Dynamite
Date: September 8, 2021
Location: Fifth Third Arena, Cincinnati, Ohio
Commentators: Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone, Taz

We’re in for a special one this week as it is the All Out fallout show, which will feature a bunch of wrestlers making their Dynamite debuts, or at least making a special appearance. The next major show is Grand Slam in two weeks and that is going to require some building up. Let’s get to it.

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

Note that I was in the arena for this show, sitting in the lower section, directly opposite the entrance ramp.

Opening sequence.

All Out recap video. Dang that was a show.

Dustin Rhodes vs. Malakai Black

Dustin is fighting for his family/multiple stable mates who have been taken out by Black. They start fast with Dustin hammering him into the corner and snapping off a German suplex out of said corner. Dustin takes it to the floor and keeps pounding but Black drops him hard through a table to put him in trouble. The referee goes to check on him so Black takes off a turnbuckle pad. Back in and Black knees him in the ribs before grabbing a chinlock, which looked like it was supposed to be something else. Black switches over to a kneebar but Dustin gets over to the rope without much effort.

Back up and Black kicks the knee out for two but Dustin fights back up with right hands. The scoop powerslam….seems to be mistimed, as Black holds the rope but Dustin snaps over anyway. Another attempt works better, even if Black is back up at two. Dustin hammers away in the corner but Black kicks the knee out again.

With Dustin down, it’s time to go outside and grab Cody Rhodes’ boot. Dustin gets up, blocks the Black Mass, and strikes away. The Canadian Destroyer out of the corner rocks Black for two and we hit the YOU STILL GOT IT chants. Black slips out of a suplex though and kicks the leg out, sending Dustin into the exposed buckle. Black Mass (to the arm) finishes Dustin at 9:56.

Rating: B-. They told a story here, as Dustin was in over his head but kept right on fighting because he is out to defend his family’s honor. That’s the kind of thing that Dustin would do no matter what and he was trying his hardest here. There were a few messy spots here and there, but Black continues his dominance on the road to the big rematch with Cody Rhodes.

The Lucha Bros are happy to FINALLY be the Tag Team Champions and it took a lot of blood to get here. If anyone is willing to suffer, come try and get them.

Eddie Kingston talks about Miro cheating to beat him and knows that despite what Miro said, God doesn’t play favorites.

Miro says he is going to offer Kingston’s broken bones to his wife and his soul to God.

Here is CM Punk to a crazy ovation for a chat. Punk thanks the fans for being there and has been asked if he can still do this. It feels like being on a violent bicycle, but a YOU STILL GOT IT chant cuts it off. Punk says we also have Minoru Suzuki vs. Jon Moxley in a main event that he is going to be watching as a wrestling fan. Hold on though as Punk needs to say that Aunt Linda (who raised Brian Pillman Jr. and in the front row) really is an angel.

As for All Out, we saw the debuts of Ruby Soho, Adam Cole and Bryan Danielson, the latter of whom has the fans’ attention. After All Out, Punk texted his wife April, who asked what was next. Maybe Punk should leave it up to the fans to decide what he does next. The chants are on, and the fans suggest Moxley and Pillman but Taz of all people interrupts from commentary. Punk: “Out of respect, I’ll let you speak but don’t ever interrupt me again.”

Taz is tired of this Punk love fest and doesn’t want to hear Punk about Team Taz ever again. Cue Hook and Powerhouse Hobbs as Taz says Punk has been bringing up the team in interviews and on podcasts. Punk says send Ricky Starks, Hook or Hobbs. All of them can beat Punk if they can and survive if they he lets them (Taz’s ECW catchphrase). Punk goes outside to hug Aunt Linda and highs a lot of fives. This was a heck of a segment and Punk is about as comfortable on the mic as anyone in the world right now.

Santana and Ortiz have beaten FTR and now they want the Tag Team Titles.

Ruby Soho has issued an open challenge and Jamie Hayter has accepted. Cue Britt Baker, Rebel and Hayter to say that Soho will be forgotten after she loses tonight. Soho: “Hello Brittany.” They have known each other for a long time and Soho lists off some of Baker’s nicknames, including the “baddest b**** on the block.” Soho: “This is my block.” Baker says the only nickname that matters is Women’s World Champion.

Soho is the Runaway, so why doesn’t she run away to catering like she has been doing for the last four years? The crowd gasps at that one (it was a loud gasp too) and even Hayter cringes a bit. Hayter has to get in between them and Baker promises Hayter will be giving Soho a dose of whoopa**, courtesy of Dr. Britt Baker, DMD (Tony Schiavone doing the finger wave at the same time is great). This was awesome too, as Baker has more confidence than anyone but Soho didn’t back down at all.

Dante Martin vs. Powerhouse Hobbs

Martin makes the mistake of going straight at Hobbs, who isn’t having any of that and runs him over. A springboard crossbody is cut off but Martin flips over Hobbs and kicks him out to the floor. The suicide dive is cut off though (mid-dive) and Hobbs sends him face first into the post to cut him down again. There’s a whip into the barricade and then Hobbs does it again to send us to a break.

Back with Hobbs dropping a knee for two and cranking on Martin’s neck. Martin fights up and gets to the top for a missile dropkick. A running flip splash gets two but Hooker is ready to cut off a big dive to the floor. Martin dives over him anyway and takes Hobbs out but a double springboard misses back inside. Hobbs is right back with a spinebuster for the pin at 8:24.

Rating: C+. Martin is a heck of a high flier and can make himself look good no matter what, but I couldn’t quite get to the next level with this one. The lack of dull action during the break helped, but it felt like it could have been more than what it was. That being said, both guys have all kinds of potential and should be stars around here in the pretty near future.

Dan Lambert is with the Men of the Year (right above where I was sitting) and talks about how Tony Khan is signing every person he can to hide the fact that this company isn’t the hottest thing in the world. These idiots can be played like a fiddle and maybe they can be convinced to sing a terrible song, but there are only two real men in this company. The three of them will speak with loud voices. If anyone can stop them, come do it.

We recap Matt Hardy and the Hardy Family Office vs. Orange Cassidy. Hardy wants to cut Cassidy’s hair.

Cassidy: “Whatever.”

Here is MJF, with Wardlow for an angry chat. MJF talks about how he beat Chris Jericho on Sunday but the match was restarted due to bias against him. There is bias against him because he is better than everyone else and because he hates being in S***cinati. Oh no. Now people are going to accuse him of going after CHEAP HEAT because they’re a bunch of marks.

Cincinnati is the midwest because everything here is MID. Skyline Chili? MID! (Psh. Skyline Chili would sell its Sky and its ili to get close to being “mid”.). The Cincinnati Reds? MID! Every person who lives here? MID! If anyone hates him, come jump the guardrail so he can take them out. MJF points out a woman at ringside and calls her 16 and pregnant so he goes over to yell at her. It turns out she is the daughter of Brian Pillman, which MJF says explains her looks.

Cue Brian Pillman Jr. in his dad’s Bengals jersey to say he heard MJF talking about his family and hometown. Pillman isn’t from New York, but rather a city that breeds bad***** like his dad and Jon Moxley. WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE! MJF brings up Pillman’s drug addicted mother “Methanie”, which is enough for Pillman Jr. to charge the ring but Wardlow cuts him off. There could have been 500 second generation Pillmans, but Pillman Jr. was the only one she didn’t swallow. MJF sends Wardlow to stand in the corner and look pretty, leaving MJF to threaten to abort Pillman….and the fight is on.

Wardlow pulls Pillman off but he slips by and stomps on MJF again, with Wardlow taking a bit of time to make the save. A German suplex drops Pillman so here is Griff Garrison, who is promptly taken out with the Dynamite Diamond. Pillman covers Garrison up as the villains leave. The fans went NUTS for this and MJF had as much heat for a promo as I’ve seen in a very long time.

Jon Moxley says Minoru Suzuki is dying in the jungle tonight.

Jamie Hayter vs. Ruby Soho

Britt Baker and Rebel are here with Hayter. It’s quite the reaction for Soho as the fans seem rather impressed. Hayter drives her into the corner to start and runs Soho over with a shoulder. Back up and Soho cranks on the arm, setting up a knee to the face. Hayter drops her throat first across the top though and we take a break.

We come back with Soho charging for what looks like a monkey flip but getting caught with something like a spinebuster onto the top, which is countered into a DDT. That was sweet, but only gets two, so they try a poisonrana but they kind of fall down instead. The fireman’s carry neckbreaker into a basement lariat gives Hayter two but Soho is back with whatever we’re calling the Riott Kick for the pin at 7:38.

Rating: C. Soho felt like a star but this didn’t exactly click. There were some good spots though (that bounce back into a DDT was awesome) and you know Soho is going to be moving up the ranks in a hurry. She has the title shot with Britt Baker in her back pocket and that’s more than most people have.

Post match Baker and Rebel run in to beat on Soho until Riho runs in for the failed save attempt. Kris Statlander makes the real save and I think you have a six woman tag coming.

Video on Ricky Starks vs. Brian Cage.

FTR/Shawn Spears vs. Dark Order

Earlier today, the Dark Order got in an argument over whether or not they were fine, with Tay Conti and Anna Jay telling the guys to figure this out. It’s Evil Uno/Stu Grayson/John Silver for the Order and egads Silver is popular. The rest of the Order and Tully Blanchard are here as well. Spears shoulders Silver down to start but Silver does the same and hits the double bicep. Grayson comes in to take over on Spears and it’s Uno coming in for a side slam/springboard elbow combination.

As the beating continues, Tony talks about how Tony Khan has heard CM Punk talking about wanting to face Team Taz members. Taz: “WHAT ARE YOU? TONY KHAN’S MESSENGER NOW???” Tony: Yes! I am!” Taz: “…..ok.” Silver drops Spears for two more but a jawbreaker gets spears out of trouble.

Harwood comes in to stomp away for two on Silver and even flips off Uno for trying to make a save. Silver reverses a suplex into one of his own but Wheeler and Spears knock the rest of the Order off the apron. Some knees rock Harwood and a bridging German suplex gets two. Back up and Harwood sends Silver into Uno to knock him off the apron. The slingshot suplex (Tully is pleased) sets up the C4 to finish Silver at 4:51.

Rating: C-. There was a lot here but the point was to continue showcasing the issues between the Dark Order. That is quite the problem to deal with and I’m not sure how long it is going to take before we hit the full on split. Hopefully it involves some of the members fading away or changing themselves in a big way, as there is no need to have most of these people around.

Post match FTR and Spears leave and the Dark Order finally explodes. Tay Conti and Anna Jay come out to glare at them but Conti holds Jay back from going to help. Not shown here, but the women eventually turned around and stormed off.

Video on Ruby Soho winning the Casino Battle Royal, with a lot of women getting to talk about how great they were in the match.

Tully Blanchard talks about how happy he was with his team demolishing the Dark Order. Then you have people like Sting and Darby Allin as people from his past and present, so next week, Blanchard wants Spears vs. Allin for next week. At the same time, Blanchard and Sting are going to go face to face. That gets a big gasp.

Sammy Guevara comes out with his signs, which talk about how great summer has been and gives a plug for his social media.

Griff Garrison is in the trainer’s room getting ice on his eye. Brian Pillman Jr. is here too and wants to get his hands on MJF at Grand Slam. The Acclaimed comes in with some ice and flowers with Max Caster saying he has a match with Pillman for Rampage. That’s cool with Pillman, who throws down the flowers.

Tony Schiavone brings out the Elite (and there are a lot of them) for a chat. Don Callis thanks the fans for making Kenny Omega #1 in the PWI 500 (Callis: “Thank you for your votes! And your money!”) At All Out, the Young Bucks had the greatest tag match in the history of the world but the titles were stolen from them. They have a plan to get the titles back, but they also got their best friend back.

Cue Adam Cole for Storytime, but first of all he gets in Tony’s face. Cole: “Now I know that you are really close with Britt Baker.” The crowd is into this as Cole threatens to kick him in the face if he even looks at her the wrong way and throws Tony out. Cole puts over the company as the best in the world because of the Elite. Anyone who bought a shirt, the pay per view or a ticket did it because of them.

Cole talks about the Bucks and Omega being the best ever and you should all be thanking them because now the Elite is complete BAY BAY! You’ll see it even more when he makes his in-ring debut next week and you will see how elite he really is. Kenny Omega thinks that’s a reason for a celebration, but all of the interruptions at All Out bothered him. Cue Bryan Danielson so Omega asks if he can have the ring.

Omega invites Danielson in and Danielson asks the fans a quick question: do you want to see the two of them fight? That’s a completely non-trademark infringing affirmative so Danielson confirms that he is better than Omega. That means he’s going to kick Omega’s head in and prove that he isn’t on Danielson’s level. Omega lunches and gets pulled into the YES Lock.

The Elite comes in but here are Kazarian, Christian Cage and the Jurassic Express to clear them out, with Luchasaurus throwing Marko Stunt onto the pile (and over Christian, who didn’t seem to know it was coming). Brandon Cutler is left alone in the ring and it’s Danielson’s running knee to knock him silly. Heck of a Dynamite debut here, though I want to see Schiavone vs. Cole more than anything else.

Here’s what’s coming at various shows.

Minoru Suzuki vs. Jon Moxley

Suzuki’s entrance is cut short and they don’t even get to the chorus of his song. That being said, the fans getting to hear Wild Thing for Moxley kind of renders that meaningless. Moxley takes his time getting to the ring and is clearly thrilled to be in his hometown. They waste no time in going with the exchange of forearms and the fans dub it awesome. An exchange of kicks to the face rocks both of them so Moxley knocks him into the ropes as we take a break.

Back with Suzuki kicking him in the face but the running kick to the chest is blocked. They trade bites to the face (this should not surprise you) and then headbutts, including both of them hitting a headbutt at the same time. It’s time for another forearm off until Moxley’s running lariat is blocked. Another attempt is countered a failed choke attempt so Suzuki tries the Gotch Style piledriver.

That’s countered into the Paradigm Shift as Suzuki is bleeding from the eye. A lariat gives Moxley two but another lariat can’t even knock Suzuki down. Instead he hits a running dropkick to take Moxley down as that eye is VERY busted. Moxley drops him with a right hand and grabs the lifting Paradigm Shift (making it a butterfly suplex) for the pin at 8:08.

Rating: B. They beat on each other for a little while but I kept waiting to see this get to the next level. It wasn’t quite the brawl that I was expecting, though Suzuki’s eye being busted open was certainly a sight. Moxley winning a near dream match over a legend in his hometown was a great way to end the show though and it felt special as a result, which was the right idea.

Moxley celebrates in the crowd (in the section next to me) to end the show.

Overall Rating: B. I’ve seen most of these wrestlers in person before but never at an AEW event. The word you hear about AEW is “fun” and that is exactly what you got here. It was a very entertaining two hours and that’s all you could ask for. The seats were cheap (about $34 each counting fees) and good, the wrestling was solid and there was star power galore. What else can you ask for out of something like this? Save for Rampage and Dark: Elevation of course, but for now we’ll just settle for a solid Dynamite.

Results
Malakai Black b. Dustin Rhodes – Black Mass
Powerhouse Hobbs b. Dante Martin – Spinebuster
Ruby Soho b. Jamie Hayter – Riott Kick
FTR/Shawn Spears b. Dark Order – C4 to Silver
Jon Moxley b. Minoru Suzuki – Lifting Paradigm Shift

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All Out 2021
Date: September 5, 2021
Location: Now Arena, Chicago, Illinois
Commentators: Jim Ross, Excalibur, Tony Schiavone

We’re back to the still fairly rare AEW pay per view schedule with an absolutely stacked show. There are three major matches this time around, including CM Punk vs. Darby Allin, Chris Jericho vs. MJF and Kenny Omega defending the World Title against Christian Cage. Let’s get to it.

Buy-In: Hardy Family Office vs. Orange Cassidy/Wheeler Yuta/Chuck Taylor/Jurassic Express

Matt Hardy shoves Taylor into the corner because he wants Orange. He gets Luchasaurus instead so Jack Evans gets a rather fast tag. Luchasaurus sends Evans flying with a suplex and it’s off to Boy to send Evans into the corner. Quen and Yuta come in, with the former getting two off a running crossbody.

We get the big sequence of most of the people trying a hold at the same time to as much avail as you would expect. Luchasaurus comes back in to throw people around, including a knee to the face to drop Evans. Private Party and Hardy come in to take Luchasaurus down but Orange breaks it up with the slow motion kicks. That earns him a Codebreaker into a shooting star onto his back, followed by a trip to the floor. We get a short form parade of dives but Orange heads back inside for the hands in pockets comeback to drop Private Party.

Hardy is back in with a Twist of Fate but now it’s Jungle getting to clean house. Angelico and Luchasaurus put Evans and Jungle on their respective shoulders for a chicken fight but here is the Blade to interfere. Marko Stunt dives off of Luchasaurus’ shoulder to take him out, leaving Jungle to make Angelico tap with the Snare Trap at 8:34.

Rating: C+. Take a bunch of popular wrestlers, put them in the ring with a bunch of unpopular wrestlers, have them fly around a lot and do cool spots to pop the crowd. That’s how you do a match like this and they made it work well here. This was a fun, quick spectacle and it wasn’t supposed to be anything else.

The opening video runs down the big matches.

TNT Title: Miro vs. Eddie Kingston

Miro is defending. Kingston goes for his neck to start but has to fight out of an early Game Over attempt. That’s enough to send Miro outside for an early breather as they both feel very serious. Back in and Kingston snaps off a suplex, earning a rather loud cheer from the crowd as Miro bails back to the floor. This time Kingston joins him and gets sent hard into the barricade to put Kingston in trouble for the first time.

That lasts all of a few seconds as he is back with a kick to Miro’s face. A dive off the apron is countered into a powerslam though and Miro, despite holding his neck, gets a breather. There’s a hard posting to put Kingston down again and it’s a backbreaker back inside. We hit the chinlock but Kingston fights back up with the chops. Miro knocks him silly again but Kingston snaps off a jumping enziguri.

A Saito suplex drops Miro again, allowing Excalibur to rattle off Kingston’s Japanese influences. Back up and they chop it out, with Kingston getting the better of things to set up more Saito suplexes for two. The threat of a spinning backfist sends Miro outside so Kingston hits the suicide elbow. Back in and Kingston’s fisherman’s suplex gets two as the fans are all behind Kingston. Miro pulls him into the corner though and unloads with forearms to the back.

Kingston accidentally pulls the turnbuckle pad off but Miro catches him with the jumping kick to the face. Game Over goes on but Kingston falls forward to make the rope for the break. That is NOT cool with Miro, who walks into the spinning backfist into the DDT for a delayed two as the referee was getting rid of the turnbuckle pad. Some knees connect to Miro so he goes into the corner, allowing him to sneak in a low blow. The jumping superkick retains the title at 13:25.

Rating: B. This was two big guys hitting each other hard but there was a story there too. Kingston set up the neck and the DDT, which had been built up in the last week, gave him a great near fall. Miro needing to cheat to survive was a good way to go and the crowd was WAY into everything all night. Very good choice for an opener here and I got into it.

We run down the card.

Jon Moxley vs. Satoshi Kojima

Moxley wanted someone from New Japan and Kojima accepted. The bell rings and Moxley flips him off, setting up the big chop off. They forearm it out until Kojima runs him over with a shoulder and Moxley rolls outside. Kojima catches him with a dive and Excalibur is right there to list Kojima’s accomplishments. Moxley jumps back inside for a suicide dive of his own and a Russian legsweep sends Kojima into the barricade.

Back in and Moxley stomps on the hand and starts cranking on it for a bit, followed by the knees to the chest. Kojima sends him into the corner though for the rapid fire chops and a top rope elbow gets two on Moxley. Back up and Moxley snaps off a suplex before taking Kojima up top. That just earns Moxley a superplex back down and a DDT on the apron makes it worse. Tony calls Moxley a representative of the state of Chicago and even JR gets on him a bit for it.

Back in and Moxley (with a cut elbow, which causes Excalibur to mention Moxley’s staph infection from a year or so ago in a great catch) hits a release suplex, or Jason Jett’s Crash Landing for you last few weeks of WCW fans. The Paradigm Shift into the brainbuster gets a delayed two and Moxley is rocked. Kojima’s lariat is countered into a German suplex for two and a jumping knee drops Kojima again. Back up and Kojima hits the lariat into the Koji Cutter but can’t cover.

They slug it out from their knees and then their feet until Moxley blasts him with a lariat of his own. The bulldog choke goes on but Kojima makes the rope. Some Mongolian chops rock Moxley, who counters another lariat into the Paradigm Shift. Another Paradigm Shift finishes Kojima at 11:55.

Rating: B-. This was another fun one with Moxley getting a win over a credible opponent. There is something cool about AEW’s relationship with New Japan (stupid name aside) but I’m not a huge fan of having the dream matches with little personal backstory. The action made up for it and the match was good, though I could have used a better build.

Respect is shown post match….but none of that matters as Minoru Suzuki is here. Suzuki takes off his shirt and they forearm it out with Moxley throwing in a bow of respect. That’s fine with Suzuki, who wins the slugout and chokes Moxley out. The Gotch style piledriver leaves Moxley laying.

We recap Britt Baker defending the Women’s Title against Kris Statlander with a bunch of talking heads giving their predictions.

Women’s Title: Britt Baker vs. Kris Statlander

Baker, with Rebel and Jamie Hayter, is defending and Orange Cassidy is here with Statlander. They stare each other down a bit until Statlander starts working on Baker’s recently broken arm. That’s broken up though and Baker takes her into the corner for a hanging neckbreaker. The seconds are near blows on the floor as Baker sends Statlander face first into the apron.

Baker grabs a neck crank to keep Statlander in trouble but she fights up for some running shots to rock Baker in the corner. Statlander grabs a modified Falcon Arrow for two but Baker is back with a hard DDT for the same. Baker loads up the glove, which takes long enough for Statlander to kick her in the head.

Statlander’s Area 451 misses though and Baker grabs a crossface. That’s countered into an electric chair faceplant and an ax kick gives Statlander two. Baker is sent outside but the big dive misses. A Stomp rocks Statlander again but she is able to counter the Lockjaw back inside. The Spider Crab is countered as well and Baker busts out a Panama Sunrise for two. Another stomp sets up the Lockjaw to retain at 11:33.

Rating: B. These two beat the fire out of each other and the fans were into it, even without the drama over who was going to win. Statlander was a good choice of an opponent as she feels like a credible enough of a threat but was always going to come up short in the end. Baker could be champ for a long time, but it is going to go through Thunder Rosa at some point and that is all that matters.

Andrade El Idolo and Chavo Guerrero deny having anything to do with Pac’s travel issues. El Idolo is ready for Pac on Rampage.

We recap the Lucha Bros vs. the Young Bucks in a cage for the Tag Team Titles. The Bucks keep cheating to win and the teams have a history of major matches in the company’s history.

Tag Team Title: Lucha Bros vs. Young Bucks

The Bros are challenging in a cage and get rapped to the ring. Don Callis joins commentary as the Bucks try to leave early. That’s broken up with ease though as the Bros score with kicks to their backs. More kicks, including stereo kicks to the kneeling Bucks, keep the Bros in control but the Bucks kick them right back down. Penta winds up on the floor between the ring and the cage (which doesn’t connect to the apron), leaving Fenix to get powerbombed against the cage.

There’s a kick to Penta’s head and a chain is used to choke Fenix. A hurricanrana sends Matt into the cage and Penta is back in with a Backstabber out of the corner. The Bros’ stereo low superkicks only hit each other and Matt hits a top rope flipping Stunner on Penta. A double rolling cutter drops the Bucks as well and the Penta Driver gives Penta two on Matt. The Bucks are back up with more kicks and Fenix is sent into the cage.

The Swanton/Tombstone get two on the Bros but the BTE Trigger knees only hit each other. Fenix sends the Bucks into each other but Matt kicks both of them low. More Bang For Your Buck gets two on Fenix so the frustrated Bucks go after the masks. Callis calls it psychology, which Tony calls BS. Fenix is sent face first into the cage and Cutler throws his bag into the cage. Matt loads up a thumb tack shoe but Penta gets in front of Fenix. That’s fine with Matt, who kicks Penta in the head instead.

Penta is sent into the boot in the corner, with his mask getting stuck for a disturbing visual. A running boot from Nick drives Penta’s head even further into the tacks and there’s a superkick into the poisonrana to Fenix. The BTE Trigger gets two on Penta with Fenix making a save to bring the crowd right back to life. Matt takes the shoe off but Fenix makes the comeback with his variety of insane kicks. The shoe goes upside the Bucks’ heads and the Black Fire Driver gets two on Matt. The spike Fear Factor is broken up so Nick and Fenix climb the cage to slug it out.

Matt and Penta pull them down for stereo package piledrivers on the apron, setting up the big slugout. Matt goes up top with Penta though and it’s a super Canadian Destroyer to bring him back down to put everyone out. Everyone gets back up for a circle strike off until they’re all knocked down again. Back up and a Fear Factor gets two on Nick so Fenix goes up to the top of the cage. Nick saves Matt from the package piledriver and climbs up top with Fenix, only to get kicked back down. Fenix dives onto all three of them (dang) and the spike Fear Factor FINALLY ends the Bucks’ reign at 22:02.

Rating: A-. They had to do the title change here and even though things got bleak for the Bros more than once, all that matters was the big ending. The Bucks had to lose here and it took a lot to put them away, but it was a heck of a match to get there. This was the big show stealing match and that’s all you could have expected it to be. Awesome stuff here and by far the best thing on the show so far.

We get the long celebration and a look back at the rest of the show as the cage is removed.

Casino Battle Royal

We have twenty entrants and three minute intervals between suits. Clubs are in first, including Hikaru Shida, Skye Blue, Emi Sakura, Bunny and Abadon, the latter of whom freaks out the announcers. Blue and Bunny slug it out to start with the hometown girl Blue getting a big reaction. Blue gets sent to the apron though and Abadon knocks her out in a hurry.

Bunny eliminates Abadon a few seconds later and is fine with letting Sakura put Shida in a surfboard. That’s broken up with a rake to Sakura’s face though and Bunny gets in some more stomping until the Diamonds come in. That means Anna Jay, Kiera Hogan, KiLynn King, Diamante and Nyla Rose.

The brawling is on again and Sakura is out in a hurry. Hogan and King follow her out and there goes Shida with them. Rose and Diamante team up to go after Bunny and Jay and split up in about ten seconds. The four of them are joined by the Hearts, in the form of Thunder Rosa, Penelope Ford, Riho, Jamie Hayter and Big Swole. Riho hits a double 619 on Ford and Conti but Hayter tosses her out. Swole headbutts Diamante out but gets tossed by Hayter as well. The fans are behind Rosa as she fights off Hayter and Rose in the corner.

Things slow down a bit until we get the Clubs, with Tay Conti, Red Velvet, Leylah Hirsch, Jade Cargill and Rebel. The brawling is on and Velvet dropkicks Rebel out. Bunny and Jay wind up on the apron and both are kicked out in a hurry. Cargill throws Hirsch out and onto the pile (including onto some referees) and the clock ticks down, bringing up the RUBY SOHO chants. The Joker is….Ruby Soho (formerly known as Ruby Riott).

The final grouping is Soho, Conti, Ford, Cargill, Hayter, Velvet, Rose and Rosa. Soho goes after Cargill and then Rose, with Rosa using Soho to take Rose down. Cargill pumphandle faceplants Soho and tosses Hayter out in a nasty crash. Velvet is tossed as well but Rose gets rid of Cargill. Conti gets rid of Ford but gets tossed as well, leaving us with Soho, Rosa and Rose.

Rosa and Soho are knocked silly in a hurry but Rose gets a bit too cocky, allowing Rosa to send her to the apron and kick her out for the elimination. They stare each other down until Rosa shouts in Spanish and chops her hard. The Fire Thunder Driver is broken up and Rosa is sent to the apron but she pulls Soho out with her. Soho can’t get a German suplex off the apron but she can knee Rosa off the apron for the win at 21:48.

Rating: C+. This is their signature deal with the decks and all that jazz but it doesn’t make for the most thrilling battle royal. It doesn’t help when the Joker gets the big advantage, but Soho winning is one of the right ways they can go. It made for a good moment, though the match could have been a bit shorter to keep things moving a bit faster.

We recap Chris Jericho vs. MJF. Jericho can’t beat MJF and has become obsessed with him, so tonight Jericho’s career is on the line.

Chris Jericho vs. Maxwell Jacob Friedman

We get the old school COUNTDOWN but it is only leading to “JERICHO’S LAST MATCH”. Ok points for some good trolling, along with MJF coming to the ring in a king’s robe. Jericho is played to the ring by Fozzy’s guitarist to quite the reaction. MJF bails to the floor to rip up some Jericho signs before coming back inside so Jericho can snap off some armdrags. MJF gets in a shot to the face so they head outside, where Jericho whips him into the crowd. Jericho drops things onto MJF’s head and they go back inside.

This time Jericho’s baseball slide is caught in the ring skirt though and the beating is on. MJF starts in on Jericho’s bad arm and drives his elbow into the shoulder. Jericho fights up but a shot to the arm cuts that off in a hurry. A headbutt and some chops set up MJF’s Fargo Strut and the Heatseeker on the apron crushes Jericho again. That’s good for a nine so MJF knocks him back outside, only to miss an Asai moonsault.

Back in and they slug it out with Jericho getting the better of things. Jericho goes up top but dives into a Codebreaker for two in a good moment. Back up and Jericho scores with a dropkick for two and the fans are behind him again. Some corner clotheslines and right hands look to set up a super hurricanrana but MJF counters into a super sitout powerbomb. MJF is banged up too though, allowing Jericho to come back with a Codebreaker for two. Cue Wardlow but Jake Hager comes out to take care of him in a hurry (because the Inner Circle and the Pinnacle are back for this match).

The distraction lets MJF get in a baseball bat shot and the Judas Effect hits Jericho…for the pin at 18:19, though Jericho’s foot was on the rope. Therefore hold on, as another referee comes out to explain things and the match will restart. The bell rings and Jericho grabs a rollup for two. MJF is right back with the Salt of the Earth, which is reversed into a rollup for two more. The hold goes back on but this time Jericho reverses into the Walls. MJF is dragged back to the middle of the ring and FINALLY taps to save Jericho’s career at 21:08.

Rating: B. This was another good one as MJF used all of Jericho’s stuff because he believes he is the better of the two. Then Jericho wins in the end, with the great false finish of the boot on the rope. I’m not sure how much good this whole thing has done for MJF because he ultimately lost in the end, but it was nice to see him in such a high profile feud over the last several months.

The Inner Circle comes out to celebrate with Jericho.

We recap CM Punk vs. Darby Allin, which includes Allin in a BEST IN THE WORLD body bag and being hung from a helicopter.

Darby Allin vs. CM Punk

This is Punk’s first match since January 2014 and he’s in tights instead of trunks. Allin sits in the corner so Punk sits in the middle of the ring for the staredown. They lock up and Allin armdrags him down, which has Punk thinking twice for a second. Back up and Punk shoulders him down, earning a WELCOME BACK chant. Punk has to clarify that they mean him before grabbing a headlock and laying on Allin for a bit.

That’s broken up as well so Allin hits a hard running shoulder of his own. The threat of the GTS sends Allin bailing to the floor though and we need a breather. Allin is back in with the high angle armdrag and some running shoulders in the corner. Punk whips him HARD over the top and out to the floor though with a nasty crash. Back in and a belly to back suplex sets up a double arm crank to keep Allin down.

The abdominal stretch goes on, followed by a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker (Allin: “OH S***!”) for two. Another abdominal stretch is countered into the flipping Stunner to give Allin a needed breather. The springboard Coffin Drop to a standing Punk sets up La Majistral for two and the Code Red gets the same. Punk catches him on top but a belly to back superplex is countered into a crossbody for two.

Back up and Punk scores with the GTS out of nowhere but Allin falls outside. Allin barely beats the count so Punk tries another GTS, which is countered with a bunch of elbows to the head. A big charge sends Punk outside and there’s a Swanton to a standing Punk outside. Back in and Allin loads up the Coffin Drop but Punk sits up. Allin’s cradle is countered but so is the GTS, allowing Allin to get two off the Last Supper. Punk’s leg lariat gets two so Allin loads up the poisonrana, only to get countered into the GTS for the pin at 16:08.

Rating: B. This was a well put together match as Punk got to stand still a lot and wrestle in bursts instead of going full speed the whole time. That allowed Allin to do most of the heavy lifting and protected Punk from not having his wind back yet. The big matches can come with time, but for now this was about getting Punk back in the ring to knock off some of the rust. Rather good match, mainly due to the setup and Allin’s work.

Post match Sting comes out to check on Allin, with Punk kneeling right next to him. Allin gets up and Punk shakes his hand for the cool moment. Punk gets to take a quick victory lap and says that was #1.

Full Gear is Saturday November 13.

We recap QT Marshall vs. Paul Wight. Marshall had been insulting Tony Schiavone and his family, so Wight came out to help his broadcast partner. Now it’s time for Wight’s in-ring debut.

QT Marshall vs. Paul Wight

Wight doesn’t waste time and starts in with the chops before Marshall can take his jacket off. Marshall gets in a shot to the bad hip though and a low dropkick staggers Wight. The kickout sends Marshall outside and it’s time to start panicking. Back in and the Diamond Cutter is blocked, Wight beats up the rest of the Factory and grabs the chokeslam for the pin at 3:12.

Rating: D+. That’s how it should have gone and there is nothing to complain about here. Yes the Marshall stuff over the last few weeks has been a bit lame but ultimately, Wight beat him without much effort and that is all he should have done. Wight can go back to commentary until he is needed again and Marshall can go back to….whatever it is that he does.

Jon Moxley is facing Minoru Suzuki on Dynamite in Cincinnati.

Moxley says Suzuki better be ready to come to his hometown in the Nasty Natti.

Malakai Black is ready for Dustin Rhodes on Dynamite and suggests that Rhodes think of everything he has done to Rhodes’ family and friends.

We recap Christian Cage challenging Kenny Omega for the World Title. Cage pinned him to win the Impact Wrestling World Title so now it is time to do it for the belt that really mattes. Talking heads aren’t sure who should win.

AEW World Title: Christian Cage vs. Kenny Omega

Omega, with Don Callis, is defending and Cage starts fast by knocking Omega outside. Cage whips him into the barricade and Cage hits the big dive off the top to take him out. Back up and Omega whips Cage into the steps before pulling out a table. This one is laid on top of Cage though and Omega stomps it for a break (Omega: “Did I do that???”). Cage blocks a suplex through another table and suplexes Omega onto the floor. Back in and Cage’s Cloverleaf is blocked, allowing Omega to hit something close to a Sling Blade for two.

Omega knocks him to the floor again and hits the moonsault off the barricade. Back in and Cage is in more trouble, setting up a chest first whip into the corner. A fireman’s carry backbreaker gives Omega two more but he takes too long going up, allowing Christian to grab a hurricanrana. Christian chokes on the ropes and then jumps over for the customary right hand. Omega gets in a knee to the head and drives him into the corner for some shoulders to the ribs.

Now the V Trigger can hit the back of Christian’s head in the corner. The Snapdragon brings Christian out of the corner and there’s a second to make it even worse. Cage flips him off so it’s a third Snapdragon into another V Trigger. Instead of covering, Omega tries a German suplex through a table on the floor. Since that can’t work, Christian reverses into a Killswitch attempt but has to settle for a spear through the table instead. It takes them a minute to get back in, where Christian hits a spear each to Omega’s back and ribs for two.

Christian can’t follow up and has to escape the Dr. Wiley Bomb. Omega this some knees to the face, setting up a ripcord V Trigger. A tiger driver is countered though and Christian gets the high angle Cloverleaf. Callis calls in the reinforcements with the Good Brothers but Christian fights them off. The Killswitch gives Cage two more and they’re both down. With nothing else working, Christian catches him on top and tries a super Killswitch but gets reversed into a super One Winged Angel to retain the title at 21:21.

Rating: B+. They did everything they could to get around the lack of drama and it was a very good match. The problem is I never once believed Christian had a chance and I can’t imagine I’m alone. Cage was fine for a one off challenger, but Omega is going to need a major challenger sooner than later. Like at Full Gear for example.

Post match the rest of the Elite comes in for the big beatdown, with Jurassic Express not being able to make the save. The YES chants begin but Omega grabs the mic and asks if if Chicago is finally starting to understand. Omega doesn’t care who is a hometown hero because no one is on his level. When it comes to the AEW World Title, the only people who have a chance to beat him are either not here, already tired or already dead. Then the lights go out…..and it’s Adam Cole (Bay Bay) making his debut.

Cole gets in the ring….and superkicks Jungle Boy, because Cole is with the Elite. Omega: “In the words of Steve Urkel, did I do that?” Cole asks who is ready for Story Time With Adam Cole Bay Bay. The Elite is the most dominant faction in wrestling and no one can stop them. Omega hits the catchphrase….and we have Ride of the Valkyries. Brian Danielson is here too and some of the Elite bails. Danielson, Christian and Jurassic Express stare down Omega, Cole and the Young Bucks, with Omega leaving so the good guys can clean house so YES chants can end the show. That’s a heck of a pair of surprises so yeah, they nailed it.

Overall Rating: A. Great matches, two big moments and the historic title change with the only thing resembling a bad match lasting less than 200 seconds. They did pretty much everything right here and it was a pretty awesome show as a result. This felt like the normal AEW pay per view and that is certainly a great thing to hear. Awesome show and it didn’t feel like nearly four hours so there isn’t much of anything to complain about here.

Results
Miro b. Eddie Kingston – Jumping superkick
Jon Moxley b. Satoshi Kojima – Paradigm Shift
Britt Baker b. Kris Statlander – Lockjaw
Lucha Bros b. Young Bucks – Spike Fear Factor to Nick Jackson
Ruby Soho won the Casino Battle Royal last eliminating Thunder Rosa
Chris Jericho b. Maxwell Jacob Friedman – Walls of Jericho
CM Punk b. Darby Allin – GTS
Paul Wight b. QT Marshall – Chokeslam
Kenny Omega b. Christian Cage – Super One Winged Angel

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Dynamite
Date: September 1, 2021
Location: Now Arena, Chicago, Illinois
Commentators: Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone, Excalibur

It’s the go home show for All Out and that means it’s time for the big push to the show. As you might have guessed, CM Punk is back in the house and the ovation should crazy all over again. It’s also the 100th edition of Dynamite and that means we might be seeing something of a look back. AEW has always done those well so let’s get to it.

Here is Rampage if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

Santana/Ortiz vs. FTR

Tully Blanchard is here with FTR, who have Bobby Eaton themed trunks for a very nice moment. Harwood headlocks Santana down to start and then shoulders him down for a bonus. They chop it out and Santana gets knocked into the ropes. Everything breaks down in a hurry with FTR being sent outside, where Wheeler holds his bad arm. The big flip dives take FTR down and the springboard flip dives do it again.

Back in and Harwood tags his way out of a belly to back suplex so Wheeler can send Ortiz into the post. Now it’s time to work on Ortiz’s arm out of the old Anderson playbook, because FTR respects the classics. The turnbuckle pad is taken off somewhere in there and the arm is wrapped around the exposed buckle. Ortiz uses the good arm to blast Wheeler for a breather and the hot tag brings in Santana to start cleaning house.

Three Amigos have Harwood in trouble and the frog splash gets two. Wheeler comes back in and knocks Ortiz into Harwood’s brainbuster (how FTR won before) for two more. Santana breaks up a double suplex so Ortiz can small package Harwood for two. Harwood shoves Santana off the top and Wheeler plants Ortiz with a Gory Bomb for his own near fall.

The PowerPlex is broken up but the Big Rig plants Ortiz….and Santana comes off the top to drive Harwood into the cover for the save. That was a heck of a great save. Santana grabs a cutter on Wheeler though and it’s a middle rope Codebreaker into a double belly to back faceplant to give Santana the pin at 13:33.

Rating: B. This was what you would expect from these two teams as they tarted a bit more slowly and then wrestled a back and forth match. It wasn’t about the flips and dives and everything else and it made for a good showcase. These guys stood out because they did something differently and it stood out, as it should have.

Daniel Garcia and 2.0 don’t like Darby Allin overlooking them for the sake of CM Punk. This week on Rampage, Garcia is going to hurt Allin and take the match away from everyone.

Here is CM Punk for a chat. Punk asks if the fans are sick of him yet, because he could do this kind of thing for months. There are people who are going to get tired of this in a hurry, but he isn’t one of them so he’ll keep at it. This could all end for him on Sunday because he hasn’t wrestled in seven years and he is a little nervous. Cue Daniel Garcia and 2.0 for the beatdown (marking Punk’s first time getting physical in AEW) but Darby Allin and Sting come in for the save. Finishers abound, including the GTS.

Punk and Allin go nose to nose but Sting separates them. Hold on though as Punk has to clear out a bit more of the ring, allowing Sting to say he always wanted to share a ring with Punk. Sting respects him and it felt good to clear things out a bit like that. It’s time to get traffic out of the way for All Out and that includes Sting himself. Therefore, you won’t be seeing him at All Out because Allin and Punk are ready for Showtime without him. They have done a great job of making this feel like an epic dream match.

Video on Kenny Omega vs. Christian Cage, with various AEW names taking sides and talking about how Christian is one of the few people who can say they have beaten Omega in AEW.

We get a sitdown interview with Tony Schiavone and MJF. Tony doesn’t want to be here but MJF cuts him off and lists off most of Chris Jericho’s nicknames and ring names from over the years (including Cowboy Chris Jericho). After four decades, Jericho is on the Mount Rushmore of wrestling. When MJF’s career is said and done though, he is going to take Jericho’s place. Jericho is like Muhammad Ali, who was great once but he kept coming back for more. Then one day he had to be taken out, just like Jericho. On Sunday, Jericho’s music ends. The Ali analogy was good stuff, as is most of what MJF tends to say.

Orange Cassidy vs. Jack Evans

Matt Hardy is here with Evans and jumps Cassidy before the bell. Cassidy can go so Evans hammers away to start, including a shot to the back of the head and a kick to the chest. Cassidy makes the comeback but Evans bails to the floor before the Orange Punch. Back in and a high crossbody gives Cassidy two, followed by a Michinoku Driver for the same.

The lazy kicks abound, with Tony explaining that they aren’t supposed to hurt. We go to a standing switch (earning the boo/yay treatment) until Cassidy heads back up. Another high crossbody is broken up but Evans’ superplex attempt is blocked as well as we take a break. Back with….well Cassidy celebrating actually, as he won with a small package during the break at 6:48.

Rating: C. Totally fine way to keep Cassidy’s momentum going, though anything involving the Hardy Family Office is going to feel like a downgrade. I do like the way the ending went though, as it is enough of a twist to keep things interesting. Far too often, a show can fall into a repetitive formula so well done on mixing things up a bit for a change.

Post match here is Matt Hardy again and the beatdown is on. The Best Friends run in for the save but the rest of the Hardy Family Office runs in for the real beatdown. Cue Jurassic Express for the real save.

Eddie Kingston thinks Miro’s neck is a weak spot so he’s going after it. That strategy didn’t work when the Executioner said he was going after Tito Santana’s leg at the first Wrestlemania so I doubt it works here. Eddie is coming for the title, because that’s what makes Miro God’s favorite champion.

Miro says he only lays down for his wife after a title defense so he’s ending Kingston.

Jon Moxley has respect for Satoshi Kojima but that ends when the bell rings. He’s going back home to Cincinnati next week and he’s bringing Kojima’s scalp.

Jim Ross is in the ring and brings out Chris Jericho for a chat. Jericho says welcome to Chicago Is Jericho to (kind of) bust out one of the classics. It seems like a good time to hearken back to the past because he started his main event journey in this business here in Chicago. The man who recruited him to start that journey is the man standing in the ring with him, which earns a JR nod.

Jericho remembers signing the contract with JR, but now he wants to say that MJF is a piece of s***. He’s also diabolical and calculated, just like Jericho. They’re both button pushers and confident, so the only thing MJF has over him are three victories, and Jericho lists off the dates. Jericho doesn’t want it to be the end of his in-ring career and the fans certainly agree. He has to know he can beat MJF but if something goes wrong and he does lose, he is going to go to that commentary desk and do his best. Jericho has to know if he can win though and he’ll see what he can do on Sunday. Oh and MJF is a little p****. More good here.

Darby Allin will die to beat CM Punk in Chicago.

Powerhouse Hobbs vs. Brian Cage

Hook is here with Hobbs and Taz is on commentary. Cage jumps Hobbs in the aisle before the bell and whips him hard into the barricade. They head inside to officially start and a Hook distraction lets lets Hobbs get in some shots from behind. Cage gets knocked into the corner and we take a break.

Back with Hobbs firing off shoulders in the corner and Schiavone saying Britt Baker has some major free agent news. Cage makes the comeback and sends Hobbs flying with an exploder suplex. The Drill Claw is countered so Cage misses a discus lariat, allowing Hobbs to plant him with a spinebuster for two. A knee to the face staggers Hobbs though and Cage grabs an F5. Another Drill Claw is loaded up but Hook offers a distraction. Cue Ricky Starks to hit Cage with the FTW Title so Hobbs can grab Town Business for the pin at 7:23.

Rating: C+. Nice power match here and that’s what you need to see from these two. I’m not wild on the Cage vs. Hobbs feud as it has taken far too long to set things up, but at least there is even more of a reason for Cage to take off a few of Hobbs’ limbs. Good enough of a way to move things forward though, and that’s all it needed to be.

Malakai Black says he has given Lee Johnson a week to atone for his sins, but Johnson has been silent. Therefore, Black will take Johnson out and put two coins over his eyes so Johnson can pay the boatman’s toll in Hades.

Here is the Factory to call out Paul Wight, so here he is in a hurry. The swarm is on in a hurry but Wight cleans house….and the Gunn Club runs in after the ring is already empty. Marshall’s attempt to bring in a chair doesn’t work, so Billy Gunn hits Wight in the bad hip with the chair. Wight gets up so Billy chairs him in the head. Now the Factory comes back in for a cutter from Marshall. Billy Gunn being needed to boost a story is not a good sign.

Britt Baker announces that Jamie Hayter and Reba will be in the Casino Battle Royal. As for her free agent news, a top name has indeed signed with AEW. That would be….Baker herself!

Penelope Ford vs. Tay Conti

Bunny is here with Ford and Conti dives onto both of them before the bell. Conti grabs something like a dragon sleeper to hammer away with forearms to the chest and a pump kick gets two. We take a break and come back with Ford missing the handspring elbow into the corner and missing a running boot as well.

Conti scores with a high crossbody but Ford sends her throat first into the bottom rope. The Muta Lock is escaped and Conti grabs a leg crank of her own. That’s broken up so Conti hits some running boots in the corner. A fireman’s carry gutbuster plants Conti for two, with the bad leg slowing down the near fall. Bunny’s trip fails so Conti sends Ford into Bunny and grabs the rollup pin at 8:28.

Rating: C+. These two have gotten better in the ring with Conti being one of the best success stories in a long time around here. What matters here is that the two of them have gotten so much more comfortable in the ring and can have a good match like this one. The fans are into Conti as well and that’s a positive sign for her in-ring future.

Post match the double beatdown is on but Anna Jay makes the return for the save. She’s in the Casino Battle Royal too.

Thunder Rosa gets interrupted before she can talk about the battle royal so Nyla Rose and Jade Cargill beat her down. Mark Sterling breaks up the fight.

All Out rundown, including a special look at MJF vs. Chris Jericho.

Jurassic Express/Lucha Bros vs. Young Bucks/Good Brothers

Marko Stunt and Brandon Cutler are here too, with Don Callis joining commentary. Gallows and Luchasaurus start with the big showdown with Gallows driving him into the corner. The suplex is reversed into one from Luchasaurus though and it’s off to Fenix vs. Nick. The pace picks up and the Lucha Bros and Bucks come in for a superkick off. Matt knocks Penta down and some pelvic thrusting takes us to a break. Back with Jungle blasting Anderson with a clothesline on the floor and bringing in Fenix to pick the pace way up.

House is cleaned, including the very springboardy armdrag to Nick. A Death Valley Driver sets up the Lucha version of What’s Up for two more. Another Bucks vs. Bros kickoff gives us a four way knockdown and it’s back to Luchasaurus to clean house. Nick is shoved off the top and onto the Good Brothers. Back in and Anderson gets chokeslammed for two but Cutler offers a distraction, setting up a Magic Killer for two on Fenix. The BTE Trigger only has the Bucks’ knees clashing together but they counter Fenix’s springboard into the Meltzer Driver for the pin at 10:11.

Rating: B-. It was fun while it lasted but this was shorter than the usual wild tag matches. The Bucks got in their big beatdown on Fenix, which makes me think that the title change on Sunday is that much more likely. That is certainly the way things should go, as there is no reason for the Bucks to hold onto the belts any longer. Good match, but not as wild and crazy as you would have expected.

Post match here are Kenny Omega and Don Callis to lead the beatdown on the Bros and the Express. A Magic Killer puts Luchasaurus through a table and Omega tells Jungle that he isn’t in contention anymore. Christian Cage runs in but the beatdown is on again. Omega tells Callis to lower the cage so everyone is locked in (minus the top). Dante Martin and Frankie Kazarian come in but get knocked down, mainly via sprays to the face. The big group beatdown is on and the BTE Trigger knocks Christian silly to end the show.

Overall Rating: B. They did a very nice job of making me want to see the pay per view and that was the point of the entire show. It was a good use of two hours and the action was working as well. If they can raise their game up for the pay per view even more, then everything should work out well in the end. Nice show here, and better than last week by a pretty wide margin.

Results
Santana/Ortiz b. FTR – Double spinning belly to back slam
Orange Cassidy b. Jack Evans – Small package
Powerhouse Hobbs b. Brian Cage – Town Business
Tay Conti b. Penelope Ford – Rollup
Young Bucks/Good Brothers b. Jurassic Express/Lucha Bros – Meltzer Driver to Fenix

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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Rampage
Date: August 27, 2021
Location: UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Commentators: Mark Henry, Taz, Excalibur, Chris Jericho

We’re on to week #3 and they might have a bit of a hard time beating out last week’s show. Rampage has become a lot of fun in a hurry though as the hour run time is a great change of pace over the full two hours of Dynamite. I’m not sure how a taped show is going to work but I doubt it matters that much. Let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

Tag Team Titles #1 Contenders Tournament Finals: Jurassic Express vs. Lucha Bros

The winners get the Young Bucks, who come out to watch, at All Out. Jungle and Fenix run the ropes to start until Fenix gets onto the ropes for his nutty bouncing into an armdrag. Jungle isn’t sure what to do so it’s off to Luchasaurus vs. Penta. After taking a long time to take the glove off, Penta tries a charge at Luchasaurus and gets kicked in the head. Everyone gets knocked down for a breather as NBA Finals MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo is watching in the front row.

We take a break and come back with Luchasaurus and Penta coming back in with the former getting to clean house. A double clothesline drops the Bros and the standing moonsault gets two on Penta. Fenix is back up and kicks Luchasaurus down, setting up the frog splash (complete with Eddie dance). Jungle comes back in with a clothesline into a poisonrana on Fenix and it’s a tiger driver into the Snare Trap.

Penta breaks it up and hits a backbreaker for two on Jungle. Penta is taken outside where Marko Stunt and Luchasaurus hold him in place, only to have Fenix walk the ropes to hurricanrana Jungle onto the pile. There’s the Canadian Destroyer to drop Jungle onto the apron, followed by Fenix hitting one of his own for one on Luchasaurus. The Bros hit the series of superkick to Luchasaurus and the assisted wheelbarrow splash gets two. The assisted Fear Factor finally finishes Luchasaurus at 12:15.

Rating: B-. Another nutty tag match with one crazy spot after another, as has become the tradition around here. The Bros are LONG overdue for another title program and I’m wanting to see what they can do with the Bucks in the cage. It is high time for the Bucks to drop the titles and this should be a good place to do just that.

Post match the Young Bucks come out for the staredown but the Lucha Bros and Jurassic Express clear the ring.

We get a video on CM Punk’s debut, leading into a look at Punk vs. Darby Allin at All Out.

Miro comes to the ring, though he comes out by kicking Fuego del Sol down the ramp. T
hey get inside, with Miro demanding that Fuego show his face to the Lord. The mask is ripped off, and here is Eddie Kingston for the brawl with Miro. The brawl is on and referees break it up, though Miro seems very pleased by the challenge.

Tay Conti vs. The Bunny

Bunny jumps her before the bell and hits a sliding forearm in the corner for a slightly delayed two. Back up and Conti unloads with some chops in the corner but Bunny knocks her into the ropes. We hear about Conti’s martial arts background, allowing Henry to say “it doesn’t matter if you know karate if someone know ka-razy.” Conti is back up with a belly to back swinging faceplant into a swinging Boss Man Slam. A knee to the face connects and the Tay-KO rocks Bunny as Penelope Ford comes out. The distraction lets Blade slip Bunny the brass knuckles for the knockout pin at 4:33.

Rating: C. The action was moving out there and the ending worked well as Conti seems to need an ally. Bunny and Ford make sense as a team in the Casino Battle Royal, which is one of those ideas that is suitable for villains in such a match. Conti should be a dark horse favorite in the match and it wouldn’t stun me to see her win the whole thing.

All Out rundown, now including Miro defending the TNT Title against Eddie Kingston.

We get the weekly split screen interview between Christian Cage/Frankie Kazarian vs. Kenny Omega/Brandon Cutler. Omega can’t wait to drop Christian on his head with the One Winged Angle and send the fans home happy. Christian knows he has already hurt Omega and now he wants the big one at All Out. Tonight, make sure you get in the ring because they don’t want any of this Cutler stooge stuff.

Kenny Omega/Brandon Cutler vs. Christian Cage/Frankie Kazarian

Don Callis is here with Omega and Cutler. Kazarian throws Cutler around with ease, which shouldn’t be the biggest surprise. Omega comes in and chokes Kazarian in the corner but misses a charge. A Russian legsweep drops Omega and it’s back to Cutler so Christian can choke away on the ropes. Kazarian drops Cutler on the top rope for a kick to the face so Michael Nakazawa gets in a laptop shot tot he back. This has a grand total of no effect, allowing Omega to clothesline Kazarian down.

Back in and Cutler misses a dancing elbow, setting up the hot tag to Christian. Some chops have Cutler cringing in the corner but Omega breaks up the right hands. Christian slips out of the One Winged Angle and hammers on both of them at once. The reverse DDT lays out both villains but Omega crotches Christian against the post. Omega V Triggers Cutler by mistake and walks out, leaving Cutler to get speared and Killswitched for the pin at 8:27.

Rating: C+. This was mainly a storytelling match as there was no way two stars like Cage and Kazarian were losing to Omega and his lackey. They got the ending right too as Omega bailing on Cutler fits him perfectly and leaves Cutler to take the fall. It was a perfectly fine match and the did what they needed to do to keep up the All Out build.

Overall Rating: C+. Much more down to earth show this week and while Rampage is more or less the third hour of Dynamite, it serves a nice purpose. I would much, much rather have it be a show like this than a place to put the Gunn Club and the Factory and the Wingmen. The show wasn’t must see, but for an hour of television where two new All Out matches were set, it worked out just fine.

Results
Lucha Bros b. Jurassic Express – Spike Fear Factor to Luchasaurus
Bunny b. Tay Conti – Brass knuckles punch
Christian Cage/Frankie Kazarian b. Kenny Omega/Brandon Cutler – Killswitch to Cutler

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Impact Wrestling
Date: August 12, 2021
Location: Skyway Studios, Nashville, Tennessee
Commentators: D’Lo Brown, Matt Striker

We’re on the way to Emergence and that should make for a good pay per view, as tends to be the case around here. Other than that, it is time to crown a new #1 contender and I’m curious to see where they go. Impact has a lot of choices available for the title shot at the moment and that is a good place to be. Let’s get to it.

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

The opening recap looks at AEW Dynamite, which set up Christian Cage vs. Kenny Omega for the Impact World Title tomorrow night on Rampage.

Opening sequence.

Tenille Dashwood vs. Taylor Wilde

Dashwood has Kaleb With A K (in a neck brace) in her corner. Wilde works on the wrist to start and they trade a battle of wristlocks. Dashwood gets sent into the corner and grabs a frustrated headlock. That’s reversed into a hammerlock as the technical exchange continues. A headscissors sends Dashwood outside so Wilde tosses her back inside for a slam. Another chase on the floor lets Dashwood get in a cheap shot to take over and Wilde’s neck is wrapped around the middle rope.

What might have been a clash of heads gives Dashwood two and a suplex is good for the same. Another suplex sends Wilde into the corner and the Taste of Tenille gets two. The chinlock is escaped and Wilde fires off the clotheslines into a leg lariat. The ref gets bumped so it’s Kaleb With A K getting on the apron for a distraction. Cue Madison Rayne of all people to send Wilde into the post. The Spotlight Kick finishes for Dashwood at 9:53.

Rating: C. Maybe it was having the big surprise return in the end, but this was a bit more interesting than the norm for both of then. Dashwood has all the tools to be a major heel and Wilde could be a nice addition to the division if she actually sticks around for more than a few weeks at a time. Good opener, including the surprise return.

Post match Rayne and Dashwood have the big evil hug to give us our newest alliance.

Various battle royal participants give us the usual soundbytes about how they’re going to win.

Emergence/tonight rundown.

Daivari vs. Josh Alexander

Non-title. They grapple into the corner to start and then fight over arm control. It’s too early for Alexander’s ankle lock so he boots Daivari down instead. Cue Jake Something to watch and we take a break. Back with Alexander being sent outside for a dropkick through the ropes from Daivari. A backbreaker sets up a chinlock with a knee in the back, followed by the more traditional chinlock. That’s broken up and Alexander snaps off a t-bone suplex, only to get caught with a DDT. Alexander is fine enough to snap off the rolling German suplexes, setting up Divine Intervention for the pin at 9:59.

Rating: C+. They have done some amazing stuff with Alexander as I can’t imagine him actually losing. You don’t get to see that very often anywhere and they are making it work well here. At this point it is going to be an event when he loses the title and it almost has to be straight to the main event from there. What else is there for him to do?

Post match Something hands the title to Alexander and the staredown is on.

Video on Kenny Omega vs. Christian Cage, with wrestlers and personalities making their picks.

The Good Brothers are ready to retain the Tag Team Titles but here is Violent By Design to say they’re winning them back. Doc Gallows gets in Joe Doering’s face and talks a lot of trash as the lights flicker.

Here is Kiera Hogan for a chat. Fire N Flava was supposed to be better than this so now she wants to talk to Tasha Steelz directly. Tasha thought she can have someone do her dirty work and get one over on her. If Steelz wants it, she can get it, so come down here with her goofy friend.

Cue Su Yung and Kimber Lee, now both in the whole evil look. Lee gets in the ring for the brawl, with Yung seeming to control Lee’s movements (which is in no way shape or form like Alexa Bliss doing the same to anyone). The Mandible Claw takes Hogan down and she is dragged away. That’s it for her in the company and I’m actually going to miss her a bit.

Don Callis goes on a rant about how everyone is out to get Kenny Omega, which Omega calls skulduggery. Callis lists off all of the people he has worked with over the years and promises Omega will have the title forever. Omega is ready to keep the title over all comers, because he’s made of different stuff. Points for getting skulduggery in there.

Chris Bey/Jay White vs. FinJuice

White and Finlay fight over the lockup to start and exchange headlocks. With that not going anywhere, it’s off to Robinson to elbow Bey in the face. Bey knees his way out of a suplex but Robinson has to chase White away from interfering. That’s enough for White to ram him into the apron over and over, setting up a neckbreaker for two. The kicks to the ribs set up the abdominal stretch to keep Robinson in trouble as Striker talks about the art of wrestling.

Robinson muscles him up into a suplex and the hot tag brings in Finlay to clean house. Finlay hits something like Deep Six for two on Bey as everything breaks down. White is sent outside, leaving Bey to get caught in the Doomsday Device. That’s too far for White, who comes back in with a chair for the DQ at 8:40.

Rating: C+. This stuff has grown on me by leaps and bounds as FinJuice is a good team and White feels like a star. Maybe it was just getting rid of the Good Brothers, but the whole thing has got me interested in seeing what they are doing. Maybe not so much for everyone else in Impact, but it’s working for the fans.

Post match White throws the chair at Finlay’s head. The Blade Runner onto the chair leaves Finlay laying.

Tasha Steelz talks about Kiera Hogan begging her to start Fire N Flava but that didn’t work for her. That’s why Steelz has gotten Savannah Evans…but here is Fallah Bahh to say he has a problem with Havok and Rosemary. Steelz can go with that, because she wants the Knockouts Tag Team Titles.

Melina can’t believe she’s part of Empower but Deonna Purrazzo comes in to brag about how great she is. We see some clips of Purrazzo training with an Invicta FC fighter and things seem to be going well. Melina is impressed too, so she’ll have a match of her own next week.

Christian Cage is ready to win the Impact Wrestling World Title and next week he’s coming back as the champion. The battle royal winner can bring it.

Matt Cardona vs. John Skyler

Cardona starts fast with a dropkick and sends him into the corner, setting up the flapjack. Skyler gets sent outside for the running big boot as the ALWAYS READY chant starts up. A ram into the apron and a right hand give Skyler two but Cardona makes the clothesline comeback. The former Broski Boot is loaded up but here are Rohit Raju and Shera to interrupt. The distraction lets Skyler hit a jumping knee to the face into a rollup for the pin at 4:07.

Rating: C-. That’s quite the surprise, though the distraction made it a bit less clean. Cardona is still in a weird place in Impact but at least he seems to be moving on from the Brian Myers stuff. A feud with Raju and Shera could be interesting and for once, Raju feels like he could make something pretty good. That wouldn’t have been the case a year or so ago, because he has evolved that much.

Battle Royal

Eddie Edwards, Brian Myers, Sami Callihan, Moose, Sam Beale, Fallah Bahh, No Way, Deaner, Rhino, Petey Williams, Chris Sabin, W. Morrissey, Ace Austin, Madman Fulton, Willie Mack, Rich Swann, Johnny Swinger, Hernandez, Suicide, Trey Miguel

The winner gets a World Title shot at Emergence and I think I’ve got everyone. Morrissey gets rid of Suicide and Swinger to start with Hernandez getting the same treatment. Everyone gets together to get rid of Morrissey and we take a break. Back with everyone getting in on the brawling and Petey Williams loading up a Canadian Destroyer on the apron. That’s so stupid that Steve Macclin has to come out and pull him down for the elimination out of sheer principle.

Deaner and Swann fight to the apron and are both knocked out, with Rhino being tossed out soon after. Ace and Fulton get rid of Mack as the ring is emptying out in a hurry. No Way punches Austin out of the air but gets tossed in a hurry. Bahh gets rid of Fulton and is tossed by Moose to get rid of two of the bigger guys. Myers shoves Beale into the ropes to break up Miguel’s (stupid) springboard and get rid of him as well.

Eddie gives Myers the Backpack Stunner and Moose hits a crazy chop on Beale, leaving a huge hand print on his chest. Moose isn’t done yet as he dumps Eddie but Sabin sends him underneath the ropes for a brawl on the floor. Myers tosses Beale (who looks stunned), leaving us with Myers, Callihan, Moose, Sabin and Austin.

Callihan piledrives Myers and get taken to the apron by Myers. Fulton saves Austin from a save so Callihan clotheslines him off the shoulders in a makeshift (and unintentional Doomsday Device). Callihan is knocked out as well, leaving us with Moose, Sabin and Myers. Sabin sleepers Moose but Myers comes in to dump them both and win at 17:08. Striker calls this brilliant, about a minute and a half after he called Myers stupid for dumping Beale.

Rating: C. Well it was certainly a surprise ending and that’s a positive….right? Myers as the next challenger to the title could be an interesting way to go, though it is quite the jump up the ladder for him. They had a lot of big names in here and it isn’t like losing a battle royal is going to crush everyone in sight. This was more surprising than good, though that is what a battle royal can be used for.

Overall Rating: C. I’m not sure where to go with this show as it was mostly fine with some completely watchable matches, but at the same time, there is A LOT going on here. You have AEW, New Japan and Impact all rolling around, which can make for a messy show. Sometimes you need to slow down and let things breathe a bit, but that is not how modern wrestling works most of the time. Completely watchable show, but it could use some cleaning up.

Results
Tenille Dashwood b. Taylor Wilde – Spotlight kick
Josh Alexander b. Daivari – Divine Intervention
FinJuice b. Chris Bey/Jay White via DQ when White used a chair
John Skyler b. Matt Cardona – Rollup
Brian Myers won a battle royal last eliminating Petey Williams and Moose

TNA, 2021, Impact Wrestling, Tenille Dashwood, Kaleb With A K, Taylor Wilde, Josh Alexander, Daivari, Kiera Hogan, Su Yung, Kimber Lee, FinJuice, Chris Bey, Jay White, John Skyler, Matt Cardona, Brian Myers, Petey Williams, Moose, Eddie Edwards, Sami Callihan, Kenny Omega, Christian Cage, Don Callis, Melina, Deonna Purrazzo

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 18, 2021
Location: Fertitta Center, Houston, Texas
Commentators: Excalibur, Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone

We’re still on the way to both All Out and the First Dance, meaning we could be in for an interesting night. AEW knows how to put on a good show out of nowhere and things were a little bit flat last week. There is a good chance that they can come up with something big here, as Kenny Omega is not going to be happy with losing to Christian Cage last week. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Commentary previews the card.

Here are Jon Moxley and Eddie Kingston but 2.0 and Daniel Garcia jump them in the crowd. 2.0 wants Sting and Darby Allin right now.

Sting/Darby Allin vs. 2.0

Texas Tornado rules and Allin jumps 2.0 from behind with the skateboard. The running charges in the corner rock 2.0 and it’s time for the brawl to head into the crowd. They make it up to what looks like a VIP area with Daniel Garcia getting in on the beating. 2.0 lifts Allin up into a piece of the ceiling and Sting is sent into a wall.

Sting is taken back to ringside but Allin runs down the barricade to break it up. Eddie Kingston comes back in to make the save as a table is thrown in. Kingston and Garcia fight off as Allin is suplexed onto his skateboard. Sting is powerbombed through a table and pops back up, setting up the double Scorpion Death Drop and the double Deathlock makes 2.0 tap at 6:15.

Rating: C-. This is a match where the wrestling wasn’t the point and that’s fine. The lack of any semblance of rules was the fight call for Sting and beating up a couple of goons like this doesn’t hurt anyone. I’m not sure how wise it was to burn through a Sting match on free TV, but at least it was a fun one.

Earlier tonight, Sammy Guevara proposed to his girlfriend in the ring, getting a yes.

Shawn Spears and Tully Blanchard are happy for Sammy (Shawn: “Slim pickings in Houston.”) and promise to let the girlfriend be in the Pinnacle. For tonight, she can be on top for once.

Sammy Guevara vs. Shawn Spears

Sammy is the hometown boy but Spears jumps him from behind on the ramp. That’s fine with Sammy, who tosses him down for the big running flip dive. A missed charge sends Sammy knees first into the steps though and Tully Blanchard joins in on a spike piledriver on the floor. Now we get the opening bell so Tully loads up another spike, only to get ejected in a hurry. Back in and Sammy grabs a rollup for two but the chop off sends us to a break.

We come back with both guys on top and a piece of barricade loaded up between the ring and the barricade. Guevara busts out a jumping super cutter for two but Spears hits a super C4 for the same. They head to the apron and Sammy hits a C4 (not a Death Valley Driver Excalibur, you proper name psycho) onto the barricade. The 630 (What spike piledriver onto the floor?) gets two (good grief) and the GTH finally puts Spears away at 9:59.

Rating: C+. It was certainly high energy, but dang there was a lot going on here and not in the best way. There were far too many finishers being burned through, meaning I was left sitting here with a “REALLY?” look on my face a few too many times. This needs to be the end of the feud too, as there is nothing left for these two to do against each other. Good action, horrible use of finishers, which tends to be the case around here a lot of the time.

Post match a bleeding Guevara kisses his fiance.

Don Callis talks to Christian Cage about how he got Christian into wrestling 25 years ago. Now Callis is on top of the wrestling world and Cage is….well he’s here too. Cage calls him some rather unpleasant names.

Here is Dan Lambert to rant about how AEW is on the cancel culture train. The people around here got triggered and AEW sent out Lance Archer out here to hit a 52 year old main the place. Lambert has former UFC Heavyweight Champions Andre Arlovski and Junior Dos Santos and if you’re feeling froggy, come out here and jump.

Lambert keeps going and talking about how AEW fans are all pathetic and have nothing better to do than play Dungeons and Dragons and look up creepy stuff on the dark web. Cue Lance Archer but the Men of the Year jump him from behind. Lambert is a better talker than 90% of the roster. Also, the Men of the Year can beat down Lance Archer?

Chris Jericho talks about all of the Labors he has had to go through to get here. Tonight, he has no Judas Effect and no Judas theme song, but the Friends of Jericho will sing it for him.

Tag Team Titles: Young Bucks vs. Jurassic Express

The Bucks are defending and have Brandon Cutler, Michael Nakazawa, Don Callis and the Good Brothers with them, while Marko Stunt is with the Express. Callis goes to commentary to clear things out a bit. Nick is sent outside and busts out the cold spray so Jungle dives onto him.

Back in and it’s off to Luchasaurus to throw mat around and chop both Bucks down. It’s back to Jungle, who sends Matt to the apron for a running hurricanrana over the top to the floor. We come back from a break with Luchasaurus coming in to clean house. The Tail Whip sets up the Extinction Level Event for a delayed two on Matt. Back up and a double superkick drops Luchasaurus and it’s the Indytaker on Jungle with a backsplash to Luchasaurus at the same time for a near fall.

Cue Kenny Omega to hit Marko Stunt with a chair so here is Christian Cage to take care of Omega. The rest of the Elite gets on the apron but Jungle hits a brainbuster onto the chair for a VERY delayed two on Matt. Thurassic Express gets two on Matt with Nick making another save. Nakazawa offers a distraction so Luchasaurus dives onto everyone outside. The BTE Trigger finishes Jungle at 11:45.

Rating: C+. It was another fun match from the Bucks, even with them surviving everything. That’s a big AEW problem and it’s worse with the Bucks than anyone else. I can go with them not losing the titles on Dynamite, but did they really have to pin Jungle Boy to retain here?

Post match Christian is dragged back to the ring and the huge beatdown is on, with Callis getting in a few shots of his own. The One Winged Angel connects and Callis counts the pin. This was the latest Elite beatdown.

Britt Baker brags about her win on Rampage and introduces Jamie Hayter. Jamie is friends with Baker from way back and was glad to come in and help her out.

Video on Matt Hardy vs. Orange Cassidy.

Here is Paul Wight for a chat about how great it was to be back in the ring last week. QT Marshall and company interrupt and say they would get in here and take him out but Marshall knows something. We see x-rays of Wight’s hip with a bunch of metal in it, meaning he can’t do much. Wight says it doesn’t matter, because he is facing Marshall at All Out. Marshall gives a great shocked face. It’s almost as shocking as AEW still trying to make Marshall a thing.

The Elite celebrates, but Tony Schiavone announces a tournament for a future Tag Team Title shot at All Out……inside a cage.

Taz brings out Ricky Starks, who wants to bring out Brian Cage. We cut to the back where Powerhouse Hobbs is standing over Cage…..who stands up and fights back. That’s too much for Starks so cut the feed.

Death Triangle is ready for All Out but Chavo Guerrero and Andrade come in. Chavo has some terms for the All Out match and hands Pac a phone book sized contract. Point for a funny visual.

Thunder Rosa vs. Penelope Ford

Ford doesn’t seem to be in her regular gear. Rosa wastes no time in sending her into the corner for the rapid fire stomping. They head outside in a hurry with Ford nailing a cutter to take us to a break. Back with Ford missing a running boot in the corner and getting caught with a running clothesline. The slingshot knees rock Ford in the corner again but the Fire Thunder Driver is countered into a rollup for two on Rosa. The Muta Lock has Rosa in trouble but she is back up with the Death Valley Driver for two. Ford goes for the legs again but gets pulled down into something like an STF for the tap at 7:59.

Rating: C. This was a good way to have Rosa come back and get a win as she is likely heading for the big showdown against Britt Baker. Ford is perfectly fine in a midcard role like this as she has just enough credibility to make Rosa break a sweat and that’s about all she needs to do. They understood their roles here and the match worked as a result.

We look back at Malakai Black’s debut.

Arn Anderson is a bit scared of Black and next week, his son Brock gets to face Black.

Here’s what’s coming this/next week.

Miro liked hurting Fuego del Sol last week and now he wants Eddie Kingston.

Jon Moxley is sick of all the teams running around here, either in basketball jerseys or Hangman Page not being able to get over his high school drama. Moxley would run through Christian because he is the guy who carried the World Title on his shoulder during dark days around here. It is time to show what it takes to be the top guy around here and if Daniel Garcia wants a taste of the main event, come get it on Rampage. Just make sure that is what you want before you need the ringside doctor checking on you.

Maxwell Jacob Friedman vs. Chris Jericho

Jericho can’t use the Judas Effect (leaving him with only three finishers). As expected, the fans sing Judas a cappella, complete with some fans holding up signs with lyrics for a pretty cool moment. The fans are all over MJF and it’s an early Walls attempt to send him outside. Jericho follows him out with a dive but MJF takes Jericho down and steals the camera (ala Jericho). That earns him a big right hand and Jericho grabs the camera to flip it off.

Back in and MJF goes after Jericho’s bad arm to take over. We take a break and come back with Jericho slugging away until another shot to the arm takes him down. Jericho gets in a shot to the face to set up the Lionsault for two though, meaning it’s a surprised kickout. Some clotheslines and right hands in the corner set up a super hurricanrana but MJF reverses into the Salt of the Earth.

That is countered into the Walls but MJF goes for the bad arm to escape. They slug it out until Jericho is sent to the apron for the Heatseeker and another near fall. MJF gets creative by kicking him low (the referees get distracted really easily around here) and grabbing his own Walls of Jericho. The rope grab breaks that up so it’s time for the diamond ring. That’s taken away so Jericho gets in the Floyd shot. Instead of covering, Jericho loads up the Judas Effect but can’t do it. MJF hits one of his own though and it’s the Salt of the Earth to (eventually) make Jericho tap at 15:53.

Rating: B. Good match, with the weird stipulation making Jericho look like a complete buffoon. I would assume this set up either a rematch at All Out or Jericho going on tour with Fozzy, as it was a pretty flat way to end the show Labors story. MJF winning is smart, but it was more a “that’s it?” moment than anything else.

Overall Rating: C+. I wasn’t entirely feeling this one as the show felt a step off. While not complete dominance, it was a pretty heel beatdown heavy show as both the Young Bucks and MJF get big wins. All Out is coming up in about two weeks and the little amount of the card that we have is not thrilling me so far. That is a lot of time, but this show was pretty lacking from a story perspective. The good action brings it up and it’s nowhere near a bad show, but I could go for moving things forward a bit. Kind of like say in Chicago on Friday.

Results
Sting/Darby Allin b. 2.0 – Double Scorpion Deathlock
Sammy Guevara b. Shawn Spears – GTH
Young Bucks b. Jurassic Express – BTE Trigger to Jungle Boy
Thunder Rosa b. Penelope Ford – STF
Maxwell Jacob Friedman b. Chris Jericho – Salt of the Earth

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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Rampage
Date: April 13, 2021
Location: Petersen Events Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Commentators: Excalibur, Chris Jericho, Mark Henry, Taz

It’s the debut of the secondary show which is actually on television and not full of squashes. I’m not sure what this is going to mean for the company as a whole, but if they can put some stuff on here instead of cramming it all onto Dynamite, we could be in for something good. The card is pretty stacked tonight too so let’s get to it.

Opening sequence.

Impact Wrestling World Title: Kenny Omega vs. Christian Cage

Omega, with Don Callis, is defending. They go with the feeling out process to start and Christian flips him off in the corner to start the mind games. It’s too early for both guys to hit their finisher and Omega bails to the floor for an early breather. Back in and Omega chops away but Christian knocks him to the apron for the dropkick back to the floor. Hold on though as Callis offers a distraction, allowing Omega to shove Christian down in the big crash.

We take a break and come back with Christian snapping off a snap suplex but Omega catches him on top. The superplex is broken up with a heck of a sunset bomb and Christian hammers away, setting up the stand on the back while Omega is in the ropes. There’s the right hand to the face but Omega is right back with YOU CAN’T ESCAPE into the moonsault for two. Omega knees him in the face, hits a powerbomb and nails the V Trigger for two more. Henry: “That was a heel factor like Wolverine.”

Christian grabs the rope to counter a German suplex out of the corner and avoids another V Trigger, sending Omega knee first into the buckle. The spear gives Christian two but Omega is back with a pair of snapdragons. Christian manages to snap the throat across the top though and a frog splash gets two (and I bought it). Callis gets on the apron for the distraction so the Young Bucks can bring in a chair. The One Winged Angel onto the chair is countered into the Killswitch onto the chair to give Christian the pin and the title at 15:25.

Rating: B. I was surprised by the title change and that’s a nice feeling to have. I’ve spent weeks saying that Omega wasn’t losing anything until he lost the AEW World Title, though having an AEW wrestler beat an AEW wrestler for the Impact World Title is a heck of a way to go. Either way, they had a good match and that’s what matters most here as the new show kicks off.

Post break, Christian, with Jurassic Express and Orange Cassidy, is happy with his win but knows what it is going to take to beat Omega for the AEW World Title. He’s in Omega’s head though and that’s all that matters.

Fuego del Sol is ready to beat Miro.

Miro is ready to beat Fuego del Sol.

TNT Title: Fuego del Sol vs. Miro

Del Sol, with a 1-38 record, is challenging and gets a full time contract if he can pull off the upset. Fuego tornado DDTs Miro before the bell and then does it again after the bell, sending Miro to the floor as Jericho wants to know how a luchador is from Mobile, Alabama. Miro beats the count back in and another tornado DDT gets a close two. Del Sol goes up top again but this time he dives into the Samoan drop. The jumping superkick sets up Game Over to retain the title at 1:59. Exciting while it lasted but this was the only way it was going to go.

Post match, Miro rips up the contract and holds up the title.

Post break, Fuego gets up but Tony Khan (his first time ever on AEW TV outside of being seen in passing in the background) and Sammy Guevara come out. Khan hands Guevara a contract, which he brings to Fuego. Yes Fuego has been around for a long time and is like 1-50, but the people love him and now he is All Elite.

Sting and Darby Allin brood in the rafters.

Mark Henry runs a split screen interview with Red Velvet and Britt Baker. Velvet doesn’t think much of Baker attacking her with a crutch but Baker says she’ll retain the title even with a broken wrist.

Women’s Title: Britt Baker vs. Red Velvet

Baker, with Rebel, is defending and is crazy over in her hometown. They fight over the wrist control to start, which is not a great idea when Baker has a bad wrist. Velvet takes her down but won’t stomp on the arm, which has Jericho and Taz going nuts. Back up and Velvet hits a leg lariat into a moonsault press for two as we take a break. Back with Baker going for Lockjaw but the band hand won’t let her get it in.

Velvet goes after the glove so Rebel offers a distraction, earning an ejection. A moonsault gives Velvet two but Baker is back with a curb stomp (Jericho: “That’s a real curb stomp!”). The Lockjaw is loaded up so Velvet goes for the hand. That’s fine with Baker, who goes with a reverse Lockjaw for the tap to retain at 10:33.

Rating: C+. Velvet was doing everything she could here but the complete lack of drama hurt things. Baker is the most over woman that AEW has ever seen by about ten miles and this was her big homecoming. The match wasn’t great but the crowd reaction lifted it up and that’s ok in a spot like this.

Post match, Baker lays out Velvet again but Kris Statlander makes the save by dropping Baker. Cue Jamie Hayter (who wrestled here way back in 2019 and looks like a discount Becky Lynch) to jump Statlander and pose with Baker to end the show. That was a really questionable choice as Baker was the biggest face in the world on this show and they end it was a virtual unknown returning as her new enforcer to beef up the heel stuff. That’s a weird way to go and I’m really not seeing why they had to do this here in front of this crowd.

Overall Rating: B. This worked really well, with the title change at the beginning making the show feel important and the big Baker entrance feeling special. The Fuego thing probably gets a lot better if you watch Dark/Elevation, though it’s not like a sub two minute match is going to drag a show down that much. The ending…..yeah still not feeling it in that spot, as AEW still needs to learn the concept of enough is enough. Overall, the show felt like a short form Dynamite and that is a rather appealing idea, especially since it’s not tacked on to Dynamite in the first place.

Results
Christian Cage b. Kenny Omega – Killswitch onto a chair
Miro b. Fuego del Sol – Game Over
Britt Baker b. Red Velvet – Lockjaw

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 4, 2021
Location: Daily’s Place, Jacksonville, Florida
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Jim Ross, Excalibur

We’re back in Jacksonville for Homecoming as we have the fifth week in a row with some kind of a special themed show. That could include a lot of different things, including Chris Jericho vs. Juventud Guerrera of all people. Why? Well he wrestled in WCW in the 90s so he’s fair game. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Juventud Guerrera vs. Chris Jericho

MJF is on commentary and Jericho has to hit a move off the top to win. The once again masked Juvy chops away to start and grabs a headscissors to send Jericho outside. Air Juvy takes Jericho down again and but he slips out of the Juvy Driver back inside. Jericho takes him outside and chops away, followed by a high crossbody for two back inside. Jericho forearms him down but runs into a superkick (MJF: “I taught him that.”). A low kick to the face sets up the Rings of Saturn to Jericho, who powers up with ease.

Jericho hits a top rope ax handle for two, with frustration setting in. Jericho knocks him down and goes for a cover, which isn’t how this match works. With that not working, Jericho goes up again but Juvy catches him with the right hands to the head. The super hurricanrana is countered into the Walls but Juvy grabs the rope. Another kick to the face gives Juvy two more and the Juvy Driver gets the same. MJR wants Aubrey fired for the slow count as Juvy takes Jericho up top. That’s fine with Jericho, who shoves him down and hits a top rope Judas Effect for the pin at 9:49.

Rating: C. This was a lot better than I was expecting, but it was another legends match which didn’t exactly blow the roof off. It also didn’t exactly feel like a bit followup to the Nick Gage match last week, but they probably should have taken a step back as you can only go so far. Juvy looked like an older version of himself here but that’s exactly how is should have been.

Post match here is Wardlow to wreck both of them, allowing MJF to announce that Labor #4 is Jericho vs. Wardlow. That match needs a special referee, and MJF will be the perfect choice.

The Lucha Bros are here sans Pac. Andrade El Idolo comes up with his entourage, with Chavo Guerrero offering money, cars etc. That’s going to be a no, with the Lucha Bros leaving because Death Triangle is family.

The Dark Order is ready for a chat but Hangman Page shows up, drink in hand. Page takes blame for the loss last week and says he can’t keep blaming himself. For now, it is time to go their separate ways, even though he still loves them. They agree to let him have his space.

Daniel Garcia/2.0 vs. Darby Allin/Jon Moxley/Eddie Kingston

Sting is with the good guys. Before the match, 2.0 (formerly Ever-Rise in NXT) says it is time to show what they can do. During Moxley’s entrance, JR talks about how great it is going to be in Cincinnati. He quotes Major League (and gets the first word wrong), which is about the Cleveland Indians. Anyway we start fast with Garcia getting some early near falls on Allin. A blind tag brings in Matt Lee to send Allin into the corner but a quick roll into the corner allows the tag to Kingston.

The chop off goes to Kingston and it’s time to stomp Lee down in the corner. A chop block cuts Moxley down though and we take a break. Back with Kingston and Garcia hitting a double clothesline but Garcia cuts off the tag. Moxley has had it and comes in to wreck everyone, allowing Allin to hit the dive to the floor. Back in and Moxley this a clothesline into a neckbreaker to drop Garcia. The Paradigm Shift sets up a Coffin Drop to put Garcia away at 7:20.

Rating: C. This could have been worse and I could see 2.0 being on Dark or Dark Elevation. I’m not sure if they need to do anything more than that as this tag division is completely bloated already, but I can see why they are getting a chance. Garcia was the star of the team and will likely get at least another look, which he should.

Video on Brian Cage vs. Ricky Starks, with Starks knowing that the FTW Title is his ticket to the top. Cage says he’s going to bring the intensity because who’s better than him?

The Elite is still having fun with a basketball, with the Young Bucks asking if there is anyone left to come after their Tag Team Titles. That would be no, because they are going to have to be buried with their belts. Kenny Omega talks about how Hangman Page blew it at the buzzer and now the fans don’t care about him anymore. Brandon Cutler goes up and cuts down the net. Note that Omega was wearing a Cookie Monster shirt. As in CM.

Christian Cage vs. Blade

Bunny is here with Blade, who gets in a fight with Christian on the ramp. Christian hammers him down to the floor but Bunny gets in Christian’s face. That doesn’t quite work as Christian decks Blade again and goes back inside. Bunny grabs the foot again but here is Leylah Hirsch (her opponent tonight) to fight her to the back. Christian grabs the reverse DDT for two but Blade drops him ribs first across the top as we take a break.

Back with Blade stomping on Christian but missing a charge into the post to send Blade outside. Christian hits the big dive but is too banged up to do anything about it. Back in and Christian wins a slugout, allowing him to stand on Blade back for the middle rope choking. There’s the middle rope elbow but Blade is right back with a powerslam. Blade teases going after the turnbuckle but it is a ruse so brass knuckles can be grabbed. Not that it matters as Christian spears him down for the pin at 9:50.

Rating: C+. This was another nice match, even if it didn’t hit that next level. Christian is piling up wins and I’m curious to see where that is going. Cage getting a pay per view title shot is hard to imagine but it is the kind of thing that we might be seeing. It isn’t the worst idea, but it seems like there might be better options.

Dax Harwood goes on a heck of a rant about how Santana and Ortiz watched Cash Wheeler’s arm be busted open so badly that he nearly lost it. This isn’t funny and it isn’t over between them.

Here are Britt Baker and Rebel for a chat, but since chats don’t last long without being interrupted around here, it’s Red Velvet to interrupt. Velvet says Baker doesn’t look good in red but Baker says she beat Velvet in three minutes last time. That was when Velvet was an enhancement talent (Velvet’s words) but now she is 22-4 with 7 straight wins.

Baker says the match is on if it’s Tony Khan approved, which it will be because she’s the golden girl. We’ll do it on the big stage in her hometown of Pittsburgh next Friday. Rebel tries to get in a crutch shot but Velvet knocks her away, only to get jumped by Baker. This is just a one off match and that’s fine, because Baker’s reception next week is going to be other worldly.

Chavo Guerrero has gotten Fuego del Sol to work for Andrade El Idolo, but del Sol isn’t happy with being told to shine shoes. Andrade destroys him.

Here is Hangman Page for a chat but he only gets out a “well” before the Elite interrupts him. Page says he has something to say to them, so the Elite joins him in the ring. Kenny Omega sees this as a plea to rejoin the Elite, but Page says not quite. Omega thinks Page is a try hard just like all of these people. They have been thinking about accepting Page’s faults, but they don’t have failures in their group. Page slaps him in the face but the beatdown is on in a hurry.

Cue the Dark Order but Evil Uno and Stu Grayson holds them back. A Magic Killer and some BTE Triggers have Page rocked but it’s Frankie Kazarian running in to take out some of them. The beatdown is on though, with Michael Nakazawa even throwing in the basketball. Omega belt shots Page to leave him laying.

We look back at Lance Archer destroying Dan Lambert.

TNT Title: Lee Johnson vs. Miro

Johnson, with Dustin Rhodes, is challenging and gets powered around to start. The driving shoulders in the corner have Johnson in more trouble. Johnson jumps over him out of the corner and strikes away, only to get tossed with a belly to belly. Game Over sends Johnson bailing to the floor though and we take a break. Back with Miro holding a bearhug but Johnson slips out and slugs away as well as he can. A dropkick puts Miro outside and Johnson hits back to back suicide dives, followed by a big running flip dive.

Miro tries to catch Johnson but falls over, allowing Johnson to throw him back inside. A high crossbody gets one on Miro and Johnson kicks him in the head again. More superkicks rock Miro but he catches the fifth (yes fifth) superkick. Johnson slips away again though and hits the big superkick, setting up a frog splash for two. Miro escapes the fireman’s carry though and kicks Johnson in the face instead. Game Over retains Miro’s title at 9:28.

Rating: C+. This was a good example of giving it everything you have in a rough spot. It worked out pretty well too, with Johnson doing more than I would have expected here. At the end of the day though, Miro should be holding that title for a long time to come and it seems like he will be. Good enough match here, which was a nice surprise.

Christian Cage thanks Leylah Hirsch for the save (while singing the Golden Girls theme) but he has some friends. Best Friends. Next week on the debut of Rampage though, he is ready to be #1 contender.

Bunny vs. Leylah Hirsch

The winner gets an NWA Women’s Title match. The Hardy Family Office and the Best Friends are all here too. Hirsch tries an armbar and Bunny bails to the floor. Back in and Hirsch works on the arm a bit until Bunny sends her outside. Bunny runs into Kamille (the NWA Women’s Champion) in the front row though and we take a break.

Back with more of the women’s division watching at ringside as Hirsch fights up. Hirsch knocks her into the corner for two but COMPLETELY misses a moonsault. Bunny is right back with a Death Valley Driver for two but Down The Rabbit Hole is broken up. Hirsch gets the cross armbreaker for the tap at 8:15.

Rating: C. I don’t think there was much drama to this one as Bunny isn’t going to get a major title match against Kamille. Hirsch getting a one off title shot will work well and it took a nice performance here to get her there. Just don’t let her try any more moonsaults, because that really didn’t work.

Post match, Hirsch and Kamille have a staredown, with Kamille being more than a foot taller.

Mark Sterling says Jade Cargill hasn’t been wrestling because it has been all about growing their brand. Cargill will be back on Dark Elevation next week and the sky is the limit, because she is that b****.

Malakai Black vs. Cody Rhodes

Black has a skull mask with horns for his entrance and it works rather well. Cody isn’t sure what to do to start so Black goes after the leg. That’s reversed into a Figure Four attempt until Black rakes the eyes to escape. A legsweep takes Cody down and we hit the half crab to keep him in trouble. The rope is grabbed and Cody is right back with the Cross Rhodes attempt, which is broken up with ease. Cody goes up and is kicked right back down, sending him through a ringside table. Back in and Black Mass knocks Cody silly for the pin with a boot on the chest at 4:43.

Rating: C+. Yeah that worked and it’s how this should have gone. Black Mass is one of the best finishers in wrestling today because it’s a really obvious idea: kick the other guy in the head really hard. Black ran through Cody here and even though this is for the sake of filming the Big Show, he put Black over perfectly here. Nice job.

Post match Black leaves and Cody talks about legacy. He got into the business at fifteen as a referee and he wanted to win the title that they stole from his daddy in the Garden. Time flies and goals change though and it takes Cody a second to get up. The fans are already singing the GOODBYE Song as Cody uses a crutch to get to his feet. Cody talks about how he fired them instead of them firing him (meaning WWE) and then he met Kenny Omega and the Young Bucks.

Now this isn’t just an alternative because they’re competition. They set this table and now it’s time for someone new to eat. He has been around everywhere and has been so lucky. There have been some outside people and maybe there has been some in-fighting with the other Executive Vice Presidents but they are here. For him, this is the AEW Amphitheater and he thanks the fans.

Cody takes off his boot (a sign of retiring)….and Malakai Black breaks the crutch over his back. Black steals the boot and glares a lot to end the show. I’m glad they didn’t tease the full on retirement angle here as AEW fans are smart enough to know why Cody is going to be gone. Also, well done on bringing Black back in, because it would have been annoying to have him get that kind of a win and then just leave while Cody did his thing.

Overall Rating: C+. This felt like they were taking their foot off the gas a bit and that’s ok. We’ve had four weeks of major shows and what we got here still worked. They kept advancing the stories forward and with All Out in about a month, it means they can set up the actual matches in the next week or two. What we got here was fine enough, but it was one of the slower paced shows they’ve had in a bit.

Results
Chris Jericho b. Juventud Guerrera – Top rope Judas Effect
Jon Moxley/Darby Allin/Eddie Kingston b. 2.0/Daniel Garcia – Coffin Drop to Garcia
Christian Cage b. Blade – Spear
Miro b. Lee Johnson – Game Over
Leylah Hirsch b. The Bunny – Cross armbreaker
Malakai Black b. Cody Rhodes – Black Mass

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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Impact Wrestling
Date: July 22, 2021
Location: Skyway Studios, Nashville, Tennessee
Commentators: Matt Striker, D’Lo Brown

We are finally done with Slammiversary, which wound up being a heck of a show with a lot of surprises. Kenny Omega retained the World Title by defeating Sami Callihan but New Japan’s Jay White showed up to end the show in a big surprise. It’s time to start the long form crawl towards Bound For Glory so let’s get to it.

Here is Slammiversary if you need a recap.

We open with a long recap of the title matches at Slammiversary.

Opening sequence, with a new version of the theme song. Dang the other one was catchier.

Chris Bey vs. Rohit Raju

Shera is here with Raju and this is fallout from both of them losing Ultimate X. Feeling out process to start with Raju grabbing a headlock. That goes nowhere as Bey takes him down, followed by both of them catching a boot to the ribs at the same time. Back up and they run the ropes until Raju sweeps the leg to take him down. Raju is sent to the apron, where he manages to snap the back of the neck over the ropes.

Back in and Raju faceplants him into a basement clothesline to the back of the head. A snap suplex gives Raju two and the chinlock goes on. That doesn’t last long so Raju takes him into the corner, where he misses a Cannonball. Bey is back with a Fameasser and a kick to the head in the corner. Raju’s jumping Downward Spiral gets two and he counters the Art of Finesse into the Crossface. That’s broken up so Bey hits him in the back of the head, setting up the Art of Finesse for the pin at 6:39.

Rating: C. Bey continues to feel like a star, but he needs to win something of note again sooner rather than later. He has been in a bit of a holding pattern since he lost the X-Division Title so maybe he can get somewhere else. Raju continues to stun me as I still can’t get over how far he has come in such a short amount of time. That’s very impressive and deserves some attention.

Post match, Bey runs into Jay White, who has sent him a message. White, the leader of the Bullet Club, says the team is always looking for talented guys. Bey says he has always been about himself, but White asks how that has been going for him.

Don Callis brags about Kenny Omega’s win and mocks Tommy Dreamer and Scott D’Amore over being more powerful than they are. Callis isn’t happy that Jay White is here, but the title is more valuable anyway.

Here’s what’s coming tonight.

Here is Mickie James for a chat (Striker has already called her beautiful and a wonderful human being). Mickie is glad to be back and hear that song one more time. She is here to change the business and make it better, so she would like Knockouts Champion Deonna Purrazzo to come out here right now.

Cue Purrazzo, who isn’t happy that Mickie kicked her in the face at Slammiversary. Mickie offers her a match at NWA Empowered, but Purrazzo thinks Mickie is in this for herself. Cue Gail Kim, to say everyone wants this to be the biggest, and thinks Purrazzo should accept. Mickie talks about how Purrazzo needs to cement her legacy, and it can start with this. Purrazzo shakes her hand so the match is on.

The Drama King is coming.

Jake Something/Matt Cardona/Chelsea Green vs. Tenille Dashwood/Sam Beale/Brian Myers

Kaleb With A K is here with the villains. Jake throws Beale around to start and works on the arm before Cardona comes in for the flapjack. Cardona hammers on Myers in the corner but a Beale distraction lets him drop Cardona onto the buckle. The beating doesn’t last long though as Cardona gets over to Green to beat up Dashwood. A Backstabber plants Dashwood but Kaleb With A K breaks up the Unprettier. Cue the returning Taylor Wilde to take care of Kaleb With A K, leaving Green to hit the Unprettier for the pin on Beale at 4:04.

Rating: C-. Just a quick match here with Green getting a win on Impact now that she is back. It’s fine enough to have her pin Beale too as he’s there to be a lackey and nothing more at the moment. The quality wasn’t the point here and it managed to keep a few matches going at the same time. Throw in Wilde being back and this was completely adequate.

We look at W. Morrissey using a chain to beat Eddie Edwards.

Eddie Edwards isn’t done with W. Morrissey and he’ll be waiting in the parking lot.

Post break, Morrissey heads to the parking lot and the fight with Edwards is on. Eddie cracks him in the back with a trashcan but Morrissey is back with an ice chest. Choking ensues and there’s another ice chest shot. Eddie manages to find a pair of Kenny the Kendo Sticks and some shots have Morrissey running away.

Brian Myers says he and Tenille Dashwood are ready for the homecoming tournament because she is under his learning tree. Just like Sam Beale, which has Dashwood pointing out the obvious problems. Dashwood is done with the tournament, so Beale promises to find a new partner. He even gets to talk to a girl! Beale: “Hi Gia.” Gia Miller is not impressed.

Here is Jay White for a chat. After we see a clip from after Slammiversary, with White being attacked by FinJuice but taking David Finlay out with the Blade Runner (swinging Downward Spiral), White introduces himself and lists off his nicknames and accomplishments. He is the real belt collector and he is here for one man: David Finlay. They have a match on August 14 and Finlay is trying to fix his family name. White: “Daddy must not be very proud.” Finlay already beat him in the New Japan Cup and that is never happening again. While he’s here though, he wants to see the Bullet Club fans, meaning the Good Brothers.

Those two have only ever mattered since they have been able to attach themselves to the Club’s name. Their application to rejoin the team is turned down, but if they want to appeal….and here is the Elite to interrupt. Don Callis talks about how the real Bullet Club went, and it was when these people were in it. We hear about White being a young boy and how this Bullet Club is a bunch of midcarders. If White was smart, he would be wanting to join the Elite.

White points out that he beat Kenny Omega the last time they faced each other but the Good Brothers say they have this. The Brothers take credit for the Bullet Club’s success, including heading to America so White and his friends could make a living. All they want is a thank you, but White says this is all the Brothers ever did.

White knows Anderson’s career peaked when he lost the 2012 G1 Climax. He is what they want to be, so the beatdown is on…..with Striker explaining the differences between the versions of the Club rather than talking about the fight taking place in front of his eyes. Chris Bey runs in for the save, with Striker babbling about how if you invert the initials of Bullet Club, you get CB, for Chris Bey! GET JOSH MATTHEWS BACK ALREADY!!! As for the segment, it was the latest example of “Japan is AWESOME” piece theater.

Josh Alexander says nothing is changing for him, because he’ll knock down the next challenger. Kenny Omega pops up to say he doesn’t think so.

The Good Brothers rant about Jay White, who is ungrateful. How about a tag match next week?

Ace Austin/Madman Fulton vs. FinJuice

Austin shoulders Finlay down to start but Finlay is back up with some arm cranking. Robinson comes in for a delayed vertical suplex, setting up the posing. Finlay’s backsplash misses though and it’s Fulton coming in as we take a break. Back with Finlay not being able to fight out of the corner as Fulton tosses him back in. Austin kicks him in the face for two and we hit the chinlock. A backdrop gets Finlay out of trouble though and it’s back to Robinson to clean house. The big left hand drops Austin but Fulton pulls the high crossbody out of the air. That’s fine with Robinson, who reverses into a sunset flip for the pin at 8:05.

Rating: C. This was another “hey we’re back” win from FinJuice. They’re growing on me as they do work well together when they get in the ring. Fulton and Austin losing again is a bit much, but at least they lost to a good team. The match itself wasn’t the point here, but rather reminding you that FinJuice is pretty snazzy, which worked well.

Post match, FinJuice fends off a beatdown but Shera and Rohit Raju run in for the real beating.

Rich Swann and Willie Mack don’t like Violent By Design blaming them for losing the Tag Team Titles. They know what it’s like to lose titles so if they want a fight, come see them next week. The lights go out and Violent By Design comes in for the beatdown.

Moose demands Scott D’Amore give him a rematch with Chris Sabin. Cue Sabin to say he’s in, with D’Amore making the match for next week.

Here’s what’s coming next week.

Knockouts Tag Team Titles: Fire N Flava vs. Rosemary/Havok

Rosemary and Havok, with the rest of Decay, are defending after winning the titles on the Slammiversary preshow. Kiera Hogan yells at Rosemary to start and gets taken down without much effort. Rosemary misses a spear though and Hogan shakes a finger at her. A side slam gives Rosemary two and it’s off to Havok for the power.

Havok crushes Tasha Steelz in the corner and hands it back to Rosemary. That means Hogan needs to offer a distraction to break up the Upside Down so the champs can be in trouble for the first time. Steelz hits some not very loud chops before stomping Rosemary down, setting up the camel clutch.

Rosemary pops up with the Sling Blade but doesn’t tag, allowing Hogan to take her back into the corner. The slugout is on until a double crossbody puts Rosemary and Hogan down. Havok comes in off the tag to clean house again until Steelz’ distraction lets Hogan get in a choke. It’s already back to Rosemary, but Steelz superkicks Hogan. A spear/Russian legsweep combination finishes Hogan at 11:32.

Rating: C. Another perfectly fine match which got a little time. Fire N Flava didn’t need to win here, though it seems like they might be done in the near future. What we got here worked out well enough though, as Rosemary and Havok needed a first defense. Who else were they supposed to beat?

Overall Rating: C. They hit the ground at least jogging after Slammiversary and that is something Impact does not do well most of the time. White felt like a huge star, but you’re only going to get so far with the Good Brothers. It seems like we are heading for another Bullet Club story, which may or may not have your highest level of interest. I get why Impact is doing this, but it would be nice to drop the outsiders for a little while. They won’t (and probably shouldn’t), but it would be nice.

Results
Chris Bey b. Rohit Raju – Art of Finesse
Chelsea Green/Matt Cardona/Jake Something b. Sam Beale/Brian Myers/Tenille Dashwood – Unprettier to Beale
FinJuice b. Ace Austin/Madman Fulton – Sunset flip to Fulton
Rosemary/Havok b. Fire N Flava – Spear/Russian legsweep combination to Hogan

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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Slammiversary 2021
Date: July 17, 2021
Location: Skyway Studios, Nashville, Tennessee
Commentators: Matt Striker, D’Lo Brown

This show has become the highlight of the Impact Wrestling calendar as I have had a better time with it than Bound For Glory for a long time now. With some luck, that can continue this time around as the show is pretty well stacked. We have the main event of World Champion Kenny Omega defending against Sami Callihan in a No DQ match, plus a few mystery spots to be filled. Let’s get to it.

Pre-Show: Knockouts Tag Team Titles: Fire N Flava vs. Rosemary/Havok

Fire N Flava are defending and commentary talks about how nice it is to have fans back. Havok misses a charge at Steelz to start but is right back with a swinging sitout Rock Bottom for two. Hogan comes in to slap Havok in the face and shout a lot, which goes as well as you might expect. It’s off to Rosemary for a t-bone suplex into the Upside Down, much to the fans’ delight.

Hogan sends Rosemary outside and dances a lot as Striker laughs about knowing one of the debuting wrestlers. Back in and Rosemary finally runs Steelz over to hammer away, only to be taken down for more dancing. Hogan hits a running shoulder in the corner as commentary reminds us that the pay per view starts in about seven minutes. In other words, don’t worry about the chance that this match is going long.

Rosemary avoids a charge and brings in Havok to clean house. Steelz’s running hurricanrana is countered with a buckle bomb but Havok misses a charge into the post. That lets Hogan hit a running kick to the face, leaving Steelz to dive onto Rosemary and Decay at ringside. Rosemary comes back in to distract Hogan, allowing Havok to get back up. The choke doesn’t work on Havok, who pulls Hogan into the Tombstone for the pin and the titles at 8:10.

Rating: C. Perfectly watchable opener here and nothing more than that. What matters here is getting the titles off of Fire N Flava, who have held them quite a while already. Rosemary and Havok might not be the long term solution as champions but it is nice to see someone new getting a shot. Good way to get the crowd warmed up too so well done.

The opening video features Sami Callihan looking off as we see clips of the company’s history. I know Impact is kind of a joke in wrestling, but they do have a rather deep history, including Sami winning the World Title. He wants it back tonight.

X-Division Title: Chris Bey vs. Ace Austin vs. Josh Alexander vs. Trey Miguel vs. Petey Williams vs. Rohit Raju

Alexander is defending in Ultimate X, with commentary saying that wrestling skill has little importance here. It’s a big brawl to start (as it should be) with Bey going for the belt early and getting caught just as fast. Alexander is left alone so Austin comes back in and gets German suplexed. Raju goes up top and jumps for the belt, only to crash down. Bey comes in and hits a big running flip dive back to the floor. Williams follows with the slingshot hurricanrana and Miguel hits some kind of a running DDT.

Raju and Austin go up at the same time until Austin gets shoved down onto the pile for the huge moonsault crash. That leaves Raju to bust out a grappling hook and climbs up, taking WAY longer than it would have had he just gone as usual. Williams makes the save, sending Striker into a more complicated than necessary metaphor about Williams being the foundation of the division. After Williams clears Raju out, here is Bey to take Williams down as well. Bey and Miguel wind up going for the belt at the same time, though Miguel is a lot further away.

An attempt at a hurricanrana doesn’t quite work so Miguel kind of spears Bey down instead to drop everyone. A Tower of Doom is loaded up but they have to stop to prevent Raju from pulling the title down with a hook. Everyone else is down so Raju grabs a chair and tries the hook again, only to get dropkicked down by Miguel. Williams comes back in for a Sharpshooter on Miguel, with Raju adding a Crossface for the tap. That means nothing so Alexander goes up, only to get caught hanging upside down with the belt behind him.

Therefore, Bey is fed up to him for an ankle lock as Alexander is still hanging from the X. It makes no sense but DANG that is an awesome visual. At the same time, Bey chokes Austin, who headlocks Williams, who still has Miguel in the Sharpshooter. Raju lets go and chairs Alexander down to get everyone a needed breather. Austin goes up and tries for the belt but slips a bit, allowing Bey to dive off the top with a cutter to put them both down again. Williams is back up with the Canadian Destroyer on Raju and a running version drops Miguel.

That lets Williams go up but Bey Bey get son Alexander’s shoulder to cut him off…and gets planed with another Canadian Destroyer. Well that worked. Alexander isn’t having any of this Destroyer stuff and gives Williams the C4 to knock him silly. Raju breaks up Alexander and Miguel’s slugout, meaning it’s a Downward Spiral to plant Miguel off of Alexander’s shoulders. That lets Raju go up but Miguel makes the save and takes him down.

Alexander superplexes Miguel down though, meaning he and Bey can go up at the same time. They wind up hanging upside and pull the belt down at the same time, only to have Austin springboard in and…completely crash without grabbing the title. The distraction lets Alexander knock Bey down and retain at 15:46.

Rating: B+. Yeah this was pretty awesome with everyone trying something and a bunch of insane spots. The match isn’t supposed to have much of a story or flow to it and that’s perfectly fine. This is the company’s version of the ladder match and they nailed it here, though I have no idea who takes the title from Alexander at this point. Whoever does is going to let him move up to the main event scene though, as there is nothing left for him to do.

We run down the card, which still does not feel necessary at a pay per view.

Don Callis rants about how unfair it is for Kenny Omega to be put in a No DQ World Title match. Callis goes on about how Omega is great enough to beat Sami Callihan and how he has been around for everything Omega has done. He’ll be here tonight for the One Winged Angel that beats Callihan and then his work here will be done.

We recap Matt Cardona and a mystery partner vs. Brian Myers/Tenille Dashwood. This is really Cardona vs. Myers with the women being added to prevent it from being another singles match.

Matt Cardona/??? vs. Brian Myers/Tenille Dashwood

Oh of course it’s Chelsea Green, which they didn’t actually try to hide in the first place. Sam Beale and Kaleb With A K are here with Myers Dashwood. Green is still in the arm cast but she’s going anyway. It’s a brawl before the bell until we settle down to the guys starting fast. A faceplant staggers Myers and Cardona clotheslines him to the floor. Cardona misses the dropkick through the ropes but clotheslines Kaleb With A K and Beale anyway.

That lets Myers grab a Downward Spiral onto the ramp to knock Cardona silly though and the villains take over. Back in and Dashwood adds some choking, allowing Beale to get in a right hand from the floor. We pause for a heel photo op and Myers slaps on the quickly broken chinlock. Instead Cardona reverses the suplex into the neckbreaker, only to have Dashwood break up a potential tag.

The Roster Cut is cut off by a spear though and it’s off to Green to beat up Dashwood. Green has to stop to slap Myers though and gets neckbreakered over the middle rope. Dashwood tries to hit Cardona low….but hurts her arm because she he is wearing a cup. Said cup goes onto Myers’ face, allowing Green to hit her own Canadian Destroyer. Cardona flip dives onto the guys, leaving Green to hit Dashwood low for a change. A jumping Unprettier gives Green the pin at 5:57.

Rating: D+. Not much to this one, though it wasn’t like the surprise was really supposed to be a surprise. Impact all but flat out said it was going to be Green and she was the only option that would have made sense here. Green is going to be a fine addition to the division, especially if she is going to be working for Ring of Honor at the same time.

We recap W. Morrissey vs. Eddie Edwards. Morrissey is a monster who hurt Edwards’ partner Satoshi Kojima and Edwards is the heart of the company who is standing up to him. That needed a full recap video?

W. Morrissey vs. Eddie Edwards

Eddie isn’t about to be shoved down by a much bigger Morrissey so the slugout is on. A fall away slam sends Edwards flying and it’s already time to choke on the ropes. One heck of a big boot puts Edwards on the floor but he counters another big boot and sends the leg into the post. Back in and Eddie hits a Stunner over the ropes, only to have Morrissey send him hard into the barricade. A reverse curb stomp plants Eddie back inside and there are some forearms to the chest in the ropes.

Eddie manages a suplex and starts chopping away in the corner. They head outside, where Morrissey catches a suicide dive, setting up a chokeslam onto the apron. Morrissey takes him up the ramp but gets backdropped, setting up the Boston Knee Party to rock Morrissey again. Back inside and Morrissey is fine enough to hit a release F5. Morrissey takes him up top for a superplex but gets reversed into a sunset bomb.

Eddie finally has an opening and catches Morrissey with a running knee, plus the Blue Thunder Bomb for two more. Morrissey is back with a kick to the chest for two but a jackknife rollup gives Eddie another two. A missed charge sends Morrissey outside, where he unlaces his boot, allowing him to pull out a chain. One shot to the head rocks Eddie and a powerbomb gives Morrissey the pin at 11:01.

Rating: B-. I’m not surprised that this was good but I’m surprised that Morrissey is working well as a monster. Morrissey did not have the best reputation coming into Impact and it is nice to see him far exceeding what was expected of him. He really is feeling it at the moment and this is a good sign for his future. Beating a former World Champion makes anyone look better and it certainly does with Morrissey.

Moose talks about making mistakes which cost you in the end. It might be driving a hundred miles an hour without your seat belt on or going all in with a bad hand, or it might be asking to face him on the big stage. Chris Sabin made a mistake and tonight he faces the consequences.

We get a vignette for the Drama King, which is the former nickname of Aiden English.

A fan has won a contest to be here and is excited for the rest of the show, but here are Shera and Madman Fulton to interrupt. Cue Scott D’Amore to say normally he would be upset by this, but let’s have a match instead.

FinJuice vs. Shera/Madman Fulton

We start fast with Robinson hammering away on Shera. A hard clothesline drops Robinson but Fulton tags himself in. Arguing ensues and it’s a double flapjack to drop Fulton. Shera is sent outside so an assisted Stunner can put Fulton down for the pin at 1:18. Well that was quick.

We recap Moose vs. Chris Sabin. Moose is a bully who wants to show that he is the big star but Sabin is standing up to him.

Moose vs. Chris Sabin

Sabin starts fast to start and strikes away but gets caught with a running elbow in the corner. That doesn’t seem to make much of a difference as he is right back with some dragon screw legwhips. Moose’s leg is slammed into the apron but he is fine enough to catch Sabin on top. Sabin snaps off another dragon screw legwhip and the Figure Four makes the leg even worse. A grab of the throat gets Moose out and he is right back with Snake Eyes for a breather.

Moose tosses him outside with ease and he sits Sabin on the apron for some loud chops (egads). The third chop is teased but Moose flips off the crowd instead. That wakes Sabin up but Moose knocks him right back down and takes it back inside. Moose rips at Sabin’s face so Sabin bites his way to freedom in a smart move. The fall away slam cuts Sabin back down but he avoids the middle rope moonsault.

Sabin sends him outside for a drive into the barricade and the tornado DDT connects for two back inside. With nothing else working, Sabin goes up top, only to have Moose run the ropes for a super fall away slam with a floatover to land on top of Sabin. They head outside again with Sabin charging into an apron bomb, followed by some swings into the barricade to knock him silly. That’s good for nine but Sabin is right back in with a victory roll for the surprise pin at 11:58.

Rating: B. Now this was about all you could ask for. They knew the story they were telling coming in and then had good execution on the rest of the stuff. They didn’t need to do anything complicated here as Moose is a monster and Sabin was fighting from underneath. The match was well put together and both guys were feeling it. Rather well done.

We recap the pre-show title change.

Rosemary is VERY happy with the title win and says Decay is family. Some things fade away, but eventually, all things decay. DECAY! DECAY! DECAY! I think we got it after the second DECAY.

We recap the Tag Team Title match. Violent By Design have the titles and everyone else wants them, meaning it’s a bunch of four way brawls to set up the title match.

Tag Team Titles: Violent By Design vs. Rich Swann/Willie Mack vs. Good Brothers vs. Fallah Bahh/???

Violent By Design (Joe Doering/Rhino) are defending and Bahh’s mystery partner is….No Way, minus the Jose but with the Conga Line (mainly made up of Swinger’s Palace). Swann and No Way start things off and, after a quick show of respect, they shout a lot. Anderson isn’t having this and tags himself in to run No Way over. Bahh comes in to run Anderson over and drop No Way down onto him for a bonus.

Mack and Swann take No Way’s place for a double back elbow. That doesn’t make much of a difference as Anderson takes Swann into the corner so Gallows can come in and hammer away. The big boot gets two and we’re already in the chinlock. An elbow drop gets two and Anderson comes back in to mock the fans (which must be nice after such a long time). Gallows hits a fall away slam into the corner and more posing ensues.

The beating continues as Anderson grabs a quickly broken chinlock. It’s already back to Gallows, who knocks Bahh and Mack off the apron but misses an elbow. An enziguri puts Anderson down and Swann reluctantly brings No Way back in. House is cleaned, including a lifting Downward Spiral for two on Anderson. The spinebuster cuts that off though and it’s Doering making the save, even wisely dragging Anderson to the corner for the tag.

The slugout with Gallows is on (again) but everyone else comes in to make it a big brawl. Swann is left alone to kick Bahh in the head but Doering comes back in to clothesline No Way for two. It’s back to Rhino but Anderson hits a quick Gun Stun, setting up the Magic Killer to give the Brothers the pin and the titles at 10:34.

Rating: C. You can only get so much out of a match with this many people and so little time. Throw in the debut of No Way being its own thing and the limits are even harder. The Good Brothers winning the titles might not be the most pleasant thing, but it does make the most sense. Violent By Design was fine, Swann and Mack will get the titles eventually, and No Way and Bahh were thrown together. The Good Brothers are a main event team and they should be champions as a result.

We recap Deonna Purrazzo’s reign of amazingness. She has run through everyone in front of her and that means she needs a fresh challenger. It’s mystery opponent time.

An Invicta FC (MMA) champion is here.

Knockouts Title: Deonna Purrazzo vs. ???

Purrazzo is defending against…..Thunder Rosa, who is a heck of a surprise. We get the THUNDER ROSA/VIRTUOSSA dueling chants to start and they lock up hard to no avail. The technical exchange on the mat doesn’t work either and we have our second standoff. Both try armdrags and glare at the other for daring to go for it. Rosa counters a Gory Stretch into a sunset flip for two and Purrazzo isn’t pleased.

Two more quick near falls have Purrazzo backed into the corner, where she sends Rosa to the apron. Purrazzo comes back with Divorce Court to put the arm in trouble, but Rosa’s feet are fine enough to hit a middle rope missile dropkick. A running dropkick in the corner sets up a butterfly suplex for two on Purrazzo, who pulls her into a quickly broken Fujiwara armbar. Purrazzo grabs it again but has to settle for a quick suplex instead.

Rosa comes back with an AA for a delayed two, followed by a top rope double stomp to the back (EGADS) for the same. They slug it out and trade kicks to the head until Purrazzo grabs a victory roll for two. Back up and Purrazzo knocks her down again, setting up the Queen’s Gambit (cradle piledriver) to retain at 10:47.

Rating: C+. This felt like it was becoming a great match but it didn’t get the chance to go that far. What we got worked but there is a good chance that this was a one off for Rosa. It was smart to get one of the biggest available names for Purrazzo rather than going with what would have felt like a predictable (yet good) Mickie James match. Nice stuff here, but it could have been better with more time.

Post match Mickie James is back to a big WELCOME BACK chant (and Striker saying “THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU HAVE DONE FOR PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING” because he has to be a pest every time). Purrazzo says this is her division, but Mickie invites her to NWA Empower (their version of Evolution). Purrazzo: “Why don’t you do everyone a favor and grab your trash bag and go home?” Mickie kicks her in the head to send Purrazzo running.

Bound For Glory is October 23 in Las Vegas, featuring wrestlers from New Japan, AAA and more.

We get a long video on Kenny Omega defending the World Title against Sami Callihan. Omega is the evil champion but Callihan is taking away the rules, which scares Omega and Don Callis. Impact is sick of Callis and Omega and are allowing the crazy Callihan to have a shot. Callihan is ready to make this a violent fight and the match is No DQ.

Impact Wrestling World Title: Kenny Omega vs. Sami Callihan

Omega, with Don Callis, is defending and it is No DQ. Callis lists off Omega’s greatness, including saying he is the King of the Deathmatch and better than Terry Funk. Callihan jumps Omega to start and hits the Cactus Special for an early two. As Callis joins commentary, Callihan sends in a bunch of chairs but Omega blocks a fork to the head. Omega’s sunset flip is blocked and Callihan busts out a pizza cutter to slice Omega open.

Another rake across the head makes it even worse and a Death Valley Driver sends Omega outside. Callihan follows but gets caught with a trashcan to the head, allowing Omega to grab some weapons of his own. More shots put Callihan down and the moonsault with a trashcan onto the leg keeps him in trouble. The chair is wedged in the corner so Omega loads up….the One Winged Angel, which is countered into a rollup. The kickout sends Callihan head first into the chair though and he’s busted open too.

Omega grabs a fork to stab the head, as well as the inside of the mouth. They head outside with Callihan chopping the post, meaning Omega can load up the table. The Snapdragon off the apron is broken up, as is the piledriver from the apron. Instead, Callihan piledrives him through the table and throws in a piece of plywood. A trashcan to the head rocks Omega again and a side slam onto the top of the open can makes it worse.

Callihan sends him hard through the board in the corner for two and it’s time for a chair wrapped in barbed wire (Callis: “Never would have happened when I ran this place!”). Omega manages a V Trigger though and another one gets two. A bunch of stuff is piled up in the middle of the ring and Omega hits a superplex through all of it. Another V Trigger sets up a failed One Winged Angel attempt and Callihan Tombstones him onto the barbed wire chair for two.

Omega rolls outside and throws salt in Callihan’s eyes, causing Callihan to take the referee out. The blind Callihan gets belt shotted and piledriven but there is no referee. Cue the Good Brothers but Eddie Edwards and Chris Sabin cut them off. Callihan hits a package piledriver for two so it’s time for the bag of thumbtacks. Callis gets up for a distraction so Omega can throw tacks in Callihan’s eyes. Another V Trigger connects, followed by another V Trigger with tacks on the knee. Omega puts the tacks in Callihan’s mouth for another V Trigger and the One Winged Angel onto the tacks retains the title at 27:33.

Rating: B. I’m never sure what to give something like this but the violence was good, as it was supposed to be. The match didn’t feel like the nearly half an hour it got, but the V Triggers and the easy kickoff off the Tombstone onto the chair were a bit much. I liked what we got and while there wasn’t much drama, I’m not sure how much there could be in something like this.

Post match the lights go out and we’ve got New Japan’s Jay White (Bullet Club leader) to stare down Omega. Striker: “Social media is exploding right now!” Omega and the Good Brothers throw up Too Sweet as FinJuice runs out…and the show ends. White would beat down David Finlay and leave to end the night.

Overall Rating: B+. I tend to say this every time but it tends to be the case every time: Impact is at its best when it focuses on the in-ring product instead of everything else going on. This has been the case for a long time now and it is not a bad thing. They can make this stuff work well as they did here and they have some momentum going forward into the new TV cycle. Keep this up and they might be able to get somewhere, though I have no reason to believe it will last. Heck of a show here and worth a look if you have the chance.

Results

Josh Alexander won Ultimate X – Alexander pulled down the title

Matt Cardona/Chelsea Green b. Brian Myers/Tenille Dashwood – Unprettier to Dashwood

W. Morrissey b. Eddie Edwards – Powerbomb

FinJuice b. Shera/Madman Fulton – Assisted Stunner to Fulton

Chris Sabin b. Moose – Victory roll

Good Brothers b. Fallah Bahh/No Way, Rich Swann/Willie Mack and Violent By Design – Magic Killer to Rhino

Deonna Purrazzo b. Thunder Rosa – Queen’s Gambit

Kenny Omega b. Sami Callihan – One Winged Angel onto thumbtacks

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