Ring Of Honor
Date: November 14, 2024
Location: Amica Mutual Pavilion, Providence, Rhode Island
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman

We’re closing in on Final Battle but since there is probably more than a month to go before the show, nothing has been announced just yet. Odds are we’ll be seeing some seeds being planted soon though and that might start this week. Last week’s show was a bit more structured than usual so hopefully the trend continues here. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Card rundown.

Gates Of Agony vs. Undisputed Kingdom vs. Dark Order vs. Grizzled Young Veterans

Kaun takes Taven down to start and hammers away but Taven is back up with a dropkick and the shout of his name. Bennett comes in and gets chopped down before some rapid fire chops let the Order knock Gibson down. It’s off to Drake for a step up dropkick to send Reynolds to the floor. Back in and Taven gets the tag to clean house, with Bennett’s Death Valley Driver setting up Just The Tip for two on Gibson. The Gates are back in with Open The Gates to Bennett before Silver gets to take over for a change. A quick Hail Mary gives Bennett the pin on Silver at 5:37.

Rating: C+. What are you supposed to get out of an eight man match that doesn’t even last six minutes? The Kingdom was the last team to go on a big run of offense and got the win as a result. As usual, this would have been better as a regular tag match, but it’s not like any of these teams are likely to get near the title situation anytime soon.

Post match respect is shown between the Gates and the Kingdom.

Dustin Rhodes/Sammy Guevara vs. Shot Through The Heart

Non-title. Rhodes and Doug (as in Love Doug, because his name is Love Doug) with Rhodes shrugging off some early right hands to take over on Crawford. Guevara comes in and flips over him before hitting a dropkick to send Crawford outside. There’s the big flip dive, followed by the middle rope cutter back inside. Rhodes kicks Crawford in the face and the GTH finishes him off at 2:43. As usual, Rhodes and Guevara show absolutely nothing that makes them feel important or better than any average team.

Post match the Righteous come in and beat down Guevara and Rhodes. We get extra serious as the cowbell is used, as well as STOLEN.

We get Chris Jericho and the Learning Tree’s promo from Dynamite accepting a challenge from Tomohiro Ishii.

Preston Vance/Griff Garrison vs. Waves And Curls

Vance shoulders Jordan (of Traevon Jordan/Jaylen Brandyn) down to start and gets in another knockdown for a bonus. Brandyn comes in and lays down rather than get chopped in what might be a smart move. It’s off to Garrison to stomp away and before Vance adds a delayed vertical suplex, allowing commentary to make a Power And Glory comparison (because Power And Glory has become a great team over the years….somehow). Jordan is sent into the barricade, followed by a discus forearm into a discus lariat to give Vance the pin at 4:19.

Rating: C. Vance and Garrison aren’t exactly a great team but it’s not like either of them have anything going at the moment. I’m assuming Cole Karter is gone or something, as Vance was just thrown in there as Garrison’s new partner. It’s not a great move, but they did well enough in their first match together.

Video on the Infantry joining Shane Taylor Promotions.

Katsuyori Shibata vs. Aaron Solo

Solo, Shibata’s student, jumps him before the bell and seems rather pleased as he suplexes Shibata on the floor. Shibata comes up favoring his ankle but it’s fine enough to kick Solo in the face. Shibata’s suplex drops Solo and they head inside with Shibata striking away. Some chops in the corner and a butterfly suplex drop Solo but he’s back with an exploder for two of his own. That’s not going to work for Shibata, who grabs an Octopus for the win at 4:01.

Rating: C+. They started fast here and had a physical match until Shibata crushed Solo, which is how this should have gone in the end. It’s also a match where they didn’t waste time, as there was no reason to believe that Solo was going to be able to hang in there long term. Shibata doesn’t have much going on at the moment, but he’s still far ahead of Solo.

Komander vs. Josh Woods

Mark Sterling is here with Woods and says the same thing he says every week (if not twice). Woods wrestles him to the mat to start but Komander is back up with a whip to the floor, setting up the flip dive. Another dive seems to hurt Komander’s knee so Sterling gets in some stomping of his own like a good villain is supposed to do.

Some Sterling choking (with Alex Abrahantes chasing him off) sets up a quickly broken chinlock as Komander kicks him in the head. A springboard crossbody gives Komander two but Woods knees him out of the air for two. They head outside again with Komander hitting a hurricanrana into the post. Sterling offers a distraction so Abrahantes spears him own, leaving Komander to grab a tornado DDT. Cielito Lindo finishes for Komander at 6:37.

Rating: C+. That’s your required Komander match of the week, though it’s not a great sign when the fans are reacting to the managers fighting more than the people in the match. Other than that, neither of them did anything out of their usual, which didn’t make for the most thrilling match. At least it didn’t go on far longer than it needed to, as is Komander’s custom.

MxM Collection has merch.

Abadon vs. Viva Van

Van goes with a slap rather than a handshake to start before snapping off a spinwheel kick for two. Abadon gets annoyed at the hair pull though and hits a knee to the face. An RKO plants Van and the Black Dahlia finishes Van at 3:06.

Rating: C. Not much to see here as they kept it short again, though this was longer than most of what Abadon tends to do. Abadon continues to feel like a star, though that doesn’t mean guaranteed future gold. For now, I’ll take a fairly hard hitting match which was a step more competitive than a normal squash.

Athena and Lexi Nair are waiting for Billie Starkz to apologize but she doesn’t want to do it. Leila Grey interrupts and challenges Athena, who laughs her off. A Proving Ground match is set for next week. Starkz is still in trouble though.

From March 16, 2023 and from a previous review.

Athena vs. Hyan

Another non-title Proving Ground match. Athena drops her to start and mocks the fans a bit, only to get kicked in the face for her rudeness. A swinging chokeslam cuts Hyan down again but she fights out of a chinlock. Athena catches her on top and spins into a powerbomb to the floor (ouch). Back in and the Crossface makes Hyan tap at 4:41.

Rating: C. They didn’t have time to do much here and a lot of that was spent on Athena playing to the fans. That powerbomb looked good though and Athena ran through an opponent who shouldn’t have caused her much trouble. This was little more than a showcase for Athena and in that regard, it went well.

Righteous vs. Matt Raymond/Sammy Diaz

Dutch has the cowbell from earlier. Diaz slugs away to start but gets elbowed in the face for his efforts. A Russian legsweep allows the tag off to Dutch for a Side Effect. Dutch suplexes Diaz down and it’s a Boss Man Slam into Orange Sunshine into an assisted Death Valley Driver to pin Diaz at 2:55.

Post match Vincent says they should have been the Tag Team Champions a long time ago and they’re coming for the belts. Dig what he is saying? Dutch mocks Dustin Rhodes with the cowbell because it used to belong to Dusty Rhodes. Apparently Dutch and Dusty were close and Dusty say potential in him. Everyone knows that Dustin is the weakest link in “our” family. Maniacal laughing ensues.

Women’s TV Title: Diamante vs. Red Velvet

Diamante is challenging in a street fight. The fight starts on the floor, where Diamante gets in some kendo stick shots to the back and then chokes on the ropes. The belt is hung on the ropes but Diamante misses a charge and goes head first instead. Diamante is fine enough to tie her in the Tree of Woe, and a trashcan, for a running dropkick and a near fall. Velvet is rammed head first into a chair a few times and it’s time to choke with a chain. That’s broken up and Diamante is sent into the corner as the fans want tables.

Instead they get a ladder from Velvet, which takes long enough that Diamante suplexes her onto the ladder for the crash. Diamante loads up the table but again it takes too long, allowing Velvet to get in some chair shots. Velvet takes too long (a pattern emerges) going up and a superplex sends her through the table for the big crash. The delayed cover gives Diamante two but Velvet is back with a flipping faceplant onto the belt to retain at 10:57.

Rating: B-. They beat each other up rather well here and it felt like a match that was built up over time. Velvet gets a win to make her seem like a more serious champion and that is good to see. At the same time, Diamante put in quite a nice performance of her own and it was a nice enough brawl. It wasn’t perfect though, as they spent too much time setting things up and it was a bunch of stuff that feels like it has been done a million or so times.

Overall Rating: C+. Overall, the show was a bit better as they trimmed the time down again (just shy of an hour and a half this week) but there is still a lot on here that feels like it could be trimmed of. I’m not sure why we needed to see Shibata beat Solo or a random non-title match from Athena from a year and a half ago. What matters the most is that it feels like they’re building some things up and that could help in the long run, assuming they stick with that style for a change.

Results
Undisputed Era b. Dark Order, Gates Of Agony and the Grizzled Young Veterans – Hail Mary to Silver
Dustin Rhodes/Sammy Guevara b. Shot Through The Heart – GTH to Crawford
Preston Vance/Griff Garrison b. Waves And Curls – Discus lariat to Jordan
Katsuyori Shibata b. Aaron Solo – Octopus
Komander b. Josh Woods – Cielito Lindo
Abadon b. Viva Van – Black Dahlia
Righteous b. Matt Raymond/Sammy Diaz – Assisted Death Valley Driver to Diaz
Red Velvet b. Diamante – Flipping faceplant onto the title belt

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: November 15, 2024
Location: Total Mortgage Arena, Bridgeport, Connecticut
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Matt Menard

We’re just over a week away from Full Gear and probably about a month and a half away from the end of this show. The last two weeks have been about Lio Rush vs. Komander but odds are that’s over and done with for now. Ricochet is in action this week so we should at least get some impressive high flying. Let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Hikaru Shida vs. Leila Grey

Shida runs her over with a shoulder to start but Grey knees her in the ribs, That earns Grey a swinging waistlock and a knee lift cuts her down again. Back up and Grey hits a basement dropkick for two and a running knee/bulldog out of the corner gets two. Shida wins a strike off and gets two off a middle rope dropkick. The Katana takes too long but it’s a Falcon Arrow to finish Grey at 4:47.

Rating: C. This is what AEW needs to do more often, as the bigger star dispatched someone who has a bit of a name, but it didn’t take that long. For some reason AEW has some weird obsession with making this kind of a match last longer than it needs to so hopefully this is a change of pace. Shida doesn’t have much going on but a win here and there could help.

Harley Cameron says Mina Shirakawa has nothing Cameron doesn’t has. Cameron then whips out a guitar, sits down, and sings a bit but gets cut off. Threats of feeling her wrath are cut off as well.

Mark Briscoe vs. Ariya Daivari

The fact that I didn’t know who Briscoe was facing but figured it would be a Premiere Athlete isn’t a good sign. Briscoe grabs a headlock to start and strikes Daivari down without much effort. A suplex and some chops have Daivari in more trouble but he knocks Briscoe outside for a needed breather. Briscoe sends him into the barricade a few times but Mark Sterling cuts off the step up flip dive.

Daivari gets in a knockdown and we take a break, coming back with Briscoe fighting out of a chinlock. A sleeper doesn’t work much better so Daivari grabs a DDT for two. Briscoe fights up again and hits a fisherman’s buster, setting up the Death Valley Driver. Daivari breaks up the Froggy Bow and Sterling offers a distraction, only for Rocky Romero to cut Sterling off. Now the flip dive drops the villains and the Froggy Bow gives Briscoe the pin at 11:02.

Rating: C+. And this is a good example of the kind of match I mentioned earlier. Briscoe and Daivari are nowhere near the same level but it took Briscoe eleven minutes and a small assist to beat him. That felt like they were out there to do nothing but fill in time and that’s not good to see. The action was fine, but you know what you’re getting with the Premiere Athletes and that was on full display here, with pretty much nothing out of the ordinary.

Rocky Romero vs. Komander

MVP is watching in the back. Romero takes him down to start but Komander flips away. They grab hands and flip around a bit more until Komander grabs a springboard armdrag. Komander sends him outside for a dive but Romero is back with a faceplant for two. A backbreaker and superplex have Komander in trouble and we take a break. Back with Komander hitting a springboard moonsault, only to have his moonsault hit raised boots. Komander is fine enough to powerslam him into the corner and Cielito Lindo finishes at 9:46.

Rating: C+. The Komander Era of Rampage continues, but having him beat Romero isn’t exactly going to change much. At the same time, we got the required fairly long Komander match with his usual assortment of flips and dives. It’s impressive enough, but when he’s on the show so often, the impact is fairly limited.

Anna Jay is ready to take the risk to get the Women’s Title. Taya Valkyrie comes in to offer the Vendetta’s help but Jay says mind your own business.

La Faccion Ingobernable vs. Alec Price/Richard Holliday

That’s quite the jobbing team. Price flips away from Mortos to start but a dropkick doesn’t work. Mortos runs him over and it’s off to Holiday to hit Rush in the face. That doesn’t work well for Rush, who takes Holiday outside for some rams into the barricade. The Bull’s Horns finishes Holliday at 2:59. You get someone as good as Holliday and you feed him to Rush in about three minutes?

MVP sees a lot of untapped potential in AEW but he sees arrogance in Swerve Strickland. How can Strickland call himself the most dangerous man in AEW when Shelton Benjamin and Bobby Lashley are around? Komander impressed him, but tomorrow on Collision, Benjamin will get to know Komander up close.

Video on Mariah May vs. Anna Jay. This match might have some more heat if May hadn’t beaten her last time.

Ricochet vs. Dante Martin

They trade flipping escapes to start until Ricochet reverses a sunset flip into a rollup for two. Ricochet misses a charge into the corner and Martin nails a jumping knee. Ricochet’s springboard clothesline gets two and we take a break. Back with Ricochet charging into a boot in the corner and Martin hits a dive to the floor.

A springboard splash gives Martin two but the half nelson slam is broken up. Ricochet rolls the suplexes for two as MVP is watching in the back again. The Blue Thunder Bomb gives Ricochet two more but Vertigo is blocked. Instead the Spirit Gun (I think) finishes Martin off at 10:13.

Rating: B-. Another high flying match here with two guys doing well in their standard style. Ricochet picks up another win on his way to the International Title shot against Konosuke Takeshita. Martin’s time as a singles star has come and gone for the time being and that’s a shame as he was stating to get something together before being put back into the team/trio with his brother and Action Andretti. They have talent, so do something with it.

Respect is shown to end the show.

Overall Rating: C+. Oh this was Rampage for sure. A bunch of people feeling like they were sent out there to fill in time and if anything good came of it, great. Otherwise, it’s a show where very little happens and the bigger matches for Collision and Dynamite are advertised a bit. As always, not a bad show, but totally skippable if you’re running short on time.

Results
Hikaru Shida b. Leila Grey – Falcon Arrow
Mark Briscoe b. Ariya Daivari – Froggy Bow
Komander b. Rocky Romero – Cielito Lindo
La Faccion Ingobernable b. Alec Price/Richard Holliday – Bull’s Horns to Holliday
Ricochet b. Dante Martin – Spirit Gun

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: November 8, 2024
Location: SNHU Arena, Manchester, New Hampshire
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Nigel McGuinness

The show’s slow departure continues with a rematch of last week (which drew the lowest audience in the show’s history, meaning the rematch doesn’t seem to be entirely logical) as Lio Rush faces Komander again. Other than that, we might hear some more from Will Ospreay after his return on Dynamite. Let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Hikaru Shida vs. Viva Van

They go with the grappling to start until Shida’s waistlock sends Van flying. Back up and Van runs her over for two before they slug it out. Shida’s middle rope dropkick connects and she hammers away in the corner. The Katana misses though, leaving Shida to have to roll through a middle rope crossbody. Shida is right back up with a Falcon Arrow for the pin at 5:18.

Rating: C. Not much to this one other than a way to get Shida back in the ring after an absence. Shida is someone who can work with anyone and Van is one of the better jobbers to the stars around here. I could go for Shida getting to do something else in the near future but the title picture is a bit booked at the moment. For now though, nice start back.

Harley Cameron recaps her recent actions in a rather long sentence, which gets more and more unhinged. She’s ready for more though. I have no idea what she’s talking about half the time but it still works.

Dark Order vs. The Infantry vs. Undisputed Kingdom

The Infantry knocks the Kingdom to the floor so the Order takes over on Dean. Taven comes back in with a dropkick and a clothesline gives Bennett two. Bennett gets taken outside though and a whip into the barricade has him in more trouble as we take a break. Back with something like a Demolition Decapitator keeping Bennett in trouble. The chinlock is broken up and Bennett hits a spinebuster, allowing the tag off to Silver. Everything breaks down and it’s quickly off to Taven to clean house. A pop up right hand rocks Reynolds and the Climax gives Taven the pin at 9:27.

Rating: C+. Pretty fun match here as I’ve long since wanted the Kingdom to be used better. There is only so much you can do when the team is a pair of comedy lackeys and the division has long since needed the depth. I fully expect them to wind up as low level villains again, but this is nice while it lasts.

Post match Brian Cage comes out for a distraction and Lance Archer jumps them for the beatdown.

Roderick Strong (thanks for the help) isn’t surprised that MJF sent the Don Callis Family after them. Jake Roberts comes in to say he’ll have the Beast Mortos come after him. The match is set for Collision.

Deonna Purrazzo and Taya Valkyrie, now known as the Vendetta, are interested in revenge.

Top Flight vs. JD Drake/Beef

Beef runs Darius over to start and then snaps off a cartwheel to set up a dropkick to Dante. Drake comes in and gets muscled over with a suplex as we take a break. Back with Dante hammering on Drake, who misses a charge into the corner. Everything breaks down and Drake gets caught with a tornado DDT on the floor. Beef misses the Meat Shower (yep) and it’s a DDT/leg trip combination to give Darius the pin at 8:27.

Rating: C. This is what gets annoying about Top Flight. They’ll start getting moved up a bit and then come crashing all the way back down to an absolute nothing match like this one. Yeah they won, but they’re a good team who seem like they can never get away from stuff like this. Give them something important where they can win already.

Respect is shown post match.

Komander vs. Lio Rush

Rush dodges around to start and gets two off an early rollup. Komander sends him out to the floor and we get a breather. Back in and Rush isn’t interested in a handshake, instead hitting him in the face with some forearms. A belly to back suplex and clothesline give Rush two and Komander is sent outside for the dive.

We take a break and come back with Komander hitting a springboard armdrag, followed by a standing moonsault for two. It’s too early for Cielito Lindo and Komander’s backstabber on the apron misses as well. Rush hits a big dive on the floor but Komander suplexes him into the corner. A moonsault gives Komander two but Cielito Lindo still doesn’t work. The springboard Stunner connects for Rush and the Final Hour finishes Komander at 12:08.

Rating: B-. And now I’m sure we’ll get a trilogy match next week and it’ll be about the same. There was nothing here that made me want to see these two fight again, but then again there was nothing last week that would make me want to see this match. It’s perfectly good, fast paced wrestling but nothing that isn’t being done by a bunch of people on the same shows.

Overall Rating: C. In case you needed a textbook definition of a show where the company does not care. This was as low level of an hour as you can get with pretty much nothing that felt important going on. It was a bunch of low level stars having completely fine matches, but you would not notice a bit of change on Dynamite if this show hadn’t taken place. I know it’s going away soon, but that doesn’t make shows like this feel any less useless.

Results
Hikaru Shida b. Viva Van – Falcon Arrow
Undisputed Kingdom b. Dark Order and the Infantry – Climax to Silver
Top Flight b. JD Drake/Beef – DDT/leg trip combination to Beef
Lio Rush b. Komander – Final Hour

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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Collision
Date: November 2, 2024
Location: Liacouras Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Nigel McGuinness

While we’re not quite in a new era, we’re in for something different as Private Party has finally won the Tag Team Titles, ending the total reign of darkness. I’m not sure how long that is going to last but at least things have changed up a bit. We might even be in for another title change here as Anna Jay is challenging Mariah May for the Women’s Title. Let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

A bunch of wrestlers are in the ring to welcome Private Party for their celebration of winning the Tag Team Titles. The fans say Private Party deserves it (…eh) and the champs talk about how great it was to win the belts. Quen thanks the Young Bucks for making them better and they’re ready to defend the titles against anyone. FTR is ready to fight but the Outrunners break it up. Magnum: “If you’re anything like me, and I know I am…” The Outrunners say the marquee says AEW so let’s celebrate. Private Party goes into the crowd.

Anna Jay is ready to win the Women’s Title.

The Acclaimed congratulates Private Party but they’re still coming for the titles. Caster cuts off the catchphrase and Bowens isn’t happy, but he’s even less happy when Caster pulls out MVP’s business card. Bowens cuts off Caster’s last line too as some slight tensions arise.

Harley Cameron vs. Thunder Rosa

Dia de los Muertos match, meaning a themed hardcore match and Cameron has her own face paint. Rosa puts a picture of Cameron in the display usually saved for the dead people being remembered to make things….is personal the right word? Cameron kicks her down to start but Rosa comes back with a dropkick to the apron.

They head outside with Rosa hitting her in the back with a tombstone before getting on the barricade (with help from a fan). Cameron crotches her down and sets up a table, which Rosa whips her through to take over again as we take a break. Back with some weapons in the ring as the two of them trade clotheslines against the ropes for a double knockdown. Rosa scores with a Codebreaker before setting up some chairs and laying another tombstone over them.

Cameron is back up with a pinata (the candy flies) and then suplexes Rosa through the tombstone for two. Cameron’s running knee hits chair by mistake so Rosa chairs her down. Some kicks to the can, with Cameron inside, connect in the corner and it’s time for a table. This time thought he table is used as a ramp for a running dropkick against Cameron (still in the can) in the corner for the pin at 10:03.

Rating: B-. This was another way to get Rosa back in the groove of things after her long hiatus. If she is built up well, she’ll be right back in the title picture sooner than later. Cameron is someone who can be built up through pure charisma and then lose in a match like this without taking any real damage. She’ll say something funny and get right back to where she was and everything will be fine.

Roderick Strong, with the Kingdom, is ready for Shane Taylor. The Kingdom want the Tag Team Titles but Brian Cage and Lance Archer come in to say stay out of their way.

Kyle Fletcher vs. Komander

Fletcher kicks him down before the bell and sends him flying off a slam to start. Komander gets tied in the Tree of Woe for some stomping but comes out and strikes away. The very springboardy armdrag is shoved off the top for a big crash into the barricade as we take a break. Back with Komander hitting a middle rope Sliced Bread, only to have Fletcher send him outside for a big dive.

The posing takes too long though and Komander is back up with a springboard moonsault to the floor. Back in and a running Spanish Fly drops Fletcher for two but he’s back up with a boot to the face. A sitout Last Ride gets two but Komander gets up in an electric chair. They crash out to the floor with Komander still on his shoulders, setting up a poisonrana for the big crash.

Back up and Komander plants him onto the apron, setting up a moonsault for two. Fletcher kicks him in the face but gets sent outside, setting up the rope running flip dive. Cielito Lindo is broken up though and Fletcher hits a brainbuster into the brainbuster onto the turnbuckle for the pin at 13:25.

Rating: C+. This is a good example of a match that absolutely did not need to go in this direction. Komander got to do all of his big, flashy spots, but Fletcher took the better part of fifteen minutes to beat a guy who is best known as a jobber to the stars. If you want me to believe that Fletcher is a threat to Will Ospreay, don’t have him take this long to beat Komander. “But AEW doesn’t do that.” Well, in short, that’s dumb.

Second: between Ring Of Honor, Rampage and Collision, this is Komander’s third match in three days, totaling about 35 minutes. With the roster Tony Khan has, there is zero reason to have someone show up that often. Komander does some cool stuff, but I rolled my eyes and said “again?” when his music started here. You have this kind of a roster. Use it better.

Post match Mark Davis runs in to yell at Fletcher, who walks off.

Jack Perry is talking in the back when Daniel Garcia interrupts. Garcia says they’re two different people, with Garcia fighting from when he was a kid. Perry talks about how he’s already done that and Garcia still thinks there are good and bad people. He’s scared of sacrificing and isn’t ready. Perry needs to stop watching so many Raven promos.

Brian Cage/Lance Archer vs. Joe Keys/Shaun Smith

Archer sends Keys into the corner to start and drops him with a clothesline before it’s off to Smith. The chokeslam/powerbomb combination finishes Smith at 2:04. Total destruction, which is what these matches should be.

Post match the massacre continues but the Undisputed Kingdom runs in for the save.

The Patriarchy interrupts AR Fox, with Nick Wayne bringing up Fox attacking him at his wrestling school last year. Fox wants a match next week.

Kris Statlander isn’t happy with being attacked by Mercedes Mone on Dynamite so she wants a title shot at Full Gear. Mone is afraid and she knows it.

Here is the Blackpool Combat Club for a chat. They stay in the crowd, where Jon Moxley says at Full Gear, Orange Cassidy is going to have to cut the head off the snake. Cassidy has to make it to Full Gear so he can bring the World Title back to Philadelphia. Moxley knows what it takes to make it in Philadelphia and it’s people like Wheeler Yuta.

Moxley says Yuta knows what it’s like to sacrifice yourself for something greater, because he is a Philadelphia hero. Cue Action Andretti, who says Yuta isn’t what Philadelphia represents, because Andretti is more Philadelphia than him. Cue Pac to jump Andretti though and a referee comes in.

Action Andretti vs. Pac

The Blackpool Combat Club is at ringside as Pac kicks away in the corner to start. We take an early break and come back with Pac grabbing a chinlock but Andretti fights up. A handspring elbow cuts Pac down, followed by a pop up dropkick to the floor. Back in and Andretti hammers away in the corner, setting up a springboard kick to the head for two. Yuta offers a distraction though and Marina Shafir gets in a cheap shot, leaving Pac to hit the top rope superplex. The Brutalizer finishes Andretti at 8:05.

Rating: C. This was Andretti’s third match in three days as well, though thankfully they didn’t spend as much time on this one. Pac gets to maul another of the low level people before getting on to something else, though it would be nice to see someone give him a challenge. Andretti is another case of someone who is perfectly ok, but he’s around so often that his charm wears thin.

Post match the hold stays on until Orange Cassidy comes to the stage to talk about his times with Yuta in this city. This Yuta doesn’t do what the old one does and Cassidy says Moxley doesn’t care about Yuta. That’s enough for Yuta to go after him with a chair, which Yuta throws down, earning himself an Orange Punch.

Malakai Black is ready to take out Adam Cole.

Kyle Fletcher and Konosuke Takeshita want to fight Ricochet on Dynamite.

Lio Rush vs. Ariya Daivari

Daivari slams him down to start but Rush hammers away in the corner to take over. They head outside where all of their friends get in some glaring, leaving the two in the match t slug it out inside. Rush gets two off a Falcon Arrow but goes after Mark Sterling on the floor. Daivari gets in a cheap shot off the distraction but Rush scores with the springboard Stunner. The Final Hour finishes Daivari at 4:42.

Rating: C. Well at least they kept it relatively short. There is only so much to get out of anything involving the Premiere Athletes because there is no better example of an act where you know what you’re going to get. They probably haven’t won a match in months and that wasn’t likely to change here, yet they’re on TV almost weekly. Not a bad match, but nothing of interest whatsoever.

Johnny TV is impressed with the MxM Collection and offers to collaborate with them. If they’re interested, slide into his DM’s. The Collection is in awe.

Roderick Strong vs. Shane Taylor

All of their respective friends are there too. Taylor stomps him into the corner to start as we see MJF in what is completely and totally a live shot. Strong gets knocked out to the floor and Taylor gets in another beating on the way back in. We take a break and come back with Taylor missing a legdrop on the apron and Strong making a fired up comeback. Some running shoulders and a clothesline give Strong two, followed by an Angle Slam for the same. Taylor is back with a release Rock Bottom into a splash for two of his own but Strong knees him in the face for the pin at 9:43.

Rating: C. Nice enough for a power vs. speed match and Strong gets a win over an imposing opponent. That being said, this is another example of a match that works fine here but hurts Ring Of Honor, as Taylor and his friends are being built up over there. It’s a bit hard to care about them when their leader is losing on the bigger show.

We look at Bobby Lashley debuting on Dynamite and laying out Swerve Strickland.

There will be a four way for the Tag Team Titles at Full Gear with qualifying matches coming.

Mina Shirakawa is coming back.

Women’s Title: Mariah May vs. Anna Jay

Jay is challenging and isn’t having any of May driving her into the corner to start. May suplexes her into the corner and bends Jay around the ropes for a bonus. We take a break and come back with Jay making the comeback and rolling May up for two. A Backstabber gets the same but May chokes her in the corner.

May’s middle rope dropkick gets two and a running knee connects for the same. Jay neckbreakers her over the middle rope and, after blocking a Stratusphere, gets two off a Blockbuster. The Queenslayer goes on but May eventually flips backwards for the escape. A quick hot shot into a rollup retains the title at 10:21.

Rating: C+. Remember when WWE had this really annoying habit of having champions lose and then they would win the rematch like nothing happened? That’s what happened again here and it’s just as annoying. May looks more vulnerable, Jay continues her up and down booking, and we’re right back where we were before, as we wait on Mina Shirakawa and Tony Storm to come back and do something interesting with May.

Overall Rating: C. There was a good hour long show in here and they stretched it out to two hours, which took away the impact it could have had. Some important stories did get some attention, but then you had stuff like Fletcher taking so long to beat Komander and matches like the ones from Rush and Strong, which were just waiting around until the only reasonable results. This show had its moments but they were dragged down by all of the filler, and that made it quite the tedious watch.

Results
Thunder Rosa b. Harley Cameron – Dropkick into a trashcan
Kyle Fletcher b. Komander – Brainbuster onto the turnbuckle
Brian Cage/Lance Archer b. Joe Keys/Shaun Smith – Powerbomb/chokeslam combination to Smith
Pac b. Action Andretti – Brutalizer
Lio Rush b. Ariya Daivari – Final Hour
Roderick Strong b. Shane Taylor – Jumping knee
Mariah May b. Anna Jay – Rollup

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: November 1, 2024
Location: Wolstein Center, Cleveland, Ohio
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Matt Menard

Things picked up a lot earlier this week on Dynamite as Private Party actually won the Tag Team Titles by dethroning the Young Bucks. I’m not sure what that is going to mean on here, but it’s nice to have a nice moment for a change after so much negative. Hopefully this show can do well too so let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

JD Drake/Beef/Butcher vs. La Faccion Ingobernable

Well this is certainly a thing. It’s a brawl to start with Dralistico stomping Beef down, only for Beef to get in a big shot to the face to run him over. Dralistico gets knocked into the corner and it’s Rush coming in for a slugout with Butcher. Drake comes in for a middle rope leg lariat to Mortos, who comes back with a Samoan drop.

Everything breaks down and La Faccion knocks the villains off the apron. Beef gets caught in the wrong corner and Rush/Dralistico pose us to a break. We come back with Drake hitting a spinebuster to put Rush down, meaning it’s off to Beef for the chop off with Rush. Everything breaks down and the running knees in the corner finish Butcher at 9:37.

Rating: C. This was a way to get La Faccion back on track but they were only beating a makeshift team with the Butcher being the most successful member. That’s only going to get them so far, but it’s better than taking so long to beat someone like Beef on his own. Next time it needs to be even faster, but this could have been worse.

Stokely Hathaway takes credit for Private Party winning the Tag Team Titles.

Taya Valkyrie vs. Zoey Lynn

A Blue Thunder Bomb and Shania Pain finish for Valkyrie at 58 seconds.

Post match Valkyrie and Deonna Purrazzo go to the back, where they are cut off by Stokely Hathaway. Apparently Lynn was talking trash about them so Valkyrie goes back into the arena and lays Lynn out in the aisle.

Video on Thunder Rosa vs. Harley Cameron in tomorrow’s Day Of The Dead match.

Queen Aminata vs. Leila Grey

They fight over arm control to start until Grey takes her down with a headlock. Back up and a dropkick gives Grey two but Aminata is back with an Air Raid Crash for two of her own. Aminata grabs a full nelson with her legs but Grey fights up and grabs a Blockbuster of all things. Back up and Aminata pulls her into…well their legs are tied up and it’s something like an Octopus hold on the mat for the tap at 5:39.

Rating: C. Aminata is a good enough hand to do something down the line but it isn’t going to matter if she doesn’t get a couple of bigger wins. This wasn’t exactly a big step forward but it’s better than having her lose again. If nothing else, that hold at the end looked quite good while it lasted.

Top Flight/Action Andretti vs. Dark Order

Reynolds works on Darius’ arm to start and Andretti hits an Arabian moonsault onto Uno on the floor as we take a break. Back with Andretti hitting a Falcon Arrow for two on Silver and an assisted torture rack neckbreaker taking him down again. The Order’s normal sequence into the flipping jackknife rollup gets two on Dante so it’s time for the Pendulum Bomb. Reynolds’ ribs give out though and Andretti is back in with a high crossbody. Darius and Andretti argue over going after Reynolds’ bad ribs, with Andretti taking the tape off the ribs. Said ribs are sent into the post and a split legged moonsault finishes Reynolds off at 8:38.

Rating: C. It feels like I’ve seen these teams fighting in some form or fashion for a good time now, but it isn’t exactly a great sign that they are often in matches where they can trade wins and not move up to the next level. I’m still not sure why Top Flight and Andretti have never gotten a chance at one of the six man titles, but here they are instead. It might even make them feel a little more serious if they’re taken out by the top villains again.

Post match Dante isn’t happy with the win coming that way.

Lio Rush vs. Komander

They run the ropes fast to start before getting a bit testy and shoving each other. Rush sends him outside for a big dive and we take an early break. Back with Komander hitting a springboard crossbody and a very springboardy armdrag for two. A quick Stunner gets Rush out of trouble, followed by another, though Rush doesn’t let go. Instead it’s a clothesline into a Falcon Arrow for two on Komander, followed by the springboard Stunner for two. The frog splash misses though and Komander kicks him down, setting up Cielito Lindo for the pin at 11:55.

Rating: C+. This was the moves match of the show and it went well enough while it lasted. Komander has been around a bit more frequently than in recent weeks and there are worse ideas than having him doing his high flying stuff all over the place. Rush is still just kind of there, but his rapid fire movements in the ring are still good.

Overall Rating: C. It was another skippable edition of the show and that isn’t exactly making for a great watch. Most of the matches on here were completely fine, but they felt like they were there for the same of filling in time and boosting up people who are permanently near the bottom of the totem pole. It’s a shame as there are people who could use the time to get somewhere, but it isn’t going to happen in this format.

Results
La Faccion Ingobernable b. JD Drake/Beef/Butcher – Running knees to Rush
Taya Valkyrie b. Zoey Lynn – Shania Pain
Queen Aminata b. Leila Grey – Seated Octopus hold
Top Flight/Action Andretti b. Dark Order – Split legged moonsault to Reynolds
Komander b. Lio Rush – Cielito Lindo

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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Ring Of Honor
Date: October 31, 2024
Location: Alliant Energy PowerHouse, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman

It’s Halloween and in theory that should mean we’re getting things shaken up a bit. This is the kind of show that could include some kid of change of pace or at least some fun, even if we’re back in the Chris Jericho Era. The main event will see Abadon challenging Athena for the Women’s Title so let’s get to it.

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

Happy Halloween: this show is two hours and fifty six minutes long.

The Righteous want the Tag Team Titles and don’t think Dustin Rhodes and Sammy Guevara are family. What happens when the snake bites Dustin? The Righteous want the titles.

We run down the card.

We look at La Faccion Ingobernable beating down JD Drake and Beef.

Peter Avalon/Preston Vance vs. JD Drake/Beef

Beef makes Vance shake his hand to start before they trade shoulders. That doesn’t go very far until Beef runs him over with a shoulder. Vance’s delayed suplex cuts him off and it’s Avalon coming in for a running corner clothesline. It’s off to Drake, who shakes pinkies with Avalon and then chops him, which is kind of a mixed message.

Drake chops him in the corner and hands it back to Beef for the same thing. Another tag brings Drake back in but he seems to hurt his leg, sending Beef back in to get taken down with a hard spinebuster. Vance’s discus lariat gets two but another one hits Avalon by mistake. Drake is back in with the spinning butterfly suplex, setting up Beef’s frog splash for the pin at 7:16.

Rating: C. So Beef and the Workhorsemen are the new Action Andretti and Top Flight yes? It’s quite the similar story and if it winds up going about the same way, it means they won’t have much of an impact. That being said, I could go for something new in the six man division, assuming you actually call that a division.

We look at Chris Jericho’s promo from Dynamite, promising to elevate Ring Of Honor.

Johnny TV vs. Deonn Rusman

This is certainly elevation. Feeling out process to start with TV driving him into the corner but stopping to pose. Some kicks to the head set up a knee to Rusman’s face but a shooting star headbutt low blow (yep) misses. Rusman stomps away but gets kicked low, allowing TV to rain down some forearms. A flipping neckbreaker choke just fires Rusman up, only for TV to kick him down for two more. Rusman connects with an AA but misses a charge in the corner. The flipping neckbreaker into Starship Pain finishes for TV at 4:58.

Rating: C. This was more about featuring Rusman a bit, as you more or less know exactly what you’re going to get from TV. Rusman has done well in some previous appearances and he did decently again here, though there is only so much you can do on defense. It wasn’t quite a squash, but TV isn’t likely to move up the ladder in any meaningful way.

The MxM Collection as a fall collection.

Gates Of Agony vs. CSJ/Dave Dutra

Kaun runs Dutra over to start and Liona hits a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. CSJ is sent into the barricade and some running shots in the corner crush Dutra. Open The Gates finishes at 1:40.

Sammy Guevara and Dustin Rhodes are down to face the Righteous. I still have no idea why these two are the champions, but I have less idea why Dustin is a double champion.

Lady Frost vs. Reyna Isis

Frost anklescissors her down to start but Isis runs the corner for a wristdrag. A corkscrew dive to the floor drops Frost again but Frost is back with a moonsault off the steps. Back in and Isis works on the back in the corner, with some running knees connecting for two. Frost ducks a clothesline and hits a running elbow for two but Isis ties her in the ropes. The springboard legdrop finishes for Isis at 5:41.

Rating: C+. I could go for building up Isis as a challenger for one of the titles and two matches in, that wouldn’t be the worst idea. If nothing else, it’s nice to have her around for a bit before throwing her right into something. That’s how a build is supposed to work and if that’s what we’re getting, I’ve heard worse ideas.

We look at Abadon attacking Athena again last week.

Matt Taven vs. Aaron Solo

Pure Rules. Solo knocks him into the corner to start and kicks away but Taven is back with the big dropkick. A springboard is broken up though and Solo hammers him down on the mat. Taven kicks his way out of trouble and hits a DDT, followed by a springboard kick to the head. A choke sends Solo over to the ropes for his first break, followed by a Climax for the second break. Solo gets in a kick to the face but dives into another choke for the tap at 5:49.

Rating: C. Let me guess: this puts Taven into contention for the Pure Rules Title or makes him #1 contender because he has now spent almost six minutes wrestling a Pure match. Ignore that NOTHING in this match had anything special about it that would make you realize it was a Pure Rules of course, because the Pure Rules Title is one of the most pointless titles around. The champion either doesn’t defend it for months at a time or loses in regular matches, but it just keeps existing because it was around before and therefore it has to stay around.

Post match Lee Moriarty comes out for the staredown because THAT’S WHAT WE DO in this….it’s not a division but around this title at least.

JD Drake insists he and Beef aren’t family. They’re waiting for Anthony Henry to get back. I still have no idea what the appeal of these guys is supposed to be.

Righteous vs. Jay Marston/Solomon Tupu

Marston gets dropped, Tupu gets dropped, Orange Sunshine finishes Marston at 1:19.

Post match the Righteous crush Tupu’s leg with Dustin Rhodes and Sammy Guevara running in for the too late save.

Tomohiro Ishii vs. Josh Woods

Mark Sterling and Ariya Daivari are here with Woods and plug the Premiere Athletes’ new shirt. Woods wrestles him to the mat to start but Woods is back up with a shot to the face to send him outside. Back in and Woods knocks him into the corner as commentary talks about ear injuries. Ishii’s Saito suplex gets two and he snaps off a German suplex. Woods comes back with an exploder but gets caught on top for a delayed superplex. The big lariat gives Ishii two so he headbutts Woods down, setting up the brainbuster for the pin at 7:08.

Rating: B-. Easily the best match of the night so far as they were beating each other up pretty well. Ishii is old and can’t move nearly as well as he did before but there is still a certain intensity to him that you cannot fake. That’s what we saw here and Woods was hanging in there with him well enough.

Post match the villains beat Ishii down but Kyle O’Reilly runs in for the save.

Dustin Rhodes and Sammy Guevara get jumped by the Righteous, with Dustin trying to protect Guevara. As they rush through probably three weeks’ worth of stuff in about an hour.

Top Flight/Action Andretti vs. Dante Leon/Jah-C/Trip Jordy

For the sake of simplicity, I’ll refer to Dante Martin as Dante and Dante Leon as Leon. Darius armdrags Leon down to start and hands it off to Dante for a dropkick. The slingshot hilo sets up a double backbreaker and an assisted moonsault gets two. Jah-C comes in and gets caught with an atomic drop into a springboard spinning Downward Spiral. Leon comes back in and gets dropkicked into a German suplex. The swinging full nelson slam finishes for Dante at 4:51.

Rating: C+. As usual, Andretti and Top Flight work well together but there is no reason to believe that it’s going to lead anywhere. It’s not like it ever has before, yet here we are watching them have another (albeit entertaining) match. At some point though, I need to have a reason to get interested in these matches, as they’ve been doing the same thing for a long, long time now.

From This Means War on October 29, 2005.

Jay Lethal vs. Curry Man

Curry Man has Allison Danger with him. We get a long pose off to start with the first lockup not taking place until nearly two minutes in. Curry armbars him down into a headscissors but a hammerlock sends Lethal over to the ropes. They trade hammerlocks and that goes nowhere so it’s another standoff so the fans can have their dueling chants. Lethal turns down the option to dance but does armdrag him down into a hip swivel.

They fight over a wristlock again and then trade leg kicks like a dance…and then we pause so the referee can dance too. Danger comes in to dance as well before Curry grabs the mic and says…I think something about how he loves dancing. Lethal wristdrags him to the floor for the suicide dive, followed by a neckbreaker for two.

Curry sends him into the corner for a splash and a back elbow sends Lethal outside, setting up a dive of his own. Fan: “YOU’RE BETTER THAN PEPPER!” The chinlock goes on back inside before Lethal flips out of a suplex and knocks him down. Lethal’s middle rope leg lariat gets two but he misses the top rope headbutt. They trade rollups for two each until Lethal grabs a dragon suplex for the pin at 22:31.

Rating: C. I’m sorry what? Why in the world was this match added to this show? It runs over twenty minutes, including dance off and mid-match promo and could have easily had about fifteen minutes dropped. They were trading decent stuff but the match didn’t build to anything as Lethal just suddenly beat him. There was no need for this to be this long or added to this already marathon show.

Billie Starkz vs. Blair Onyx

Starkz takes her down by the arm to start and slowly kicks away before hitting a spinning kick to the head. Some stomping in the corner has Onyx in trouble and Starkz yells at the referee. Onyx gets a boot up but Starkz catches her on top and hits something like a One Winged Angel for the pin at 4:08.

Rating: C. Just a squash here with Starkz running her over and showing more aggression now that she is seemingly on the outs with Athena. We’re likely coming up on Starkz vs. Athena at Final Battle so we can finally change the title, though that has felt like an obvious case for a long time now. Starkz did look a bit better than she did before, so maybe things are changing a bit.

The Infantry joins Shane Taylor Promotions. Well that’s consolidating losers for a change.

Spanish Announce Project vs. Infantry

Shane Taylor Promotions and Trish Adora are here with the Infantry. Dean shoulders and armdrags Angelico to start but it’s quickly off to Serpentico for a falling splash. The Infantry is knocked outside, where Adora sends Angelico into the steps. Back in and Bravo hammers away on Serpentico with a suplex getting two.

Dean sends him hard into the middle buckle and a middle rope knee/backbreaker combination gets two more. Serpentico kicks his way out of the corner though and hands it off to Angelico to clean house. Everything breaks down and Adora has to offer a distraction, allowing Moriarty to get in a belt shot. Boot Camp finishes Angelico at 9:23.

Rating: C-. The team turns heel, has multiple people interfering, including a belt shot, and they need nearly ten minutes to beat one of the lowest of the low tag teams in Ring Of Honor. That’s the Ring Of Honor mindset in a nutshell: change something around and then make sure that it has as little impact as possible. None of these teams feel like they are going anywhere and this match going so long somehow made it worse.

We look at Diamante screwing up and getting disqualified against Red Velvet.

Diamante vs. Aminah Belmont

Whip into the corner, running dropkick, rolling cutter, Diamante wins at 1:24.

Lexi Nair tells Billie Starkz to focus on Athena’s title defense but Starkz is taking the night off. Nair: “I can’t protect her. I’m just a fragile flower!”

Jacked Jameson/Iron Savages vs. Dark Order

Silver and Bronson start things off with the latter driving him into the corner. That’s fine with Silver, who knocks him into another corner for some chops from Uno. Reynolds, still with bad ribs, comes in and gets driven into the corner for some shoulders. Reynolds shoulders his way out of trouble and chokes away on the ropes.

Boulder comes in for some hip swiveling and a crash into the bad ribs. That’s broken up and Reynolds fights out of the corner, only to get taken down again. An electric chair splash misses and the tag brings in Uno to clean house. A DDT puts Bronson down and the Order’s strike sequence into the jackknife rollup is good for the pin at 8:24.

Rating: C. Nothing to see here, again, as we have two teams who have been established as nothing more than the bottom of the barrel. The Order got wrecked by the Blackpool Combat Club while the Savages lose to everyone. They argued once and now they had a match to determine the second lowest team around here. Why would I want to see these guys fight for eight minutes?

Komander vs. Ariya Daivari

Mark Sterling and Josh Woods are here again and does pretty much the same promo as their first time out here. Komander works on a wristlock to start but has to fight out of a headlock. An armbar puts Daivari down again as commentary reminds us to vote on Tuesday. Some strikes to the face have Daivari in more trouble but Sterling offers a distraction so he can knock Komander off the top.

The villains get in some stomping on the floor and a neckbreaker gives Daivari two. Komander fights out of a chinlock and hits a springboard crossbody into a headscissors. The very springboardy hurricanrana sets up a top rope splash for two on Daivari. A reverse layout DDT gives Daivari two of his own and a superkick puts Komander down. The Magic Carpet Splash is cut off and Daivari rolls outside, where Woods gets in a cheap shot on Komander. He’s fine enough to hit the rope walk flip dive onto the villains, setting up Cielito Lindo for the pin at 11:09.

Rating: C+. This was a perfectly nice match which came at a terrible time in a long show. Komander is the designated jobber to the stars around here and has to be given a win every so often. The problem with that is he beat one of the Premiere Athletes, who lose to everyone. Not a bad match, but this show has gone on WAY too long to make a match between these two work.

Chris Jericho previews the main event. So far, he’s the only one to make any reference to this being the Halloween show.

Women’s Title: Athena vs. Abadon

Athena, with Lexi Nair, is defending in a Ring Of Horror match, which is a Halloween themed hardcore match. Oh and they’re chained together. A forearm just annoys Abadon to start so some clotheslines in the corner have Athena in trouble. Athena hits a baseball slide to take it outside, where some chairs are set up.

That takes way too long though and Abadon gets in some kendo stick shots to take over. Things aren’t intense enough yet so Athena whips out a barbed wire baseball bat to miss some big swings. Some pumpkins are destroyed but Abadon uses the distraction to, eventually, spear Athena through a table for two. Another whip through another table has Athena in more trouble as they head back inside for the slugout.

Athena grabs a ladder, which is dropkicked back into her and they go back to the floor. Abadon gets in a dropkick with a trashcan and lays Athena onto a ladder onto the bottom rope. The ensuing backsplash connects and they’re both down. The fight goes outside again, where Athena gets in a hard knee against the steps for two. Back in and Abadon’s bite to the head doesn’t work very well as Athena gets in a powerbomb out of the corner.

Athena manages to slip out of the chain and swings a kendo stick, which bounces off the ropes and hits her in the head to give Abadon two. Abadon goes up but gets powerbombed onto the steps for two more. Nair slides in some skewers, which are driven into Abadon’s head. That’s shrugged off and Abadon pulls her head first into a chair in the corner. A swinging Rock Bottom plants Athena onto a bunch of thumbtacks on the floor for two more, leaving Abadon frustrated. Athena gets in a bottle shot to the face and the O Face onto the chairs retains the title at 19:48.

Rating: B. This worked rather well for a variety of reasons, including the effort that they put into the match on the way here. For once, it felt like this match had been built up for weeks and then they put in a heck of a performance in the match itself. It was violent and hard hitting, with Athena feeling like she survived. Good stuff here, as Athena continues to be the best thing about Ring Of Honor by a mile.

Overall Rating: D+. Oh this did not work, pretty awesome main event aside. This was WAY longer than it needed to be, as it felt like they were trying to cram in every single thing and person they could find. At what point do you look at a two and a half hour show and think “I KNOW! WE NEED A NINETEEN YEAR OLD CURRY MAN MATCH!”

There comes a point where a show just needs to end and they hit that point way before halfway through this week. It was a bunch of nothing matches featuring low level stars who felt like they were there to fill in an overly long card. Ring Of Honor has done this before and it never works, but I guess they just had to have all of this stuff on here because we only have what, five months between pay per views these days? Terribly put together show this week, as someone needs to tell Tony Khan to stop (again).

Results
JD Drake/Beef b. Peter Avalon/Preston Vance – Frog splash to Avalon
Johnny TV b. Deonn Rusman – Starship Pain
Gates Of Agony b. CSJ/Dave Dutra – Open The Gates to Dutra
Reyna Isis b. Lady Frost – Middle rope legdrop in the ropes
Matt Taven b. Aaron Solo – Choke
Righteous b. Jay Marston/Solomon Tupu – Orange Sunshine to Marston
Tomohiro Ishii b. Josh Woods – Brainbuster
Top Flight/Action Andretti b. Dante Leon/Jah-C/Trip Jordy – Swinging full nelson slam to Leon
Billie Starkz b. Blair Onyx – Electric chair flipping slam
Infantry b. Spanish Announce Project – Boot Camp to Angelico
Diamante b. Aminah Belmont – Rolling cutter
Dark Order b. Iron Savages/Jacked Jameson – Jackknife rollup to Bronson
Komander b. Ariya Daivari – Cielito Lindo
Athena b. Abadon – O Face onto chairs

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

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

AND

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

Ring Of Honor
Date: October 24, 2024
Location: Adventist Health Arena, Stockton, California
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman

So once again we have a new champion and once again it came on an AEW show. In this case, Chris Jericho has regained the World Title from Mark Briscoe in a ladder war, thanks to the interference of the Learning Tree. While I can’t imagine that we’ll be seeing the new champ around here in any significant role, we’re in a new era. Let’s get to it.

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

We open with a quick look at Chris Jericho regaining the World Title last night on Dynamite.

We run down the card.

Gates Of Agony vs. The Infantry

Bravo works on Kaun’s wrist to start before grinding away on a headlock. Kaun powers out and it’s off to Toa for a hard clothesline. Bravo fights up and hands it off to Dean, who is promptly dropped with a superkick. Dean pops back up and takes Kaun into the corner for some choking, setting up the chinlock.

That’s broken up in short order but a neckbreaker gives Bravo two. Kaun DDTs his way to freedom though and it’s Toa coming back in to clean house. The Samoan drop/fall away slam at the same time sends the Infantry flying and everything breaks down. Open The Gates finishes Dean at 8:18.

Rating: C. So the Gates are now good guys, or at least they were wrestling like it here, as they did a comeback and then finished the Infantry off. That’s kind of a random turn, but it’s not like there is any reason to believe that this will matter in the title scene. I’m sure we’ll hear about it, but until I actually see it happen, it’s the usual ROH noise that goes nowhere.

Reyna Isis vs. Viva Van

Isis is from CMLL. Feeling out process to start with Van ducking a clothesline and dancing a bit. Isis’ running hurricanrana brings Van down and Isis hits some running knees in the corner. Back up and Van hits a running spinwheel kick before grabbing a rocking horse. Isis kicks her way out of the corner and hits a high crossbody, setting up a springboard dive to the floor. Back in and they trade rollups for two each until Van hits another spinwheel kick for two. Van misses a charge though and gets caught in the ropes, where Isis hits a middle rope legdrop for the pin at 6:38.

Rating: C+. This was the latest “here’s someone from another promotion and she’s a champion there so she must be awesome” match and as usual, it was up to the incoming star to prove themselves. That’s only going to get so far in a match that doesn’t even last seven minutes, but Isis did what she could here. I’m not sure if she’ll be sticking around, but another match or two wouldn’t be a bad thing.

Leyla Hirsch is back from injury and ready to go.

Brandon Cutler vs. Rocky Romero

Romero has the mascot of the Stockton NBA G-League team with him. Cutler says Romero can’t do anything until they shake hands, so Romero shakes his hand and grabs a headlock. Romero shoulders him down and his a middle rope springboard crossbody to start fast. A middle rope spinning crossbody connects but Cutler rakes the eyes for a needed breather.

Cutler drops a dancing elbow for two and we hit the chinlock. That’s broken up and Cutler misses a high crossbody to fall outside, allowing Romero to hit the dive. Back in and Cutler’s rollup with feet on the ropes is caught thanks to the mascot, allowing Romero to hit a tornado DDT. The standing Sliced Bread finishes for Romero at 4:52.

Rating: C. So the mascot for the villains (well, one of the many villain stables in AEW that is) just lost to the lackey of the stable comprised of people with no stable of their own. With a basketball mascot involved. This is a match that someone felt needed to be on a show behind a paywall. I think it’s safe to say that sums up this show as well as anything else right now.

EJ Nduka/Lee Johnson vs. Bret Haskins/Jiah Jewell

Haskins and Johnson start things off with Johnson headlocking him down as commentary talks about Jerry Lynn still being a member of the Board Of Directors. Along with Stokely Hathaway and Paul Wight (I guess?), none of whom have been around here in months. Nduka comes in and drops Jewell so it’s back to Johnson, who gets taken into the corner. A splash is shrugged off though and Nduka comes in to clean house. That includes a spinebuster/neckbreaker combination to finish Jewell at 4:40.

Rating: C. Nduka is a beast and someone who could go somewhere. Johnson feels like someone who could have been a thing but never actually won anything important, which kind of limits his impact. I’m not sure why these two are a team unless it’s meant as a way to hide Nduka while giving him something to do, but it’s better than him sitting on the sidelines even longer.

From Final Battle 2022 (and from a previous review).

Women’s Title: Mercedes Martinez vs. Athena

Martinez is defending and takes her into the corner for some early forearms to the head. Athena gets fired up and hammers Martinez down, including a backhand to the jaw. Back up and Martinez hits a spinebuster (the fans do not approve) to start the rather early comeback. That doesn’t last long as Athena shoves her off, setting up a basement superkick for two.

Martinez is right back up with some suplexes into a brainbuster for two more. A Prism Trap is broken up though and Athena plants her hard on the apron. They head outside with Athena missing some running knees into the barricade so Martinez can grab a hanging neckbreaker off the barricade. Back in and the Brass City Sleeper is broken up so Athena gets to pull the turnbuckle pad off. A shotgun dropkick sends Martinez into the exposed buckle and the O Face gives Athena the pin and the title at 12:55.

Rating: C. That was the only way to go, as Martinez has been away for a long time but while Athena is in the middle of a rather nice heel turn. Also, Athena had to win something outside of NXT at some point to make her feel more important and this is as good as anything else. Decent match, but the right call is much more important.

Here is Billie Starkz to introduce Athena, still chained to Lexi Nair for protection, for a special celebration. Nair introduces the Minions In Training dance team but Athena sends them out. Athena isn’t happy that her parents aren’t here, with her mother option to have surgery rather than come here. Where is the women’s division? She lifted them all up but can’t get any kind of attention from them?

She hasn’t lost in almost two years (in ROH at least) so where are her flowers? This party sucks and it’s ALL Starkz’s fault for being all jealous. Starkz finally snatches the microphone away and says she’s done before storming off. Nair has a surprise though: the original Women’s Title, but now IT SPINS! Abadon’s music plays and suddenly Abadon is chained to Athena instead of Nair. The Black Dahlia drops Athena and it’s a cake to the champ’s face.

After losing the World Title last night, Mark Briscoe had nothing to say.

TV Title: Komander vs. Brian Cage

Cage is defending and shrugs off Komander’s chops to start. A toss sends Komander down and Cage fires off the shoulders in the corner. The clotheslines in the corner keep Komander in trouble and Cage sends him crashing out to the floor, with Komander coming up holding his leg. Cage throws him (Atlantis according to Riccaboni) back inside where Komander flips out of a German suplex.

A hurricanrana out of the corner sends Cage outside for the running flip dive but Cage is fine enough to hit the apron superplex for two. Komander is back with a top rope Fameasser, followed by Cielito Lindo. Cage kicks out and rolls through into four straight powerbombs and the F10 to retain at 10:17.

Rating: C+. Fine enough power vs. speed match here, though there was only so much they could do to get around the idea that Komander wasn’t going to win the title. He’s one of the most prominent designated losers around here and while Cage is only a step ahead, he wasn’t going to lose the title here. Cage’s finishing sequence did look good though, as he went into beast mode to put Komander away.

Overall Rating: C-. This was another case where the wrestling wasn’t the point, but rather this show did not feel important in the slightest. What did we have here? The suddenly good Gates beating the Infantry as part of the never ending merry go round of tag matches around here, a showcase for a CMLL star, two low level people in a match involving a mascot, a tag squash, and Komander getting a title shot. Oh and a setup for the Halloween match, because we needed to spend six weeks or whatever getting that ready. This was bottom of the barrel even for this show, which doesn’t have much room to spare in the first place.

Results
Gates Of Agony b. The Infantry – Open The Gates to Dean
Reyna Isis b. Viva Van – Middle rope legdrop
Rocky Romero b. Brandon Cutler – Standing Sliced Bread
EJ Nduka/Lee Johnson b. Jiah Jewell/Bret Haskins – Spinebuster/neckbreaker combination to Jewell
Brian Cage b. Komander – F10

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

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

AND

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

Ring Of Honor
Date: October 17, 2024
Location: Spokane Arena, Spokane, Washington
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman

We’re in something of a new era around here as we are now seeing a classic match every week, which is a nice change of pace but also extends shows which are already running long. As usual there is very little going on around here when it comes to long form storytelling so it’s hard to guess what we’ll be seeing here. Let’s get to it.

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

In Memory Of Joe Koff, former company executive.

Opening sequence.

We run down the card.

We look at Mark Briscoe beating Chris Jericho at WrestleDream, but a ladder rematch is set for next week on Dynamite.

Briscoe promises to beat up Jericho anywhere he likes, even throwing in some Green Eggs And Hams style rhyming.

Spanish Announce Project vs. Ren Jones/Derek Dillinger

Angelico and Jones start things off with the former craning on a hammerlock. Jones reverses into one of his own but gets reversed just as fast. Back up and Jones works on the arm again, which is broken up again as well. Serpentico comes in to take Jones down, setting up a running hurricanrana out of the corner.

Jones hits a quick backbreaker so the fairly large Dillinger can come in for chops and a sidewalk slam for two. A jumping Downward Spiral gets Serpentico out of trouble and he avoids a moonsault to make things worse for Dillinger. It’s back to Angelico to pick things up, with an ankle lock making Jones tap at 7:19.

Rating: C. There was a lot of arm work in this to start and that wasn’t exactly making up for the fact that the Project took over seven minutes to beat these two. The Project hasn’t felt important around here for a long time and this didn’t do them any good, but I’m sure we’re seeing them get closer to the Tag Team Titles. Like every other team who ever wins a match.

Rachael Ellering wants a title but Harley Cameron interrupts and remembers where they are. Cameron took a long look in the mirror and realized she was very attractive. She wants a hug and Ellering seems confused by everything that just happened.

Yuka Sakazaki vs. Viva Van

Van actually takes her down to start and gives herself some applause, only for Sakazaki to grab a spinning rollup for two. Back up and Van slips off a springboard attempt, allowing Sakazaki to hit a running knee in the corner. A missile dropkick gets two on Van and a Blockbuster gets the same, with Van bridging up to escape. Van’s running spinwheel kick gets two and she grabs a rocking horse hold. Sakazaki is back with an arm trap spinning faceplant, setting up the Magic Girl Splash for the pin at 5:48.

Rating: C+. This was another Sakazki match and it’s about the same as everything you’ve sen from her before. In other words, she did her stuff well enough but odds are it’s going to be a few weeks before she’s back again, if not longer. It’s hard to get interested in her when she’s around so infrequently and when the only thing we hear about her is a list of titles she’s won in Japan, but that’s all she’s gotten for her time in AEW/ROH.

New TV Champion Brian Cage says this is long overdue and it is the push he needed to start the Age Of Cage.

Nick Wayne vs. Brian Cook

Wayne strikes away in the corner to start but Cook is back with some armdrags. Wayne takes him down and stomps on the arm before sending it hard into the corner. A dropkick cuts Cook off again but he makes a quick clothesline comeback. The bad arm goes into the corner again and Wayne’s World finishes at 4:56.

Rating: C-. This was a longer than necessary squash with Wayne running through him and working on the arm for the better part of five minutes. Wayne hasn’t done anything significant for a good while so he needed this kind of a win, though it could have been shorter for the same point. Now just have Wayne do something on AEW TV if he’s important enough for this kind of a match.

MxM Collection vs. Midnight Heat

Heat is Eddie Pearl and Ricky Gibson. Normally I wouldn’t list them but that would be the same Ricky who made an appearance on Smackdown a few weeks back as Kevin Owens’ short term partner. Mansoor works on Ricky’s arm to start as the fans certainly seem to know the latter. A dropkick lets Mansoor flip up to his feet and it’s off to Mason for a headbutt to Pearl. Mansoor walks into a hot shot though and a combination backbreaker drops him again. Mason comes back in and cleans house, including a sitout chokeslam to Ricky. The Centerfold finishes Pearl at 3:51.

Rating: C. The Collection is getting better in the ring but they’re still best known for what they do on the mic. You can tell Midnight Heat was doing well enough and you can tell they have a good bit of experience together. It made their time on offense look better and that boosted up the Collection’s win.

Jack Cartwheel vs. AR Fox

They trade flips to start and nip up for a staredown before Cartwheel is sent to the apron. A legsweep misses and Fox sends him outside, setting up the big dive. Back up and Cartwheel hits a kick, setting up a cartwheel flip dive. Fox is right back with a neckbreaker for two but Cartwheel’s crucifix driver gets the same. A jumping enziguri drops Cartwheel for two more, followed by a snap superplex (that looked cool). Fox drops a 450 for the pin at 6:43.

Rating: C+. If you like the rather choreographed looking style and two people who are incredibly athletic trading their flips and kicks, this was the perfect match. Fox has long since been a guy who is great for fun matches but he isn’t going anywhere. Cartwheel is as gimmicky as you can get and in this case, that’s perfectly fine.

Atlantis Jr. vs. Jon Cruz

Atlantis knees him down for an early two and a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker gets the same. Back up and Cruz hammers away with right hands, followed by a sliding chinlock for a bit of flare. Atlantis fights up, hits a rolling cutter, and nails a frog splash for the pin at 3:50.

Rating: C. I’ve been watching Atlantis Jr. for about six months now and I have no idea what the appeal is supposed to be. He’s perfectly fine but there is nothing about him that makes him stand out in any meaningful way. I’m sure it’s something about keeping the ties with CMLL but there has to be someone who is a bit more exciting.

Willie Mack vs. Komander

For a TV Title shot. Mack runs him over to start and adds a running kick to the head. A double nipple twist has Komander in more trouble and he loses a battle of the chops. Komander pops up with a running hurricanrana to send him outside, setting up the running dive. Back in and Mack knocks him down but misses the frog splash, allowing Komander to come back with Cielito Lindo for the pin at 6:32.

Rating: C. The match was perfectly fine, but this is a good example of why Ring Of Honor isn’t worth watching. Coming into this match, Mack has had one singles match in Ring Of Honor this year while Komander has been treated as nothing but a jobber in AEW. Why are these two having a match for a title shot? There are several people who have been racking up wins around here and aren’t getting title chances. That’s Ring Of Honor’s title situation in a nutshell and it’s not getting any better.

We look at Chris Jericho and Mark Briscoe’s promo exchange on Dynamite, setting up their ladder match next week.

From Final Battle 2018 (and from a previous review):

Tag Team Titles: Briscoes vs. Young Bucks vs. SCU

SCU (Scorpio Sky and Frankie Kazarian) are defending here. The Briscoes head outside and start throwing chairs inside, leaving the Bucks to slug it out with the champs. The Bucks get the better of it and start superkicking until Kazarian slingshots out into a hurricanrana on Mark, sending him into a spear on Jay. Everyone heads outside with Sky being put on a table but the Briscoes chair Matt down.

Jay hits a double stomp to put Sky through the table and the Briscoes take over with various metal shots. Kazarian is busted open and Mark puts the ladder around his neck to slam into people’s faces. Some superkicks break that up and Coleman thinks we might see some more later. Jay gets kicked to the floor and a wheelbarrow faceplant drops Sky. The Bucks hit a double dropkick on Sky before stopping for a Too Sweet.

The first ladder is set up but the champs take over on the Bucks, complete with some loud swearing from Sky. It’s too early for the titles though and the fight over getting to climb is on. Nick and Kazarian shove the ladder back and forth at each other until stereo superkicks put the champs down. The Briscoes come back in with some chairs to clean house though until Kazarian hits a chair shot to Jay’s back. Another shot takes out Kazarian’s ankle though and the Briscoes take over again.

Mark gets kicked out to the floor for a flip dive from Sky and it’s time to unleash the series of dives until Matt is suplexed through a table. The bloody Jay finds a staple gun but Kazarian breaks it up with a slingshot cutter through the table at ringside. And now, a sledgehammer from Matt has Jay begging him to swing. Since that’s a bad idea, we get another ladder instead.

After catapulting it into Sky’s face, Matt goes up but gets pulled back down into a backbreaker onto the open chair because the back injury is his thing. Nick hits the slingshot X Factor to send Jay into a chair but the also bloody Mark brings in another ladder. A springboard spear knocks Sky off the ladder so it’s time for the Meltzer Driver, with Mark diving off the ladder with a cutter for the save.

There’s a Jay Driller to Matt and everyone is down for a few seconds. Jay loads up yet another ladder and then bridges a second between the standing version and the corner. Kazarian is back in with a Styles Clash to drive Jay crotch first into a chair. That’s enough to get a hand on a belt with Nick going up for the save but being tossed WAY down and through a table on the floor. Jay climbs up as well and Mark pelts a chair up at Kazarian to knock him through another table, leaving Jay to pull down the titles for the win at 22:40.

Rating: A. Well that was great. This was the exact same idea that worked for the original TLC matches: take six guys and let them go completely insane with one spot after another until one team finally puts the others away after a big move. It was entertaining and nothing was going to follow it so this was the right call for the main event. Great stuff with the blood making it seem more intense, which is exactly what it should have been.

Lady Frost vs. Athena

Non-title Proving Ground match, meaning if Frost wins or lasts the ten minute time limit, she gets a future title shot and Lexi Nair is here with Athena. Frost grabs some armdrags to start and they trade dropkick attempts for a standoff. A headscissors drops Athena to the floor and Frost hits a flip dive off the apron. Nair uses a chain (the one she’s been tied to Athena with for protection from Abadon) to trip Frost down though and Athena takes over on the floor.

Back in and Athena chokes in the corner before slamming Frost head first onto the mat as things slow down. Frost scores with a kick to the head but a wheelbarrow slam plants her right back down. Back up and a flip into a Cannonball connects for Frost in the corner, setting up a cartwheel into something close to an Air Raid Crash for two. Frost’s super hurricanrana is countered into a superbomb though and a crossface makes frost tap at 8:32.

Rating: C+. When she’s been champion for this long, there is only so much interest to be had in anything she does. It seems like we’re on the way to the Billie Starkz getting a shot at Athena, likely at Final Battle, and that’s the match that has been cooking for a few months now. That leaves things like this and a showdown with Abadon (it is October after all) feeling less than interesting, but what are you expecting when Athena has been champion for the better part of ever?

Post match Athena loads up the ram into the title but Abadon’s music scares her off to end the show.

Overall Rating: C+. That’s as quintessential Ring Of Honor as you can get these days: the women have the only thing close to a developed story, there’s a match where you remember how things used to be great, and a title shot is thrown out to the winner of a random match while a bunch of people not important enough to be involved in something in AEW have short matches. There’s nothing impressive here other than whatever Athena is doing and the classic match, because the rest is just filler until they get to a pay per view where they’ll bring in bigger names for a few weeks. Skip this show, as usual.

Results
Spanish Announce Project b. Ren Jones/Derek Dillinger – Ankle lock to Jones
Yuka Sakazaki b. Viva Van – Magic Girl Splash
Nick Wayne b. Brian Cook – Wayne’s World
MxM Collection b. Midnight Heat – Centerfold to Pearl
AR Fox b. Jack Cartwheel – 450
Atlantis Jr. b. Jon Cruz – Frog splash
Willie Mack b. Komander – Cielito Lindo

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

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

AND

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

Dynamite
Date: October 8, 2024
Location: Spokane Arena, Spokane, Washington
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Jeff Jarrett

It’s Title Tuesday, this year featuring a grand total of one title match. Other than that, it’s also the last Dynamite before this weekend’s WrestleDream, which isn’t exactly looking great. The show could use a nice boost this week and the likely tag team main event will aim to do just that. Let’s get to it.

Here is Collision if you need a recap.

Jon Moxley talks about how no one wants to take Bryan Danielson out, so Moxley will have to do it himself. You have all of these people playing with their toys and living in a fantasy world. In the real world, Danielson being backed into a corner is a terrifying thing. With his world closing in around him, Danielson will accept his inner darkness but Moxley isn’t scared of anything. He hopes Danielson understands one day but for right now, the stakes are too high.

Danielson says tonight isn’t his last match on Dynamite and tonight he’s going to kick Claudio Castagnoli’s head in.

Here is Darby Allin for a chat and he wastes no time in calling out Brody King. Cue King, with Allin saying King could have accepted the challenge a bit more nicely. Allin goes on about how he got King a job here and King has done a lot of the same things he has done. They’ve both bought houses and let their fathers retire, but Allin is the face of the company. King snaps and rants about how Allin is too risky so Allin tells him to finish him off. The fight is on and Allin hits him in the face with a rock (yes a rock) and King is busted open before they’re separated.

Jake Roberts (hey he still works here) is in the back with Lance Archer when Don Callis comes in. Callis says he and Roberts have complete a talent exchange, with Archer now being part of the Don Callis Family. This seems to be cool with Archer, though Roberts won’t say who he got in exchange.

Daniel Garcia is back and will give us an update on his future in the ring.

Hologram vs. Komander

They fight over wrist control to start and trade armdrags and then come up to a standoff. Hologram sends him outside and hits a heck of a suicide dive for a drive into the barricade. Back in and Hologram kicks him down for two as commentary talks about Taz undergoing knee replacement surgery. A Muta lock is broken up and Hologram gets two off a snap suplex as we take a break.

Back with Komander hitting a rather springboardy hurricanrana, setting up a big running step up flip dive to the floor. They get back in with Hologram hitting a middle rope reverse Spanish Fly to leave them both down again. Hologram’s 450 hits knees so Komander tries the rope walk but has to reverse a hurricanrana into a powerbomb (that didn’t look great but they did a nice job with the save). Back up and Hologram grabs a poisonrana, followed by the torture rack helicopter bomb for the pin at 11:57.

Rating: B. This is pretty much what you get from Hologram most of the time but moving him over to Dynamite is a change of pace. It was an entertaining match and he has been undefeated for a few months now, but it is time for some kind of a feud to start up. You can only get so much out of this kind of match and he is pretty much at the end of the rope for what he has been doing.

Post match Jake Roberts is on the stage as Rush, Dralistico and The Beast Mortos come in to beat down Komander and Hologram. The trio raise a fist and Roberts does the same. So that’s the trade and…yeah Roberts got the much better end of the deal.

Mark Briscoe, being much more serious than usual, says Chris Jericho has gone too far. It’s not about the title at WrestleDream, because Briscoe is going to hurt him.

Here is Daniel Garcia for his big announcement. Garcia thanks Tony Khan for giving him the chance and now he is going to be sticking around on a new contract. This is the start of a new Garcia, which starts with him picking up some gold.

Video on Swerve Strickland, with MVP and Prince Nana fighting over getting to be his manager. Swerve will be back at WrestleDream, with MVP and Shelton Benjamin shown watching in the back.

Mercedes Mone and Kamille aren’t worried about Emi Sakura tonight.

Daniel Garcia celebrates with some people, including Katsuyori Shibata, who seems interested in giving Garcia a title shot after he wins the TNT Title.

Willow Nightingale vs. Saraya vs. Nyla Rose vs. Jamie Hayter

For a Women’s Title shot against Mariah May, on commentary, at WrestleDream, Harley Cameron is here with Saraya and Rose is replacing an ill Britt Baker. Saraya gets chased out to the floor to start, leaving Hayter to take out the other two inside. Rose is back up to wreck them for a bit, only to have Cameron and Saraya come back in to clear the ring. Rose goes up and dives onto everyone for the big crash as we take a break.

Back with Hayter hitting a backbreaker on Rose but Saraya breaks it up. It’s Hayter up first to slug away and suplexes the non-Sarayas at the same time. Saraya grabs a chair but Hayter takes it away and unloads on her. Cue the returning Penelope Ford to take the chair away as well and lure Hayter to the back (May: “Aww shucks.”). Rose goes up but Cameron shoves her down and it’s table time. Saraya Nightcaps Nightingale for two but Nightingale Death Valley Drivers her through a table for the pin at 11:25.

Rating: C+. It was going to be Nightingale or Baker in the first place so this is a logical way to go. That being said, there was WAY too much going on here with interference and a table and all that jazz and it hurt things a bit. At the same time, I was disappointed with May, who was sounding bored on commentary here. Compare it to her awesome time calling a match on Collision a week or so ago and it’s a night and day difference.

Post match May headbutts Nightingale down and beats on her with the belt.

The Learning Tree talks to Rocky Romero and suggest that he is just a lackey to the Conglomeration.

Jay White vs. Cody Chhun

Juice Robinson is here with White, who shoulders Chhun down but walks into a dropkick. A DDT gives Chhun two but White is back up with a hard clothesline. White suplexes him into the corner and hits a swinging Rock Bottom, followed by the Bladerunner for the fast pin at 2:52.

Post match White says Hangman Page is the first of two wrongs he needs to correct. After that, it’s time for the World Title, but he wants Page at WrestleDream.

Hook wants to know who attacked his father and runs into the Patriarchy. Christian Cage says they’re both family men and while Cage has lost Luchasaurus to a medical condition, he feels sorry for Hook losing his father.

Willow Nightingale jumps Mariah May and promises to win the Women’s Title on Saturday.

TBS Title/NJPW Women’s Strong Title: Mercedes Mone vs. Emi Sakura

Mone is defending and has Kamille in her corner. Mone takes her down to start and does her dance but gets thrown into the corner. Sakura gets sent into the corner as well but fires back with some rapid fire chops. A quick knockdown to the floor lets Mone hit some knees off the apron though and we take a break.

Back with Mone’s Backstabber connecting for two, followed by the running knees in the corner. Another Meteora off the apron misses though and Sakura hits a running splash against the barricade. Sakura crossbodies Mone and Kamille against the barricade, followed by a butterfly backbreaker back inside but Mone rolls to the apron. That’s enough for Kamille to get in a cheap shot, setting up the Statement Maker (as in the Bank Statement, which is FAR better than the Mone Maker) for the tap at 10:12.

Rating: C+. I’m well aware that Sakura is a legend (commentary made sure to tell us that over and over) but she’s never meant much of anything in AEW. She hasn’t wrestled a match here in almost six months and hasn’t won anything televised in about a year and a half. If you want her to be in this match and for her to feel like a serious challenger, you might try something more than “she won a match in Japan a week or so ago to get this shot”.

Post match the beatdown is on but Kris Statlander runs in for the save.

Stokely Hathaway offers his services to Private Party, who turn him down because they are on their own for the first time in five years. They’re ready for the Young Bucks too.

Tony Schiavone brings in Will Ospreay for a chat. Ospreay thinks Don Callis was behind Konosuke Takeshita interrupting his title match last week and wants a chat (his words). Cue Callis for a hug but Ospreay isn’t having that. Callis says last week was difficult for him emotionally and brings up some of their history together. Ospreay doesn’t want to hear that and point blank asks if Callis sent Takeshita to attack him. Callis: “You don’t need to know that!”

Eventually Callis admits that he sent Ospreay out to learn who is really in charge of the Family. Ospreay talks about how Callis keeps messing things up because he won’t leave people alone. Maybe Callis needs to throw Ospreay out of the Family (Wasn’t he out of the Family months ago?).

Ospreay says they’re done and goes after Callis but Takeshita and Kyle Fletcher run in for the save. Fletcher tries to talk Ospreay down and Takeshita grabs a suplex on Ospreay. Callis pulls out the screwdriver but Fletcher won’t do it. Instead Takeshita drops Ospreay again but here is Ricochet for the save. It’s good to make Callis a clear cut heel again, though I’m still not sure how you can throw someone off a team twice.

Top Flight is ticked off at not getting the Tag Team Title shot but Action Andretti yells at them for not being fired up enough. Leila Grey yells at Andretti, who says they don’t get it and walks away.

Jack Perry wants Katsuyori to be violent, so bring it at WrestleDream.

Bryan Danielson/Wheeler Yuta vs. Claudio Castagnoli/Pac

Danielson starts with Pac but kicks Castagnoli off the apron. Everything breaks down and the good guys hit stereo dives to the floor. Back in and Danielson holds Pac in place for a running dropkick from Yuta. Pac sends Danielson into the corner though and Castagnoli comes in to stomp away. That’s broken up and Danielson flips away, allowing Yuta to come in for a German suplex to Pac. Cattle Mutilation is broken up and the villains take over as we take a break.

Back with Yuta superkicking Pac out of the air to leave both of them down. Castagnoli cuts Yuta off and tries to yell at him, only to get his finger bitten as a result. Danielson comes in and strikes away in the corner before snapping off a super hurricanrana. Pac comes back in and gets taken down as well, with Danielson stomping away. A big kick to the head drops Castagnoli but cue Jon Moxley and Marina Shafir for a distraction. Castagnoli hits Swiss Death to set up Pac’s 450 for two. Yuta takes a hammer from Pac, allowing Danielson to pull him into the LeBell Lock for the tap at 15:19.

Rating: B. Other than Danielson looking a bit superheroish near the end, this was a solid main event tag match and Danielson gets a boost on the way to the title match. I’m not sure what this means for the Trios Titles, but points for not going with what felt like an obvious Yuta turn. As for Yuta, he still feels in over his head, but he does at least tie into this story.

Post match Moxley and Danielson fight to the back as the other three beat down Yuta. Castagnoli hits Yuta in the ribs with the hammer until Danielson beats Moxley into the ring. Danielson saves Yuta and poses to end the show. So Danielson just beat up Pac, Castagnoli and (a fresh) Moxley singlehandedly but he’s supposed to be in any kind of danger on Saturday?

Overall Rating: B. Lack of a focus on titles on a show called TITLE TUESDAY aside (there has been one Dynamite since the beginning of September with no title matches so it’s not even that special of a concept), this show did a nice job of boosting up WrestleDream. I’m still not wild on a lot of what they’re offering on Saturday, but they did focus on that show here, even adding some more stuff to the card. That’s a good way to go for this Dynamite and it was a pretty easy watch throughout. It’s not a show that you needed to watch, but it’s a show that WrestleDream needed and that’s more important.

Results
Hologram b. Komander – Torture rack helicopter bomb
Willow Nightingale b. Saraya, Nyla Rose and Jamie Hayter – Death Valley Driver to Saraya through a table
Jay White b. Cody Chhun – Bladerunner
Mercedes Mone b. Emi Sakura – Statement Maker
Bryan Danielson/Wheeler Yuta b. Pac/Claudio Castagnoli – LeBell Lock to Pac

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

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

AND

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

Collision
Date: October 5, 2024
Location: Huntington Center, Toledo, Ohio
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Nigel McGuinness

We’re a week away from WrestleDream and this week’s show will determine the Tag Team Title match at the pay per view. In this case we have three teams vying for the show, with one of them being the team who has been feuding with the champions in recent weeks. Othe than that, you ever know what you might see here. Let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Darby Allin vs. Johnny TV

Feeling out process to start until they fight over arm control. Allin grabs a headlock takeover but TV ties him in the ropes and hits the sliding German suplex for two. A hard whip sends Allin into the corner but he’s right back with a top rope superplex for a breather. TV is fine enough to legsweep him on the apron but misses a splash.

The Coffin Drop to the floor looks to set up the usual version back inside, only for TV to break it up. Starship Pain is blocked as well so TV hits a Razor’s Edge into a faceplant (that was cool) for two. Back up and Starship Pain misses again, allowing Allin to hit a Code Red for two. The Coffin Drop finishes TV at 7:40.

Rating: C+. This was what you would expect from TV these days, as he was out there to make someone else look good and did a nice enough job at that. Allin was out there throwing himself around and getting the fans to care or him, which is where he tends to shine. Nice, to the point match here.

Post match Allin brings up his WrestleDream open challenge, saying he wants an answer tonight. Anyone who wants to make their name off of him can step up right now, but no one comes out. Allin goes to leave…and gets jumped by Brody King. The beatdown is on and King powerbombs him onto the apron before saying “I ACCEPT”.

We get another 80s style video, with the Outrunners and FTR training together.

Outrunners vs. Grizzled Young Veterans

Magnum and Drake start things off with the former snapping off an armdrag into a double bicep pose. Gibson comes in and gets chopped in the corner before it’s back to Drake. The Veterans are cleared out and the fans are rather pleased as well as we go to the a break. Back with Gibson working on Floyd’s knee before handing it off to Drake. Some diving tag attempts don’t work until Floyd rolls over for the tag to Magnum. A string of slams set up the double elbow as the fans are rather invested again. Drake makes a save and what looks like a Doomsday Device is loaded up but Magnum reverses into a victory roll for he pin at 9:58.

Rating: C+. Good, now do something with them. The Outrunners are a fun act and the ans are into them. They don’t seem like they are going to have an incredibly long shelf life so do something with them and capitalize on this. At the same time, the Veterans felt like they were going to be something and…no.

Video on Britt Baker, who wants the Women’s Title.

Willow Nightingale wants the title as well. The rest of the Conglomeration is ready to beat up the Premiere Athletes, because the word of the day is diversification, because they are a diverse team.

Willow Nightingale vs. Trish Adora

Mariah May is at ringside. Nightingale runs her over for two to start and they trade suplexes for two each. Adora’s double arm crank into a rollup gets two more but Nightingale fights up, leaving May looking….confused? We take a break and come back with Adora hitting something like an Air Raid Crash onto the knee for two. Nightingale pops back up with a middle rope dropkick for two of her own but Adora hits a running crossbody. One heck of a bridging German suplex gives Adora two, only for Nightingale to hit a quick Babe With The Powerbomb for the pin at 8:01.

Rating: C+. Adora was trying some different things and that is what usually makes her stand out most of the time. The bridging German suplex looked great and while there wasn’t a ton of drama over the winner, at least they kept it interesting. Nightingale seems to be getting into the title picture and that is always worth a look.

Post match Nightingale gets in a brawl with May.

Wheeler Yuta is interrupted by Pac and Claudio Castagnoli, who throw the interviewer out. Yuta rants about what he has done for Castagnoli and now he’s just supposed to trust him after everything? Castagnoli says he’ll always have Yuta’s back.

Mariah May is sick of everyone coming for the title. Christopher Daniels comes in to make Willow Nightingale vs. Britt Baker in a #1 contenders match for the WrestleDream title shot.

Wheeler Yuta vs. Beef

Anthony Henry is here with Beef. Yuta unloads on him in the corner but Beef is back with some right hands. A discus punch and something like an Angle Slam put Beef down and Yuta stomps away in the corner. The elbows to the face set up Cattle Mutilation to finish Beef at 2:15.

Hook calls out whomever attacked Taz for Dynamite.

Video on Ricochet vs. Will Ospreay, with Konosuke Takeshita interfering for the DQ. Triple threat title match at WrestleDream.

Conglomeration vs. Premiere Athletes

The Athletes, with Josh Woods and Mark Sterling, jump them to start but Cassidy snaps off a double hurricanrana. Back to back dives put the Conglomeration down on the floor though and Daivari stomps away as we take a break. We come back with Cassidy driving Daivari into the corner for the tag to O’Reilly, who cranks on a leglock.

Nese comes in for the save but Cassidy is back in with a high crossbody to Daivari. Nese’s pumphandle is countered into a DDT from Cassidy and Rocky Romero gets in a fight with Woods. Sterling helps Woods with the beatdown so here is Mark Briscoe to fight Woods to the back. Cassidy drops Sterling and hits the Beach Break on Nese for the win at 10:20.

Rating: B-. It feels like the Premiere Athletes have gotten beaten up by every team in AEW for months now and it’s kind of hard to get interested in seeing it happen again. The match was perfectly fine, but there was no question about how it was going to end, with Sterling getting taken out as he often does. Perfectly fine, but not exciting.

Lance Archer is beating up people in the back, as is his custom. Don Callis pops in to ask if Archer is still represented by Jake Roberts. Archer: “Yeah.”

Mercedes Mone does her usual bragging when Kris Statlander interrupts. Kamille isn’t having this and glaring ensues.

Hologram vs. Nick Wayne vs. Action Andretti vs. Komander

Hologram and Komander hit running hurricanranas to start before being sent outside. Andretti hits a dropkick on Wayne for two but gets sent to the apron. Komander runs the ropes and bounces onto another rope to…land on the apron. Hologram clears the ring but gets pulled out to the floor, leaving Andretti to hit a rolling flipping splash off the apron to Komander.

We take a break and come back with Hologram hitting a reverse suplex to Wayne and a DDT to Andretti at the same time, followed by a 450 for two on Wayne. Komander is back in with the very springboardy hurricanranas but charges into a Spanish Fly to give Andretti two. Something like a Canadian Destroyer plants Hologram though and everyone is down. Komander’s Cielito Lindo hits Hologram but he’s back up with a helicopter bomb to pin Andretti at 10:47.

Rating: B. You’ve probably seen a match like this many times before but that doesn’t make it any less fun. This was four guys going out there and doing a bunch of stuff until one of them got a pin. It was rather entertaining and the live fans were into it, as Hologram’s rise to…I’m sure it’ll go somewhere at some point, continues.

The Undisputed Kingdom asks The Beast Mortos where his allegiances lie so he grunts a lot.

Kris Statlander vs. Zoey Lynn

A gorilla press slam and Staturday Night Fever finishes Lynn at 40 seconds.

Post match Mercedes Mone and Kamille come out, with the former saying Statlander isn’t showing her up. Kamille gets in the ring for the brawl and lays Statlander out in short order. Well that didn’t last long.

Darby Allin is ready for Brody King at WrestleDream. He got King hired and King is going to have to fight to take everything from him.

Emi Sakura won a match in Japan and gets a TBS Title shot as a result. Of course she does. Hasn’t won a match in AEW since last April, but gets one win and has a title shot.

House Of Black vs. Private Party vs. Top Flight

For the Tag Team Title shot at WrestleDream. Dante and Quen trade near falls to start before Private Party sends Top Flight outside. Everything breaks down and the House catches some dives to take out Private Party without much trouble. We take a break and come back with Dante tagging himself back in to pick up the pace. A frog splash to Quen gets two and they’re both down again.

Darius comes back in but gets caught with a springboard Stunner and Silly String. That doesn’t work for the House, who comes in to wreck Top Flight without much trouble. Private Party is back in but can’t hit Gin & Juice on Matthews. Instead Matthews hits a Jackhammer into a top rope double stomp for two on Kassidy, with the kickout leaving Matthews stunned. Cue Action Andretti for a distraction though, with Dante hitting a dive to take out the House. Kassidy hits his own dive and Gin & Juice finishes Dante at 11:48.

Rating: B-. While Private Party seemed to be the likely choices for the title shot as they’ve been feuding with the Young Bucks in recent weeks, it’s almost hard to believe that this is the best option for the shot. Private Party is mainly riding on the result of a match from five years ago, followed by a long string of nothing, and then a few wins (minus the time the Blackpool Combat Club mauled them) to get this shot. That’s not exactly inspiring stuff for a pay per view title shot but the tag division is so decimated that we’re going there anyway.

Overall Rating: C+. Maybe it’s due to the show being up against WWE Bad Blood, but this did not feel important or really worthy of watching. There was good action and some stuff was set up for WrestleDream, but look at what was set up. Private Party gets a title shot? Darby Allin vs. Brody King? WrestleDream is looking like a rather weak card and this didn’t make things any better, which isn’t the most encouraging sign. The wrestling here was solid enough, but dang it doesn’t have me interested in anything coming up.

Results
Darby Allin b. Johnny TV – Coffin Drop
Outrunners b. Grizzled Young Veterans – Victory roll to Gibson
Willow Nightingale b. Trish Adora – Babe With The Powerbomb
Wheeler Yuta b. Beef – Cattle Mutilation
Conglomeration b. Premiere Athletes – Beach Break to Nese
Hologram b. Kip Sabian, Action Andretti and Komander – Helicopter bomb to Andretti
Kris Statlander b. Zoey Lynn – Staturday Night Fever
Private Party b. House Of Black and Top Flight – Gin & Juice to Dante

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