Rampage
Date: September 2, 2022
Location: Now Arena, Chicago, Illinois
Commentators: Jim Ross, Excalibur, Chris Jericho

It’s the final show before All Out and now we get to find out who else is in the Trios Titles tournament final. Hangman Page is subbing in for the injured Evil Uno, who was taken out by a pair of crutches shots on Dynamite. With that rather intense injury out of the way, let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

Trios Titles Tournament Semifinals: Best Friends vs. Dark Order/Hangman Page

Page and Orange Cassidy kick things off as Don Callis is on commentary. Hold on though as Danhausen gets in to tease a curse to Page but gets ejected. Then Cassidy gets on Page’s back like a horse, only to be flipped down to set up the hands in his pockets. Page misses a clothesline so the other four come in, meaning the Best Friends get to hug. Then the Dark Order try their own hug, only to be sent into each other.

Soul Food into the half nelson suplex drops Silver before he gets sat up top. Cassidy can’t do a Tower of Doom so Page pulls Silver down like a damsel in distress, leaving Cassidy to hit the lazy kicks. Silver takes the bullet for Page before Cassidy picks up the pace with a superkick. Trent’s tornado DDT drops Page and everyone is left down.

We take a break and come back with Page launching Reynolds over the top onto the Trent and Chuck. Page pulls Cassidy out of the air and hits a fall away slam before missing a dive by taking out Page by mistake. A double chokeslam puts Page through a table on the floor but it’s Silver getting to clean house. Some kicks rock Cassidy inside but he grabs the Stundog Millionaire.

One heck of a clothesline turns Cassidy inside out but he’s back with the Beach Break for two. The assisted splash gets two on Silver with Page having to make a save. Trent takes Page up top, where Page flips out of a belly to back superplex. The Deadeye gets two on Cassidy with Chuck making a save this time. Silver Stuns Cassidy but Silver can’t hit the German suplex. Instead Cassidy small packages Silver for two and the Awful Waffle gives Chuck the same. The Orange Punch hits Page and Chuck clotheslines him to the floor, only to have Silver grab a rollup pin on Chuck at 12:12.

Rating: C+. I really wasn’t big on the comedy in the first few minutes but then they cranked it up and had the usual insanity that comes with these matches. What matters is getting Page to All Out, because he needs to be in there with his friends/non-friends the Young Bucks. That’s the main story of the whole tournament and whether you like it or not, this had to happen to get us there.

Eddie Kingston is ready to face Tomohiro Ishii again because he has not walked that King’s Road path. Uh, yay.

Rey Fenix vs. Blake Christian

Christian blocks a kick to the face to start and snaps off a spinwheel kick. Back up and a dropkick sends Fenix into….a nip up so we can have a standoff. A rope walk wristdrag takes Christian down but he’s fine enough to hit a handspring kick to the head to send Fenix outside. The running flip dive drops Fenix again but he’s fine enough to chop away. A spinning knee to the face sets up the Black Fire Driver to finish Christian at 2:22. Short and packed with stuff.

The Jericho Appreciation Society interrupts Hook, who is ready to fight. They’ll fight on Sunday instead.

Sammy Guevara/Tay Melo vs. Ortiz/Ruby Soho

Non-title rematch from last week Ortiz and Soho lost last week. Ortiz avoids Sammy’s charge to start and hits some crossface shots in the corner. Soho kicks Melo from the apron and we take an early break. Back with Soho’s arm having been banged up during the break but Ortiz avoids a springboard.

A powerslam plants Sammy and it’s off to Soho for some STO’s to Melo. Soho hits a bunch of headbutts and a knee to the face as everything breaks down. Ortiz hits a running backsplash for two on Sammy but he catches Soho in a wheelbarrow. Melo adds the DDT for two but Ortiz flips out of a double suplex, leaving Soho to roll Melo up for the pin at 7:40.

Rating: C+. They were moving rather fast out there but I could go for not doing the same match twice to set up a rematch, likely for the titles. That is something out of WWE’s playbook and these matches aren’t good enough to overcome the bad idea. At least Soho go a win, though a rollup over Melo in a bit of a mess isn’t some kind of a game changer.

Don Callis interrupts the Dark Order/Hangman Page and talks down to Page, who is held back.

All Out rundown, now featuring a rubber match between Tay Melo/Sammy Guevara vs. Ortiz/Ruby Soho. That’s three times in ten days.

Earlier today, we had a sitdown interview between Athena and Jade Cargill, with the Baddies. Jade isn’t worried about Athena, who says that Jade needs to take her more seriously. That’s still not working for Jade, who Kiera Hogan thinks should be called #37. A lot of trash is talked and Athena leaves.

Here’s the rest of the All Out rundown, because it’s fifteen matches long.

Video on CM Punk vs. Jon Moxley. Punk really likes saying CHICAGO.

We get a face to face interview between the Acclaimed and Keith Lee/Swerve Strickland. Billy Gunn promises that the Acclaimed is winning, while the Acclaimed brag about how their accomplishments. Swerve gets serious and says they aren’t going to put up with Acclaimed being silly. The champs are the rocks of this division and rocks beat scissors.

Here are FTR and Wardlow for a chat, with Chris Jericho forgetting the Motor City Machine Guns’ name (“Detroit Machine Guns”) on the way to the ring. Dash Harwood is impressed by the fans’ cheering and talks about a time that he felt worthless and unloved. Then it was 2022 and the fans got behind him, which turned everything around. Not everyone is going to love FTR but that is ok.

There are some journalists (he means Meltzer) who are asking why the All Out six man tag is taking place. Well it means a lot to him because he’s looking in the rear view mirror of his career. There are three things you don’t mess with in life….but here are the Motor City Machine Guns, Jay Lethal, Sonjay Dutt and Satnam Singh.

The Guns brag about being from Detroit and Alex Shelley talks about how great FTR may be. What they don’t have though is the respect that the Guns have. Dutt promises to mess with Harwood’s friends, money and family, which has Dutt calling Harwood’s daughter a brat. Harwood has to be held back to wrap things up. Wardlow didn’t actually say anything.

So this was a segment that happened and all it did was show that A, the match isn’t interesting and they threw in the Harwood/Dutt thing to try to make it matter, and B, Wardlow has lost all momentum that he had from the spring and early summer. Harwood talked about people asking why the match was taking place and yeah, it’s a valid question.

The match feels COMPLETELY tacked on as a way to get FTR and Wardlow onto the show. FTR should be in a big title match but instead they’re getting this for whatever reason. It’s not interesting and all three of them deserve FAR better (yes the Machine Guns are great but they’re thrown in here too rather than having a dream match with FTR be built up as it could have been).

QT Marshall isn’t impressed by Ricky Starks and thinks he won’t be worth anything without Powerhouse Hobbs behind him. Starks is ready to beat him up and walks over to knock on a locked door, which seems to contain the Factory. Marshall panics and eventually comes to get them out, only to get jumped by Starks. They fight into the arena and through the crowd before getting in the ring for the bell.

Ricky Starks vs. QT Marshall

After a break less than thirty seconds in, we come back with both of them getting up for the slugout. Starks grabs a springboard tornado DDT for two but the Factory tries a distraction. Marshall is slipped a watch but misses a big shot, leaving him to settle for a rollup with feet on the ropes for two. Starks takes out the rest of the Factory but gets a rope kicked low on the way back in. Marshall’s Diamond Cutter is countered but the second attempt connects for two. Back up and Starks hits the spear, setting up Roshambo for the pin at 7:03.

Rating: C. It was intense while it lasted but there is only so much you can get out of Starks beating up the Factory in about three and a half minutes shown. The good thing is that Starks has FINALLY beaten up the Factory, though I have no idea why the team needed to be involved in this story in the first place. The match was just a way to get Starks on the show though, so it was only ever going to be so good.

Post match Powerhouse Hobbs comes out to brawl with Starks. Bryan Danielson comes out to stare at Jericho to end the show.

Overall Rating: C+. The fact that this was a go home show for a pay per view helped things out a bit but otherwise, this wasn’t exactly a great week. What mattered here was setting up the Trios Titles match and apparently adding a fifteenth match to the pay per view card. I’m not sure why that is the case, but none of this show is going to matter once All Out starts. Pretty skippable show this week, but not a disaster.

Results
Dark Order/Hangman Page b. Best Friends – Rollup to Chuck
Rey Fenix b. Blake Christian – Black Fire Driver
Ruby Soho/Ortiz b. Sammy Guevara/Tay Melo – Rollup to Melo
Ricky Starks b. QT Marshall – Roshambo

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Dynamite
Date: August 31, 2022
Location: Now Arena, Chicago, Illinois
Commentators: Jim Ross, Excalibur, Taz

We’re four days away from All Out and it would be nice to have a main event announced. I would certainly hope we know who that is this week, but the question now is which way they go. There is a good chance that it is a rematch with CM Punk, but other than that, is there another option outside of maybe Hangman Page? Let’s get to it.

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

Here is Jon Moxley to get things going. Moxley says let’s talk about it: he had 57 minutes left in him last week but CM Punk didn’t. Last week, we found out what Punk was made of and it turned out that Moxley didn’t care. Champions never fold and it just didn’t work out for him. Moxley knows this is Punk’s town but he has no sympathy. That’s last week though and now he has a signed open contract for All Out, which he will leave in the ring. He’s not sure who he’s going to face and he really doesn’t care. Cue Ace Steel, Punk’s mentor, who grabs the contract and takes it to the back.

Chris Jericho is ready for Bryan Danielson on Sunday. Daniel Garcia comes in to say that he is loyal to the Jericho Appreciation Society and wants to see Jericho crush Danielson at All Out. Works for Jericho.

Jake Hager vs. Bryan Danielson

Chris Jericho and William Regal are on commentary. Hager hits him in the face to start but charges into a boot in the corner. The guillotine goes on but Hager powers out without much trouble. They head outside with Danielson’s suicide dive being cut off and Hager hitting a running spinebuster through a table. Back in and Danielson can’t grab a kneebar as Hager elbows him in the face.

We take a break and come back with Danielson firing off the kicks to the chest but getting hammered with more heavy forearms. That’s pulled into the guillotine, which is countered into something like a powerbomb to drop Danielson again. Danielson is fine enough to pull him into the LeBell Lock, which sends Hager over to the rope. Back up and Danielson hits the running knee for the pin at 10:45.

Rating: B-. That’s what Danielson does best, as he got the most out of Hager by playing to his strength and making the match that much better. Hager does not exactly have the best track record in AEW but Danielson made it work. Nice match, as Danielson continues to show what a master he is every week.

Post match the Jericho Appreciation Society runs in for the beatdown but the Blackpool Combat Club makes the save. Jericho tries to come in with a chair but Daniel Garcia takes it away. The distraction lets Danielson hit another running knee.

Here are the Wingmen to complain about not being around much lately. From now on, Dynamite is their show, but here is W. Morrissey (better known as Big Cass) to wreck things. Stokely Hathaway comes out and seems to have a new client. Tony Schiavone stops them in the aisle and asks Hathaway what’s up with all of the business cards. Hathaway says none of his business and grabs Tony for daring to say it is AEW business. Morrissey had a Sid like energy in Impact Wrestling but I don’t know if that is going to work in AEW.

Will Ospreay and Aussie Open are in the back when Don Callis comes in to praise him a lot, saying he knows it’ll be different than the last time Kenny Omega gave him the One Winged Angel.

Britt Baker/Jamie Hayter vs. Hikaru Shida/Toni Storm

Rebel is here with Baker/Hayter. Shida hammers on Hayter to start so it’s off to Storm, who gets taken down with a jawbreaker. Baker comes in and we take an early break. Back with Shida getting the hot tag to start cleaning house but Baker takes her down with a neckbreaker for two. A basement superkick nails Shida but the Stomp misses. Shida gets in a shot of her own though and goes outside to distract Hayter. Storm comes in with a running hip attack and takes out Hayter again. Shida’s spinning kick to the head finishes Baker at 7:34.

Rating: C+. This didn’t have time to do much as a good chunk of it was in the commercial. Shida getting the pin boosts her up a bit for the title match but I don’t exactly see her having much of a chance on Sunday. Having her win in a tag match is a good way to go, even if there wasn’t much to see here.

Kip Sabian talks about how brilliant his box on the head plan was and how he took it out on Pac. Now they are meeting on Sunday for the title.

Miro/Sting/Darby Allin are ready for the House Of Black.

Here is CM Punk, looking rather emotional. Punk talks about breaking his foot on June 1 and wrestling a match on it anyway. His doctor said he “pulverized” the bones so he had a bunch of plates and screws put in his foot during a June 8 surgery. After saying the number of screws he had put in his foot is more times than this fat guy in the front row has been screwed in his life, he talks about his loss last week. His foot was completely cleared last week but it’s a new 100%. What he doesn’t know is if that 100% is good enough and he doesn’t want to let his fans down.

Maybe that love just isn’t enough anymore, but here is Ace Steel to interrupt. Steel explains who he is (thank you) and doesn’t know what Punk is doing here. The two of them are family and Punk didn’t let his family down last week. Punk filled an arena up on a rumor last year and now he is going to get up and fight on Sunday.

Steel pulls out the contract for Sunday and says sign it (possibly dropping an F bomb in there). Punk takes off his jacket and says people have been trying to kill him since he was born with a cord around his neck. Moxley isn’t a man who can do it because THIS IS CHICAGO and, as Punk goes into the crowd, he declares WE ARE CHICAGO and signs. So yeah, this whole story has been about the live crowd instead of the people watching at home, which is one of those AEW tropes that needs to go away.

Earlier today, Jim Ross sat down between Christian Cage and Jungle Boy with the rule of no physicality. Christian says he is here to make money instead of being Jungle Boy’s father. Jungle Boy isn’t looking for a father, and on Sunday, Christian is going to fight Jack Perry. Good closing line there and the name change would not be a bad idea.

Wardlow/FTR vs. Silas Young/Ren Jones/Victor Capri

Wardlow and Jones start things off and we don’t waste much time getting to the dominance. After Harwood takes over on Capri, a two movement Powerbomb Symphony finishes him off at 1:59.

Here is Moxley to say that if that is what Punk wants, that’s what he can have.

10 is injured and out of the Trios Title match so here is Andrade to offer to buy him if he’ll take the mask off. Evil Uno says no, so Andrade hits him with a crutch. Then Jose the Assistant….either tazes 10, who doesn’t move, or just threatens to do it. I think it’s the latter, which would be a lot better.

Rush vs. Rey Fenix vs. Dante Martin vs. Wheeler Yuta

William Regal is on commentary. Rush powerslams Fenix to start and Martin snaps off a Code Red for two. The big series of dives is on, with Rush wiping out Fenix on the landing. We take a break and come back with Fenix spinning Martin into a knee to the face, followed by a spinning powerbomb for two. Rush makes the save but gets sent outside, leaving Martin to drop Fenix with a poisonrana. Fenix pops up to catch Yuta on top, only to get sent outside. Yuta misses a top rope stomp to Martin but pulls him into the Seat Belt for the pin at 7:57.

Rating: B-. I know I say this a lot for a match like this but you know exactly what you’re getting with this style. Everyone not named Rush can wrestle that style just fine and he was there for the power to offer a different way to go. I was thinking Martin would get the pin here but at least they didn’t talk about the idea of building momentum for ten minutes.

The Dark Order needs a partner and Hangman Page is willing. You knew that was coming.

Trios Titles Tournament Semifinals: United Empire vs. Elite

That would be Will Ospreay/Aussie Open vs. Kenny Omega/Young Bucks. Omega and Osprey slug it out to start and everything breaks down. The Bucks’ dives onto Aussie Open on the floor are pulled out of the air, leaving Ospreay to hit a VERY twisting dive to take them out.

We take a break and come back with Aussie Open beating on Matt, who hurricanranas his way to freedom. The hot tag brings in Omega to start cleaning house but the V Trigger is blocked. The Oscutter is blocked as well and Ospreay snaps off a hurricanrana to send Omega outside. Ospreay misses the Space Flying Tiger Drop and gets kicked down, leaving Aussie Open to hit a double delayed vertical superplex for two on Omega.

We take another break and come back with Nick cleaning house but having his 450 hit Ospreay’s raised knees. The snapdragon drops Nick and it’s Omega vs. Ospreay with the forearm slugout. A sitout powerbomb plants Omega HARD, leaving Aussie Open to load up the assisted Oscutter but Matt countered into a cutter of his own. Omega is back up for the triple knees to the head but Ospreay makes a save. A shooting star Meltzer Driver (just go with it) gets two on Matt but Omega’s V Trigger is broken up. The spike Indytaker gets two more and there’s the V Trigger into the One Winged Angel to finish Davis at 18:53.

Rating: A-. This is a great example of a match that isn’t for me but I get why it is taking place. This was tailor made for the AEW audience and the fans are going to eat it up. The flips and dives worked very well and it was incredibly high energy, which is the kind of match you had to expect take place here. I don’t think there was much in the way of question about the winner, but Omega vs. Ospreay is going to be a big match down the line and it should be a blast.

Overall Rating: B+. They got this one right and built up All Out rather well. I’m not wild on how they got to Punk vs. Moxley II and AEW still has issues with rushing through things as fast as they can, but it is certainly not boring and that is a great thing to see. Very fun show this week and it got some stuff done, so it’s quite the success.

Results
Bryan Danielson b. Jake Hager – Running knee
Hikaru Shida/Toni Storm b. Britt Baker/Jamie Hayter – Spinning kick to Baker
Wardlow/FTR b. Victor Capri/Silas Young/Ren Jones – Powerbomb Symphony to Capri
Wheeler Yuta b. Rush, Rey Fenix and Dante Martin – Seat Belt to Martin
Elite b. United Empire – One Winged Angel to Davis

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

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Dynamite
Date: August 17, 2022
Location: North Charleston Coliseum, Charleston, West Virginia
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Taz

We’re closing in on All Out and the big story from last week saw AEW World Champion CM Punk return after a two month absence. You can probably pencil in Punk vs. Jon Moxley for the main event of All Out, but that is still a few weeks away and we have something big tonight. In this case, that would be a mystery partner in the Trios Tag Team Titles tournament, which will absolutely be a surprise and not the most obvious reveal in recent memory. Let’s get to it.

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

Since this show is a crossover with HBO’s House Of The Dragon, the opening video is tied together with clips of the series.

Here is CM Punk to get things going. Punk says he’s trying trying to keep his tough guy face on tonight but the fans are making him too happy. For now though, he has something to deal with so he wants Hangman Page out here right now for a rematch. No one comes out so Punk dubs it coward s*** instead of cowboy s***.

Punk talks about how everyone talks a lot until it’s time to do champ s*** so now let’s move on to Jon Moxley. He knows what it means to be in a big match situation and there is always a guy who has someone’s number. Punk is Moxley’s guy and Moxley is the third best guy in his group, which is a reoccurring theme in his career. Moxley talks about breaking bones and drinking blood but in the last six months, the only person to break bones is Punk, and those were his own.

Moxley’s best friend Eddie is the third best Eddie he’s been in the ring with and the second best Kingston he’s ever shared a locker room with. He’s looking forward to beating Moxley in Chicago, but that won’t even be the best John he has beaten in Chicago for a title. Cue Moxley, who says Punk’s mouth is writing checks that his body can’t cash. The title on Punk’s shoulder isn’t worth anything and neither is this one that he’s carrying, at least until he beats Punk.

Moxley says he is the heart and soul of AEW but Punk says he’ll be the dollars and cents. Moxley: “We both know you only came to AEW because you ran out of money.” The fight is teased but Punk would rather wait for the pay per view so Moxley doesn’t bleed all over him. The fight is on and they slug it out until security breaks it up…which takes a few attempts but they finally get them apart. They both had some great lines here and I’m more into the match than I was before.

Powerhouse Hobbs says he doesn’t like Ricky Starks and has something planned for him. The Factory will get theirs too.

Ricky The Dragon Steamboat (as opposed to Ricky The Tupperware Salesman Steamboat) is the guest timekeeper.

Daniel Garcia vs. Bryan Danielson

2/3 falls and Chris Jericho is on commentary. Feeling out process to start with Jericho hyping up what a technical showdown we’ll be seeing. Both of them try for some grappling but neither can get very far. We go to a standoff and take a break. Back with Danielson hitting a running dropkick in the corner and going for a cross armbreaker.

That’s blocked so Danielson switches to something like a Regal Stretch but they get to the ropes for the break. Garcia suplexes him on the floor and brings him back inside, setting up a piledriver to plant Danielson. A dragon sleeper has Danielson knocked out for the first fall at 9:19.

Garcia isn’t done and hits a chop in the corner, does Danielson’s pose, and hits the running corner dropkick as we take a break. Back again with Danielson (bleeding) grabbing a rollup to reverse a hold for the second fall to tie things up at 15:07 (total). Danielson ties him in the Tree of Woe and fires off some kicks, setting up a German superplex to rock Garcia.

The missile dropkick rocks Garcia again and he is sent outside, where they have a tug of war over a posting. That goes badly for Danielson, who gets sent into said post and has to beat the count back in at nine. We take another break and come back again with Danielson winning a slugout but getting taken down for some stomps to the head. Those are broken up and Danielson pulls him into the LeBell Lock for the tap at 25:52.

Rating: B. Heck of a fight here as Danielson gets his win back, but Garcia saves some face by winning the first fall. Garcia is getting a push as of late and losing a 2/3 falls match to one of the best AEW has to offer isn’t going to hurt him. Danielson needed the win and should be set for his All Out match wit Jericho. Rather good stuff here and the time flew by, which is always nice.

Danielson shows respect post match and Garcia accepts it, but Chris Jericho runs in to jump Danielson from behind. Garcia pulls Jericho off and the fans tell him that he’s a wrestler.

Keith Lee and Swerve Strickland are ready for Private Party, who are now ranked #5. They’ll fight on Rampage.

Tony Nese comes out for a match but Jon Moxley jumps him from behind. Moxley calls out CM Punk to fight right now so here is Punk for the first. The brawl is teased but security and the Blackpool Combat Club breaks it up (with Claudio Castagnoli manhandling Moxley).

Chris Jericho isn’t pleased with Daniel Garcia and wants a face to face meeting with him next week to see where he stands. Ricky Steamboat comes in to rehash his issues with Jericho and suggests that Bryan Danielson would be a better mentor to Garcia. Angelo Parker gets in Steamboat’s face and gets chopped.

Gunn Club vs. Varsity Blonds

Colt 45 finishes Garrison at 27 seconds.

Post match Billy Gunn talks about how great that was and how proud he is of his sons. Cue Stokely Hathaway to smile at the Gunns….who turn on Billy. The Acclaimed run in for the save. Scissoring ensues.

Jay Lethal, Sonjay Dutt and Satnam Singh are ready for Wardlow and FTR.

Death Triangle is ready for the United Empire next week.

Here is Jungle Boy for a chat. He wore a shirt a few weeks ago and was told to never wear it again (it involved Christian and a bit of a derogatory term), but he is too preoccupied with trying to hit Christian. Over the weeks, he has tried to hit Christian Cage with his fist, a chair and a car but can’t make it work. So how about he hits Christian at All Out?

Cue Christian to say no match but he wants to make this work. He wants everything to be ok with them and make amends. The hug is teased but Jungle Boy takes him down and hammers away. Jungle Boy stomps him on the steps and then rams Christian’s head into them over and over. Security makes the save. Good stuff from Jungle Boy once the action started, but he would be better suited by going with something like Jungle Boy Jack Perry, as Jungle Boy isn’t the most serious name.

FTR and Wardlow are ready for Jay Lethal and company. Dax Harwood will take Jay Lethal next week.

Toni Storm vs. KiLynn King

They go to the mat to start until King drops her over the top rope for a top rope knee to the face. That sends Storm outside, where King has to block a tornado DDT and drives Storm back first into the apron. We take a break and come back with King hitting a powerbomb for two but Storm sends her into the corner. The running hip attack, now dubbed Sweet Cheeks Music (no) sets up a pendulum DDT to finish King at 6:46.

Rating: C. I’ve always liked King so it was nice to see her getting a spot here. Storm seems to have righted the ship a bit and odds are she is going to be getting the title shot at All Out against Thunder Rosa. I’m not sure how well that is going to go, but Storm needs a big win at some point or the potential she has is going to fade in a hurry.

Video on the Trustbusters vs. Best Friends.

Here’s what’s coming on future shows, including Jon Moxley vs. CM Punk….next week on Dynamite. Ok then.

Trios Title Tournament First Round: La Faccion Ingobernable vs. Young Bucks/???

The mystery partner is…..Kenny Omega, who is in very little way a mystery. Nick takes Dragon Lee into the corner to start and hammers away before Matt comes in to for the double team takedown. Omega (in a compression shirt and shoulder brace) comes in to hammer away in the corner, with the fans being rather pleased. Lee gets Omega into the wrong corner though and the triple teaming is on as we take a break.

Back with Matt not being able to hit his rolling suplexes, so both sets of brothers fight over them instead. Andrade comes in to stomp on Matt some more and we take another break. We come back again with the hot tag bringing in Omega to clean house, including on Andrade, who seems to be favoring his shoulder.

Everything breaks down and the Bucks hit the dives to the floor. Omega loads up the Rise of the Terminator but Lee breaks up the dive (which might be a good thing). Jose the Assistant breaks up another dive attempt and Omega gets held up on the barricade for a SCARY dive from Lee. Back in and Andrade hits his double moonsault for two on Omega with Matt shoving Rush into the pile for the save. The V Trigger knocks Lee silly and a not so great One Winged Angel finishes Lee at 20:49.

Rating: B-. This is a weird one to grade as it was all about Omega, and that made it tricky. Omega did look rusty and that is completely fair given how long it has been since he has been in the ring. Completely healthy or not, he hasn’t wrestled a match in front of people in over nine months and that is going to take some time to get back to normal.

Other than that, there was a grand total of no way the Bucks and Omega were losing here, meaning it was a good bit of waiting until the expected finale. It also doesn’t help that Andrade seems to have hurt his shoulder/arm, so things might have been even slower than usual. Not a bad match at all, but they were working with some serious limitations.

Omega and the Bucks celebrate as Andrade and Rush turn on Lee (whose mask comes off) with about five seconds left in the show.

Overall Rating: B. This was a rather good show and I liked most of what I saw with the whole thing. What we got here was a few rather strong matches and a big surprise match set up for next week, along with some build to All Out. They did what they needed to do here, but I’m really curious about what is going to headline All Out with Punk vs. Moxley taking place next week. Overall, positive show here as they did what they needed to do.

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

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Death Before Dishonor 2022
Date: July 23, 2022
Location: Tsongas Center, Lowell, Massachusetts
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman

Ring Of Honor is back and that should be a good thing. The company certainly has a history and it is nice to see that history continuing, but there has only been a limited build to the show on AEW TV. Then again, Ring Of Honor has always been about the in-ring work more than anything else and maybe that is enough to make the show work. Let’s get to it.

Zero Hour: Colt Cabana vs. Anthony Henry

JD Drake is here with Henry. Cabana takes him down by the arm to start but Henry spins out and strikes away in the corner. A sunset flip is blocked and Henry twists Cabana’s neck around to slow things down. Some more neck cranking sets up some kicks to the chest, which just fire Cabana up. Henry is fine with that and cuts him off with a piledriver for two.

Back up and Cabana grabs a spinning belly to back suplex, setting up the Flip Flop and (slightly delayed) Fly. The Flying Apple sets up a lariat to put Henry on the floor, meaning it’s time for Drake to offer a distraction. Henry sends Cabana into the barricade and drops a frog splash for two back inside. Cabana is fine enough to try the Billy Goat’s Curse, sending Henry over to the ropes. That’s fine with Cabana, who hits a moonsault for the pin at 9:53.

Rating: C. It’s a Colt Cabana match and you probably know what you’re getting with one of those. Cabana isn’t going to be there to have some classic at this point, but rather to wake up the crowd and let them have a good time. That is something he can do as well as anyone else, making him a great choice for the first spot on a show like this. Perfectly watchable match, which did its job.

Zero Hour: Shinobi Shadow Squad vs. Trust Busters

That would be Eli Isom/Cheeseburger vs. Ari Daivari/Slim J. Daivari takes Cheeseburger into the corner to start and it’s off to Slim J, who was around way back in the earlier days of Ring Of Honor. A forearm gets Cheeseburger out of trouble and the tag brings in Isom to pick up the pace. An armdrag out of the corner drops Slim J and Cheeseburger comes back in to work on the arm.

That’s too much for Daivari, who offers a distraction from the apron and gets in a cheap shot to put Cheeseburger in trouble. That doesn’t last long either as Cheeseburger gets away again and brings Isom back in so everything can break down. Cheeseburger is sent outside so Slim J can hit a running cutter on Isom. Daivari’s frog splash is good for the pin at 5:30.

Rating: C-. The match was ok enough, but is Slim J/Ari Daivari supposed to be interesting enough to do much of anything? They didn’t show anything to make them stand out here and odds are they’ll be used as cannon fodder for the bigger teams. I’m sure they’ll get some time before then, but that is only going to be so interesting at best.

Prince Nana announces that he has purchased Tully Blanchard Enterprises.

Zero Hour: Tony Deppen/Alex Zayne/Blake Christian vs. Tully Blanchard Enterprises

Prince Nana is here with Gates of Agony/Brian Cage. Deppen marches right at Deppen to start and hits him in the face a few times. You don’t do that to Cage, who hits a Bron Breakker gorilla press into a powerslam to shut that down in a hurry. Kaun comes in with a slingshot hilo to the back but misses a charge, allowing the tag to Zayne. A bit of house cleaning ensues, only to have Toa come in off a blind tag and run Zayne down.

Kaun comes back in and hammers away in the corner, setting up a side slam onto the top turnbuckle. Cage’s apron superplex gets two, with Deppen having to make a save. Zayne tries to fight back and gets wheelbarrow suplexed for his efforts. Another suplex is escaped though and the hot tag brings in Christian for a Phenomenal Forearm.

Christian’s big dive is cut off so Deppen adds his own dive to take the Gates of Agony down. Back in and Cage clotheslines Deppen but gets enziguried by Christian and Zayne. Everything breaks down and Deppen gets all fired up, even if he’s all alone. Kaun’s fireman’s carry gutbuster into something like a Dominator/running boot combination finishes Deppen off at 11:26.

Rating: C. Good action here, but do you really want three monsters like this to need the better part of twelve minutes to beat a thrown together team? The match was entertaining enough as Zayne can fly around rather well and Deppen has enough of a reputation with the fans, but I kept waiting on the dominance and it never happened. At least Nana feels like more of a fit here than Blanchard, which does say something.

Zero Hour: Willow Nightingale vs. Allysin Kay

Nightingale takes her down for an early two and hits an enziguri. Kay doesn’t mind and hits a kick of her own for two as the pace slows down. An STF doesn’t do much to Nightingale as she’s back up with a bulldog. The Babe Breaker is countered into a Kimura but Nightingale plants her down for two of her own. Kay’s sunset driver gets two more but Nightingale kicks her in the face and hits a Pounce. Back up and a gutwrench powerbomb gives Nightingale the pin at 7:49.

Rating: C. Another quick match without much impact here, but it is nice to see Nightingale getting a win. She has so much charisma and it is a lot of fun to watch her, but at some point you have to win something. This might not be some big breakthrough win, though it’s better than taking another loss. Now do something with her and see if you have a star on your hands.

Ring Of Honor World Title: Claudio Castagnoli vs. Jonathan Gresham

Castagnoli is challenging and William Regal is on commentary. Gresham has to avoid the running uppercut in the corner to start but Castagnoli powers him down by the arm. That works for Gresham, who uses his feet to pop the arm and escape. Castagnoli goes with the power again, this time grabbing the legs for the giant swing (complete with an overhead view for a cool change of pace).

Despite the dizziness, Gresham kicks the knee out and ties the legs up for a breather. That’s broken up with straight power and Gresham is kicked outside. Castagnoli’s leg is fine enough for an apron gutwrench superplex. Back up and Gresham kicks him in the leg again, setting up a quickly broken ankle lock.

Castagnoli can’t get the Sharpshooter and it’s another kick to the leg to hobble him again. Gresham gets another ankle lock, sending Castagnoli over to the ropes. A strike off goes to Castagnoli but the knee gives out on the UFO attempt. Gresham’s German suplex gets two but Gresham gets uppercutted out of the air. A heck of a lariat drops Gresham, with Castagnoli getting fired up. Some hammer and anvil elbows set up the Riccola Bomb to give Castagnoli the pin and the title at 11:34.

Rating: B. They didn’t have much of another choice here as Castagnoli has been pushed as a major star since he debuted. You need to give him something solid and the Ring Of Honor World Title would certainly qualify. Gresham was great, but at some point you need to go in a different direction and that is what they did here, albeit in a heck of a match with power vs. technical skills.

Respect is shown post match as Gresham doesn’t seem to be a full on heel any longer. William Regal looks so pleased with Castagnoli’s win.

Daniel Garcia doesn’t like the rules of the Pure Wrestling Title and wants to take it back to AEW and destroy it.

Six Man Tag Team Titles: Righteous vs. Dalton Castle/The Boys

The Righteous (Vincent/Bateman/Dutch) are defending and have Vita VonStarr in their corner. Castle wrestles Vincent down to start but gets sent to the floor for some fanning. Back in and Bateman gets suplexed and Castle slams Brent onto him for two. Dutch comes in to run the Boys over and a suplex gets two on Brent. It’s back to Bateman, who misses a clothesline so Brent can roll over for the tag off to Castle.

Everything breaks down and Castle tosses the Boys over the top onto the champs for a cool visual. VonStarr offers a distraction though and it’s Dutch sending Castle outside. There’s the big running flip dive from Dutch, which is quite the crowd popper. Back in and Vincent’s Death From Above gets two, with Castle having to make a save. Castle takes Vincent outside for a hurricanrana, setting up the Bang A Rang to Bateman for the pin and the titles at 9:35.

Rating: C+. This is one of those matches that worked, even if it was something that could have been cut from the card without missing anything. The Six Man Tag Team Titles have always been a bit of a weird addition to Ring Of Honor but at least they gave us a feel good moment with the popular team getting them back. Not a great match or anything, but it was fun enough while it lasted.

Jay Lethal and company are ready to take the TV Title from Samoa Joe.

Pure Title: Daniel Garcia vs. Wheeler Yuta

Garcia is challenging and William Regal is on commentary. They go technical to start (shocking) with Yuta having to power out of an early arm crank. That means Yuta can put on a cross arm choke but Garcia is up with a headbutt for the break. Yuta gets sent outside for a whip into the barricade, setting up a suplex back inside.

A leg takedown lets Yuta pull him into a bow and arrow as Regal talks about hurting someone’s nose so their eyes water and they can’t see. What a villain he made. Back up and Yuta works on the arm so Garcia bites his ear (Regal: “Good for Daniel.”) for the break. Garcia stays on the ear (there’s something you don’t say often) but Yuta knocks him back, setting up a missile dropkick. A top rope forearm drops Garcia again as we hear about the attendance/pay per view buys, meaning it’s time to praise Tony Khan.

Yuta gets the better of a strike off and a German suplex gives him down. The hammer and anvil elbows rock Garcia but he flips out and hits some of his own. Garcia’s lean back Sharpshooter is reversed into a choke, which is reversed into a Regal Stretch of all things. Coleman: “Did you teach him to get out of your move?” Regal: “What do you think?” After Yuta escapes, a Boston crab sends Garcia over to the ropes for his first break. Garcia loads up some stomps but gets reversed into a quick cradle for the retaining pin at 15:57.

Rating: B. I don’t know if these two are ever going to be breakout stars, but they know how to work this style really well and that is what they did here. Throw in Regal on commentary (that “what do you think” line was great) and this was a heck of a match with both guys working hard and getting in one sweet counter after another. This style can be a lot of fun and they were nailing it here so well done.

Dragon Lee vs. Rush

Brother vs. Brother so they start with a hug instead of a handshake. Rush powers him into the corner to start before they hit the mat, with Rush grabbing an armbar. That’s countered into a rollup for two and they trade shoulders to no avail. Lee kicks him into the corner for a slingshot dropkick but Rush sends him outside for a heck of a running flip dive. The hard whips into the barricade rock Lee again, with Rush insisting that he is TRANQUILO.

Back in and Rush hits some boot scrapes in the corner, setting up a powerslam for two. Lee manages to kick him down though and knocks Rush outside, where he is sat on a table. That means a suicide dive, which drives Rush through the table and thankfully doesn’t end Lee. Back in and they slug it out, with Lee spitting on his hand before a chop. Rush finally takes him down but needs a breather of his own, meaning it’s a double down.

They chop it out on the apron until Lee charges into an overhead belly to belly to the floor (OUCH). Lee is somehow right back up with a hurricanrana and they’re both down again. Back in and Rush counters a charge into an overhead belly to belly suplex into the corner. The Bull’s Horns gets two, as commentary does their best WWE impression by swearing it’s over before the cover.

Lee is placed up top but knocks him into the Tree of Woe, setting up the Alberto double stomp for one. The Incinerator gets two more and Rush is in trouble. He’s in so much trouble that Lee checks on him, allowing Rush to knock him into the corner. The Bull’s Horns gives Rush the pin at 15:36.

Rating: B. This was the kind of hard hitting lucha match where you’re sure that one of them is going to knock themselves silly but it keeps being fun anyway. It’s a different style and the brother vs. brother deal made it even better. Lee is in the same vein as Rey Fenix as he can fly around so fast that it is hard to believe what you’re seeing, meaning it’s quite entertaining as always. That was the case again here, even if Rush’s Ring Of Honor dominance continues to give me some scary flashbacks. Another awesome match here.

We recap Mercedes Martinez defending the Women’s Title against Serena Deeb. They’ll both do anything to win.

Women’s Title: Mercedes Martinez vs. Serena Deeb

Deeb is challenging. They wrestle to the mat to start with neither being able to get the better of things. Back up and Martinez uses the power to run her over but Deeb is right there with an armbar to cut things off. Martinez powers up and hits a spinebuster, meaning Deeb needs to roll outside for a breather. They fight to the apron with Martinez knocking her backwards but getting caught with a hard spear.

Back in and Deeb busts out Diamond Dust of all things for two. Deeb slows things down a bit, which is enough for Martinez to snap off an overhead suplex. That doesn’t go well for Martinez, who gets tied in the Tree of Woe for some choking, followed by something like an abdominal stretch. Deebtox (double arm crank with a bodyscissors) has Martinez in big trouble but she flips her way out with more power.

They fight over a choke on the mat until Martinez is up with a hard shot to the face. Martinez puts her up top for a NASTY German superplex, with Martinez hanging on and not going down as well. Some hard strikes rock Deeb again but the TKO is countered into a rolling neckbreaker. Deeb grabs the Serenity Lock but gets reversed into a cradle for two. Martinez catches her on top with the OG Drop for two, so it’s the Brass City Sleeper to retain the title at 17:19.

Rating: C+. They had a nice story here with the power vs. technical skill, but it never quite hit that next level. The good thing is that they made it work well and the match didn’t feel anywhere near as long as it went. This is the title that needs to stay far away from AEW as it absolutely does not need three Women’s Titles, but it was a lot better than most of the Ring Of Honor women’s division over the years.

We recap Jay Lethal challenging Samoa Joe for the TV Title. Lethal and company took Joe out and kept demanding a title match. At the same time, Lethal is also Joe’s former student and wants to prove that he is the better man. Joe, as you might expect, is mad (in theory, as he hasn’t been on TV in over a month).

TV Title: Samoa Joe vs. Jay Lethal

Lethal, with Sonjay Dutt and Satnam Singh, is challenging. Joe jumps him on the floor before Lethal can even get in the ring and they start fast on the outside. A few cheap shots cut Joe off and Lethal hits his three suicide dives. Lethal’s charge is cut off with a chop but Singh drops Joe and crushes the arm against the post with a chair. They go inside for the opening bell (after a heck of a pre-match fight) but first, the referee ejects Singh.

Lethal goes after the injured arm but Joe manages to send him into the corner for the enziguri. That takes a bit out of Joe as well though and it’s a missile dropkick to give Lethal two. An enziguri drops Joe this time but he’s able to knock Lethal outside. The big dive drops Lethal and the fans are right back behind Joe. A hard clothesline and the snap powerslam give Joe two but Lethal is back with the Lethal Combination.

For some reason Lethal tries his own MuscleBuster, which is knocked away to set up a middle rope leg lariat to give Joe two. Joe’s MuscleBuster is countered into the Lethal Injection for two more and Lethal can’t believe it. Dutt offers a distraction with the lead pipe so Lethal can get in a belt shot for a VERY near fall. Back up and the Lethal Injection is countered into the Koquina Clutch to retain Joe’s title at 12:27.

Rating: B-. I’m not sure what the deal is with Joe at the moment as he has been gone in recent months and then had a shorter than expected match here. It’s nice to have him back, but hopefully he is around a little bit more than he has been recently. Good enough match here, though Lethal losing again isn’t quite a great sign for his future.

We run down the Fight For The Fallen card, including Bryan Danielson’s return to the ring.

We recap the Briscoes vs. FTR. They have a huge rivalry, including their likely Match Of The Year at Supercard of Honor. Now it’s time for a 2/3 falls match to settle the score once and for all.

Tag Team Titles: FTR vs. Briscoes

FTR is defending and this is 2/3 falls. Mark and Harwood take their time locking up until Mark hits a shoulder for a standoff. Harwood takes him down for a change and Mark isn’t sure what to do here. An armbar starts in on Mark’s bad arm and it’s Wheeler coming in to stay on it. Mark armdrags his way to freedom and hits a bit of Redneck Kung Fu to give himself a breather. Jay comes in to stare Harwood down before grabbing a hurricanrana of all things.

Harwood is knocked outside and hang on as he has to be looked at by the doctor. We settle back down to Wheeler chopping and suplexing Jay, setting up a drop toehold. Harwood comes back in to drop an elbow but Jay gets up and brings Mark back in to slug away. That means Wheeler needs a breather of his own but Mark isn’t having that and tosses him right back in. The chinlock goes on for a bit before Wheeler manages to counter a leapfrog into a powerslam.

There’s the tag back to Harwood for the rolling German suplexes but a Jay distraction lets Mark get a rollup for two. The Bang Bang Elbow is blocked by a heck of a clothesline from Wheeler, leaving Harwood to DDT Jay for two of his own. Harwood gets catapulted into the post though and it’s a Doomsday Device to give the Briscoes the first fall at 16:28.

After a quick break between falls, Jay kicks Harwood outside for the hard chops from Mark. Harwood’s chest is busted open (geez) as Jay sends him into the barricade and then takes it back inside for more chops. Mark grabs a headlock of all things until Harwood suplexes his way to freedom. A belly to back superplex still isn’t enough for the tag though as Jay makes a save. Redneck Boogie gets two and we hit the chinlock again.

Harwood fights up and they slug it out until he falls backwards into the tag to Wheeler (nice). House is cleaned with a hard clothesline to Mark, setting up a brainbuster for two. The Gory Bomb gets two more, even as Harwood cuts Jay off. The fight heads outside (Coleman: “Spanish announce table, not us!”) with Mark being sent into various things. A high crossbody gives Wheeler two but Jay gets in a bell shot for a rather near fall (and what feels like a heel turn). The Death Valley Driver into the Froggy Bow gets the same but Harwood flapjacks Mark onto the steps. Back in and the Big Rig to Jay ties us up at 29:35 total.

Wheeler and Mark, both bleeding, trade headbutts with Mark getting the better of things before Rock Bottoming Harwood. Mark and Harwood chop it out on the apron until Redneck Kung Fu drops Harwood to the floor. There’s the apron Blockbuster, setting up a superkick from Jay back inside. The Jay Driller is countered into a hard piledriver for two (and the fans aren’t that interested in the kickout).

Mark is back up so Wheeler has to break up the Doomsday Device. An errant right hand drops the referee by mistake, meaning Jay gets no count after dropping Harwood. Yet another Doomsday Device is broken up so the Briscoes do it again for two on Harwood, leaving everyone down. Back up and Wheeler slugs it out with Mark until they can’t quite suplex each other over the top. That leaves Harwood and Jay to slug it out with Jay getting the better of things.

The Briscoes grab stereo camel clutches but FTR locks hands (ala their match against DIY in NXT) and then grabs the rope for the double break. Mark goes up but Wheeler is right there with a belly to back superplex through a table on the floor, leaving Jay stunned. Harwood and Jay slug it out again until Harwood catches him on top. A middle rope piledriver is enough to finally finish Jay to retain the titles at 43:36.

Rating: A. What else is there to say here? I’d put it just a hair beneath the Supercard of Honor match but it takes something special to go almost 45 minutes and keep it at this kind of a level. This felt like an absolute war, with Harwood hitting the big finisher to finally put Jay down. There was way this couldn’t headline the show and they more than delivered in another Match of the Year candidate.

Post match FTR high fives a bunch of people around the ring and calls in the Briscoes for some respect. Harwood says he f’ing loves this and wrestling saved his life. Call him an f’ing mark if you want but he’ll see you on Dynamite. Top Guys out.

The Blackpool Combat Club comes out to applaud FTR and we might have some new challengers. It isn’t like there is another team worth challenging FTR on the ROH roster so that makes sense.

Overall Rating: A-. As usual, this worked well because they focused on the wrestling rather than the mostly non-existent storytelling. That is where Ring Of Honor tends to shine and it worked very well here. I’m still not sure where Ring Of Honor is going, but they still need their own show instead of just a bunch of one off (and great) events. The main event is more than worth watching, but there is a lot of other good stuff on the show to make it worth seeing. Great show here, and a good next step for Ring Of Honor, assuming they have a path forward anytime soon.

Results
Colt Cabana b. Anthony Henry – Moonsault
Trust Busters b. Shinobi Shadow Squad – Frog splash to Isom
Tully Blanchard Enterprises b. Alex Zayne/Blake Christian/Tony Deppen – Running boot/Dominator combination to Deppen
Willow Nightingale b. Allysin Kay – Gutwrench powerbomb
Claudio Castagnoli b. Jonathan Gresham – Riccola Bomb
Dalton Castle/The Boys b. Righteous – Bang A Rang to Bateman
Wheeler Yuta b. Daniel Garcia – Rollup
Rush b. Dragon Lee – Bull’s Horns
Mercedes Martinez b. Serena Deeb – Brass City Sleeper
Samoa Joe b. Jay Lethal – Koquina Clutch
FTR b. Briscoes 2-1

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Dynamite
Date: July 20, 2022
Location: Gas South Arena, Duluth, Georgia
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Taz

It’s time for the Shark Week show, because corporate synergy is a thing. That means a barbed wire match between Eddie Kingston and Chris Jericho, with the rest of the Jericho Appreciation Society in shark cages. That’s quite the way to go but I’m sure we’ll get something else big tonight. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Brodie King vs. Darby Allin

Sting is here with Allin. They start fast with Allin knocking him to the floor for a suicide dive. Back in and King gets staggered again but is fine enough to shrug off a high crossbody attempt. King swings him around by the pants and Allin is sent outside, followed by some stomping back inside.

We take a break and come back with Allin hitting a suicide flip dive but a charge in the corner is countered into a sleeper. Allin tries to climb the rope but gets caught in the Tree of Woe for his efforts. The Cannonball only hits corner though and it’s a Code Red to give Allin two. Allin spins King over into a weird double arm crank, which thankfully is switched into a choke before I have to try and describe it. With that broken up, King is sent to the apron where he grabs the hanging sleeper. Allin is mostly out but beats the count back in, setting up the Ganso Bomb to give King the pin at 12:29.

Rating: B-. This was a well put together story, as Allin can only go with the fast paced hit and run stuff while King is the monster who can crush Allin with his bare hands. That’s what happened at the end as Allin was overwhelmed, which is the best way to go with these two. Nice stuff here, with King getting a win to boost himself up a bit.

Post match King goes after Allin again but Sting comes in for the save. The Death Drop is loaded up but the lights go out, with Malakai Black popping up. King chokes Sting and it’s the black mist from Black as King chokes him out. Cue Miro to stare down the House Of Black but he doesn’t get in the ring.

Cole Karter is ready for Ricky Stars tonight when Team Taz interrupts. Trash talk is exchanged before tonight’s title match.

Best Friends vs. Jon Moxley/Wheeler Yuta

Orange Cassidy and William Regal are on commentary. Moxley and Beretta start things off with some grappling until Moxley goes for the leg. Yuta comes in to face Chuck and gets shouldered down for an early two as Excalibur goes into a discussion about a trainer from Mexico. Cassidy: “Uh…..sure.” It’s quickly back to Trent to suplex Yuta and forearm him against the ropes. They head outside with Yuta being sent into the barricade as we take a break.

Back with Moxley getting the tag to take Trent’s head off, setting up the hammer and anvil elbows. Some stomps to the head rock Trent but Taylor makes the save. Yuta gets crotched on top and the Awful Waffle hits Moxley. Back to back piledrivers get two on Yuta and the Crunchie is good for the same, with Moxley making a save. Everything breaks down and Moxley Figure Fours Trent on the floor. That leaves Yuta to roll Chuck up (with a rather nifty arm trap) for the pin at 11:50.

Rating: C+. I’m not sure if they’re teasing Cassidy vs. Moxley or Yuta but neither is the most interesting. What matters here is that Yuta got to shine a bit, as he already has a major title defense coming up this weekend. Moxley is a star no matter what he does so letting Yuta get the attention here is a good thing. It isn’t like it happens every often.

Video on Jonathan Gresham vs. Claudio Castagnoli at Death Before Dishonor.

Chompy, the Shark Week mascot, is at commentary for some fin pumping.

Here are Keith Lee and Swerve Strickland for a championship celebration, complete with champagne and cake. The fans sing BASK IN HIS GLORY so Swerve throws in a WHO’S HOUSE. After a YOU DESERVE IT and a plug for a rapper in the front row, Lee thanks Swerve to getting them here. Lee says they don’t look down on anyone so if you want a shot, come get one.

It’s time for a toast, but here are Mark Sterling and Tony Nese with A PETITION. The petition is almost complete but Sterling wants the rapper (Kevin Gates) to sign as well. Gates won’t sign, so Sterling says Gates’ music is terrible. That’s good for a shot to the face, plus a cake to the face from Strickland.

The Dark Order tries to be nice to Butcher and the Blade, even giving them matching BUTCH shirts. That earns them a beatdown, with Hangman Page making the save. Page: “You guys all right???” Silver: “No. We’re pretty bad.”

Luchasaurus/Christian Cage vs. Varsity Blonds

Christian starts with Pillman but hands it off to Luchasaurus before doing anything. House is cleaned so Garrison comes in, only to get beaten up as well. The double chokeslam plants the Blonds and Christian comes in to get the pin at 2:00.

Post match Christian gets on Luchasaurus’ shoulders to celebrate but Jungle Boy is back. Luchasaurus looks at Jungle Boy….and then stands beside him. Christian bails through the crowd with Jungle Boy giving chase.

The Gunn Club doesn’t want a match with the Acclaimed, but Austin Gunn will have a rap battle with Max Caster this week on Rampage. The winner gets to set up the match between the teams.

JR comes out.

FTW Title: Cole Karter vs. Ricky Starks

Starks is defending and sends Karter into the corner for some shots to the face. Karter gets a boot up in the corner and hits a high crossbody before knocking Starks outside. We take a break and come back with Karter missing a 450, allowing Starks to hit the spear to retain at 6:11. Not enough shown to rate, but Karter looked fine, for a wrestler with nothing that makes him stand out in any way.

Post match Starks says he’s got something left so let’s have another open challenge.

FTW Title: Danhausen vs. Ricky Starks

Starks is defending….or at least he was going to as he backs off and says we can do this next week. No match.

Athena and Kris Statlander want titles, with Willow Nightingale approving.

Here is FTR for a chat. They aren’t used to this kind of a reaction, but now it’s time to talk about their upcoming match with the Briscoes. On Saturday, it’s 2/3 falls for the Ring Of Honor Tag Team Titles. FTR respects the Briscoes and what they have done for wrestling, but no one is taking these titles from them.

Harwood talks about a girl with a hole in her heart which could have healed on its own but she might need open heart surgery. Three years went by, and the hole was completely closed. She fought to get better and did it, because that little girl is his daughter. If she can fight that hard, then her daddy has to do the same thing, which is what he’ll do on Saturday. Harwood is going to fight like a girl on Saturday so Top Guys out. To the point with a good story here. That’s all you needed.

Jay Lethal is ready to win the Ring Of Honor TV Title but here is Christopher Daniels to say he’ll fight Lethal on Rampage.

Jade Cargill/Kiera Hogan vs. Athena/Willow Nightingale

Before the match, Stokely Hathaway says Leila Grey can’t compete but Kris Statlander is barred from the ring too. Cargill sidesteps Athena to start and hands it off to Hogan. That’s fine with Nightingale, who runs her over and hits a basement crossbody. Nightingale sends both of them to the floor and hits a running Blockbuster off the apron. Athena dives onto everyone and we take a break.

Back with Nightingale coming in to chop away at Hogan before we get the Cargill vs. Athena showdown. Cargill avoids a dropkick and hits a fall away slam but they both nip up. Some knees to the chest drop Cargill and Athena apron bombs Hogan. A Hathaway distraction lets Cargill send Athena into the steps and it’s Jaded to finish Nightingale at 8:26.

Rating: C. Again, at some point, you might want to make SOMEONE feel like a threat to Cargill because what they’re doing with Athena isn’t working. Cargill has shrugged off almost everything Athena has done and left her laying time after time. Why would I want to see a title match between them?

Thunder Rosa and Toni Storm are ready for Rosa’s title defense next week. Britt Baker and Jamie Hayter come in to laugh at them like the villains that they are.

Here is what is coming on future shows.

Eddie Kingston vs. Chris Jericho

There is barbed wire everywhere, including around the microphone. The Jericho Appreciation Society is in a shark cage and Ruby Soho is in charge of the key and the cage’s lift. Jericho is the Painmaker, complete with spike jacket and barbed wire bat. Kingston grabs the mic and spikes Jericho in the head with it, allowing Jericho to blade on camera.

They fight to the floor with Jericho going into various things, followed by a drop onto the barbed wire ropes back inside. A barbed wire chair to the back has Jericho in trouble but he backdrops Kingston onto a barbed wire board as we take a break. Back with Jericho getting crotched on the barbed wire but Jericho knocks him onto a barbed wire table. Cue Tay Conti to go after Soho but Anna Jay makes the save. Then Jay sends Soho into the post and the shark cage is lowered. Conti opens the cage and the Society gets out to beat on Kingston.

Cue Ortiz and company for the save, allowing Kingston to suplex Jericho through a barbed wire board in the corner for two. The Codebreaker cuts Kingston down for two more and some very weak barbed wire chair shots to the knee keep him in trouble. The Lionsault is cut off by Kingston tossing the barbed wire chair into the….well something on a flying Jericho. The spinning backfist gets two so the Stretch Plum, with barbed wire, goes on. Cue Sammy Guevara to break it up and the barbed wire Judas Effect gives Jericho the pin at 13:10.

Rating: C-. I’m sure there will be quite a bit of variance in the takes on this match but how the heck do you rate something like this? It’s one violent stunt after another and doing one barbed wire deal after another stops having any impact after about the fifth one. If this is your thing I completely get it, but I lost interest a few minutes in and never got it back.

Post match Kingston fights back and tries a spinning backfist to Guevara (which misses completely but Guevara falls outside anyway). That leaves Jericho to be thrown onto a barbed wire board to end the show, with Kingston looking mildly annoyed at the loss.

Overall Rating: C. This show was all over the place with a bunch of different things going on and it is a great example of “your mileage may vary”. They were focusing on some AEW feuds, plus a bunch of Ring Of Honor stuff. The show certainly wasn’t bad, but AEW continues to feel like it doesn’t have anything resembling a top story. There are things they’ll focus on, but nothing feels head and shoulders above the rest. That can work for a bit, but it’s getting a little tiresome in recent weeks. Not their best show, but it felt like more about trying to do too much than a drop in quality.

Results
Brodie King b. Darby Allin – Ganso Bomb
Jon Moxley/Wheeler Yuta b. Best Friends – Rollup to Taylor
Christian Cage/Luchasaurus b. Varsity Blonds – Double chokeslam
Ricky Starks b. Cole Karter – Spear
Jade Cargill/Kiera Hogan b. Willow Nightingale/Athena – Jaded to Nightingale
Chris Jericho b. Eddie Kingston – Judas Effect with barbed wire

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Dynamite
Date: June 29, 2022
Location: Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, Michigan
Commentators: Excalibur, Taz, Tony Schiavone

It’s another major show here as we go from Forbidden Door on Sunday to Blood & Guts tonight. That would be AEW’s version of WarGames, albeit with twelve people this time as the match needs to be bigger, but it does look good on paper. Other than that, I’m not sure what else we have as so much has been put into the New Japan stuff for the last few weeks. Let’s get to it.

Here is Forbidden Door if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

Dig that double ring setup.

Ethan Page vs. Orange Cassidy

Before the match, Dan Lambert complains about the Best Friends being here because they aren’t official managers and we have regulations in his state. Oh and Cassidy is skinny and has no muscles whatsoever. Page starts fast and knocks him down but Cassidy nips up and grabs an armdrag to the floor. There’s the suicide dive, followed by the high crossbody for one back inside. Page is back up with some shots of his own and Cassidy gets knocked into the corner as we take an early break.

Back with Cassidy escaping a Razor’s Edge and then countering another into a hurricanrana. A powerslam cuts Cassidy off but he grabs a Stundog Millionaire and hits the tornado DDT for two. The Orange Punch is loaded up but Lambert, with orange juice, offers a distraction. Cassidy hits some very soft punches and takes the juice, setting up the Orange Punch. The juice is spat in Lambert’s eyes and another Orange Punch sets up the slam (third try) for the pin on Page at 10:57.

Rating: C+. The slam bit was fun and gave the fans something to cheer about, as Cassidy continues his slight rise back up the card. Page is someone with enough name value but nothing going on at the moment so the loss doesn’t really hurt him. Not exactly a great match but it was fun enough to work with a bit of a house show feeling.

Here is Christian Cage for a chat. He has heard a lot of things about saying Jungle Boy’s father was dead last week. Christian hasn’t apologized for many things, but he’s sorry that Jungle Boy’s entire family isn’t dead. Christian: “Well, except for your mom.” Who should call him. As for tonight, he has requested a match, but he never said it was for him. Cue Luchasaurus, with a rather intense new entrance.

Luchasaurus vs. Serpentico

The Snare Trap with a nerve hold finishes Serpentico at 49 seconds. That worked.

Post match Luchasaurus hits a chokeslam on the floor to leave Serpentico laying.

Wardlow and Scorpio Sky have a staredown in the back with Sky saying he beat Wardlow last time. Wardlow says bring every member of American Top Team and the title match is made for next week. We’ll make it a street fight.

Max Caster/Gunn Club vs. Danhausen/???/???

Caster’s rap makes various Michigan references but he won’t let the Club say the city names. Danhausen comes out and he does have some partners.

Max Caster/Gunn Club vs. Danhausen/FTR

Wheeler takes Austin down to start and hits a slam for a bonus. A spank to Austin brings Harwood in to chop away in the corner. Danhausen comes in and gets blasted by Colten as we take a break. Back with Harwood having to save Danhausen and everything breaks down. FTR rolls some German suplexes on the Club until Austin grabs most of the Quick Draw on Harwood for a breather. Danhausen comes back in and tries a GTS on Austin, but Anthony Bowens pops up to his feet (out of a wheelchair). The crutch shot hits Austin by mistake though and Danhausen steals the pin at 9:31.

Rating: C. Well you knew that was coming one day. The Acclaimed vs. the Gunn Club has the potential to be a rather fun mini feud and that is what we are probably going to be getting here. Danhausen getting the pin is going to work almost every chance he gets, as it isn’t like he did anything to earn it. At the same time though, did Caster do anything at all here?

Post match the Gunns and Acclaimed yell at each other but Billy sides with his not-sons.

Sonjay Dutt and Jay Lethal still want Samoa Joe to give him a Ring Of Honor TV Title match at Death Before Dishonor.

TBS Title: Jade Cargill vs. Leila Grey

Cargill, with Stokely Hathaway and Kiera Hogan, is defending and throws Grey down with no effort. Leila’s forearms have no effect and it’s Jaded to retain the title at 1:55. Total dominance.

Post match Cargill says she wants better competition. Stokely says this woman got a chance after the open challenge was on last night at 11:40. So Athena and Kris Statlander are just lazy for not being in the ring here. Cue Athena and Kris to go after Jade but Leila makes the save. The villains stand tall but Leila isn’t getting a handshake.

Grand Slam is back in September.

The Young Bucks talks about how all of their friends are hurt and they have no one here. The only thing they have left are the Tag Team Titles but they have no competition. On Friday though, they can keep the Forbidden Door open a bit, with Hirooki Goto and Yoshi-Hashi getting a shot at the titles.

Jim Ross comes out for commentary on Blood And Guts.

The cage is lowered.

We recap the Jericho Appreciation Society vs. Eddie Kingston/Blackpool Combat Club. The idea is that Kingston doesn’t trust his partners but he needs to take out Jericho and company.

Jericho Appreciation Society vs. Eddie Kingston/Santana/Ortiz/Blackpool Combat Club

Chris Jericho, Sammy Guevara, Matt Menard, Jake Hager, Daniel Garcia, Angelo Parker
Eddie Kingston, Santana, Ortiz, Wheeler Yuta, Jon Moxley, Claudio Castagnoli

It’s WarGames with the opening period lasting four minutes. Then the Society will get the one man advantage for three minutes before they start alternating entrances. After everyone is in, it’s submission or surrender only. Claudio Castagnoli starts for the Club and throws Sammy Guevara over the ropes into the other ring. The running uppercut rocks Sammy, who tries to climb out and gets in a chase around the side of the cage.

Multiple springboards lets Sammy get away to the other ring before they fight between the rings for a change. Back in and the pop up uppercut is countered into a cutter to drop Castagnoli but we pause for a kiss from Tay Conti. Castagnoli loads up the Swing but Daniel Garcia comes in to make the save as we take an early break. Back with Wheeler Yuta evening things up to give Castagnoli a needed breather. A running uppercut/German suplex combination drops Guevara and the Club sends the two of them into some cages.

Jake Hager comes in to make it 3-2 and cleans some house, setting up the battle of the former Real Americans. The springboard corkscrew elbow drops Hager but Garcia is back up to take Castagnoli down. Yuta is back to make a save of his own but the numbers game takes him down. Jon Moxley is in to even things up again, complete with a chair, to start cleaning house again. What looks to be a fork is driven into Garcia’s head to give us the first blood. A Hart Attack of all things drops Garcia and a gorilla press into a cutter drops Guevara.

The Club set up the stereo hammer and anvil elbows (with Moxley’s elbows to Hager looking particularly terrible). Angelo Parker comes in and knows he’s in trouble so he tries to run away as well as he can. That works for all of ten seconds before the Club catches him and starts the big beatdown. The numbers game gets the Society out of trouble but it’s Ortiz coming in to clean house.

We take another break and come back with Menard coming in with a chair of his own to wreck a bunch of people. During the break, Moxley piledrove someone onto broken glass, because that’s what you do during a break. Things even up a bit and it’s Santana coming in with a table and a barbed wire bat to make things even bigger. The blood starts flowing even more, with Moxley pulling out some skewers to stab Menard in the head. Yuta and Garcia stand between the rings and slap each other a bunch until Jericho comes in with Floyd to clean house.

Jericho takes over until it’s Kingston coming in with the kendo stick to complete the field. Kingston walks through the Society with little trouble until Jericho is all that is left. The beating is on so Kingston pulls out rubbing alcohol, which is broken up for the sake of a lack of extreme pain. Conti slips the rubbing alcohol to Jericho as the table is set up between the rings. Hager goes through the table (JR: “SOMEBODY GET THE TABLES!”) and it’s time for the tacks.

Menard is dropped into the tacks as the mat is being ripped off of the ring. Garcia, COVERED in blood, is somehow hanging from the cage outside of the ring as we take another break. Back again with Jericho dragging Moxley through the tacks and then putting on the Walls. Kingston makes the save and gets to beat on Jericho, who is sent into the cage. Jericho finds a fire extinguisher to spray Kingston as Tay grabs the key from the referee.

Cue Ruby Riott to go after Tay and the brawl is on. The women are gone so Jericho goes up top of the cage, with Kingston following close behind. Regal: “This is the one thing I couldn’t strategize with anyone about. I’ve never even been on the top rope.” Kingston hits the backfist on top but Guevara joins them on top. A low blow cuts Guevara down and Eddie throws him through the well placed announcers’ table at ringside.

We take another break and come back again with Jericho getting Kingston in the Walls on top of the cage as Claudio climbs up as well. The Walls are broken up Claudio Swings Jericho. Menard comes up for the save but it’s the Stretch Plum to Jericho and the Sharpshooter to Menard for the tap and the win at 46:45.

Rating: A-. This might be the best example of “your mileage may vary” that you’ll see for a very long time as Blood & Guts is one of the most unique matches you’ll find. They had the blood and the violence and it didn’t feel too cluttered (the double ring thing gives it SO much more breathing room than NXT), though the ending wasn’t exactly amazing. What mattered here was having the teams beat the heck out of each other with a bunch of blood (Garcia was COVERED) and violence, as Claudio vs. Eddie continues. Heck of a match, though I’m still not sure if we need weapons in a WarGames match. Just seems like overkill.

Post match Kingston is mad at Claudio for being the one to get the tap. Respect is shown, but Kingston keeps running his mouth. The winners (minus Santana, who was apparently hurt during the match) all get on top to celebrate, for a rather good while, to end the show.

Overall Rating: B+. This is one of the harder shows to rate as it’s pretty much ALL about the main event. Everything else was good enough, but the second half of the show was focused on one match and that worked out pretty well. It’s a bit weird to have it be so sudden after Forbidden Door, but the match had been set up for weeks so it isn’t out of nowhere. Very good show, though as far as what the focus was on, it’s a one match episode.

Results
Orange Cassidy b. Ethan Page – Slam
Luchasaurus b. Serpentico – Snare Trap with a nerve hold
Danhausen/FTR b. Max Caster/Gunn Club
Jade Cargill b. Leila Grey – Jaded
Eddie Kingston/Santana/Ortiz/Blackpool Combat Club b. Jericho Appreciation Society – Sharpshooter to Menard

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

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Forbidden Door
Date: June 26, 2022
Location: United Center, Chicago, Illinois
Commentators: Excalibur, Taz, Kevin Kelly

It’s a special show as we have a host of international guest stars from New Japan coming in for a bunch of big time matches. The main event is for the Interim AEW World Title as CM Punk being stripped of the title was off the table. Other than that, we have a series of title matches which should make for a great show. Let’s get to it.

Buy-In: Hirooki Goto/Yoshi-Hashi vs. QT Marshall/Aaron Solo

Solo and Hashi start things off with Hashi working on a headlock. A running shoulder drops Solo again so it’s off to Marshall vs. Goto, with the latter knocking Marshall around without much trouble. Solo comes back in and cheap shots Hashi though, allowing Marshall to get in a cheap shot on Goto. That lasts all of a few seconds before the big beatdown is on to put Solo back in trouble. Everything breaks down and Marshall’s cartwheel tumbling dive drops Goto and Hashi.

Back in and Goto shrugs off the beating and hits a suplex, followed by a running clothesline to Marshall. The hot tag brings in Hashi to clean house, including a Blockbuster for two on Marshall. Everything breaks down and Marshall grabs a Diamond Cutter for two, with Goto having to make the save. A 450 misses for Marshall and Solo can’t hit his top rope double stomp, allowing the tag back to Goto. The superkick into the fireman’s carry backbreaker sets up a GTR/powerbomb combination to finish Solo at 8:53.

Rating: C+. It was energetic but this went a bit longer than it needed to. Marshall is a good pesky heel but it is a little hard to buy the Factory hanging in there this long. Goto is still a big enough star though and the right guys won in the end. For a warmup match, this did about all you could need it to pull off.

Buy-In: Lance Archer vs. Nick Comoroto

Archer rocks him to start but Comoroto picks him up for a gorilla press. That doesn’t work as Archer slips out and hits a big boot, only to be knocked outside and into the barricade. Comoroto’s collection of forearms just wake Archer up so Comoroto punches him back down. Back up and they slug it out until Archer takes over and hits the rope walk moonsault for two. Comoroto hits a powerslam for two of his own but Archer catches him on top. The Blackout finishes Comoroto at 6:05.

Rating: C-. I’m not sure I get the idea of commentary talking about Archer being in a big role at the G1 Climax tournament and then having him go 50/50 with a low level guy like Comoroto. This didn’t really make me think much of Archer and I’m not sure what the benefits was of adding this in. They didn’t pull an upset, but this didn’t do much for anyone.

Buy-In: Swerve Strickland/Keith Lee vs. El Desperado/Yoshinobu Kanemaru

The fans sing to Lee as he starts with Kanemaru, who doesn’t like said singing. Lee cranks on the arm and sends him into the corner, meaning it’s off to Desperado vs. Swerve. A drop down from Swerve is countered into a quickly broken Brock Lock and Desperado is sent outside. That’s fine with Desperado, who grabs the hold again on the floor.

Back in and Lee comes in again, with Swerve accidentally kicking him in the knee. The leg is cranked back and it’s a DDT for two on Lee. Desperado comes back in for more stomping but Lee kicks him away and brings Swerve back in. A brainbuster gets two on Desperado but he trades running elbows with Swerve. Lee tries to come back in, only to have Desperado kick the rope to keep him on the floor.

Swerve wins a strike off and hits a backbreaker, setting up the rolling Downward Spiral. Lee comes back in and, along with Swerve, gets taken down into stereo leglocks. With those broken up, Kanemaru loads up his whiskey and spits it in Lee’s face. The ensuing rollup gets two but Swerve is back up with a double stomp to Kanemaru. The Big Bang Catastrophe finishes for Lee at 12:03.

Rating: C+. Pretty nice match here, though I could go for Lee and Swerve either splitting up or being a team rather than teasing it for months on end. That is something AEW tends to do far too often and I hope they don’t try it again here. They work well together, but the will they/won’t they stuff is kind of played out.

Post match Team Taz pops up in a sky box to make basketball references and call Lee a broke Phillip Banks. The challenge seems to be thrown out.

Buy-In: DKC/Kevin Knight/Alex Coughlin/Yuya Uemura vs. Max Caster/Gunn Club

After the Acclaimed’s entrance, here is Danhausen with a customized entrance and theme song for the Gunn Club. That sends Austin and Colten chasing after him, leaving Billy and Caster to get beaten up. We settle down to Coughlin cleaning house and Caster getting double teamed to put him in trouble. Billy gets suckered in but Caster fights out of the corner anyway, only to get knocked back down. DKC drops a chop for two but Caster fights out of the corner (again) and hands it off to Billy to clean house. The Fameasser sets up the Mic Drop for the fast pin on DKC at 5:35. Austin and Colten were never even at ringside.

Rating: C. Kind of a weird match here as while the New Japan guys are mostly Young Lions, would it be that big of a stretch for them to give the Gunn Club some trouble? Turning it into a handicap match with Gunn and Caster winning doesn’t exactly make the New Japan guys look great, especially with it being so short. This is one of the matches that could have been dropped without missing much.

The opening video looks at the companies colliding.

No Jim Ross for the show, which might be for the best.

Eddie Kingston/Shota Umino/Wheeler Yuta vs. Chris Jericho/Sammy Guevara/Minoru Suzuki

The winning team gets an advantage in Blood & Guts on Wednesday (which has nothing to do with Suzuki and Umino). Yuta wastes no time in rolling Jericho with some German suplexes and the Crossface goes on. Everything breaks down for a bit and it’s Guevara getting in some shots to Umino to take over. That doesn’t last long as Kingston comes in to face Jericho, who hands it back to Suzuki.

Kingston takes the straps straight down and the fight is on, with Kingston’s chops having little effect. Suzuki drops him with a single forearm so it’s back to Jericho. That’s fine with Kingston, who chops away in the corner and gets in a shot on Guevara for a bonus. Suzuki armbars Kingston over the arm to put him back in trouble, setting up the penalty kick for two. Everything breaks down and the triple submissions have Kingston and company in trouble again.

With that out of the way, Kingston suplexes Sammy out of the air and sweeps the leg out, allowing the tag off to Umino to clean house. Umino sends Jericho outside for a flip dive but Sammy hits a top rope shooting star onto the floor. Kingston adds a dive but Suzuki loads up his own…and of course he isn’t doing that.

Back in and Yuta gets to come in and strike away, setting up a cradle for two on Guevara. Kingston’s backdrop driver sets up the Stretch Plum until Suzuki breaks it up. The spinning backfist drops Suzuki but Jericho German suplexes Kingston. We hit the parade of secondary finishers until everyone is down. The Codebreaker drops Umino but he catches Jericho on top with a super powerslam.

Suzuki makes the save and Guevara hits a GTH on Yuta on the floor. Jericho’s Lionsault is broken up by Kingston so Umino can get two but Tay Conti gets in a baseball bat shot to Umino. The Judas Effect misses though and a tornado DDT into a brainbuster gives Umino two. Jericho has to be saved from the Walls and Suzuki piledrives Kingston. The Judas Effect finishes Umino at 18:45.

Rating: B. This got going rather well and the action was very good, though it did run a few minutes longer than it needed to. Umino being in there all but guaranteed he was taking the fall but he did showcase himself here. Heck of an opener and it got the needed goal so there isn’t much to complain about with this one.

We recap the Tag Team Title match, with the United Empire’s IWGP Tag Team Titles and FTR’s Ring Of Honor Tag Team Titles on the line. They all want to win for the gold and honor.

Ring Of Honor Tag Team Titles/IWGP Tag Team Titles: FTR vs. United Empire vs. Roppongi Vice

That would be Cash Wheeler/Dax Harwood vs. Great O’Khan/Jeff Cobb vs. Trent Barretta/Rocky Romero, Vice is the only challengers and it’s Harwood headlocking Trent to start. That’s reversed into a headscissors and we get an early standoff. Cobb comes in and shrugs off Harwood’s chop so Romero tags himself in, much to Cobb’s annoyance. Harwood fights back but seems to have hurt his shoulder and drops to the floor after handing it off to Wheeler.

The Forever Clotheslines have Wheeler in trouble and Harwood is taken to the back. O’Khan sits on Wheeler’s head in the corner and Cobb adds a swinging suplex to send him into the corner. Wheeler fights out and tries a tag but realizes Harwood isn’t there. Instead he goes with Trent to clean house, but Cobb blocks a tornado DDT. Everything breaks down and the fight heads to the floor, with Trent hitting a running knee off the apron to drop Cobb.

We settle back down to Wheeler chopping his way out of trouble against the Empire. That doesn’t last long as O’Khan chops him down….and Harwood is back, with his shoulder taped up. Harwood comes back in to clean house, including some rolling German suplexes to Cobb. Trent helps Harwood with a double superplex but Wheeler tags himself in to add a top rope splash for two. O’Khan gets to take over on Wheeler in the corner, only to have Romero help on a spike piledriver.

Cobb is back up with a powerbomb to Romero and we hit a parade of knockdowns. The claw slam into a German suplex from Cobb gets two on Trent, who kicks out without any help. FTR gets taken out on the floor and it’s a spike Strong Zero for two on Cobb, with Wheeler diving in for the save. Romero and Harwood trade rollups until an enziguri staggers Harwood. Not that it matters as the Big Rig gives FTR the pin and the IWGP Tag Team Titles at 16:16.

Rating: B. There was some serious relief when Harwood came back out, even if he still might be injured. FTR winning was the right call as it sets up the big winner take all match against the Young Bucks at All Out. The action was there throughout the match and it was a lot of fun, which shouldn’t be a surprise. I don’t know how any team can be better than FTR right now, because dang they are on the roll of a lifetime.

Juice Robinson and Jay White don’t think much of their competition and promise to win.

All-Atlantic Title: Pac vs. Miro vs. Malakai Black vs. Clark Connors

For the inaugural title. It’s a brawl to start (as you might have expected) with Connors knocking Miro to the floor (which you might not have expected), leaving Black to knock Miro into the corner. Miro comes back in to knock Black down, only to have Black come back with the springboard moonsault. Connors comes back in for a kneebar but Miro is back in to clean house. Miro runs Connors down and slams him for two before Black and Miro stomp Pac down.

Black doesn’t like anyone else getting to stomp Pac though and yells at Miro, setting up the required forearm off. With Black knocked to the floor, Pac superkicks Miro and tosses Connors outside as well. There’s the big flip dive to Black, followed by a shotgun dropkick to Miro. Connors comes back in with the German suplexes until Miro knocks him down. Black loads up a table against the barricade and gets in a fight with Miro on the floor.

Connors spears Miro through the table and powerbombs Pac for two back inside, as the fans get behind Connors for a change. Miro is back up though and Game Overs Pac until Black uses the mist to break it up. That means a Black Mass to Miro and a cross armbreaker on Connors, but Pac’s 450 makes the save. The Brutalizer to Connors gives Pac the tap and the title at 15:04.

Rating: B-. This took some time to get going but the ending worked well, with Pac coming in for the save and winning the title. It’s nice to see Pac winning a title for a change, as he hasn’t done much in the way of championships in his career. Connors showcased himself too and has a nice future, but he was in over his head here. Black and Miro need a win, but that mist could be the start of something between them.

Dudes With Attitude vs. Bullet Club

That would be Sting/Darby Allin/Shingo Takagi vs. the Young Bucks/El Phantasmo. And there’s no Sting, though Hikuleo is here with the Club. Hold on again though as we look at the catwalk above the arena….and then Sting dives off the set to take the Club down. We get inside with the bell ringing and Takagi taking over on Phantasmo as commentary dubs the Dudes Los Stingobernables.

Allin comes in and gets caught in the wrong corner, allowing Phantasmo to flip around a lot and hit his back rake. Then Matt flips around, dances, flips some more, and then rakes Allin’s back too. Phantasmo stands on Allin’s crotch in the corner and Hikuleo pulls Sting off the apron for a whip into the barricade. Allin manages to knock Phantasmo away though and the hot tag brings in Takagi.

A snap suplex gets two on Nick Jackson and a pop up Death Valley Driver drops him again. Now it’s back to Sting for the well received house cleaning but he has to no sell Phantasmo’s nipple twist. Hikuleo’s distraction lets Phantasmo punch Sting low though and it’s a Superkick Party. Sting shrugs off the superkicks, clotheslines them both down, and then goes down. The tag brings Allin back in but the Coffin Drop hits Matt’s raised knees.

Everything breaks down and it’s More Bang For Your Buck on Allin, setting up Phantasmo’s rope walk moonsault onto everyone on the floor. Back in and Sting teases a dive, which is cut off by a triple superkick. The BTE Trigger misses though and Sting hits a double Scorpion Death Drop. Now Sting gets to twist Phantasmo’s nipples (Tony: “This is so much fun! Unless someone is grabbing your nipples!”), allowing Takagi to blast Phantasmo with a clothesline for two. Last Of The Dragon finishes Phantasmo at 12:58.

Rating: B-. This was a lot of fun and the lighthearted match that the show needed after three more serious fights to open the show. Sting and Tony were both having fun here and it wound up being good stuff, with Phantasmo getting to be the showcase star. Takagi continues to be great at just about anything so another nice job with this one.

Chris Jericho and his goons jump Shot Umino, setting up the fireball.

AEW Women’s Title: Toni Storm vs. Thunder Rosa

Storm is challenging, making me wonder why she didn’t just win the Owen Hart tournament. Feeling out process to start with Rosa taking her to the mat for a quickly broken headscissors. Back up and Rosa cranks on the wrist before getting two off a crucifix. Storm takes her down for a double arm crank but gets small packaged for two more. It’s time for the slug out with screaming until Rosa knocks her against the ropes.

The running dropkick sets up the northern lights suplex for two more, followed by a double stomp to Storm. They head outside with Rosa snapping off another northern lights but the Death Valley Driver on the apron is blocked. Storm hits a DDT onto the floor, followed by the hip attack and another tornado DDT for two. Rosa is right back with a nasty Fire Thunder Driver for two, followed by the Final Reckoning to retain the title at 10:39.

Rating: C. This got better near the end, but it wasn’t exactly a great match at its best. The sudden ending didn’t help things, and it was another loss for Storm, who can’t take many more of them. They also felt rather rushed here and Rosa continues to not exactly blow anyone away with her defenses. Not a great match here, but they didn’t embarrass themselves or anything close to it.

We recap the IWGP United States Title, as champion Will Ospreay is a major star but might have trouble with Orange Cassidy.

Now JR comes out to join commentary.

IWGP United States Title: Will Ospreay vs. Orange Cassidy

Ospreay, with Aussie Open, is defending but doesn’t have the title with him. Cassidy starts fast with the hands in pockets running shoulders so you know he’s serious. Ospreay is knocked outside for a breather so Cassidy can mock Ospreay’s pose (in slow motion of course). You know that’s too far for Ospreay, who runs around the ring and takes Cassidy down, followed by a hard whip into the corner back inside.

That lets Ospreay get in some situps before we hit the abdominal stretch. Ospreay makes sure to put his hand in Cassidy’s pocket so Cassidy hiptosses his way to freedom. There’s the high crossbody but the tornado DDT is blocked. A top rope forearm to the head drops Cassidy but he collapses before the Hidden Blade can launch. Some Kawada Kicks put Cassidy down again, until he powers up to his feet.

Cassidy, with his hand in his pocket, hits his own Kawada kicks but has to avoid the Oscutter. The Stundog Millionaire into the Michinoku Driver gets two and the tornado DDT sends Ospreay to the floor. A springboard flip dive takes out Aussie Open, setting up the top rope DDT for two. Cassidy catches him on top and sends Ospreay face first into the camera (for a wacky visual), allowing Cassidy to….drop down and avoid a double moonsault.

Ospreay is fine enough to try a standing shooting star press but Cassidy gets the knees up, setting up the Beach Break for a close two. The Orange Punch is countered into the Oscutter for two but the Hidden Blade misses. Stormbreaker is countered into a hurricanrana for two more so Ospreay blasts him with a clothesline. The Hidden Blade gets two more, setting up Stormbreaker to retain the title at 16:10.

Rating: B. They did what they should have done here with Cassidy by not having him do a bunch of stupid stuff. Instead, this was the serious match that they should have had and it worked well as a result. I didn’t quite buy the near falls, but I had a good time with the match and it was probably the best Cassidy has looked in a singles match to date.

Post match the big beatdown is on but Katsuyori Shibata comes in for the save and Ospreay has a new challenger. Shibata shows quite a bit of respect to Cassidy.

Zack Sabre Jr. wanted Bryan Danielson but gets a mystery opponent, which doesn’t matter to him.

Zack Sabre Jr. vs. ???

It’s Claudio Castagnoli, better known as Cesaro, who is now part of the Blackpool Combat Club and will be in Blood & Guts on Dynamite. Claudio starts fast with the running European uppercut and the Neutralizer gets a very fast two. Sabre goes straight to the floor for a needed breather to cool things off a bit, earning himself a whip into the barricade. Back in and Claudio hits a suplex but Sabre gets in a Disarm-Her to slow things down.

That just ticks Claudio off though and he forearms the heck out of Sabre. A rake of the eyes breaks up the spinning torture rack and Sabre is back on the arm. That’s broken up with the deadlift but they crash over the top and out to the floor. Claudio doesn’t let go though and walks up the steps to powerbomb Sabre back inside (because that’s a thing a human can do).

Back in and Sabre grabs a guillotine but gets taken up top to break it up. That’s fine with Sabre, who pulls him into an octopus hold on top. Claudio reverses into a gutwrench superplex and they’re both down for a bit. The Giant Swing is loaded up but Claudio’s arm gives out. Claudio tries a Sharpshooter instead, which is reversed into a heel hook. That’s broken up but Claudio still can’t get the Sharpshooter. A Pele Kick to the arm sets up a sleeper on Claudio, followed by some hard kicks to the chest. Those just tick Claudio off though and it’s a pop up uppercut into the Riccola Bomb to pin Sabre at 18:23.

Rating: B+. This was the Claudio that fans have been wanting to see, as he got to show the fire and then hit a bunch of his signature/power stuff. Throw in Sabre Jr. being able to do just about anything imaginable to someone’s limbs and this was a fun chess match. Eventually though it was Claudio wrecking him for the win and that is how a debut should have gone.

IWGP World Title: Hangman Page vs. Adam Cole vs. Kazuchika Okada vs. Jay White

White is defending and it’s one fall to a finish. After the Big Match Intros, we ring the bell and pause for the fans to cheer a lot. White bails straight to the floor so the other three can fight but Cole winds up out there with him. Cole pitches the alliance but Okada and Page join them on the floor to start the brawl. Page gets double suplexed on the ramp and a neckbreaker drops Okada inside.

Back up and Page whips White into the steps, only to be taken down by Cole. Page fights back again and gets to clean house but Cole superkicks the moonsault out of the air. That means Okada can come back, including the dropkick to knock Cole off the top and out to the floor. The running crossbody over the barricade drops everyone else before they head back inside. Cole’s brainbuster onto the knee gets two on White, who is right back up with the swinging Rock Bottom.

A sleeper suplex drops Cole and White hits another on Okada. Page gets one too but he pops back up with a lariat for the four way knockdown. We get the tag team double forearm off until Cole and White slug it out. Page goes after White but has to deal with Gedo, only to hit the Deadeye. The Buckshot Lariat gets two on White with Okada having to make a save. Page and Okada forearm it out until the Rainmaker misses. A discus lariat drops Okada but Cole breaks up the Buckshot.

The Panama Sunrise is countered into Okada’s White Noise onto the knee but White breaks up the Rainmaker (after the zoom). Cole superkicks Okada for two, earning himself that perfect dropkick. Some more superkicks drop Okada and Page but the Rainmaker misses Cole, as he collapses. Okada gets Sling Bladed, allowing White to pin Cole to retain at 21:04. Something looked wrong there and White was talking to the referee after the match. I don’t know if Cole got hurt or something but that didn’t look right.

Rating: B. That ending didn’t help things as they didn’t get the chance to go to the big climax. What we had instead was a very good match with White escaping again, which is the right call. The lack of a Rainmaker tells me that there was something bad with the ending, so this felt like it was lacking something. The fact that it worked as well as it did is quite the impressive result though, as the talent got to shine.

Interim AEW World Title: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Jon Moxley

For the vacant title. Feeling out process to start with neither being able to get very far. A dragon screw legwhip puts Moxley down though and Tanahashi is starting to get the confidence going. That’s broken up as Moxley grabs a quick cutter, setting up the running corner clothesline. The piledriver drops Tanahashi again and Moxley stomps away, setting up a Texas Cloverleaf (a Tanahashi signature). Tanahashi fights out and hits his middle rope flip splash for two of his own.

The Sling Blade is countered into a whip outside though and Moxley puts him through a table. Tanahashi beats the count back in so Moxley kicks away at the chest. The Sling Blade cuts Moxley down for a change and somehow he’s busted open. A dive to the floor drops Moxley again, setting up Twist and Shout back inside. Moxley manages a suplex though and it’s time for the hammer and anvil elbows.

With those broken up, Tanahashi headbutts him down and hits the high crossbody. High Fly Flow connects but Moxley rolls him into the bulldog choke. That’s broken up so Moxley BLASTS HIM with the King Kong Lariat….for one. The Hammer and Anvil elbows set up a rear naked choke but Tanahashi fights up again. Moxley shifts into another bulldog choke, followed by the Death Rider for the pin and the title at 18:14.

Rating: A-. This was a good example of two guys beating the fire out of each other until Tanahashi couldn’t keep going. The blood was a bit too much and felt out of place, but Moxley winning the title makes the most sense. He is a good placeholder until Punk gets back and people will buy him in the role, so this is the right choice after a great match.

Post match respect is shown but Chris Jericho and Daniel Garcia run in for the beatdown. Eddie Kingston runs in, setting off a string of run ins until the Jericho Appreciation Society beats everyone down. Claudio Castagnoli runs in for the save and gets in a Swing. Kingston yells at Claudio (who he has never liked) and leaves so Moxley’s music can play us out.

Overall Rating: A. I don’t think there was any real surprise that this was an instant classic with one great match after another, though it was lacking THAT match that took it to the next level. It helps that it felt more like a New Japan show, as they cut out a bunch of the goofy stuff and focused on the in-ring action. The talent is there to make it work and this was a fantastic show. I didn’t care for the build but the show delivered on all levels, including time, as they shaved off about an hour from Double Or Nothing. Great stuff.

Results
Hirooki Goto/Yoshi-Hashi b. QT Marshall/Aaron Solo – GTR/powerbomb combination to Solo
Lance Archer b. Nick Comoroto – Blackout
Keith Lee/Swerve Strickland b. El Desperado/Yoshinobu Kanemaru – Big Bang Catastrophe to Kanemaru
Max Caster/Gunn Club b. Yuya Uemura/Alex Coughlin/DKC/Kevin Knight – Mic Drop to DKC
Minoru Suzuki/Chris Jericho/Sammy Guevara b. Eddie Kingston/Shota Umino/Wheeler Yuta – Judas Effect to Umino
FTR b. United Empire and Roppongi Vice – Big Rig to Romero
Pac b. Clark Connors, Miro and Malakai Black – Brutalizer to Connors
Dudes With Attitude b. Bullet Club – Last of the Dragon to El Phantasmo
Thunder Rosa b. Toni Storm – Final Reckoning
Will Ospreay b. Orange Cassidy – Hidden Blade
Claudio Castagnoli b. Zack Sabre Jr. – Riccola Bomb
Jay White b. Adam Cole, Kazuchika Okada and Hangman Page – White pinned Cole after he collapsed
Jon Moxley b. Hiroshi Tanahashi – Death Rider

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

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Dynamite
Date: June 22, 2022
Location: UW Milwaukee Panther Arena, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Jim Ross, Excalibur

We’re at the final Dynamite step before Forbidden Door on Sunday, which could be quite the rough night. Bryan Danielson is making an announcement about his future and it might not be the best news. Odds are we get some more matches announced for Sunday as well so let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Here is Bryan Danielson for the announcement. Tony Schiavone asks about his future but Danielson takes the mic and says he isn’t giving it back. Danielson says this is a great week to be an AEW fan or a professional wrestling fan. This Sunday we have Forbidden Door and then a week later we have Blood and Guts with all of the violence you could want. As for Forbidden Door, Zack Sabre Jr., he wanted to prove he was the best technical wrestler in the world, while Danielson wanted to crush Sabre Jr.’s trachea.

Unfortunately, he isn’t cleared to wrestle at Forbidden Door or Blood and Guts due to what happened at him in Anarchy In The Arena. However, don’t worry about him because he is going to be back. He feels great, he can read 500 words a minute, he can run two miles and not break a sweat and his mind is working at full speed.

As for the near future, he has found the one person to take his place at Forbidden Door and Blood and Guts who can be technical and violent and he will astound you. Who you ask? Well he came out of the bad guy tunnel so he isn’t going to tell you. Tune in on Sunday and you’ll see the greatest technical match of your lives. Sabre Jr. comes out to stare at Danielson but doesn’t say anything.

Jon Moxley is ready for the biggest match of his life on Sunday but he is also ready for the violence next week.

Aussie Open/Will Ospreay vs. Roppongi Vice/Orange Cassidy

Romero can’t get far with Fletcher to start and but he does manage to take him down. Cassidy comes in as everything breaks down, with Romero hitting the forever lariats. Vice and Cassidy do their biceps pose but the triple suicide dives are cut off. Stereo apron bombs have the good guys in trouble as we take a break.

Back with Cassidy hitting the lazy kicks before snapping off a double hurricanrana. A springboard hurricanrana takes Aussie Open down, setting up the triple dives onto Open and Ospreay. Back in Ospreay takes over on Cassidy, who cuts him off with a Stundog Millionaire. Everything breaks down again and it’s the parade of knockdowns until Cassidy hits the Orange Punch to finish Davis at 11:34.

Rating: C+. Cassidy is a very fun guy to watch, but it’s a little hard to get my head around the idea that he is getting to face one of the people who main evented this year’s Wrestle Kingdom. As for Aussie Open, they’re a good example of guys who were added to the mix in recent weeks without much being known about them. They’re the tag team who works with Ospreay and that’s about all I can tell you about them based on how they have been presented, which isn’t a good thing.

Post match the rest of the United Empire comes out for the staredown but FTR (including a Loverboy Dennis Condrey shirt) evens things out to chase the villains off.

Jay Lethal and Satnam Singh want Samoa Joe to vacate the ROH TV Title if he can’t defend it.

Here is Christian Cage for the big explanation. Christian doesn’t think much of Jungle Boy costing him a chance to win the World Title, but then he checked social media and saw what people thought of Jungle Boy. That’s why Christian hitched his wagon to Jungle Boy to try to make a quick buck. He didn’t come here to mentor some new generation but rather to make big money.

Christian offers some free advice: try having a match that people talk about more than two weeks after the fact. Have the match that parents sit their kids down to watch or name a pay per view after. We look at the clip of Christian insulting Jungle Boy’s family last week, which has Christian saying he doesn’t want to be Jungle Boy’s father. Jungle Boy has a father….but he’s dead.

That’s a good thing too, as Jungle Boy’s dad would be sad to see what his son has become. Cue Luchasaurus to choke Christian, who says Luchasaurus is like a son to him. Luchasaurus buys it and they hug, though Luchasaurus might not be entirely convinced. Heck of a promo from Christian here, though I’m not sure on changing things up with Luchasaurus.

We look at Kyle O’Reilly being taken out by Sting and Darby Allin on Rampage.

O’Reilly and the Young Bucks are ready to team up with Hikuleo and El Phantasmo vs. Sting/Allin and cronies.

All Atlantic Title Tournament First Round: Malakai Black vs. Penta Obscuro

Obscuro starts fast and knocks Black outside for a shot tot he face. Back in and Black counters the armbar into a rollup, setting up the Sling Blade for two. Black bails outside where he sends Penta into the barricade as we take a break. Back with Black fighting out of a piledriver on the apron but getting kicked in the head.

They get back inside with Black hitting a jumping knee to the face to send Penta outside, setting up a moonsault. A top rope double stomp gives Black two back inside but Penta catches him with a super Fear Factor. That’s good for a (very) delayed two as Black gets a food on the rope. Penta loads up another Fear Factor but Black escapes and hits Black Mass for the pin at 11:32.

Rating: B-. What else were you expecting here? They hit each other really hard until one of them couldn’t get up anymore. That’s what you should get from a match like this, though I don’t need to see House of Black vs. Death Triangle again for the better part of ever. Good, hard hitting match though, with Black moving on as he should have. I think.

Post match Pac comes in to stare at Black but Miro pops up on screen to promise to redeem all of the pagans and others at Forbidden Door.

Hangman Page vs. Silas Young

Adam Cole is on commentary and this is Young’s AEW debut. Young starts by missing a legsweep but coming back with a few shots. Page knocks him outside and hits the big moonsault as we take a break. Back with both of them getting up until Page knocks him to the floor. A top rope clothesline gives Page two but Young knocks him down again. The springboard moonsault misses in the corner though and Page hits a clothesline. The Buckshot Lariat finishes for Page at 8:43.

Rating: C+. Young can bring it almost every time he’s out there so I’m not surprised to see him do well in his AEW debut. Fans are going to know enough about him to think something of the match but it isn’t like Page beat a hot new star. It was a perfectly fine TV match and I could go for Young getting to do a bit more around here as AEW has far worse options.

Post match Adam Cole says it’s Story Time but Jay White cuts him off. White is looking forward to Forbidden Door, but he won’t be defending against Cole, who lost to Page twice. As for Page….he isn’t getting a title shot either. The fight is on with White getting the better of things, but he turns around to see Cole holding the title. A double team on Page is teased but Kazuchika Okada comes in for the save.

Red Velvet is injured so Stokely Hathaway is looking for a new Baddie.

Kris Statlander and Athena don’t think much of the Baddies because they have Willow Nightingale.

Marina Shafir vs. Toni Storm

Nyla Rose is here with Shafir. They go to the mat to start with Shafir getting the better of things as Storm isn’t quite at that level. Storm gets sent outside where Rose hits a heck of a backsplash as we take a break (with Excalibur being cut off in mid-sentence for about the fourth time tonight). Back with Storm taking it to the floor and hitting a tornado DDT off the steps. Storm sends her into the corner for the running hip attack but Rose offers a distraction. The pumphandle is broken up though and Storm gets a rollup pin at 7:19.

Rating: C. That’s probably Shafir’s best AEW match to date, which isn’t clearing that high of a bar. The best thing that can be said about it is that it felt more natural with Shafir not coming off as so stiff (as in moving better, not hitting hard). Maybe she has shaken off some of the jitters or gotten some pointers, but either way, this was a step up for her and that’s good to see.

Post match Rose jumps Storm and the double teaming is on until Thunder Rosa makes the save.

Darby Allin and Sting are bringing Shingo Takagi and Hiromu Takahashi to even things up at Forbidden Door.

Fenix is ready for Andrade El Idolo on Rampage.

Forbidden Door rundown, with Excalibur tripping over his words.

Lance Archer/Chris Jericho vs. Jon Moxley/Hiroshi Tanahashi

William Regal is on commentary. It’s a brawl to start with Tanahashi taking over on Jericho’s arm. Moxley comes in to take over but a cheap shot takes Moxley down for a change. Jericho catapults Moxley throat first into the bottom rope and it’s back to Archer to keep up the beating.

We take a break and come back with Tanahashi getting the tag to clean house, including the middle rope flipping splash for two on Jericho. Back up and Jericho can’t grab the Walls but manages to knock Tanahashi down and gets the second attempt. Tanahashi breaks that up and hits the Sling Blade with Moxley coming back in to drop Archer. The High Fly Flow gives Tanahashi the pin at 12:00.

Rating: B-. Pretty nice main event style tag match here with the only possible option to take the fall getting pinned. Tanahashi gets some momentum heading into Sunday, though I could have gone without commentary talking about how Moxley needs to defend AEW from New Japan. That’s a very tacked on idea and it isn’t needed for a match like this one.

Post match Eddie Kingston, the Jericho Appreciation Society and a bunch of New Japan guys, including Minoru Suzuki, come out for the brawl. Tanahashi and Moxley stare each other down in the ring as the brawl goes on for more than a few minutes to end the show.

Overall Rating: B-. I’m honestly not sure what to say about this show. We’ll start with the good: there were surprises, most of the wrestling was strong and the ending brawl was really energetic. They added some matches to the Forbidden Door card and gave you more of a reason to watch the pay per view. That’s how a go home show is supposed to go and they did that part pretty well.

Now comes the problem: if you don’t like/know a decent amount about New Japan, this was an absolutely nutty show that probably left you a bit confused. The last month or so has been Tony Khan getting to put his fantasy booking show on national TV (“And then THIS GUY show up but THIS GUY is out as a surprise and it’s a new faction between the two companies and they’re fighting for THIS TITLE but wait here’s THIS GUY and it’s a big fight and there’s an INTENSE STAREDOWN and…..”) and if you’re not into it, you have no need to watch the show.

I get what AEW is going for here and it will sell like gangbusters for their core audience, but I’m not exactly sure how other fans are going to care. This has been one heck of a detour into the inner workings of Tony Khan’s mind and unless you’re completely on board with that, this isn’t going to be your time. Sunday is (probably) going to be a lot of fun but it’s quite a lot of time spent setting that show up.

Results
Orange Cassidy/Roppongi Vice b. Aussie Open/Will Ospreay – Orange Punch to Davis
Malakai Black b. Penta Obscuro – Black Mass
Hangman Page b. Silas Young – Buckshot Lariat
Toni Storm b. Marina Shafir – Rollup
Jon Moxley/Hiroshi Tanahashi b. Lance Archer/Chris Jericho – High Fly Flow to Archer

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

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AND

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

Rampage
Date: June 10, 2022
Location: Cable Dahmer Arena, Independence, Missouri
Commentators: Excalibur, Taz

We are just over two weeks away from Forbidden Door but things have been shaken up pretty hard around here lately. A string of injuries has changed some of the direction in AEW but bringing in some of the New Japan wrestlers should help. That includes this week, as Will Ospreay/Aussie Open are teaming up to face FTR/Trent Beretta. Let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

Eddie Kingston vs. Jake Hager

Kingston strikes away to start but Hager knocks him down with a knee to the ribs. Hager sends him outside before it’s back inside to crank on both arms. They’re already back to the floor with Hager pounding away, followed by some forearms in the corner back inside. The armbar goes on back inside but Kingston fights up. That doesn’t go well for Kingston, who gets chopped so hard that he takes down the straps. Kingston kicks him in the head to take over, only to walk into an overhead belly to belly.

We take a break and come back with Kingston getting in a shot of his own for the double knockdown. Kingston knocks him into the corner for the rapid fire chops but Hager hits him in the face. The Hager Bomb gets two but Kingston grabs a suplex of his own. Kingston’s spinning backfist is countered into a suplex, only to have Hager come back with the ankle lock. Hager’s right hands in the corner rock Kingston, who comes right back with a pair of spinning backfists for the pin at 11:24.

Rating: C+. They had a good, hard hitting back and forth match here and what matters most is that Kingston got another big win. Kingston is starting to put together a streak where you can believe he could take down some bigger names and this should help. Hager might not be a top star, but he has been treated as someone hard to beat so there is some value for Kingston in the win.

Kingston has to be helped out.

Britt Baker is so mad at Toni Storm that she calls Tony Schiavone a dumb***. She doesn’t like Storm touching the Owen Hart Title but more than that, she misses the Women’s Title.

Video on Ortiz vs. Chris Jericho in their upcoming hair vs. hair match.

Satnam Singh/Jay Lethal vs. Besties In The World

Lethal and Vega start things off but it’s already off to Singh. That means the chopping and tossing can begin, with Vega not having many options. Fitchett tries to come in but both Besties get crossbodied at the same time. Singh holds both Besties for a double Lethal Injection to give Lethal the pin at 1:39. Total squash so not much to get out of Singh here, though he looked rather slow.

Danhausen was so proud of he and Hook winning at Double Or Nothing that they have bought matching golf carts. Hook arrives in his to give chase.

Red Velvet vs. Kris Statlander

The other Baddies and Stokely Hathaway are here too. Velvet charges at her outside but gets powerslammed HARD on the floor, allowing Statlander to throw her inside for the opening bell. That leaves Velvet asking the Baddies for advice, which seems to be “CHOKE HER”. Not that it works as Statlander walks up the steps and then the corner before throwing Velvet inside. A high crossbody misses though and Velvet starts in on the leg.

We take a break and come back with Statlander hitting some shoulders to the ribs in the corner. Statlander powers up and hits a very spinning Blue Thunder Bomb for two. Something like a Michinoku Driver gets two but Velvet is back with a running knee to the back of the head. A spinning middle rope corner drops Statlander and Just Dessert gets two. Velvet’s spinning kick to the head is blocked though and Friday Night Fever finishes for Statlander at 8:55.

Rating: C. Statlander is being built up well, even if it seems like she is there to be fed to Cargill. Letting her run through the Baddies is a good idea as that is why you have lackeys, though Athena might be the one getting the big title shot. Cargill has needed some actual challenges though and Statlander could be just that.

Post match Kiera Hogan and Jade Cargill lay Statlander out until Anna Jay comes in for the failed save attempt. Athena comes in for the real save attempt but gets held back.

Miro is ready to hurt Ethan Page and win the All Atlantic Title.

Ethan Page says he looks up to and prays to himself so he is ready to wave the Canadian flag as he beats Miro next week.

The United Empire and FTR/Trent Beretta are ready for the main event and don’t like each other very much.

Here’s what’s coming on upcoming shows.

United Empire vs. FTR/Trent Beretta

That would be Will Ospreay/Aussie Open (Kyle Fletcher/Mark Davis) with Aaron Henare for the Empire. Harwood takes Ospreay down to start but gets run over by a shoulder. Wheeler comes in and gets kind of hurricanranaed down, giving us a standoff. Wheeler gets taken into the corner and it’s off to Davis to toss Wheeler into the wrong corner. Trent comes in and hits a few chops as everything breaks down. The Empire is sent outside and Trent hits an Asai moonsault but comes up favoring his ankle.

We take a break and come back with Trent hitting an enziguri but getting knocked down again by Davis. Fletcher misses a running dropkick in the corner though and the hot tag brings in Harwood to clean house. Some clotheslines set up the rolling German suplexes to Fletcher and it’s off to Wheeler for a powerbomb.

Another German suplex into a jackknife rollup gets two but Aussie Open gets back up to beat Wheeler down. A toss into a cutter sets up Ospreay’s springboard 450 for two. The Oscutter gives Ospreay the same but Wheeler gets away and brings Trent back in. Everything breaks down and Ospreay hits a slingshot dive onto FTR. That leaves Davis to go after Trent, who catches Davis in Strong Zero for the pin at 13:57.

Rating: B. This took some time to get going but the last few minutes were quite good. The Empire didn’t get to showcase itself very much here and that was more than surprising, but at least they did get to beat on Wheeler for a bit. Odds are all three of them will be around for Forbidden Door so there is something of a long term plan here. Good main event, with the guest stars working well before coming up short.

Overall Rating: B-. They went with the wrestling show here and as usual, it was good stuff. The main event took its time to get going but eventually found its gear and the opener was a hard hitting brawl. Statlander got a win and Singh….uh, Statlander got a win! This continues to be more of a supplemental show and thankfully that means cutting out some of the more illogical parts, which works out well as they seem to know what they want from Rampage.

Results
Eddie Kingston b. Jake Hager – Spinning backfist
Jay Lethal/Satnam Singh b. Besties In The World – Double Lethal Injection
Kris Statlander b. Red Velvet – Friday Night Fever
FTR/Trent Beretta b. United Empire – Strong Zero to Davis

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

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AND

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Dynamite
Date: June 8, 2022
Location: Cable Dahmer Arena, Independence, Missouri
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Jim Ross

It’s time for things to get all the more interesting again as this week will include the first half of the process to find a new Interim AEW World Champion. That alone should fill in a good bit of the show, as we get a battle royal and then a Jon Moxley match in the show’s main event. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Casino Battle Royal

This is the battle royal with four groups of wrestlers coming in at unspecified intervals before the Joker is the 21st entrant, with the winner facing Jon Moxley later tonight. We’ll start with the first group:

Clubs: Eddie Kingston, Darby Allin, Tony Nese, Daniel Garcia, Lance Archer

It’s a brawl to start with Archer and Allin being left alone early, though no one is eliminated. Archer shrugs off Allin’s skateboard shot and takes him into the corner so the Diamonds can come in:

Diamonds: Ricky Starks, Jake Hager, Rey Fenix, Swerve Strickland, Keith Lee

We settle into more of a battle royal style brawl as commentary bothers to explain why we’re doing this. Lee knocks Nese out and Strickland gives Lee a hug, leaving Lee to have a staredown with Archer. The clock runs out and we see a JOIN THE DARK ORDER graphic but no one comes out. Lee manages to send out Archer and NOW we get the third group:

Hearts: John Silver, Konosuke Takeshita, Max Caster, Austin Gunn, Colten Gunn

Caster does his rap about various Kansas City things, plus Daniel Garcia and breaking CM Punk’s foot. The ring is getting full and we take a break. Back with the Spades coming in:

Spades: Powerhouse Hobbs, Bobby Fish, Kyle O’Reilly, Dante Martin, Wheeler Yuta

Allin hits a Coffin Drop onto ReDRagon, which isn’t an elimination either. The Gunn Club and Caster stop for a three way scissoring session but Caster gets tossed, as does the Club at the hands of Lee. As Lee poses, Strickland dumps him out and Lee is stunned for a nice payoff. That means it’s time for the Joker to complete the field.

Joker: Andrade El Idolo

Silver and Kingston are both knocked out, followed by Takeshita. Fenix kicks Starks an it’s Strickland and Allin picking up the pace. Fish is tossed and Strickland kicks Allin out, only to get tossed by Andrade. We’re down to Andrade, Fenix, Hobbs, O’Reilly and Yuta with Andrade and Fenix striking each other a lot. Hobbs goes to toss Fenix but Yuta tosses Hobbs out instead and we’re down to four.

A mini tag match breaks out until Fenix kicks Andrade in the face again. Fenix tries a rolling something but gets low blowed by Andrade, setting up the elimination. O’Reilly tosses out Andrade and it’s time to strike it out with Yuta on the apron. Yuta knocks O’Reilly back inside and a dragon screw legwhip slows Yuta down. A running big boot sends Yuta out and O’Reilly wins at 24:53.

Rating: C. I really do not care for this group entrance thing and AEW would be better served by dropping the whole thing. It changes the match far too hard at the drop of a hat and fills the ring up too fast, which is rarely a good idea in a battle royal with staggered entrances. O’Reilly winning is a very smart move, but it came at the end of a somewhat boring match.

Jon Moxley has been going big game hunting in New Japan and Kyle O’Reilly is in there with the wrong man tonight. After tonight, Moxley is heading to Forbidden Door, where he will take over the wrestling world. Moxley: “Love you mom.”

CM Punk has undergone successful surgery.

AEW is introducing the All Atlantic Championship to represent the international stars. And yes, there will be a tournament, with a four way final at Forbidden Door. Here are the brackets:

Buddy Matthews
Pac

Ethan Page
Miro

Penta Obscuro
Malakai Black

New Japan Wrestler
New Japan Wrestler

For those of you keeping track, after Forbidden Door, and not counting other companies, there will be nine recognized titles. AEW does not need another title right now, and certainly not another singles title.

All Atlantic Title Tournament First Round: Buddy Matthews vs. Pac

Feeling out process to start with neither being able to get very far on the arm. With that not working, we head to an early standoff before they both go out to the floor as we take a break. Back with Matthews kicking away and uppercutting Pac to cut off a comeback attempt. Matthews misses a running kick so Pac superkicks the heck out of him. They kick each other down until Matthews drops him face first off the middle rope. A sunset flip is rolled through into a sitout powerbomb for two, leaving them both down again. Pac is back up with a poisonrana, setting up the Black Arrow for the pin at 10:42.

Rating: B. These guys beat each other up and I don’t think that is any surprise. If there is one thing Pac knows how to do well it is the hard hitting style, while Matthews is able to hang with just about anyone. Pac winning is the right move as he is a bigger star, but Matthews held up his own end. Just don’t have the teams fight any more and we should be fine.

Post match Death Triangle and the House of Black come out for a staredown, as Malakai Black and Penta are meeting in the tournament.

Eddie Kingston rants about the Jericho Appreciation Society and doesn’t want to be counted down. He wants Jake Hager on Rampage for a fight and NOW the producer can tell the truck to go to a break because he is done.

Here is Trent Beretta, who is sad that he is alone on National Best Friends Day. His friends aren’t here, but he wants to face FTR again because Roppongi Vice wasn’t beaten. Cue FTR, who likes the idea of the match, but they don’t like Will Ospreay’s b**** boys. Cue Will Ospreay himself and the distraction lets Aaron Henare and Aussie Open run in for the beatdown.

William Regal warns Kyle O’Reilly about what is coming for him tonight. Regal suggests O’Reilly think about his friends and family, which O’Reilly says is all he ever thinks about.

Hangman Page vs. David Finlay

Adam Cole is on commentary. Page shoves him into the corner to start and hits a running shoulder, followed by a big boot to take Finlay down. Finlay is sent to the apron and knocked outside, setting up a heck of a suicide dive. Back in and Finlay takes out the knee to send us to a break.

We come back with Page hitting a fall away slam and a delayed nip up (thanks to the bad knee). Page knocks him down again and takes off the knee pad, only to have Finlay counter the Deadeye. A backbreaker gives Finlay two but Page is right back with a lariat. The Buckshot lariat finishes for Page at 10:22.

Rating: B-. That’s the kind of win you need to give Page to let him bounce back a bit. He didn’t have a good night at Double Or Nothing but he had to work to get a win here. That is enough to show that he still has it and that is what you need to do in this spot. Finlay continues to grow on me and with some more seasoning, he could be quite the something.

Post match Page says he isn’t likely to be in the World Title scene for the time being, because he wasn’t in the battle royal and isn’t getting a title shot. However, there is another World Title, so he wants Kazuchika Okada. That’s enough to get Adam Cole off commentary to say that not only could Okada lose the title to Jay White, but Cole won the Owen Hart Tournament while Page lost. That’s why Cole should be getting the shot, and that isn’t cowboy s***. That’s a promise, boom.

Thunder Rosa issued an open challenge earlier today and Marina Shafir showed up to accept.

Here is Wardlow for a chat and he welcomes us to Wardlow’s World. He specifically asked to be left out of the battle royal tonight, because he only wants to beat CM Punk. When Punk comes back, Wardlow will be waiting for him. For now though, there is another title he wants, and that is the TNT Title. Cue Scorpio Sky, but Dan Lambert and Ethan Page run out to say don’t do that, citing Sky’s bad leg. Wardlow says he’s good with waiting for Sky to be 110% ready. Mark Sterling pops up on screen to say Wardlow can either pay up or face twenty security guards at once next week.

The Young Bucks want their Tag Team Title shot but the Hardys interrupt to remind them what happened at Double Or Nothing. Then Jurassic Express came in, with Christian Cage saying earn a title shot. That’s why next week: we need to have a triple threat……LADDER MATCH.

Women’s Title: Thunder Rosa vs. Marina Shafir

Rosa is defending and starts by working on the arm. With that not getting her very far, Shafir fights up and chops away, only to get clotheslined down. Some knees to the chest rock Shafir but she manages to suplex Rosa down as we take a break. Back with Wardlow hitting some running boots to the back, only to have Shafir grab a pumphandle suplex. A Death Valley Driver gives Rosa two more so Shafir lifts her up, only to get victory rolled to retain the title at 8:10.

Rating: B-. Another good match here and it’s nice to see Rosa getting in another match after missing last week. She needs some more attention and that could very well come in the next few weeks, though I don’t know what she is supposed to do for Forbidden Door. Shafir still isn’t great, but this was a heck of a lot better than the Jade Cargill match.

Post match Shafir jumps Rosa and ties up her leg but Toni Storm runs out for the save. Storm hands Rosa the title and stares a lot.

The Baddies are ready for Red Velvet vs. Kris Statlander on Rampage.

Here’s what’s coming on upcoming shows.

Jon Moxley vs. Kyle O’Reilly

The winner moves on to the Interim Title match at Forbidden Door and William Regal is on commentary. Feeling out process to start until Moxley takes him to the mat for some arm cranking. You don’t go limb grappling with O’Reilly though who pulls himself out, but Moxley stomps him down again. Some more kicks in the corner don’t do much for O’Reilly so he takes the leg out for a breather. O’Reilly ties the leg up in the ropes and hits a top rope knee as we take a break.

Back with Moxley winning a strike off and grabbing a crossface chickenwing. O’Reilly isn’t about to be out done and bites the rope for the break, only to have the rope kicked for a scary shot. Moxley stomps him down but O’Reilly manages a running kick to the chest for a double knockdown.

Back up and Moxley tries a Gotch style piledriver but gets countered into a triangle choke. That’s switched into a kneebar but Moxley elbows his way to freedom. Now the piledriver can plant O’Reilly for two and they’re both needing a breather. They strike it out and trade no sold suplexes until Moxley grabs a bulldog choke. Moxley lets it go and hits a running knee, setting up the Paradigm Shift for the pin at 14:10.

Rating: B+. Oh like this wasn’t going to be good. They beat the fire out of each other until Moxley was the last man standing. This was a fun fight and even though Moxley was all but guaranteed the win, it was a great effort from O’Reilly, who seems to have found his niche here. Maybe now elevate him a bit though? Just to see how it works out.

Overall Rating: B. The wrestling was good (as usual), but there were things going on here that have me shaking my head a bit. While the All Atlantic tournament isn’t worth getting annoyed over, they really don’t need another title around here. Throw in the battle royal to earn a spot in the glorified semifinals for an Interim World Title (which might as well be the #1 contendership in its own right) and there were a lot of things here that had me sighing more than cheering. Also, no major mention of MJF all show, which is definitely interesting

Results
Kyle O’Reilly won a Casino Battle Royal last eliminating Wheeler Yuta
Pac b. Buddy Matthews – Black Arrow
Hangman Page b. David Finlay – Buckshot lariat
Thunder Rosa b. Marina Shafir – Victory roll
Jon Moxley b. Kyle O’Reilly – Paradigm Shift

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