Dynamite
Date: April 16, 2025
Location: MGM Music Hall Fenway, Boston, Massachusetts
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone

We’re still on the road to Double Or Nothing and in this case that could make for some interesting options. There is a long time to get the card ready but there is a good chance we see the beginnings being put together here. We also have two title matches this week, with the Trios and Tag Team Titles on the line. Let’s get to it.

Here is Collision if you need a recap.

The Death Riders have attacked Hook, who is at the hospital. The Trios Titles are still on the line though.

Women’s Owen Hart Tournament Semifinals: Mercedes Mone vs. Athena

Non-title. They lock up to start and go to the mat before crashing out to the floor in a heap. The lockup keeps going and they go all the way up to the stage before breaking it up. They get back in the ring with Athena’s headlock not getting her very far. Instead they trade shoulders to no avail as commentary talks about all of the upcoming international shows. They fight over some rollups but can’t get anywhere until Mone knocks her into the corner.

The running knees connect for one on Athena, leaving Mone rather stunned. Athena is back up with an enziguri and a flipping elbow connects in the corner. Mone is right back with the Bank Statement but they fall out to the floor, where Mone has to let it go. Back in and Athena winds up hanging upside down by her feet above the floor but Mone misses a double stomp. Athena grabs a quick Stunner on the floor and we take a break.

Back with a battle over a Tombstone until Mone throws her up for a gutbuster. Mone hits a spinning DDT for two and they’re both down again. Three Amigos connect but Athena blocks a fourth and hits three powerbombs. The fourth is countered into a Backstabber though and they’re both down again. Athena misses a charge into the corner and gets dropped with a running knee to send her outside. Ever the hero (ok not really), Mone tries a German suplex from the apron before going for a sunset flip, only to get stomped on the apron instead.

Athena kicks her down and adds a slam on the apron for two. Back in and Athena grabs a crossface, which is reversed into a failed Bank Statement attempt. Athena manages a spinning knee to the face but Mone crashes out to the floor. A missed charge takes Athena out again though and they fight onto the barricade. Athena throws her down and hits a shotgun dropkick against the barricade. Back in and the O Face is countered into a rollup with tights to give Mone the pin at 20:49.

Rating: B+. You could tell these two wanted to have a heck of a match and that is exactly what they did here. They were working hard and going at it with everything they were trying, with Mone thankfully cheating to get the win. Athena losing in the tournament isn’t a surprise as it’s what happened last year, but it would be nice to have her FINALLY move up to the main show full time, though I’m not sure I can see it happening.

Toni Storm and Luther applaud Mone from the crowd.

Hangman Page is interrupted by the Elite, who think Page should be happy that they cost Swerve Strickland the World Title. Now Page can win the title and bring it back to the Elite, but Page doesn’t seem impressed. Kazuchika Okada calls him a b**** and then backs off in a hurry.

A former Boston Bruin is here with the Stanley Cup.

Men’s Owen Hart Tournament First Round: Hangman Page vs. ???

And it’s….Josh Alexander. Well you knew he was coming in sooner or later. They fight over arm control to start with Alexander being the better wrestler, leaving Page getting a bit frustrated. Alexander takes him down in a hurry but Page is right back with a fall away slam. Page sends him outside, where Alexander misses a running boot over the barricade. A dive off the stage drops Alexander and we take a break.

Back with Alexander getting two off a German suplex but Page flips out of another one and hits a discus lariat for a double down. They fight to the apron where Page hits a backdrop, allowing him to score with a heck of a moonsault to the floor. Alexander is back with a forearm to the back of the head and a spinning torture rack slam, setting up the ankle lock. Page breaks out of that in a hurry and hits a Tombstone, only to get caught with a World’s Strongest Slam onto the apron. Back in and Page slips out of another ankle lock, setting up a small package for the fast pin at 13:09.

Rating: B. Yeah Alexander is going to be fine around here, as he’s more than a skilled enough wrestler and someone who can work well with just about anyone. Having someone out there who can wrestle a hard hitting style and has the credibility to back it up is a great addition to the card. Page winning is the logical way to go, though I do wonder: if the Bucks, who are still in charge, wanted Page to win the tournament, why did they let him a tough opponent?

Post match Kyle Fletcher, Page’s second round opponent, comes out for the staredown. Don Callis tells Fletcher to go for it and the brawl is on, with Page hitting a clothesline. Callis talks to Alexander though and Alexander jumps Page, as we seem to have a new Family member. Fletcher plants Page with a brainbuster and stands tall.

Nick Wayne says the Patriarchy is a hierarchy but his father is gone…until he isn’t as Christian Cage is here. Cage gets in Wayne’s face and says he gave Wayne a month to find himself. In addition, he has gotten Wayne a spot in the Best of the Super Juniors tournament in New Japan. As for tomorrow, he has a Ring Of Honor TV Title shot, and he’ll win it by himself. Then Cage slaps him in the face.

We look back at FTR turning on Cope and then taking out Daniel Garcia.

Tag Team Titles: Gates Of Agony vs. Hurt Syndicate

The Syndicate, with MVP, is defending and get jumped at the bell. Benjamin gets stomped in the corner as MVP joins commentary. Lashley comes back in though and hits a running shoulder to Kaun in the corner. The Downward Spiral into a belly to belly suplex has Kaun in trouble as we take a break.

Back with Liona hitting a Samoan drop on Benjamin and dropping a backsplash for two. Liona fires off the clotheslines to Lashley in the corner but has to be saved from the Hurt Lock. Benjamin is back in with a release German suplex to Kaun, leaving Lashley to spear Liona on the floor. Another spear finishes Kaun to retain at 9:10.

Rating: C+. The Gates are in the bad place of being wrestlers who are there to be thrown into matches like this and then lose. The problem is there is no reason to believe that the titles were in any danger and that made this more of a countdown towards the Syndicate retaining. If nothing else, have the Gates beat some other teams to make you think this time might be different, rather than giving them one win and then setting up the title shot.

Post match here is MJF to say he knows how great he is and praise the Hurt Syndicate. Well maybe not MVP. MJF has some, ahem, talent in the back so he brings them out to meet the Syndicate. The rather attractive women have Benjamin’s attention but he needs a little more time to make his decision. By that he means the watch off MJF’s wrist, but that’s not enough to get Benjamin’s acceptance. MJF likes the idea and is willing to offer something else. As for Lashley, MJF is just better than him and he knows it.

Post break Benjamin and Lashley agree to have a nice night with the ladies.

Men’s Owen Hart Tournament Semifinals: Konosuke Takeshita vs. Will Ospreay

Don Callis is on commentary as they fight over wrist control to start. Takeshita knocks him down but gets caught in an armdrag. A pop up hurricanrana drops Takeshita and a slingshot hilo makes it worse. Takeshita cuts off a springboard though and hits a release F5, followed by a basement dropkick to the floor. The big running flip dive connects on Ospreay and we take a break.

Back with Ospreay knocking him down, setting up a Phenomenal Forearm for two. A hard clothesline drops Ospreay and some t-bone suplexes put him down again. Ospreay catches him on top though and it’s a super Stundog Millionaire to bring Takeshita back down. An Oscutter connects on the ramp and after countering a Blue Thunder Bomb, another Oscutter gives Ospreay two. The Stormbreaker is countered and Takeshita German suplexes him into a rollup for two more.

They slug it out with Takeshita getting the better of things with a big forearm. Raging Fire is broken up but Takeshita drops to the mat to avoid the Hidden Blade. The Blue Thunder Bomb gives Takeshita two and he forearms Ospreay out of the air. Ospreay’s running forearm gets one but the Hidden Blade is blocked. A wheelbarrow piledriver into a wheelbarrow suplex gets drops Takeshita but he’s back with his own Hidden Blade.

Ospreay cuts him off again and they go up top, where Takeshita hits a hard clothesline, only for Ospreay to backflip onto his feet. Now the Hidden Blade connects for two on Takeshita, whose Raging Fire is countered into a hurricanrana into a Styles Clash to give Ospreay two more. Back up and Takeshita hits a running knee, only to charge into the Stormbreaker to give Ospreay the pin at 21:33.

Rating: A-. Yeah this was about as exciting of a match as you’re going to get on free TV and it was good stuff throughout, with both of them just going nuts and leaving it in the ring. Takeshita has been built up as a force in AEW so Osprey getting to beat him is a big deal. Awesome stuff here, with some of those sequences at the end being pretty breathtaking.

Trios Titles: Death Riders vs. Opps

The Riders are defending (with Jon Moxley replacing the injured Pac) but Hook is injured as well. The Opps have a replacement of their own though with….Powerhouse Hobbs getting the spot. It’s a brawl to start (shocking I know) and Hobbs takes over on Yuta in the corner. Moxley comes in for a save but runs away from Hobbs, who plants Yuta with a powerslam.

It’s off to Joe, who hammers Yuta down in the corner before Shibata comes in to chop away. Shibata is sent outside though and gets dropped by Castagnoli, who comes in as we take a break. Back with Shibata still in trouble but not being able to fight out of the corner. Shibata fights out on the second attempt and brings in Joe to clean house. Moxley grabs a chair but here is Willow Nightingale to take it away.

Everything breaks down and Joe drops Moxley with a clothesline so here are the Young Bucks. Cue Swerve Strickland to cut them off as Shibata chokes Castagnoli on the ramp. Yuta breaks up the MuscleBuster to Moxley and gets planted on the announcers’ table for his efforts. Marina Shafir chairs Hobbs but gets taken down by Nightingale. Back in and Joe pulls Moxley into the Koquina Clutch for the win and the titles at 13:52.

Rating: B-. Good action here, with the title change being almost necessary after Pac’s injury. That being said, it wouldn’t stun me if the Opps were going to win the titles the whole time, as they have been built up for a good while now. This was the big feel good moment to wrap up the night and it made for a good win, with the Death Riders FINALLY losing something important.

Some wrestlers come out with champagne to celebrate the title change to end the show.

Overall Rating: A. Yeah this was a pretty outstanding show, with a string of pay per view quality matches. Even the worst match on the show was a perfectly acceptable Tag Team Title match which suffered more from the lack of drama than anything else. It felt like they were going for a major show here and it worked very well, with one of the better Dynamites I can remember seeing. Check this out if you have the time, as it’s going to be a hard mark to beat this weekend.

Results
Mercedes Mone b. Athena – Rollup with tights
Hangman Page b. Josh Alexander – Small package
Hurt Syndicate b. Gates Of Agony – Spear to Kaun
Will Ospreay b. Konosuke Takeshita – Stormbreaker
Opps b. Death Riders – Koquina Clutch to Moxley

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

Dynasty 2025
Date: April 6, 2025
Location: Liacouras Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Jim Ross, Excalibur

We’re back on pay per view, though this doesn’t feel like the biggest card. In this case, we have a main event of Jon Moxley defending the AEW World Title against Swerve Strickland. Other than that, we have a variety of title matches, plus three matches in the Owen Hart Tournaments, which get started tonight. Let’s get to it.

Zero Hour: Nick Wayne/Cru vs. Top Flight/AR Fox

Cru bails to the floor to start so it’s Fox taking them out with a big dive. Back in and Cru neckbreakers Darius down for two but Dante sneaks in for a clothesline. Rush gets bulldogged throat first onto the middle rope but Wayne cuts Darius off and poses on the barricade. They get back inside where Rush front facelocks Darius before Andretti kicks him in the ribs.

Rush’s hard kick to the back keeps Darius down and we hit the reverse chinlock. Darius fights up and hits a dropkick, allowing the tag off to Dante. House is cleaned but Rush grabs his chain for a tug of war. Andretti comes in for a double team but Darius makes a save. Dante and Rush knock each other down, allowing the tags off to Fox and Wayne. Fox gets to clean house, including a rolling cutter to Rush, meaning it’s time for the string of running flip dives.

Back in and Fox’s Swanton hits Wayne’s raised knees, leaving Andretti to hit a handspring elbow on Darius. Rush’s springboard Stunner hits Dante but Fox hits Wayne with Lo Mein Pain. Kip Sabian and Leila Grey get in an argument on the floor though, with the distraction letting Mother Wayne shove Fox off the top. Wayne’s World finishes Fox at 11:13.

Rating: B. Totally wild match and that’s all it needed to be. Everyone was flying around and getting their stuff in, which is how you should get a show started. It made for a hot opener and there was enough of a story that the match didn’t feel completely thrown together. Rather nice choice, with the collection of high spots being exactly what this should have been.

Here is Max Caster to do his chant but the fans actually do it with him, earning some less than glowing reviews from Caster. He takes off his jacket to reveal a Ben Simmons (former Philadelphia basketball player) and says they’re just not as good as New York (and now they hate him).

Zero Hour: Max Caster vs. ???

This is another open challenge and it’s….Anthony Bowens, with Billy Gunn. They shove each other to start and Bowens hits a big rolling elbow for the win at 40 seconds.

And now, the show proper.

Men’s Owen Hart Tournament First Round: Will Ospreay vs. Kevin Knight

Knight is replacing the injured Jay White. They shake hands to start and fight over wrist control with Knight throwing in a flip to escape. A basement clothesline gives Knight two but Ospreay sends him outside for a slingshot dive. Back in and a Phenomenal Forearm drops Knight for two and the abdominal stretch keeps him in trouble. That’s broken up and Knight fires off some clotheslines, setting up a spinning splash for two.

The Stundog Millionaire into a spinning kick to the face gives Ospreay two of his own, followed by a running Spanish Fly. They lock hands and Knight pulls himself up for an exchange of strikes, naturally with the two of them holding hands. Knight hits a dropkick (no hands held) into a middle rope hurricanrana. Ospreay is sent outside for a dive but Knight has to counter a Styles Clash into a DDT.

A springboard dive takes Ospreay down again and another DDT gets two back inside. Ospreay kicks him in the face but the Oscutter is dropkicked out of the air in a nice counter. The top rope spinning splash gives Knight two but another springboard is countered into the Oscutter. Now the Styles Clash can connect for two, followed by another Oscutter for the same. The Hidden Blade finishes Knight at 13:47.

Rating: B-. It was a fun enough spectacle, but it didn’t exactly get to a pay per view quality level. It didn’t help that Knight was mainly there for the sake of filling for White, but he did at least have a solid performance. This was a good enough opener for the show and given the circumstances they were under, it could have been far worse.

Respect is shown post match.

We recap the Learning Tree challenging the Hurt Syndicate for the Tag Team Titles. Chris Jericho wants the Learning Tree to prove themselves so they’ve gone on a mini winning streak to get this show.

Tag Team Titles: Learning Tree vs. Hurt Syndicate

The Syndicate, with MVP, is defending. Lashley backs Keith into the corner to start so it’s off to Bill for the hoss off. Bill gets backed into the corner for the tag to Benjamin, only for Bill to clean house and knock the champs to the floor. Back in and Benjamin takes over on Bill but he can’t manage a German suplex. Lashley comes back in for a clothesline on Keith and Benjamin rams him into the barricade to really take over.

Back in again and Lashley does the delayed vertical suplex but misses a charge into the corner. The diving tag brings in Bill to clean house again, as he tends to do. Benjamin knocks him down but Bill Hulks Up (sure) into a swinging Boss Man Slam for two. Everything breaks down again and Bill hits Lashley with a Snake Eyes into a clothesline to the floor. Bill follows him but MJF (in the crowd) gets in a cheap shot so Lashley can hit the spear. The Syndicate doesn’t seem pleased but Lashley hits the spear on Knight so Benjamin can get the pin to retain at 10:29.

Rating: C+. As usual, this was Bill looking great, Keith looking fine, and the Syndicate looking like monsters. The Syndicate didn’t need MJF to retain here but that’s the big story for them going forward. I’m not sure who is next for the Syndicate, but their stuff with MJF is interesting enough for a different way to go. The Learning Tree winning the match here didn’t feel like it was in the cards, though I’ll take the Syndicate getting to beat someone up.

We recap Mercedes Mone vs. Julia Hart in the Women’s Owen Hart Tournament. There isn’t much of a story here, but Mone wants to win the tournament and get another title.

Women’s Owen Hart Tournament First Round: Mercedes Mone vs. Julia Hart

Non-title. Hart starts fast and knocks her into the corner as Harley Cameron (with the puppet) is watching in the back. Mone cuts her off and puts Hart in the Tree of Woe, only to get rolled up for two. A spinning wristdrag takes Hart down but she avoids a charge and hits some running elbows in the corner. Something close to Old School sets up a running elbow to the back to give Hart two and they head outside.

Mone rams her into the barricade, followed by the running Meteora for two back inside. The chinlock goes on to keep Hart in trouble and Mone’s dropkick gets two. Hart gets in a takedown of her own but a standing moonsault hits knees to cut her off again. Mone puts her in the Tree of Woe and does a Malakai Black sitdown. A situp lets Hart avoids a charge though and Hart hits a dive to the floor. Back in and Hart’s DDT gets two but Mone is fine enough to grab another Codebreaker.

A Tarantula sets up an Octopus on Mone, who walks it across the ring for the break, rather than stepping two feet in the other direction. Mone hits a pair of Backstabbers but Hart is back with a crucifix bomb for two. Mone’s Statement Maker is countered into a reverse Rings of Saturn, with the fans rather approving. That’s broken up as well, with the Statement Maker going on again. Somehow Hart escapes and grabs a rollup for two, only for Mone to get her own rollup for the pin at 13:02.

Rating: B-. Another nice match here with only so much drama, as Mone wasn’t likely to lose her first match in the first round of the tournament. Hart has gotten better in the ring and getting away from some of the weird evil stuff has helped her a bit. She’s not on Mone’s level, but she did well enough here to have a good match, which should be a solid sign for her future.

We recap the Trios Titles match. FTR and Cope have been having issues lately but want to show that they can still be a great team. It’s not like there are many other options to go after the Death Riders’ titles anyway.

Trios Titles: Rated FTR vs. Death Riders

The Death Riders are defending, but first we need to have the fans sing Cope’s theme song to him again. Harwood and Pac start things off and they grapple into the corner for a clean break. Pac shoulders him into a rollup for two but it’s way too early for the Brutalizer. Cope comes in and gets his arm cranked before it’s off to to Yuta, who gets booed out of the building.

Yuta gets taken into the corner and everything breaks down, with Castagnoli getting taken up top for a super powerslam. Some clotheslines put Yuta and Pac on the floor but Pac is back in to take over on Cash. Yuta grabs the chinlock but gets caught in a powerslam, only for Pac to be right there to cut off the tag attempt. Not that it matters as Harwood gets the tag a few seconds later but Castagnoli blocks the Sharpshooter attempt.

Instead, Castagnoli and Harwood grab their own Sharpshooter and scream at each other, only to let them go and slug it out. Castagnoli’s swing into Yuta’s dropkick gets two on Harwood as the fans are all over Yuta. Back to back Fastball Specials give the champs two, with Cash having to make the save.

Cope grabs the Impaler for two on Pac before a superplex into a top rope splash into a Swan Dive gets two, with Castagnoli making the save. Yuta missile dropkicks Cope, leaving Pac to Brutalizer Harwood. Cash brings Yuta over for the save and a bunch of people are down. The Shatter Machine and spear hit Yuta with Castagnoli making another save. Cash and Pac crash out to the floor off a suplex and Yuta sends Cope into Harwood. The running knee to Harwood retains the titles at 14:45.

Rating: B. As usual, the Death Riders get to retain the titles as they almost never lose anything. In this case though, that’s not the biggest surprise as Rated FTR have been falling apart more and more every week. Hopefully they move on to something else, which might result in an FTR heel turn. It’s not like they have anything else going on, though they can still work well in a match like this. Good stuff here, even if the Trios Titles aren’t the most thrilling things going on.

Post match the champs leave so Rated FTR pose together. Then Harwood piledrives Cope and grabs some chairs, but Cash won’t do the Conchairto. Instead he shoves Harwood down…and it’s a Shatter Machine to Cope, followed by a spike piledriver on the chair. Now Cash is willing to do the Conchairto, with Cope’s head being crushed. Cash even puts on a neck brace to mock Cope even more. Cope does a stretcher job.

We recap Toni Storm defending the Women’s Title against Megan Bayne. Storm retained the title over Mariah May to end their feud but Bayne came in and laid her out. Bayne also pinned her in a tag match, meaning it’s time for Storm to defend against a monster.

Women’s Title: Megan Bayne vs. Toni Storm

Storm, with Luther, is defending and Penelope Ford is here with Bayne. After Storm’s Rocky style training montage, we’re ready to go (with Storm in a boxing robe to really hammer home the idea). Bayne powers her away without much trouble to start and then does it again for a bonus. Storm comes back with a spinning middle rope crossbody but Bayne kicks her right back down. There’s a fall away slam to drop Storm again but Bayne’s suicide dive hits Luther by mistake.

Back in and Storm hits a high crossbody for two so Ford offers a distraction. That’s enough for Bayne to hit a pump kick as Storm can’t do much to get around the power here. Bayne chokes her on the ropes and Ford gets in some posing, followed by some choking of her own, as a villain should do. Some overhead belly to belly suplexes drop Storm for two more and Ford gets up again, only for Luther to pull her away.

Storm comes back with a tornado DDT and a twisting STF to put Bayne in trouble for a change. Bayne powers out and hits a bottom rope belly to back suplex, only for Storm to catch her with a SCARY belly to back superplex (as Bayne looked to land on her head). They get back up to slug it out, with Storm getting the better of it, setting up a German suplex.

The hip attack is cut off though and Bayne muscles her up with a German suplex of her own. Storm knocks her into the corner for three straight hip attacks, followed by Storm Zero for one. Another Storm Zero is broken up and Bayne hits a sitout powerbomb. Fate’s Descent is loaded up but Storm reverses into the small package to retain at 15:24.

Rating: B-. This got a bit better once Luther and Ford left, as they were making the match a bit too busy. I’m kind of surprised that Storm won clean, but there is a chance that this isn’t going to be it between them. Bayne has felt like a top star for her brief run and there is a case to be made that Storm escaped with the title rather than really beating Bayne. I’m not sure if that is where they need to go, but Bayne is too big and too talented to be left by the wayside.

We recap Kyle Fletcher vs. Mark Brisco in the Men’s Owen Hart Tournament. There isn’t much of a story here but Fletcher is coming off a loss to Will Ospreay and Briscoe tends to exist to put people over.

Men’s Owen Hart Tournament First Round: Kyle Fletcher vs. Mark Briscoe

Don Callis is here with Fletcher, who dives on Briscoe at the bell to start fast. They get inside where Briscoe counters a suplex into a small package for a quick two. The fight heads outside where Briscoe grabs a quick neckbreaker, followed by a running dropkick through the ropes for two. The Bang Bang Elbow connects and Briscoe throws a bunch of chairs inside. Fletcher is fast enough to dive back inside though and suplexes Briscoe onto an open chair.

Briscoe gets hammered down in the corner and then taken outside for an apron powerbomb. Another powerbomb sends Briscoe into the barricade to hurt his back even worse. Back in and Fletcher hits a Helluva Kick but gets shoved off the top so Briscoe can nail a missile dropkick. A double clothesline gives us a double down and they trade the big forearms. Briscoe grabs a fisherman’s buster for two but a Death Valley Driver is countered into a lawn dart into the corner. Fletcher wins a strike off on the apron and hits a brainbuster (with Briscoe grabbing the rope for a bit of a break).

Another brainbuster gets two back inside and Callis is not happy on the floor. Briscoe is able to catch him on top but the cutthroat driver is broken up. Instead a basement clothesline sets up the Froggy Bow for two and Briscoe can’t believe the kickout. Now the cutthroat driver can connect for two and Fletcher goes outside, only to get caught with another Froggy Bow. Back in and Fletcher hits a running shot in the corner and the turnbuckle brainbuster gives Fletcher the pin at 16:05.

Rating: B+. This started off good and then got better, with Fletcher mostly dominating for a long portion until Briscoe fought back. Briscoe is someone who is easy to get behind and there was always the chance that he could pull off the big upset. It made for the best match of the night so far and I had a good time with it, as Briscoe continues to be able to work well with anyone.

We recap Chris Jericho defending the Ring Of Honor World Title against Bandido in a title vs. mask match. Jericho has beaten him twice but also stole the mask of Bandido’s brother Gravity, scaring their family in the process. Now it’s both about the title and the personal issue to make it bigger.

Ring Of Honor World Title: Chris Jericho vs. Bandido

Jericho is defending in a title vs. mask match. The Codebreaker at the bell gives Jericho two and he adds the Lionsault for the same. Bandido avoids a running boot though and sends Jericho outside for the dive. Jericho gets sent into the barricade, allowing Bandido to give his sister a kiss on the head. Back in and Bandido’s INCREDIBLY delayed one armed suplex (he held him up for about a minute) gets two so Jericho rolls to the apron, where Bandido hits a running boot.

Jericho is back up with a powerbomb onto the floor and he gets in his “steal the camera” deal. Back in and they slap it out with Jericho getting the better of things, including a dropkick to put him down. Some yelling at Bandido’s family has the fans less happy with Jericho and his super hurricanrana makes things even worse. Bandido is fine enough to hit a one armed gorilla press into a frog splash for two, only for a corkscrew crossbody to be Codebreakered out of the air in a nice looking counter.

Back up and they set up the ten paces deal but Jericho rolls him up for two instead. Bandido is back up but can’t quite get the 21 Plex, allowing Jericho to get the Walls. The rope is grabbed in a hurry and Bandido kicks him in the head. Cue Bryan Keith so Gravity cuts him off, allowing Jericho to hit Bandido in the head with a baseball bat for a delayed pin at 15:45.

Hold on though as cue Audrey Edwards to bring Bandido’s family over the barricade to say what happened (sure). That’s enough for the original referee to restart the match so Jericho goes after Bandido’s sister. Bandido is back up with the X Knee into the 21 Plex for the pin and the title at 18:01.

Rating: B-. They were rolling here and then they just had to do that stupid baseball bat thing. This felt like it was a way for Jericho to save face while losing the title, possibly even to set up one more match between them. Bandido getting the title back is a good thing, but it would have been nice to see it be a bit less messy. At least Jericho isn’t the champion for the time being though, and that is long, long overdue.

We recap Daniel Garcia defending the TNT Title against Adam Cole. They wrestled before and Cole had him beat when the time limit ran out. Therefore, it’s now no time limit and no interference, with the latter being something that should be understood but that’s not how AEW rolls.

TNT Title: Adam Cole vs. Daniel Garcia

Garcia is defending. They shove each other to start until Garcia hits a running boot to the face. Garcia wraps the arms around the ropes and hammers away but gets shoved to the floor. A Panama Sunrise off the apron doesn’t work and Cole seems to be favoring his leg. Back in and the limping Cole gets his leg kicked out as Garcia has a target. A running dropkick to the leg connects in the corner and a stomp to the leg (complete with dancing) has Cole down again.

Garcia gets in some nasty cranks on the leg before snapping off a neckbreaker. Cole manages a quick fireman’s carry neckbreaker onto the bad knee, allowing Garcia to come back with a clothesline. Back up and they trade strikes to the face until Cole’s superkick staggers Garcia, who falls on a collapsing Cole for two in a nice false finish. Garcia counters a superkick into an ankle lock, complete with a grapevine.

Cole makes the rope so they go outside, with Garcia sending him knee first into the steps. They climb onto the steps and Cole…I think suplexes him into the post. A Panama Sunrise off the steps drops Garcia on the floor and he collapses inside before Cole can hit the Boom. Garcia is back up with his own Panama Sunrise into the Boom for two more. With nothing else working, Garcia loads up a super piledriver but Cole shoves him off and hits another Panama Sunrise. Another Panama Sunrise sets up the Boom to make Cole champion at 15:35.

Rating: B-. This got a bit goofy with the Panama Sunrises being spammed to a pretty ridiculous degree but Cole winning isn’t a bad idea. Garcia got a lot out of being champion but Cole needed to win something after being around for so long without really accomplishing much. It wasn’t a classic or anything, but it was an entertaining back and forth match with the right finish. I think.

Respect is shown post match.

We recap the International Title match. Kenny Omega won the title last month and Ricochet and Mike Bailey co-won a tournament to get the shot. That works for Omega, who wants to face the best competition imaginable. This is designed to be three people doing a bunch of crazy spots and that’s not a bad idea.

International Title: Kenny Omega vs. Ricochet vs. Mike Bailey

Omega is defending. Ricochet drops to the floor to start and the other two take a bit of time before locking up. That doesn’t get very far as Ricochet comes back in, only to have to duck a kick from Bailey. Omega is back up with a high crossbody for two on Bailey before grabbing a cross armbreaker on Ricochet. That means a quick rope break so Bailey hits some bouncing kicks to put Omega down.

Bailey’s running hurricanrana through the ropes drops Omega again but the two of them get together to knock Ricochet down. Bailey escapes You Can’t Escape but Ricochet AA’s Bailey onto Omega on the barricade. Back in and Ricochet chokes Bailey on the ropes before putting him down with a side slam. A neckbreaker/snapdragon combination leaves Ricochet as the only one standing so he goes outside to do some commentary.

Bailey cuts that off and comes back in to kick away at Omega, who misses a quick moonsault attempt. They all get back in and trade some triple near falls (those are some new ones) for two each and the fans applaud. We get a three way slugout from their knees until Ricochet is sent outside, leaving Omega to punch Bailey. That’s broken up and Bailey hits a springboard moonsault to the floor to drop Ricochet again.

Omega dives onto both of them before they go back inside, where Ricochet winds up on top of Omega, with Bailey hitting a moonsault knees onto both of them. Bailey slugs Ricochet out to the floor but seems to injure his leg. That lets Ricochet hit a chop block, which takes out both Bailey and the referee. The referee pops back up and they all go up top, with Bailey taking Ricochet down. Omega saves himself though and hits a snapdragon each on both of them. Then he snapdragons both of them at once, just to make sure everything is even.

A bridging German suplex gives Omega two on Ricochet but Bailey is back up so both challengers can roll Omega up for two at the same time. Ricochet gets sent to the floor, leaving Bailey to miss the Ultimate Weapon on Omega. That bangs up Bailey’s knee so Omega grabs a kneebar (makes sense), which is broken up by Ricochet. Omega sends Ricochet outside again but misses a charge, allowing Bailey to kick him in the face.

Ricochet is back in with a shooting star press for two on Omega but Bailey gets the knees up to cut Ricochet off. Bailey’s strikes are cut off by Ricochet going after the knee so Bailey goes Karate Kid with a crane kick. Now the Ultimate Weapon can connect for two, with Omega using a V Trigger to break it up. Ricochet puts Bailey on top but Omega catches Ricochet in a super One Winged Angel (ow) to retain at 30:56.

Rating: A-. It was a bunch of incredibly athletic stuff and that’s what it was advertised as being. While a title change was a long shot so soon after Omega won, it was more about giving him a big showcase after his title win. The match felt incredibly choreographed, but that doesn’t make it any less entertaining. Definitely a fun match with some very athletic work, which is what you probably wanted coming into this one.

Post match Kazuchika Okada comes out for the staredown as they keep teasing the All In match. Omega leaves without anything happening.

We recap Swerve Strickland challenging Jon Moxley for the World Title. Strickland won the title shot last month and wants to get back to the top of the company. Moxley said a bunch of stuff about violence, as is his custom.

AEW World Title: Swerve Strickland vs. Jon Moxley

Moxley, with Marina Shafir, is defending and Strickland, with Prince Nana, is dressed like superhero Static Shock. After the Big Match Intros and some circling, Strickland goes after the leg for a takedown. A Fujiwara armbar has Moxley in trouble but he slips out for an early staredown. Strickland takes him down again but has to go to the ropes to escape a Kimura. Moxley fires off some chops but gets sent to the floor for a running boot from the apron.

Back in and Moxley knocks him off the top, with Shafir getting in a cheap shot on the floor. Strickland gets thrown over the announcers’ table and Moxley loads up the steps. After dropping Strickland on the steps, Moxley goes back inside to yell a bit before hitting a piledriver for two. Moxley rips at Strickland’s bleeding face and grabs a headscissors/leg crank. That’s broken up so they trade forearms until Moxley goes for the arm again. The cross armbreaker is broken up so he grabs a triangle choke, with Strickland powerbombing him to freedom.

Strickland rolls some suplexes for two and hits a backbreaker, only to roll into a cutter. A Vertebreaker doesn’t work for Strickland as Moxley slips out and grabs the bulldog choke. That’s broken up as well and Strickland hits the House Call. Another House Call is cut off with a clothesline but Strickland pops up for another House Call. Shafir comes in with the briefcase so Nana gets in her face…and is promptly shoved out of it.

Moxley cutters Shafir by mistake and Strickland hits his own Death Rider for two. Strickland goes up but gets shoved down….and we have a ladder. They climb said ladder and fight on top, with Strickland hitting a Swerve Stomp to send Moxley crashing through the announcers’ table. Back in and they strike it out until Shafir hands Moxley a chair. Said chair is pelted at the referee’s head, leaving Strickland to hit the Vertebreaker.

Cue Hangman Page to tease a Buckshot Lariat (target unclear) but the Death Riders run in to take Page out. Page fights up and takes out the Riders so here are the Opps to brawl with them to the back. Strickland throws the chair at Moxley and hits the Swerve Stomp but there is still no referee. Instead the lights go out….and the Young Bucks are back for the EVP Trigger to Strickland. Moxley retains the title at 31:29.

Rating: B. It was the usual wild match in the main event but that ending is not going to be well received. The fans felt ready for Swerve to win the match but it didn’t happen, instead for a rather controversial tag team to come back. At the end of the day, Moxley isn’t the most thrilling champion in the world to put it mildly and this was the usual thing from him: a bunch of submissions and violence with him escaping with the title again. It’s been done to death and that ending is going to leave another sour taste in a lot of mouths.

The Bucks leave through the crowd and Strickland and Page are frustrated to end the show.

Overall Rating: B. I did like the show as there were quite a few solid matches throughout with nothing bad, but the biggest problem here is that it really didn’t feel overly important. So much of the show was spent on first round tournament matches which weren’t overly dramatic. That was the case with far too many matches on this show, as the matches just kind of came and went as we are on the way to All In. It’s certainly not a bad show, but it felt like something they had to do and they didn’t have enough to warrant a pay per view card.

Results
Nick Wayne/Cru b. Top Flight/AR Fox – Wayne’s World to Fox
Anthony Bowens b. Max Caster – Rolling elbow
Will Ospreay b. Kevin Knight – Hidden Blade
Hurt Syndicate b. Learning Tree – Spear to Keith
Mercedes Mone b. Julia Hart – Rollup
Death Riders b. Rated FTR – Running knee to Harwood
Toni Storm b. Megan Bayne – Small package
Kyle Fletcher b. Mark Briscoe – Brainbuster onto the turnbuckle
Bandido b. Chris Jericho – 21 Plex
Adam Cole b. Daniel Garcia – Boom
Kenny Omega b. Mike Bailey and Ricochet – Super One Winged Angel to Ricochet
Jon Moxley b. Swerve Strickland – EVP Trigger

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

Revolution 2025
Date: March 9, 2025
Location: Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, California
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Nigel McGuinness

It’s time for another major pay per view and in this case, the card is looking rather stacked. The card is very strong with a bunch of title and grudge matches, which should make for quite the nice show. The main event is likely going to be Cope challenging Jon Moxley for the World Title so let’s get to it.

Zero Hour: Komander/Hologram vs. Lee Johnson/Blake Christian

It’s not a good sign for EJ Nduka, Johnson’s usual partner, that he isn’t getting this spot. Johnson and Christian jump them before the bell to start fast but Christian accidentally elbows Johnson in the face. Komander hurricanranas Christian to the floor and stereo dives take the villains out. Back in and stereo running strikes get two on Johnson as we settle down a bit. Commentary talks about royalties of Tony Schiavone appearing on Arliss, Komander gets double clotheslined for two and Christian chokes away on the ropes.

Christian’s springboard is dropkicked down and the diving tag brings in Hologram to pick up the pace. Hologram takes Christian up top but gets shoved down, allowing Johnson to hit a dive. Back in and Christian’s middle rope 450 sets up Johnson’s frog splash for two more. They go to the apron and Hologram can’t quite poisonrana Christian (that looked nasty) so it’s a dive onto Komander to leave all four down onto the floor. Back in and a slingshot cutter sets up a Last Chancery with Hologram making the save. Komander’s top rope Canadian Destroyer sets up Hologram’s 450 to pin Christian at 9:54.

Rating: B. This was a good choice for an opener as there is always room for a fast paced match to let the fans get interested to start things off. They didn’t waste time here and just did a bunch of big spots. It doesn’t mean much as far as any kind of storyline as Hologram doesn’t really have any and the other three are mainly in ROH, but this was a fun way to start the night.

Zero Hour: Daniel Garcia/Undisputed Era vs. Shane Taylor Promotions

Strong grabs a hammerlock on Bravo to start and it’s quickly off to O’Reilly to go for an armbar. Cole gets in the right hands in the corner as commentary goes into the comedy routines. Garcia comes in with a swinging neckbreaker on Moriarty before a dancing double leg stomp keeps Moriarty down. Taylor has had it with the waiting around and runs people over on the floor as we see the Opps watching.

We settle down to Garcia trying to suplex Taylor but the rest of the Promotions come in for the beatdown. Moriarty stomps away in the corner and let’s look at the Opps again. Taylor adds an apron legdrop but Garcia is back up with the belly to back suplex. That’s enough to bring Cole in to clean house but Garcia tags himself back in, despite Cole loading up the Panama Sunrise. The Dragontamer makes Moriarty tap at 9:37.

Rating: C. On Collision, Moriarty, the Ring Of Honor Pure Champion, was pinned in a singles match. The following night, Moriarty, still champion, tapped out in a match where he had three partners. I know Ring Of Honor doesn’t mean much, but could we stop going out of the way to make it feel worthless and beneath everything else?

Zero Hour: Ring Of Honor World Title: Chris Jericho vs. Gravity

Jericho is defending…or he would be if he didn’t hit Gravity with the baseball bat before the bell. The Learning Tree comes in to beat Gravity down and Bandido’s save attempt is cut off as well. No match. Also no mask as Jericho unmasks Gravity and gives him the Judas Effect. Bandido and Gravity’s family comes in to cover him. So yes, the feud will continue.

Zero Hour: Johnny TV/MxM Collection vs. Big Boom AJ/Conglomeration

The Rizzler, cosplaying as Orange Cassidy, and Big Justice are here with the non-villains, while Taya Valkyrie is here to cancel them out. TV dances away from Cassidy to start so Cassidy puts his hands in his pockets for the dropkick. Briscoe comes in for a double shoulder before hammering away in the corner. AJ does the same so it’s off to Madden, allowing Mansoor to cheap shot Cassidy.

The Collection strikes a pose and Mansoor steals the cookies from the Rizzler and Big Justice. Valkyrie cuts Cassidy off the top and kisses TV, who stretched Cassidy’s abdominals. Cassidy gets out and brings in Briscoe, who is quickly chokeslammed off the top. Briscoe is right back with a missile dropkick to TV and it’s AJ coming in to clean house.

Madden’s chokeslam is countered into a powerslam for two but TV is back in to kick AJ down. More kissing ensues but here is Harley Cameron to cut Valkyrie off. The Powerboom puts TV down, only for Mansoor to superkick AJ. Mansoor hammers on AJ in the corner….and Big Justice powerbombs him down for the save. Justice gets saved and a triple Powerboom finishes Madden at 12:56.

Rating: C+. As was the case last time, AJ being a former wrestler makes this far easier to watch. We’re not sitting around for five minutes to wait on him to do three moves and then let everyone else do their thing. If it draws in some extra eyes to the product and nothing of note is lost (I love the Collection but they don’t exactly mean much), it’s a perfectly fine way to go.

Post match the Murder Machines run in for the beatdown but Powerhouse Hobbs makes the save. Two actors from the Righteous Gemstones come in and help with a chokeslam so posing can ensue.

And now, the main show.

Hangman Page vs. Maxwell Jacob Friedman

The hype package was on the Kickoff Show, showing the two of them arguing until things got more and more violent. This led to MJF attempting to light Page on fire, as you do in wrestling. MJF teases coming out to Page’s music for some pre-match mind games. They slug it out at the bell and Page hits a running boot in the corner. MJF gets smart by pulling the referee in the way and using the distraction to get in an eye rake.

The chinlock doesn’t last long and MJF has to get out of a sleeper. MJF mocks the cowboy side of Page before catching him with a powerbomb backbreaker for two. The trash talk makes Page hammer away but MJF takes him down and says this is HIS company. Page gets in a knockdown of his own and nips up (which the camera mostly misses) before kicking him off the apron. The moonsault to the floor drops MJF again (it feels like forever since Page busted that out) but he catches Page with an upside down superkick into an Alabama Slam for two.

A lifting hammerlock DDT gives MJF two and they’re both down for a bit. Back up and the Deadeye gets two, followed by the Buckshot Lariat for the same, with MJF putting a foot on the ropes. MJF bails out to the floor and avoids a charge to send Page shoulder first into the steps. The Salt Of The Earth goes on before MJF switches over to a reverse cross armbreaker.

That’s broken up as well and they go outside for a fight over a Tombstone, with MJF hitting a jumping version onto an open chair. Page is on his feet to beat the count 1:26 later and MJF starts crying, shouting WHY NOT ME. The Heatseeker is countered into a Deadeye and the Angel’s Wings drops MJF on his head (GEEZ). The Buckshot Lariat finishes for Page at 19:04.

Rating: B. This was good and hard hitting, but what matters the most is that Page is starting to move up the ranks again. It would not surprise me to see him getting closer to the World Title scene and beating MJF is a good step in that direction. Ignoring the jumping Tombstone onto the chair, it felt like a fight between two people who wanted to beat each other up and it made for a good opener to the main show.

We recap Mercedes Mone defending the TBS Title against Momo Watanabe. Back at Wrestle Dynasty, Watanabe won a #1 contenders match and then showed up again a few weeks ago to announce she was challenging Mone. One decent match against Serena Deeb later and here we are.

TBS Title: Momo Watanabe vs. Mercedes Mone

Mone is defending. They fight over arm control to start until Watanabe takes her down. The threat of a kick to the back has Mone cringing and her armdrag is countered into a crossface chickenwing. They trade rollups for two each before Mone counters a Meteora into a Bank Statement.

Back up and a Meteora connects to Watanabe in the ropes but Mone can’t hit a piledriver on the apron. Instead it’s a powerbomb onto the floor to drop Watanabe hard. Back in and Mone grabs an armbar but Watanabe reverses into something like a Deadeye for two. Both of their Three Amigos are blocked, but Watanabe ties her in the Tree of Woe for some kicks to the ribs. A running dropkick rocks Mone again and Watanabe mocks Mone’s dance.

The crossface chickenwing is cut off and Mone hits a quick Backstabber for a breather. Watanabe kicks away out of the corner and hits a middle rope Meteora to the apron for two more. The Mone Maker is blocked so Mone settles for a powerbomb for two of their own. They go up top where Watanabe belly to belly superplexes her for another near fall, followed by some hard kicks to the face for the same. Mone is back with a high crossbody for two, setting up the Mone Maker into the Bank Statement for the tap at 18:18.

Rating: B. These two beat the heck out of each other and it was another rather good match from Mone, which isn’t a surprise. Her ability in the ring has never been the issue and that was on display again here. When you take away everything outside of the ring from Money, it’s easy to see why she is presented as a star. Just find something a bit better to set up the title matches and maybe have Mone be a bit less hard to watch outside of the ring.

Billie Starkz is watching from the crowd.

We recap Swerve Strickland vs. Ricochet for the #1 contendership. Ricochet has been driving Strickland crazy and has gotten rather violent, including stealing Prince Nana’s robe. Nana wants the old Strickland back and has basically threatened to leave if Strickland doesn’t win.

Swerve Strickland vs. Ricochet

Strickland has Prince Nana with him and gets live drummed to the ring for a bit of a special entrance. They both miss early shots to start until Strickland hits a shoulder to send Ricochet outside. Back in and the flip around a bit more until Strickland hits a backbreaker to take over again. Ricochet is able to send him face first into the middle buckle, only to be sent outside for a beating against the barricade.

For some reason Nana tries to call Strickland off and gets knocked down for some reason. That’s enough for Nana to leave as Ricochet hits a Lionsault for two. A running cutter drops Strickland again but has to stop yelling at actress Leslie Jones at ringside. Strickland fights out of a chinlock and gets two off a brainbuster.

They go to the top and Strickland is knocked down, setting up a West Coast Pop for two. A hurricanrana takes Strickland outside and they go to the announcers’ table. Strickland grabs a Vertebreaker onto the table, which doesn’t break, setting up a Swerve Stomp for two. Ricochet is right back up with a low blow into a brainbuster, followed by the 630 for two more.

Cue Prince Nana again to steal the robe back but Ricochet cuts him off and steals it back again. Strickland’s dive is cut off with a Death Valley Driver onto the floor for the scary crash. Back in and Vertigo gets two but Nana grabs the robe again. Nana gets in and gets crushed in the corner, leaving Ricochet to grab a rollup for two. A pair of House Calls gives Ricochet two and Big Pressure finishes him off at 18:10.

Rating: B-. This was where the near falls went a bit too far, with both guys getting up from things that should have knocked them out a lot faster. What matters the most here is that Swerve won, as he has needed to move back up the ladder for a few months now. Beating Ricochet and (in theory) getting the robe back is a good way to go. Not a bad match at all, but some of the instances of these two getting up was a lot to take.

Post match Strickland gives Nana the robe back in a nice moment.

We recap Brody King challenging Kazuchika Okada for the Continental Title. Okada beat King’s partner Buddy Murphy so now King is getting a title shot of his own.

Continental Title: Brody King vs. Kazuchika Okada

Okada is defending and tries a slam to start for some reason. King sends him outside but gets hammered on the way back inside to slow him down again. A forearm puts Okada on the floor again though and King hammers away, only to miss a charge. Back in and Okada slams him down but the top rope elbow is broken up. A top rope superplex drops Okada and a backdrop does it again.

King hits a suicide dive, setting up the big crash against the barricade. Back in and Okada misses a dropkick but scores with a neckbreaker. Now the top rope elbow can connect but the Rainmaker is countered into a Death Valley Driver into the corner. They go back to the floor where Okada hits a dropkick into the barricade. Back in and Okada grabs something made of metal, which is a distraction so a belt shot can hit King for two. Another Rainmaker is blocked but Okada knocks him back and now the Rainmaker can retain the title at 10:57.

Rating: C+. Yeah this didn’t work nearly as well as anything else on the show so far as it was basically a cold match with no reason to believe that King was going to win the title. Okada was trying well enough here but he wasn’t exactly burning up the mat. It wasn’t a match that needed to be on the pay per view and the fans seemed to realize that.

We recap the Hurt Syndicate defending the Tag Team Titles against the Outrunners. The Syndicate are the dominant champions and the Outrunners earned a title shot. This is looking like a one sided title defense on paper, which might be the point.

Tag Team Titles: Hurt Syndicate vs. Outrunners

The Outrunners are challenging. Benjamin suplexes and slams Magnum to start and it’s quickly off to Floyd. The Outrunners actually clear the ring and MVP needs to fire the champions up a bit. Back in and Benjamin takes over on Magnum in the corner, where Lashley fires off some shoulders to the ribs.

Benjamin snaps off a German suplex and a running powerslam gets two. Magnum manages to get in something of a running bulldog and there’s the tag off to Floyd. The Mega Powers Elbow hits Benjamin and it’s time for Floyd to Hulk Up. A rope walk armdrag seems to annoy Benjamin, who kicks Floyd in the head. Lashley is back in with a spear, followed by another to let Benjamin get the retaining pin at 8:01.

Rating: C. Remember the previous match not feeling like it belonged on the pay per view? This was that same case here but cranked up to about a fifteen out of ten. There was no reason to believe that the Outrunners were going to win the titles here and then they just lost clean. That’s how it should have gone, but it should have been on Collision at best.

We recap Toni Storm vs. Mariah May in the Hollywood Ending match. May beat Storm for the title, then Storm faked amnesia and won the title back in Australia last month. Now it’s time for the big blowoff in a violent fashion.

Women’s Title: Toni Storm vs. Mariah May

Storm is defending and anything goes with falls counting anywhere. The brawl starts on the stage with May getting the better of things and planting her down for an early two. May whips out a taser so Luther takes it away, earning himself a low blow. Storm is back up with a chokebomb off the stage and through a table for two on the floor. They go to ringside where May is dropped onto the barricade for a hanging DDT, only for Storm to miss a running hip attack.

Storm Zero onto the steps knocks Storm silly but May grabs a chain instead of covering. Storm, who is rather busted open, is tied in the Tree Of Woe for May’s running hip attack. A quick German suplex gives Storm a breather…and it’s time for both of them to tape broken glass to their hands. May gets punched out to the floor and the broken glass is poured out. May’s head is busted open but she’s fine enough to get in a super hurricanrana onto the glass.

Back up and May Day onto the glass gets two, as does Storm’s Storm Zero. With nothing else working, Storm goes outside and grabs the shoe, which gets a nice gasp from the fans. Storm whips her with the title but gets caught with a May Day onto the stage for two. That’s shrugged off and Storm hits her with the shoe a bunch of times, setting up the Storm Zero through a table (with the Hollywood sign) to retain the title at 12:54.

Rating: B+. Sweet goodness this was wild and it felt like the kind of blowoff to a violent feud that they needed. Yes it was a bit silly with the shoe and overdone drama, but that was kind of the point of the whole thing. It’s a big time blowoff and the way to end the war, though I could also see how it went a bit too far with the blood. I’m not sure what is next for Storm, but dang it’s going to be hard to top this one.

Post match May is DONE and Storm holds her, with both of them covered in blood.

We recap Konosuke Takeshita defending the International Title against Kenny Omega. Takeshita beat him twice in a week at one point and then Omega missed a year due to diverticulitis. Now it’s time for Omega to see if he still has it and can beat an old rival.

International Title: Konosuke Takeshita vs. Kenny Omega

Takeshita, with Don Callis, is defending. They collide to start and trade some forearms, with Takeshita getting the better of things. The fight goes outside with Omega driving Takeshita back first into the apron. Takeshita fights back and they head back inside for a DDT. Callis gets in a few shots on the floor and we hit the chinlock back inside. Takeshita switches up to the recently repaired abdomen with a knee to the ribs, followed by the shoulders to the ribs in the corner.

A table (of course) is loaded up at ringside but Omega is back with some hard chops. You Can’t Escape is broken up as Omega is shoved off the barricade for a ribs first crash to put him down again. We hit the bodyscissors back inside but Omega fights up and hits a spinning middle rope crossbody. Omega strikes away and now You Can’t Escape connects for two. Callis grabs Omega’s leg to cut that off though and a Cactus Clothesline sends them both outside.

Takeshita’s release German suplex drops Omega again and Callis joins commentary because we’re just that lucky. Omega fights up again and turns the table over, only to get dropped ribs first onto the underside of the table. Another drop onto the side of the table sets up a backsplash back inside as the ribs are crushed even more. Takeshita misses a Swanton to give Omega a breather and he grabs a dragon suplex.

The V Trigger into a powerbomb sets up another V Trigger for two on Takeshita and they’re both down. The Blue Thunder Bomb gives Takeshita two but Omega catches him on top and hits a springboard sunset bomb. Another V Trigger connects but the ribs give out on a One Winged Angel attempt.

Back to back piledrivers give Takeshita two and a pair of running knees give Takeshita two and one each. Omega is back up with a Texas piledriver for two of his own and they’re both down again. Another V Trigger is blocked so Omega goes with a poisonrana instead. Now the V Trigger connects so Callis tries to intervene, only for Omega to grab a crucifix for the pin and the title at 28:32.

Rating: B+. This is how it should have gone with Omega getting to show that he is still able to do it at the highest level. They told a good story here with Omega’s ribs being banged up and slowing him down but he caught Takeshita with a rollup at the moment. It was a heck of a match and a good sign that Omega is still able to be one of the top stars around here.

Omega gets a bunch of pyro as he slowly pulls himself up to leave.

We recap Will Ospreay vs. Kyle Fletcher. They were friends in Japan but Don Callis got in Fletcher’s ear, setting off a months long feud. Fletcher beat him, then Ospreay beat him, so now it’s time to do it in a cage to see the two of them face off one on one.

Will Ospreay vs. Kyle Fletcher

In a cage with pin/submission only and Don Callis is on commentary. They go straight to the slugout to start with Fletcher getting the better of things. Neither of them can send the other into the cage so Fletcher goes with a hard clothesline. The Stundog Millionaire gives Ospreay a breather but Fletcher sends him into the cage. Ospreay is already busted open and Fletcher licks the blood off the cage, as you do.

Back up and Ospreay sends him into the cage a few times before nailing a standing moonsault for two. Fletcher snaps off a half and half suplex for a needed breather and it’s time to take the turnbuckle pad off. Ospreay gets sent into the buckle for a running kick to the head but is right back with a Cheeky Nandos Kick. They both go up and Fletcher is rammed into the cage a few times, setting up a twisting moonsault for two.

Fletcher is back up with a running boot to the face to send Ospreay into the cage again, setting up a sitout powerbomb for two. Fletcher is busted open as well so a rather pleased Ospreay fires off the Kawada kicks. They trade kicks to the head until Fletcher nails a brainbuster for two. Cue Mark Davis to send in a bag of weapons but Ospreay takes it away and beats on Fletcher with a barbed wire baseball bat.

Fletcher throws up the United Empire hand sign for a distraction, allowing him to hit a low blow. A Hidden Blade into the Stormbreaker gets two as Davis comes in to make the save. Osprey fights up again and knocks Davis outside so the cage door can be locked again. An Oscutter off the cage gives Ospreay two so Fletcher climbs up, where he finds the fabled screwdriver. A stab to the head hits Ospreay, but a second misses, allowing Ospreay to try the Styles Clash (37 seconds after he was STABBED IN THE HEAD with a screwdriver).

That’s broken up as well and Fletcher hits a brainbuster, followed by another onto an open chair for two. Now we get the bag of thumbtacks but Ospreay reverses a suplex (1:23 after the brainbuster onto the steel chair) into a hurricanrana. The Styles Clash onto the tacks gives Ospreay two and they fight to the top of the cage. This time Ospreay stabs Fletcher with the screwdriver and it’s a super Spanish Fly off the cage to drive Fletcher into the tacks. Fletcher is up to yell about how much he hates Ospreay so it’s the Hidden Blade into the Tiger Driver 91 to give Ospreay the pin at 28:59.

Rating: B-. Yeah they lost me here more than a few times and it wasn’t the showdown that it needed to be. Some of the things that they were doing was a bit too much and it should have been cut down by a few minutes. Ospreay winning here is a great sign for him though, and hopefully this wraps up everything he is doing with Callis, because it’s going to be hard to top something like this.

Some of the cast of Queen Of The Ring is here and want you to see the movie.

We recap Cope challenging Jon Moxley for the AEW World Title. Moxley is holding the title hostage and being all evil so Cope is trying to get it away. Cope has been smart enough to take out the Death Riders, though he left Wheeler Yuta standing. That never sounds like a good idea.

AEW World Title: Cope vs. Jon Moxley

Cope is challenging and the fans sing his song in a nice moment. They slug it out to start, both from their feet and then from their knees before going back to their feet. Cope knocks him outside for a dive from the top, setting up the clothesline off the apron. Moxley fights back and sends him into the barricade over and over, setting up a neckbreaker onto the apron for two. Some crossface shots keep Cope in trouble and Moxley knocks him down again…as we see the Opps watching.

Cope gets back up with a quick Impaler for a breather and the clothesline comeback is on. The top rope superplex gives Cope two and the Grindhouse goes on (to SILENCE from the crowd). That’s broken up and Cope spears him through the ropes to the floor, only for Moxley to whip him into the steps. The floor mats are peeled back but the piledriver is cut off. Instead Moxley hits a stomp onto the concrete, followed by a piledriver for two back inside.

The bulldog choke has Cope in more trouble but he eventually makes it over to the rope for the break. The referee has to take the chair away and Cope gets kicked into him, meaning there is no one to count after the Paradigm Shift. Moxley tries a Conchairto but Cope kicks one of the chairs into his face for a breather.

Cue Wheeler Yuta to knee Cope down (of course) so here is Jay White to even things out a bit. White steals the briefcase from Moxley but accidentally knocks Cope out, giving Moxley a rather close two. Back up and the spear gives Cope two so he hits a few more spears….and Christian Cage pulls the referee out. Cage knocks Cope silly with the contract, which he then signs to make this a three way title match.

AEW World Title: Cope vs. Jon Moxley vs. Christian Cage

Moxley is still defending and Cage hits a spear for two on Cope. The Killswitch hits Cope but Moxley is back in to grab the bulldog choke on Cage. That’s enough for Cage to go out and Moxley retains at 26:34.

Rating: C. Oh this didn’t work and the fans were letting them know about it until the cash-in woke them up for a bit. This was about Moxley beating the fire out of Cope and then Cope hitting a bunch of spears to not much success. In other words, Moxley wins again and does so against a fresh Cage because Moxley continues to be the most dominant person ever while everyone else is stupid. Not a good main event, but it wasn’t exactly feeling great in the weeks building up to it either.

Moxley goes to leave the arena but runs into Prince Nana. Swerve Strickland dives out of the crowd to take him down and end the show.

Overall Rating: B+. There were weak points on this show but the stuff that worked did work very well. I had a good time with the show and it felt like the kind of pay per view that built up AEW’s reputation in the first place. Other than maybe the main event, there was pretty much nothing weak with some matches that you might have liked even more. It was a very good show with one solid match after another and that’s what a show like this should be. AEW is on a roll right now and this was another step in that pretty great run.

Results
Komander/Hologram b. Lee Johnson/Blake Christian – 450 to Christian
Daniel Garcia/Undisputed Era b. Shane Taylor Promotions – Dragontamer to Moriarty
Big Boom AJ/Conglomeration b. Johnny TV/MxM Collection – Triple Powerboom to Madden
Hangman Page b. Maxwell Jacob Friedman – Buckshot Lariat
Mercedes Mone b. Momo Watanabe – Bank Statement
Swerve Strickland b. Ricochet – Big Pressure
Kazuchika Okada b. Brody King – Rainmaker
Hurt Syndicate b. Outrunners – Spear to Magnum
Toni Storm b. Mariah May – Storm Zero through a table
Kenny Omega b. Konosuke Takeshita – Crucifix
Will Ospreay b. Kyle Fletcher – Tiger Driver 91
Jon Moxley b. Christian Cage and Cope – Bulldog choke to Cage

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

Dynamite
Date: July 10, 2024
Location: Calgary Stampede Grounds, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Nigel McGuinness

It’s a big night here as we have the Owen Hart Foundation tournament finals for both the men and the women, which will give us two major All In matches. Other than that, Chris Jericho is facing Samoa Joe in a street fight. Finally, we have two weeks to go before Blood & Guts and the match could use some more build. Let’s get to it.

Here is Collision if you need a recap.

We open with a recap of MJF’s explanation for turning on Daniel Garcia last week. Basically he doesn’t like that the fans turned their backs on him and is going to hurt everyone the fans love. That fits him well and makes sense.

Here is Will Ospreay, looking rather serious, for a chat. Ospreay has heard rumors about MJF being insecure and now that someone like Daniel Garcia came up on MJF’s popularity, MJF snapped. Garcia is at home with no feeling in his arms and there is no idea when he’ll be back in the ring. MJF blamed his ADD but Ospreay has ADHD and it doesn’t give him an excuse to be horrible.

There are a few reasons MJF isn’t happy, like the Bidding War Of 2024 didn’t go MJF’s way because Tony Khan didn’t want to spend money on someone who buried the promotion. Ospreay says he has more talent than MJF could ever have and says some people are going to cheer for MJF anyway. That’s cool with Ospreay, because the Level Of The Devil is ground floor while Ospreay is on the top of the skyscraper.

The challenge is on for a fight so MJF’s music plays but he pops up on screen, sitting in a chair instead. MJF has beaten all of these favorites before, so why should Ospreay be any different? Ospreay is a flavor of the month while MJF is the flavor of the millennium. MJF is irreplaceable but Ospreay is a dime a dozen. If you get in the ring with MJF, you will be exposed. That’s cool with MJF though, because they can have a match next week for that International Title. Works for Ospreay. Ospreay’s talking was a bit rough but they got where they needed to go.

Video on Bryan Danielson vs. Hangman Page in the Men’s Owen Hart finals.

Men’s Owen Hart Foundation Finals: Bryan Danielson vs. Hangman Page

Jeff Jarrett is special outside enforcer. Feeling out process to start until Page takes him down and hammers away. Danielson fights up and knocks him outside for the suicide dive, only to bang up his own neck on the landing. Back in and Danielson hits a missile dropkick but charges into a boot in the corner. A hard shot to the neck lets Page send him into the buckle and out to the floor as we take a break.

Back with Danielson busted open and Page stomping away while Nigel is rather pleased. Page chops away in the corner but Danielson pulls him into an armbar and then the LeBell Lock. A rope is reached in a hurry so Page put shim on top, only for Danielson to hit a release German superplex. Danielson’s swan dive misses and Page gets a crossface, sending Danielson over to the ropes.

We take another break and come back again with Page sending him into an exposed buckle. A tombstone gives Danielson two but he knocks Page outside for a springboard flip dive, with commentary saying he hasn’t done that in years. Page is right back with another piledriver, this time on the floor. Danielson makes it back in before ten so Page ribs the tape off of Danielson’s neck.

Back up and Danielson hits a running knee for a needed breather but Page flips out of a German suplex. Danielson does the same and another running knee hits the referee. Page takes off his belt and whips Danielson, which draws Jarrett in, earning him a shove down. Jarrett takes off his shirt to reveal a referee shirt (fair, as they established he was an enforcer) and counts two off Page’s Deadeye. The Buckshot Lariat to the back of the neck drops Danielson but another one is countered. Instead Page grabs a crossface with the belt and Danielson is in trouble…until he reverses into a rollup for the pin a 25:49.

Rating: A-. This took some time to get going but eventually it reached that higher level. Danielson winning was a genuine surprise, if nothing else because it happens so infrequently. They were having Danielson go all the way to the brink before fighting back for the win. I’m more than a bit surprised that Page lost as he was looking like a killer, but I’ll take this over Page vs. Swerve again.

Post match Jarrett and Martha Hart present Danielson with the title and trophy. Swerve Strickland comes out for the staredown.

Post break Swerve is still in the ring to talk about being the best in the World and he’s ready to face Bryan Danielson at All In. He’s not happy that Danielson beat him before because he likes to hold grudges. That’s for later though, because he is officially joining Team AEW for Blood & Guts. He’s ready to beat Danielson like Ospreay couldn’t before moving on to talking about the Dynasty Era. There are three people named as the top of the company, with himself, Ospreay and Kazuchika Okada. The challenge is issued for Okada, but as for Danielson, it’s his Final Countdown.

Mariah May and Willow Nightingale are ready to win the Women’s Owen Hart tournament.

We get a new Acclaimed/Billy Gunn music video mocking the Young Bucks, including them raiding the Bucks’ locker room.

Samoa Joe vs. Chris Jericho

Street fight. Joe takes Jericho’s hat and punches him through it before hitting the enziguri in the corner. Jericho slugs away but gets sent outside, where Joe hits the big suicide elbow. Back up and Jericho gets in some chair shots to take over, meaning it’s time for a bag of horseshoes.

Jericho drops him onto said horseshoes and grabs the Walls as we take a break. Back with Joe hitting Jericho with a horseshoe to break the hold and they head out into the crowd. They go into the back where Joe gets the Koquina Clutch, only to have the Learning Tree break it up. Joe is whipped with a belt and put on a forklift, which Jericho drives through a wall. The match is stopped at 12:35.

Rating: C+. Well that was certainly something, though I’m not sure what. If nothing else, it’s the latest instance of Jericho getting to look strong, which comes after last week when he got to look like a killer over all three of Joe and company (important note: commentary did say Hook and Katsuyori Shibata weren’t here to explain the lack of a save). In theory this leads to Joe or Hook coming back for revenge, but dang I could go for a break from all of the Jericho stuff for a long time.

Post break Joe is taken away in an ambulance while the Learning Tree waves goodbye.

Claudio Castagnoli vs. Pac vs. Kyle Fletcher vs. Tomohiro Ishii

The winner gets an International Title shot. It’s a brawl to start with Ishii and Castagnoli being left alone to slug it out. Ishii shoulders Castagnoli down but Pac is back in with a missile dropkick. Back up and Ishii fires off some suplexes until Castagnoli gutwrench suplexes him down. Castagnoli hits a big dive onto a pile of people as we take a break.

Back with all four pulling themselves back up, with Ishii having to fight off all three of them. Fletcher superkicks Castagnoli but gets dropped by Ishii. We get the parade of strikes to the face, including Swiss Death to Pac. Ishii and Fletcher strike it out until Fletcher hits a Tombstone for two. Castagnoli grabs the Giant Swing to Fletcher and grabs the Sharpshooter.

Pac adds a springboard elbow and puts on the Brutalizer to Fletcher, while the Sharpshooter is still on. Ishii breaks that up and hits a suplex, followed by a clothesline to Pac (who had already let go of the Brutalizer). A hard clothesline gets two on Fletcher and Castagnoli gives him the Neutralizer but Pac breaks it up. Pac German suplexes everyone and hits the Black Arrow into the Brutalizer to beat Fletcher at 11:21.

Rating: B. This was what you would expect in a modern four way, with hard hitting shots and people trying to steal pins. What matters is setting up what should be a heck of a match, with Pac being more than capable of hanging in there with anyone. Good stuff here, thankfully with Fletcher losing again, as he should.

Post match Pac says he doesn’t know what’s next for him but teases a title match at All In.

Hangman Page storms past Renee Paquette and goes to see the Young Bucks. Kazuchika Okada doesn’t want to let him in but the Bucks ask if there is anything they can do for Page. An angry Page says he’ll do it, with the Bucks approving.

Here is Mercedes Mone to celebrate her double title win. She heard Britt Baker talking about the past, present and future, which is appropriate because Mone is the best there is, the best there was and the best there ever will be. Baker is crazy to think she can beat her so it’s time for a champagne toast, only for Baker to interrupt. Baker beats up security and Mone bails in a hurry. Well that was short.

Brandon Cutler has been attacked by….Darby Allin, who calls out Jack Perry for next week.

Women’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournament Finals: Mariah May vs. Willow Nightingale

May has Luther and Toni Storm with her while Nightingale is in Owen Hart inspired gear. Feeling out process to start with the grappling not going either way. May hits a hard running dropkick and then another one to the back gets two. Back up and Nightingale hits a swinging side slam into a running basement crossbody for two of her own. May is sent outside for a big cannonball off the apron as we take a break.

We come back with May hitting a running hip attack but Nightingale runs her over again. The Sharpshooter takes too long to set up and May kicks her away, setting up a hurricanrana for two. May’s running knee strike misses and Nightingale grabs a fisherman’s buster for two of her own. Back up and the Pounce is blocked with a hard headbutt to put both of them down.

Cue someone in an old Sting shirt for a distraction, allowing Storm to grab the referee. Cue Kris Statlander to kick Nightingale in the head (it’s Stokely Hathaway in the Sting shirt) and May hits a running knee to the head for two. May’s bridging rollup gets two more but Nightingale’s lariat gets the same. The Cannonball hits May but a Death Valley Driver is countered into a victory roll to give May the pin and the tournament at 12:35.

Rating: B. Good stuff here, even if there was only so much drama to be had in the result. May vs. Storm should be a heck of a showdown and I’m glad that they didn’t have the interference cost Nightingale the match. May feels like someone who could be the next big breakout star in the division and this could be a step in that direction.

Post match May and Storm skip up to the stage….where May blasts Storm in the face with the belt. May unloads on Luther with the belt as well and kicks the bleeding Storm in the ribs. Some HARD shoe shots to the head have Storm busted open even more before even Aubrey Edwards gets shoved down. May rubs her face on Storm’s bloody head as the fans are rather impressed to end the show. Awesome stuff here as May looked like a psycho.

Overall Rating: B+. This was a very wrestling heavy show and as usual, that’s where AEW tends to shine. The tournament finals were both very good and the four way was a nice bonus. Even the street fight, which was something we’ve seen done roughly a hundred times (save for the finish) worked well enough. Throw in a heck of an ending segment and some stuff being set up for the next few weeks, plus All In, and you had a rather awesome show.

Results
Bryan Danielson b. Hangman Page – Rollup
Chris Jericho b. Samoa Joe via referee stoppage
Pac b. Kyle Fletcher, Tomohiro Ishii and Claudio Castagnoli – Brutalizer to Fletcher
Mariah May b. Willow Nightingale – Victory roll

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

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

AND

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

Rampage
Date: July 5, 2024
Location: Wintrust Arena, Chicago, Illinois
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Excalibur, Don Callis

We’re still in Chicago for the second half of Beach Break, which didn’t exactly mean much on Dynamite. Hopefully the show goes somewhere off of the big ending from Dynamite, but there is a real chance they save that for tomorrow night. We are starting to get ready for All In though and that build might continue here. Let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Rush vs. Komander

Metalik is here with Komander. For some reason Komander tries a handshake to start, earning a shove down. Rush knocks him outside without much trouble and adds a whip into the barricade as Callis talks taking Rush to a baseball game. A chair is sent in, which is enough of a distraction to let Rush whip Komander with a camera cable. Back in and Rush hits a running double stomp but Komander manages a tornado DDT. That doesn’t work for Rush, who takes him outside for a HARD swing into the barricade as we take a break.

We come back with Rush stomping away in the corner and hitting the cocky kick to the mask. Komander is tied in the Tree of Woe for a rather hard kick but the Bull’s Horns misses. The comeback is on with a dropkick to the knee (Callis: “That’s a dirty move.”) to send Rush outside. Komander hits the dive into the Asai moonsault, setting up the shooting star press for two back inside. A headbutt cuts Komander off and an apron superplex gives Rush two. Rush suplexes him off the apron and the Bull’s Horns finishes at 11:56.

Rating: C. This is a good example of a match that went long and really shouldn’t have. If Rush is supposed to be the next big star for Callis, there is pretty much no reason for him to take about twelve minutes to beat Komander. It’s ok to just have Rush go in there and maul someone and that’s what should have happened here.

Post match Rush throws Komander at Callis’ feet.

The Undisputed Kingdom isn’t worried about the Conglomeration, who has Kyle O’Reilly bamboozled. Roderick Strong swears vengeance and are ready to bring O’Reilly back.

Konosuke Takeshita/Kyle Fletcher vs. Private Party

The Family jumps them before the bell and Private Party is in trouble to start. Kassidy armdrags Fletcher down for a breather and it’s off to Quen for a springboard missile dropkick. Takeshita comes in and gets caught with a moonsault but he’s fine enough to suplex Kassidy and Quen at the same time. We take a break and come back with Quen fighting his way to freedom, allowing the tag off to Kassidy. The pace picks up and the Family is sent outside for Kassidy’s big flip dive.

Kassidy throws on a shark hat but the Family fights back and hits stereo brainbusters for two each. A superbomb is reversed into Gin and Juice to Takeshita and Silly String gets two on Fletcher. Takeshita runs both of them over with a clothesline though, leaving Fletcher and Quen to slug it out. Back in and Takeshita takes out Kassidy, leaving Quen to get caught with the piledriver for the pin at 10:10.

Rating: B-. For once, commentary covered part of the issue here, as they hammered in the idea that Takeshita and Fletcher are part of the same stable but not a regular team. That makes the match feel a bit more competitive, as while Private Party isn’t the most successful team, they’re at least a regular team with experience. Takeshita got to look like his usual awesome self and Fletcher was….well Takeshita was great.

We see a clip from earlier this week, with Rush and Don Callis coming to terms.

We look at MJF turning heel and attacking Daniel Garcia on Dynamite.

Kyle O’Reilly vs. GPA

Roderick Strong, with the Kingdom, is on commentary. O’Reilly kicks away to start and shrugs off GPA’s comeback attempt. The cross armbreaker finishes for O’Reilly at 1:48.

Samoa Joe wants to massacre Chris Jericho on Dynamite. Ticked off Joe is always awesome.

Video on Mariah May vs. Hikaru Shida.

Toni Storm does a kind of old school newsreel announcement about her match with Trish Adora on Collision.

Women’s Owen Hart Tournament Semifinals: Mariah May vs. Hikaru Shida

Toni Storm and Luther are here with May. The fans are behind Shida to start before the slow forearm exchange gets things going. May takes her down out of the corner and a running kick to the chest gets two. May’s sunset bomb to the floor is countered into a hurricanrana, leaving Storm annoyed as we take a break.

Back with May making the clothesline comeback and hitting a middle rope hurricanrana out of the corner. May goes up but gets caught with a superplex. Back up and May grabs a spinning side slam before they trade German suplexes. Shida’s Falcon Arrow gets two but May sends her into the corner for the hip attack. They trade rollups until Shida tries the Katana, which is reversed into a cradle to give May the pin at 11:37.

Rating: B-. They haven’t exactly been hiding that this is May’s tournament to win, but they’re doing a nice job of making her work to get there. Beating Shida still means a lot as she’s one of the most successful stars the division has ever seen and May gets to beat another former champion. Storm is waiting for her though, and the finals could not feel like more of a formality.

Overall Rating: C+. The wrestling was mostly good but this was a show that you absolutely could have skipped. With the first half being the Don Callis Show and the main event being the only match with any value (and not exactly much in the way of drama), I wasn’t exactly invested in this one. That’s a bit of a step down from recent Rampages, which is a shame as the show was fun for a bit.

Results
Rush b. Komander – Bull’s Horns
Konosuke Takeshita/Kyle Fletcher b. Private Party – Piledriver to Quen
Kyle O’Reilly b. GPA – Cross armbreaker
Mariah May b. Hikaru Shida – Rollup

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

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

AND

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

Rampage
Date: June 14, 2024
Location: Wells Fargo Arena, Des Moines, Iowa
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Matt Menard

We are just over two weeks away from Forbidden Door and that means it is time to start putting things together before the show. While you are not likely going to see anything big added this week, there is a good chance that you are going to get a nice boost for some of the things that have already been announced. That’s a fine way to use Rampage so let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

Toni Storm vs. Alex Windsor

Non-title and Luther/Mariah May are here with Storm. Windsor jumps her at the bell but Storm is right back with a Thesz press and some hip attacks to the face. A running hip attack sends Windsor outside, where Windsor grabs a suplex. Storm’s head and leg are both posted but Windsor goes to yell at Luther, including shoving him into Storm and May. We take a break and come back with Storm hitting another hip attack in the corner. A fisherman’s suplex gets two but Windsor grabs an Angle Slam for two of her own. Windsor hits a Shining Wizard but Storm grabs a quick Storm Zero for the pin at 8:01.

Rating: C+. They were working had here with Windsor getting in a lot. It’s nice to see Storm have to do something a bit more serious but still doing her usual spots. I’m not sure where things are going with May/Storm/Mina Shirakawa, but at the very least, they have made a story where I’m wondering what is going to happen. That is a great sign for the future, and hopefully they are going to make it work again when it really matters.

Harley Cameron is in the Owen Hart Cup.

Video on Thunder Rosa vs. Deonna Purrazzo in a No DQ match this week on Collision.

Cage Of Agony vs. Solomon Tupu/Jay Marston/Kevin Gutierrez

Kaun dropkicks Tupu into the corner to start and the beating is on in a hurry. Gutierrez comes in and gets elbowed in the face so it’s off to Marston. A spinebuster, Open The Gates and the triple lifting slam finishes Marston off at 2:39. Total destruction.

We look back at Dynamite.

Rocky Romero vs. Shota Umino

They fight over arm control to start until Romero’s chop just annoys Umino. Some hard shots to the face rock Romero and Shota even gets in some dancing. A low bridge sends Umino outside though and Romero hits a suicide dive. We take a break and come back with Romero hitting the Forever Clotheslines, only to be sent to the apron.

Umino DDTs him onto the apron but Romero is back with a tornado DDT of his own. The running Sliced Bread gets two on Umino but the regular version is blocked. Umino elbows him in the back of the head and hits a double arm DDT (homage to his friend Jon Moxley) for the pin at 10:06.

Rating: C+. Perfectly fine match here with both guys getting to showcase their talents. There is nothing wrong with having a basic, back and forth match with good wrestlers involved. In theory this is something of a preview for Forbidden Door, which might make sense, though that show is going to need more than “here are wrestlers you might have heard of”.

Forbidden Door rundown.

Satnam Singh vs. Rosario Grillo

Jay Lethal and Sonjay Dutt are here too as Grillo chops away and gets bearhugged for the tap at 19 seconds.

Post match Lethal brags about Singh and wants his own opponent out here right now.

Jay Lethal vs. Pac

Lethal knocks him into the corner to start and stomps away but Pac hits a superkick to the floor. Dutt offers a distraction though and Singh trips Pac down, which is enough for Singh to get ejected. Lethal sends him hard into the steps and we take a break. Lethal’s Figure Four being reversed into a small package and the Lethal Injection being blocked as well.

Pac strikes away and the missile dropkick connects for two. Lethal gets in a shot to the leg though and Pac is down again. They go up top where a superbomb is countered with a backdrop but Dutt’s distraction breaks up the Black Arrow. Lethal hits a cutter but Pac clotheslines him into the Brutalizer for the win at 12:34.

Rating: B-. This was the kind of main event you would expect around here, with a bigger name like Pac being able to get a nice win over a name in Lethal. The wrestling was good and the result wasn’t exactly in doubt, but that didn’t bring the match down. Pac getting to be all dominant and angry is a good thing and it was worth a look here.

Overall Rating: B-. This is just kind of what Rampage is: an hour of acceptable wrestling with little in the way of anything that actually matters. It helps to have some big enough names involved here, as there is only so much effort you should be putting in for an hour on Friday nights at 10pm. Not a bad show at all, but as usual, nothing you need to watch.

Results
Toni Storm b. Alex Windsor – Storm Zero
Cage Of Agony b. Solomon Tupu/Jay Marston/Kevin Gutierrez – Triple lifting slam to Marston
Shota Umino b. Rocky Romero – Double arm DDT
Satnam Singh b. Rosario Grillo – Bearhug
Pac b. Jay Lethal – Brutalizer

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: June 5, 2024
Location: Blue Arena, Loveland, Colorado
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Taz, Excalibur

We’re coming up on Forbidden Door and now we have the World Title match set, as Will Ospreay will challenge Swerve Strickland. Other than that, it’s going to be time to see which guest stars we have for the show, some of whom might pop up for the first time this week. Let’s get to it.

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

Here is MJF to get things going and he references being high on weed to start. He shills his new merch and tickets for Forbidden Door before talking about the people who have shown up while he’s gone. First up we have the Rainmaker, who looks like he can’t even afford a gym membership. Then you have Swerve Strickland, who says he’s a business mogul but apparently he skipped public speaking classes at business school.

Finally we have a guy with a cockney accent saying he’s the best in the world. MJF lists off a bunch of people better than Will Ospreay, including himself. He carried this place but then when he was gone healing up, people tried to smear his name. Cue Rush to say like every other American, MJF never shuts up. Where are Rush’s celebration and big moment?

MJF: “I didn’t get any of that.” Maybe Brandon Cutler is running the audio because no one can hear him. He asks if anyone could hear him before doing his version of It Doesn’t Matter. MJF casually suggests that Rush is a nepo baby before praising Rush’s successes. Sure Rush has beaten some of the best, but MJF is the best. MJF goes into some Spanglish before the fight is on, with security and Christopher Daniels breaking it up. This was MJF showing the insane charisma that he has, though starting with Rush, even in a one off match, is a little weird.

Video on Roderick Strong before his World Title shot tonight.

Orange Cassidy vs. Kyle O’Reilly vs. Jay Lethal vs. Rey Fenix

For an International Title shot next week. The bell rings and Excalibur’s copy for the WOO Energy spot pops up on screen as Lethal clears the ring but poses instead of diving. Cassidy is back in to send Lethal to the apron but O’Reilly grabs Cassidy for an armbar. Fenix comes back to clear things out, only to pose too long so Lethal can get in a shot from behind.

The Lethal Injection is cut off by O’Reilly and Fenix kicks Lethal in the head. Everyone gets kicked down and we get a four way breather. We take a break and come back with Fenix diving in to break up a cover, leaving all of them down again. Lethal grabs a Figure Four on Cassidy and O’Reilly grabs a guillotine on Fenix. Lethal lets go to save Fenix so O’Reilly grabs Lethal for a cross armbreaker. Cassidy and Fenix break that up until Cassidy puts Fenix down with a DDT. Back up and Lethal takes everyone out before trying a Figure Four on Fenix, which is reversed into a small package for the pin at 8:34.

Rating: B. This is the kind of match that is almost always going to be entertaining and it worked well here. Lethal was good as the normal wrestler who wasn’t going nuts for long stretches out there while the other three did their collective things. Fenix vs. Ospreay will be fine for a big flashy title match next week and that’s all it needed to set up.

Post match Trent Beretta and Don Callis come out, with the latter throwing a chair inside. Cassidy grabs a chain to even things up but here is Kris Statlander to get between them. Stokely Hathaway comes out to threaten Cassidy with Statlander violence…and then Statlander decks Cassidy. Since Cassidy can’t bring himself to hit Statlander, Willow Nightingale runs in to chase her off. That feels like a mixed tag in the making.

Chris Jericho goes all educational to his driver. Then he does it to the camera operator too.

Willow Nightingale is annoyed at losing her TBS Title but she’s ticked off at Kris Statlander. Orange Cassidy comes in for a fist bump. Nightingale was showing some intensity here and it worked.

Christopher Daniels comes out to announce the next TNT Title qualifying match.

Mark Briscoe vs. Brian Cage

Mark Briscoe’s ROH World Title isn’t on the line (he won it two months ago today and has yet to have a title defense). Briscoe starts fast and sends him outside for a dropkick through the ropes. Cage is back with a ram into the barricade, setting up the apron superplex for the crash as we take a break.

Back with Briscoe applying Redneck Kung Fu as Don Callis and Konosuke Takeshita are watching from the crowd. Briscoe grabs an exploder suplex for two and Cage is sent outside. That means Briscoe can use a chair for the step up flip dive but Cage is right back with a helicopter bomb. Briscoe shrugs that off and knocks him down again, setting up the froggy bow for the pin at 10:15.

Rating: C. This was pretty much what you would expect from Briscoe vs. Cage and it wasn’t exactly great. I’m not sure why how but they’ve managed to make the Ring Of Honor World Title feel that much more worthless. That’s a heck of a trick, but I wasn’t sure if Briscoe was going to win here and Cage almost never wins.

Jack Perry says he’s going to win the TNT Title.

The Premiere Athletes interrupt Samoa Joe and Hook, with Hook’s Funions being knocked away. Joe holds Hook back from violence, saying people like them pick their spots.

Chris Jericho and company educate Matt Menard and Angelo Parker about commentary and parenting.

The Acclaimed come out for their rap but the Young Bucks (the subject) cut them off.

Swerve Strickland calls MJF a little b**** and says he’s ready for Will Ospreay. He’s proud of Team AEW, but next time, include the World Champion.

Video on Mercedes Mone vs. Stephanie Vaquer, which is title for title at Forbidden Door.

Blackpool Combat Club vs. Team CMLL

Wheeler Yuta is back from injury for the first time since January and it’s Rugido/Magnus/Volador Jr./Esfinge. Thankfully Excalibur is there to tell us that Magnus is the one with his back to the camera. This would be more informative if he didn’t say it when all four had their backs to the camera. It’s a brawl to start and all eight head out to the floor.

We settle down to Danielson and Rugido chopping it out but it’s quickly off to the parade of strikes. Team CMLL clears the ring and hit stereo dives, setting up Magnus’ 619 for two on Danielson. Everything breaks down again and Hart plays Bret in a Hart Attack on Magnus. Yuta’s Fastball Special connects and we take an early break.

Back with Moxley striking away on Magnus, who manages to enziguri his way to freedom. Esfinge comes in to monkey flip Castagnoli and then grabs a leg tie rollup for two. Castagnoli cuts off the running knees with the Swing to Magnus and Moxley adds the dropkick. Volador is back in with a sunset flip for two and Rugido’s powerslam gets the same on Yuta. Back up and Yuta hits the Angle Slam, setting up the seat belt to pin Rugido at 11:58.

Rating: B-. This is the definition of “it’s not for me”. The action was good and the CMLL guys are talented, but this felt like little more than an exhibition as you had people coming in from a different promotion and getting a match against a top faction because it’s Forbidden Door season. I’m sure the CMLL guys will have a match at the pay per view and it will be good, but it’s likely nothing that is going to interest me very much.

Chris Jericho explains how to scoop chicken and dumplings. I have no idea who thinks this is funny but they should be severely punished.

Video on Daniel Garcia.

The Acclaimed threaten the Young Bucks.

Post break the Young Bucks talk to the Patriarchy, with Christian Cage wanting another title shot. They agree to keep up their partnership.

Mariah May vs. Saraya

Toni Storm/Luther and Harley Cameron/Zak Knight are here too. May wears an Outcasts jacket to the ring so Saraya jumps her to start fast. The big chase is on with May getting suckered into a superkick so Saraya can look at the camera. May is sent hard into the barricade and we take a break.

Back with May winning a slugout and hitting a hard headbutt. May hurricanranas her out of the corner and hits a missile dropkick for two. The running hip attack gives May two but Saraya is back up with Rampage for the same. Saraya grabs the Scorpion Crosslock for the win at 9:06.

Rating: C. This was a weird situation as Saraya hasn’t been doing much of anything lately and she beat May, who has at least been presented as a big deal, clean. The match wasn’t exactly great either, as Saraya isn’t exactly as sharp in the ring as she used to be. Maybe we’re getting ready for Saraya to be in a title match down the line, but otherwise this was way out of left field.

Post match Storm comes in to check on May but the Outcasts beat Storm and May down. Mina Shirakawa runs in for the save. May hugs both Mina and Toni.

Chris Jericho tells Private Party that they should open up their party and make it public. An argument ensues.

Bryan Danielson is happy with Wheeler Yuta for winning but isn’t happy with his own losses. He isn’t done with his last year yet though and now he wants in on the Owen Hart Cup to go on to a World Title shot at All In. Danielson getting fired up for anything is a good thing, but it’s still hard to fathom him winning anything big.

AEW World Title: Swerve Strickland vs. Roderick Strong

Swerve is defending and Prince Nana/the Kingdom are here too. They go technical to start until Swerve grabs a headscissors into an armdrag. It’s too early for the House Call though and Strong bails out to the floor. Back in and Swerve starts in on Strong’s knee but an Undisputed Kingdom distraction breaks up the Swerve Stomp. Strong backbreakers Swerve onto the turnbuckle but his dropkick through the ropes is blocked. Swerve posts him hard and we take a break.

Back with Swerve fighting out of a seated abdominal stretch and starting the comeback. The middle rope elbow to the back sets up a brainbuster for two and we slow down a bit. The powerbomb into a powerslam gets two on Strong but the threat of the House Call sends Strong outside. They go outside with Swerve diving onto the Kingdom, allowing Strong to send him into the steps. Back in and Strong hits a Codebreaker to cut off a comeback. The Sick Kick gives Strong two but Swerve sends him to the apron for the Stomp. Back in and the House Call retains the title at 14:10.

Rating: B. This is the kind of match where you know it’s going to be good because the wrestlers are rather talented. Strong isn’t going to be a top level challenger but he is perfect for a spot like this as he made Swerve look good. Rather nice main event here, and sometimes you just need to have that kind of a match.

Overall Rating: C+. They were having a weird balancing act here as it was a mixture of good to ok at best wrestling, the Forbidden Door stuff (which I find a chore to get through) and whatever the heck they’re trying for with those Jericho segments. Those things were TERRIBLE and not in a way that makes me want to see someone beat Jericho (whomever that is going to be as he doesn’t seem to have any serious challenges at the moment) but rather wanting to wring the neck of whomever allowed it on TV. There are good parts to this show and it is NOT bad, but egads the rough parts ranged from boring to dreadful.

Results
Rey Fenix b. Jay Lethal, Orange Cassidy and Kyle O’Reilly – Small package to Lethal
Mark Briscoe b. Brian Cage – Froggy Bow
Blackpool Combat Club b. Team CMLL – Seat Belt to Rugido
Saraya b. Mariah May – Scorpion Crosslock
Swerve Strickland b. Roderick Strong – House Call

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: May 18, 2024
Location: Moda Center, Portland, Oregon
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Nigel McGuinness

It’s another three hour block on Saturday night, starting with this one. The show is likely going to feature some buildup for Dynamite, though hopefully it also includes some effort to get ready for Double Or Nothing next Sunday. The show could use some extra buildup and it would be nice to see some of it here. Let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

Will Ospreay vs. Shane Taylor

Anthony Ogogo is here with Ospreay and the Undisputed Kingdom comes out to watch at ringside. Ospreay dropkicks him to the floor to start and takes Taylor down with a dive, followed by a springboard back inside. Taylor hits a hard shoulder to put Ospreay down so Matt Taven goes after Ospreay, meaning Taylor gets to yell a bit. Ospreay manages to post Taylor and send him into Taven. Ogogo uses the distraction to get in a cheap shot on Ospreay as we take a break.

Back with Ospreay hitting a handspring kick to the head to stagger Taylor, setting up a top rope shot to the back of said head. The Hidden Blade is blocked and Taylor’s running splash gets two. One heck of a clothesline gives Taylor the same and he blocks the Oscutter, setting up a Marcus Garvey Driver for two more. The package piledriver is blocked so Taylor goes up, only to get caught with the Cheeky Nandos Kick. The Storm Driver out of the corner gives Ospreay the pin at 9:53.

Rating: B-. Ospreay is put in trouble and fights back to win over the monster in the end. That’s a perfectly fine way to go and gives Ospreay a nice victory on the way to his title shot. The problem continues to be that the International Title feels way beneath Ospreay and the more he’s built up, the bigger that problem becomes. Unless they have some kind of genius way out, Ospreay almost has to win the title, and he’s being built up well if he’s going to become the new champion.

Post match the Undisputed Kingdom goes after Ospreay, who takes them out like he’s a big star and they’re a bunch of goons.

Team AEW is happy with Darby Allin joining the team with Eddie Kingston out injured. Tonight, they’re ready for Lance Archer and the Righteous.

Jon Moxley is ready to face Konosuke Takeshita at Double Or Nothing. The BCC fights for violence, with Claudio Castagnoli saying he hates talking because it should be about going out there to fight.

Chris Jericho and Big Bill aren’t happy with Hook for attacking them, but Jericho likes Hook showing that kind of fire. That’s why Jericho is here, because Hook needs someone to teach him.

Hook vs. Johnny TV

This is a qualifying match for a triple threat match for a future FTW Title shot and Taya Valkyrie is here with TV. Hook takes him down to start and goes for the arm but TV’s rollup gets two. A suplex and clothesline put TV down and Hook counters a high kick into another suplex. Taya’s distraction lets TV hit the Flying Chuck but Starship Pain misses, allowing Hook to grab Redrum for the tap at 3:27.

Rating: C. They didn’t have time to do much here but I like Hook getting to do something other than the hardcore matches. He’s only going to get so much out of those, so putting him in here with a veteran, even in a short match, is going to let him learn a bit more. Now just let him beat Jericho into the ground (again) and he might be able to move on to something a bit better.

Katsuyori Shibata vs. Rocky Romero

Another FTW qualifying match. They go technical to start with Shibata grabbing the arm before switching into a Figure Four. That’s broken up so Romero grabs an Octopus, which is reversed into another Figure Four. Romero is out again and grabs a tornado DDT as we take a break.

Back with Romero kicking at the arm, with Shibata telling him to keep it up. Shibata chops away but Romero ties him in the ropes for a middle rope dropkick. Sliced Bread doesn’t work for Romero, who comes up favoring his leg, meaning Shibata can grab a kneebar. Romero makes the rope so Shibata suplexes him for two more. With that broken up, Shibata goes back to the Figure Four for the win at 10:01.

Rating: B-. Perfectly acceptable, if not good, wrestling here with Shibata picking apart a limb and then working it over until Romero gave up. That helps to make up for the lack of drama, as Romero winning wouldn’t have made much sense. Romero might not be the most interesting star, but he’s a rather strong hand in the ring, which is a very valuable thing to have.

Bryan Keith vs. Beefcake Boulder

This is the final FTW qualifying match, making me wonder how the participants were chosen. Boulder has Bronson and Jacked Jameson with him, the latter of whom talks about how much trash he has seen in this city. Keith gets knocked into the corner to start but slips out of a slam and kicks away at the leg. Jameson offers a distraction but Keith uses it to send Bronson into Boulder’s hairy chest. Diamond Dust finishes Bronson at 1:43. Well that was fast.

Pac doesn’t care about what Bullet Club Gold has been saying to them. He wants them to make him feel something and care. The interviewer can leave him alone too.

We look back at Mercedes Mone and Willow Nightingale signing a contract on Dynamite.

Bullet Club Gold appears for a match but they have attacked Pac and carried him out to the stage. Much like in the previous match: well that was fast.

Christian Cage tells Nick Wayne that he has a warmup match tonight before he faces Swerve Strickland on Dynamite. Wayne thanks Cage for turning him into a man.

Orange Cassidy vs. Isiah Kassidy

We’ll go with first names to make things a bit more simple. Orange flips around to start and they go to the mat, with Orange grabbing a quickly broken surfboard. Isiah avoids the Orange Punch so Orange hits a suicide dive as Don Callis is watching in the back. There’s the running dropkick against the barricade…and here is Trent Beretta in the crowd. The distraction lets Isiah get in a whip to the barricade, setting up a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker.

We take a break and come back with Orange countering a piledriver attempt on the steps. They get back in where Stundog Millionaire and the spinning DDT plant Isiah. Both of them head to the apron where Orange kicks him out to the floor. Another Beretta distraction lets Isiah get in a cheap shot, allowing him to use the referee for the Silly String. Orange pops up and hits the Beach Break for the pin at 12:12.

Rating: C+. They’re piling up the nice matches without much in the way of drama over the winner. Orange vs. Beretta is continuing, likely in some big showdown at Double Or Nothing, which should be where Orange gets his big win to win the feud for good. Another pretty good match here, as it helps move towards something important down the line.

Post break Beretta says he’s better than Cassidy, who had to cheat to beat him. The challenge is on for Double Or Nothing, with Cassidy pulling him over the barricade.

Serena Deeb vs. Anna Jay

Deeb starts fast and elbows away, setting up a swinging neckbreaker for two. Jay gets tied up in a Paradise Lock for the running dropkick. Back up and Jay snaps off a northern lights suplex, only to get neckbreakered over the middle rope. We take a break and come back with Jay fighting out of an abdominal stretch and grabbing a Downward Spiral for two. Deeb ties her in the ropes for a dragon screw legwhip, followed by a hammerlock lariat for two of her own. The Queenslayer goes on out of nowhere and Deeb has to flip out. A faceplant into the Serenity Lock makes Jay tap at 8:34.

Rating: C. Much like the Shibata match earlier, Deeb picked Jay apart and made her give up in the end. That’s a perfectly fine way to go, but my goodness it would be nice to have Jay either be some up and coming star or cannon fodder for the biggest stories. This is what she’s been doing for a long time now and she’s not getting anywhere new as a result.

Post match Luther comes out and steals Deeb’s flag. Mariah May comes out to hold the flag up so Toni Storm can come to the stage and disrobe behind it. The flag is wrapped around Storm and the villains leave.

Video on Swerve Strickland vs. Christian Cage.

Nick Wayne vs. Jack Cartwheel

Wayne jumps him to start and stomps away but Cartwheel fights back up. Cartwheel sends him outside, where Wayne pulls a Samoa Joe by sidestepping the big dive. Back in and Wayne’s World connects….for no cover. Instead it’s a Swerve Strickland House Call for the pin on Cartwheel at 2:19.

FTR/Bryan Danielson vs. Righteous/Lance Archer

Harwood and Vincent fight over a lockup to start, with the latter whipping him hard into the corner. That’s broken up and Harwood snaps off a suplex before a double slam gives Wheeler two. It’s off to Dutch so Wheeler snaps off some jabs, allowing Harwood to come back in for a Russian legsweep. The fans want Danielson as everything breaks down and we take a break.

Back with Harwood fighting out of a chinlock but Vincent drops him again. Harwood sends Archer into the corner and avoids Dutch’s elbow drop, allowing the tag back to Danielson to start cleaning house. Dutch gets low bridged to the floor and the suicide dive connects. Everything breaks down and Archer has to save Dutch from the LeBell Lock. Autumn Sunshine gets two, with Wheeler having to make the save. Vincent gets PowerPlexed but Danielson has to break up the Blackout. That leaves Vincent to walk into the Shatter Machine for the pin at 12:52.

Rating: B. This was the best match on the show and that shouldn’t be a big surprise given the talent involved. Danielson can make anything work and FTR is still probably the best team in the company. The villains did their job well enough before ultimately falling to the better team. Commentary kept talking about how Archer and the Righteous were doing this at the Elite’s bidding so at least it ties into the bigger story.

Post match the villains beat Danielson and FTR down, including a bunch of chair shots to Harwood’s ribs. Wheeler gets Blacked Out onto a chair but Daniel Garcia comes out with a chair of his own for the save.

Overall Rating: B. Collision is such a weird show. The wrestling ranges from fine to good, but two hours of little more than setting up things for Dynamite and supplements to the midcard feuds makes for a long, long sit. Throw in Rampage after and it’s even more tedious. That makes it all the more frustrating as this is by no means a bad show and I enjoy it more than Dynamite most of the time. You just have to remember that very rarely is anything big going to happen and it’s much more about setting things up for Dynamite, where everything happens. That makes for a rather good, yet at times tedious, two hours.

Results
Will Ospreay b. Shane Taylor – Storm Driver
Hook b. Johnny TV – Redrum
Katsuyori Shibata b. Rocky Romero – Figure Four
Bryan Keith b. Beefcake Boulder – Diamond Dust
Orange Cassidy b. Isiah Kassidy – Beach Break
Nick Wayne b. Jack Cartwheel – House Call
Bryan Danielson/FTR b. Righteous/Lance Archer – Shatter Machine to Vincent

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: May 1, 2024
Location: Canada Life Center, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Taz

We’re coming in off a big story last week as the Elite attacked Tony Khan and left him laying to end the show. That opens up a bunch of questions about where things are going, but right now that seems to mean more Young Bucks. Other than that we find out who is challenging Swerve Strickland at Double Or Nothing later this month. Let’s get to it.

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

Tony Khan joins us from Jacksonville, Florida and says he’ll be running the show remotely this week as he isn’t cleared to travel. Then the Young Bucks cut the feed and, in short, say that since Khan isn’t here and they’re still EVP’s, they’re in charge and have the contacts to prove it. Hit that new intro, now featuring all the Elite! So Tony Khan is the dumbest human in wrestling history right? He fell for Jack Perry’s nonsense last week and agreed to those contracts? But we’re supposed to cheer for him?

Here is Swerve Strickland, with Prince Nana, for a chat. Strickland talks about being around a lot lately and how that’s what this company deserves. As for the Bucks, what they did to Tony Khan was a b**** move. Now though he needs a challenger for Double Or Nothing, so who is it? Cue the Bucks on the screen to fine him for swearing (here here) and send out the new #1 contender: the returning Christian Cage.

The brawl is on without a word and a Patriarchy distraction lets Cage hit the Killswitch onto the title. Nana gets taken out as well and Cage says he hasn’t forgotten Strickland attacking Nick Wayne months ago. They were a team at All In and Swerve lost so now it’s time for some revenge. Cage is going to beat him up so badly that Swerve’s daughter doesn’t know him, but Cage will be her father. Then Luchasaurus pulls out some of Swerve’s hair. Cage getting the title shot out of nowhere is a bit weird for AEW but I was expecting Jack Perry so I’ll take this.

We recap Adam Copland vs. the House of Black, with the House getting the better of things recently and earning a TNT Title shot this week.

TNT Title: Buddy Matthews vs. Adam Copeland

Copeland is defending and shrugs off Matthews’ headlock to start. Copeland takes him down but Matthews pops back up for a staredown. Matthews is knocked outside for a big dive and we take a break. Back with Matthews catching him with a hanging DDT and they’re both down.

Matthews is back up with a kick to the back and a chinlock, with Taz being right there to explain the physics. Copeland fights out and the flapjack puts Matthews down for a change. Both of them head up on the same corner before crashing back down, meaning it’s a double dive back inside to beat the count. Back in and they hit stereo crossbodies, leaving Matthews to be checked on by medics and we take a break.

We come back again with the match continuing and Matthews getting two off a sitdown powerbomb. Matthews heads up top, where Copeland cuts him off and hits a super Impaler DDT for two more. The spear is cut off with some knees to the face and a Jackhammer gives Matthews two, followed by a quick crossface. Copeland fights up, avoids the stomp, and hits a spear to retain at 21:03.

Rating: B-. Rather long match here and it made for a good one, with Copeland feeling like he survived. Copeland can’t do everything he did before and Matthews is a better athlete in the first place, but Copeland gets to use his wits to survive. Odds are this sets up Malakai Black for the Double Or Nothing title match and that should be rather snazzy.

Post match Copeland loads up the Conchairto but the lights go out with Malakai Black appearing. Black tells Copeland to do it but Copeland won’t, allowing Black to disappear. Commentary questions if Black has pushed Copeland that far, suggesting that Copeland needs to be pushed to go violent, and also suggesting that they know very little about Copeland.

Samoa Joe vs. Isiah Kassidy

Kassidy mocks Joe’s towel pose to start and is dropped face first onto the mat to cut that off. A springboard neck snap across the top rope gives Kassidy an opening but the running dive is casually avoided, as is Joe’s custom. Back in and Kassidy tries a monkey flip for some reason, earning himself the MuscleBuster to give Joe the pin at 3:28.

Rating: C. Even in a match this short, Kassidy almost got in too much offense. I was expecting Joe to massacre him and he only beat him up rather easily. That being said, I could still watch Joe do that walk away spot every night as it is so fitting for him and makes everyone else look beneath what he is doing. Anyway, short and to the point here as it needed to be.

Skye Blue wants a TBS Title shot on Rampage.

Here is Orange Cassidy for a chat. He hates what has been going on and wanted the Best Friends to reunite after everything that has happened. Instead, he is told that Chuck Taylor will never wrestle again after what Trent Beretta did to him last weekend. Cue Beretta to say Cassidy is making it about him again, meaning security has to hold them apart. Don Callis comes out to walk Cassidy to the back. That’s quite the change.

The Young Bucks say they have had too much TV time tonight and let Jack Perry have some. Perry talks about how Tony Khan made him the scapegoat and now we are in a new era under the Elite.

FTW Title: Chris Jericho vs. Katsuyori Shibata

Jericho is defending under FTR rules. Shibata wrestles him down into a wristlock to start but Jericho elbows him down and hits a Lionsault (onto the legs) less than a minute and a half in. Taz rants about how Jericho has ruined the FTW Title as Jericho brings in an FTW trashcan lid. Jericho whips out a bag of hockey pucks (Taz: “Ok that’s creative”) but Shibata slams him onto them instead. Back up and they chop it out as we take a break.

We come back with Jericho throwing a hockey puck at him and grabbing the Walls. Shibata slips out and grabs the Figure Four so Jericho throws another puck at him for the break. Jericho puts a trashcan over Shibata’s head and beats on it with a kendo stick, only to have Shibata stand up (still in trashcan) and slowly stalk Jericho into the corner. The trashcan comes off and Shibata hands him a kendo stick so they can sit down and trade stick shots to the head.

The fight goes to Shibata so let’s get a table in here. Shibata nails him with a clothesline and moves the table from leaning in the corner to in front of the corner…and here is Big Bill to put Shibata through the table. Jericho gets the pin at 15:24 without having to do anything.

Rating: C+. This had some creative spots (the pucks were a nice touch) but this felt more like “hey what would happen if Shibata had a hardcore match”. We’re waiting for Hook to come back and win the title to avenge himself and Taz, because this is more or less the same story that we had with Ricky Starks/Jericho. Hopefully it doesn’t last much longer, as the story was only so interesting in the first place and now it’s becoming more about Jericho than anything else.

Kris Statlander apologizes to Willow Nightingale for Mercedes Mone interrupting her last week. It’s cool with Nightingale, who is ready to take out Skye Blue tonight. Stokely Hathaway goes on a rant about the Young Bucks, who send in a text to say Hathaway and Statlander are banned from ringside and Nightingale loses the title if there is any interference.

Brian Cage vs. Claudio Castagnoli

We hear from Castagnoli during his entrance, where he talks about being the best because he is so consistent. They trade clotheslines to start until Cage grabs a suplex. Castagnoli is back up with a spinning backbreaker and a double stomp but Cage catches him on top. The apron superplex connects and we take a break. Back with Cage hitting a discus lariat for two but Castagnoli runs him over as well. Castagnoli’s Swiss 1 9 sets up his own discus lariat for his own two. Swiss Death gets two more and Castagnoli Swings him into the Sharpshooter for the win at 9:53.

Rating: C+. It was two big guys hitting big guy moves until Castagnoli got the win. That worked as well as could be expected, though it felt like any match we’ve seen from Cage for years. You know what you’re getting from him and while it can be entertaining, it’s something that has been done pretty much to death.

Rocky Romero isn’t siding with anyone in the Best Friends’ drama because no one wins. He’s doing his own thing and now he wants a title shot. Romero wants Kyle O’Reilly, may the best man win.

Mariah May vs. Serena Deeb

Toni Storm and Luther are here with May. They go with the grappling to start with May getting tied up in a Paradise Lock for a dropkick. May is back up with a Stratusphere into a dropkick of her own and we take an early break. Back with Deeb neckbreakering her over the middle rope and hitting a fisherman’s neckbreaker to make it worse. A hammerlock lariat gives Deeb two but May kicks her in the head.

May’s missile dropkick sets up a hip attack and It’s Gotta Be May gets two. A rather spinning backslide gives Deeb two but May suplexes her back down. Deeb blocks another Stratusphere and grabs the half crab, even slamming May’s knee into the mat. That’s enough for Storm, who throws the towel in for the old school ending at 10:32.

Rating: C+. This was good enough as May can wrestle a good match when you ignore all of the shenanigans going on. At the same time you have Deeb, who might be as polished in the ring as anyone in the women’s division. She is long overdue to get at least a chance at this level and it will be nice to see what happens when she gets her likely Double Or Nothing title shot.

Deeb’s title shot is official for Double Or Nothing.

Adam Copeland seems a bit shaken up by the House Of Black when Kyle O’Reilly comes in to say he has Copeland’s back if he ever needs it. Copeland is appreciative of the offer, but thinks O’Reilly might have eyes for the TNT Title. As long as there isn’t lust in his eyes, he’ll be ok.

Here is Kenny Omega so Justin Roberts does his big entrance. Omega says he has never been good about talking about injuries and illness, but last year he was diagnosed with diverticulitis. He’ll leave out the gory details but he was 24 hours away from dying. Omega wanted to get fixed up quick but was told he needed surgery, which would leave him needing a colostomy bag for several months, if not the rest of his life.

Omega wanted to avoid surgery, which meant he would have a time bomb in his stomach. If he ever took a shot to the stomach again, he could wind up in the hospital having the surgery anyway. That had him thinking he might have to retire, but then he saw Dynasty and he got scared of being a wrestler. He stated shaking from withdrawals and he needed to be in this ring again.

There are people talking about being the best in the world and he is already being forgotten. He is going to exhaust every option to get back in this ring, bag or no bag. Omega: “We’re talking about colostomy bags, so why not talks about two other ***** while we’re at it?”

He brings up the Young Bucks, who are EVP’s, but so is Omega himself. Part of the power in this company belongs to him, but here is Kazuchika Okada to interrupt (Schiavone: “My God.”). Omega greets him in Japanese and offers to run it back one more time if Okada can give him a few months. Okada declines, saying he is the Best Bout Machine now.

Cue Jack Perry to jump Omega from behind and then grab a chair but Omega fights back. The dragon suplex connects but Okada offers a distraction, allowing Perry to hit Omega in the stomach with a chair. The Young Bucks come in and hit the EVP Trigger, with FTR running out for the save to end the show.

There is a lot to go through here. First, Omega gave one of the best emotional promos I’ve ever seen from him, as it felt like he was either telling the truth or telling something very close to it. I was feeling sorry for him and that’s a good sign for someone who is dealing with some serious issues.

Then we move on to the real story though and that is, again, the Young Bucks. They’ve been all over the show and are now running things, which will likely continue for a good while. It wouldn’t shock me to see this go to some Blood & Guts or Anarchy In The Arena match, possibly even at All In, for control of the company (Tony Khan getting involved physically would be almost expected at this point). I really don’t know how much interest there is in that, but it seems a likely destination. Hopefully we get another Omega vs. Okada match, which while not something I really need to see, sounds a heck of a lot better.

For now though, this was their big moment and it winds up being the Young Bucks again, despite them not being interesting and not being interesting for a long time. AEW seems obsessed with always bringing the main story back to the Elite and it seems that the audience has just moved on from them. It’s been five years plus and this story of “what’s going on with the Elite” keeps coming up. The options are find something new or keep doing the same stuff with a slightly different look over and over, and we seem to be getting the latter here.

Overall Rating: C+. And that’s AEW in a nutshell: solid action from bell to bell, but the stories between the matches don’t go so well. There was no blow away match but the opener was good and Deeb vs. May was rather entertaining. As has been the case for a good while though, your feelings on this show are probably going to be tied to the Young Bucks. If you like them then it was a nice show, but otherwise, it feels like the start of a very long road to…well probably whatever the next big Elite story is after this one is over.

Results
Adam Copeland b. Buddy Matthews – Spear
Samoa Joe b. Isiah Kassidy – MuscleBuster
Claudio Castagnoli b. Brian Cage – Sharpshooter
Serena Deeb b. Mariah May when Toni Storm threw in the towel

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: January 17, 2024
Location: North Charleston Coliseum, North Charleston, South Carolina
Commentators: Excalibur, Ian Riccaboni, Taz

It’s time for a special main event with Hook challenging Samoa Joe for the World Title. That should make for an interesting learning experience for Hook but the question seems to be what happens next. We’re coming up on Revolution and the show needs a card to be set up so let’s get to it.

Here is Collision if you need a recap.

We open with a video on Hook vs. Samoa Joe.

TNT Title: Christian Cage vs. Dustin Rhodes

Cage, with Killswitch and Nick Wayne, is defending. They fight over a lockup to start and roll around the ropes with neither getting anywhere. Cage hammers away in the corner but Rhodes is right back with the rolling powerslam for two. The fight heads outside with Cage being sent into the steps and Rhodes hitting a clothesline off of those steps. Back in and Cage knocks him off the top and out to the floor, setting up a big dive.

We take a break and come back with Rhodes missing a crossbody to fall outside. Rhodes gets back in to slug it out from their knees until the bulldog gives Rhodes two. The Code Red gets two more so Cage goes outside, where he cuts off a dive. Back in and a frog splash gives Cage two so he grabs the belt, only to have it taken away.

Rhodes grabs a small package but Wayne turns it over to give Cage two more. Back up and Shattered Dreams connects and Cross Rhodes connects for a VERY near fall. Rhodes stops to go after Wayne so Cage hits a spear into the Killswitch….for two. Cage is stunned so he hits another Killswitch to retain at 15:26.

Rating: B. I wasn’t looking forward to this one coming in and they had a heck of a match with Rhodes trying everything he could but coming up short in the end. Rhodes as the guy who just does not age is rather impressive and Cage’s great run continues. Awesome match here and they were absolutely rolling by the end.

Swerve Strickland is going to be focused on the main event because he’s watching everything. Yes he wants the World Title but yes he’s also watching Hangman Page. The thing is, Page could beat everyone in AEW to the Lord himself…but he can’t beat Swerve.

Chris Jericho wants revenge on the Don Callis Family. Matt Sydal of all people comes in to say he wants a match tonight so they’re on (with Jericho making a Bourne reference).

Trent Beretta/Orange Cassidy vs. Komander/Penta El Zero Miedo

Cassidy and Penta go face to face to start with both of them taking the other to the mat for a string of misses. Trent comes in and reverses Komander’s springboard dive into a half and half suplex. We take a break and come back with Komander sending Trent to the floor, followed by the big running flip dive.

Back in and the spike Fear Factor is broken up, allowing Trent to come back inside to hammer on Komander. Penta kicks Trent in the head though and adds a Canadian Destroyer. Cassidy has to dive over the referee for the save so Komander goes up top. The Phoenix splash misses though and Trent adds the running knee. Cassidy hits Penta with the Beach Break, followed by the Orange Punch to Komander. The Crunchy finishes for Trent at 10:16.

Rating: B-. This was another fast paced match with Cassidy and Trent hanging in there with the faster team. I could go for more of Trent as he’s an underrated star, but at the same time, Cassidy seems all but destined for a big showdown with Roderick Strong. Penta and Komander were just opponents here, but their high flying stuff was as entertaining as ever.

Post match here is the Undisputed Kingdom, with Roderick Strong wanting Orange Cassidy to take off his glasses for the staredown. Strong wants an International Title shot because he is coming for the title. Fans: “SHUT THE F*** UP.” Cassidy is willing to put the title on the line right now….but let’s wait until Revolution because Strong wants Cassidy to think about it. Strong is a dumb villain.

Hangman Page (looking more like Magnum TA every week) wants the World Title back. Oh and it doesn’t matter if he can’t beat Swerve Strickland, because Swerve isn’t World Champion.

Here is Mark Briscoe, with his family in the crowd, for a chat on the anniversary of his brother’s death. Jay’s daughters were in the car with him and one was told she would never walk again. Well here she is, walking on her own (with presumably her sister and brother). That’s awesome.

Video on Jay Briscoe.

We get a sitdown interview with the Young Bucks, who want to be called by their full names because they are Executive Vice Presidents. You have heard some things about them, but what would you do to protect your family? Things were changing and they needed to stop leaning on yesterday’s self serving cancerous stars. Sting is the last of a dying breed so it’s time to get rid of him too. When asked if that’s a direct call out for Revolution, they leave for the sake of a meeting. I can’t believe it but somehow they’re more annoying than they were before.

Ring Of Honor Six Man Tag Team Titles: Bullet Club Gold vs. Mogul Embassy

The Club is challenging. Kaun strikes away at White to start so it’s off to the Gunns to take him down. Cage comes in with a superkick and it’s Kaun coming back in for an elbow as we take a break. Back with Colten cleaning house and getting two off a neckbreaker. The Embassy takes him back down though and a sitout powerbomb into an Air Raid Crash gets two.

Colten backdrops his way out of trouble and hands it back to White to strike away at Kaun. 3:10 To Yuma hits Cage but a Prince Nana distraction lets Kaun hit a fireman’s carry gutbuster. Cue Anthony Bowens for a distraction though and White hits the Blade Runner for the pin and the titles at 9:31.

Rating: C+. If there is any sanity around here, this will lad to a unification match to get rid of one set of the Six Man Titles. There has never been any need to have two sets of them around and now it’s time to get rid of one. Other than that, you had a good enough match with a title change that needed to happen due to Cage’s injury.

Post match the Acclaimed and Billy Gunn come out for the staredown.

Adam Cole hypes up Wardlow as the new wrecking ball on his way to the World Title.

Deonna Purrazzo vs. Anna Jay

Toni Storm is on commentary. Purrazzo spins out of a wristlock to start and rolls Jay up for a fast one. Jay has to bail over to the ropes, where she grabs a neckbreaker over the ropes. We take a break and come back with Purrazzo getting two off a clothesline. Jay kicks her in the face for two more but the Queenslayer is countered into a quickly broken armbar. They forearm it out until Purrazzo pulls her into the Venus de Milo (double armbar) for the tap at 6:40.

Rating: C. There was barely enough to rate here with the commercial involved and that’s pretty normal for a lot of women’s matches around here. Purrazzo is off to a good start and I wouldn’t be surprised if she got the next title shot either on a big Dynamite or at Revolution. As usual, Anna loses after building up some momentum, which tends to be her case.

Post match Purrazzo says she doesn’t know what is up with Toni Storm, but Purrazzo has changed as well. Storm has never met the Virtuosa, but Storm calls her an artificially tanned hag. The shoe is thrown and Purrazzo chases her off.

Top Flight vs. Private Party

Kassidy takes Darius down to start but they nip up for the staredown. Everyone gets in for the staredown and it’s off to Dante vs. Quen. Dante takes him down by the arm but Kassidy is back in with a springboard crossbody. We take a break and come back with Darius working on Kassidy’s arm as commentary talks about almost anything else. Kassidy fights up and brings in Quen to clean house, including a 450 to Dante. Everything breaks down and Dante knees Quen in the face. Gin and Juice takes Dante down, leaving Quen to roll up Darius (while grabbing the rope) for the pin at 10:11.

Rating: B-. Take two high flying teams and let them go nuts for a bit. It’s a little strange to see Private Party come back and have a fairly high profile match like this one but at least they won. I can go for Private Party as villains, but AEW needs to actually go somewhere with them or it won’t matter.

Video on Sting and Darby Allin.

AEW World Title: Hook vs. Samoa Joe

Only Joe’s title is on the line. Hook goes right after him to start and they’re already on the floor, where Joe strikes away. Back in and Joe hits a jumping enziguri in the corner, followed by the hard kick to the chest. Hook gets in some shots of his own and knocks Joe outside, setting up the big forearm from the apron. Joe isn’t having that and release Rock Bottoms him through the announcers’ table.

That earns him a double middle finger so Joe powerbombs Hook onto the apron. Back in and Joe snaps off a powerslam for two, followed by a Death Valley Driver for the same. The MuscleBuster gets one but Hook is back up with some running clotheslines and the t-bone suplex. Redrum goes on but Joe reverses into the Koquina Clutch for the knockout win at 8:45.

Rating: B. This is a good example of a match that was pretty much exactly what you would have expected but better. Hook wasn’t going to win the title here but he brought the energy and Joe felt like he was in a fight. Granted I could have gone without the new World Champion’s finisher only getting a one count, but otherwise Joe looked like a killer as usual.

Post match Joe gives him another MuscleBuster but here is Hangman Page to chase Joe off. Swerve Strickland is watching from the crowd and stares at Page as Hook leaves to end the show.

Overall Rating: B. This was a show that focused on the wrestling and that ranged from pretty good to very good. They also took some steps towards Revolution as you can see a lot of the card from here. If you take out the Young Bucks making me want to put my head through a wall, it’s that much better of a show. Rather strong show this week and I had a good time throughout.

Results
Christian Cage b. Dustin Rhodes – Killswitch
Orange Cassidy/Trent Beretta b. Komander/Penta El Zero Miedo – Crunchy to Komander
Bullet Club Gold b. Mogul Embassy – Blade Runner to Kaun
Deonna Purrazzo b. Anna Jay – Venus de Milo
Private Party b. Top Flight – Rollup to Darius while grabbing the rope
Samoa Joe b. Hook – Koquina Clutch

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.