of Saturn. Chanel makes the save by tapping her in the head with a brush and Lil is taken into the corner. Some prancing sets up a kick to Lil’s face but Lil powers out of the corner, allowing the hot tag to Big. Chanel is powerbombed down but Bates spears Big down. Lil loads up a powerbomb with Chanel making a save, though the referee doesn’t notice the count. Instead, Chanel is sent outside and it’s a short Downward Spiral/Natural Selection combination to finish Bates at 8:45.

Rating: D. This really didn’t work, and it wasn’t just that I was trying to figure out who Lil was for the first part of the match. I know that she’s a big deal on the women’s circuit, but there is a pretty big leap between the women’s circuit and here, so it might be a good idea to tell us a little something more. Maybe you can’t say the Savoy name (fair), but don’t act like she is some kind of household name that we should just know on sight. It’s not like Trish Stratus or Lita walked through that door. The match itself was quite the mess, with Chanel being a comedy wrestler and Bates not being a threat to anyone. Just a miss all around.

Ivelisse draws Diamante as her partner.

Madusa pops in and makes Dasha draw, because somehow she didn’t know she was in the tournament. Dasha gets…..Rachael Ellering. At least they say her first name this time around. So to recap, we’ve needed to bring in Cameron and the interviewer to fill out the field? Plus one of the Dark jobbers? All for the likely reason of giving Brandi and Allie a trophy?

Quarterfinals: Rachael Ellering/Dasha Gonzalez vs. Ivelisse/Diamante

Ivelisse elbows Dasha in the face but Dasha is back with an armdrag into a nipup. A front flip into a bad forearm sets up an equally bad dropkick to put Ivelisse into the corner. That means it’s off to Ellering vs. Diamante, with the former taking her down by the arm. There’s a running shoulder to put Diamante down, allowing Rachael to give a rather long pose.

A double suplex drops Diamante again and there’s a cartwheel moonsault from Dasha. Diamante blocks a suplex attempt and brings Ivelisse back in, meaning it’s a Lotus Lock (full nelson with the legs). Some running elbows in the corner set up a Downward Spiral for two on Dasha and Ivelisse hammers away. Ivelisse misses a spinning kick to the head though and the hot tag brings in Ellering to clean house.

Ellering hits the running backsplash for two on Ivelisse, who accidentally knocks Diamante off the apron. A middle rope legdrop gets two on Ivelisse, with Diamante making the save. Diamante pulls Ivelisse out of the way of a splash in the corner, followed by a wheelbarrow Stunner on Dasha. A rather snappy Code Red finishes Dasha at 10:15.

Rating: D-. I can’t believe it but they managed to make the first match look that much better. Dasha isn’t a wrestler so I don’t blame her for this. She has had at least one match on the NXT Florida circuit but even a long time there is nowhere near enough to make you ready for this spot. Diamante isn’t good and Ellering is just coming off of a torn ACL. What were you expecting this to be? Whatever it was, this was probably worse.

The Swoles talk about having chemistry for a long time and use the word swole for almost everything.

Dasha, who just lost, can’t stop smiling because that was something she had wanted to do. Dasha: “I had my first loss in AEW and hopefully it won’t be my last.”

Ivelisse and Diamante say they are a threat.

Overall Rating: F. This was terrible and I can’t think of many other ways to put it. To go with the blunt option, there are not enough women available to AEW to make a tournament like this (which isn’t even that big) work. The women are giving it their all but they are not ready for this spot in this kind of a structure. The company doesn’t have enough women to make this work and what we saw here was painful.

I don’t remember the last time I wanted a show to end more, and that includes the last year plus of Raw. This isn’t on the women for the most part, as they were put in over their heads. I feel sorry for them, but more than that I feel relieved that this thing is only going for two more weeks (in theory at least).

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

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

IMG Credit: All Elite Wrestling

Dynamite
Date: July 29, 2020
Location: Daily’s Place, Jacksonville, Florida
Commentators: Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone, Taz

Things are starting to get into a groove around here again and that can make for some very good television. The last few shows have been rather entertaining and the build for All Out should be starting to come together. This week we get another TNT Title match plus a Tag Team Title match and more. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Inner Circle vs. Best Friends/Orange Cassidy/Jurassic Express

They’re starting big this week. Jericho and Cassidy start things off but it’s off to Hager before anything happens. Cassidy does the slow motion kicks to the legs and then claps the ears to get out of a double leg. Jericho tags himself in and forearms Cassidy from the apron though and everything breaks down in a hurry. The Inner Circle is sent outside for a series of dives, including Marko Stunt being tossed onto the pile and then being tossed back, because MARKO STUNT WILL BE INVOLVED IN YOUR MATCH EVERY SINGLE TIME NO MATTER WHAT!

The good guys have the big five way hug and Sammy dives in, only to get quintuple stomped. We settle back down and this time it’s Trent getting beaten down, including a double suplex from Santana and Ortiz. An assisted standing moonsault gives Santana two and Hager’s hard forearm is good for the same. Sammy adds the fireman’s carry with squats before Hager grabs the chinlock. That lets JR talk about the time Hager gave him an ankle lock, which commentary finds funny.

Trent finally manages a suplex to put Hager down and the hot tag brings in Luchasaurus to clean house. Everything breaks down and the fans…well they aren’t there so ignore that. Hager and Luchasaurus slug it out until Cassidy comes in with a Superman punch to put Hager down. We hit the parade of finishers and it’s down to Sammy vs. Luchasaurus. With Sammy going up top, here’s Matt Hardy to shove him into a chokeslam. A spinning kick to the face gives Luchasaurus the pin at 12:08.

Rating: C+. They’re still running with Cassidy vs. Jericho and while that might not be everyone’s cup of tea, they had a lot more going on here and that’s a good thing. I’m curious to see where some of these feuds go and the match certainly felt big, though it never hit that next level that something like this can do.

Jon Moxley says if you leave him alone, he’ll leave you alone. That brings him to Brian Cage, who had to jump Darby Allin from behind. Then Ricky Starks had to get involved too. So let’s see what happens when the odds are even.

Taz thinks Moxley is terrified.

TNT Title: Cody vs. Warhorse

Cody is defending and has Arn Anderson in his corner. They lock up to start until Cody works on a wristlock. Warhorse gets taken into the corner for a clean yet cocky break, meaning it’s a chop to the back of Cody’s neck. An armdrag into an armbar has Cody in some trouble and a big clothesline puts him on the floor as we take a break. Back with Cody holding a half crab before switching to a Figure Four, which is reversed in about two seconds.

A limping Warhorse gets up for a corner clothesline and he goes up top, sending Cody bailing outside for some safety. Back in and Warhorse puts him down to set up a top rope elbow for two. Cody’s Alabama Slam gets two and the Figure Four retains the title at 10:33 in a pretty sudden ending.

Rating: C+. They have something with Cody trying to do too much as champion and getting worn down, though you can all but guarantee that it’s going to be an AEW regular taking the title. The match was good and Warhorse made an impression, but it’s going to take something good to top Eddie Kingston’s debut last week. Still though, good enough stuff here and that’s all it needed to be.

Post match the Dark Order comes in to beat on Cody with Arn Anderson getting inside to load up a save. Cue Matthew Cardona (Zack Ryder) for the real save and Cody is rather pleased.

Tony Schiavone talks about All Out but here’s the Inner Circle to interrupt. They aren’t happy with anything that happened tonight, with Sammy Guevara yelling about Matt Hardy costing him the match. Chris Jericho isn’t happy with Orange Cassidy either and wants him in a rematch on August 12, where Cassidy will give him $7000 for the jacket. Next week though, Jericho wants Cassidy in a debate. Oh and his jacket now smells like cat urine.

Earlier today, FTR was ready to sign their official AEW deals but wanted their official tag team representative. That would be Arn Anderson, who goes over the contract and makes sure they got their signing bonus. They also want their guarantee of Tag Team Appreciation Night on August 12. With that guaranteed, the contracts are signed and here’s Hangman Page with a bottle of whiskey to celebrate. Everyone (save Arn, who says “not anymore”) drinks and seems happy.

Tag Team Titles: Kenny Omega/Hangman Page vs. Dark Order

The Dark Order (Evil Uno/Stu Grayson) is challenging and Colt Cabana is on commentary. Page (who didn’t like the white wrist tape last week) goes after Dark Order before the bell and Omega doesn’t seem happy with having to make the save so we can get going. An early side slam/elbow combination gets an early two on Omega, who comes back with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker.

It’s off to Page for a running shooting star press for two and the champs take turns chopping away at Uno. Omega gets caught in the corner for all of two seconds before rolling over to Page for the tag to clean house. Grayson kicks Page in the face for two to slow things down and a running forearm does the same. Back from a break with Kenny cleaning house as everything breaks down.

Grayson takes Page down for a Swanton from Uno and a toss sitout powerbomb gets two. Page gets knocked down in the corner and Omega is suplexed into him, setting up a 450 for two. Page is back up for another save and there’s a V Trigger to Uno’s back for two more. The Last Call retains the titles at 13:54, with Grayson seeming to miss what was supposed to be a save.

Rating: B-. Good enough match here, though the Dark Order wasn’t going to be any kind of a serious threat to the titles. The Dark Order is as midcard of a gimmick as you can get and the champs are going to be moving on to more important things. Page and Omega continue to be on different pages outside the ring but make for a great team, which is an interesting way to go.

Post match Brody Lee sends Colt Cabana and Anna Jay to the back so they don’t see what is about to happen. Lee yells at Grayson and Uno before asking Page if he finds it funny. Cue the Young Bucks from the crowd as Lee thanks Kenny for bothering to show up for a change. Lee says this isn’t all of the Dark Order and they have strength in numbers. A bunch of masked members of the Dark Order surround the ring but here’s FTR with the cooler to Lee and the save is on. I use save in the loosest sense of the word in this case.

Britt Baker knows Big Swole is obsessed with her so Swole can have a shot, if she beats an opponent of Baker’s choice.

Video on Diamante.

Diamante vs. Hikaru Shida

This was announced as a title match last night on Dark but not here. Shida is defending and forearms Diamante down to start. Diamante gets knocked outside for a running knee lift and they head back inside. They slug it out with Diamante getting knocked down by a running knee to the face. Diamante chops her down in the corner and a wheelbarrow Stunner gets two on Shida. A sloppy Code Red gets no count as Shida is rolled into the ropes so Shida hits a Falcon Arrow. The running knee finishes Diamante at 6:14.

Rating: D+. Diamante is not very good and that is the kind of thing that you can’t get around that easily. This was a rather sloppy loss and it is pretty clear that she is not ready for this spot. Shida needs some fresh opponents and this is the best they could do, while Ivelisse sits on the sidelines. Lucky us.

We go over the rules of the Deadly Draw tournament, which is under Lethal Lottery rules.

Nyla Rose draws her color for the tournament and gets purple, which has already been drawn by someone else. That would be Ariane, better known as Cameron (yes THAT Cameron), who is happy to be back.

Here is MJF for his State of the Industry address. He has all the time he wants to tell the fans what they need to hear like a child being force fed macaroni and cheese. MJF can’t believe he is here two weeks in a row because he is always being held down by someone who came from the land of the Titans. That would be Jon Moxley, who is trying to hold down talent, which isn’t what we’re supposed to do anymore, brother.

Moxley is a great wrestler, but let’s see what has happened since he took over. First of all, where is the wrestling? This is a bunch of flipping and gymnastics while Moxley is cosplaying as a certain wrestler, and that is a Stone Cold fact. Everyone wants to talk about the ratings but do you know who draws bigger ratings than Moxley?

The old guard has been running this world for centuries and look where we are. MJF’s talent exceeds Moxley’s tenure and it is time for him to take over right now. He will not stop until this brand is transformed into the pinnacle of professional wrestling. The talent is officially on and MJF is announcing his candidacy to become the new World Champion at All Out. This was masterful and one of the best things AEW has ever done, as MJF can look into a camera and make you believe in him like no one else.

Darby Allin/Jon Moxley vs. Brian Cage/Ricky Starks

Anything goes tornado tag….and there is no Allin. We cut to Taz and company on the stage, where he brags about how awesome Cage is (Taz: “He’s got triceps like pistons Moxley! LIKE PISTONS!”). Starks says he’s everything Moxley’s baby mama wishes he was and brags about how great he is….until Allin Coffin Drops off the set to start things in a hurry. Taz is back on commentary as the fight begins without a bell as far as I could hear. The brawl is on outside with Moxley hitting a suicide dive onto Cage. Moxley goes searching for some weapons and we take a break.

Back with Allin in trouble until Moxley comes back in for the save. Allin hits the flipping Stunner on Cage but Starks spears Allin down. Moxley cutters Stars but Cage hits a clothesline to drop everyone. It’s Moxley back up for a piledriver on Cage and a Coffin Drop/DDT combination hits Cage for two more. Allin crushes Cage’s arm with a trashcan and pulls out a skateboard with thumbtacks on the bottom. Moxley armbars Cage and Allin drives the skateboard into Starks’ back for the pin at we’ll say 10:00. Starks’ back is VERY torn up after that finish.

Rating: C-. This didn’t feel like much as they seem to have one of these wild brawls almost every week. Couple that with a scary looking finish (the blood was flowing down Starks’ back) and this didn’t do much for me. Moxley certainly seems to have moved on from Cage and I’m not sure where that leaves him. Cage vs. Cody for the TNT Title could be interesting, but I don’t really need to see Cody slay ANOTHER monster.

Allin vs. Moxley for the title next week is announced to end the show.

Overall Rating: C+. This wasn’t their best effort, though as usual their worst shows are still completely watchable. Maybe it was just an off night for them and AEW has earned the credibility that one bad show isn’t a sign of things to come. MJF’s promo was excellent and the Cardona debut worked, though the main event and freaking CAMERON debuting didn’t help things. Not a bad show or anything, but for AEW, it was a step down.

Results

Orange Cassidy/Best Friends/Jurassic Express b. Inner Circle – Spinning kick to Cassidy’s head

Cody b. Warhorse – Figure Four

Hangman Page/Kenny Omega b. Dark Order – Last Call to Uno

Hikaru Shida b. Diamante – Running knee

Jon Moxley/Darby Allin b. Ricky Starks/Brian Cage – Skateboard to Starks’ back

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

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

IMG Credit: All Elite Wrestling

Dynamite
Date: July 22, 2020
Location: Daily’s Place, Jacksonville, Florida
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Jim Ross

We’re finally ready for a normal show after three weeks of specials and that means…well I have no idea actually. The big draw this week is the fallout from last week as Taz threw in the towel to cost Brian Cage his World Title shot against Jon Moxley, which might not have been the best career move. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

TNT Title: Cody vs. ???

Cody, with Arn Anderson, is defending against a mystery opponent. That would be…..Eddie Kingston, who comes out and cuts a promo about Cody growing up around wrestlers and legends while Kingston grew up around violence and on the streets. Tony Khan brought Cody in and now it’s time for Kingston to beat him up in a No DQ match, if Cody accepts. Cody says ring the bell. Cody gets knocked to the floor to start and chopped a lot but Kingston fights back up and they head back inside.

The spinning backfist misses and Cody hits the Disaster Kick to put him on the floor again. There’s the suicide dive and Kingston seems to have banged up his knee. Kingston is fine enough to whip him with the weightlifting belt and peel back the ring mats. The piledriver on the floor is countered with a backdrop onto the concrete and Cody hammers away with shots to the face. Back in and Kingston manages a belly to back suplex for a breather but the knee is still banged up.

A kick to Cody’s head lets Kingston shout STAY DOWN and grabbing a Stretch Plum. That’s switched into a dragon sleeper but Cody fights up and sends him into the buckle. The knee gives out so Kingston goes with a low blow. With Cody down, Kingston busts out the bag of thumbtacks but Cody dropkicks him in the knee again. The Vertebreaker is broken up though and Kingston powerbombs him onto the tacks. Back up and Cody no sells a belly to back suplex and blasts Kingston with a clothesline. The Figure Four is blocked with some slaps to the face but Cody punches him down and gets the hold for the tap at 11:22.

Rating: B. If Kingston doesn’t get a contract out of this, I’m not sure what to tell you. Kingston had an awesome promo before the match and then looked great in the ring, but that shouldn’t have been how the match ended. I’m fine with Cody retaining, but after “Eddie Kingston gave everything to get here! He’ll never quit!”, it’s a little off to see him tap. But anyway, he better get signed after that because I have no idea what AEW is thinking if they don’t.

The announcers run down the rest of the show.

Jon Moxley talks about having Brian cage just a second away from going back to the operating room with another horrible arm injury but Taz threw in the towel. That makes Taz the manager of the year, but next time, Moxley isn’t letting go.

Maxwell Jacob Friedman vs. Griff Garrison

Before the match, MJF thinks Garrison is Jungle Boy and doesn’t like being corrected. MJF makes fun of his Ivy League MVP nickname and brags about being undefeated, so Griff brings up the loss in a tag match at Fyter Fest. The left hand takes Griff down and we’re off in a hurry. MJF chokes in the corner and hits an overhead belly to belly as we take a break.

Back with MJF holding the microphone and standing over Garrison, who he demands say he’s undefeated. Garrison eventually does, but knocks the microphone into MJF’s face. That sets up a rollup for two, but MJF explodes with left hands to the head. The Heatseeker finishes Garrison at 6:03. Not enough shown to rate, but it was more about MJF being himself than anything else.

Tony is with Rebel to get an update on Britt Baker, who has undergone nose surgery. Before Rebel can confirm her name, Baker shouts at her to get in. They join Baker who explains her nose issue and gives us Rule #4 of being a role model: never count out a role model. It’s not unlike Tiger Woods in the 2019 Masters, Rocky Balboa in Rocky IV or Michael Jordan with the Washington Wizards. Tony mentions the Wizards not being very good but Rebel confirms that Jordan won in Space Jam. Baker tells them both to shut up and promises to be back at All Out.

Here are Taz and Brian Cage for a chat. Taz talks about how rough of a week the two of them had, with Cage being ready to fire him. He even has to give Moxley credit for getting the armbar on and having Cage in that much trouble. Taz threw in the towel because Cage is never going to quit no matter what. It’s not how he’s wired, but Moxley will never be able to do it again. Cue Darby Allin but Ricky Starks (who helped Cage and Taz on Dark) jumps him from behind. Cage hits a powerbomb on the ramp and tosses Allin over the top into the ring. The beatdown is on but here’s Jon Moxley with a barbed wire baseball bat to clear the ring.

A women’s tag team tournament is coming. It isn’t for a title, yet.

Chris Jericho is still mad about the jacket being ruined by the orange juice last week and promises to get rid of Jurassic Express for making fun of him for it. Believe it or not, Luchasaurus is NOT a dinosaur. The jacket still smells like orange juice though, and Jericho isn’t happy.

Butcher and Blade vs. Young Bucks

This is falls count anywhere so they start brawling in the kitchen, with Butcher powerbombing Nick onto a cart. Matt gets suplexed onto another cart and it’s time to head to the concourse. The Bucks duck a shot and knock the Butcher onto a picnic table to drive a cookie sheet into his face. Matt is sent inside of a production truck and Matt is sent into the door, which has his own face on it.

A dive out of said truck takes Butcher and Blade down, with Butcher being put onto a cocktail table. Nick picks up another sheet and dives off the bar to crush Butcher again. Blade is superkicked up an escalator and we take a break. Back with the fight having moved to ringside with a running knee to the face knocking Butcher silly. Nick misses a slingshot dive to the floor though and Blade is back with some chair shots. Matt takes Blade down and Nick flip dives off a wall to drop Butcher.

The Bucks put a table up against the barricade and Blade tries a running flip dive, which misses the Bucks and sends him face first into the edge of the table for a scary landing. Butcher splashes Matt through the table and they get inside. Nick throws a chair at Butcher’s head and a running knee in the corner gets two. The Sharpshooter and Crossface combination goes on but Blade comes in for the save.

A powerbomb/neckbreaker combination drops Matt on the ramp but he’s right back up to help send Butcher and Blade into each other. The superkicks put Butcher and Blade down, setting up the BTE Trigger to Blade. There are a pair of tables set up in front of either entrance so the Bucks climb above them, setting up a legdrop from one and a Swanton from the other for the double pin at 15:42.

Rating: B. Entertaining match, though I’m not entirely sure how much these teams have done to set up a match like this. You knew the Bucks weren’t going to lose in something like this either, as the Bucks are the team who get beaten down to a ridiculous degree every time and come back with a bunch of superkicks and flips to win anyway. It was a lot of fun though, and that’s what they were going for here.

Jake Roberts and Lance Archer don’t want to answer questions, so Lance grabs the interviewer and takes him into the locker room, where he beats up three guys, including sending one through a piece of the ceiling. They’re tired of waiting.

Diamante vs. Ivelisse

They go straight to the slugout to start with Diamante getting the better of things, but we need to pause for an inset interview with Big Swole. She isn’t happy with Britt Baker, who will have to face her one day. Back to full screen with Ivelisse hammering away in the corner but getting caught with a dropkick to the ribs.

They head outside with Ivelisse shouting a lot but getting sent into the barricade. They chop it out until Ivelisse hits a kick to the head for two. The sleeper goes on for a bit before they come back up and chop it out. Another kick to the head stops Diamante as JR makes potato references. A German suplex takes Ivelisse down for two but she’s right back with a powerbomb for the same. Diamante catches her off the ropes in a small package for the pin at 6:27.

Rating: D. Diamante’s strikes were quite lacking here and Ivelisse was about as far ahead of her as you can get. She must have some horrible backstage problems after she couldn’t get a chance in TNA and now is being used to put over Diamante, as you would think a unique looking woman who can strike that well would be getting more of a chance. She’s still no Lei’D Tapa though.

Hangman Page vs. 5

They strike it out to start with Page knocking him around without much trouble. A boot tot he face sets up another boot to the face to send 5 outside. Page whips him into the barricade and 5 gets dropped throat first across the steel. Cue the rest of the Dark Order though and we take a break. Back with 5’s middle rope moonsault hitting knees, allowing Page to pop back up with a spinning forearm to the mask. Page hits a heck of a pop up powerbomb for the pin at 8:48.

Rating: C-. Page is someone who can do almost anything in the ring, but e pluribus gads tell me we don’t have to sit through the Dark Order as challengers to the Tag Team Titles. The match was fine for a glorified squash, but what we might be seeing in the future could be downright irritating.

Post match Page isn’t scared by the Order’s numbers so Brody Lee gets in the ring to say Page has impressed him. What doesn’t impress him is the lack of Page’s friends or a tag partner when he is in danger. The Dark Order can protect him and would never leave him alone, in a bar or in the ring. Page appreciates the offer but he isn’t sure if he’s ready to join a cult right now.

Lee says he just made his bed, so enjoy his sleeping. Lee and Colt Cabana leave and the rest of the team beats Page down. Cue FTR with the cooler to hit one of the goons in the head and clear the ring. Kenny Omega comes out after everything is ok and FTR hands Page a beer. Omega gets nothing.

Next week: Omega/Page defends against the Dark Order, Shida vs. Diamante, Moxley/Allin vs. Cage/Starks in a Texas Tornado match.

Jurassic Express vs. Chris Jericho/Jake Hager

It’s Jungle Boy/Luchasaurus, with Marko Stunt, for the team and Jericho, with Santana and Ortiz, still has the orange jacket on. Jericho beats Boy down into the corner to start but it’s quickly off to Hager vs. Luchasaurus for the hoss fight. They slug it out with Hager getting the better of things until they collide. Luchasaurus kicks him in the head but the chokeslam is countered into a failed ankle lock attempt. The second attempt works better than it’s Jericho coming back in to work on the leg.

It’s quickly back to Hager for a chinlock before the leg is wrapped around the rope in the corner. The chop block takes the leg out again but a double clothesline puts both monsters down. Luchasaurus, with his ear bleeding, brings Boy back in to pick up the pace. A hurricanrana gives Boy two on Jericho and there’s a suicide dive onto Santana and Ortiz. Back in and Marko knocks Jericho into a small package for two but Jericho plants Boy face first. Marko gets knocked off the apron and we take a break.

We come back with Boy getting beaten down in the corner before Hager comes in to beat him down again. Jericho busts out Floyd the baseball bat but has it taken away, allowing Boy to get two off a small package. A clothesline drops Jericho but Hager is back in to keep him in trouble. Boy manages a double DDT though the hot tag brings in Luchasaurus. Everything breaks down and Boy forearms Hager to the floor.

Jericho turns Boy inside out with a clothesline but Stunt (of freaking course) comes in with a dropkick to put Jericho down. Luchasaurus gets two off a kick to the head and Boy hurricanranas Santana off the apron onto Ortiz. Cue Serpentico (who rarely leaves Dark) out of the crowd to hit Luchasaurus with a baseball bat though, setting up the Codebreaker to finish at 17:26.

Rating: B. Pretty standard main event tag match here, with Stunt getting involved because he has to be there no matter what happens because of reasons that aren’t entirely clear. It’s good to see the Inner Circle getting a fresh member, assuming that isn’t a certain Spanish deity under the mask. Other than that though, this was a fine enough match, with some near falls that made me believe the upset could happen. Just stop having Stunt in there as this generation’s Hornswoggle.

Post match the beatdown is on and Serpentico unmasks as the returning Sammy Guevara. Hugging ensues but the Best Friends and Orange Cassidy come out to clear the Inner Circle (as in the FIVE people with a baseball bat) away to end the show.

Overall Rating: B. Pretty solid show this week as we get a lot of stuff covered in two hours. The wrestling was mostly good as well, but there were a few things that needed some improvements. They’re starting the build to All Out as well, which should be a heck of a show as they tend to knock those out of the park. You can probably see a lot of the show coming together, but they have a long way to go to get there. Good stuff this week, as Dynamite tends to be mostly awesome.

Results

Cody b. Eddie Kingston – Figure Four

Maxwell Jacob Friedman b. Griff Garrison – Heatseeker

Young Bucks b. Butcher and Blade – Double pin

Diamante b. Ivelisse – Small package

Hangman Page b. 5 – Pop up powerbomb

Chris Jericho/Jake Hager b. Jurassic Express – Codebreaker to Luchasaurus

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

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

IMG Credit: AEW

Dark
Date: July 21, 2020
Location: Daily’s Place, Jacksonville, Florida
Commentators: Taz, Excalibur

We’re past Fight For The Fallen and now we’re moving on to….I have no idea really, but All Out is scheduled for September so we might be ready to start setting the foundation for that. Odds are we won’t be seeing anything like that on this show though, which isn’t the most important in the grand scheme of things. Let’s get to it.

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

Rache Chanel vs. Hikaru Shida

Non-title. Chanel chills in the corner to start before getting headlocked down. After a quick check of her hair, Chanel is back up, with Shida messing with the hair to turn this serious. Chanel gets in a swinging neckbreaker and ties Shida in the ropes for….some hair brushing? You don’t do that to Shida (I guess?) and she hits a running boot in the corner. A delayed vertical suplex gets two more and the Fujiwara armbar goes on. Shida hits a sliding elbow and we get an edit to Shida kicking her in the head. The Falcon Arrow finishes Chanel at 5:35.

Rating: D+. This was more like what you would have expected here as Chanel got in a little offense, but at the same time, you can only get so far when it is all about the gimmick. The hair brushing was rather strange, even if it fit what Chanel is all about. Shida needs some new competition though, and having her out there in matches like this only does so much for her.

Corey Hollis vs. Kip Sabian

Penelope Ford is here with Sabian. Hollis gets taken down and doesn’t seem happy, probably because Sabian doesn’t bother taking off his sunglasses. Sabian gets shoved into the corner though and Ford gives him a quick drink of water. Back up and they run the ropes until Sabian hits him with a leg lariat.

Sabian likes the lariat so much that he goes with the arm version, followed by a kick to the chest. A springboard tornado DDT is countered though and Hollis hits an enziguri. Hollis hits a weird looking springboard spinning kick to the face (looked more like a spinning crossbody with Hollis slipping) but Sabian pops back up with the Deathly Hallows for the pin at 4:26.

Rating: D+. Sabian continues to be decent in the ring but there is only so much that you can get out of him when Ford steals so much of his spotlight. She wasn’t doing that here, but long term, which of the two are you expecting to get more attention? The match was a usual Dark match, meaning that it wasn’t exactly a thrilling watch and had a rather obvious conclusion.

Dustin Rhodes is training Brandi Rhodes and Allie, with the two of them arguing a bit over the goal of the team. Allie wants to win and Brandi wants to make a women’s tag division. Arguing ensues and Dustin walks away.

Best Friends vs. Brady Pierce/Sabby

Yes that’s Tino Sabbatelli from NXT. Sabby (egads) shoves Trent down with the raw power to start and wins a forearm off. Trent gets smart by going after the knee and forearms away at the chest. Chuck and Pierce come in with Chuck hitting a dropkick as Excalibur turns it into a merchandise plug. The Friends start the tagging and Chuck’s top rope ax handle connects.

Sabby gets in a cheap shot from the apron though and it’s Chuck getting whipped hard into the corner. Chuck knees Brady in the face and brings in Trent, who snaps off a belly to back suplex. Sabby comes back in and gets elbowed in the face, followed by a swinging DDT. A running knee to the back of Sabby’s head connects for two but he catches Trent in a powerslam. Everything breaks down and it’s Soul Food to Pierce to set up a spear. Back to back dives take out Pierce and Sabby and, after the hug, it’s Strong Zero to finish Pierce at 7:58.

Rating: C-. Somehow, the Best Friends are having the best match of the night. What gets the most attention here though is how bad that name is, as it sounds like a nickname from when the guy was about eleven years old. They really couldn’t call him ANYTHING else and not turn it into a joke? I know he isn’t likely to be the next big thing, but come on already with the horrible name.

Ricky Starks vs. Will Hobbs

The bigger Hobbs shoves Starks down to start so Starks runs the ropes and hits a jumping shoulder. That means a big toss into the corner and a delayed vertical suplex puts Starks outside. Starks poses on the floor but it’s a ruse to get in a cheap shot on the distracted Hobbs. They head back inside with Starks hammering away but Hobbs snaps off a big powerslam. An Oklahoma Stampede is broken up and Starks hits a swinging neckbreaker. The double underhook Dominator finishes Hobbs at 3:47.

Rating: C. Hobbs looked good here, as is always the case with Starks. They had a nice match for the time and situation given so well done on pulling off something that isn’t very easy. Starks is someone to keep an eye on and Hobbs put in one of the better jobber performances here. Give them a little more time whenever they do this again.

Scorpio Sky vs. Aaron Solow

Sky spins out of a wristlock to start and then does it again, this time pulling Solow down into an armbar. Solow gets tripped down into another armbar and this time Sky adds a quick Russian legsweep for two. Sky is sent throat first into the middle rope though and Solow stomps away in the corner. A spinning enziguri gives Solow two and we hit the chinlock.

Back up and Sky nails a dropkick to start the comeback, including a series of strikes to the face. A facebuster gives Sky two more but Solow rolls him down into a double stomp to the ribs for his own two. Solow’s sunset bomb into the corner gets two more but a middle rope elbow is countered into a crucifix. That’s broken up so Sky grabs the TKO for the pin at 6:36.

Rating: C. Sky continues to be one of the smoothest performers in all of AEW and you really don’t see him having a bad match. He can do almost anything in the ring and I’m not sure why he’s stuck on here instead of doing this kind of thing on Dynamite. Solow has been around various promotions before and was as acceptable as ever here.

Diamante vs. KiLynn King

They trade spinouts to escape wristlocks early on until the much shorter Diamante grabs a headlock. A shoulder puts King down but she grabs an armbar. The delayed vertical suplex is countered with a knee to King’s head but the second attempt works out a lot better. Diamante doesn’t seem to mind though and sends King into the corner for a running dropkick. They trade chops until King grabs some rollups for two each, followed by the running clotheslines. Not that it matters as Diamante is back with a Code Red for the pin at 4:26.

Rating: C-. This was decent enough as Diamante looked more like a star than King, who looked rather nice as usual. The division needs some fresh, if not short term, stars given all of the current absences so this is as good as we are going to get at the moment. Diamante could be someone who steps up to take some pressure off of the division and that works as well as anything else is going to.

Robert Anthony vs. Darby Allin

Allin keeps staring at Taz so Anthony yells at him to fight. Apparently that involves a lot of sliding and a Code Red for two on Anthony. Allin takes him outside for a hard whip into the barricade but Anthony drapes him over the barricade. A suplex back off sends Allin onto the floor and Anthony takes him back in for a surfboard into a faceplant. Allin grabs a Fujiwara armbar to send Anthony over to the rope, with Taz explaining why the physics on the hold weren’t right.

Anthony is sent to the apron but manages to clothesline Allin outside in an impressive counter. That takes a little too long though and Anthony’s arm is pulled into the buckle. The Coffin Drop to a standing Anthony knocks him off the apron and he has to beat the count. Back in and the flipping Stunner sets up the Coffin Drop to give Allin the pin at 6:50.

Rating: C. As usual, Allin can get out there and do some exciting stuff, though he is a great case of what is lacking without fans. His style is very enhanced by a strong reaction and that isn’t the case with no fans. This worked out well enough though and Anthony continues to be one of the better local jobbers.

Post match here’s Brian Cage to go after Allin, with Anthony trying to make a save. Ricky Starks comes out to help take care of Anthony as well as Allin, as we have a new member of Taz’s team.

Butcher and Blade vs. Peter Avalon/Brandon Cutler

Blade stomps Cutler down in the corner to start but Cutler gets to the apron for a springboard forearm. Butcher comes in and shoulders Avalon down with ease. An atomic drop into a running clothesline gives Blade two and it’s back to Butcher for a double suplex. Avalon gets sent hard into the corner and a lot of choking ensues. They head outside with Leva Bates trying to interfere with a dive off the apron.

Butcher catches that in midair though, leaving Avalon to dive onto both of them. Cutler comes back in to start cleaning house, including a flip dive onto Butcher while tagging Avalon at the same time. Avalon hits Blade with a book, much to Butcher’s annoyance. The distraction lets Butcher and Blade hit Full Death to finish Cutler at 6:48.

Rating: C-. Just a quick match here with Butcher and Blade not exactly being close to danger throughout. Avalon and Cutler have a little something, but it isn’t enough of a something that I need to see them out there every single week. They’re becoming the featured attraction of this show and that’s not exactly enough to keep up my interest.

Post match Butcher and Blade yell at the Bucks while hurting Cutler even more.

The Dynamite preview ends the show.

Overall Rating: C-. This was every Dark that you’ve seen over the last few weeks, though having the Starks angle was a nice addition. As usual, it’s mostly the same people having matches against a revolving crew of jobbers with zero drama as to who is winning anything. I don’t need an hour and fifteen minute long show to get the point across, but that’s what we get week after week around here.

Results

Hikaru Shida b. Rache Chanel – Falcon Arrow

Kip Sabian b. Corey Hollis – Deathly Hallows

Best Friends b. Brady Pierce/Sabby – Strong Zero to Pierce

Ricky Starks b. Will Hobbs – Double underhook Dominator

Scorpio Sky b. Aaron Solow – TKO

Diamante b. KiLynn King – Code Red

Darby Allin b. Robert Anthony – Coffin Drop

Butcher and Blade b. Peter Avalon/Brandon Cutler – Full Death to Cutler

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

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