NXT is back on the road as they head to California for No Mercy. This is the kind of thing that makes NXT feel like such a bigger deal as it is such a bigger stage than that little studio in Florida. The card happens to be stacked and it’s one of the better looking NXT cards that I have seen in a good while. That has been the case before but they have some more work to do. Let’s get to it.

Pre-Show: Blair Davenport vs. Kelani Jordan

This was announced after NXT went off the air this week so there isn’t much of a build here. That being said, Davenport has been a monster heel in recent weeks and Jordan is someone who had been looking up to Dana Brooke before Brooke’s release. In other words, there isn’t much of a reason to believe this is going to be overly competitive, but there might be one reason to believe otherwise.

I’m going to go with what should be the obvious pick in Davenport, but I can’t shake the feeling that Gigi Dolin will interfere to cost Davenport the win in a big embarrassment. Dolin vs. Davenport has been set up for a long time now and it would be interesting to see Dolin get one back on Davenport after she attacked Dolin earlier this week. I’ll go with Davenport here, but a Dolin inspired upset wouldn’t shock me.

Bron Breakker vs. Baron Corbin

Sometimes you need to let two power guys beat the fire out of each other and that is what we are going to be seeing here. These two got the big go home segment to end this week’s NXT as they literally went through a wall during their fight. Corbin can do rather well when he is given the chance and having a fired up Breakker could do just that. Breakker could use the win too and I think you know where this is going.

There is no reason to buy Corbin winning here so I’ll take Breakker getting another big win over a stronger name. Breakker has been kind of floating for the last few weeks but having him beat Corbin up for a little while, survive some big moves and then win is a smart way to go. It might even be a fun match on the way there, but Breakker wins here, as there isn’t much of a reason for anything else to happen.

Tag Team Titles: Tony D’Angelo/Stacks(c) vs. Lucien Price/Bronco Nima vs. Creed Brothers vs. Humberto Carrillo/Angel Garza

As is the case with most title matches, this was set up through a nice Italian dinner. The tag division has started a nice little rebuild, but at the end of the day, the Creed Brothers feel like they’re that much better than anyone else. I’m not sure if that’s going to be enough to get them to win the titles though, as it’s hard to fathom the Creeds being in NXT that much longer.

For now, I’ll take the champions retaining, though there is a case to be made for giving the titles to anyone but the Creeds. Carrillo and Garza are a more experienced team and need something to make them feel more special, while Price and Nima could get a heck of a rub by winning the titles so soon into their run. The good thing with a four way is that you still have contenders coming out of the match as only one team gets beaten, and we’ll say the champs get to do said beating here.

Heritage Cup: Noam Dar(c) vs. Butch

This is the result of a nearly month long tournament to crown a new #1 contender and that makes things interesting. It’s kind of hard to imagine Butch coming up short after that long. The problem here could be having Tyler Bate in Butch’s corner, which feels like a way to set up some kind of screwy finish. At the same time, it’s hard to imagine it’s hard to imagine having another main roster star winning an NXT title.

That being said, having a tournament go on that long with Butch winning, only to lose here and keep the title on Dar doesn’t make a ton of sense. Dar has been either champion or right there next to it for months now and I don’t see the need to keep it on him. Butch has been needing a win to get himself back up and I’ll say he wins here, though I have quite the feeling that I’m wrong on this one.

North American Title: Dominik Mysterio(c) vs. Trick Williams

So this one is a bit more interesting as you have Williams replacing the suddenly released Mustafa Ali. Williams has felt like someone who is being groomed for the next big step up the ladder, with a Carmelo Hayes match feeling like it’s on the horizon. That being said, it would be a big deal to take the title from Mysterio, who is quite the big deal in his own right on the main roster.

I can’t imagine Mysterio losing here so we’ll go with him retaining the title. Williams is someone who could become a big deal rather quickly but Mysterio losing the title so soon doesn’t feel right. At the same time, Mysterio losing the title without Rhea Ripley being involved doesn’t feel right. Mysterio retains here, likely with some interference to keep Williams looking strong.

Women’s Title: Becky Lynch(c) vs. Tiffany Stratton

This is Extreme Rules and a rematch from earlier this month when Lynch took the title from Stratton. That makes things all the more interesting, as Lynch already has everything on Monday Night Raw and she isn’t going to be the champion long term. At the same time though, I’m not sure I can imagine her losing the title here. Stratton feels like she is going to be a big star, but I’m not sure we’re at that point yet.

I’m not feeling overly strong on this one, but I’ll take Lynch to retain here. Stratton certainly has a lot of the tools needed to step up sooner than later, but beating Lynch is one heck of an upgrade. There’s a chance that Stratton wins here, though I’ll go with Lynch retaining after a better fight than the previous edition. Lynch goes over here, but after getting quite the test from Stratton.

NXT Title: Carmelo Hayes(c) vs. Ilja Dragunov

This is a rematch from Hayes beating Dragunov at the Great American Bash where Dragunov was sent into a chair. That makes the question whether or not Hayes can win on his own here, and we could be in for a heck of a fight. Dragunov knows how to bring up the emotion with some outstanding near falls and selling the pain he’s going through, which should be the case again here. I’m just not sure how it’s going to end and that’s confusing.

I’ll go with….geez I guess Hayes here, as it doesn’t feel like he’s ready to lose the title here, but dang it’s hard to imagine Dragunov losing another big match. Hayes needs to win here to prove that he’s the big star and he has Williams waiting on him sooner or later. That match doesn’t necessarily need to be for the title, but for now we’ll say the title stays with Hayes after a better match than their first showdown.

Overall Thoughts

The more I look at this card, the better it’s looking. NXT has figured itself out in recent months and that has made it a good show to see again. Now they need to figure out how to make the big shows work, but the pieces are all there to have a successful night. I’m excited about this show and that’s a nice feeling to have, though having it actually be a good show is what matters most.

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Well we’re back on pay per view about a week after the last one and that might not be the best idea. The build to All Out, the full week that we’ve had for it, has been a bit lacking, as AEW does not seem to have the most steam coming out of All In. Some of that can be attributed to the CM Punk debacle, but I’m not sure if that is going to be enough to make the show work. There is some potential in the card though and that is a good sign. Let’s get to it.

Zero Hour: Athena/Mercedes Martinez/Diamante vs. Hikaru Shida/Willow Nightingale/Skye Blue

This is some weird ROH vs. AEW style match and that is kid of indicative of how the women’s division has been going as of late. Thankfully the Outcasts are not involved in this one and we should be able to get some focus on some stars who could use the attention. Athena has been on fire in ROH and Martinez can work well with anyone. Throw in Shida and Nightingale and this has some potential.

I’ll go with Blue and company though, as she feels like the definition of someone in this match for the hometown pop. Blue can handle herself well enough in the ring, but the fact that she was in Chicago themed gear on Rampage told me all I needed to know about this one. We should be in for a fun opener, but odds are it gets about eight minutes, like so many women’s matches these days.

Zero Hour: Trios Titles: Acclaimed/Billy Gunn(c) vs. Jeff Jarrett/Jay Lethal/Satnam Singh

Normally the titles would be enough to drive the interest here but this is almost all about Dennis Rodman being in the champs’ corner. That’s another one pretty much entirely for the Chicago crowd and again, that isn’t a terrible idea. Rodman is going to stand in the corner for most of the match, put a cigar in his mouth, and probably punch Sonjay Dutt. Other than that though, we do have some titles on the line.

In what might be the easiest pick of the night, there is almost no chance of the titles changing hands here so we’ll go with the champs retaining. They just won the titles a week ago and there is no reason to believe that they are going to lose here. Just let the champs get another title victory and move on to whomever is next, though without Rodman after this one time.

Zero Hour: Over The Budget Battle Royal

This is a battle royal with no announced entrants, but the winner gets to make a $50,000 donation to the charity of their choice. That is the kind of thing that could make for quite the mess behind the scenes as AEW gets to pick a charity. Either that or we have the wrestlers all pick the same charity without letting it be known in advance. Now that being said, this is going to be a tricky one to pull off, as we don’t know who is actually in the ting.

Since the other two matches on Zero Hour have Chicago connections, and given the situation that took place this year, I’ll go with Colt Cabana to win the thing, both as a friendly Chicago deal and a big farewell to CM Punk. This is a match that pretty much can’t be previewed due to the whole WE DON’T KNOW WHO IS IN IT, but at least the charity stuff is a nice prize for a change.

TNT Title: Kris Statlander(c) vs. Ruby Soho

Here we have a match that isn’t likely to get much time but could do well for a match that gives the show a chance to breathe. Statlander has been built up rather well since winning the title and has been racking up wins, but that is going to have to end at some point. At the same time, Soho has to actually win something at some point, though I’m not sure if that is going to take place here.

I’ll go with Statlander retaining the title here, though after a rather good match. Soho is someone who can work with just about anyone and should be able to have a solid back and forth match with Statlander. At the end of the day though, the Outcasts having both titles doesn’t seem like the best idea so we’ll go with Statlander retaining, with the champ getting another nice win.

Eddie Kingston/Katsuyori Shibata vs. Claudio Castagnoli/Wheeler Yuta

This is a match that was added to the card without much fanfare and I’m not sure how good of a situation that is going to be. Kingston vs. Castagnoli has been going on for most of the last five months and at some point, Kingston almost has to win the Ring Of Honor World Title. For now though, we’re stuck here with another tag match, which is likely to help set up Yuta for another Pure Rules Title shot. That’s not the most interesting thing, but here we are anyway.

I’ll take Kingston/Shibata for the win here, as there is really not much of a reason for them to lose. Since the Pure Rules Title shots are pretty much handed out, Kingston getting a pin, likely over Yuta, will keep the feud going. At the very least, we should be on the way to Final Battle for Kingston vs. Castagnoli, but since ROH takes it sweet time, we have to get through something like this on the way there. Kingston and Shibata win here.

Ring Of Honor TV Title: Samoa Joe(c) vs. Shane Taylor

So this is taking place on the AEW pay per view for reasons I do not fathom whatsoever. Taylor has wrestled two matches ever in AEW (both on Dark) and is basically a stranger unless you watch ROH. That doesn’t make for the most thrilling match, though Taylor did win a tournament to get the title shot. We have the potential for a heck of a hoss fight here, and if that is the case, we’ll be good to go.

There is no reason or Taylor to get the title back here so I’ll take Joe to retain. Joe has held the title for over a year at this point and could drop it at any time without losing any status, but I don’t think I can picture Taylor being the one to take the title from him. These guys are going to beat the fire out of each other and that should be a lot of fun, but Taylor doesn’t get the title.

Bryan Danielson vs. Ricky Starks

This is a strap match as the American Dragon is stepping in for Ricky The Dragon Steamboat after a slightly clever tricky contract signing. In this case, Danielson’s return feels like something of a way to calm the fans down after Punk was fired and he might be about as good of an option as there was. The strap thing has kind of been Starks’ thing in recent weeks, so at least there is an idea here.

This one could go either way, but I think I’ll go with Danielson winning, as he might become the face of Collision in a hurry. With nothing Blackpool Combat Club related during his Collision return, there is a chance that he is going to be doing something else. For now though, at least he is getting to be in a big match and while Starks needs the win (and I’m not convinced Big Bill won’t help him get it), losing to a returning Danielson is hardly some terrible result.

Ring Of Honor Tag Team Titles: Adam Cole/MJF(c) vs. Dark Order

Yes the Dark Order is getting a title shot on pay per view and I’m still not entirely sure why. In theory this is going to be followed by a Cole/MJF vs. the Kingdom showdown, though it wouldn’t have to be for the titles. The Dark Order has been needing some kind of a big win seemingly for years now and they at least have a chance at one here, though that might be a long shot at best.

I don’t see a reason for the champs to drop the titles here so I’ll go with MJF and Cole retaining. They already have something set up with the Kingdom and taking the titles from them here would take away a big aspect of their story. Also, at the end of the day, it’s hard to imagine the Dark Order actually winning anything that mattered, so we’ll go with the titles being retained.

Miro vs. Powerhouse Hobbs

This is one of the matches where what you see is what you get. You know what you are going to see from these two monsters hitting each other rather hard and that should make for a fun match. They’ve been out there brawling already and just the taste was fun, so letting us get the full version should be even more fun as it can go even longer than the first previews.

I could see either of them going over here, but Miro seems like he would be hurt more by a loss than Hobbs so I’ll take the former. While Hobbs has lost multiple times already and doesn’t need to again, a loss from Miro would seem to be quite the blow. What matters here is just having two monsters slugging away at each other and that should work out well. Miro wins though, but it’s a coin flip.

Bullet Club Gold vs. FTR/Young Bucks

This isn’t exactly a strong follow up to FTR vs. The Bucks at All In but if we’re not getting a title match, I guess this is about as good as we can have. There is a history between the Club and FTR and I could go for another title showdown between them, but I’m not sure if that is enough to carry an eight man tag. It could go either way, though the Bucks and FTR’s relationship is rocky at best and that could be a problem.

I’ll go with the Club winning here, as they should be in for another Tag Team Title shot to complete the trilogy. White and Robinson are a heck of a team and the Gunns are fine enough on their own. That should be enough to overcome FTR and the Bucks, who don’t really have anywhere to go if they win. The Club wins here, after things break down and everyone gets to go nuts.

TNT Title: Luchasaurus(c) vs. Darby Allin

This has been one of the most entertaining stories in AEW in recent months, as Christian Cage has been tearing it up as the delusional mastermind who things he is the real champion. Luchasaurus has barely been a factor as Cage’s disdain for all things dead fathers is rather entertaining. Allin just wants the title back because he had it before, and now we get quite the showdown.

As much as I could see Allin winning the title, I want Cage to keep up his delusions of grandeur and those can’t happen as well without the title. At some point Luchasaurus is going to snap and destroy Cage, but for now, Luchasaurus manages to retain the title, perhaps with Allin’s friend Nick Wayne turning on him. This could go either way, but hopefully it ends with Cage holding the title again.

Kenny Omega vs. Konosuke Takeshita

The more I see of Takeshita, the more talent he clearly has. He needs a big win over a top name and Omega would it that description, but I’m not sure I can imagine him actually beating someone as big as Omega. Takeshita already pinned him last weekend in a tag match, but there is a fine line between that and actually pinning him in a singles match, clean or not.

I’ll go with Takeshita winning here, as I don’t think we’re far enough into the story for Omega to get his big win. With Don Callis out there, Takeshita can get the win off some straight up cheating or maybe just a distraction. Either way, we should be in for one of the bigger matches on the show here and there is even a chance that this headlines the show, despite Callis taking the life out of anything he touches.

International Title: Orange Cassidy(c) vs. Jon Moxley

This has been treated as the biggest match on the show and it has the best chance of headlining the event. Cassidy has held the title for a LONG time now and it is time to either have him lose the thing or get the biggest win of his career over one of the biggest stars AEW has ever seen. This could go either way and they have been treating it as something serious, so some doors are certainly open here.

I’m torn on this one but I’ll go with Cassidy winning. While there is a grand total of no reason for him to keep the title, it would do a lot of damage to him if he loses the belt in his first match against a top challenger. Cassidy feels like someone AEW wants to move up to the next level, but that takes a big hit if he loses here. I could be entirely wrong and Moxley winning would make sense, but if AEW wants Cassidy to go a lot higher, he has to win here.

Overall Thoughts

This show does not feel like the best in the world and I’m not sure how much of a spark it is going to have. Now the good thing about that is the talent is there to make it work, even if a thirteen match card is still rather long. If the big matches can deliver and nothing is too bad, we could be in for a show that gets by its lackluster build. That is where AEW tends to shine, and maybe they can make it work again.

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So WWE has brought another of its shows out of mothballs and in a way, I like the idea of there not being a major theme. There is no big signature match or concept to the show, instead leaving it as just a show with matches. Now that being said, this show has not had the strongest build, with part of that being due to last week’s Smackdown being thrown off the rails after Bray Wyatt passed away. There isn’t much of a card to go over so far but let’s get to it.

Women’s World Title: Rhea Ripley(c) vs. Raquel Rodriguez

We’ll start out with the hoss fight as these two are going to be able to hit each other really hard. They aren’t exactly hiding about what this is supposed to be and that is a fine way to go. Sometimes you need to just present two powerhouses doing powerhouse things and that is exactly what we’re getting here. Ripley is a star but Rodriguez has risen to the occasion before so we should be in for some fun with this one.

That being said, as entertaining as the match might be, there is no reason to believe that Ripley’s title reign is in any serious danger. Ripley is looking like she could have the kind of record setting title reign that WWE has been using in recent years and while Rodriguez will get her reign one day, it isn’t going to be here. They’ll have a heck of a fight, but it won’t include a title change.

Tag Team Titles: Sami Zayn/Kevin Owens(c) vs. Judgment Day

This is a street fight and that should make for a fun match. Owens and Zayn can work a regular match but they can also do the wild brawling stuff rather well. It also helps that the Judgment Day can work that style as well, with Dominik Mysterio and perhaps JD McDonagh getting involved as well. At the same time though, you have the internal issues for the Judgment Day and things could get rather complicated rather fast.

Again I don’t see much of a reason to believe that the titles are going to change hands here, as Zayn and Owens have cooled off as champions, but I don’t think they’ve cooled off enough to lose. Judgment Day has to win something, but that briefcase Priest is carrying around makes the Tag Team Titles feel like a downgrade. Owens and Zayn retain here, but I’m not sure how much longer they’ll keep the belts.

United States Title: Rey Mysterio(c) vs. Austin Theory

Mysterio is in a more vulnerable place than most champions as he does not feel like anything resembling a long term champion. He is someone who could put someone else over at any time and Theory getting the title back is not completely out of the question. It makes for a more compelling match, but the fact that Mysterio beat him so easily a few weeks ago brings that back down.

I still can’t go with a new champion here though, as Mysterio retains and likely drops the title to Santos Escobar sooner than later. That is the story that has been set up and I don’t see much of a reason for anything else to happen. Theory has held the title for so long that it doesn’t make sense to put the belt back on him, as he is desperately in need of something new. Therefore he doesn’t win here, as Mysterio gets ready for his eventual showdown with Escobar.

LA Knight vs. The Miz

This has been built up on a string of promos and that is where both of them shine. The match gone from what felt like an easy win for Knight into something more personal as Miz has been in serious mode in the last few weeks. That can make for a good Miz feud and he has made it work well enough here. Now they just have to stick the landing and Knight can be well on his way.

So yeah of course there is no reason to believe that Miz wins here, as Knight is one of the hottest stars in WWE at the moment. He can move up the ladder a bit with a win here as he gets into title contention, with this kind of a win helping. What matters most is that Miz has been serious coming into it, which will make the win feel that much more important. This match doesn’t have to be great, but it needs to be good enough with Knight winning, and that should work out.

Becky Lynch vs. Trish Stratus

They’re inside a cage, which should be the end to this longer than necessary feud. However, that has been the case for a few months now and the thing just keeps going. I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt though as a cage match should be a sure fire way to wrap it up. Lynch has already taken out Zoey Stark as well, so they have a way to make this one work out.

Since there is no reason to believe that Stratus is sticking around after this one, I’ll take Lynch to win so she can move on to something else (like Tiffany Stratton for example). Unless they jump start some new feud way faster than necessary, this should be Lynch going over to finish Stratus off or good. The feud has lost steam, but having them get a good, dramatic and violent match here would be enough to get out of it as unscathed as possible. Lynch wins.

World Heavyweight Championship: Seth Rollins(c) vs. Shinsuke Nakamura

This is the only match that I can imagine headlining the show, but like most World Heavyweight Title matches so far, it feels like a glorified midcard title. Rollins is trying and they have enough of a feud, but this headlining the show doesn’t seem like the easiest move. It’s about all we have for now though and they should be able to have a good match in this slot.

As much as I would love Nakamura to win the title for once, there is no reason to believe that he is anything more than the challenger of the month in between Rollins’ bigger feuds. Rollins does have a bad back and that is going to need to be addressed sooner than later, but for now, Rollins wins. He also doesn’t have to deal with Money In The Bank just yet, as they haven’t ignored it long enough to have Priest cash it in.

Overall Thoughts

And that’s the show for now. It’s a six match card as of the end of Smackdown and that isn’t exactly feeling like something major. There is also Cody Rhodes on the Grayson Waller Effect and John Cena as the guest host, and it wouldn’t shock me to see Cena and Rhodes cross paths. The show needs something else and setting up a potential Rhodes vs. Cena showdown could work. Odds are we get a bonus match somewhere, but there isn’t much that can be done to hide how much of a C-list show this really is.

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

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We’re up to one of the biggest events on the WWE calendar as it’s another stadium show in Detroit. As has been the case in Summerslams of yore, there isn’t one match that really stands above the others. Odds are Roman Reigns vs. Jey Uso for the WWE Universal Title will headline, but there is at least one other option, which makes for a top heavy show. Let’s get to it.

Logan Paul vs. Ricochet

We’ll start with a match that is here to be a spectacle and nothing more. You have a pair of athletic marvels here and those are the kind of stars who can put on one heck of a showcase if given the chance. That is what they are going to get here, and the fact that Paul has done so well so far in his WWE career has me interested in seeing what they can put together here.

As much as I’d like to see Ricochet win, this one almost has to go to Paul. He hasn’t won a singles match since last Summerslam and that is going to have to change soon. Ricochet is a name but he isn’t someone with some kind of perfect resume that would be crushed with a loss. This is going to be all about putting together a highlight reel and if they don’t get too crazy, this should be a blast with Paul winning in the end.

Shayna Baszler vs. Ronda Rousey

This is under MMA rules, though we still don’t exactly know what that means. The interesting thing here is that Rousey is likely done with WWE in the near future, which should give you a good idea of where this is going. The hype for this video has done a great job of humanizing Baszler and that could make things a lot better for her going forward. You know, because she’ll be around.

I’ll go with Baszler here, as there is no reason to put Rousey over if she is on her way out of the company. It would be nice to have Baszler finally get a big win and then hopefully move into the title picture. The rules should make things a bit more interesting, but at the end of the day, this needs to be Baszler getting the biggest win of her career, which is long overdue to say the least.

Raw World Title: Seth Rollins(c) vs. Finn Balor

This one has me more interested than I would have expected and that is due to a mixture of Balor and Damian Priest. While Balor winning the title is not out of the question, WWE has set up the idea of Priest cashing in the Money In The Bank briefcase. While that is regularly done without going anywhere, it would be great to pull the trigger on the thing and get rid of it. But what happens with the title?

I think I’ll actually take Balor to win the title here, as WWE has built him up as a big enough threat to become champion that he almost has to win it here. That being said, I don’t think Priest cashes in here, but I do think he’ll do it soon. Either Balor or Priest feels destined to turn face soon and Balor winning the title would be a big step there if done in a certain way. Rollins very well may leave with the title, but Balor feels like the right move here.

Slim Jim Battle Royal

Now this one is extra tricky because we only know about half of the twenty five entrants. That means there is always the chance of a surprise entrant taking the whole thing, but for now we’ll have to settle on twelve entrants. There hasn’t been a ton of focus on this match, but that is kind of how a battle royal has to go most of the time. One name in particular stands out, though it wouldn’t stun me to see WWE go another way.

In my prediction sure to go wrong, I have a feeling that instead of LA Knight winning, as would make sense, Grayson Waller gets the nod instead. It would be very WWE to have him pick up the surprise win and then brag about it forever, even if Knight needs the win a lot more than anyone else right now. Knight being eliminated from a battle royal isn’t some death knell, but Waller winning would be a huge boost for him. I hope I’m wrong, but Waller winning feels like a real possibility.

Intercontinental Title: Gunther(c) vs. Drew McIntyre

This one has some extra weight to it, as Gunther winning could almost guarantee that he breaks Honky Tonk Man’s all time record for longest title reign (about five weeks away). McIntyre is probably the last big name standing to try to prevent him from braking the record and it would absolutely not be out of the question to see the title change hands here. I’m just not sure it’s going to.

It’s kind of hard to imagine WWE getting this close to Honky Tonk Man’s record and then just hitting the breaks a little over a month out. While it’s weird to think that McIntyre came back to lose in his first major match, that makes more sense here as Gunther can retain and move on into September to take the all time record. This should be a very hard hitting fight, but Gunther retains. I think. As he should. I think.

Smackdown Women’s Title: Asuka(c) vs. Charlotte vs. Bianca Belair

This is a match that got a lot more attention on Smackdown and that is a good thing. The build for this has been a bit all over the place, but the gist of the whole thing has been that everyone wants the title and to be the best. That is how wrestling is supposed to work and in that sense, it has gone rather well. In the other sense, it is a match that could go in any direction, which is always a good thing. The fact that I have almost no idea who leaves with the title makes it that much better.

I think I’ll actually go with Asuka to retain here, in an overdue win. Charlotte winning the title would be the most cliched result imaginable, which means it is a rather strong possibility. Belair winning would make sense given that she has been more aggressive as of late, which would make a title win all the more logical. That leaves Asuka, who would seem likely to lose, but by WWE logic, I’ll take her winning and retaining. Makes sense right?

Brock Lesnar vs. Cody Rhodes

It’s the rubber match between these two and oddly enough there is no stipulation. This match has felt like it needed to be something violent so the two of them could go to war, but it wouldn’t surprise me to see the rules lightened up at last a little bit. Either way, it should be a heck of a test for Rhodes, who needs another big win to get him back to the main event scene.

I can’t picture a result where this goes to Lesnar so I’ll take Rhodes instead. It makes all the sense in the world for Rhodes to win here, as Lesnar is likely going away again until Wrestlemania season. Rhodes on the other hand could very well be back in the World Title picture after a win. Give this one to Rhodes and let him get the boost, which seems to be the entire point of the feud (not a bad idea at all).

Smackdown World Title: Roman Reigns(c) vs. Jey Uso

This is Tribal Combat, which seems to mean Street Fight. It’s also the latest big step in the Bloodline Saga, and in this case, you can all but guarantee that Jimmy Uso is going to return here. That makes the question what Jimmy does and how it will impact the ending, as you almost have to imagine it going in that direction. At the same time though, there is another direction that is hard to fathom as well.

No matter what though, I can’t imagine Jey wins the title here. It is just hard to imagine him actually winning the title, no matter what story is being told. It’s going to be a heck off a fight with both of them working and he weapons evening things out a bit but this it Reigns and I don’t think that will be the biggest surprise. Jey has been playing with the house’s money for a long time now and he will do it again here, even as he loses.

Overall Thoughts

The more I look at this card, the more interested I am in seeing the show. There are a lot of matches on the card that have me curious and that is a nice feeling to have. There is a little bit of everything on the show and that should make for a good Summerslam. The show has an up and down history over the years but there is a real chance that this show brings the quality.

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NXT is back on the road as these trips are starting to be a big more frequent. This time the show is around Austin, Texas and we have a pretty strong card. The main event will see NXT Champion Carmelo Hayes defending against Ilja Dragunov, which should make for a big fight feel. Other than that we have a lot of title matches, including Dominik Mysterio in action, so let’s get to it.

Kickoff Show: Dragon Lee/Nathan Frazer/Yulisa Leon/Valentina Feroz vs. Meta Four

Now this is how you Kickoff Show, as it’s one match with a lot of people running around, which should make for a nice way to get the crowd going. I’ve never been a big fan of the giant Kickoff Shows with multiple matches, especially when the show itself is only seven matches. This is a feud that has been going on rather quietly but could make for a good start to the night.

While the Meta Four winning seems like the more logical way to go, I’m rarely a fan of starting things off with a heel winning so we’ll go with Lee and company getting the pin. The good thing about an eight person tag is there will be someone there who can take a fall without getting hurt to keep the feud going. This should be a relatively light match and that’s how a show should start, including with the villains losing.

Baron Corbin vs. Gable Steveson

After nearly two years of waiting, Steveson FINALLY makes his in-ring debut, even if it might be one of his only matches before he heads back to amateur wrestling. This is a good example of a match that needs to be a degree of difficulty of five (or less) and an execution of ten rather than the other way around. Steveson needs to look crisp and effective rather than trying to do something too complicated and falling on his face. If he can do that, this will be a success.

And yes, of course Steveson wins, as you don’t bring Corbin in to give him a victory in a spot like this. Corbin is there to walk Steveson through the match and that is something he can do well. This is ALL about Steveson and if Corbin can work some magic here and make him look good, it will be a success. Just don’t try to do too much and this could work, but it needs to work very well.

Tag Team Titles: Gallus(c) vs. Tony D’Angelo/Stacks

It took me time to think of who held the titles at the moment. Beyond that, I couldn’t tell you a thing about Gallus’ reign, which has almost reached SIX MONTHS. It says a lot that the NXT tag division, which used to be a large chunk of its backbone, has fallen this far, but here we are. The titles have very little value at the moment and it is pretty clear that something needs to changel.

I’ll go with D’Angelo and Stacks to take the titles from Gallus here. Gallus has been almost ice cold as champions and there is no reason to keep the titles on them any longer. The division isn’t what it used to be, but D’Angelo and Stacks are more than good enough to get the belts here. If nothing else, they need to for the sake of breathing some life back into the championships already.

Roxanne Perez vs. Blair Davenport

This is a Weapons Wild match, because we needed another name for Street Fight. Perez has been on quite the downward slide in recent months and probably needs this win a lot more than Davenport at the moment. However, Davenport is still the new star on the block and it would make a lot of sense to give her the win on the bigger stage as she hasn’t had that kind of success just yet.

In kind of a hard decision, I’m going to go with Davenport, as I think she is going to get more out of a win and a sustained push at the moment. Perez is someone who has already gotten the title reign and special moment. While Perez needs the win more, she can also absorb a loss a bit better, which puts her in a weird position. As strange as it is, I’ll go with Davenport, but this could be either of them.

North American Title: Dominik Mysterio(c) vs. Mustafa Ali vs. Wes Lee

This is a lot trickier than I thought, as it is a result that depends on where WWE wants to go next. On one hand, you could have Ali win and get his big moment….and we’ll write that off right now, because I just can’t picture it happening. That leaves us with two realistic options and I could actually see this going in either direction, which makes the match more interesting.

That being said, there is a grand total of NO reason to take the title from Mysterio here. He is getting WAY more mileage out of a title that doesn’t have a ton of value on the main roster and that is a great thing to see. Mysterio is more or less the modern day Honky Tonk Man with the title and Lee doesn’t need to get the title back anytime soon. Let Mysterio milk the heck out of the thing, starting with him retaining here.

Women’s Title: Tiffany Stratton(c) vs. Thea Hail

They’ve put themselves into a weird place here as the stakes are almost too stacked against Stratton. It’s a submission match and Hail has turned into a mini submission master, while Hail has only talked about introducing a submission move. Maybe they have a plan for this, but it would be almost weird to see the title change hands in this case, as the field is tilted so much towards Hail.

I’ll go with Stratton retaining here, even though Hail losing again is going to hurt her a lot. There is a chance that this is some kind of screwy finish, where Hail has to give up to save someone else, though I have no idea how that would be set up. I’d love to see Hail win the title and FINALLY give Chase U something to brag about, but I don’t think it happens here, nor should it.

NXT Title: Carmelo Hayes(c) vs. Ilja Dragunov

While the reason for the match is pretty basic, there is a lot to be said about having Dragunov in this spot. Dragunov is the definition of someone you just want to watch because it feels like he is leaving everything in the ring every time he is out there. You can imagine what he is going to do when he is on perhaps the biggest stage he has ever been on. That being said, I’m not sure it means he wins the title.

This is the trickiest decision of the show, as both options are very viable. Hayes hasn’t really felt like one of the great NXT Champions yet, but it’s almost hard to imagine Dragunov losing. I’ll take Hayes to win, but I’m not convinced this is the end of the story. Hayes needs the win more and will get more out of it, though Dragunov taking the title would not shock me in the slightest.

Overall Thoughts

The more I look at this show, the more interested I am in seeing the show. I’m not seeing some instant classic or all time show here, but I’m seeing a potentially strong show that makes everyone involved look good. There is still no reason to compare these shows to the Takeover series because it’s not the same thing, but we could be in for a very entertaining two and a half or so hours of wrestling, which I would certainly call a success.

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We’re back to one of WWE’s signature shows but this time they have taken it overseas to London (I think it’s in Paraguay) to spice it up a bit. As usual there are two namesake ladder matches but in this case we also have the Bloodline Civil War and some other stuff that probably won’t feel anywhere near as important. The show will certainly be a big one so let’s get to it.

Intercontinental Title: Gunther(c) vs. Matt Riddle

Gunther is in a weird place as while he is only a few months ago from breaking the all time record for longest Intercontinental Title reigns but it doesn’t feel like this must reach achievement. Gunther has long since been established as a big star and even losing the title won’t particularly hurt him. It might not be what happens here, but it’s something that feels like it’s possible.

Now that being said, no I won’t pick Riddle to dethrone the monster here as it doesn’t feel like the right change. Riddle has been built back up a bit as a serious fighter and the MMA stuff could give Gunther trouble, but ultimately this feels like a way for Gunther to get another nice win on his resume as the roster continues to be cleared out on the way to….whatever is next for him. Gunther retains, as he should.

Women’s Tag Team Titles; Ronda Rousey/Shayna Baszler vs. Raquel Rodriguez/Liv Morgan

This is a match that could go either way, though that might not be a good thing. Rousey and Baszler feel like a team who could dominate the division for a long time to come, but WWE LOVES itself some thrown together teams ala Rodriguez and Morgan. They only lost the titles in the first place so putting the titles back on them here would hardly be some big shock.

Perhaps for the sake of my own sanity, I’ll go with the champs retaining here. Rousey and Baszler haven’t even had the titles for a month and I would hope they don’t lose them to the combined forces of Rodriguez’s back and Morgan’s spunkiness. The villains winning here makes sense and dethroning them this soon would feel like a really bad idea. That makes me think I’m wrong, but I’ll hope that the champions retain.

World Heavyweight Title: Seth Rollins(c) vs. Finn Balor

Here we have a rather WWE dilemma: do you go with the title change that makes Balor a star all over again and give him the chance that he never really had, or do you stick with the guy who makes the crowd “sing” and has a gimmick that is so odd that it really can’t be explained? I think you know where this is going and unfortunately there isn’t much of a way around it.

Rollins retains here, as for some reason that weird conducting the crowd deal is one of the biggest things in WWE at the moment. I’m not sure what the point of the whole thing is, but the fans being into it is at least a sign that they’re doing something right. Unfortunately that means Balor continues to spin his wheels, even as they close one of the bigger stories that he has had in WWE.

Women’s Money In The Bank Ladder Match: Becky Lynch vs. Trish Stratus vs. Zoey Stark vs. Zelina Vega vs. Bayley vs. Iyo Sky

As is usually the case with these things, we’ll go with a process of elimination. First of all, we’ll drop Stark, Bayley and Vega. While the latter is at best a dark horse underdog, Bayley and Stark just aren’t winning the thing and shouldn’t. That leaves us with four options, and it’s hard to imagine Stratus getting there either. Therefore, it’s down to Lynch and Sky and that opens up some doors.

I’m going with Sky here, as the women’s division is in serious need of some fresh blood other than Rhea Ripley. The Horsewomen are WAY past their peaks, Bianca Belair has been the top star for so long that she needs a replacement, and Asuka can only carry things for so long. They need someone fresh and Sky would fit that bill. As a bonus, Bayley can get annoyed at Sky for winning the briefcase and their issues can continue. Sky wins here, as she should.

Men’s Money In The Bank Ladder Match: LA Knight vs. Logan Paul vs. Santos Escobar vs. Butch vs. Ricochet vs. Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Damian Priest

This is a trickier one as there are more options for potential winners. Again, we’ll take out some people who just aren’t going to win, meaning Butch, Ricochet, Nakamura and probably Escobar are out. That leaves us with three options, which has kind of been the case for the last few weeks. In other words, it depends on if you want to go with the logical choice, the people’s choice, or the “HE’LL GET VIEWS” choice.

I want this to be Knight and it almost NEEDS to be him. Knight’s reactions have been growing bigger and bigger and at some point, WWE needs to pull the trigger on someone that hot, being 40 years old or not. I’ll hope beyond hope that they do, but Priest makes some sense as well given his recent history with Rollins and Paul is Paul. Those are some solid options, but this would/could/should be Knight so we’ll go that way.

Roman Reigns/Solo Sikoa vs. Usos

And now for the real main event, despite WWE announcing something else as the main event. The Bloodline story has dominated WWE for a very long time now and it is almost impossible to imagine that anything else is going to be nearly as important. This story has gotten one huge reaction after another and this is a showdown that has been built up for a long time. But someone has to win.

There is absolutely no reason for the Usos to lose here so we’ll go with that. The Bloodline is falling apart right in front of your eyes and Reigns has to lose everything before the end. I don’t think that involves him taking the fall here, but Sikoa getting pinned and earning a yelling from Reigns before they split as well makes sense. This is all about the Usos, and they’ll go over in the end.

Dominik Mysterio vs. Cody Rhodes

Well not really the end because THIS is the main event due to reasons that should makes sense later. This is giving me a Kurt Angle vs. Mark Henry from the 2006 Royal Rumble vibe, as the only reason for the match to headline is for something screwy to happen. That something is likely to be from the king of “here he is to end the show” and I think you know where this is going.

I’ll take Mysterio to win here, as a mixture of the crowd hating him so much and Brock Lesnar returning to screw Rhodes over would fit nicely. Rhodes vs. Lesnar III has to be set up and that can be done with one heck of a massacre to end the show. Rhodes flat out told Lesnar where to come to fight him again so Rhodes will have no one to blame but himself. Lesnar interferes and gives Mysterio the win to end the show, because Lesnar is more important than anything else. Again.

Overall Thoughts

As much as I can’t stand the build towards Money In The Bank most years (though this year’s has been a notable improvement), the show has a tendency to be good. The ladder matches will both work by definition and some of the other stuff involved should hold up as well. If that is the case on both ends we will be in for a strong night as the Road To Summerslam can begin almost immediately.

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

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It’s time for one of the more unique shows of the year, as AEW and New Japan get together for another Forbidden Door (which does not seem to actually be forbidden in any way). This one has been built up a bit better than last year and the top of the card looks rather strong. If it is anywhere close to as good as the original show, we should be in for a nice night. Let’s get to it.

Zero Hour: Mogul Embassy vs. Roppongi Vice/El Desperado

This is one of three matches that were added to Zero Hour this week on Collision. The Embassy has been treated as something of value on Ring Of Honor and it would be nice to see Swerve Strickland getting a bit more of a high profile win. Vice is a team who has been around in a variety of forms so having them around makes some sense. Desperado is a wild card, but that seems to be the point.

I’ll take the Embassy to win, even though the Gates of Agony notoriously never win anything of note. Maybe it’s different if they are in a six man match, but it is one of those random matches that could go either way. Hopefully Strickland gets a dominant pin over a member of Vice as it would be the most beneficial long term, even if the Gates continue to be rather dull.

Zero Hour: El Phantasmo vs. Stu Grayson

Grayson hasn’t been around AEW much lately but when he is given the chance, especially away from the Dark Order, he can put on quite the show. Phantasmo is a bigger star of course and in a better place, making this kind of a strange choice to put on the card. Hopefully they can make something work out of this, despite what is likely to be a limited amount of time.

Phantasmo wins here, as Grayson isn’t going to win here when he can barely get on AEW TV most of the time. This feels like a way to get Phantasmo in front of the audience and Grayson is the one who was selected to be out there too. The match should be fairly good if Grayson is trying to get some focus on himself and if that is the case, we should be in for something fun.

Zero Hour: United Empire vs. Los Ingobernables de Japon

So this seems to be a showcase match for New Japan stars and that should be fine. Kyle Fletcher and Jeff Cobb are regular enough in AEW so at least commentary will have something to talk about. At the same time, Los Ingobernables haven’t been around lately but the talent will be more than enough to carry things forward, as the story isn’t the point to this one.

I’ll go with the Empire to win here as they have been around more frequently, but if there is one match on here where either would win with either making that much of a difference, it would be this one. If these guys get ten minutes or so, everything should be fine, as there is more than enough talent in there to fill in pretty much whatever amount of time that they are given. But yeah, the Empire wins here.

Zero Hour: Women’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournament First Round: Athena vs. Billie Starkz

This is one of the matches that has some importance going forward and it is probably the one that has the least interest as far as who wins. It is almost hard to fathom this going any other way, but I’m hoping that we get the Athena who has been tearing up Ring Of Honor in recent weeks. If nothing else, the tournament works if we can see more of Athena on a bigger show.

Of course Athena wins here, as she is already a champion coming in and is up against a 18 year old rookie who hasn’t done much around here so far. This should be all about Athena running over Starkz until she gets to advance. Hopefully the match is there to get Athena over, as she is more than ready to move up into the big leagues of the women’s titles, assuming they can find someone who can take the title from her. For now though, Athena wins here and does so handily.

IWGP World Title: Sanada(c) vs. Jungle Boy

This feels like a match that is there to further a bigger story. Jungle Boy may have been in the World Title match last month but in no way does he feel like a serious threat to beat Sanada here. Instead, it feels like another place where he can come up short and further what seems to be a much needed heel turn. AEW hasn’t exactly been trying to hide his long at best shot and that is the right way to go.

So yeah, naturally this is Sanada winning, though Jungle Boy should be able to get in some stuff of his own. There is nothing to suggest that Jungle Boy is going to come close to winning so it is more about letting the two of them have a nice match before getting to the only possible option. That is the right way to go in this place and having the title on the show is a big deal on its own.

Men’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournament First Round: CM Punk vs. Satoshi Kojima

We’ll keep going with the obvious results here, as this is little more than a way for Punk to get back in the ring and get the first singles win of his comeback against a legend. Punk has only been back for two shows so far and while he has been in some multi-man tag matches, he has to have some singles matches at some point to really make it feel like he is back.

In case you didn’t get the idea, Punk wins here, albeit after Kojima gives him a heck of a match. Kojima is certainly a name and a very accomplished one at that, but Punk is one of the biggest stars in AEW at the moment and giving him the win is not only the right way to go, but pretty much the only logical choice. Being in the ring with Kojima will likely be a cool moment for Punk, and having him win will be a nice bonus.

Adam Cole vs. Tom Lawlor

This is another match that was added at almost the last minute but at least Lawlor attacked him on Rampage. That at least puts it ahead of the matches that had no build whatsoever other than an announcement so things are a step up. In this case, Cole is gearing up for his World Title shot against Maxwell Jacob Friedman and gets to face someone who should be in a higher profile company than he already is.

In what could be a hidden gem on the show, Cole wins here, and hopefully Lawlor does well enough to get a job, or at least one down the line, as a result. Lawlor is someone who has done well pretty much everywhere I’ve seen him go and it would be nice to see him in AEW more often. For now though, he can be a nice win for Cole, who is on his way to bigger and better things.

Le Suzuki Gods vs. Sting/Darby Allin/Tetsuya Naito

Naito was the mystery partner for Sting and Allin and definitely adds some New Japan star power to the match. This is much more about Sting vs. Jericho and Allin vs. Guevara, with Suzuki and Naito there as well. The good thing about a six man tag is that you can get some different combinations in there, which could even include the bizarre option of Sting vs. Suzuki.

Much like the IWGP World Title match, this feels like a means to an end but we could be in for some interesting things here as the good guys win. The Jericho vs. Sting showdown is bound to happen and it would not shock me to see them go one on one (or two on two) at All In in London in about two months. For now though, we should be in for one of those zany tag matches that AEW knows how to make work very well.

AEW Women’s Title: Toni Storm(c) vs. Willow Nightingale

This is where what happens to Nightingale is one of the most frustrating things in AEW, as she has to actually win something at some point. While she has already advanced in the Owen Hart tournament and is the NJPW Strong Women’s Champion, she needs to win one of the two women’s titles in AEW. While that is a possibility here, I’m not sure I can imagine it actually happening.

As much as I want it to go the other way, I can’t imagine taking the title off of Storm so soon. Jamie Hayter returning to get the title from Storm (say, in London) would make the most sense and the Outcasts can interfere to give Nightingale an out. Nightingale still needs that big win and she can get it one day, but for now, it’s Storm defeating another champion to retain her own title.

AEW World Title: Maxwell Jacob Friedman vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi

Now stop me if you’ve heard this one before, but I’m not sure how much question there is here about who is leaving with the title. It’s the biggest issue with this show, but that shouldn’t stop them from having a solid match on the way. Friedman has shown that he can do very well in the ring under the right circumstances and Tanahashi is Tanahashi, so this this should work.

But yeah, Friedman wins here, likely with Cole getting involved in some way so he can take the title from Friedman down the line (or something similar). Tanahashi is one of those legends who can be put out there for one loss after another without any kind of a problem and that is what he is going to do here. At the same time, Friedman can brag about beating one of the best ever (and you know he will) so this is a rather logical idea.

International Title: Orange Cassidy(c) vs. Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Katsuyori Shibata vs. Daniel Garcia

We’re at a weird point for Cassidy’s title reign, as he has held the title for eight months and a good chunk of that has been spent on “he’s so tired and banged up that he can’t possibly retain the title much longer”. Then he just does it, beating one challenger after another. In theory he is being built up for someone to look like a huge deal when they finally take the title from him, but that has to actually happen at some point.

As ready as I am for Cassidy to lose the title already, odds are he retains here, as Shibata and Sabre Jr. already have titles and Cassidy already beat Garcia last month. If nothing else, Cassidy losing the title feels a lot better in a one on one showdown, and odds are he gets to retain again here. Sabre getting to torture some people will make it worth a look, but it’s Cassidy keeping the title.

Blackpool Combat Club/Konosuke Takeshita/Shota Umino vs. Elite/Eddie Kingston/Tomohiro Ishii

This is the big showdown match as the blood feud between the two sides continues. While Takeshita isn’t part of the Club, he certainly has the same enemies and that is enough to keep him in this kind of a feud. This one is going to be about violence and carnage as we get closer to what is likely Kingston challenging Claudio Castagnoli for the Ring Of Honor World Title next month. And some guest stars to keep up the theme of the show.

After Anarchy in the Arena, this needs to go to the Elite and company, likely with Umino or Wheeler Yuta taking the fall. Or they can just go for the obvious ending with Ishii pinning Castagnoli to set up the Death Before Dishonor match. Either way, there are going to be a lot of people involved and it will probably fall into chaos about halfway through, which is about all you can expect.

IWGP United States Title: Kenny Omega(c) vs. Will Ospreay

This is a rematch from a huge Wrestle Kingdom match which went very well (though I didn’t grade it as highly as some did). There is a real chance that it headlines the show and if it is similar to what we got on Dynamite with these two, I wouldn’t be opposed. Omega is capable of looking like an absolute star and Ospreay can hang with anyone in the world. Let these two go nuts and it should be a lot of fun.

As for a winner….it’s hard to imagine Omega going up 2-0, especially with Don Callis anywhere nearby. This should go to Ospreay to even the series and then they can do their big rubber match in Japan (or England). These two are going to beat the fire out of each other and it should be an awesome showdown, but Ospreay wins here to even the score and take away one of the main things Omega has at the moment.

Kazuchika Okada vs. Bryan Danielson

As big as some of the other matches are, come on. This is the definition of a dream match as perhaps the best in Japan is facing perhaps the best in the United States (and on neutral ground). It’s a match where the names alone make the show feel that awesome and it is almost impossible for this to not be good. Just let them do whatever they want and it should be a main event caliber match.

Then we get to the hard part, as this is pretty much a coin flip. I’ll go with Danielson winning as he is the closer to a home country star, but it really could go either way. Either way, despite Danielson being a heel coming in, there is a good chance that he is going to be cheered out of the building by the end. This is the kind of match that should headline a show and there is a very good chance that it will, with Danielson winning (I guess).

Overall Thoughts

Forbidden Door really is one of the weirdest shows that you see all year and that makes it all the more interesting. New Japan isn’t being treated as a bunch of invaders and only a few of the matches really have personal issues. Instead, this is about proving who is better and we could have some outstanding matches on the way there. It will be nice to get back to the focus being only on AEW, but for a one night event, we could be in for a classic here.

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

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AND

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

We’re back on pay per view for AEW and that should make for a good night. The best thing about AEW’s pay per views is you can almost guarantee that these things will work more often than not. At the moment, the card has ten matches announced, which should at least let things breathe a little bit. Now just keep it that way until we’re ready to go. Let’s get to it.

Buy In: Ethan Page/The Gunns vs. Hardys/Hook

This is part of the somehow still going Ethan Page vs. Matt Hardy feud but this time Matt can reverse everything by getting Page’s contract. While I have absolutely no reason to be interested in this story, which was only so good in the first place, keep going in the opposite direction, there is almost no way the Hardys are losing here in Jeff’s big return match after the hiatus.

So yeah, there’s no reason to hide the idea that this is going to be in doubt. With Hook added in, this shouldn’t be anything more than a quick destruction by the heroes (Jeff being a hero is a stretch in the first place but work with me here). Let the fans cheer for the Hardys again and let Page get humiliated so we can keep going with the contract stuff, because that’s what you think of with the Hardys. As in the team who wins here.

Women’s Title: Jamie Hayter(c) vs. Toni Storm

Here we have the latest match in the Outcasts vs. whatever the non-Outcasts are called, but there is a big red flag with the whole thing. In this case, Hayter’s storyline shoulder injury is legitimate (or at least some sort of injury she is dealing with is) and that makes me wonder if she is going to have to drop the title as a result. That opens up a big door, and now we get to see where it goes.

I’ll take Storm to win here, on a mixture of the injury and the Outcasts needing to actually win something makes the title change more likely. While it might not be the most thrilling story, the Outcasts seem to be sticking around and as good as she is, Hayter is fairly cold as champion at the moment. Storm doesn’t have to be the next big, long term champion, but her team needs the win here.

Trios Titles: House Of Black(c) vs. ???/???/???

So we’ll get the easy part out of the way here: barring a big surprise, there is no reason to believe that this will be anyone but Billy Gunn and the Acclaimed challenging for the titles. That might not be the most thrilling title match, but it isn’t like there are very many legitimate challengers to come after the belts right now. The Acclaimed and Gunn make sense and at least they have something to do here.

In theory though, that something to do would involve losing, as I can’t imagine the House losing the titles so soon. They are an established trio and they have their big House Rules deal going on. While I don’t know how long that is going to go, it would be weird to have them lose here. At the same time, AEW has shown that they have no issues with having Acclaimed and Gunn lose, so I think that’s what happens here too.

Adam Cole vs. Chris Jericho

This is an unsanctioned match, which of course had a contract signing this week on Dynamite. It also had Sabu on Dynamite, because he’ll be there as the enforcer. I’ll leave the various questions I have about that situation for now and just hope that Cole can have his first big match back with Jericho. That should work out well for the two of them, as it is at least coming in off a hot angle with Britt Baker a few weeks back.

I’ll go with Cole winning here, as there is no real reason for Jericho to win here. Cole is fresh off his return from injury and has a personal issue to deal with, while Jericho is just kind of doing his thing at the moment. Above all else, what this needs to be is a one off match, as there is no reason for this to be dragged out for any longer than this week. Just let Cole get his win and move on, because that is what makes sense here.

TBS Title: Jade Cargill(c) vs. Taya Valkyrie

Ok so now we have something interesting here, as for one of the only times in far too long, Cargill feels like she might be in danger. Valkyrie is someone who can match up with her physically and now that the Road To Valhalla is legal, there is a chance that Valkyrie takes the title here. I’m not sure that she will, but the fact that there is even some actual drama here is a great sign.

Now do they actually change the title here? I….egads I’m not sure but I don’t think they’re going to pull the trigger on Cargill losing just yet. Instead, hopefully this is the kind of match that gives Cargill a test and makes her work a lot harder than usual to retain the title. While Cargill needs to lose already so she can move on, this should give her enough credibility to do the same stuff she has been doing for a few months now. Cargill wins, even though I wish she wouldn’t.

International Title: Blackjack Battle Royal

When I think of this match, the first thing I think of is the most obvious thing: AJ Lee skipping around with the Divas Title in her Chuck Taylor’s. Back in 2014, she won a 14 Divas match at Wrestlemania XXX and retained her title, only to lose the title the next night to the debuting Paige. While I don’t think the details are going to be about the same with Orange Cassidy, I do think it is going to be similar.

In other words, I think Cassidy wins here and then moves on to Dynamite where he gets crushed by someone like Powerhouse Hobbs to end the plucky champion story for good. As tends to be the case in a battle royal, there are only about five people here who are viable winners for the match, but AEW has to battle royal somewhere in there. For now though, Cassidy wins, but doesn’t hold the title much longer.

Tag Team Titles: FTR(c) vs. Jeff Jarrett/Jay Lethal

So now we have this, as Mark Briscoe is stuck in the middle of his friends as the guest referee. Since AEW’s tag division (and Trios division) has fallen into the abyss in recent months, seeing Jarrett and Lethal as the challengers again isn’t the big of a surprise. They’re a talented team in the ring, but they aren’t exactly someone I’m going to rush out to see. Therefore the drama is from Briscoe, and that’s about all there is here.

For the life of me I can’t imaging Jarrett actually winning a title in AEW so I’ll say FTR retains here. They’re freshly back and even though there aren’t many teams for them to face at the moment. For now, it’s pretty much going to be stuff like this and while the farm segment was funny, it’s not exactly enough to get my interest going. FTR retains here, and hopefully finds a good team to face in the future.

TNT Title: Wardlow(c) vs. Christian Cage

Say it with me: it’s a ladder match, because that’s what Cage did twenty years ago so that’s what he’s going to be doing now. I’m not sure why this needs to be a ladder match other than Cage is involved and it lets us have a ladder match on the show (because we need to have one every so often), but here we are anyway. Cage is still possibly the best heel in the company but Wardlow losing the title again would be an absolutely idiotic idea right now.

I’ll go with Wardlow here, as there is almost no reason to have him lose AGAIN after getting the title back just a few weeks ago. Wardlow has lost the title in short order far too often and doing it again would put him right back on the treadmill. Let him do his thing here and beat up Cage, who hopefully doesn’t try to do anything too stupid here. If nothing else, Luchasaurus can be Wardlow’s next opponent, as he should retain the title in this case.

AEW World Title: Maxwell Jacob Friedman(c) vs. Sammy Guevara vs. Jungle Boy vs. Darby Allin

This is the match that has been built up for about six weeks now and it just isn’t working. At the end of the day, the Four Pillars idea feels like something that they came up with years ago, forgot about, and picked up again for the sake of a title match. Friedman destroyed Guevara by pointing out that he has been Jericho’s lackey for two years now and Jungle Boy just isn’t a World Title contender at the moment. In other words, it should be a singles match but here we are anyway.

I don’t see any viable option here other than going with Friedman retaining and hopefully getting on to someone else who might feel like a challenge. Friedman has been trying as hard as he can here, but ultimately there just isn’t much to work with here as the Pillars concept isn’t working. It certainly isn’t a bad idea for a match, but having it be anything but a TV main event or a midcard match doesn’t feel right. The champ retains here, almost out of necessity.

Blackpool Combat Club vs. Elite

Like it or not, this is the top story in AEW at the moment and this is the match that needs to headline the show. It’s Anarchy in the Arena, which means it is going to be a huge fiasco and hard to keep track of anything, but that is kind of what AEW loves to do in these things. It certainly won’t be dull, but it is going to be all over the place in what I guess qualifies as a good way.

The winner here almost doesn’t matter as it is going to wind up being even more drama between the groups, but I’ll take the Club as they don’t need to be losing a big match. If nothing else, there is always the chance that Don Callis is going to do something here to cost the Elite. I’m not sure how easy it is going to be to keep track of, but in the end, the Club wins to end the night.

Overall Thoughts

The first thing I see when I look at this card is that it doesn’t feel overly crammed full of stuff. A nine match pay per view card with a one match Kickoff Show is not going too far and that is nice to see. Hopefully the show can live up to AEW’s pay per view reputation, which is quite the standard to reach. If the show is as solid as it looks on paper, we should be in for a rather nice night, as tends to be the case around here.

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

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It’s time to go back on the road as NXT is on its way to (just outside of) Boston for Battleground. NXT is in a weird place as the roster was gutted by the Draft with all kinds of wrestlers being called up. The good thing is that there are still quite a few talented stars around here and now we should be getting to see a solid match this time around. NXT tends to rise to the occasion and hopefully they can do it outside of Orlando as well. Let’s get to it.

Tag Team Titles: Gallus(c) vs. Creed Brothers

We’ll start here with a match that was made earlier this week. Gallus is turning into a good bar fighting team who can brawl with anyone and that is what they need to do most of the time. On the other hand, the Creeds continue to look ready to move up to the next level. Well at least Julius, who has the potential to be an absolute star given all of his natural gifts. Brutus is good, but Julius is the star no matter what.

I think I’ll take Gallus to retain here, as the Creeds have already held the belts and don’t need to take them from Gallus. While Gallus is already established, they could use another win over former champions like the Creeds. Either way, it seems like Stacks and…well assuming he isn’t in jail, Tony D’Angelo waiting on them. Gallus wins here, and hopefully Julius gets to do some more on his own sooner than later because the potential is right there.

Heritage Cup: Noam Dar(c) vs. Dragon Lee

This is one of the few things that has been brought over directly from NXT UK and….I’m really not sure why. The title was almost exclusively there to tie back into the British Rounds system and that isn’t exactly something that ties into Florida. Maybe we can get something interesting out of it here, but I don’t know if it is going to do a ton of good to have another midcard title.

I’ll go with Dar to retain here, as he has only been around for a bit in NXT, though having Lee lose again is quite the stretch. Unless NXT wants to bring the cup in and have it change hands almost immediately, it is one of those things that just doesn’t really need to be there. For now though, Dar retaining makes a bit more sense, though giving Lee a win is something that would make a lot of sense as well. Dar wins here though.

Ilja Dragunov vs. Dijak

Here we have something very different from the British Rounds stuff as this is all about two guys beating the fire out of each other. These two have had a feud built around violence, but it has been with permission, as Dijak was allowed to try to break Dragunov in a weird segment. Now they get to have a Last Man Standing match, which should work well for the two of them.

As much as I like Dragunov, there is no real reason for Dijak to be able to beat him. At the end of the day, Dijak is a monster who can beat Dragunov up for a good while before falling. Dragunov is someone who could become the next big thing in NXT at the drop of a hat and there is no reason to have him lose to Dijak here. Either way, this is going to be a huge fight and the violent portion of the show, with Dragunov winning in the end.

North American Title: Wes Lee(c) vs. Tyler Bate vs. Joe Gacy

Lee is on the verge of becoming the longest reigning North American Champion in history and his title matches have turned into a rather nice showcase. That being said, someone has to beat him eventually and it would not be a surprise to see that happen here. Unfortunately that gives you a 50/50 chance of seeing a good result of a new champion, which is where this gets rough.

Unfortunately, I think we’ll get Gacy winning the title, as he has to win something at some point since NXT MUST HAVE GACY THERE ALL THE TIME FOR SOME REASON. Bate is like Dragunov as he could be a star at the drop of a hat if necessary, but NXT would rather present Gacy with his lame cult stuff. Lee could retain, but I think they’ll give it to Gacy here, which will certainly make the show oh so much more entertaining.

Women’s Title: Lyra Valkyria vs. Tiffany Stratton

Now we have something interesting here, as the title is vacant coming in due to Indi Hartwell being called up to the main roster. Stratton feels like the obvious winner here as she is still new but feels almost perfect as the heel champion that can brag forever about her win. At the same time, Valkyria is someone who could be put out there as the next breakout star in the blink of an eye.

For now though, Stratton feels like the better option, as she is more established as a name around NXT. Go with the one who is ready to go and doesn’t need to take a high profile loss here. While Valkyria feels like someone who is ready to move up a step, Stratton is already a more complete presentation and could be the next big heel thing in NXT if she is given the chance. This is said chance, as she wins the title here.

NXT Title: Carmelo Hayes(c) vs. Bron Breakker

This is a rematch from Stand & Deliver where Hayes won the title but now the roles are reversed. The problem for Hayes is that Breakker has since turned heel and has been running through people. That makes for a good cocky face champion looking at the monster he beat before the monster changed, but the idea of seeing Breakker lose again would be quite the hard idea to swallow.

At the end of the day, the only person who has been NXT Champion longer than Breakker is Finn Balor, and therefore I don’t see the need to give it back to him. Breakker is less than two months removed from a year long reign so making him a three time champion feels like a stretch. If Breakker loses again then he needs to go away for awhile, but for now the right move is to have Hayes get the big win and beat Breakker twice and for all.

Overall Thoughts

On paper, this has the potential to be a big show, but the theme that I kept coming back to was “this person could be a star”. That is what NXT needs right now, as their roster has been completely wrecked due to the Draft. This is a show where you could build some people up to a new level, especially with some champions being crowned. I’d like to see how the show goes, but as usual, the execution is what matters most. If NXT can stick the landing as they tend to do, we should be in for a heck of a night.

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

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It’s time to head back to Saudi Arabia and in this case that means we are going to be in for a pretty big show. This time around the focus is on titles, but there are going to be some non-title matches that are going to be pretty high up on the card. WWE is advertising this as a triple main event and it does fit the billing. Let’s get to it.

Smackdown Women’s Title: Rhea Ripley(c) vs. Natalya

We’re going to start off with a bit of a weird one here as Ripley is the most on fire stars in WWE today and is getting one crazy reaction after another. That is a sign that she is going to be on top of the division for a long time now and now we are going to be seeing her second major title defense. At the same time, she is facing Natalya, who has been around for so long that it is a little hard to get interested in the match.

I started with this one because it feels like the most obvious result on the entire show, which will be Ripley retaining the title. It would not surprise me whatsoever if Ripley is still champion at this time next year, so having her beat Natalya here makes a lot of sense. What matters here is giving Ripley a different kind of opponent and while the match should be quite good on the technical side, the result isn’t quite in doubt.

Raw Women’s Title: Bianca Belair(c) vs. Asuka

This is a Wrestlemania rematch and I’m really not sure where to go. On one hand, Belair has held the title longer than anyone not named Moolah, meaning there isn’t anything left for her to accomplish with her title reign. At the same time, I’m not sure I can imagine her actually losing here, as it doesn’t feel like a moment that is big enough for the reign to end. On the third hand, it’s hard to imagine Asuka losing twice in a row in this kind of a big spot.

I’ll go with….I’ll take Belair, but I don’t have the most confidence in it. I’m not sure how much good it does to have Asuka do the big heel turn and then lose, but it just doesn’t feel like Belair is set to lose here. The good thing is the rematch’s build has been better than the first, and now we should be in for a better match as things might not have to be as rushed. Belair wins and I’m at last 50% sure that will be the case.

Intercontinental Tile: Gunther(c) vs. Mustafa Ali

Ok so when I said Ripley vs. Natalya is the most obvious result, I had kind of forgotten about this one entirely. There is almost no reason to believe that Ali is going to win the title here and WWE hasn’t exactly hidden that reality. Gunther is on the verge of becoming one of the biggest heels in the company and Ali has never even won a big match. I’d like to believe that there is some drama here, but I just can’t do it.

In the biggest “of course he does” for the show, Gunther wins here and does so after Ali’s comeback isn’t exactly the most dramatic. What matters is having Gunther on the show and looking dominant, as he is going to be doing it for a long time. Just let Ali get in some of his flips and dives before getting beaten, as it is just about the only way to go with the situation that they have here. Gunther wins, hands down.

Becky Lynch vs. Trish Stratus

Now this one has some more drama to it, as I could see the feud continuing for several more months or I could see this already being the big blowoff. The important thing about this story is that Stratus’ heel run has been quite good and she isn’t just “I’m Trish Stratus” and moving on. She has something to what she is saying and now I want to see how the match is going to go.

I’ll take Stratus here, as I could see this going to a rematch down the line. There will likely be some shenanigans in the end and Stratus will get to brag about her win for a good while. Lynch is at her best when she is focused and has someone to go after, which is what she can do if she wants revenge on Stratus all over again. This should be a big fight feeling and I’m wanting to see how it goes, but for now we’ll say Stratus wins to keep it going.

Brock Lesnar vs. Cody Rhodes

It’s a rematch from Backlash where Rhodes won on little more than a fluke. This time though Rhodes is coming in with a broken arm and Lesnar is already ticked off at him. That isn’t going to go well for Rhodes, but at the end of the day, he is in over his head. In theory that should cause a big problem for him with the match and that is likely going to be the case here with Lesnar.

For the life of me I can’t imagine Rhodes winning here, as he squeaked by in the first match when he had both arms. There comes a point where the odds are stacked so high against someone that they have to lose and that is the case with Rhodes. Let Lesnar get his win back and get us to the big rematch down the line, which could be taking place under some different circumstances.

World Heavyweight Championship: Seth Rollins vs. AJ Styles

This is either for the inaugural or restored title, depending on which lineage you prefer. It’s an interesting build as Rollins has been treated as a much bigger deal, despite Styles being a legend in his own right. The good thing is these two should be in for a great match due to pure talent alone, but they don’t have any kind of personal issue as we come into the match. That means it’s just about the title, which is probably what it should be.

I’ll go with what feels like the much more likely decision here and take Rollins to win the title. Unless there are some kind of major shenanigans (and there might be), there is little reason to believe that Styles is going to win here. Rollins has been treated as a focal point in recent weeks while Styles has been treated as the guy facing Rollins for the title. Go with the logical choice here, as Rollins is a great choice to carry the title at first. Granted Styles would do just fine as well, but I don’t think he will here.

Tag Team Titles: Sami Zayn/Kevin Owens(c) vs. Roman Reigns/Solo Sikoa

Here we have the big storyline match as the Bloodline is beginning to implode around them. Reigns isn’t happy with the Usos losing to Zayn and Owens (over and over) and is going to do it on his own (well with Sikoa but you get the idea). Zayn and Owens have been needling the team for months now and their plan seems to have almost worked. Retaining the titles here would be a big step closer and that gets us to the big result.

I don’t see any reason for Reigns and Sikoa to win here, especially if the Usos just happen to show up and cost them the match. Reigns and Sikoa winning the titles would feel like a step in a very different direction and it would only make sense for them to lose to the Usos, which puts us close to where we were before Wrestlemania. Owens and Zayn keep the belts here, likely with some shenanigans.

Overall Thoughts

The best thing about the recent Saudi Arabia shows is that they feel like WWE’s major monthly show which just happen to be taking place elsewhere. Aside from maybe Styles vs. Rollins, this feels like a card that could take place at any major event. I like what we could be seeing here as WWE has made the show feel big, but now they have to deliver on what they have set up.