IMG Credit: Impact Wrestling

Impact Wrestling
Date: July 12, 2018
Location: St. Clair College, Windsor, Ontario, Canada
Commentators: Josh Matthews, Don Callis

With Slammiversary less than two weeks away, there isn’t much left to be done. Most of the card is already set up but last week’s show saw a big angle in the return of the original LAX. I’m sure that will set up a match at the pay per view, which is starting to look like a heck of a show. Let’s get to it.

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

We open with a recap of the LAX split, which has been far better than I was expecting.

Opening sequence.

OG’s vs. ???/???

That would be Homicide/Hernandez and it’s a complete squash with a Border Toss ending one of the jobbers at 58 seconds.

Post match King says Konnan’s time is done so King decided to take him out. Konnan is a smart man though so King brought in the OG’s. When Konnan restarted LAX, he went with the young boys instead of these two guys who don’t need your cheers. That’s why at Slammiversary, it’s a street fight. Good followup here as they didn’t waste time and set up the match in short order. That’s what you should have done and if we get a fired up response, everything will be copacetic.

Shotzi Blackheart recently impressed at a RISE event and gets to face Allie tonight. She’s ready to go.

Video on Blackheart.

OVE talks about how great they are and they’re ready to show their greatness in six man matches in tonight’s main event.

Shotzi Blackheart vs. Allie

Shotzi has long green hair and is from the Black Lagoon so I’m already a fan. A shoulder puts Allie down to start and Blackheart grabs something like a Muta Lock but pulls on Allie’s arms instead of her face. This is getting more and more promising. Back up and they chop it out until Allie misses a charge in the corner and we hit a quickly broken chinlock. Shotzi misses a missile dropkick and Allie gets two off a German suplex. The running Codebreaker puts Shotzi away at 5:45.

Rating: C. It’s a small sample size but Shotzi looked good for the most part here. Hopefully she’s brought back for some more shots as the division can always use some extra talent. Allie’s transformation from fun Bayley style character to serious has worked well and the change in gear helps too. You can only be so serious in the goofier looking gear but the Allie shirt and black pants give her a very different vibe.

Post match Tessa Blanchard comes out to beat Allie down.

Grado annoys Eli Drake, who hits on Katarina. A match is set for tonight.

Tessa is tired of Allie interfering in her business so she took Allie out.

Long recap of Tommy Dreamer vs. Eddie Edwards. Eddie’s turn has been great, but Dreamer being involved has sucked away a lot of the interest I had in the story.

The silhouetted woman is still coming but seems to have red hair.

Austin Aries knows Moose isn’t going to beat him and doesn’t think much of a retired, washed up football player (“I’m not talking about Moose.”) being here tonight. He’s looking forward to hearing what DeAngelo Williams has to say.

From Slammiversary 2013, Gail Kim and Taryn Terrell had a heck of a Last Man Standing match.

Josh Matthews brings out Williams, who happens to be Moose’s friend. If nothing else I could go for seeing him have another match. Williams has been training with Moose and thinks Aries is trash. We see a clip of the training and here’s Aries with a rebuttal. The fans chant for Aries, who says he knows his own name.

Aries asks why Williams isn’t in training camp and realizes it’s because no one wanted to sign him. He and Moose can bond over their lack of winning championships and Aries has a message for Moose. That would be a left hand but Aries misses a chair shot. Williams takes it away so Aries kicks him low and blasts him in the back. With Moose not around, this was about as good as it could have been.

KM and Fallah Bahh are having the same talk they have every week when the Desi Hit Squad comes in. They want to bring glory to India (we know) so KM yells at him. Gama Singh says that’s typical of North Americans. Well that’s irony.

Eli Drake vs. Grado

Grado has Katarina and Joe Hendry in his corner. Drake jumps him from behind and fires off the shoulders in the corner. A hurricanrana out of the corner of all things puts Drake down and Grado slugs away. Drake fires off a clothesline and the Gravy Train is good for the pin at 2:06.

Post match Drake accuses Hendry of trying to steal Katarina. I mean, yeah.

Video on Aries vs. Moose.

Killer Kross is ready to end Petey Williams next week.

Matt Sydal says his third eye is open and he isn’t an underdog at Slammiversary. Size doesn’t matter because if it did, he wouldn’t have a career. Good line.

Moose calls in to say he’ll be here next week to face Aries face to face.

We get a sitdown interview with Madison Rayne, who can’t believe what she’s going to be doing at Slammiversary. The lights flicker and Madison gets up to look for Su Yung. The interviewer disappears and THE TIME HAS COME is written on a wall. Yung’s dress is seen leaving the room and Madison opens a door to follow her but the camera cuts off.

OVE vs. Fenix/Pentagon Jr./Rich Swann

Tornado rules. Pentagon and Sami get in each others’ faces to start until six superkicks stagger everyone. Swann and Sami are the only ones left standing and Swann flips over him to speed things up. They kick each other as well though and it’s another knockdown. The Lucha Brothers beat up the Crist brothers and kick Dave in the face in the corner for two. Sami low blows Pentagon and suplexes Fenix into him, followed by a heck of a clothesline to take Fenix’s head off.

Swann is right back with a dive though, only to have Jake flip dive onto everyone. Not to be outdone, Fenix springboards into a twisting dive of his own, giving us a pretty awkward IMPACT WRESTLING chant. Dave superplexes Swann onto the pile and we take a well deserved break.

Back with the Tower of Doom into a powerbomb from Jake for two on Fenix. Jake puts Fenix up top but gets punched back down, setting up a very high angle Swanton. Swann starts kicking Sami down but eats a piledriver for two with Pentagon making the save. The Pentagon Driver gets two on Sami and Pentagon is stunned.

A series of cutters take almost everyone down, including Jake diving off one corner to cutter Swann, who was diving off another for an awesome visual. Sami gets caught in a spike Fear Factor for two in a rather ridiculous kickout. Another Fear Factor onto the apron destroys Jake and Swann kicks Callihan in the head. Swann’s super hurricanrana is countered into a powerbomb though and Callihan’s Get Out Of Here is good for the pin at 17:51.

Rating: B+. Heck of a main event here, rather ridiculous kickout for Sami aside. I can’t imagine Pentagon losing his mask at Slammiversary (it’s too valuable to him elsewhere) and Sami losing would be the right call. Other than that though, this was a rather fun match and Swann is looking like a star in the heavyweight division. I’m still not sure why he couldn’t do that in WWE, but then there would be no point to the cruiserweights having their own division. In other words, exactly how it is now. Really good match and a lot of fun in the style OVE should be doing most of the time.

Back to Madison, who follows Yung outside and gets surrounded by the bridesmaids. They come up to her but disappear, leaving Yung to grab Rayne to end the show.

Overall Rating: B. What does it say when this might have been the best TV show of the week? I’m looking forward to Slammiversary and most of the matches are looking very good. The show wasn’t perfect but the big stories are looking great and I’m curious to see who wins some of the pay per view matches. This is the best they’ve been in a long time and if that continues, they might be onto something.

Results

OG’s b. ???/??? – Border Toss

Allie b. Shotzi Blackheart – Running Codebreaker

Eli Drake b. Grado – Gravy Train

OVE b. Rich Swann/Fenix/Pentagon Jr. – Get Out Of Here to Fenix

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of the NXT The Full Sail Years Volume III (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2018/05/25/new-book-nxt-the-full-sail-years-from-dallas-to-new-orleans/

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

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

IMG Credit: Impact Wrestling

Impact Wrestling
Date: July 5, 2018
Location: St. Clair College, Windsor, Ontario, Canada
Commentators: Josh Matthews, Don Callis

We’re getting closer to Slammiversary and things are starting to take shape. The stories around here are getting better but they still don’t have that one big blow away idea that could get them some staying power. That’s been the case for a long time though and unfortunately it doesn’t seem to be getting any better. Let’s get to it.

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

We open with a recap of last week’s show in rapid fashion.

Opening sequence.

Rich Swann vs. Fenix

This could be good. Feeling out process to start with Swann doing about eight nipups in a row to get out of a wristlock. That’s fine with Fenix who bounces on the top rope to send Swann outside. You wouldn’t be able to do that. The fans chant for both these guys as they miss kicks and trade forearms for a standoff. Swann gets kicked to the floor but avoids a dive, setting up a dropkick off the apron to put Fenix down.

Back in and Fenix gets caught on top, banging up his knee in the process. The knee is fine enough to moonsault into an armdrag though as these two just don’t stop. There’s the big flip dive to the floor but Fenix misses a moonsault back inside. Of course he keeps backflipping though and cutters Swann for another close two.

Fenix’s Lethal Injection is countered with Swann standing on his hands (of course) so Fenix has to try it again, this time connecting for a double knockdown. Back from a break with a chop off until Swann gets two off a fisherman’s buster and a middle rope 450. Fenix is right back with an over the shoulder sitout Tombstone for two of his own, followed by a Muscle Buster spinning into a driver for the pin at 13:30.

Rating: B. Well that was awesome. They didn’t try to do anything else here other than taking two high fliers and have them throw out one cool move after another. Fenix is as good as anyone right now and Swann could hang with him, making this a very entertaining match. The four way at Slammiversary should be a blast.

Post match OVE runs in to beat Fenix down but Pentagon makes the save. Fenix is helped up but Pentagon turns on him, only to unmask as Sami Callihan. Swann tries to make a save but gets caught in the numbers game. Cue the real Pentagon for the save and a big flip dive. That probably sets up a six man and I could go for that as Pentagon is looking more and more like a superstar every week.

The announcers preview the rest of the show.

KM shouts an apology to Fallah Bahh and promises to prove his loyalty tonight.

Allie and Madison Rayne are ready to face the monster Su Yung and her undead bridesmaid. Allie knows you need light and darkness and Yung brought out another side of her.

Killer Kross vs. Fallah Bahh

This better be a squash. Bahh can’t run him over to start and Kross drives him into the corner without much effort. A running splash in the corner and a bunch of chops are no sold and Kross hits a running clothesline of his own. Some shots to the head rock Bahh and a Saito suplex puts Bahh down. A standing choke knocks Bahh cold for the win at 2:27.

Post match Kross stays on him but KM comes in for the save. That earns him a beating too so Petey Williams runs down with a chair. Two shots to the back have no effect so he pelts the chair at Kross’ head to knock him outside. I’d call it a stretch to put Bahh out there as Kross’ first opponent (and Kross didn’t really have any impressive offense aside from the suplex) but a character like this shouldn’t be selling anything for a long time. Williams is now next on the list, but him being able to knock Kross outside should have taken a few weeks, not on the first night.

Jimmy Jacobs says he’s ready to send Kongo Kong after Brian Cage because Kong has beaten everyone he’s gone against. Cage is the bad guy who snapped when he lost his first match, but Kong is just doing what a monster does. Jacobs wants Cage to lose and because he’s a princess, he gets everything that he wants.

Clip of Rob Van Dam vs. Sting from Slammiversary 2010.

The Desi Hit Squad is excited for their win but Gama Singh comes in to say follow his instruction if they want to become World Champions. It’s all about bringing honor to India. As it always is.

A silhouetted woman is coming.

Su Yung/Undead Maid of Honor vs. Allie/Madison Rayne

The fight starts early with Rayne and Allie hitting stereo Thesz presses. Allie sends the Maid into the corner to start and gets two off a Russian legsweep. Yung comes in for a side slam/sliding neckbreaker combination but Allie crawls over for the tag to Rayne. Everything breaks down and the Chance of Rayne (A cutter. Just because her name is Rayne doesn’t mean every one of her big moves has to be a rain pun.) drops Yung.

It’s not even good for a cover as Yung gets up and tries the Panic Switch, which bumps the referee. Rayne hits Cross Rayne (What does that even mean?) but Tessa Blanchard runs in to jump her from behind. Blanchard beats her down while Allie fights with the bridesmaids. The hammerlock DDT is broken up by Allie and another Cross Rayne ends the Maid at 6:04.

Rating: D+. Not the worst here and I like Yung having her own minions instead of tagging with one of the other Knockouts. It doesn’t make sense to have her suddenly be friendly with everyone so the Maid was a good idea. Blanchard running in makes enough sense, but having interference and a ref bump along with all the other minions at ringside was a lot for a six minute match.

Konnan says he has proof of who attacked him and LAX is nervous. King wants to see the proof and gets very defensive about it.

Singh trains the Hit Squad in the rain.

OVE, with Sami in Pentagon’s mask, speaks high school Spanish before yelling about Pentagon ruining everything. The six man is set for next week.

Austin Aries talks about wanting to be a wrestler growing up and paying a lot of dues. That’s different than Moose, who was an NFL player who was handed everything and then got a pass into wrestling because he was an athlete somewhere else. Aries doesn’t need a coach to make a game plan for him. After Slammiversary, Moose will be lucky to make the XFL. Now that’s taking it too far.

Konnan is on the phone and says he’s exposing the fake King for what he is.

A bloody Tommy Dreamer rants about Eddie Edwards throwing everything away because of an obsession. He doesn’t want to see Eddie go down that path and be right about everything. Of course he isn’t sleeping with Eddie’s wife because she’s 25 years old and look at Dreamer. Now it’s Dreamer who is obsessed with Eddie.

The House of Hardcore rules match is set for Slammiversary.

The announcers run down some of Slammiversary’s card and next week’s show.

Katarina vs. Rebel

Grado is out with Katarina, hopefully meaning he doesn’t talk. They trade some rollups to start until a headscissors sends Rebel into the corner. Rebel scores with a flapjack and a torture rack drop (which looked weird as Katarina is so tall) but gets caught in a sloppy tornado DDT. A Rock Bottom backbreaker ends Rebel at 3:05.

Rating: D. I don’t know if it was just Rebel not being very good or Katarina being rusty but this didn’t do much for me. They weren’t exactly looking polished out there and both of them botched more than one move. Thankfully they kept it short, but this didn’t exactly inspire me on either one of them.

Post match Grado does the Shawn Michaels pose in front of Katarina. I didn’t find the goofy guy with the beautiful girlfriend trope funny when Santino Marella did it so many times and I don’t find it funny here.

Post break Grado and Katarina are in the back when Katarina says she has a surprise for him. Joe Hendry, a Scottish wrestler, comes in and sings about how he makes things better in Impact. That could be interesting, especially if it splits up Grado and Katarina.

Kongo Kong vs. Brian Cage

Kong wins an exchange of shoulders so Cage hurricanranas him to the floor, followed by a big no hands flip dive. Or as Callis describes it, “WHAT THE HECK WAS THAT???” Back in and Kong counters a powerbomb with a hurricanrana out of the corner of his own. A World’s Strongest Slam drops Kong again and there’s a 619 just because he can. Cage gets two off a German suplex but Kong’s chokeslam is good for the same. Kong goes up but Cage catches him in a top rope superplex to shake the ring. An F5 gives Cage the pin at 5:05.

Rating: C. This was every Cage/Kong match I’ve seen since their debuts: Cage does things that no human being should be able to do and Kong makes me embarrassed to be a wrestling fan. The hurricanrana was more Kong falling backwards than anything athletic and it doesn’t make up for all the horrible stuff he does, not even counting his overall terrible look. Cage is an attraction, Kong is a disaster, as always.

Here’s Konnan to offer his evidence. First though he calls out King, who Konnan says put a hit out on him. Konnan was the one who bailed King out of a lot of trouble, including possible domestic violence. King wants the proof so here it is: those calls that King said Konnan made to give him orders from the hospital never happened. King is exactly what he used to be: a talking glory hole. Fans: “GLORY HOLE!” Josh: “It’s trending on Twitter.”

King admits that he did it because Konnan’s time is over. Konnan needs to leave before he gets shot in the back of the head like Old Yeller. Santana and Ortiz are told to pick their side and they flip King off. Konnan says King didn’t get the job done but he says he did. Cue Homicide and Hernandez to beat down Konnan, Santana and Ortiz, doing their best Paul Heyman/Randy Rose/Dennis Condrey pose to end the show. I liked this a lot and while it’s copying the Midnight Express angle from 1988, it was a great angle and took place thirty years ago. If this is anywhere near as good, they’re in outstanding shape.

Overall Rating: C+. A good match to start and a hot angle to finish it are more than enough to make this show work. There are still a bunch of issues to resolve (Kross not flattening a normal sized opponent is up there) but the World Title feud is heating up, despite the wrestlers not actually being in the same place, and the pay per view looks good. I’m actually digging the show right now and if that continues, they’re heading in the right direction.

Results

Fenix b. Rich Swann – Muscle Buster driver

Killer Kross b. Fallah Bahh – Choke

Madison Rayne/Allie b. Su Yung/Undead Maid of Honor – Cross Rayne to Maid

Katarina b. Rebel – Rock Bottom backbreaker

Brian Cage b. Kongo Kong – F5

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of the NXT The Full Sail Years Volume III (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2018/05/25/new-book-nxt-the-full-sail-years-from-dallas-to-new-orleans/

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

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

IMG Credit: Lucha Underground

Lucha Underground
Date: June 27, 2018
Location: Lucha Underground Temple, Los Angeles, California
Commentators: Vampiro, Matt Striker

Things are starting to get back to…well whatever passes for normal around here as this week is the first ever triple threat casket match. I’m not entirely sure how that’s supposed to work, but this promotion has managed to make casket matches work like no one else ever has so I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt. Let’s get to it.

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

The opening video recaps the opening of the season and last week’s show, which set up tonight’s casket match.

Ricky Mundo is with the rest of Lucha Underground and playing with his creepy, dirty baby doll. Johnny Mundo and Taya come in and say it’s time for war with the Reptile Tribe. Well save for Jack Evans, who is scared of snakes. Johnny asks where Angelico is and everyone leaves. The baby gives an evil laugh and says Ricky’s secret is safe with her because dolls are creepy.

Jack Evans vs. XO Lishus

Lishus is an exotico (man in drag) and rather flamboyant. Evans handles his old entrance because he’s kind of a jerk at times but it works for him. An armdrag into a split has Evans in trouble and Lishus, ahem, thrusts out his hips as he stands up. A Matrix lets Lishus avoid a clothesline so Evans hits a moonsault onto him instead. Evans gets sent to the floor though for a big dive as the fans seem to like Lishus.

Back in and Evans cranks on the arm, followed by a front flip into an eye poke in the corner. It’s off to a freaky arm hold with Evans pushing on Lishus’ face with a boot, causing him to lose an eyelash. Lishus fights up so Evans kicks him in the face but gets sent into the corner. Christy Hemme’s old Flying Firecrotch Guillotine (just go with it) gets two on Evans but a super X Factor is enough to put Evans away at 5:55.

Rating: D+. Not terrible here but I’ve never been a fan of the exotico gimmicks. This guy at least can have the matches to back it up though, putting him at least a few steps ahead of some of the others I’ve seen over the years. They need some new characters though and this is at least something fresh, which is as good as they can do right now.

Pentagon Dark talks about all the people he’s defeated to hang onto the title. No one is taking it from him, because he’s Pentagon. Cage ran in and hit him with the Lucha Underground Title, followed by a powerbomb off the apron through a table. See, Pentagon can’t break him because he’s a machine.

Melissa Santos is worried about losing Fenix. He’s all “I got this” before getting a kiss.

Mil Muertes vs. Fenix vs. Jeremiah Crane

Three way casket match with elimination rules. They go at it to start with Crane being sent to the floor and Fenix doing all his flips to drop Muertes. Now it’s Crane back in to send Fenix outside for a suicide elbow, only to have Fenix pop back up top for a moonsault to the floor. Fenix wraps a wreath around Crane’s head and rams him face first into the casket but Muertes is right back up.

Crane runs around the ring for some reason, only to get cut off by a hard shoulder. Muertes throws Crane onto the casket but a double superkick cuts him off. A powerbomb puts Muertes through a table and Crane takes Fenix up the steps and piledrives him on a balcony. Muertes is up there with them though, only to have Fenix dive off a higher balcony to take them both down. You know, as Fenix is known to do. Crane falls down the steps and it’s time for a table inside. Just in case we didn’t have enough violence yet.

Fenix loads up something off the top to put Crane through a table but gets thrown over the post, landing on Muertes on another table on the floor. Back in and Crane piledrives Fenix through the other table (egads) but here’s Ivelisse with a HAMMER to Crane’s knee and hand for a save. She knocks Crane into the casket and shuts the lid to get us down to two. Guys in skeleton masks come out to, I guess the word is collect, Crane as we take a break. Back with Muertes running Fenix down and going after his mask.

A turnbuckle pad is pulled off so Muertes catapults Fenix face first into the buckle. That’s not enough so he unhooks the buckle to disable the bottom rope. The empty casket is brought in and a dropkick puts Muertes in, only to have Muertes block the door. Muertes knocks him out of the air and drops Fenix onto the casket to dent the door. Fenix is dead so Muertes throws him in the other casket to win at 24:38 as Striker quotes the Bible because he’s never one to let a chance to sound melodramatic pass by.

Rating: B+. These matches never disappoint as they don’t try for anything more than violence for the sake of violence. Muertes needed to win something like this as it’s a monster doing monster things. You can only beat him so many times before it stops mattering and that’s the path they were heading down. He’s a great character who is basically this company’s version of Undertaker/Kane so he needs something like this every now and then.

Matanza is in chains and Antonio says this was his fault. Dario Cueto wasted Matanza’s powers and it’s time for Matanza to become a god. Antonio throws him the key, allowing Matanza to free himself, before walking away. Matanza roars a lot to end the show.

Overall Rating: B. I wasn’t feeling the first match but the main event was a lot of fun and showed you why Lucha Underground became such an underground sensation. The characters are starting to grow again and when you have a cool match to help pay it off, things get that much better. Good show here, as things are hopefully getting back into the groove that has worked for them so well over the first three seasons.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of the NXT The Full Sail Years Volume III (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2018/05/25/new-book-nxt-the-full-sail-years-from-dallas-to-new-orleans/

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

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

IMG Credit: Impact Wrestling

Impact Wrestling vs. Lucha Underground
Date: April 6, 2018
Location: Sugar Mill, New Orleans, Louisiana
Attendance: 1,400
Commentators: Josh Matthews, Matt Striker

Now this is something that caught my eye as soon as it popped onto the schedule. Lucha Underground doesn’t get a lot of play outside of its own universe so having it come somewhere else could be interesting. On top of that, given how many of its wrestlers wrestle for Impact as well, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Just please be more like Lucha Underground and less like Impact. Let’s get to it.

Of note, since this aired live on Twitch, you can watch it online free and legal right here:

https://www.twitch.tv/videos/247553403

The opening video is a pretty standard collection of highlights of both shows. Nothing wrong with that.

After we hear Josh’s warmup and talking about how many people are there (it’s not that many more than the Impact Zone and you would expect him to be used to the huge crowds from his time in WWE), he and Striker welcome us. Striker: “Are you annoyed yet?” Oh sweet goodness it’s going to be a long night.

Melissa Santos and McKenzie Mitchell come out to handle the intros with the LUCHA chants almost drowning them out. Santos drops an F bomb because this is live and Lucha Underground is a little different than your regular wrestling promotion.

Matanza vs. Moose vs. Matt Sydal vs. Caleb Konley vs. Jack Evans vs. Chavo Guerrero Jr.

Non-title (Sydal is X-Division Champion, which you would think would be PERFECT for a title match on this show.) and one fall to a finish. Chavo is out first and that means we hit the EDDIE chant. I’ll give them credit for the Matanza outfit: I never would have believed that he and Jeff Cobb were the same person. It’s that good of a costume change. Some people go after Matanza to start while the others are tossed out by Moose.

Of course it’s time for the early monster showdown and Moose TOWERS over Matanza. A shoulder puts Moose down but he nips up and dropkicks Matanza outside. Chavo and Konley get together to put Moose down but Evans comes back in for some lucha level snarling. Evans sends the two of them to the floor and does the crane kick pose at Sydal. A spinwheel kick takes Evans out of the air but Chavo is back in to run Sydal over.

Instead of, you know, calling the match, the announcers try to come up with Twitter hashtags for the show with Striker promising to block us. Konley kicks Chavo to the floor but Matanza is back in to run him over. Cue Moose for another power showdown with a second dropkick putting Matanza to the floor again.

Chavo takes Moose down as well and we hit the parade of dives. Jack tells the referee that he’s not the boss and caps the whole thing off with a springboard corkscrew dive. Back in and Moose spears Sydal down for two as it’s time to clean house. Konley takes him down with a hurricanrana and spinning backfist, only to get suplexed by Matanza. The Wrath of the Gods gives Matanza the pin on Konley at 6:40.

Rating: C-. This was too short for all the people involved and they didn’t do enough of Moose vs. Matanza, which should have been the draw of the match. The other four didn’t get much going due to the time and that made this better suited as a four way instead of six. With that many people in a match, you need a little more time.

Post match Chavo grabs the mic to announce that Lucha Underground is back on June 13.

Trailer for Season 4.

Video on Austin Aries vs. Alberto El Patron at Redemption. Oh how things would change.

We get a graphic for Trevor Lee vs. Famous B., which isn’t taking place either here. Leave it to TNA to screw something like this up.

Knockouts Title: Allie vs. Taya Valkyrie

Taya, who wrestles in both promotions, is challenging. Josh manages to praise Gail Kim during Allie’s entrance so check your Bingo cards. With that out of the way, Striker pesters Josh about not knowing how to be annoying. My goodness Josh Matthews is the more professional announcer in this team. Allie grabs a waistlock to start and let’s talk about Gail Kim some more!

Taya shoves her off and talks trash, ticking Allie off so bad that she bounces off of Taya when trying a shoulder. Striker talks about how different characters mean wrestlers bringing different things to the fight as Allie can’t do anything against Taya’s power. A charge into the corner sends Allie face first into the buckle, allowing Taya to add running knees to the back.

Taya’s chop annoys Allie as Striker explains why wrestlers chop instead of punch. See, why can’t he do stuff like that more often? It’s off to a dragon sleeper to keep Allie in trouble but Taya insists that she was NOT pulling the hair. Taya rubs the face and that’s enough to annoy Allie all over again.

Allie runs her over in the corner and a dropkick knocks Taya into the corner for two. A sloppy release German suplex drops Allie on her head and there are some running knees in the corner for two of her own. The Road to Valhalla is broken up and Allie gets two off a DDT. Frustration is setting in so Allie hits a Codebreaker for the pin to retain at 9:15.

Rating: C. Not bad here and there’s something to these two if they’re given some more time. Taya has real talent and she’s going to be Knockouts Champion one day. For now though, Allie is a heck of a face champion. I guess you can call this the first Impact win if you really stretch and that’s a big pillar of this company so that’s a tie.

GWN Network ad.

Scott Steiner/Teddy Hart vs. OVE

Sure why not. Steiner is in a Wolfpac shirt and….aside from some weekly PPV era shows, I don’t think Hart has ever worked for either company. That would be another thing/person that you’re just supposed to know because commentary isn’t saying a thing about him. Is “he’s a member of the Hart Family and does some amazing athletic moves” be too much to ask for?

With Steiner waiting in the ring, Hart springboard moonsaults onto OVE. So it’s going to that kind of a show. Hart powerbombs Jake onto his knees (Striker: “What I would not give to see that done to you.”) and there’s a DDT to Dave. An electric chair into….something is mostly botched and you can hear the cringing. Steiner comes in but walks right back out again, leaving the announcers unsure what happened. Teddy gets taken into the corner and we’re in a quick chinlock.

Steiner walks into the ring, takes two steps, and goes outside again without the referee telling him to leave. With Teddy still in trouble, Striker thinks OHIO VERSUS EVERYTHING might have an “us against the world” mentality. Again: this guy is billed as smart. Jake hammers him down in the corner and Dave gets in some kicks to the head. Something like a Bank Statement has, I kid you not, Striker suggesting that Dave is shooting on Teddy, even explaining what shooting means.

Teddy gets a Code Red out of the corner and the hot tag brings in Steiner. The spinning belly to belly gets two as Matt tries to put Steiner over as some master of movement and psychology. A Downward Spiral plants Jake and it’s another suplex into the Steiner Recliner for the tap from Dave at 7:24.

Rating: D. That’s actually better than I was expecting here but Steiner was pretty much nothing here. It’s also a rather bad idea to have OVE, who are supposed to be a big deal, lose to this first time team with an old man and a nutjob who has barely ever wrestled for the company. To be fair this wasn’t a major pay per view or anything and it’s not like they gave Steiner the Tag Team Titles.

King Cuerno/Drago/Aerostar vs. Andrew Everett/Dezmond Xavier/DJZ

Now this is more like it. Striker explains the Lucha Underground characters and Josh sounds stunned. Drago and Everett start things off with a handshake and it’s time to go in a hurry. Everett misses a springboard before hurricanranaing Drago to the floor. It’s off to DJZ vs. Aerostar, the latter of whom front flips around the ring. A top rope corkscrew crossbody puts DJZ down again but he’s right back up with a middle rope slow motion back elbow.

Dezmond and Cuerno come in and the fans seem rather pleased. Cuerno poses at him and they take turns missing until Dezmond can pose right back. A good looking dropkick gives Xavier two and it’s time to strike it out in the corner. We get a little miscommunication but Xavier elbows him in the face for a quick save. Xavier scores with a neckbreaker and it’s Aerostar and Drago coming in at the same time.

DJZ crossbodies both of them down and hits the big flip dive over the top. Dezmond does his own cartwheel dive but Cuerno breaks up Everett’s dive. It’s Drago’s turn now with a flip dive onto DJZ and Dezmond, followed by Aerostar’s step up dive of his own. Everett breaks up Cuerno’s suicide dive though and the fans aren’t happy.

Another dive from Everett drops the pile and it’s finally time to head back inside. Drago superkicks away but Everett takes him down and gets two off a top rope moonsault with Aerostar making the save. The fans rightfully like that sequence and Aerostar rolling into a cutter on DJZ for two makes them even happier. The 619 around the post gives Dezmond two on Aerostar but Cuerno grabs an Indian Deathlock to make Everett tap at 10:18.

Rating: B. Take six guys and let them fly around for about ten minutes to have a lot of fun. That’s all you can want from a match like this but it was necessary after the previous match. All six guys got a chance to shine and this was what I wanted to see on this show. Good match here and I was digging it by the end.

Gail Kim video. SHE DOESN’T WORK HERE ANYMORE! Though she does have a GWN collection.

Trevor Lee vs. Famous B.

B. is a loudmouthed manager but he’s here in a suit. It turns out that B. has hired someone to wrestle this match instead.

Trevor Lee vs. Marty Martinez

Marty is, uh, insane. The announcers get in an argument over which sports metaphor to compare this to. Marty sends him outside and hits a scary looking dive over the top, nearly landing on his head. Famous B. gets popped in the face and the distraction lets Lee kick Marty down. The announcers debate gumbo and we get a Lash Leroux reference. Back in and Lee sends Marty into the buckle a few times but Marty decides to show him how it’s really done but ramming his own head in.

Trevor opts for a powerbomb for two instead and we’re off to a chinlock. Striker tries a Russian accent for some stupid reason so Josh ignores him and tries to say that these two are very similar. Really? These two? I mean, I still don’t get the cultish part of Lee but that’s just me. Marty gets a quick DDT and tries a moonsault but a Caleb Konley distraction lets Lee roll away. A rollup with trunks puts Marty away at 5:05.

Rating: D+. They were going for an “our weird guy vs. your weird guy” here but I’ve still never seen much that makes me think Lee is weird. I’ve never gotten the cult thing as he’s more just a country guy who wrestles a decent match. Marty impresses me more and more every time I see him as he feels like a maniac most of the time. You don’t get that too often and he sells it very well.

Tag Team Titles: LAX vs. Killshot/The Mack

LAX, with the returning Diamante in their corner, is defending and it wouldn’t be a WrestleCon show without Shane Strickland (Killshot) appearing. Ortiz and Killshot get things going with Killshot getting the better of it very early on. An arm trap northern lights suplex gives Ortiz two and he sends Strickland into a chop in the corner.

Santana comes in and gets kicked down by Killshot and it’s off to the Mack, who seems to have the fans’ interest. A hurricanrana puts Mack down and Striker starts singing with a Mexican accent for whatever reason. Mack does Jack Gallagher’s headstand in the corner but jiggles a bit for a bad visual. Killshot is back in for a chinlock but Santana fights up and backflips into a cutter on Mack. A falling splash gives Ortiz two and it’s off to Santana for a running kick to knock Killshot off the apron.

Ortiz isn’t about to be outdone and dropkicks Mack in the ribs, only to have Killshot come in to clean house. Santana kicks Killshot down and it’s a fourway knockdown. It’s Mack up first with a running boot in the corner as Josh wonders how the rest of the Impact Wrestling teams would react to Lucha Underground wrestlers holding the titles. He can ask one team and I can ask the other and we’ll compare notes. Killshot takes Ortiz up top in a fireman’s carry but throws him down into a Pounce (PERIOD!) from Mack.

It’s Santana back up though and slugging away at both challengers, only to get kneed in the head by Killshot. A powerbomb/top rope double stomp combination only gets two and the fans are WAY into this. LAX starts the double teaming and a Lionsault gets two on Mack with Santana being annoyed at the kickout. The Street Sweeper to Killshot is enough to retain the titles at 13:15.

Rating: B-. For a team without a bunch of experience together, Killshot and Mack were good challengers here and looked like a threat at times. LAX is a very polished team though and that’s the right way to go. The match was fun though and really, what more can you hope for in a stand alone show like this? LAX still needs better challengers though and it’s starting to show.

We get probably the fifth GWN network.

Eli Drake vs. Brian Cage

Cage is in both promotions as well. Before the match, Drake talks about how everyone is saying his name and he knows everyone here is a virgin. Drake is sick of hearing the fans cheer for Lucha Underground and boo Impact Wrestling because that’s cool. Well when is the last time Impact Wrestling took a midseason break and took that long to finish anything?

Cage comes out so Drake offers an alliance and the attempted cheap shot is casually blocked as we start fast. Cage throws him around and snaps off an overhead belly to belly. A superkick makes Drake yell a lot but then he collapses on a delay. Drake plants him with a DDT to take over as Striker wants to know if he can start arguing with Matthews. A jumping neckbreaker sets up a chinlock to slow Cage down some more.

Back up and Cage snaps off the hard clotheslines, meaning it’s time for the comeback. There’s a release German suplex and Josh says we have an announcement on the main event coming up in a few minutes. DUN DUN (Alberto is) DONE! Drake runs the ropes for a superplex but walks into a discus lariat to give Cage two. The Gravy Train is countered and Cage hits something like the Axhole for the pin at 7:11.

Rating: C. Cage’s rise to the top of the promotion continues with a clean win over a former World Champion. You don’t see that too often and it’s a good sign to see them pushing someone new like this. Cage is a fresh name in the promotion and the look alone gets your attention. I could go for more of both of these guys and that’s not something I can say very often around here.

Jeremiah Crane vs. Eddie Edwards

Crane is of course Sami Callihan and this is an I Quit match. For once we have a story here as Callihan crushed Eddie’s face with a baseball bat, sending Eddie completely over the edge in an effort to get revenge for the attack. Eddie wastes no time in suicide diving onto Crane before the bell. The announcers are referring to Crane as Sami Callihan, which is a little better than insulting our intelligence by suggesting anything else.

Eddie gets dropped back first onto the apron but it’s way too early for a quit. A spit chop keeps Eddie in trouble so he chokes Crane with a cable. They take turns accidentally chopping the post so Eddie goes to the back to find a pair of chairs. As usual, Striker gets annoying as he tries to say Eddie should have expected the baseball bat to the face. Two more chairs are stacked on top of Crane but Eddie throws him back inside instead.

Striker says more people are watching Impact Wrestling now because everyone loves a car crash. I’m too busy chuckling at that but thankfully it’s just Crane posing after knocking Eddie off the apron. Crane goes for the eye so Eddie hits a fisherman’s buster to put Crane on the floor again. They head back inside with Eddie having eight chairs to pick from. One of them is wedged into the corner and another is pelted off Crane’s head. Well Eddie is certainly versatile with his violence.

Crane gets smart with a low blow and a double underhook shoulderbreaker but a charge sends him into the chair. The yes or no question is received by swearing and the fans are very pleased so far. A bunch of chairs are pelted off of Crane’s head and the Boston Knee Party rocks him again. Eddie piles up a stack of chairs but Crane can’t quite powerbomb him through the pile.

Instead he settles for a Death Valley Driver to put Eddie through an open chair but there’s not even a question from the referee. Crane wraps the chair around Eddie’s neck and pulls back but Eddie won’t give up to “Solomon Crowe.” Nice touch. Now it’s time to drag in a piece of barricade but Eddie saves himself from going into the steel. Instead he powerbombs Crane onto the barricade in the corner for a big knockout.

Eddie still won’t let the referee ask if Crane quits though, instead grabbing some chairs. He loads up the chair on Crane’s chest just like Crane did to him but cue OVE for a distraction. Crane HITS HIM IN THE FACE WITH THE BASEBALL BAT and Eddie is done. Instead of letting the match end though, Crane loads up the said chair spot that started the whole thing. Cue Don Callis to warn Crane and throw in the towel to save Eddie at 20:10.

Rating: B. It was too early in the feud for an I Quit match but Crane is starting to become a solid villain. Now if only they can avoid having him talk, like, ever again, things can get even better. Eddie snapping and going crazy is a good character development for him as there’s only so much he can do with his pretty basic character. The wrestling is already there so this should help him some.

Moose runs in to save Eddie.

Video on the Redemption main event of Aries vs. El Patron.

The announcers praise each other and announce that Fenix will face Pentagon Jr. at Redemption. Cool indeed.

So about that announcement on the main event earlier? Alberto El Patron has no showed the event so the tag match has been turned into a triple threat match. The announcers don’t acknowledge Alberto’s absence, probably due to not knowing all of the details at the moment.

Austin Aries vs. Fenix vs. Pentagon Jr.

Non-title and Fenix and Pentagon are brothers. The fans start an F DEL RIO chant, which amuses me greatly. The guy is a multiple time World Champion and has been in the promotion for a long time but screw that. He’s still the same WWE guy he always was in our eyes. As usual: Impact puts up a good front but not many people care what they do. Aries goes after Pentagon and gets superkicked down.

The announcers starts talking about what MIGHT have happened with Alberto while saying they have no idea and were just given a note. Aries is sent outside and the lucha begins, this time with Fenix kicking Pentagon in the head to take over. The crazy rope bounce into the armdrag sends Pentagon outside but Aries is back in with a missile dropkick to Fenix. Pentagon is back in and takes Aries down for two on each so it’s time to yell at a referee. He also throws in a CERO MIEDO to keep the crowd on his side in a smart move.

Aries tries to get a bit too fancy and gets kicked in the ribs to cut him down again. Fenix is back in with a rolling cutter to send Pentagon to the floor, only to get chopped by Aries. There’s a suicide dive to drop Pentagon so Fenix is right back in there with a corkscrew dive to take them both down. Pentagon stays on the floor so Fenix can German suplex Aries for two. Back in and a powerbomb gives Pentagon two on Fenix but Aries breaks up the package piledriver. Aries’ 450 gets two on Pentagon so it’s off to the Last Chancery with Fenix making a save this time.

Another Last Chancery has Fenix in trouble so Pentagon makes a third save in a few minutes. A Codebreaker rocks Aries and Fenix throws Pentagon at him n the corner for good measure. There’s no cover (much to Striker’s annoyance) and it’s time to chop it out. A double superkick sends Aries’ teeth somewhere into southern Alabama, leaving Pentagon to backdrop Fenix into a powerbomb for two, followed by a pumphandle driver for the pin at 10:25.

Rating: B-. That last double superkick alone looked (and sounded) great, capping off a pretty fun main event, especially when you consider that it was thrown together with very little time. The interesting thing to me here was that Aries seemed to be trying to keep up with Pentagon and Fenix. It’s so strange to see him being outpaced but lucha isn’t the easiest style to do in the world, especially without the experience. I also like that this actually lead somewhere, which is just another benefit of Alberto being gone. Good main event here and I was surprised by the winner, which is always nice.

Lucha Underground and Redemption (with Alberto included) commercials take us out.

Overall Rating: C+. I liked this one and that’s a nice thing to be able to say. While there’s nothing that really blew me away and nothing that stands out as great, the night was full of good to pretty good matches, which is better than I was hoping for. It’s nothing I’ll ever want to see again, but that’s not really what they were trying to do. This was supposed to be something fun to get the name out there a little more and they pulled that off. The I Quit match was good and the lucha stuff is always worth a look, plus you get to laugh at Impact for having more drama, as is always the case. All in all, not too shabby.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of the WWE Grab Bag (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2018/03/23/new-paperback-kbs-grab-bag/

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

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

IMG Credit: Impact Wrestling

Redemption 2018
Date: April 22, 2018
Location: Impact Zone, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Josh Matthews, Don Callis

It’s the first pay per view in nearly six months (Not counting the nothing One Night Only shows because….well who does really?) and the main event as changed about ten days ago due to Alberto El Patron having high levels of Alberto El Patron. Now it’s Austin Aries defending the World Title against Pentagon Jr. and Fenix in a rematch from Impact Wrestling vs. Lucha Underground. Let’s get to it.

Here’s the go home show if you need a recap.

The opening video is what you would expect: wrestlers wanting to be redeemed, which means winning matches in their feuds.

There’s a new set (an elevated video screen with vertical rectangular metal structures on both sides) and it looks….I guess better. There will be new belts tonight as well.

Drago vs. Aerostar

Not a bad idea to start with what should be the most entertaining match on the card. Drago goes for the arm to start as we hit the token technical stuff. That goes nowhere so it’s an early standoff with Drago going with a superkick, earning himself an enziguri. A corkscrews moonsault sends Drago outside, which of course means a big suicide dive. You knew that was coming.

Back in and Drago nails another superkick to send him outside, meaning it’s time for Drago to hit his own suicide dive. They head inside again for more kicks (more than I would have expected here) but Drago gets sidestepped to the floor. One heck of a corkscrew dive drops Drago on the floor for two, only to have Drago hit a hanging DDT for the same. This time it’s Aerostar getting the better of a strike off as the lack of psychology is starting to show here.

Aerostar sends him outside again for a suicide dive and the fans sing about the match being lucha. That’s good for two back inside and Drago is right back up with a kick to the ribs. Kind of basic so he goes with a dropkick to the side of the head for two of his own. La majistral gets Drago two more but Aerostar is right back up with a rolling cutter. With that not working, Aerostar is right back up with a springboard Codebreaker for the pin at 11:35.

Rating: C+. Good choice for an opener here, even though Aerostar seemed a little banged up at the end. They went with the right idea here to go with the entertaining stuff instead of starting with something a little more flat. These two could have a good match in their sleep and that’s all this needed to be in an opener.

Josh Matthews tells Matt Sydal that he’s taught him everything he can and now Matt is free. They’re cool with this but I’m hoping Josh gets a better fit for a client soon.

Callis makes fun of Josh.

We recap the Tag Team Title match. Eli Drake won the Feast or Fired Tag Team Title briefcase but Chris Adonis walked out on the company. Therefore, Scott Steiner was brought in to be Drake’s partner because NO ONE ELSE was available.

Santana and Ortiz are in the clubhouse with Santana getting a phone call saying someone named King has taken out Konnan.

Tag Team Titles: Eli Drake/Scott Steiner vs. LAX

LAX is defending but there’s no Konnan. Ortiz starts with Drake and takes him into the corner, meaning we get some early double teaming to put the champs in control. Steiner, covered in tattoos, comes in for some knees to the face and suplexes before handing it right back off to Drake. A double back elbow drops Ortiz again and the villains are in control. Ortiz grabs a DDT for a break and it’s off to Santana as things speed up. A cutter into a double dropkick has Drake in trouble as Santana is rolling.

Scott catches him on top though and snaps off the Frankensteiner (to a rather limited reaction) but Ortiz is back up with a superkick for the save. Santana starts speeding things up again and Ortiz breaks up a superplex. Instead he pulls Drake down for the Street Sweeper but Santana dives onto Steiner instead. The Gravy Train pins Ortiz for the titles at 8:01.

Rating: D. Well of course that happened. I’m going to go on a hopeful limb and suggest that this reign is done by the end of the next tapings but odder things have happened. I’m also sure that Steiner doing a hurricanrana is enough to prove that HE STILL HAS IT while others will point out how this spot could go to someone who needs the rub, but why let that get in the way?

Trevor Lee vs. Taiji Ishimori vs. El Hijo De Fantasma vs. Dezmond Xavier vs. DJZ vs. Brian Cage

One fall to a finish and lucha rules. DJZ headlocks Xavier to start but Xavier hits a dropkick for a breather. Hang on though as DJZ has to hit the horn for some noise. Xavier goes after Ishimori with a flip dive so Trevor comes in, only to be tossed as well. Fantasma is in next and hurricanranas Dezmond into the corner. DJZ tags himself in and hits a springboard missile dropkick as the fast tags continues.

Fantasma hits a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker on DJZ but Lee is in with a clothesline to put him down. The fans want Cage, possibly because they know the match is over as soon as he comes in. Lee makes the mistake of forearming Cage in the face and the fans tell him that he f***** up. A belly to back suplex gets two on DJZ but he rolls over and makes the hot tag off to Cage so pain can begin.

Cage starts throwing people around and moonsaults Lee for two. Xavier and DJZ superkick the heck out of him though and Cage is down on the floor with Ishimori moonsaulting onto him for good measure. The DDT from DJZ plants Cage again and DJZ has to save Dezmond from the Thrill of the Hunt.

Ishimori’s spinning kick to the head gets two on DJZ but Cage is back in. Just to show off, it’s a fall away slam to Fantasma and a Samoan drop to Ishimori at the same time. Lee comes back in with a crossbody for two, leaving Fantasma to suicide dive Dezmond. Cage is back in with Weapon X on Ishimori, followed by the Drill Claw to end Dezmond at 12:58.

Rating: C. Total spot fest here with the right ending as Cage needs a win like this. They’re placing him into a good spot and if that means he’s going to be a top name, I can live with that very easily. It’s not like the rest of the division has much left to do so let these guys be cannon fodder. That’s all well and good and the Drill Claw still looks awesome.

Allie is ready to get her hands on Su Yung and prove that she’s not a paper champion. She’s proven herself time and time again and is ready to go it again here. Tonight, she fights for her redemption.

Taya Valkyrie vs. Kiera Hogan

Taya runs her over to start but gets sent outside for a walk around the ring as Tessa Blanchard joins commentary. She’s officially a Knockout and the announcers seem very happy. Back in and Taya shoves her way out of the corner and slowly kicks away while shouting trash talk.

Taya chokes a lot as Tessa talks about how she’s the real wrestling royalty around here because she has the real wrestling pedigree. A hard knee to the face knocks Kiera silly for two but she gets in a jawbreaker for a breather. We go split screen so we can look at Tessa talking as Kiera gets two off a double stomp to the back. Taya folds her in half with a Saito suplex for two more and Kiera is rocked again. The Road to Valhalla is good for the pin on Hogan at 8:15.

Rating: C. I liked this a little more than I was expecting to but the focus being on Blanchard made this feel a lot more like an Impact match than anything else. Tessa is a good addition to the roster though, which needs all the help it can get at the moment. Not too bad, even with the stupid split screen involved.

Petey Williams is talking about his odds of winning the X-Division Title when Scott Steiner comes in to talk numbers. See, the best years of his career were when Petey looked like him, because it made his wife want to make love. Scott: “How is your wife anyway?” They’re going to Cracker Barrel after the show.

We recap Matt Sydal vs. Petey Williams. Sydal has become enlightened and won the X-Division and (now defunct) Grand Championship. Petey on the other hand pulled down a briefcase and was champion ten years ago, but does have a cool finisher. That’s all there is to this one and that’s not much to go on.

X-Division Title: Petey Williams vs. Matt Sydal

Sydal is defending. Feeling out process to start with an exchange of holds and near falls on the mat as the announcers discuss the history of the shooting star press. Sydal takes him down again though and avoids an early Destroyer attempt, followed by a standing moonsault for two.

Petey is back up and can’t hit the Codebreaker but can hit a Russian legsweep for two. Something like a TKO puts Sydal down but he sends Petey into the corner. It’s WAY too early for the shooting star though and Petey slaps on the required Sharpshooter. Petey gets kneed in the face and a top rope hurricanrana gets two.

Sydal’s shooting star hits knees and the comeback is on. The Canadian Destroyer connects this time but Sydal rolls to the floor. Back in and a super Canadian Destroyer is blocked (because death would ensue) but another shooting star is broken up, only to have Sydal grab a pumphandle rollup to retain at 12:01.

Rating: C+. This was about as good as it was going to get because Williams has nothing more than the Canadian Destroyer. Really, other than that slingshot of his, there’s nothing else to offer. I’m not sure how many times I can make myself care about this story again, but a fresh story might be nice. Sydal winning was the right call though so I have few complaints.

Tommy Dreamer quotes Martin Luther King Jr. to talk about how violence is for everyone and we’re in a new era of wrestling.

We recap OVE vs. Moose/Eddie Edwards/Tommy Dreamer. Sami Callihan crushed Eddie’s face with a baseball bat and bragged about it so Edwards went after the trio. Realizing that wasn’t going to work, Eddie got some friends and we’re getting a six man hardcore match to settle things.

Tommy Dreamer/Moose/Eddie Edwards vs. OVE

Anything goes and the good guys are in street clothes. OVE wastes no time with an early cheap shot attempt, only to get taken down with a hard shot. Eddie dives onto Callihan and it’s time for the wild brawl early on. A trashcan lid to Callihan’s head has Sami in even more trouble as Moose beats on Jake. There goes the ECW chant because it’s still not allowed to die. Dave gets caught in the Tree of Woe but Sami superkicks Tommy down for the save.

Eddie gets sent back first into a chair for two as control changes. It’s time to go after Eddie’s face with Callihan ripping away. The announcers rip on Dayton, Ohio for a bit as Moose and Dreamer are laid out on the floor. Back in and Callihan has a pair of chairs laid on the mat for the All Seeing Eye onto the steel. Moose runs in for the save and it’s time for some high rising dropkicks.

Jake gets a trashcan put on top of him for a running delayed dropkick in the corner. This time it’s Dave making a save but Jake pulls out the duct tape. That earns him a toss through a table at ringside so Dave pours out the thumbtacks. That’s fine with Eddie as Moose lifts Dave up for a powerbomb and the Boston Knee Party from the top drives him down into the tacks.

Dave is placed on a table and Moose tries a splash, only to have Jake dive in with some hands to the head (supposed to be a cutter) and everyone is down. Back in and Sami grabs the Get Out Of Here (double underhook shoulderbreaker) for two of his own and it’s baseball bat time. Cue Dreamer with the barbed wire bat for a shot to Sami’s ribs. The DDT plants Sami but a low blow and small package end Dreamer at 13:05.

Rating: B-. This one depends on your taste for hardcore matches but at least the right guy took the fall. Dreamer was the perfect choice to take the fall as there’s no reason for Eddie or Moose to get pinned. You can have Eddie vs. Sami in the big blowoff later anyway, so this was the right call. Somewhat above average hardcore match but nothing that hasn’t been done better.

Post match Eddie uses the barbed wire to bust Sami open and duct tapes him to the ropes. Eddie rubs Sami’s blood all over himself and loads up the bat but Dreamer steps in. That goes nowhere as Eddie wrecks everyone with a kendo stick. Cue Eddie’s wife Alisha and Eddie hits her with the stick by mistake for the big horrible moment. We hit the Owen Hart voices as Alisha is tended to.

Fenix is ready for the World Title.

Austin Aries, still billed as the Grand Champion and carrying all his belts, felt what Pentagon and Fenix were all about in New Orleans. He knows what they are and they’re not the World Champion. Aries is the new standard bearer of professional wrestling but tonight he could lose the title without losing the fall. He can beat anyone one on one and tonight he’ll beat them two on one.

We recap Allie vs. Su Yung. Allie won the Knockouts Title back and became a bit more serious so Braxton Sutter proposed to her again. Allie said no so Sutter brought in Su Yung, an evil demonic bride, to torment her. Tonight the title is on the line.

Knockouts Title: Su Yung vs. Allie

Yung is challenging and Sutter does her introduction. Su drives her up against the ropes to start but Allie gets in a few shots of her own. Sutter grabs the leg though and Allie gets tied in the Tree of Woe for some kicks to the ribs. A neck snap across the top rope puts Allie on the floor, followed by a flip dive to crush her again.

Back in and Allie scores with a Codebreaker for a breather. That’s enough to get her fired up and Allie hits a running forearm to a seated Yung. The Best Superkick Ever connects but Sutter gets on the apron for a distraction, earning himself a right hand. Yung loads up the Panic Switch but Allie reverses into a sunset flip to retain at 7:17.

Rating: C. This was an Impact match and I can’t say I’m surprised. Allie retaining the title is a good call but I’m not sure where she goes from here. She just beat Yung clean and even beat up Sutter in the process. I’m not sure how that necessitates a rematch so it’s off to Rosemary in theory, which is similar to what we just saw. Not bad, but nothing that needed to be on pay per view.

Post match Su is livid so Sutter proposes to her. Su seems to continue it but takes him down with a Mandible Claw.

The announcers recap the show.

Slammiversary is in Toronto on July 22.

We recap the main event, which again focuses on Alberto walking out. With him gone, Aries needed a challenger so we get a rematch from the WrestleCon show, which is really about all they could do.

Impact Wrestling World Title: Austin Aries vs. Pentagon Jr. vs. Fenix

Aries is defending. We hit the trash talk to start (well duh) and it’s Aries starting fast with a bunch of chops all around. Remembering that they’re brothers, Fenix and Pentagon send him outside but Pentagon is right back up with a Sling Blade. Aries is back in and getting kicked in the face soon thereafter, followed by a jumping cutter to Pentagon.

A smart Aries steals the near fall and grabs the Last Chancery, only to have Fenix springboard in with a missile dropkick for the save. Pentagon heads outside and it’s Fenix chopping the heck out of Aries. For a change of pace, Aries chops the head out of Fenix. Aries gets two off a forearm as it sounds like one of the announcers is opening a can. Pentagon comes back in and gets bulldogged for two, followed by the Last Chancery with Fenix making another fast save.

That sends Pentagon outside so Fenix throws Aries at him, earning his brother a hurricanrana. Fenix isn’t about to be shown up though and busts out a corkscrew plancha to the floor to drop them both again. Back in again and Fenix drops a Swanton for two on Pentagon, who pops up to German suplex both guys. He can’t quite break Aries’ arm though as Fenix makes a save. Now why wouldn’t he want the World Champion taken out?

Pentagon beaks up Aries’ running corner dropkick and Backstabs his brother for two. This time it’s Fenix getting back up with a superkick to Aries but Pentagon’s Fear Factor (package piledriver) gets two with Aries making another save. Pentagon is fine enough to block a suicide dive so Aries sends him into the crowd instead.

Back in (again) and the 450 hits both challengers, including Pentagon taking some hard knees. That’s enough for the two of them and it’s time for the brother double teaming, including a double superkick. Pentagon lays Fenix out though and snaps Aries’ arm. The Fear Factor gives Pentagon the pin on Aries and the title at 16:15.

Rating: B. Good match here and that’s all you can ask for in a big time main event. The surprise title change isn’t shocking enough to be too far and you can probably pencil in Pentagon dropping it no later than Slammiversary. That being said, it’s really cool to see Pentagon getting some more exposure like this as he’s been a gem to watch down in Lucha Underground. Strong main event here.

The brothers embrace to end the show.

Overall Rating: B-. That’s your run of the mill Impact pay per view: completely watchable with nothing too terrible and a solid main event. The problem is the same as well though: there’s nothing worth going out of your way to see and it’s just not a stand out show. Impact has definitely shifted more towards finding the safe middle ground and I’ll take that over the train wreck that we usually get. I liked the show enough and wasn’t bored so I’ll take what I can get. Not great, but certainly good.

Results

Aerostar b. Drago – Springboard Codebreaker

Eli Drake/Scott Steiner b. LAX – Gravy Train to Ortiz

Brian Cage b. Dezmond Xavier, DJZ, Trevor Lee, Taiji Ishimori and El Hijo Del Fantasma – Drill Claw to Xavier

Taya Valkyrie b. Kiera Hogan – Road to Valhalla

Matt Sydal b. Petey Williams – Rollup

OVE b. Tommy Dreamer/Moose/Eddie Edwards – Small package to Dreamer

Allie b. Su Yung – Sunset flip

Pentagon Jr. b. Fenix and Austin Aries – Fear Factor to Aries

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of the WWE Grab Bag (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

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IMG Credit: Impact Wrestling

Impact Wrestling
Date: April 19, 2018
Location: Impact Zone, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Josh Matthews, Sonjay Dutt

It’s the go home show for Redemption and I’m really struggling to think of what’s going to be on the card. There’s the three way for the World Title with Austin Aries suddenly needing two more opponents because Alberto El Patron reverted to his high standards of bailing. Other than that though, I’m not sure what there is on the show, save for Scott Steiner getting a pay per view title shot in 2018. Let’s get to it.

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

We look at Alberto El Patron’s press conference fight with Austin Aries on WrestleCon Friday and subsequent no show that night. Instead we saw a triple threat match with Aries facing Pentagon Jr. and Fenix. Aries lost the match and agreed to a rematch for the title at Redemption for the title. Really, that’s their only option and there’s nothing wrong with going this way.

Opening sequence.

Su Yung/Braxton Sutter vs. Fallah Bahh/Kiera Hogan

The villains attack from behind to start but a pair of crossbodies put them down. Sutter dives into a belly to belly from Bahh and there’s the rolling splash for good measure. The women officially get things going as we hear about seeing the Aries vs. Fenix vs. Pentagon match in its entirety tonight. In other words, they’re editing around Alberto, which again is their only option.

Yung actually puts Bahh down and even drops him again with a cannonball off the apron. Back in and Sutter gets a turn with some stomps and a chinlock. A Samoan drop not only gets Bahh out of trouble but sets up the double tag to the women. Kiera butterfly suplexes Yung but she pops up to kendo stick Bahh in the back. When that has no effect, Sutter sends the angry Bahh to the floor, leaving Yung to hit the Samoan driver for the pin at 6:19.

Rating: D+. I really don’t get Bahh. I mean, I get the idea that he’s huge and can move fairly well, but you would think he’s a Yokozuna level guy and that’s just not the case. Maybe he’s just a crowd favorite and that’s fine, especially when they’re not pushing him past the midcard. If he stays there, there’s nothing wrong with that and let the fans have some fun.

Post match Allie runs in and jumps Allie but Sutter’s distraction turns it into more of a fair fight. Referees break it up with no one really getting the better hand.

Clip of Rhyno winning the NWA World Title at Bound For Glory 2005.

LAX isn’t worried about Scott Steiner because he’s so nuts that he might not even show up.

The announcers preview the rest of the show.

Jimmy Jacobs is tired of Johnny Impact being handed everything because of how he looks. What about someone like Kongo Kong? Tonight, Kong is going to rip everything away from Johnny and Johnny won’t be so gorgeous anymore.

OVE is here to destroy everything and this Sunday is about Eddie Edwards, Moose and Tommy Dreamer. This feud still does very little for me.

From Bound For Glory 2011: Kurt Angle successfully defends Bobby Roode to retain the World Title because Hulk Hogan decided that Roode wasn’t right. Somehow they didn’t realize this until after spending months setting Roode up as the new star.

Here’s KM to issue an open challenge. Erg. He lists off a bunch of famous jobbers, even name dropping ECW’s Musketeer, as desired opponents.

KM vs. Brian Cage

KM can’t get out of this and we’re ready to go. Cage dropkicks him in the side of the head to start and hits some corner clotheslines. An apron superplex sets up a top rope elbow and the F5 for the pin at 1:37. KM didn’t get anything in.

Redemption card rundown. The show doesn’t look half bad (though not exceptional), mainly because of the Lucha Underground additions.

Video on Jacobs and Kong. Yeah yeah Jacobs is brilliant and innovative and all that. Kong is still a big fat tub of goo and there’s no fixing that.

Kongo Kong vs. Johnny Impact

Johnny throws some kicks to start as he’s not sure what to do with a monster like this. That’s only going to last so long though as Kong sends him into the corner and gets in a belly to belly. A legdrop misses though and Johnny knees him in the face. The standing shooting star gets two on Kong and Johnny slides through his legs for an enziguri.

Another splash in the corner rocks Johnny but he jumps over the steps on the floor. Instead Kong knocks him out of the air and crushes Johnny against the steps. Kong doesn’t like being yelled at so he throws the referee down and put the steps on the apron. Johnny is lawn darted into the steps to draw blood as the match is a DQ at 7:20.

Rating: D. I can get behind the story here but my goodness KONG IS NOT GOOD. This could be almost anyone in Impact but for some reason he’s getting the spot against any and all common sense. It’s not like Kong is anything special in the ring and it’s not like Jacobs is a great promo. Why is he sticking around at this level?

Video on Allie vs. Yung.

Video on Matt Syday vs. Petey Williams. Sydal is enlightened now thanks to Josh Matthews but Petey has a cool finisher and won a briefcase in Feast or Fired.

Video on Eli Drake and Scott Steiner getting a Tag Team Title shot. I get that Steiner is the replacement for Chris Adonis, but was no one else available? KM perhaps?

Drake is ready to win the titles. Steiner comes in and agrees with him.

We run down the rest of the card.

From Impact Wrestling vs. Lucha Underground.

Austin Aries vs. Fenix vs. Pentagon Jr.

Non-title. Pentagon does CERO MIEDO at Fenix so Aries chills on the ropes. An early exchange of strikes to the face gives us a triple knockdown with Aries being knocked outside Back up and the other two slug it out until Aries is back in with the middle rope elbow to Fenix’s back for two. Aries DDT’s Fenix but Pentagon gives him (Aries) a Backstabber for two at the same time. Pentagon kicks Aries in the ribs to take him down but here’s Fenix with a rolling cutter. With the other two on the floor, Fenix hits a big springboard flip dive to take them both down.

Back in and Fenix flips over Aries before hitting a German suplex for two. They’re certainly moving so far. Pentagon comes back in but gets caught with a neckbreaker across the ropes. The Last Chancery goes on but Fenix makes a save as we take a break. Back with Pentagon breaking the same hold on Fenix as the double teaming begins on Aries. As you might expect, that leads to both of them attempting a pin and the fight is on. A double superkick sends Aries outside and a pumphandle driver gives Pentagon the pin on Fenix at 9:52.

Rating: B. If this is any indication of what these three can do in a twenty minute match, we’re in for a treat on Sunday. The lack of the title being on the line helped here as you would have expected Aries, the biggest American star of the three, to win here but Pentagon is more interesting. It also helps set things up for the pay per view, which isn’t the most thrilling on paper.

A big Redemption hype video takes us out.

Overall Rating: D+. Well, they tried. The lack of Alberto and all the stuff that probably had to be put into the show in his place didn’t help things, but this wasn’t a great show on its own. Some of the stuff is intriguing but at the same time there’s stuff on there that doesn’t make me think this is a major promotion. I mean, really, Scott Steiner in 2018? There’s enough stuff to make me want to watch though and this show highlighted it, but the bad outweighs the good tonight.

Results

Su Yung/Braxton Sutter b. Fallah Bahh/Kiera Hogan – Samoan driver to Hogan

Brian Cage b. KM – F5

Johnny Impact b. Kongo Kong via DQ when Kong shoved the referee

Pentagon Jr. b. Fenix and Austin Aries – Pentagon Driver to Aries

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of the WWE Grab Bag (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

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

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Lucha Underground
Date: October 4, 2017
Location: Lucha Underground Temple, Boyle Heights, California
Commentators: Vampiro, Matt Striker

It’s night number two of Ultima Lucha Tres and they have a big bar to live up to after last week’s main event. The good thing is we’re likely about to move up the card a bit and see some of the bigger stories played out, which is exactly the point of a show like this. Hopefully we get some more of the big story tonight too. Let’s get to it.

The opening video looks at last week’s show and previews tonight’s three matches.

Ivelisse and Jeremiah Crane get in an argument over him having feelings for Catrina. She doesn’t need a man so after she beats up Catrina, she’ll beat him up too. A hard kick to the chest sends Crane into a locker.

Battle Royal

Joey Ryan, PJ Black, Ricky Mundo, Vinnie Massaro, Mascarita Sagrada, Argenis, Mala Surete, Saltador, Paul London, Cortez Castro, Son of Madness, The Mack, Pimpinela Escarlata

For a unique opportunity, which could mean anything. Massaro gets superkicked out to start and the Rabbit Tribe dances around Madness as they are known to do. It actually works as they get together and toss him out, followed by Sagrada knocking Castro and Ryan off the apron for a double elimination. Yep it’s going to be one of those battle royals.

London thrusts his crotch at Escarlata so he bites said crotch and dumps Paul. Suerte and Saltador are out in a hurry, followed by Escarlata kissing Argenis and eliminating him, only to fall out as well. Black kicks Sagrada low (kind of difficult to do) and throws him out. Mack dumps Mundo and a Stunner gets rid of Black to give Mack the win at 3:32.

Rating: D-. I’m really not sure what to think of these battle royals where everyone is thrown out in the span of a few minutes. Most of the people were just there for the sake of being there and it’s not like Mack getting the win was a surprise, though the match was pretty much over before I had a chance to start caring about anything. I get that it’s the point but sweet goodness give it a few more minutes or have less dead weight.

Dario Cueto comes out to announce the unique opportunity: a Trios Titles match next week, but with Dante Fox and Killshot as his partners, assuming they’re still alive.

Catrina vs. Ivelisse

This was set up at the start of the season and we’re just supposed to remember why they hate each other (Catrina cost her her first two Ultima Lucha matches). Ivelisse sprints to the ring and the fight is on in a hurry. Catrina shows some fire though and slugs away into a standoff. Vampiro cheers for a wardrobe malfunction (they’re basically wrestling in swimsuits, which is far from a complaint) as Catrina runs into Dario’s office in a way to fill in some time.

Ivelisse follows her in and gets blasted with a bottle to draw some serious blood. Dario looks out as she carries Ivelisse up the steps and shuts the door in a good visual. A kick to the head knocks Catrina back down the steps and they get inside for a change of pace. Catrina scores with a spear and a double arm DDT before grabbing the stone. That earns her a spinebuster before Ivelisse takes the stone away and knocks her silly. A DDT ends Catrina at 6:17.

Rating: D+. This was far less of a match than it was a spectacle and there’s nothing wrong with that. Catrina has some in-ring experience but that was a long time ago so there’s no point in trying to do more than this. Ivelisse beating her was all that matters and it felt like a big fight, though I could have gone with a lot more. It’s a shame that Ivelisse was injured for so much of Lucha Underground as I would have loved to see what else she could have done.

Post match Crane runs in and hits Ivelisse’s ankle with a hammer, allowing Catrina to steal the stone again.

We run down the remaining card.

Fenix vs. Marty Martinez

Mask vs. Hair. They slug it out to start until Mariposa grabs Fenix’s leg. The distraction lets Marty grab a belly to belly superplex and send Fenix outside. They switch places in a hurry though and Fenix tries a dive, only to have Marty pull Mariposa into the way instead. That’s it for Mariposa and she’s out, with a double middle finger to Marty. Back in and Fenix kicks her in the head, only to get taken down again.

Marty rips half of the mask off but settles for a powerbomb instead. Fenix is dropped face first onto an exposed buckle and the blood is flowing again. A TKO gets two on Fenix but he’s right back with a rolling cutter onto the apron. The mask is pretty much worthless now as you can see half of his face, making it a glorified eye patch. There’s a Lethal Injection to drop Marty but he’s right back up with a running clothesline to put both guys down.

Marty goes up top for some reason, allowing Fenix to pull him back down with a Spanish Fly to knock both of them silly. They slug it out from their knees until Marty hits a running curb stomp for two more. That sends him over to a lunchbox to find some scissors. That’s enough to get Melissa onto the apron for a low blow, allowing Fenix to hit something like a Kinshasa to the back of the head. A springboard 450 with Melissa climbing on top as well ends Marty at 12:22.

Rating: B-. I can go for a match based on emotion and that’s what we had here. These two beat the heck out of each other than that’s all it needed to be. Fenix is one of the unsung heroes of this show and that’s a very valuable thing to have. The fans buy into him and want to see him win, especially with the Melissa stuff. Fun match here but the ending is what matters most.

Marty tries to bail but Mariposa blasts him in the head with something made of metal. She even handcuffs him to the railings and the big haircut ends the show.

Overall Rating: C+. This didn’t have the big match of last week but it was a better show top to bottom. We’re starting to get into the bigger stuff now and the second and third matches were more than enough to make this work. It’s a fun show, but you could cut out something like the battle royal and make it even better. The big time stuff starts next week though.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the Updated History of the Intercontinental Title in E-Book or Paperback. Check out the information here:

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Lucha Underground
Date: September 20, 2017
Location: Lucha Underground Temple, Boyle Heights, California
Commentators: Vampiro, Matt Striker

It’s the go home show for the first (of many) week of Ultima Lucha Tres. Therefore, it’s time to get ready for the biggest show of the year and the card, as long as it is, seems mostly set. The question now is what will we be seeing on the shows, which could be in quite the interesting order. Let’s get to it.

The opening recap, uh, recaps things, like the Gift of the Gods Title match and Melissa Santo being drawn into a mixed tag to deal with the Martinez family.

Fenix is training Melissa Santos for her in-ring debut. She pins him down and asks to take his mask off but he slips out. He says he’s Fenix with or without the mask and he’ll lose everything if he loses it. Melissa says he won’t lose her and bends him back for a kiss.

Famous B. is doing commentary. I doubt he’ll rock the outfits as well.

Dante Fox vs. Texano

Texano yells at B. so Fox jumps him from behind to take over. A big dive to the floor is teased but Fox settles for a moonsault off the apron instead. Killshot is watching from the balcony and Fox throws him a point before hitting a Swanton for two. Texano gets the same off some clotheslines and elbows to the jaw. A cutter out of the corner drops Texano but he’s right back up with the powerbomb. That’s countered as well though and Fox gets two off a crucifix bomb. A tiger backbreaker plants Fox….and B. gets in the ring to declare Texano the winner. The distraction lets Fox grab a rollup for the pin at 5:40.

Rating: D+. This was fun while it lasted but I’m getting tired of this Famous B. stuff. He’s not funny and he’s not interesting but for some reason he’s been around for the entire history of the show. Fox vs. Killshot has serious potential, though that was barely getting any kind of focus compared to the Famous B. stuff.

Texano tries to kill B. but Dario Cueto says no because he needs a ring announcer. Instead he’ll be facing Texano next week at Ultima Lucha. Famous B.: “But I have a broken arm!” Dario: “Then I guess it will be a handicap match!” And that’s why he’s awesome. If Famous B. wins, Texano is his new client.

The Aztec Medallions are turned in before the Gift of the Gods Title match tonight. Dario calls in medics for later.

Marty Martinez/Mariposa vs. Fenix/Melissa Santos

Melissa is uh, shale we say…….sweet goodness what was I talking about again? Mariposa cranks on Fenix’s arm to start until he smacks her upside the head. It’s off to Marty as things speed up, including some forearms and a kick to the head. A Lethal Injection gets two on Marty and there’s a big dive to the floor. Back in and Fenix keeps backing into the corner so Melissa can tag herself in. For some reason it doesn’t count and Marty drags Fenix back to the corner.

Mariposa kisses him before it’s back to Marty for a chinlock. Fenix fights up and shoves Marty into a kick from Melissa. The hot tag brings her in for a top rope seated senton and a double superkick to Marty. Mariposa gets sent face first into Marty’s crotch as Fenix drops Melissa onto Marty a few times for some near falls. Fenix gets crotched on top though and Mariposa ties him to the ropes. Oh this could get bad in a hurry. Mariposa and Marty surround Melissa and it’s an assisted Pedigree for the pin at 8:43.

Rating: C. This was much more storytelling than anything else and there’s nothing wrong with that. Melissa was great for a one off though I’m glad it seems to not be something they’re going with long term. Fenix vs. Marty should be a lot of fun, especially if the women get involved as a bonus. This probably should have been the Ultima Lucha match but I get why they went with it here….I think.

Fenix breaks out and makes the save before anything else can happen.

We run down the Ultima Lucha Tres card.

Gift of the Gods Title: Paul London vs. Mala Suerte vs. Saltador vs. Cortez Castro vs. Drago vs. Son of Havoc vs. Pentagon Dark

One fall to a finish. It’s a wild brawl to start and I’m in trouble trying to keep up with this. Pentagon and Havoc clear the ring to start but Saltador breaks up the showdown. Saltador gets kicked like he owes Pentagon money, only to pop up with a hurricanrana. Drago cleans house for a bit until Pentagon takes care of everyone else and stands tall. London is thrown over the top onto a pile of people as this is just random spots so far. It’s Suerte coming in with a crucifix for two but Drago comes in with his running Blockbuster for the same

Saltador gets his own near fall off a springboard Fameasser but Havoc saves Castro. Drago kicks London down but Saltador comes in to take him down as well. It’s Havoc diving onto various people until London and Saltador double team Pentagon. Not that it matters as he package piledrives both guys, only to have Son of Havoc add a shooting star for the pin on Saltador at the same time Pentagon pins London at 6:44.

Rating: C. I have no idea what to say about a match like this as it’s just carnage until the ending. Havoc and Pentagon winning is fine as you can imagine the next match being added for one of the next four weeks. It’s an entertaining match but don’t waste your time if you want anything more than a spot fest.

Dario makes a ladder match for the title at Ultima Lucha.

Dario gets into a limo to meet Councilman Delgado’s replacement. He has the gauntlet with him but the replacement isn’t happy. Dario suggests that either Jeremiah Crane or Mil Muertes would be a good choice to hold it so we’ll have a triple threat with those two along with Cage for the gauntlet. The replacement is offered to come to the temple next week and a cigar is lit by someone in shadow to end the show.

Overall Rating: C+. We’re to the point now where they just need to do Ultima Lucha and probably end the series once and for all (hopefully not on a cliffhanger). The wrestling wasn’t much of a point here and there’s nothing wrong with that on a show designed to set up the biggest month of shows of the year. Good show but more important for the future than this week.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the Complete 2002 Monday Night Raw Reviews in either E-Book or Paperback. Check out the information here:

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Lucha Underground
Date: August 16, 2017
Location: Lucha Underground Temple, Boyle Heights, California
Commentators: Matt Striker, Vampiro

Now this should be a big one as we have the two semifinal matches in the Cueto Cup tournament. The tournament took a long time to get here but the final four are all possible winners, which makes for a very interesting final four. Other than that we’re a week away from Rey Mysterio vs. Johnny Mundo for the Lucha Underground Title, which should be one heck of a match. Let’s get to it.

We look at how the four semifinalists got here, along with their various issues over the last few weeks. The opening video also focuses on Mysterio vs. Mundo and Captain Vazquez being Catrina’s mother.

Cage is working out when Catrina appears to ask about the gauntlet. She says no one can maintain that much power but Cage says he can do it. He takes a swing at her with the gauntlet on but she vanishes again.

Joey Ryan comes in to see Dario Cueto and tells him that Veneno is Cortez Castro under a mask. Dario is surprised and makes Veneno vs. Sexy Star in a mask vs. mask match next week.

Cueto Cup Semifinals: Fenix vs. Prince Puma

Melissa blows Fenix a kiss during his entrance. They actually go technical to start with a battle over the wristlocks until an exchange of kicks to the face keeps us at a standstill. A slugout puts both of them down again as Vampiro goes on about gypsy boxing. One heck of a superkick sends Fenix outside for a big dive over the top but Fenix reverses the rolling suplexes into a good looking hurricanrana for two. The 619 in the corner sets up a springboard leg lariat for two more but Puma misses the Phoenix splash.

Code Red gives Fenix two so Puma hits a spinning kick to the chest for two. A Lethal Injection drops Puma again and Fenix kicks him in the head rather hard. Fenix gets two more off a snap German suplex and Vampiro goes into a rant on the near fall. Cue Marty Martinez so Fenix dives onto him, only to walk into a reverse inverted DDT driver for a very hot two. The 630 sends Puma to the finals at 10:28.

Rating: B. This is the kind of match that got fans interested in Lucha Underground in the first place and there’s nothing wrong with seeing it all over again. Fenix can fly around with almost all of the best of them but sweet goodness Puma is awesome. He looks so smooth out there and it’s almost impossible to not be awed by what he can pull off.

Mil Muertes is beating on punching bag so hard that it shakes the Temple. Cage comes in and attacks him from behind, including dropping a big weight on his back. Catrina wakes him with the stone and says use the rage on Pentagon.

Cueto Cup Semifinals: Mil Muertes vs. Pentagon Dark

Muertes is holding his ribs on the way in. Pentagon is smart enough to kick away at the ribs to start, including a kick to knock him outside for a big flip dive. Back in and Pentagon hammers away until Mil throws him to the side to take over. Muertes throws him into a fireman’s carry to ram him head first into the post a few times.

Pentagon makes a comeback until Catrina grabs his leg, allowing Muertes to hit something like a spear. An enziguri puts Muertes down for two, followed by the Backstabber out of the corner. Pentagon finally has enough of Catrina and kicks her down, setting up a top rope double stomps to the bad ribs for the pin at 7:30.

Rating: C. This didn’t have time to go very far but that’s the right choice for the finals with Puma vs. Pentagon as a pretty awesome match. Muertes being injured is interesting as well as I’m not sure where they’re going with him at the moment. He’ll be fine as the Catrina pairing works well, but I could go for some more details instead of a lot of the vague stuff they use so often.

Muertes avoids the broken arm thanks to the power of the stone.

Dario is in the ring to introduce Mysterio and Mundo, because he loves it when they talk trash to each other. Mundo comes out flanked by security (makes sense) and makes fun of Rey’s son Dominic, who must have gotten his size from his mother. Johnny asks if Rey is the real dad (well no, which we know from Storytime with Eddie Guerrero) and the fight is on. After security is quickly dispatched, here’s the Worldwide Underground to take Rey down.

Cue Sexy Star, El Dragon Azteca Jr. and the Mack for the save and a big brawl until Rey and Mundo are left alone. Now it’s Puma and Pentagon coming in as Dario watches with a bit of a gleam in his eye. Muertes comes out to take everyone out but it’s Cage (no gauntlet) for the big staredown.

Marty Martinez starts down the ramp but gets jumped by Fenix. The rest of the roster comes out (with the Rabbit Tribe sitting on the balcony as Paul London talks into a carrot because they’re just that awesome) for the fight with Killshot and Dante Fox fighting in the balcony. Puma flip dives onto a bunch of people, leaving Rey to hit the 619 and hold up the title to end the show. This was GREAT with some incredibly intricate stuff, including all of the roster being right where they were supposed to be. That’s some outstanding planning and it worked very well.

Overall Rating: A-. And that is the kind of show that made Lucha Underground the hottest wrestling show around in the first place. The action was great, the closing angle was outstanding and I REALLY want to see next week’s show. I haven’t felt that way about Lucha Underground in a very long time and it’s nice to have that back. The finals and title match have the potential to be excellent and Ultima Lucha Tres, with whatever they’ll have for that, is going to be amazing. Great show this week and worth watching for the brawl alone.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the Complete 2002 Monday Night Raw Reviews in either E-Book or Paperback. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2017/07/21/new-e-bookpaperback-kbs-complete-monday-night-raw-2002-reviews/

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

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

Lucha Underground
Date: August 2, 2017
Location: Lucha Underground Temple, Boyle Heights, California
Commentators: Vampiro, Matt Striker

The tournament is really starting to pick up and that means it’s time to start winding it down. We’re three weeks away from the finals and at the moment, we’re down to just eight to go. On top of that, the build towards Johnny Mundo vs. Rey Mysterio for the Lucha Underground Title is really taking off. Let’s get to it.

The standard opening recap gets things going with a focus on the title match and Mysterio vs. PJ Black from last week.

Dario Cueto brings Matanza some raw meat while saying that Matanza is shaken by his recent loss. If he doesn’t control his human desires, the powers of the gods will be taken from him. Matanza refuses the food.

Cueto Cup Quarterfinals: Pindar vs. Fenix

Melissa still seems to have a thing for Fenix. Pindar wastes no time in kicking Fenix down and hammering away. A backbreaker gets two but Fenix flips out of a second one and kicks Pindar in the head. Fenix tries to get all fired up but Pindar charges into the corner to crush both Fenix and his comeback.

One heck of a monkey flip sends Fenix flying and a double underhook spinning slam gives Pindar two. That’s enough for Fenix as he elbows Pindar in the jaw and muscles him over for a German suplex. Melissa is openly cheering for Fenix now and a springboard C4 (or close to one) sets up the top rope double knees to advance Fenix at 5:18.

Rating: C. Fenix winning is the right idea as he’s a valuable person to have in the tournament. While he isn’t likely winning, there’s the slightest chance that he could pull off a big upset and win the whole thing and that makes his matches more interesting. Even if he doesn’t win, whoever beats him is going to get a big rub as a result.

The Worldwide Underground comes in to see Dario with Jack Evans’ jaw wired shut. The short version: next week Taya/PJ/Jack are getting a Trios Titles match and they’re all involved in the Gift of the Gods title matches (there are a series of medallions, whoever gets all of them together can cash in for a Lucha Underground Title shot).

Cueto Cup Quarterfinals: Dante Fox vs. Prince Puma

They run the ropes to start with Puma flipping all over the place and avoiding a dropkick, only to have Dante take him down with a dive. That’s fine with Puma who hits a dive through the ropes and another over them to really wake the crowd up. Fox is right back up and tries a running shooting star off the apron but gets caught in the air. That’s fine with him as he spins around into a tornado DDT on the floor. The fans are all behind Puma as Dante chokes him on the ropes like a villain is supposed to be doing.

Puma jawbreaks his way to freedom but gets caught in a twisting suplex for two. A 619 in the corner into a springboard crossbody gives Puma two of his own as the Fox chants are starting to sprinkle in. Fox is right back with a springboard Codebreaker for two, followed by a pinfall reversal sequence. One heck of a Blue Thunder Bomb gives Puma two and he snaps off some running knees in the corner.

Puma misses a charge though and Fox hits a slingshot dropkick. Fox’s 450 hits knees though and both guys are down again. Some kicks to the head and a brainbuster give Puma two more. A reverse exploder suplex of all things plants Fox again but he STILL kicks out. Puma has finally had it so a shotgun dropkick into the corner sets up the 630 to put Fox away at 11:03.

Rating: B. Now that’s more like it. This was a match where they just kept hitting each other with bigger and bigger spots until one of them couldn’t get up. Puma is of course the right call for the win here and it makes sense to have him go one gear further than Fox. There’s a good chance that Puma is winning this thing, especially with the extra gear he’s had in recent weeks thanks to Vampiro.

Post match Killshot comes in and hits something like a One Winged Angel before saying it’s not over between them.

Captain Vazquez (Cortez Castro’s boss) isn’t happy with him getting crushed by Cage, but to be fair Cage is a god. Cortez says no man alive can get the gauntlet away from him. He leaves and Vazquez agrees but looks at her half of the medallion.

Johnny Mundo vs. El Dragon Azteca Jr.

Non-title and Rey Mysterio’s family is in the crowd. Mundo can’t get a suplex so Dragon smacks him in the chest. An enziguri drops Johnny and he bails to the ropes for a staredown. A hurricanrana sends Johnny to the floor but he catches a flip version and plants Dragon on the floor with a spinebuster.

Back in and we hit the chinlock for a bit before Mundo rams in some shoulders in the corner. A backdrop puts Mundo on the floor though and that means a BIG flip dive over the top to take him down. Back in again and some kicks to the face give Dragon two more, only to have Johnny grab a standing C4 for two of his own. Dragon’s super victory roll of all things gets two more but he gets pulled off the top, setting up the End of the World to give Johnny the pin at 9:00.

Rating: B-. Dragon Azteca is good but he’s clearly a step or two behind some of the top names. Having Mundo beat Mysterio’s protege is good storytelling though and you can tell there’s going to be something involving Rey’s family to wrap things up. I really like how they’ve been setting up the title match as it feels like something important that they’re actually building for a change instead of just doing it all of a sudden. You don’t get that enough anymore and it’s working for me.

Post match Johnny wraps a chair around Dragon’s neck but here’s Mysterio for the save. Johnny bails and Rey leaves but Mundo comes back. Since Rey apparently isn’t watching, Mundo gets in Rey’s son Dominic’s (who has grown WAY up) face and here’s the Worldwide Underground to beat Dominic down, including a belt shot from Mundo.

Fenix and Melissa Santos seem to be getting rather comfortable in the parking lot with Melissa asking if Fenix ever takes that mask off. He says on special occasions and they leave together. Marty the Moth Martinez is shown watching from the shadows and promises to take Fenix’s mask.

Overall Rating: B. I had a great time with this show as it flew by but more importantly it made me want to see the big show in three weeks. The tournament finals should be a lot of fun and there’s a major match on top of it. They’re also starting to tie some of the bigger stories together for once instead of having things all over the place. That’s plagued this season horribly and it would be a great thing to fix, which it seems like they are for the time being.

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