Dynamite
Date: May 3, 2023
Location: CFG Bank Arena, Baltimore, Maryland
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Taz

We are less than a month away from Double Or Nothing and tonight we should get the final announcement of the main event. This week’s main event will see Jungle Boy and Darby Allin vs. MJF/Sammy Guevara. If the former win, the Double Or Nothing World Title match is a four way. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Orange Cassidy/Roderick Strong/Bandido/Adam Cole vs. Jericho Appreciation Society

That would be Jake Hager/Matt Menard/Angelo Parker/Daniel Garcia for the Society. Chris Jericho himself joins commentary as Cole hammers away on Parker to start. Cole stomps Parker down in the corner and chokes away before Bandido comes in for a snap powerslam. Everything breaks down and we get a big brawl on the floor, with the Society taking Cassidy down.

Bandido hits a big flip dive to take them down and Cole goes after Jericho. With that broken up by the Society, Bandido’s delayed vertical suplex is broken up. He suplexes Parker and Menard at the same time instead and we take a break. Back with Hager bearhugging Cassidy, who slips out and hits a Stundog Millionaire on Menard.

Everything breaks down and Strong hits an Angle Slam for two on Hager. Garcia gets Cassidy in the Dragon Slayer but it get broken up, setting up the parade of secondary finishers. Cassidy’s Beach Break gets two on Garcia, followed by the lazy tags. It’s back to Strong for a jumping knee to Parker’s face and Cole hits The Boom for the pin at 14:19.

Rating: B. This was the kind of fun opening match that you often need to have. It was a bunch of wrestlers who the fans like beating up wrestlers they don’t like and that is almost always going to work. Cole gets the win to start his revenge on the Society, which is likely setting up a violent match at Double Or Nothing. Good opener here and the fans seemed to like it a lot.

Post match Cole charges up the barricade to go after Jericho and even breaks the set down while jumping him.

Jungle Boy and Darby Allin are ready to get their main event title shot at Double Or Nothing.

Security takes Adam Cole out of the arena as Chris Jericho shouts about how dangerous Cole is. Britt Baker comes in to slap Jericho down.

The Blackpool Combat Club talks about (after starting with the volume down) how Kenny Omega thinks he is a legend. Bryan Danielson is better than him though and is the best wrestler in the world today. If not, it’s one of his teammates. The future of wrestling is better because of him though and he wants someone like Wheeler Yuta to be better. They’re willing to do whatever it takes to make that happen. Jon Moxley talks about how they work to make each other better and next week, he’s facing Omega in a cage.

Saraya vs. Willow Nightingale

The rests of the Outcasts are here with Saraya. Nightingale heads outside to yell at the other two, allowing Saraya to grab a choke back inside. With that broken up, Nightingale sends her into the corner and then out to the apron. This time, the rest of the Outcasts get in some cheap shots and we take a break. Back with Willow hitting a spinebuster for two, followed by a Death Valley Driver for…nothing, because the Outcasts break it up. Nightingale Pounces Soho and drops Storm, only to get the Midnight (Rampaige) for the pin at 6:39.

Rating: C. In a shock, the Outcasts use their numbers advantage to win a match over someone they have beaten before. This story has been running in place for months now and I’m almost worried about where it is going. The problem continues to be that the team isn’t that interesting and they have such a revolving door of opponents. Find something more concrete for them to fight over and it could work, but until then, stop trying to recreate the NWO without what made the NWO work.

Post match the beatdown stays on but Hikaru Shida runs in for the save….and then joins the Outcasts. Jamie Hayter and Britt Baker come in for the save….and Shida helps them beat down the Outcasts.

The House Of Black throw down the Trios Titles and want them to mean more. We hear about the Open House: any three people can come challenge for the belts, but under House Rules, it’s a 20 count on the floor, no rope breaks and DQ is enforced under Dealer’s Choice. The House Always Wins, including having black titles. Sure why not, as these titles continue to suck the life out of the tag division.

Tres de Mayo Trios Battle Royal

El Hijo del Vikingo/Lucha Bros, Varsity Athletes, Dark Order, Butcher and the Blade/Kip Sabian, QTV/Powerhouse Hobbs, Billy Gunn/The Acclaimed

All three members have to be eliminated. It’s a brawl on the floor to start (because of course) before everyone gets inside for the start. Scissoring/CERO MIEDO leads to a standoff and Evil Uno gets rid of Daivari. Uno is kicked out just as fast and Fenix runs the ropes to kick Nese out. Vikingo eliminates Woods and the Athletes are all gone. Marshall knocks Reynolds out but the Lucha Bros toss Marshall and Solow.

Hobbs goes after the Bros and shrugs off their kicks, only to have QTV offer a distraction. Now the Bros are eliminated but Vikingo goes after Hobbs. That earns Vikingo a toss out and it’s Hobbs running Gunn over. The Acclaimed dumps Hobbs but Butcher breaks up the scissoring to get rid of Caster.

We’re down to Butcher/Blade/Sabian vs. Gunn/Bowens vs. Silver, with the villains taking over without much trouble. Silver grabs a delayed vertical suplex on Blade but he’s back up to get rid of Silver, leaving us at 3-2. Blade Stuns Gunn but Bowens tosses him as well to even it up. Bowens gets thrown over the top but Gunn makes a save. Stereo Fameassers set up the double elimination to give Gunn/Bowens the win for their trio at 9:31.

Rating: C+. It was a team battle royal, which is one of AEW’s favorite weird matches. It also shows you how far things have shifted from a regular tag teams to the trios stuff, which still doesn’t hook me as well. Maybe this is something else for the Acclaimed, but I would still like to have the two divisions more merged together. Or just get rid of the Trios Titles altogether, though that doesn’t seem likely.

Sammy Guevara isn’t happy with MJF, who interrupts him to say they’re still friends. For tonight, they’ll make sure the Double Or Nothing main event is just them. MJF has a bad back from carrying the company, which is enough for Guevara to buy his excuse.

Kenny Omega and Don Callis are ready for Jon Moxley next week. Moxley is a crazy man and Omega will be ready for him. Even if Moxley makes Omega bleed it won’t be enough, because Omega is ready to end it next week.

Wardlow vs. Logan Laroux

Non-title and the Powerbomb Symphony finishes Laroux at 1:27. Lash would have done better.

Post match Wardlow wants to finish this with Christian Cage and Luchasaurus. Cue the two of them, with Cage saying not tonight. Oh and Luchasaurus isn’t challenging, but rather Cage. Interesting enough.

Jeff Jarrett and Jay Lethal come to see Mark Briscoe to calm things off. Mark puts them to work on the farm, along with Sonjay Dutt and Satnam Singh. They wind up sitting around with Jeff playing guitar but Papa Briscoe comes in to glare. With everyone down, Papa tells him to be worried about all of them. The team has a peace offering though: a singles match for Briscoe on Rampage. This was hilarious, with the villains playing wannabe hillbillies just fine.

Ricky Starks vs. Juice Robinson

Robinson slaps him out of the corner to start so Starks hammers him in the face. They fight to the floor with Robinson whipping him into the barricade but not being able to add a piledriver. Starks gets sent hard into the steps but Starks manages a quick posting. A slam off the steps drops Robinson on the floor as we take an early break.

Back with Starks hitting a clothesline and a tornado DDT getting two on Robinson. Starks sends him into the corner for the running Cannonball, followed by a hard clothesline of his own for two. The forward DDT is countered a few times and Starks hits the spear. The Roshambo finishes Robinson at 9:16.

Rating: C+. Nice match but it’s still not exactly a great feud. Starks was red hot for a little while now but instead he is here with what feels like the New Japan refugees. Robinson and Jay White are talented stars, though they don’t have much in the way of success around here. At the same time, Starks did get the pin, but I have no reason to believe that this story is anywhere near done with Double Or Nothing less than a month away.

Post match Jay White runs in to help beat down Starks, who still needs another partner.

Video on the Firm Deletion match.

Here’s what’s coming on various shows.

MJF pitches an alliance with Jungle Boy, who he says he loves like a brother. Jungle Boy isn’t sold because he wants the title. Darby Allin comes in and looks suspicious.

Maxwell Jacob Friedman/Sammy Guevara vs. Darby Allin/Jungle Boy

If Allin and Jungle Boy win, they’re added to the Double Or Nothing World Title match. Guevara’s headlock on Jungle Boy doesn’t last long so he shoulders Jungle Boy down for some early posing. It’s quickly off to Allin vs. MJF, with the former getting two off a rollup. MJF drives Jungle Boy into the corner, where Guevara gets knocked to the floor. A double elbow drops MJF but Guevara comes back in to choke away on Allin.

More choking (with the scarf) is made worse by the referee dealing with the other two on the floor. Allin reverses into his own choke though and hits MJF with a flipping Stunner. MJF is fine enough to cut Jungle Boy off before the hot tag though and we take a break. Back with Allin fighting his way out of trouble, and diving between the villains for the hot tag to Jungle Boy. Everything breaks down and Allin dives onto MJF.

Jungle Boy’s tiger driver drops Guevara on the back of his head for two but MJF cuts Jungle Boy off again. It’s back to Allin to clean more house but a Code Red is countered into a sitout powerbomb to give MJF two. Jungle Boy comes in off the blind tag and Snare Traps MJF, with Guevara making a save. The villains tease a double dive, with only Guevara diving onto the other two.

Back in and MJF’s lifting DDT gets two on Jungle Boy, leaving quite the angry reaction. Guevara’s Swanton gives MJF two, but hold on as Guevara isn’t happy with that cover. MJF isn’t happy and slaps Guevara in the face. The argument earns MJF a superkick, allowing Jungle Boy to roll Guevara up for two, followed by the basement superkick. Allin tags himself in and hits the Coffin Drop to pin Guevara at 15:55.

Rating: B. This match had a tricky job to pull off, as the result wasn’t exactly in doubt but they had to draw in some interest anyway. To their credit, they did in fact make it work, as this was a good match with a lot of storytelling elements included. Instead of just having three people who want to get rid of MJF, you have three people who also want to beat each other. Rather strong main event here, which is even more impressive given the not exactly stunning result.

Jungle Boy and Allin have some words but seem pleased to end the show.

Overall Rating: B. This show started to get Double Or Nothing more together, though they are going to need to make some matches official before too long. Doing so with the main event was the important part here and that part worked, along with some other fun matches at the same time. Now just turn the potential into something worthwhile and we could be on to something for the big show later this month.

Results
Orange Cassidy/Bandido/Roderick Strong/Adam Cole b. Jericho Appreciation Society – Boom to Parker
Saraya b. Willow Nightingale – Midnight
Acclaimed won Tres de Mayo Trios Battle Royal last eliminating Butcher & the Blade/Kip Sabian
Wardlow b. Logan Laroux – Powerbomb Symphony
Ricky Starks b. Juice Robinson – Roshambo
Darby Allin/Jungle Boy b. Maxwell Jacob Friedman/Sammy Guevara – Coffin Drop to Guevara

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

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Rampage
Date: April 28, 2023
Location: FLA Live Arena, Sunrise, Florida
Commentators: Excalibur, Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone

We’re on at another weird time slot as the playoffs continue to wreck havoc on the AEW schedule. As usual, it’s hard to say what you are going to get from Rampage, though I would assume a heavy focus on stories that aren’t going to matter much elsewhere. Things do happen around here, but it would be nice if it felt more important. Let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

Bullet Club Gold vs. Ricky Starks/Shawn Spears

It’s a brawl at the bell and they all head to the floor to keep it up. White chokes Spears with a camera cord as Starks chops Robinson inside. A White cheap shot from the apron lets Robinson take over though and we go to a break. Back with White chopping Spears in the corner, with Ross liking the physicality.

Spears manages to fight over to the corner though and the hot tag brings in Starks to clean house. It’s right back to Spears but the C4 is broken up with a rake to the eyes. A Sky high gives Spears two on White but another C4 attempt is broken up as well. The Blade Runner finishes Spears at 9:47.

Rating: C+. Putting White in a team right off the bat isn’t exactly making me care about what he does and tying him in with the Bullet Club again doesn’t help. Starks isn’t exactly getting much higher up the ladder by teaming with Shawn Spears, making me wonder what the point of a lot of this is. The match itself was good enough, though the rest is only so intriguing.

The Hardys and Hook are mad about the Firm kidnapping Isiah Kassidy. The Firm pops up on screen to demand to know when the Firm Deletion match is taking place. We’ll make it next week on Rampage, and then Big Bill chokeslams Kassidy off camera.

Naturally Limitless vs. Brady Pierce/Charlie James

Dustin punches Pierce in the face to start and snaps off the powerslam. Lee comes in for his half of a double backdrop before knocking James down. There’s the Uncle Phil toss to James before Dustin tells Lee to throw him at both guys. The pop up Spirit Bomb finishes James at 2:08. Total dominance.

Post match the Mogul Embassy comes out for a staredown.

Tay Melo interrupts a Sammy Guevara interview and yells at him for agreeing to lay down for MJF. It’s his turn to listen instead.

Anna Jay vs. Ashley D’Amboise

Anna gets in a few shots to start and bends Ashley’s back around the post as we take an early break. Back with Ashley fighting out of a suplex but getting dropped with a neckbreaker. The Queenslayer finishes Ashley at 5:43. Not enough shown to rate as more than half of that was in the commercial but Jay’s dominance continues.

Post match Julia Hart pops up to brawl with Jay, who bends her around the post as well.

The Outcasts are ready for Saraya to beat up Willow Nightingale on Dynamite.

Billy Gunn/Acclaimed vs. Cameron Stewart/Dante Casanova/Ryzin

Fameasser, Arrival, Mic Drop finishes Stewart at 52 seconds, a lot of which was Gunn standing there looking at Stewart.

Jay Lethal and Cash Wheeler are ready for the main event.

Here’s what’s coming on upcoming shows.

Jay Lethal vs. Cash Wheeler

Mark Briscoe is the guest enforcer and Jeff Jarrett/Satnam Singh/Sonjay Dutt/Dax Harwood are all here too. Lethal gets knocked outside to start before coming back in for an aggressive lockup. Some slams let Lethal put him down but Wheeler armdrags him into an armbar. Back up and it’s too early for Lethal Injection, meaning Wheeler can clothesline him to the floor as we take a break.

We come back with Lethal grabbing an abdominal stretch as we see Wheeler’s bruised ribs. Briscoe doesn’t let Dutt cheat and Wheeler escapes, only to get caught in a hot shot. Lethal gets in a strut but Hail To The King hits raised knees. Wheeler slugs back and grabs a powerslam into a DDT for two on Lethal. The ribs give out on a piledriver attempt though and the Lethal Combination drops Wheeler. The Lethal Injection is countered into a Gory Bomb but Dutt gets on the apron for a distraction. Briscoe goes after Dutt but Lethal sends Wheeler into Briscoe for the big crash. Now the Injection can finish Wheeler at 12:18.

Rating: C+. The match was good enough and now that we have the Tag Team Champions losing out of the way, we can move on to the title match. Hopefully this doesn’t lead to Briscoe wondering why Wheeler hit him, as I don’t think I can take another story where watching the tape would solve everything but no one does it. It was a perfectly sound match, even if it didn’t feel all that important.

Overall Rating: C. And that’s being about as generous as I can be. This show felt a lot more like a bad Ring Of Honor show than anything else, as it was just a bunch of midcard stuff that didn’t have anything worth seeing. It was a rare case of me feeling like I was wasting my time watching an AEW show and I have a bad feeling that is going to get worse around here, especially when Collision comes around. Certainly not a bad show, but a total “here’s an hour of wrestling that fulfills a requirement” show, which is often a lot worse.

Results
Bullet Club Gold b. Ricky Starks/Shawn Spears – Blade Runner to Spears
Naturally Limitless b. Brady Pierce/Charlie James – Pop up Spirit Bomb to James
Anna Jay b. Ashley D’Amboise – Queenslayer
Billy Gunn/Acclaimed b. Cameron Stewart/Dante Casanova/Ryzin – Mic Drop to Stewart
Jay Lethal b. Cash Wheeler – Lethal Injection

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

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Dynamite
Date: April 5, 2023
Location: UBS Arena, Long Island, New York
Commentators: Taz, Tony Schiavone, Excalibur

We’re back in Long Island and this should be a heck of a show as the card is stacked. We have more than a few interesting things in the lineup this week, including MJF Day, FTR vs. the Gunns in a career vs. Tag Team Title match and Tony Khan making his latest huge announcement. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Ricky Starks vs. Juice Robinson

And never mind as Robinson comes in from behind, with Jay White coming in through the entrance to jump Starks. The beating is on and Starks is left laying. No match.

We look back at Adam Cole returning to the ring last week and Chris Jericho coming out for the quick stare post match.

Jericho talks about Cole being back and getting the win….and here is Keith Lee to interrupt. Lee talks about facing Cole before and not liking Jericho’s disrespect. A challenge is laid out for next week. Lee doing something other than feuding with Swerve Strickland is a nice change of pace.

Trios Titles: House Of Black vs. Orange Cassidy/Best Friends

The House, with Julia Hart, is defending. Trent strikes away at Black to start before handing it off to Chuck for an enziguri to King. Cassidy and Buddy come in to complete the three sets of pairings. The sunglasses are thrown at Matthews and everything breaks down. Cassidy clears the ring but Trent is launched into King, who knocks him out of the air as we take a break.

Back with King accidentally suicide diving onto his partners, allowing Cassidy to be tossed onto all three champions. A triple powerbomb plants Matthews and Cassidy gives Black the lazy kicks. Cassidy Orange Punches King into Trent’s piledriver for two. Chuck rolls Matthews up for two more but gets Stomped by Matthews for the pin to retain at 11:34.

Rating: C+. This was what you would expect from a Trios Title match as the House gets another win. It’s a little strange to have one of the other popular teams fall to the champs again, as they’re running through challengers fairly quickly. There are some more challengers out there, but the big ones are going away in a hurry. For not though, Chuck taking a fall to the champs is a fine way to go and builds the House up a bit more.

Christian Cage is back….and so is Luchasaurus, though they don’t say anything.

Women’s Title: Jamie Hayter vs. Riho

Hayter, with Britt Baker, is defending. Riho snaps off a hurricanrana to start and they go to the pinfall reversal sequence for two each. Hayter is sent outside for a big dive to the floor but Hayter pulls another one out of the air back inside. They fight to the apron with Riho’s suplex being countered into a Rock Bottom as we take a break.

Back with Riho hitting a 619 and snapping off a dragon suplex for two. The hard sliding lariat gives Hayter two of her own but Riho counters a suplex into a DDT. Riho knocks her off the top and hits the running knees in the corner for two as Hayter has to put her foot on the rope. Hayter plants her down for two more and the Hayterade retains the title at 12:12.

Rating: B-. Hayter is back (after visa issues kept her out so the absence isn’t on AEW) and gets a win over someone with some status so the champ gets a nice boost. It’s better than dealing with the Outcasts again, but that’s probably coming sooner rather than later as it’s the biggest deal in the women’s division at the moment. For now though, Hayter looking strong is what matters.

The Outcasts mock Hayter retaining and want the title, even though there are three of them.

Here is the Jericho Appreciation Society to get the Acclaimed’s response. Cue the Acclaimed, with the rap not being the most positive towards the Society. Before we can get the response though, Angelo Parker announces that the four of them will be having an eight man tag on Rampage. Scissoring, without the Society, ensues. So that’s two advertised things they’ve punted on tonight.

We see MJF getting the key to the city of his hometown on Long Island. That’s pretty awesome.

A swing band play MJF, in a white tuxedo jacket, to start the MJF Show. MJF sings (about sunshine and ravioli) and seems rather happy to be here before dancing down to the ring. We have a CONGRATS MJF podium, a stand for the title, and a rather large key to Long Island on its own stand.

MJF introduces the Town Supervisor of Oyster Bay, who talks about how great MJF really is. MJF takes the podium and insults Jungle Boy before talking about how he has ADD. There was a teacher who would get on him over and over and laugh at him for not knowing an answer. On the last day of school, she asked where his brain went every day. That would be to professional wrestling, because he wants to be World Champion. She didn’t see it happening but her math seems to be a bit off.

If you’re a Long Island kid, and he’s only talking to them, just know that if you work hard, you can be anything you want….except MJF, because he’s better than you. MJF heads up the ramp and asks if we want an encore….but Jungle Boy has taken over the cymbals and the fight is on. Security breaks it up so here is Sammy Guevara (for his scheduled match) to hold up the World Title. This was one of the most bizarre things I’ve seen in wrestling in years and it worked….I think?

Komander vs. Sammy Guevara

Guevara sends him outside fast and hits the top rope moonsault. Back in and Komander superkicks him out of the air, setting up a rope walk shooting star press. Guevara goes outside so Komander walks the ropes again, only to get kicked out of the air as we take a break. Back with Komander having to bail out of another rope walk shooting star press before flipping onto raised knees. The GTH is countered into a small package but Guevara kicks him into the corner. Cue Darby Allin to watch as Komander walks the ropes again, only to get pulled out of the air with a cutter. The GTH finishes Komander at 8:13.

Rating: B-. Komander is obviously very talented, but walking the ropes so many times in a match kind of takes away the ooh/ahh factor. Guevara gets another win over an impressive opponent (that’s the theme of the night so far) and should be in line for the Double Or Nothing title shot. They still have some work to get there, but you can see the path they’re taking.

Post match Guevara says that’s something a World Champion doesn’t do: wrestle. Guevara talks about how MJF hasn’t beaten him, because it took Shawn Spears and a chair to beat him. We hear about all the people MJF has used to get here, as he has been people’s friends and parts of different groups. Guevara isn’t using this place to get anywhere, because he met his wife here and has won championships. So screw the other pillars, because he’s Sammy Guevara. If that was supposed to make the fans in attendance dislike MJF, it didn’t work.

FTW Title: Hook vs. Ethan Page

Hook is defending and Matt Hardy/Isiah Kassidy are in Page’s corner. Hook suplexes him to start and they head outside, with Page sending him into the steps. Page tries a Twist of Fate but Hook hits his own. Kassidy offers a distraction so Hardy hits Page with the belt, setting up Redrum to retain the title at 1:59.

We go to Nigel McGuinness (debuted at Ring Of Honor Supercard of Honor, announced as All Elite earlier today), who introduces Tony Khan. Five years ago, All In took the wrestling world by storm and now they’re doing it again, with AEW All In on August 27 in London. Adam Cole comes in to announce that the event will be in Wembley Stadium. That’s certainly an announcement, and they’ll have by far the biggest crowd they’ve ever had.

Blackpool Combat Club vs. ???/???/???

Bryan Danielson is here with the Club as the other three aren’t even introduced. The destruction is on, including a spike piledriver on the floor. Back in and Yuta grabs something like a crossface to win at 1:07.

Post match Danielson talks about how he was at home with his family, who he loves very much. He also loves the members of the team and professional wrestling. Danielson only sees a few professionals around here and they just beat up these people. Cue Hangman Page to get beaten down, with Danielson calling him an amateur against some professionals. Danielson whips out a screwdriver and says it’s time to fix things up from all of these amateurs (which he says over and over). Then he gouges the screwdriver into Page’s face and screaming ensues. Danielson continues to be great as a villain.

Tag Team Titles: FTR vs. Gunns

The Gunns are defending and it’s titles vs. careers. Colten runs Wheeler over to start and they head to the floor. Wheeler takes over but an Austin distraction lets Colten hit a dropkick to take over. Some right hands don’t get Wheeler very far and it’s a full nelson slam for two as we take a break.

Back with Harwood coming in off the hot tag to clean house, including a double DDT to Austin. The spike piledriver gives Harwood two and the Shatter Machine gets the same as the referee is pulled out. That’s not a DQ because the referee is smarter than that, so Wheeler is posted to put him down. Harwood and Austin trade rollups for two each until Austin hits him low, right in front of the referee.

The DQ is loaded up but Wheeler begs him to not do it. 3:10 To Yuma connects but Harwood makes the save. A title is slid in behind the referee’s back and Harwood’s diving headbutt hits the belt for two. Harwood spits at both of them but another 3:10 To Yuma is broken up. Wheeler comes in off the top with a super sunset flip for the pin and the titles at 13:58.

Rating: B. This started kind of slowly (which was strange as they didn’t have the amount of time you would expect from a match like this) but they went with the right ending. FTR winning with wrestling after all of the shenanigans fit perfectly and it made for the feel good moment to close the show. The title win was long (long, long) overdue and seeing FTR get the titles back feels right.

Streamers and Mark Briscoe are here to celebrate to end the show.

Overall Rating: B. They hit the high points here and had some good matches to go with them. This show was about setting things up for the future, plus getting in a cool moment at the end of the night. I had a good time with this one and now they can start getting ready for Double Or Nothing, which is already starting to take shape. Nice feel good show here, which is great after the debacle that was Raw and the downer ending of Wrestlemania.

Results
House Of Black b. Best Friends/Orange Cassidy – Stomp to Chuck
Jamie Hayter b. Riho – Hayterade
Sammy Guevara b. Komander – GTH
Hook b. Ethan Page – Redrum
Blackpool Combat Club b. ???/???/??? – Hammerlock Crossface
FTR b. Gunns – Double pin

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

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Rampage
Date: 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

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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:

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Dynamite
Date: March 8, 2023
Location: Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, California
Commentators: Excalibur, Taz, Tony Schiavone

We’re done with Revolution and that means it is time to start getting ready for Double Or Nothing. That show is only two and a half months away so AEW actually needs to put some things together a little bit faster here. Other than that, we have a lot of fallout to get through so let’s get to it.

Here is Revolution if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

All-Atlantic Title: Orange Cassidy vs. Jay Lethal

Cassidy is defending and everyone is sent to the back to start. Cassidy takes him down with an armdrag but gets reversed into a rollup for two. Back in and Lethal counters the tornado DDT but can’t get the Figure Four. They go outside with Lethal’s shoulder getting posted before going back inside, where he crotches Cassidy on top. It’s right back to the floor, with Cassidy’s leg being sent into the post and we take a break.

Back with Cassidy winning a slugout and grabbing a suplex. Cassidy’s top rope DDT connects but he bangs up his knee again. The knee is fine enough to hit a tornado DDT for two but Lethal is right back with the Figure Four. Cassidy gets over to the rope for the save and clotheslines Letha from the apron back inside. The Lethal Combination plants Cassidy and Lethal goes back to the knee. Lethal tries the Lethal Injection but his arm, which had been worked on earlier, gives out. A quick Orange Punch retains the title at 14:47.

Rating: C+. Perfectly fine match here with Cassidy beating another experienced veteran with some credentials. That is how you go about making his title reign seem more impressive for when someone takes the title from him later on. Cassidy can hang well enough with most people, even in a match where the ending felt so out of nowhere. Good choice for an opener for sure though.

Post match Jeff Jarrett comes in to Stroke Cassidy and hit him in the knee with the guitar. The Best Friends make the save. Cassidy vs. Jarrett should work well.

We look at Wardlow announcing that his car was broken into, with the thief taking his gear, boots and title belt.

Powerhouse Hobbs says that’s a shame for Wardlow but tonight, Hobbs is taking everything Wardlow has left: being called a champion. I like that.

Here is Ricky Starks for a chat. Starks talks about everything he has done recent but he isn’t sure what is next for him. The question is actually where he is going next…..and here is Juice Robinson of the Bullet Club to plant him with his reverse DDT.

Wardlow, in an FTR shirt, says that since he doesn’t have his gear, let’s do this falls count anywhere, anything goes.

Renee Paquette brings out Ruby Soho, who leaves Toni Storm and Saraya on the stage. Soho is immediately asked why she joined up with the two of them and says it’s obvious. She talks about how she kept fighting the AEW originals and was booed every time. They are here to build AEW into a new place and the rookies in the back don’t support her at all. They are starting on a broken foundation, but it has to be done. Now bring out her opponent.

Skye Blue vs. Ruby Soho

Soho jumps her to start and the beating is on, with Soho hitting an enziguri to make it worse. We take a break and come back with Blue hitting a knee against the ropes. Soho isn’t having that though and grabs her by the hair, setting up Destination Unknown to finish Blue at 6:45.

Rating: C. Giving Soho a win straight after her heel turn made sense, even if the match was cut up by the break. Blue is someone who has been built up enough to make the win mean something without sacrificing anyone too big. Now just let Soho put things together before having her lose again and this could go somewhere for a change.

Post match Storm and Saraya come back for the spray painting, but Willow Nightingale comes in for the save. That doesn’t’ work either and the spray painting ensued.

Hangman Page says what happened to Jon Moxley is a warning to everyone else. Don’t try him, or he’ll take you to h***. He says it isn’t personal with Renee Paquette (handling the interview) and is sorry for what she had to see, but it’s over with Mox.

MJF is ready to be back next week and it’s going to be his birthday.

Here is FTR for a chat. The fans are glad to see them but FTR talks about how they have had some troubles lately. They lost their titles and a great friend, but they couldn’t let the Gunns come out here and talk about being the best team in the world. Dax talks about how they finishes the trilogy with the Briscoes in December, only to have the Gunns take it away. They’re coming for the titles for the fans, the Briscoes and themselves. They have to win the belts after that speech.

Jade Cargill doesn’t know what a challenge is. They’ll be in Canada next week so sent one of those wacky Canadians to take her own.

Jericho Appreciation Society vs. AR Fox/Top Flight

Fox slugs away at Jericho to start and knocks him outside, setting up the big dive to the floor. Back in and it’s off to Guevara, who takes Fox down for the Society pose as the villains take over. Dante comes in and takes over on Garcia, sending him outside for a dive. Angelo Parker grabs Dante’s boot though and Jericho punches him out of the air as we take a break.

Back with Dante fighting out of a chinlock and flipping Guevara away, allowing the tag off to Fox. House is quickly cleaned but everything breaks down. Darius comes in for a bridging German suplex for two on Garcia, setting up the parade of dives to the floor. Back in and the Judas Effect finishes Dante at 9:45.

Rating: C+. So is Jericho moving into the Trios division now? It’s one of the few things that he hasn’t gone after yet and he could certainly use a new act to bring down. Fox and Top Flight are still a good act, but when the only thing they have won is a wacky battle royal, it might be time to give them something that actually matters.

Post match the Society says that they are the #1 contenders to the Trios Titles (and on their one year anniversary at that). The lights go out and cue the Elite to say not so fast. Don Callis talks about how they’re in Winnipeg next week and Jericho is only the second best wrestler from the city. Callis: “And if I had a couple of months to train, you would be #3!” Jericho wants to fight but the lights go out again and here is the House of Black to say we’re in for a triple threat trios match for the titles.

Tony Khan announces that Orange Cassidy wants to defend the All-Atlantic Title against Jeff Jarrett next week and the match has been granted. However, in partnership with Warner Brothers Discovery and because of Shazam 2: Fury of the Gods, the title will now be the AEW International Title. WAY better name and cool, though I have no idea how that ties into the movie.

A broken Bryan Danielson talks about how he has fought everywhere to get here. Then he woke up in the LeBell Lock at Revolution and couldn’t feel his arms. He gave up, and now it is time to go home. To Ring of Honor perhaps?

Blackpool Combat Club vs. Dark Order

Moxley and Claudio for the Club here and they jump the Order before the bell. The beating starts fast, with Silver being taken into the corner. A flapjack onto the buckle drops Silver again but he manages to get over to the corner for the tag to Reynolds. Everything breaks down and Reynolds gets knocked to the floor as we take a break.

Back with Reynolds getting away from Castagnoli and getting over to Silver for the tag. Silver pounds on Moxley but has to fight out of a triangle choke. Moxley gets choked instead and Reynolds comes back in. A front facelock choke (Darce choke I believe commentary said?) finishes Reynolds at 10:14.

Rating: C. The match was fine enough but I was sitting here wondering two things. First, why was Moxley wrestling (and dominating) three days after such a violent match? Second, how in the world are two World Champions taking ten minutes to beat these losers? Sometimes it’s ok to squash someone and move n, which is what they needed to do here.

Post match the Blackpool Combat Club beats down the Dark Order again, with Moxley choking away. Evil Uno comes to the ring for the save but gets beaten down as well. Cue Hangman Page for the save but he gets beaten down as well, because we need a six man to keep this going.

The Acclaimed is ready to get back on track but here is the Jericho Appreciation Society (goon edition) to say they love rap music. They offer the Acclaimed a spot on the team and get laughed at.

Here’s what’s coming on various shows.

TNT Title: Wardlow vs. Powerhouse Hobbs

Wardlow is defending and it’s anything goes, falls count anywhere, with wins coming by pinfall, submission or knockout. The fight is on in the back to start, with Hobbs hitting him with the brass ring (which bounces as he throws it away). A suplex onto the car makes it worse for Wardlow and the bell finally rings. We take a break and come back with the brawl heading into the ring. The F10 gives Wardlow two and they head back outside, with Hobbs sending him into the barricade.

Hobbs takes too long to set up the table though and it’s a Swanton from the top to put Hobbs through said table for two. The powerbomb onto the ramp plants Hobbs, though Wardlow comes up holding his ribs. They go up to the stage (where the TNT Title can be seen on a stand) and it’s QT Marshall of all people to chair Wardlow down. Wardlow gets double powerbombed off the stage and the ten count gives Hobbs the title at 10:48.

Rating: C+. Oh boy there is a lot to unpack here so let’s get the good out of the way first. Above all else, Hobbs winning a title is LONG overdue. He has felt like a star in the making for months now and him walking out as champion is good. Second, it was a good fight and if that had to be done because of Wardlow’s gear being stolen, that’s fine enough as it’s something beyond their control.

Then you have the problems and we’ll start with Wardlow. After the pretty lame first title reign, he you have him lose in three days via shenanigans after he came back to win the title after that big sad speech about his father? Why did this match need to happen so soon? Just because it was the “Face of the Revolution” ladder match?

Finally, there’s the ending and I have no idea what they’re doing. Marshall is little more than a pest most of the time and now he’s managing/associated with someone with Hobbs’ potential? I really don’t get this one as Marshall has been gone or months and Hobbs can talk or himself. This felt like a way to keep Wardlow looking strong and sure, fine, but there HAD to be someone better than Marshall available.

Hobbs poses with the backup belt to end the show. If they had that, why not let Wardlow hold it earlier?

Overall Rating: C. This was a show where the wrestling was good but the weird choices bring it down a bit. Between Marshall, Moxley vs. Page continuing, the Society getting into the trios picture (which granted may be just a one off) and Danielson going away, there were some head scratching moments tonight. It was still an energetic show with good enough wrestling, but this felt like they were taking a step into a weird direction and that has been happening more and more recently. There was good on the show (the wrestling, Soho, FTR and Danielson’s promo) but it felt more odd than interesting at times.

Results
Orange Cassidy b. Jay Lethal – Orange Punch
Ruby Soho b. Skye Blue – Destination Unknown
Jericho Appreciation Society b. AR Fox/Top Flight – Judas Effect to Darius
Jon Moxley/Claudio Castagnoli b. Dark Order – Choke to Reynolds
Powerhouse Hobbs b. Wardlow – Powerbomb off the stage

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 Revolution and things are not exactly feeling hot coming into the show. The main event is a sixty minute Iron Man match with Bryan Danielson challenging MJF for the World Title, which means there won’t be as much time for the usual deep card this time. Other than that, we have Hangman Page vs. Jon Moxley in a Texas Death Match and Christian Cage vs. Jungle Boy in what seems to be a Buried Alive match. Let’s get to it.

Zero Hour: Mark Briscoe/Lucha Bros vs. Ari Daivari/Varsity Athletes

The Mark Briscoe vs. Mark Sterling and company feud continues for reasons I don’t think I follow. Briscoe also has some new friends in the Lucha Bros and that means we could be in for a new trio. The division could certainly use them, but for now they have to get rid of something like this, as AEW is giving them a nice spot to get their feet wet as a three man team.

Of course I’ll take Briscoe and the Bros here, as there is no reason to suggest that Daivari and company will ever be winning anything important. If nothing else, it is nice to see Briscoe getting to do something, as that mention of Jay he made on Rampage was one of the sadder things I’ve heard in wrestling in forever. The obvious choice here is obvious though, and hopefully Briscoe gets to move on from the Sterling feud.

Tag Team Titles: Gunns(c) vs. Acclaimed vs. Jay Lethal/Jeff Jarrett vs. Orange Cassidy/Danhausen

For the life of me I still don’t get why the Acclaimed lost the titles in the first place, but they are already feeling nothing like they were just a month ago. This is another match where there are going to be a lot of people doing as much as they can, probably at the same time. That is not going to make it an easy match to keep track of, but that might be part of the plan.

I’ll take the Gunns to retain here, but I’m really curious to see what AEW has planned for them next. The tag team division has taken a hit in recent months (right around the time of the rise of the Trios Titles) and it could use a good match here. That is only going to get so far with four teams in there at once, but the champs win here, leaving the Acclaimed to continue their rapid fall down the mountain.

TNT Title: Samoa Joe(c) vs. Wardlow

This is a feud that has been going on for a good while now and has reached the point where Wardlow needs the win. Joe has not only beaten him but also taken away part of his hair. That should be grounds for Wardlow winning and winning big, but there is always the chance that things are not going to follow the strongest logic. On top of that, we already have Powerhouse Hobbs waiting on the winner, putting us….right back where we were months ago.

Anyway, I’ll take Wardlow to win here, as he almost needs to at this point. Wardlow has been beaten at almost every point so far and that means he has to pull this one off. Joe is someone who can be reheated almost immediately, even after he takes a long form Powerbomb Symphony. Let Wardlow win here, as he needs to get back on track after quite the derailment.

Jon Moxley vs. Hangman Page

This is a Texas Deathmatch as we hopefully wrap up a feud that felt like it should have wrapped up with their Los Angeles match. Instead, we are getting a match where these two can beat the fire out of each other, which does fit with what they have done to get here. Now that being said, these two can have one heck of a fight, and if they do that here, then we should be in for a pay per view quality brawl.

Page needs to win here and we’ll go with that, as Moxley can absorb a loss like almost no one else around AEW. This is going to be about the two of them beating each other over and over until one can’t get up, which is a good way to make a star. Page could use a big win here and surviving everything Moxley can throw at him can help him. Moxley winning wouldn’t surprise me, but Page going over makes more sense.

Women’s Title: Jamie Hayter(c) vs. Saraya vs. Ruby Soho

The three sided feud continues, with the originals vs. the newcomers vs. Soho. This feud has dominated the women’s division over the last few weeks and Soho has established herself as a weird third wing. That is where we are with the title match, as all three branches are fighting over the championship. It could change the way the feud goes, and that should tell you where things are going.

As much as I would think Hayter retaining the title would make sense or giving Soho the win be some fresh blood in the title scene, I’m thinking Saraya leaves as champion. It is the kind of story that would keep the feud going the longest while also attempting to get something else out of Saraya. Hayter should retain the title, but my gut says Saraya gets it here in what will be treated as a big deal.

Ricky Starks vs. Chris Jericho

I’m still not sure what to think about this feud. While Starks has gotten one of the biggest wins of his career and may have outsmarted Jericho to keep the Jericho Appreciation Society away, the entire feud has been built on a horrible premise. Starks has already beaten Jericho, who has then put up every roadblock he can find to avoid facing Starks again. It doesn’t make the most sense, yet here we are anyway.

I keep having to shake the feeling that Jericho will get the win here to somehow try and stretch this story out for one more match. Ignoring that though, I’ll assume that AEW doesn’t go insane and Starks just wins here. Starks needs to get away from Jericho and if he wins again here, he can do that with his next big win here. I would say I’m not sure what is next for Jericho, but it is probably going to be going after the next young and popular stars.

Christian Cage vs. Jungle Boy

And now, Buried Alive. Or the Final Burial, but based on what they’re saying, it sounds a lot like Buried Alive. The idea is that Cage has insulted Jungle Boy’s deceased father once too often, but their first “match” was Cage hitting the Killswitch on a beaten up Jungle Boy and then going away for six months. That seems like quite the leap to this level of a match, but why go sane when you can go nuts?

There is no reason for Jungle Boy to lose here so we’ll go with that, as he finally gets to show his aggression and beat Cage. I’m not sure what that means for Cage after this as a Buried Alive match kind of gets rid of you for awhile, but maybe they have some kind of out. For now though, I’m still trying to get my head around the stipulation, which feels like something created by a random number generator. Or a nine year old who thinks it sounds cool.

Trios Titles: Elite(c) vs. House Of Black

This one has me worried, as there is one way this match should go and quite a bit of reason for making me think it will not go that way. The Trios Titles seem to be made to give the Elite something to do and at the moment, there isn’t much of a division to fight over them. The House Of Black are the most viable challengers, but if the Elite wins, who are they supposed to fight anytime soon?

I’ll go with the logical hope and say the House Of Black wins here, but the Elite squeaking out a win wouldn’t surprise me either. The House Of Black has always felt like they should be this unstoppable force but at some point they need to actually win something to validate their hype. Starting with these titles would be a smart move. This should be a layup, but the Trios Titles have been weird so far to say the least.

AEW World Title: Maxwell Jacob Friedman(c) vs. Bryan Danielson

This is a sixty minute Iron Man match and probably the reason for a bunch of multiman matches earlier in the show. The idea here is that Danielson can out wrestle Friedman any day and then….something about Friedman’s personal life falling apart and he’ll do anything to win and then he might have framed his ex-girlfriend for a car wreck. In other words, this whole story has been weird as they seem to have booked the match and then tried to put the rest of the story together, which is rarely a good sign.

I’ll go with Friedman retaining, either via a draw or just barely escaping with the last fall. This feud has been uneven to say the least but it is almost impossible to fathom Friedman losing the title so soon after he won it. Danielson also has seemingly gone on a quest to put over as many people as he can and he will probably be doing that again here, albeit with some shenanigans.

Overall Thoughts

Here’s the thing about AEW: the TV builds to pay per views can be all over the place (this one has been particularly weak) but they have such a sterling reputation on pay per view that I fully expect this show to work. The action will be good and people will be working hard, which will make for another very good show. That’s kind of what AEW does, and I’m looking forward to the show, not so great hype aside.

Dynamite
Date: March 1, 2023
Location: Cow Palace, San Francisco, California
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Taz

It’s the go home Dynamite for Revolution and that means we have a stacked show. This time around that includes the Face of the Revolution ladder match plus a Casino tag team battle royal to determine the fourth team in Sunday’s four way Tag Team Title match. That should be more than enough to carry the show so let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

All-Atlantic Title: Orange Cassidy vs. Big Bill

Bill, with Stokely Hathaway, is challenging. Cassidy gets backed to the floor to start and the chase is on, with Cassidy messing with Bill’s mind. With nothing else working, Cassidy even steals Stokely’s glasses before tumbling away from Bill. Back in and the tornado DDT is countered into a side slam to plant Cassidy for the first time.

A running big boot puts Cassidy on the floor and it’s time to set up the table (which they do move to the end of the ramp for once). Cassidy’s comeback is broken up and the chokeslam puts him through the table as we take a break. Back with Danhausen at ringside and Billy hitting a suplex. The full nelson has Cassidy in trouble but he falls down from the threat of a big boot.

They go outside with Cassidy grabbing Danhausen but Hathaway decks Danhausen with the cast instead. Cassidy takes Bill out with a suicide dive, setting up an Orange Punch to the knee. Back in and the Stundog Millionaire into the tornado DDT rock Bill, followed by back to back Orange Punches. A top rope Orange Punch finishes Bill at 12:26.

Rating: C. This was something resembling a power vs. speed match and while Cassidy winning is fine, it’s still a bit much to accept that someone his size doing a Superman Punch is beating a giant. That aside, Cassidy has absolutely found his niche as the low level champion and it is going to be a big deal when he loses. Bill was good enough as a monster for Cassidy to slay, but this took longer than it needed to in order to get to the point.

After last week’s Dynamite, a bloody Jon Moxley says it tastes like victory and life. Moxley shouts about how he has come back from dealing with Hangman Page, but Page was the one getting all the attention when he was hurt. With the blood falling on the floor, Moxley promises to protect what is his. The Texas Deathmatch is on.

Here is the Elite but the lights go out and the House of Black is here to jump them. The House poses with the Trios Titles. Why was the Elite coming out there? That’s not important right now.

Kommander vs. Konosuke Takeshita vs. Powerhouse Hobbs vs. AR Fox vs. Action Andretti vs. Ortiz vs. Eddie Kingston vs. Sammy Guevara

Ladder match and the winner gets a shot at TNT Champion Samoa Joe (on commentary) next week. It’s a brawl to start with Kommander walking the rope to kick the ladder down, only to get run over by Hobbs. Back up and Guevara gets to clean house but Andretti sends him outside for the dive. Kommander runs the rope to dive onto everyone else at ringside and we take a break.

Back with Guevara going the latter but Andretti climbs up a two ladder structure from the floor to the top of the ladder, setting up a horrible Falcon Arrow onto the ladder to leave Andretti and Guevara hopefully not badly injured. Kommander 450s onto a ladder to Fox before going up, only to have Andretti springboard in for a save.

Cue Daniel Garcia to clean house and then bridge a ladder over some chairs. Guevara Swantons onto Andretti onto the ladder but gets shoved off the ladder. Takeshita goes up but Hobbs runs him over, breaking the ladder in the process. The referee comes in again to hold the ladder so Hobbs can win at 13:43.

Rating: C+. I have no idea what to say on this one but it was an absolute mess. Kingston and Ortiz fought off almost from the start and were gone for most of the match. Other than that, you still had too many people running around and way too many instances of people going for a big spot rather than trying to win. That stuff always drives me crazy in these things and this was even messier than most such matches. This didn’t work very well, though it did have the expected impressive dives. Just slow it down a bit next time.

Post match Hobbs goes after Joe but Wardlow returns to take Joe out. Hobbs stands back and watches, saying he has time.

The Best Friends are hurt and can’t be in the battle royal. Danhausen and the banged up Orange Cassidy are in instead.

Chris Jericho vs. Peter Avalon

Avalon jumps him to start and Jericho is sent outside, setting up the suicide dive. Back in and a pump kick gives Avalon two, followed by a springboard DDT for two. Then he walks into the Codebreaker to give Jericho the pin at 2:27.

Post match Jericho beats up Avalon until Ricky Starks makes the save. Jericho promises to win on Sunday and here is the Jericho Appreciation Society to beat Starks down. This whole thing absolutely could have been moved to Rampage.

Hangman Page is ready to take everything from Jon Moxley on Sunday.

Here is Christian Cage for a chat. He talks about how glad he’ll be to not be back in San Francisco again for another ten years. A few weeks ago he turned on Dynamite and heard Jungle Boy saying he was going to win a singles title this year. Cage: “Over my head body.” Christian promises to win a singles title this year before going into a rant about how people like Jungle Boy treat his business like a video game.

Christian treats this business like an ATM and promises to treat Jungle Boy like the nothing that he is. He wants Jungle Boy in a fight at Revolution but the lights go out. We get a video from Jungle Boy burying something, with clips of him attacking Christian included. I guess the match is on. This was GREAT stuff from Christian, who sold the entire match in about a minute and a half. Jungle Boy’s video was weird, but at least we have the match/fight set and Cage is still doing some of the best talking in AEW.

Jamie Hayter and Britt Baker are sick of Saraya and promise that Hayter will retain the Women’s Title.

FTW Title: Matt Hardy vs. Hook

Hardy, with Stokely Hathaway/Isiah Kassidy/Ethan Page, is challenging and starts fast by sending Hook outside. Page posts Hook to put him in trouble and Hardy follows with a neckbreaker. Hardy sends him into the buckle but Hook suplexes him out of the corner. A sliding lariat gives Hook two but Hardy is right back with a Side Effect. Ethan Page gets in a shot with Stokely’s cast for two. The Twist of Fate is broken up and Redrum makes Hardy tap immediately (seemed like he was trying to get out of the match to screw with Stokely).

Rating: C. Again, there was a lot going on here when doing less would have worked. Hook still needs ring time and having him in there for a 7-8 minute match with Hardy walking him through the whole thing would have been good all around. Instead, we got another chapter in the Hardy/Ethan Page/Stokely Hathaway story that feels like it has been going on forever. Hook getting a match on Dynamite is a good sign though, as his future looks bright.

The House of Black wants the Trios Titles.

Riho vs. Toni Storm

Saraya is here with Storm. They start fast with Riho picking up the pace to take over and put Storm down a few times. Saraya gets in a cheap shot though and Riho is down on the floor. Cue Britt Baker and Jamie Hayter as we take a break. Back with Riho hitting a big dive to the floor, followed by a high crossbody.

Another high crossbody is loaded up but Storm crotches her down to catch her on top. A super Storm Zero (yeah that would be a bad idea) is countered into a blocked sunset bomb so Storm runs her over. Baker offers a distraction though and Riho gets the (messy) rollup pin at 10:04.

Rating: C+. That ending didn’t do anyone any favors and Storm losing weakens someone in the biggest story in the women’s division right now. Again, there was a lot going on here as they cram in a bunch of stuff, especially when this was a match to set up a title match with none of the people involved included. Riho still feels enough like a star, but this was a weird place to have her come back and beat Storm.

Post match Baker and Storm brawl, with Ruby Soho coming out to slap Hayter in the face. Another brawl starts and referees break it up.

Dustin Rhodes and Keith Lee are ready for Mogul Affiliates on Rampage.

Casino Tag Team Battle Royal

For the final spot in the four way Tag Team Title match on Sunday and it’s basically a tag team Royal Rumble with both members having to be eliminated. The Dark Order is in at #1 but the Blackpool Combat Club (the #2 team) jump them from being. The beating is on and we take a break before the bell.

We’re joined in progress with La Faccion Ingobernable coming in at #3. They get to clean house a bit until the Lucha Bros are in at #4. Everyone brawls with no one getting tossed as Aussie Open is in at #5 (with the intervals getting all wacky in a hurry). The Combat Club gets rid of the Dark Order and we take a break. Back with the Jericho Appreciation Society having come in at #6 and Top Flight coming in at #7.

Matt Menard is out as the Kingdom is in at #8. Cue Ari Daivari and company for a distraction and La Faccion is out. Top Flight gets tossed out and Danhausen/Orange Cassidy are in at #9 (probably three minutes after the previous entrance). Cassidy dumps Parker to get rid of the Jericho Appreciation Society and the Lucha Bros went out somewhere in there. Butcher and the Blade are in at #10 as the Kingdom accidentally superkick Maria (their manager) before being knocked out.

Cue the Dark Order to distract the Blackpool Combat Club, allowing Orange Cassidy and Danhausen to toss them out. We’re down to Butcher and Blade vs. Orange Cassidy/Danhausen with Cassidy being sent to the apron. The double teaming can’t get rid of them but Danhausen dumps Butcher and Blade at the same time to win at 18:56.

Rating: D. This was one of the biggest messes I’ve ever seen from AEW and it absolutely did not work. I lost track of who was in and out more than once, with the time intervals being so all over the place that I wasn’t sure if we were getting more teams. They could have done this match in half the time (and with about half of the teams) but instead they overloaded it again and while the end result is a surprise, it came after a terrible match.

Post match Jeff Jarrett/Jay Lethal run in for the beatdown with the Gunns watching. The Acclaimed run in for the save.

Long video on Bryan Danielson vs. MJF in the Iron Man match at Revolution.

Here is Bryan Danielson, with part of his entrance cut off (we have less than four minutes in the show) to talk about chasing your dreams. Cue MJF to interrupt but Danielson won’t let him get a word in. Danielson says MJF is jealous of his wife and family and says it makes sense for MJF’s fiance to leave him. MJF is ready to fight but Danielson goes on a rant about how he has had to fight his whole life (from poverty to the authority).

Before Danielson came here, he had a job that could have kept him well paid for the rest of his life but he came here to fight. He wants the World Title and he is willing to fight for it. MJF better be ready to fight on Sunday or he is going to get his censored head kicked in. MJF storms off without ever saying a word as we are out of time. Danielson was great here and having him keep MJF from talking for a change was an awesome switch from the norm.

Overall Rating: C. Wow. I’m not sure where to start here, but this didn’t work for the most part. The good talking segments bailed a lot of it out, but between having WAY too much stuff going on (include a ladder match AND a battle royal), not doing much to make me care about the pay per view and having most of the matches not be anything memorable, it didn’t work very well. Not a good show here, and that comes down to one major problem.

There were multiple instances tonight where a match or in-ring segment would end and we would jump right back to the next thing, have a minute long something else and then go to whatever is next in the ring. Nothing had time to breathe or set in and as a result, the show felt like it was racing to get through everything multiple times.

AEW really, really need to learn better pacing, which might include just cutting some stuff. They couldn’t shave three minutes off of the battle royal and/or ladder match to give something else some time later? It was plaguing the show all night and it dragged things way down more than once. Not a terrible show, but they need to avoid something like this again.

Results
Orange Cassidy b. Big Bill – Super Orange Punch
Powerhouse Hobbs won the face Of The Revolution Ladder Match
Chris Jericho b. Peter Avalon – Codebreaker
Hook b. Matt Hardy – Redrum
Riho b. Toni Storm – Rollup
Danhausen/Orange Cassidy won the Casino Battle Royal last eliminating Butcher and the Blade

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

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AND

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Dynamite
Date: February 22, 2023
Location: Footprint Center, Phoenix, Arizona
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Taz

We have two weeks to go to before Revolution and that means it is time to start finalizing the card. That is a little tricky when one of the matches is going to be a sixty minute Iron Man match, but AEW does know how to throw in a few surprises. Tony Khan has promised a big surprise for tonight so let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

All-Atlantic Title: Orange Cassidy vs. Wheeler Yuta

Only Cassidy is defending after Yuta wants revenge for Cassidy and the Best Friends forgetting about him. They go technical to start and get some near falls each until Yuta bails to the floor. Back in and Cassidy uses Yuta’s own Seatbelt rollup for two, meaning it’s time for another breather outside. Cue Claudio Castagnoli to slap Yuta in the face to wake him up.

That’s enough to make Yuta counter the Orange Punch and send Cassidy outside for some whips into the barricade. A posting ensues and Yuta strikes away back inside, despite Cassidy putting his hands in his pockets. Cassidy hits a dropkick ad sends him into the corner a few times. There’s an enziguri from Yuta, followed by a top rope forearm for two. We take a break and come back with Yuta hitting a brainbuster into an Angle Slam for another near fall.

Cassidy manages some rolling German suplexes for two but Yuta uses Cassidy’s Mousetrap for two more. They spit at each other and knock each other down before heading to the apron. Cassidy gets the better of things and hits the diving DDT to the floor. Back in and they trade the driving elbows to the face until the Orange Punch gives Cassidy two. The Orange Punch retains the title at 16:48.

Rating: B. This turned into a hard hitting fight and that is the kind of thing that you do not see from Cassidy very often. Yuta can wrestle the technical style very well and made his half of things work here. They had a better match than I was expecting and this worked very well for a long, back and forth opener.

Post match Cassidy loads up the hug but Castagnoli tells Yuta to get out, with Yuta listening and leaving with Castagnoli.

Evil Uno is ready for Jon Moxley and wants Hangman Page to stay out of there from bell to bell. The Dark Order has to stand up for itself.

Here is Ricky Starks for a chat. Over the last few months, he has been dealing with Chris Jericho, who doesn’t want a rematch with him. Therefore, he is moving away from Jericho and now he has an open contract for a match at Revolution. Cue Jericho, who says Starks is enjoying that one win he got but it is never going to happen again. Starks isn’t at his level so good luck with the open challenge.

Cue Peter Avalon to try to accept the challenge but Jericho beats him down. Jericho gets in the ring and says this is what happens when you issue an open challenge. Starks says if Jericho signs, he’ll just bring the Appreciation Society, because apparently he needs them to win. That’s too far for Jericho, who agrees to the terms…..but he doesn’t have a pen. Starks: “D***. I do!” And after the big dramatic click, Jericho adds a line about the Society staying in the back and signs for the match. That took some time but it was some nice mind games from Starks.

A bunch of tag teams are ready for the battle royal.

Lee Moriarty/Big Bill vs. Acclaimed

Stokely Hathaway and Billy Gunn are here too. Caster’s rap makes fun of Moriarty and Bill, including Bill’s mother. Caster doesn’t get far with an armbar as a Bill cheap shot lets Moriarty take over. Bowens comes in for the blind tag though and something like a neckbreaker onto Caster’s raised knees gets two.

We take a break and come back with the Gunns out to watch as Bowens gets the hot tag and cleans house on Moriarty. Bill comes back in to kick Gunn and Bowens down though, allowing the Gunns to stomp their dad down. The Acclaimed chases them off and Caster poses Bill. The Arrival into the Mic Drop finishes Moriarty at 7:08.

Rating: C. They kept this short and sweet here as the Acclaimed gets some momentum back on their way to the four way title match. I’m not sure I can imagine them getting the titles back so soon, but at least they are beating teams they should beat. The title change still feels like it came out of nowhere though, and that might not be the best move.

Christian Cage comes out for an interview but Jungle Boy jumps him from behind. Jungle Boy loads up a Conchairto but takes too long, allowing Cage to low blow his way out of trouble. Cage hits him in the head with the chair and then rams said head into the other chair a few times. Jungle Boy is busted open and referees break it up.

Video on Wardlow vs. Samoa Joe.

Saraya vs. Skye Blue

Toni Storm is here with Saraya. Blue starts fast but a Storm distraction lets Saraya pull her off the top. Saraya takes over on the arm and plants Blue down for two. As Tony and Taz discuss the difference between making friends and making money, Saraya can’t superplex her down, allowing Blue to hit a high crossbody. Blue nails a running kick to the face but Storm offers a distraction, allowing Saraya to hit a superkick. The Scorpio Crosslock makes Blue give up at 3:45.

Rating: C. The fact that Saraya is now needing help to beat Blue isn’t a good sign for her future, but things haven’t exactly been going well for her for a good while. This us vs. them story is only so good and Saraya continues to be a letdown since she has been back. It was cool to see her wrestle again, but the charm is wearing off quickly.

Post match the beatdown is on but Jamie Hayter and Britt Baker make the save. Cue Ruby Soho to signal that she wants the title shot. Hayter doesn’t seem opposed.

Here is Bryan Danielson for a chat. Danielson is ready to do everything he can to win the World Title but first he needs to talk about what MJF said last week. MJF hurt Danielson’s mentor William Regal…and here is MJF to interrupt. MJF says these people love Danielson but MJF is the guy who has been shoved away by everyone he has ever loved. Then he met a girl and fell in love with her, to the point where he got down on one knee and said he wanted to start a family with her.

Then she left him, meaning the only thing that that stops him from taking a fist full of pills and calling it a day is this title. Everyone loves Danielson though, and they’ll shout YES at the top of their lungs. Danielson has a family that he takes for granted but do you know why MJF hates him? Danielson has had concussions and seizures but he’s still wrestling. Every time Danielson gets in the ring, he is saying wrestling is more important than his family and his children.

Every time Danielson gets in the ring, he is spitting in MJF’s face because he disrespects everything MJF wants. Danielson is worse than his drug addicted mentor so he’ll get all of the spotlight he wants at Revolution when MJF beats him do badly. MJF talks into the camera to Danielson’s children and promises to hurt their daddy at Revolution, to the point where Danielson can’t play with them again.

For some reason Danielson doesn’t move, but MJF gets in the ring and promises early onset CT…..and Danielson jumps him. Security eventually breaks it up. This was a weird segment, as it didn’t so much make me want to see MJF lose the title, but rather make me want to buy him a hot sandwich and give him a hug.

Jamie Hayter thinks Ruby Soho and Saraya deserve a title shot, so let’s make it a triple threat at Revolution.

Tag Team Battle Royal

Jeff Jarrett/Jay Lethal, Top Flight, Best Friends, Lucha Bros, La Faccion Ingobernable, Aussie Open, Ari Daivari/Tony Nese, Jericho Appreciation Society, Butcher and the Blade, Dark Order

The winners move on to Revolution for a Tag Team Title shot and both members must be thrown out for an elimination. It’s a brawl to start with some teams on the floor and others fighting inside. Nese and Penta fight to the apron but here is Mark Briscoe to go after Josh Woods, because that feud is still going. Penta Fear Factors Nese for the elimination and Daivari is tossed out shortly thereafter as we take a break.

Back with no eliminations during the break but Aussie Open is tossed at the same time. Dark Order gets rid of Blade and Darius Martin was tossed somewhere in there. Butcher eliminates Reynolds and Penta kicks Vance out. Vance helps Rush get rid of Penta but Penta kicks Rush out to get rid of La Faccion.

The Society finally gets in and goes after the Best Friends, only to have to deal with Danhausen. They toss him out so he fires off a curse, with the Society being tossed out at the same time. Jarrett and Lethal get rid of Taylor, leaving us with Jarrett, Lethal, butcher, Fenix, Trent and Dante Martin as we take another break.

Back again with a mini six man having broken out and Butcher knock Fenix through the ropes to the floor (not an elimination). Dante gets knocked out but Fenix dumps Butcher as well. Jarrett and Lethal toss Fenix and we’re down to the two of them plus Trent. The double teaming is on but Trent makes the comeback, only to have Satnam Singh make the double save.

Jarrett hits the Stroke and sends Trent….to the apron, where Orange Cassidy makes a save of his own. Sonjay Dutt’s interference doesn’t help as Trent manages to get rid of Lethal. Danhausen chases Dutt to the back but Singh saves Jarrett from another elimination. Another Strike lets Jarrett toss him out for the win at 18:31.

Rating: C+. The ending was a bit much and they had a bunch of stuff going on at once, but Jarrett and Lethal being added to a four way title match isn’t a bad idea. You’re going to need a team to keep things a bit more under control and that is where Jarrett and Lethal can shine. Fun match here, though it did run for a good while.

The House Of Black wants the Trios Titles.

Tony Khan joins us for a big announcement….which will be made by Adam Cole: AEW is getting a reality series called All Access, which debuts next month after Dynamite. On a more personal note: Cole is making his in-ring return the same night as the show’s debut. I get that it’s an announcement and a cool deal for AEW, but hyping this up as a “major announcement” was destined to fail. Put out a press release, mention it on Dynamite, and then talk about it rather than making a big deal that isn’t likely to go over very well. And yes, I understand that it’s likely a mandate from WBD. Just maybe present it a little smarter.

Here’s what’s coming on various shows.

Jeff Jarrett, Jay Lethal and company are excited but here are the Gunns to interrupt. Mocking ensues, but nothing gets physical.

Jon Moxley vs. Evil Uno

Uno jumps him to start and the beating is on fast, with Moxley having to fight his way out of trouble. Moxley gets sent outside for the top rope flip dive and Uno hammers away some more. A whip into the steps cuts Uno off though and Moxley sends him head first into the steps for a bonus. Uno is busted open and Moxley hammers away back inside, only to get caught with a pair of piledrivers. Moxley shrugs them off and chokes Uno out at 6:18.

Rating: C. You mean the former World Champion and one of the biggest stars in AEW history bet a guy who has been treated as little more than a comedy goof since AEW began? I’m really not sure why this was given the main event slot, as just having Moxley out there isn’t likely to give them that much attention. It was a bloody brawl, but there was zero drama to it and Moxley didn’t exactly seem to be worried.

Post match Moxley won’t let go so the Dark Order, the Blackpool Combat Club and Hangman Page run in (Page promised not to be out there from bell to bell so he kept his word). Page loads up what looks to be barbed wire but Moxley bails from the threat of a Buckshot Lariat to end the show.

Overall Rating: C+. This was a weird show as everything worked out well enough from a presentation standpoint and the wrestling was fine to good, but man alive AEW is ice cold going into Revolution. The MJF vs. Danielson feud is just weird, Page vs. Moxley has been done over and over, the women’s feud has a ton of moving parts and the Tag Team Title stuff is overcrowded. This wasn’t a bad show by any means, but AEW needs to figure out what they want to focus on and fast.

Results
Orange Cassidy b. Wheeler Yuta – Orange Punch
Acclaimed b. Lee Moriarty/Big Bill – Mic Drop to Moriarty
Saraya b. Skye Blue – Scorpion Crosslock
Jeff Jarrett/Jay Lethal won a tag team battle royal last eliminating the Best Friends
Jon Moxley b. Evil Uno – Rear naked choke

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

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

AND

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

Rampage
Date: February 17, 2023
Location: Saves Auto Arena, Laredo, Texas
Commentators: Jim Ross, Chris Jericho, Tony Schiavone, Excalibur

It’s a special show this week with the show on at 7pm instead of the usual 10pm due to the NBA coverage. Therefore the show is call Slam Dunk as AEW stacks the card because it might be able to draw a good bit more fans this week. Hopefully that is the case as Rampage hasn’t felt important in a few weeks now. Let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

Trios Titles: Elite vs. AR Fox/Top Flight

The Elite is defending and since this is Slam Dunk, there are a lot basketballs as props. Dante and Nick start things off by throwing a basketball at each other. Nick hits Matt in the face with the ball by mistake though and the champs are kicked out to the floor early on. Fox dives onto all of them in a pair of dives and then adds a third with a basketball. Back in and Omega grabs a headlock before running Fox over with a shoulder.

The basketball comes back in and the Elite tosses it around until Fox jumps for it, earning himself a double superkick. We take a break and come back with Fox kicking Nick into the corner. The hot tag brings in Dante to clean house, including a high crossbody for two on Omega. Everything breaks down (What took them so long?) and Fox dives off the top onto Nick and chucks the basketball at Omega in the corner.

A 450 gets two on Matt but Nick and Omega hang Top Flight over the ropes for Nick’s Swanton onto both. Fox makes the save and it’s time for the exchange of kicks to the save. The double cutter drops the Bucks but Matt is back up to shake the ropes. Fox’s middle rope moonsault is triple superkicked out of the air and Nick hits a big dive onto the floor. The One Winged Angel hits Fox to retain the titles at 10:22.

Rating: B-. The basketball stuff was goofy but harmless enough in a match where the Elite gets to beat another team. They need some challenges and that almost has to be the House of Black. I’m almost worried to see that match, but for now I’ll settle for another entertaining but pretty much drama free Elite match.

Post match the basketballs come back in but the lights go out. Cue the House of Black on the stage and we have a staredown.

The Gunns aren’t happy with the Elite bypassing the tag team battle royals but they’ll deal with them anyway.

Mark Henry is praising Orange Cassidy when Wheeler Yuta comes in. Yuta is glad he left the Best Friends because he has gotten so much more out of being in the Blackpool Combat Club. Now Cassidy doesn’t even think anything of Yuta being gone so Yuta is going to take the All-Atlantic Title from him. Cassidy says he wasn’t there to be a teacher but to be a best friend. If Yuta wants the title, come take it. That was a rather harsh heel spin from Yuta, who is pretty neutral most of the time.

Daniel Garcia vs. Ricky Starks

Starks punches him into the corner to start and hits the dancing Old School. A tornado DDT is broken up though and Garcia knocks him outside. We take a break and come back with Starks’ knee rather banged up as he walks into a Rock Bottom for two. The Sharpshooter goes on and here is Sammy Guevara to hold the rope away. Cue Action Andretti to go after Guevara and they brawl up the ramp. Starks gets up and hits the spear, setting up Roshambo (with a point at Jericho on commentary) for the pin at 9:45.

Rating: C. The match was just shy of ten minutes and had a break plus interference. It also doesn’t help as we’re still on this idea of Starks running through the Jericho Appreciation Society on the way to a rematch of a match he won in the first place. This isn’t the most logical story, but at least Jericho has someone to yell about.

Post match Guevara says he wants Andretti next week.

Evil Uno really doesn’t like Jon Moxley.

TBS Title: Jade Cargill vs. Vertvixen

Jade is defending and retains with Jaded at 1:05. I’ll take this over being asked to think Red Velvet is a threat.

Swerve Strickland is ready to go to war and thinks Dustin Rhodes has something to do with Trench not being here. Rhodes gets rather annoyed (granted that seems to be his default mode) and is ready to fight.

Swerve Strickland vs. Dustin Rhodes

Parker Boudreaux is here with Swerve (no Trench), who sends him after Rhodes on the ramp. That doesn’t go well for Parker and Dustin knocks Swerve around to start. The beating heads back inside, where Swerve gets in a quick shot to the face but misses a running knee.

A release German suplex drops Swerve but he kicks Dustin in the face for a knockdown. Swerve adds a pump kick from the apron to drop Rhodes and there’s a hard dropkick into the barricade. Dustin is busted open and we take a break. Back with Swerve hitting a Downward Spiral but Dustin fights up and yells a lot. Swerve bites his forehead but charges into the scoop powerslam.

The Canadian Destroyer gives Dustin two and they head to the apron, where Swerve grabs a Death Valley Driver for two. A superplex and piledriver give Dustin two and Cross Rhodes gets the same. The Final Cut connects but Boudreaux pulls Dustin out at two and sends him into the steps….for the DQ at 12:24. You always hear about these things but you never think you’ll actually see one.

Rating: B-. Rhodes is still one of the most consistently solid wrestlers anywhere, as you might not see him get to a great match but you’ll see him have a good one almost every time. Granted having a nearly thirty five year career is going to have a lot to do with that, along with Strickland being in there to help. Good match, as Rhodes continues to defy Father Time.

Post match Boudreaux and Strickland load up the cinder block but Keith Lee (clean shaven and with white/gray hair) pops up behind them (with the camera being set up low instead of at face level so the rising up shot is lost). Boudreaux and Swerve are destroyed, with a discus forearm taking Boudreaux out. Of note: Jericho mentioned that Lee must have attacked Trench for a way to explain his absence.

Overall Rating: B. This was the best, or at least biggest feeling, Rampage in a long time. Granted that is almost guaranteed to be due to the different time slot but I’ll take whatever I can get. There was nothing bad on here and the Lee return felt important, along with having the House of Black finally going after the Trios Titles. Good show here, and it’s nice to see one that feels like it matters.

Results
Elite b. AR Fox/Top Flight – One Winged Angel to Fox
Ricky Starks b. Daniel Garcia – Roshambo
Jade Cargill b. Vertvixen – Jaded
Dustin Rhodes b. Swerve Strickland via DQ when Parker Boudreaux interfered

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