Rampage – March 25, 2023: They Can Do Better

Rampage
Date: March 25, 2023
Location: Cable Dahmer Arena, Independence, Missouri
Commentators: Excalibur, Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone

It’s a rare Saturday Rampage this week due to the NCAA Tournament. The show is coming off a pretty strong Dynamite this week so it has its work cut out for it. You never know what you might get on Rampage, which can make the show that much more interesting a lot of the time. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

TNT Title: Penta El Cero Miedo vs. Powerhouse Hobbs

Hobbs, with the QTV crew, is defending and they strike it out to start. Miedo knocks him to the floor but the dive is cut off, allowing Hobbs to hammer away. There’s a posting to drop Miedo again before Hobbs whips him hard into the corner back inside. Hobbs slowly beats him down and plants Miedo for two as we take a break.

Back with Miedo hitting a Sling Blade and a Backstabber out of the corner gets two. Hobbs isn’t having that and runs Miedo over before starting to get serious. Town Business is broken up though and Miedo superkicks him to the floor, setting up the big flip dive. A top rope double stomp on the apron sets up another one inside for two as Hobbs barely kicks out. QT Marshall offers a distraction though and Miedo has to deal with Aaron Solo. That lets Hobbs hit a belt shot into Town Business to retain at 10:35.

Rating: C. So now Hobbs has gone from a monster to needing QT Marshall to win the title to needing distractions from Marshall/Solo and a belt shot to retain. How any promotion can manage to screw up something like this is beyond me, but at least QTV is getting some extra attention. Why not just give Marshall the title and call it a day?

Post match Hobbs goes after Alex Abrahantes but Rey Fenix makes the save with a hammer.

We recap the Young Bucks getting attacked on Dynamite and Don Callis being up to some shenanigans after Kenny Omega beat Hijo del Vikingo.

Jeff Cobb wants Omega on Dynamite.

Here is Ricky Starks for a chat. He feels like he has been talking enough lately and now he wants Juice Robinson out here for a fight. Cue Robinson to say he is being called out so it’s time for Starks to take a beating. Robinson changes his mind so Starks comes after him, only to have Robinson bail into the crowd. They’re not fighting in Missouri, so they’ll do it in two weeks in New York. This story still isn’t exactly clicking.

Jay Lethal praises Jeff Jarrett, who wants respect from the delusional AEW fans. Sonjay Dutt says they’re coming for the Tag Team Titles. Satnam Singh stands there.

Brody King vs. Jake Hager

Julia Hart is here with King. They shove/knock each other around to start with neither getting very far. An exchange of running forearms to the face doesn’t work so King chops him hard to the floor instead. King whips him into the barricade but Hager does the exact same thing (just to King instead).

We take a break and come back with King hitting a Boss Man Slam for two. King clotheslines him in the corner but misses the Cannonball. The Vader Bomb hits King’s raised knees though and King hits a clothesline for two. Cue Anna Jay to post Hart and Hager rolls King up for two. That just annoys King enough to Samoan driver Hager for the pin at 7:17.

Rating: C+. Hager still doesn’t feel like the most important member of the roster but at least he put King over here to make up for some of last week’s loss to Daniel Garcia. King is someone who could be a big monster and now he needs to be built back up to make it more of a possibility. This is a nice start, but the Jericho Appreciation Society beating him a few more times wouldn’t stun me.

Swerve Strickland is ready to finish Dustin Rhodes and Keith Lee when he wants to. For now, he has a fresh affiliate (Tec-9?) and is coming after them.

Leila Grey vs. Taya Valkyrie

Jade Cargill and Mark Sterling are here with Grey. A lot of trash is talked to start before Taya runs her over with a clothesline. Some right hands set up the Road To Valhalla to finish Grey at 1:13.

Post match Sterling yells at Taya and gets the Road To Valhalla too.

Video on the Kingdom vs. Acclaimed.

Here’s what’s coming on Dynamite.

Kingdom vs. Acclaimed

Matt Menard, with Angelo Parker, is on commentary, Maria is here with the Kingdom and Billy Gunn is here with the Acclaimed. Maria offers a fast distraction so Taven can knock Caster into the corner. Bennett comes in, decks Bowens, and goes back to Caster, who gets in a forearm of his own. It’s off to Bowens for a neckbreaker on Bennett and there’s Scissor Me Timbers. Scissoring ensues and we take a break.

Back with Taven kicking Caster in the face for two and the Kingdom gives Billy a crotch chop. Maria tries to slip in a shoe but Billy chases her off. Cue Top Flight (because this match needs a team on commentary, a team interfering and two managers) to chase her off. Bowens comes in off the tag and starts to clean house, including a running Fameasser from behind to Taven. Bennett is sent outside and it’s the Arrival into the Mic Drop for the pin on Taven at 9:50.

Rating: C+. Pretty good here as it’s nice to have a team as talented as the Kingdom around, but they were only around to help reheat the Acclaimed. It’s a shame to see the Acclaimed fall as fast as they have. They’re still talented and popular, but they have gone from the most over team in AEW to main eventing Rampage against a team who haven’t really been established around here. Oh and they get Menard and Parker next, just in case they needed even weaker competition.

Scissoring ensues after the match, with the Jericho Appreciation Society approving to end the show.

Overall Rating: C. It wasn’t a bad show but it felt like a rather typical Rampage, with little in the way of important stories. This week didn’t even have anything resembling a great match, making this feel like a rather hard punt. That’s fine for the tournament show, but it would still be nice to have this show feel a lot more important. Or for Hobbs to not be playing second fiddle to QTV, but that is looking more and more like a lost cause. Anyway, decent show this week, but absolutely nothing you need to see.

Results
Powerhouse Hobbs b. Penta El Cero Miedo – Town Business
Brody King b. Jake Hager – Samoan driver
Taya Valkyrie b. Leila Grey – Road To Valhalla
Acclaimed b. Kingdom – Mic Drop to Taven

 

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 – March 22, 2023: To The Days Of Old

Dynamite
Date: March 22, 2023
Location: Cable Dahmer Arena, Independence, Missouri
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Excalibur, Taz

We have a dream match this week as Kenny Omega is facing El Hijo Del Vikingo in what should be a heck of a showcase. Other than that, the big question coming out of last week is what is going on with the Elite and Hangman Page, as that is going down again. That should be enough to carry things for a week so let’s get to it.

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

We open with Hangman Page outside an ambulance as the Young Bucks have been attacked before the show. Page gets in the second ambulance as it leaves.  Oh dear.

The ropes are red, white and blue, ala the WWF in the 80s.

Sting/Darby Allin/Orange Cassidy vs. Butcher And The Blade/Kip Sabian

Penelope Ford is here with the villains and this is fallout from a fight at the House Rules show. Cassidy frustrated Blade to start and it’s off to butcher to forearm Sting. With that not working, Sting sends him into the corner for the Stinger Splash. Everything breaks down as Sting tries for the Scorpion and he winds up getting caught in a double suplex.

Sabian goes up top so Sting does the slow motion Orange Cassidy roll to escape. Allin comes in and gets taken down by Sabian and we take a break. Back with Allin escaping and handing it off to Cassidy for the tornado DDT. Sabian takes Cassidy down but gets tapped on the shoulder by Sting, who does his own lazy kicks. Blade and Butcher eventually break up the Scorpion but Allin makes the save. Sting is back up and hits the Scorpion Death Drop to finish Sabian at 11:15.

Rating: C+. Sting matches aren’t going to be anything serious but they are going to let the fans have a good time watching a legend. Putting him in a bunch of tag matches so he doesn’t have to carry the load is a good idea. Let them go out there and have some fun against villains with nothing to lose and get the crowd going for the show.

Post match Allin stares up at the Double Or Nothing banner.

Video on last week’s Four Pillars showdown, with MJF talking about how he has already beaten all three of them.

Video on Kenny Omega vs. Hijo Del Vikingo.

Excalibur has gotten a text from Brandon Cutler accusing the Blackpool Combat Club of attacking the Young Bucks.

Tag Team Titles: The Gunns vs. Top Flight

Top Flight is challenging and the Guns are cleared out to start. We settle down to Dante vs. Austin, with the former backflipping over him, only for a hair pull to put Dante in trouble as we take a break. Back with Dante hitting a swinging half nelson suplex into the Nose Dive. Cue the Kingdom to make the save though, allowing 3:10 to Yuma to retain the titles at 7:05.

Rating: C+. Another match that felt like it could have been a lot better if we could have actually seen most of it take place. The Gunns are on the road to facing FTR and it wouldn’t shock me to see FTR go down again. Top Flight still feels like a team who could be champs later on, and if that is the case, it would be nice to have them not lose like this so often.

Post break the Kingdom gets chased off but here is FTR to interrupt. The Gunns don’t want to see them and yell about how no one wants to see them. FTR offers their AEW career as a team for a title shot but that’s not good enough either. Instead, Dax offers the two of them leaving AEW if they lose. Deal, with the Gunns spitting on them and bailing before violence ensues.

Mark Sterling has issued a cease and desist order against Taya Valkyrie using Jaded. Oh and the open challenge is over so there’s no title shot for Taya.

Stokely Hathaway vs. Hook

Non-title, No DQ and Hathaway is described as having the wisdom of an owl. Hold on though, as Hathaway isn’t medically cleared to compete so he is retiring. Hathaway: “Special thanks to my fans, all 12 of y’all!” He even has a doctor’s note…which is apparently a receipt for Wingstop.

The referee says ring the bell so Hathaway runs into the crowd, only to be tossed right back. A running elbow to the jaw doesn’t phase Hook, who sends Hathaway flying with a suplex on the floor. Hook grabs some weapons from under the ring but Hathaway manages a blast with a fire extinguisher. Hook is fine enough to block a chair shot and blast Hathaway with it over and over. Another suplex onto a piece of barricade in the corner gets two, with Hook pulling him up. Redrum finishes for Hook at 3:07. Exactly what it should have been.

Rating: C+. The match itself was just a joke but watching Hook smash through a loud mouthed manager is a good idea. Hook is someone who could go a long way around here and letting him get another win like this works well. Just get him into another feud so he can have some more training matches and he could get even better than he already is.

In the back, Matt Hardy says Ethan Page is the man to beat Hook.

Here is Adam Cole for a chat. He’s back in the ring in seven days and right now, he feels great. Now he wants to know who he is facing, so cue Daniel Garcia (in a lot of leather) to say it’s time for his own story time. Garcia lists off everyone he has beaten while Cole has been playing video games on Twitch. Garcia almost calls himself a wrestler before asking what makes Cole special. Cole: “When they ring the freaking bell.” He actually praises Garcia but asks about the company Garcia has been keeping. The match is on for next week, with Cole getting in a BOOM to wrap it up.

Kenny Omega is upset about the Bucks being injured and not going to the hospital with them.

Stu Grayson vs. Jon Moxley

The Blackpool Combat Club and Dark Order are here too. Grayson charges to start but gets taken down as we hear about Grayson’s kickboxing career. They head outside with Grayson getting in a few shots, followed by a hurricanrana back inside. A belly to back suplex puts Grayson to the apron, setting up a running charge to send him into the barricade. We take a break and come back with Moxley stomping at the head for two and getting frustrated.

Grayson fights up and starts elbowing away, followed by a springboard spinning Swanton for two. The teams get in an argument on the floor so Grayson moonsaults out onto them for the big knockdown. Moxley dives onto Grayson but gets kicked in the face back inside. A 450 looks to set up the Knightfall but Moxley flips over into the bulldog choke. Grayson manages to fight up and sends him into the corner to escape, setting up a Pele. Moxley catches him on top though and hits a super Death Rider for the pin at 10:02.

Rating: B. This was a lot easier to accept than last week (the lack of a spike piledriver on the floor helped) as Grayson got a heck of a rub out of Moxley. It wasn’t so much that Moxley was in danger but more that he had to do a lot of work to put Grayson away. They were working hard here and it was a much better showcase for Grayson than anything he did last week.

Ricky Starks is ready for Juice Robinson on Rampage.

QTV shows us Powerhouse Hobbs beating Rey Fenix on Rampage. Apparently Aaron Solo has stolen Wardlow’s identity (and house and car)…..and hacked some Observer’s Twitter account. As for Hobbs, he’ll be defending again in another open challenge on Rampage. Hobbs wasn’t even in the segment and that might be a good thing.

Skye Blue vs. Toni Storm

The rest of the Outcasts are here too. Blue starts fast and sends Storm outside for a diving hurricanrana. Some Outcasts cheap shots take Blue down though and we go to a break. Back with Blue hitting a high crossbody and snapping off a headscissors to send Storm into the ropes. Storm is back with a DDT for two but misses the running hip attack. Ruby Soho’s distraction means code Blue doesn’t get a count, meaning Storm can dropkick her into the corner. Now the hip attack into the Storm Zero finishes Blue at 8:13.

Rating: C+. Blue has come a long way but is still needing to get an important win. Other than that, this was more about the Outcasts beating up their rivals as the story continues to meander. If this story is going to mean something, they need to have the Outcasts win some gold, because otherwise they’re just kind of annoying NWO knockoffs.

Post match the beatdown is on but Willow Nightingale and Riho (with a pipe and looking ridiculous while trying to be intimidating) make the save.

Stu Grayson is getting checked out by the medics when Jon Moxley, with the Blackpool Combat Club, attack him again.

Kenny Omega vs. El Hijo Del Vikingo

Vikingo’s AAA Mega Title (which he won after Omega vacated it) isn’t on the line. Vikingo dives onto him before the bell but Omega is back with his own right hands. The bell rings and Omega stays on him, only to get hurricanranaed to the floor. Vikingo hits a big dive, setting up a springboard 450 for two back inside. Omega is back with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker and sends Vikingo into the barricade. A table is set up at ringside and we take a break.

Back with a strike off on the apron until Omega plants him hard onto said apron. Vikingo fights back up and climbs onto the post for a super dragonrana. Back in and another super hurricanrana drops Omega on his head, setting up a springboard Phoenix splash for two. Another springboard hurricanrana is countered into a powerbomb and the V Trigger gives Omega two.

Omega adds another V Trigger but Vikingo is back up with a springboard poisonrana to drop Omega on his head again. With Omega on the table, a step up 630 drives him through it and gives the fans their next loud chant. Back in and a Code Red gives Vikingo two more but Omega avoids a 630. Omega hits another V Trigger and the One Winged Angel finishes Vikingo at 16:53.

Rating: A. Yeah this was a blast and that’s all it was designed to be. This was about telling two people to go out there and go nuts with one highlight reel move after another. There’s no story (not a significant one at least) to it and there didn’t need to be. It was about the crazy spots and letting Vikingo do his insane flips. From that perspective it was a blast and that’s all it needed to be.

Post match the Blackpool Combat Club interrupts Omega to beat him down. Cue Hangman Page in the ambulance (with a board with nails in it, because that comes with every ambulance) for the save. Don Callis goes to check on Page, who pulls away before stopping upon seeing who it is. Callis does quite the fall (without being attacked in any way) and Omega checks on him while looking confused at Page to end the show. Because the Elite must have drama you see.

Overall Rating: B+. This was a heck of a fun show as they seemed to drop a lot of the more serious stuff and just let the matches be entertaining. Nothing on here (save for QTV) was bad and the main event is going to get a lot of attention. Very good show here and probably the most engaging show they’ve done in a lot of Wednesdays. I have no idea if they can keep it up but for now, this was back to the AEW of old.

Results
Sting/Orange Cassidy/Darby Allin b. Kip Sabian/Butcher and the Blade – Scorpion Death Drop to Sabian
Gunns b. Top Flight – 3:10 To Yuma to Darius
Hook b. Stokely Hathaway – Redrum
Jon Moxley b. Stu Grayson – Super Death Rider
Toni Storm b. Skye Blue – Storm Zero
Kenny Omega b. El Hijo Del Vikingo – One Winged Angel

 

 

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 – March 15, 2023: That’s A Lot In One Show

Dynamite
Date: March 15, 2023
Location: Canada Life Centre, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Taz

We’re in Canada this week and that means it is time for…well it doesn’t really mean much but the All-Atlantic Title is now the International Title with Orange Cassidy defending against Jeff Jarrett. Other than that we have MJF’s Re-bar Mitzvah, which should be quite the spectacle. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Here is MJF, complete with four women (one of who he kisses) and a chyron that says “Jewish AF” for the Re-Bar Mitzvah. He already had one of these back when he was a kid and it was awesome. Now though, he has beaten Bryan Danielson so it is time to do it again on the big stage because HE IS IRON MAN. MJF says hit the music so here are a bunch of people with a chair, meaning it’s time to dance in a circle (which I believe is a religious tradition)…but here is Jungle Boy to interrupt.

Then it’s Sammy Guevara coming out as well. We’re only missing Darby Allin and as soon as Sammy says “oh Max”, here is Darby to complete the Four Pillars. MJF yells at them for ruining this and asks what they want. All three together: “I want a title match!” (that was clever). Jungle Boy talks about facing MJF at Double Or Nothing 2020, after which Jungle Boy was on Dark and Elevation and Rampage, where MJF never has been. It’s time to change things for MJF and that starts by taking the World Title.

MJF says the company revolves around him, because he is an actual star. Guevara cuts him off and says MJF bought his way into this company. Guevara was only going to be the bump guy for Jericho but he got over on his own. He’s going to be World Champion one day because he is the best ever and you know it. MJF says we appreciate Guevara taking his time out of getting into backstage brawls but Allin cuts him off (a theme is developing here) as well.

Back in 2013, Allin was in film school and turned in a film that the teacher said had to be changed because the school wouldn’t accept it. Allin dropped out of school instead and went to wrestling school, where he said he wasn’t changing a thing. Then he was in Tony Khan’s office and said there would never be a bidding war or him. AEW lets him be himself and there won’t be a bidding war of 2024 like MJF, who wants out of here.

MJF isn’t having this and says Guevara is going to be proposing to a new girl in seven months. Guevara: “Didn’t your fiance leave you?” MJF says he’s the only one who doesn’t have a legend helping him out and that is why he is the only one of the Pillars who can hold this place up. He is off to have his cake so thank you, screw you, bye (for the extra Cornette heat). Then MJF goes into the cake. This was long (too long really), but having these four in the ring, likely setting up a huge four way, is a great thing.

Chris Jericho received an honor from the Winnipeg government, with his home street being honorarily named as “Chris Jericho Way”. That’s pretty cool.

Hangman Page/Dark Order vs. Blackpool Combat Club

It’s Evil Uno/Canada’s Stu Grayson for the Order. Castagnoli takes Uno down and it’s Yuta coming in to take him down again. Grayson comes in to clean some house, including landing on Castagnoli’s face. Everything breaks down and Grayson is taken outside, with a triple spike piledriver dropping him hard as we take a break (because two World Champions spiking a goof on his head on the floor is a spot that sends us to a commercial).

Back with Moxley hitting another piledriver for two on Grayson (with no one making the save). Grayson manages a knockdown of his own and it’s the hot tag to Page to clean house. Everything breaks down and Uno hits a Swanton on Yuta. The parade of shots to the face sets up Grayson Cactus Clotheslining Castagnoli to the floor, leaving us with Page vs. Moxley.

Yuta grabs the ring bell to clock Page though, leaving the Order down 3-2. A chop block cuts Uno down but Grayson sends Castagnoli outside for a big running flip dive. Uno’s double underhook DDT sets up Grayson’s 450 for two on Moxley. The Fatality gets two on Moxley with Castagnoli making the save. Yuta pulls Uno off the apron though and Moxley chokes Grayson out at 13:21.

Rating: D+. This was about as ridiculous as you can get, with the TRIPLE SPIKE PILEDRIVER not doing much of anything to Grayson. Couple that with the Dark Order, down 3-2, giving the entire BCC a run for their money and this was just bizarre. I know the Order has fans, but this went beyond being realistic and was more eye roll inducing than anything else. The action was fine enough, but I didn’t buy most of anything I was watching.

Post match the beating stays on, but John Silver and Alex Reynolds make the save, with the Club running despite having the numbers advantage.

Juice Robinson wants Ricky Starks.

Here’s a look back at the opening segment.

TBS Title: Jade Cargill vs. Nicole Matthews

Cargill, with Leila Grey, is defending. The pump kick sets up Jaded to retain at 42 seconds.

Post match Jade asks if that’s it and even threatens Canadian Renee Paquette. Cue Taya Valkyrie to make the save and beat up Grey with the Road To Valhalla (Jaded). At least she’s a more realistic challenger.

Ricky Starks wants Juice Robinson face to face.

We get the debut of QTV (a QT Marshall TMZ parody) where they mock Wardlow, implying that Powerhouse Hobbs robbed him. They even have Wardlow’s passport so he can’t be here! Hobbs seems ready to fight Wardlow again. Putting the focus on Marshall isn’t seeming to be a brilliant idea. Remember when Hobbs was doing the Book thing and walking around Oakland and explaining his backstory? That’s out and the TMZ parody is in.

International Title: Jeff Jarrett vs. Orange Cassidy

Cassidy is defending and swaps out for the new title, officially leveling it up. Jarrett (with Satnam Singh, Jay Lethal and Sonjay Dutt) armdrags him down to start and hits that strut as the fans aren’t pleased. Cassidy loads up the hands in pockets but gets taken down by the legs. Back up and Cassidy bangs up his leg, allowing Jarrett to mock the Lazy Kicks. That’s broken up and Cassidy makes the comeback but gets sent outside as we take a break.

We come back with Jarrett grabbing the Sharpshooter to stay on the bad knee. That’s broken up as well but the referee gets bumped so Jarrett grabs the guitar. Cue another referee to take it away, but Cassidy takes it away as well. Satnam Singh grabs the guitar, so Cassidy tapes the referee on the shoulder and grabs his knee. Singh is ejected, leaving Cassidy to grab the tornado DDT. The referee checks on Jarrett and Jay Lethal gets in the Golden Globe shot for a close two. Cue Trent Baretta to take out Lethal and the Orange Punch retains the title at 13:38.

Rating: C+. This is a good example of a match that didn’t try to be anything more than goofy wrestling fun and it succeeded. Jarrett knows exactly how to do the over the top silly style while still having a match and they made it work here. If Cassidy stays around this level, he can hold onto that title for a LONG time, as this kind of thing is perfect for him.

We get an Acclaimed music video about how much they love the fans and their general awesomeness.

Here are the Outcasts for a chat. They talk about how there wouldn’t be a division without them and insult the fans in various ways. We hear bout how many women they have beaten down until Britt Baker and Jamie Hayter run in. The villains beat them down but Riho, Skye Blue and Willow Nightingale run in for the save. This Outcasts stuff still feels rather lame.

The Jericho Appreciation Society isn’t happy with the Acclaimed and tell us to wait until Rampage.

Here’s what’s coming on various shows, with Rey Fenix answering Powerhouse Hobbs’ Open Challenge for the TBS Title.

Trios Titles: House of Black vs. Jericho Appreciation Society vs. Elite

The House is defending and King chops Guevara into the corner to start. Jericho (big pop, including from his father in the crowd) comes in but Omega tags himself in and the place comes to their feet. Everything breaks down quickly though and the champs clear the ring as we take a break.

Back with Jericho backbreakering Black and the Society gets to strike their triple pose. The House fights back and beats down the now legal Nick. An enziguri gets Nick out of trouble and everything breaks down for a bit, with Omega hurricanranaing Matthews into the corner. Jericho comes in to face Omega again and the fans approve, especially as they help clear the ring. The Bucks are back in with the superkicks but King runs them over as we take a break.

Back with Jericho missing the springboard crossbody but Guevara hits a Swanton. King loads up a dive to the floor but gets caught on top, allowing Omega and Jericho to double superplex him down. The Codebreaker gets two on Omega and we cut to the back where the Dark Order is still brawling with the Blackpool Combat Club. Omega cuts off the Lionsault with raised knees but the Meltzer Driver is broken up.

Guevara shooting star presses Matt with King having to make the save. Jericho gets left alone with the House with Dante’s Inferno connecting but Omega makes the save. Jericho gets in a Floyd shot to King and Guevara dives onto a bunch of people but King kicks out anyway. The Judas Effect is cut off by Black Mass and Garcia gets Dante’s Infernoed for the pin at 21:44.

Rating: B. This is a good example of a match where you knew what they were going to do coming into it and that isn’t a bad thing. You knew this was going to have Omega and Jericho as the biggest stars ever, all of the non-tagging insanity and (less guaranteed) the House beating someone not from Winnipeg to retain. With that all known coming in, it was exactly the kind of fast paced, action packed match that it needed to be and it was quite good.

Post match Jake Hager comes out to go after the House but gets beaten down as well. Cue the BCC and the Dark Order to brawl to ringside, with Hangman Page following. Page faces off with the Club but the Elite comes up behind him. The Club drops to the floor and Page is left alone with the Elite. Please…..tell me we don’t have more “remember when we were all friends?” speeches coming. Excalibur: “PAGE IS STUCK IN THE MIDDLE! WHAT A MOMENT!” The staredown ends the show, with Page not noticing the Elite behind him. I know they have their audience but I could really go with never seeing the Elite soap opera again.

Overall Rating: B-. There were some problems here but it felt like they had more of a direction. That’s a step in the right direction and one that I will take, as at least thy seem to be coming together with an idea. Some of these feuds will come together before Double Or Nothing, but there is some potential here for some intriguing feuds going forward. I liked the show well enough and the hot crowd helped a lot.

Results
Blackpool Combat Club b. Dark Order/Hangman Page – Choke to Grayson
Jaded b. Nicole Matthews – Jaded
Orange Cassidy b. Jeff Jarrett – Orange Punch
House Of Black b. Jericho Appreciation Society and Elite – Dante’s Inferno to Garcia

 

 

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.