Collision
Date: September 28, 2024
Location: Arthur Ashe Stadium, New York City, New York
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Ian Riccaboni, Matt Menard

It’s the second show in the tennis stadium and that means we are in for a big card. In this case it means we have a lumberjack strap match between Hangman Page and Jeff Jarrett, an open challenge for the TNT Title and Saraya’s Rules between Saraya and Jamie Hayter. That should be enough so let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Saraya vs. Jamie Hayter

This is under Saraya’s Rules, which basically means Saraya can do whatever she wants and Hayter can do nothing. Harley Cameron is here with Saraya and says there is one more rule: the match does not begin until Saraya “slaps the slag”. Saraya does get in the slap and Hayter drops both of them in short order. Cameron grabs the leg though and Saraya gets in a VCR shot before beating on Hayter with a computer keyboard.

Cameron gets in some more shots on the floor (Menard smiles because he likes a good crazy woman). Hayter fights up and German suplexes Saraya on the floor before sending Cameron hard into the steps. Saraya hits her in the back with a pipe before pouring a bunch of toy cars onto a table. That takes too long though and Hayter sends her into the barricade as well.

Cameron offers a distraction but Hayter still catches a diving Saraya with a powerslam. They go up, with Saraya hitting Hayter with a chair, knocking her through a table and Cameron onto another (with Hayter’s head coming dangerously close to slamming into the still standing table). That’s enough to give Saraya two on the floor…and now she’s willing to try for a countout. Back in and Hayter drives her through a table in the corner for a breather and hits a tombstone, followed by Hayterade for the pin at 8:10.

Rating: B-. I feel like I’ve seen so many of these matches lately that there’s just nothing to get excited about anymore. They hit each other with weapons, they put each other through tables, they do something that makes fans think “oh I’ve stepped on one of those and that hurts” and then they had the finish. On the positive side, it was a good, hard fought win for Hayter, who can move on from these two and get into something more serious.

We get more of a sitdown interview with Ricochet and Will Ospreay, with Ricochet talking about how he showed up and everyone was on him. Ospreay says the best in the world is on him too. More on this on YouTube.

Conglomeration vs. Learning Tree

Tornado Tag. It’s a big brawl to start, as it kind of has to do. Cassidy hits Jericho in the face with a backpack for two, revealing a brick inside. Keith comes back in and gets caught with the Stundog Millionaire. Bill is back in but gets sent outside, with Briscoe loading up the chair. That takes too long though and Jericho hits an AA to send Briscoe into the chair.

We take a break and come back with Bill cleaning house until a three on one beating in the corner cuts him off. Briscoe starts cleaning house with the chair but Jericho cuts him off with a Codebreaker. Jericho is sat in the chair for some alternating kicks but Bill makes another save. O’Reilly takes out Bill’s leg though and Briscoe hits Jericho with the chair. The Jay Driller hits Jericho but Briscoe would rather put him on a table. Bill chokeslams Briscoe through said table and Jericho gets the pin at 9:02.

Rating: C+. I’m not surprised that Jericho pinned a champion and is probably getting a title shot and you shouldn’t be either. That’s the kind of thing that Jericho does and I’m sure Briscoe will be stuck with him for months. As for the match, it was another wild brawl after the previous match was similar enough (though this one didn’t feature as many weapons), but this one had Jericho likely going into another title program so it’s a lot more frustrating.

Post match Jericho motions that he wants the title. I for one am shocked.

Brody King vs. Action Andretti

Andretti goes for the leg to start and hits the running shooting star press for an early two. King runs him over though and punches Andretti out of the air, setting up the Cannonball for the pin at 1:41. That worked.

Post match the Righteous runs in to brawl with Andretti, Top Flight and Lio Rush.

Jack Perry drives his stupid bus/van to the show.

TNT Title: Jack Perry vs. ???

Perry is defending against…Minoru Suzuki. We get the staredown to start and they trade forearms, with Suzuki getting the better of things. Suzuki takes him down and stomps on the arm as we take an early break. Back with Perry getting two off a neckbreaker as Schiavone seems to forget where we are for a second. Suzuki shrugs off some knees to the head and grabs the sleeper before switching to a failed Gotch Style piledriver attempt. They go outside with Perry being sent into the barricade. Perry comes back with a knee to the face and a DDT, followed by another running knee for the countout at 7:23.

Rating: C-. Yeah sure. I know Perry had to be on the show because he’s still a thing for whatever reason and this was probably supposed to be some big moment. Suzuki showing up for his regular exchange of forearms and funny looks isn’t exactly exciting either and that made for quite a lackluster match here. At least the break cut things up a bit.

Post match Perry beats on Suzuki even more until Katsuyori Shibata makes the save.

Trios Titles: Claudio Castagnoli/Pac/Wheeler Yuta vs. Private Party/Komander

Castagnoli/Pac/Yuta are defending but Yuta comes out behind them and really does not seem happy. Quen hammers on Pac in the corner to start but Castagnoli gets in a cheap shot from the apron so Pac can take over. Yuta won’t accept a tag in so Castagnoli slams Quen down and hits a double stomp. Something like an Irish Curse gives Castagnoli two and Pac chokes some more.

Quen fights out of the corner again though and it’s off to Kassidy for some fresh punching. Everything breaks down and Castagnoli Swings Kassidy but Yuta won’t do the dropkick. Komander sends Castagnoli outside so Yuta Angle Slams Kassidy (Yuta doesn’t look thrilled) for two. Kassidy slaps Yuta in the face though and that’s enough for Yuta to snap, with the elbows to the face and Cattle Mutilation (Pac approves) to retain at 7:23.

Rating: C+. This was almost a squash but it’s also one of the more interesting things in AEW. Having Yuta not wanting to be on the same side of the villains and only fighting because he got hit in the face has my interest and I’m curious to see where it goes. Yuta is doing the best he can with it, though it might be rather different when there is some tougher competition.

Post match Yuta snaps back to reality and storms away from his partners.

We get an Outrunners video, featuring them at an amusement park.

Hologram vs. Dralistico vs. The Beast Mortos

Mortos runs the other two over with a clothesline to start but they’re back up for a three way exchange of hurricanranas. Dralistico kicks Hologram down before sending Mortos outside, with Hologram hitting a dive onto both of them. We take a break and come back with Hologram being suplexed into the corner before kicking him in the head. Mortos gets headscissored down as well as commentary talks about how the current luchadors compare to the WCW days.

Holorgram’s big flip dive takes out Mortos on the floor but Mortos is back in to take out Dralistico. Hologram poisonranas Mortos into a crucifix bomb from Dralistico. That doesn’t keep him down long though as Mortos is back up with a double clothesline. A discus lariat drops Hologram and Dralistico grabs the cover for two. Dralistico is back up with a springboard Canadian Destroyer but Hologram grabs a crucifix to pin Dralistico at 10:08.

Rating: B. This was the popcorn match of the show and that’s all it needed to be. Hologram got to showcase himself but as usual, Mortos felt like a big star and seems to be someone who could be something special. As usual it’s more about Hologram though, which is starting to work, though he could use more of a feud.

Post match Rush comes in to pose with the losers, setting up a three way beatdown on Hologram. That’s not what I was hoping for from Mortos, as Los Ingobernables haven’t meant anything in months.

Kris Statlander is back and picking her spots, as she either takes people out or makes them better.

Here is the MxM Collection to present Max Caster’s improved jacket. They mock the idea of Caster being the best wrestler in the world and bring out some models, holding up cutouts of the Collection over their faces. Then they reveal a large man (named Hans, behind a mask) in Caster’s jacket, with a heard cut out from the chest. They want the rather large and muscular Hans on the team…but it’s really Billy Gunn, which brings out the Acclaimed to clear the ring. Caster gets his jacket back. This was really, really bad.

Hangman Page vs. Jeff Jarrett

Lumberjack strap match, with lumberjacks carrying straps (as the name implies). They slug it out until Jarrett sends him to the apron but Page avoids the whipping. Jarrett gets sent to the apron as well but saves himself too. Back up and Page sends him outside, but his friends won’t whip him. Another trip to the floor doesn’t go as well, with Jarrett taking a beating. Page suplexes him down and we take a break.

Well we’re supposed to though as commentary throws it to picture in picture but we’re still full screen. Page hammers away in the corner but misses a charge, only to knock Jarrett outside again for another whipping. We see to come back from break but the feed starts messing up (a graphic tells us it’s #2436 and we’re in part 4, with seg 7-10). Now we go picture in picture, with the video rewound to what we saw on full screen. Back with Jarrett hitting a Russian legsweep (same thing that happened before the glitching) but Page sends him outside, again in front of Jarrett’s friends.

A whip from Juice Robinson (dressed as a lumberjack) breaks up the Buckshot Lariat though and Jarrett hits a dive. The Stroke is broken up though and Page gets one of the straps to whip Jarrett. Karen Jarrett comes in to protect her husband, which is enough for Jeff to get his own strap and whip Page outside. Everyone, including Karen, gets in some whips, but a low blow cuts Jeff off. The Deadeye finishes for Page at 13:25 (from bell to bell, including the glitching and repeat footage).

Rating: B-. I’m not sure what to make of this one but I had a good time with it. Page survived what everyone threw at him and then beat a game Jeff. It didn’t need to do anything with drama or the like and they didn’t bother trying. Jeff got in a few shots before losing to the bigger star, which is all this should have been.

Post match Page beats up a variety of people but the Gunns chase him off.

Kazuchika Okada vs. Sammy Guevara

Non-title. They fight over wrist control to start until Okada takes him up against the ropes. Okada hits a sliding kick to the head but Guevara sends him outside and strikes a pose. With Okada on the floor, Guevara gets a running start and dives off the steps with a cutter. Okada puts him back down though and we take a break.

Back with Guevara grabbing a headscissor driver and hitting a running clothesline to the floor. A moonsault out to the floor drops Okada again but he backdrops Guevara hard onto the steps. Back in and a top rope elbow hits Guevara but the Rainmaker is countered into a Spanish fly for two. The GTH sends Okada into the corner, where he comes out with the Rainmaker for the pin at 12:28.

Rating: B-. This is a match that would have been a lot better a few years ago, as Guevara is not exactly the star he used to be. Okada was doing his usual stuff here and it was only so good, with the Rainmaker wrecking Guevara in the end. It didn’t feel like much of a main event, but Okada in the ring is a nice treat most of the time.

Overall Rating: B-. Other than the name, there was nothing here that made this show feel important or big in any way. Hayter and Page got wins, the Learning Tree beat up the popular team, the two title matches were just there, and the main event felt like it could have been on any given show. Not a bad night at all, but not exactly worth your time.

Results
Jamie Hayter b. Saraya – Hayterade
Learning Tree b. Conglomeration – Chokeslam through a table to Briscoe
Brody King b. Action Andretti – Cannonball
Jack Perry b. Minoru Suzuki via countout
Claudio Castagnoli/Pac/Wheeler Yuta b. Private Party/Komander – Cattle Mutilation to Kassidy
Hologram b. Dralistico and The Beast Mortos – Crucifix to Dralistico
Hangman Page b. Jeff Jarrett – Deadeye
Kazuchika Okada b. Sammy Guevara – Rainmaker

 

 

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Rampage
Date: September 28, 2024
Location: MassMutual Center, Springfield, Massachusetts
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Matt Menard

We’re going way out of order here as this show was taped before this week’s Dynamite. It’s a bit strange to go from the big stadium in New York to this arena and back to the stadium again tomorrow for Collision but a little change of pace shouldn’t hurt anything. If the show follows Rampage’s normal trend, things should go well enough. Let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

House Of Black vs. Lio Rush/Action Andretti

Brody King, Top Flight and Leila Grey are here too. Black and Rush start things off with Rush taking him down but charging into a kick to the face. Andretti tags himself in and yells at Black, who turns around hand hands it off to Matthews. More taunting has Andretti so annoyed that Rush comes in…and gets kneed out to the floor. Back up and Rush hits a quick dive, allowing Andretti to come back in and strike away. Rush front facelocks Black as the Righteous are watching in the back.

We take a break and come back with Andretti fighting out of a chinlock, setting up stereo crossbodies for a double knockdown. Rush comes in and picks up the pace on Matthews, including a poisonrana. The Final Hour is loaded up but Andretti tags himself in, only to be kicked into Rush on the top. The End finishes Andretti at 9:04.

Rating: B-. The House is getting back on track and have a bunch of people coming for them, which should keep them busy for awhile. Rush and Andretti having issues is fine, but could we do something else with Top Flight other than just having them stand around? For the life of me I do not get why they are stuck in such a rut but it’s been going on for a very long time now.

Post match Andretti yells at Brody King, who crushes him with a corner splash.

Anna Jay is back and says she isn’t sure where she fits in around here but she’s ready to find out starting tonight.

Anna Jay vs. Robyn Renegade

Renegade powers her into the corner to start and yells a lot on the otherwise clean break. Jay runs her over with a shoulder and chops away in the corner, setting up a basement dropkick. Back up and Renegade gets in a knockdown of her own but Jay hits a running forearm. A neckbreaker into a Gory Bomb finishes for Jay at 2:38. Jay looked like she had some new stuff, but none of that is going to matter if she isn’t actually pushed for a change.

We get a sitdown interview with Will Ospreay and Ricochet, who argue over their previous matches. The full thing is on YouTube.

Konosuke Takeshita vs. Angelico

Angelico grabs an early rollup for two to start and then kicks Takeshita out to the floor. The dance keeps Takeshita on the floor before hitting a running clothesline back inside. We take a break and come back with Angelico hitting some clotheslines. Some kicks to the head set up a small package for two before Angelico cranks on Takeshita’s arm. Something like an STF has Takeshita bailing to the ropes and going up, where Angelico backdrops him down. That’s shrugged off though and Takeshita hits the Blue Thunder Bomb into the Raging Fire for the pin at 9:08.

Rating: C+. This is a good example of what I don’t get about AEW. Takeshita is hot right now and looks to be on his way to a title match with Kazuchika Okada. That’s going to be one of the biggest matches of his career to date, so why in the world is he taking almost ten minutes to beat half of a low level tag team? Angelico doesn’t have any status to lose so why isn’t Takeshita out there mauling him in about four minutes?

We look at Bryan Danielson beating Nigel McGuinness on Dynamite and then attacking Jon Moxley later in the night.

Acclaimed vs. Fancy Clancy/TJ Crawford

Caster kicks at Clancy to start but walks into a dropkick. Crawford comes in and strikes away at Bowens, who wastes no time in hitting the Arrival. The Mic Drop connects as well before an assisted flipping slam finishes Clancy at 2:05.

Post match Caster says the Acclaimed is crashing the MxM’s party on Collision. The Collection pops up on screen to say the Acclaimed is not invited.

Willow Nightingale vs. Taya Valkyrie

Taya knocks her down into the corner to start and stomps away. Back up and Nightingale cartwheels away and kicks her in the head before hitting a crossbody for two. Nightingale’s middle rope dropkick sends her outside and the cannonball off the apron sends us to a break.

Back with Nightingale hitting a hard clothesline to leave both of them down. Nightingale kicks her in the face and hits the spinebuster for another near fall. Another missile dropkick misses though and Valkyrie plants her down for two of her own. Valkyrie has to slip out of a powerbomb attempt and hits a superkick but Nightingale is back with a superplex. Back up and Nightingale Pounces her into the Babe With The Powerbomb for the pin at 10:53.

Rating: B-. This was a good power fight, but wasn’t Taya just put with Deonna Purrazzo last week? Isn’t that a big soon to have her lose? That being said, hopefully Nightingale is put back into the title picture sooner than later. They were teasing something between her and Mariah May on Dynamite and that would work well, assuming Nightingale actually gets to win (and then keep) a title for a change.

Overall Rating: B-. Pretty nice show here which felt like it had some more story advancement for a change. That made for a better week and I was more engaged here than usual. Collision and Dynamite are going to dwarf this show even more than usual, which is kind of a shame as this was better than the norm for Rampage.

Results
House Of Black b. Action Andretti/Lio Rush – The End to Andretti
Anna Jay b. Robyn Renegade – Gory Bomb
Konosuke Takeshita b. Angelico – Raging Fire
Acclaimed b. Fancy Clancy/TJ Crawford – Assisted flipping slam to Clancy
Willow Nightingale b. Taya Valkyrie – Babe With The Powerbomb

 

 

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Dynamite
Date: September 18, 2024
Location: Mohegan Sun Arena, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Taz

We’re a week away from Grand Slam and the big story is a change to the World Title match, in that we won’t be having one. Instead we might be seeing Bryan Danielson vs. Nigel McGuinness, plus the #1 contendership will be on the line as Darby Allin faces Jon Moxley. That should be enough to make for a big build this week so let’s get to it.

Here is Collision if you need a recap.

Chris Jericho vs. Orange Cassidy

The Learning Tree and the Conglomeration are here too. They all get in and slug it out with the non-participants going to the floor, where Cassidy hits a big springboard flip dive. Jericho teases a dive but Cassidy comes back in with the Orange Punch for two. A middle rope hurricanrana is countered into the Walls but Cassidy reverses into a small package for two. Jericho’s running powerslam gets two more and they go outside, where Jericho commandeers a camera and stomps away.

Back in and the Lionsault gives Jericho two but Cassidy is back with the Stundog Millionaire. Jericho is sent outside but the dive is sent into the barricade. A belly to back suplex through a table has Cassidy in more trouble and we take a break. Back with a slugout leaving both of them down until Cassidy knocks him into the corner for some stomping. Jericho scores with a clothesline before countering the tornado DDT into the Walls.

Cassidy gets the Walls but here is Big Bill to kick him in the face. Kyle O’Reilly kicks him to the back, leaving Jericho to hit a Death Valley Driver for two. The tornado DDT and diving DDT give Cassidy two but the Orange Punch is countered into the Codebreaker for two more. Cassidy hits the Beach Break for two but cue Mark Briscoe and Bryan Keith for the brawling distraction. That’s enough for Jericho to pull out a roll of quarters, which Cassidy takes away for the Orange Punch for the pin at 19:30.

Rating: B. The match was a long, back and forth fight with Jericho doing as well as can be expected of him these days. I’m still not sure why we needed to go back to this story with the jacket after years away, but the bigger problem is the story continuing long after it needs to. If this is it for Jericho and Cassidy then it’s fine, but that doesn’t tend to be Jericho’s style.

Last week, Pac and Claudio Castagnoli were unhappy with Wheeler Yuta for not talking to them since All out. Jon Moxley, with Marina Shafir, comes in to say Yuta needs to decide what kind of man he needs to be.

Yuta isn’t sure what to do but he’s willing to fight at WrestleDream (it’s at Grand Slam, because Yuta’s mind isn’t clear) and he even forgot his title in the locker room.

Hook vs. JD Ink

Non-title. Suplexes and crossfaces set up the Redrum for the tap (from Ink) at 1:01.

Komander and Private Party are accepting the open challenge for a Trios Title shot next week.

Christian Cage is ready to win the World Title and wants Nick Wayne to win a title as well. Kip Sabian interrupts and Cage threatens to kill him.

Serena Deeb/Mariah May vs. Yuka Sakazaki/Queen Aminata

Deeb shoulders Sakazaki down to start and they trade covers for two each. Sakazaki is back up with a kick to the face so it’s off to Aminata, whose leg is dragon screwed in the ropes. May comes in for a running dropkick of her own and we take a break. Back with Sakazaki coming in to slam both of them down, followed by an exchange of German suplexes. Sakazaki hits a bit dive out to the floor, setting up the Magical Girl Splash but May breaks it up with the belt for the DQ at 8:04.

Rating: C. Ignoring that it was another eight minute match with a break because that needs to be a thing, Sakazaki is just the next person coming after May. She has been gone for five months but her first match back saw May on commentary mocking her. I’m not sure what lets her jump the line, but it’s a bit difficult to be interested when she was hardly featured before her injury earlier this year.

Post match May whips Sakazaki with the belt and kisses her on the cheek.

Mina Shirakawa is back, just like Mariah May wants. This might mean more if she hadn’t wrestled twice on Rampage in the last month.

Video on Nigel McGuinness vs. Bryan Danielson (which airs after some technical difficulties).

The Blackpool Combat Club comes into the arena but get jumped by Private Party. That means the beatdown is on, with Private Party getting wrecked. Komander comes in but Castagnoli cuts him off. Moxley whips out a hammer and yells about Private Party being in the same place they’ve been in since the beginning. Then he crushes Kassidy’s hand with the hammer. Cue Darby Allin to go after Moxley, who bails from the threat of the skateboard. Allin promises to run through him at Grand Slam and go on to WrestleDream.

Video on Jack Perry since All Out.

Ricochet vs. The Beast Mortos

Ricochet slugs away to start but gets knocked into the corner for a shot to the face. Mortos’ running knee misses though and he crashes out to the floor, where Ricochet hits a big dive. The running shooting star press gives Ricochet two and they trade armdrags. Ricochet sends him into the ropes and out to the floor, where a big flip dive is countered into an apron bomb.

We take a break and come back with Ricochet fighting out of a chinlock but getting caught in a pop up Samoan Drop for two more. Mortos’ running monkey flip doesn’t work as he crashes out to the floor, where Ricochet grabs a Code Red. Back in and a springboard 450 gives Ricochet two but Mortos gives him a super gorilla press for two of his own. Ricochet is right back with the ax kick (which didn’t appear to connect) and Vertigo for the pin at 11:31.

Rating: B. This was a very simple formula and it is something that will pretty much always work. Ricochet is someone who flies around and uses his special set of skills to take out a monster like Mortos. It worked well here and Ricochet looked good in the match that was designed to make him look good. They had a layup of an idea here and it worked well.

Video on Hangman Page’s recent actions.

We look at FTR beating the Grizzled Young Veterans on Dynamite.

Here is Hangman Page for a chat. Page has promised to hurt anyone who held him back from getting revenge on Swerve Strickland. While he was suspended, he heard Tony Schiavone cheering for Strickland, but here is Jeff Jarrett for the save. The fight is on with security breaking it up. Jarrett promises to take Page out.

Ricochet comes up to see Will Ospreay, who will face him at the anniversary show on October 2.

Will Ospreay/Kyle Fletcher/Konosuke Takeshita vs. Elite

Fletcher runs Matt over to start and Ospreay comes in for some double kicks, sending Matt bailing to the corner. Okada comes in and shoulders Ospreay down so Takeshita tags himself in, which doesn’t sit well with Ospreay. The Elite are sent outside for stereo dropkicks through the ropes and stereo slingshot dives as we take a break.

Back with Fletcher hitting a double clothesline on the Bucks and a brainbuster for two on Matt. A Michinoku Driver plants Okada and it’s Takeshita coming in for a middle rope backsplash. The Bucks come in for the save but get sent outside, leaving Okada to get triple dropkicked for two. Okada is back up with his own dropkick to Takeshita for a breather as we take another break.

Back again with the Bucks taking over on Takeshita, setting up the triple middle finger. The EVP Trigger is blocked though and a double German suplex drops the Bucks. Okada is back in and the Bucks hit a double stomp to the back into a sitout powerbomb for two on Ospreay. The Bucks superkick Ospreay down but Fletcher is back in for an assisted middle rope cutter. Takeshita hits a big running flip dive on Okada but Nick gets in his slingshot X Factor and moonsault from the apron. Fletcher hits the spinning Tombstone though and Ospreay adds the Hidden Blade, setting up the Coriolis for the pin on Matt at 19:35.

Rating: B+. This is where AEW tends to shine, as they had a bunch of people out there going nuts until one of them got pinned. It’s something they have done since the beginning and it worked well again here. Takeshita vs. Okada is coming and Fletcher/Ospreay vs. the Bucks is already set and both stories looked good here. Awesome main event, with some nice Grand Slam implications.

Overall Rating: A-. They went with the wrestling heavy show this week and the big important show is all set up. This week was the kind of show that makes AEW feel entertaining and it went well, with nothing bad, an outstanding main event and two other strong matches throughout. Throw in the lack of anything bad and this was a big upgrade over last week.

Results
Orange Cassidy b. Chris Jericho – Orange Punch with a roll of quarters
Hook b. JD Ink – Redrum
Yuka Sakazaki/Queen Aminata b. Serena Deeb/Mariah May via DQ when May used the title
Ricochet b. The Beast Mortos – Vertigo
Will Ospreay/Kyle Fletcher/Konosuke Takeshita b. Elite – Coriolis to Matt

 

 

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Dynamite
Date: September 11, 2024
Location: Rupp Arena, Lexington, Kentucky
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Taz

We are rapidly approaching Grand Slam in New York but it is also the All out fallout show. The big stories were the attempted murders of Bryan Danielson and Swerve Strickland at the hands of Jon Moxley and Hangman Page respectively. Neither of them should be here this week but strange things have happened. Let’s get to it.

I was in attendance for this show, sitting in the upper deck with the video screen slightly to my right. The attendance was very bad, with probably around 2,500 people, though the arena holds over 20,000. Seeing the amount of seats tarped off and empty made me say “wow” when I first walked in.

We open with a clip from All Out, with Jon Moxley explaining that he does not like Bryan Danielson’s ego and attacked him because it is Moxley’s nature. That’s a good enough explanation.

Tony Schiavone is in the ring and brings out the Patriarchy for a chat. Christian Cage has been told that he has “infinite aura” and now that he has the contract for a World Title match, he knows it is undeniable. When he saw Killswitch grab him by the throat, he knew that he had the perfect monster under his control. The fans chant LUCHASAURUS as Cage talks about how he’s coming for Bryan Danielson. The beating he’ll give Danielson will make his wife Brie wish she was the one with CTE. Cage makes it clear that he is the UNDISPUTED next World Champion.

Don Callis cashes in his favor with Will Ospreay to team with Kyle Fletcher for tonight’s Casino Tag Team Gauntlet Match. Fletcher talks Ospreay into doing it, saying there is no one he would rather team with t do this. As Mark Davis continues to become less and less important.

TNT Title: Jack Perry vs. Lio Rush

Perry is defending and comes to the ring in his Scapegoatmobile while Rush just has Action Andretti. Perry jumps him to start and the beatdown is on in the corner but Rush fights up with a dropkick to the floor. Rush tries a moonsault to the floor but gets dropped onto the apron for the crash as we take a break.

Back with Rush fighting out of a chinlock but getting dropped, which is enough for Andretti to come after him. That’s enough for an ejection but Rush fights up and hits a running Spanish Fly for two. Perry lawn darts him into the buckle though and a snapdragon puts Rush down again. Rush is right back with a poisonrana for a breather but Perry breaks up the springboard Stunner. The running knee finishes for Perry at 8:39.

Rating: C+. This was the way to give Perry some momentum back after his loss on Saturday and could have been a lot worse. Perry is far more tolerable when he stays around this level, which unfortunately does not happen very often. I’m not sure why Rush got this show but there were worse options to come after the title.

Perry goes to leave, saying people like him are crucified in this life so they can be glorified in the next.

We look at Hangman Page beating Swerve Strickland at a rather horrible level at All Out.

Page talks about how he has gone this far to beat Strickland and he would have spent an eternity in pain for a chance to hurt Strickland. Now if anyone stood in the way of him and his revenge, he is coming for them too. Page walks over and glares at Top Flight/Action Andretti before seeing the Dark Order, who don’t know him anymore. Then he runs into Jeff Jarrett, who says Page went too far when he put his hands on Jeff’s wife. The fight is on and has to be broken up.

Private Party and Komander come out for a match….and get jumped by the Blackpool Combat Club. Pac talks about how this company is broken and diplomacy has failed.

The Learning Tree arrives in a Bentley with a HI GUYS license plate. They’re going to show what they found in Orange Cassidy’s backpack tonight.

Ricochet vs. Sammy Guevara

They trade strikes to start until Ricochet sends him outside for the big running flip dive. The fight heads to the stage with Ricochet being sent into part of the set, allowing Guevara t moonsault off the tunnel as we take a break (note that they have been on the floor for 1:13 before the break and the ten count has not even started).

Back with Ricochet being sent to the floor (Fan: “Sorry.”) and into the barricade. Ricochet fights up and hits a jumping flip dive off the barricade) that was great) for two back inside. The Benydriller is countered into a Canadian Destroyer and Guevara hits a top rope cutter for two more. Guevara’s GTH misses and Ricochet kicks him in the head, setting up an ax kick stomp (egads) into Vertigo for the pin at 10:54.

Rating: B. This was definitely a better showing from Ricochet, who got to do his usual stuff and beat someone with some stature. It’s good to have Guevara back, but he has definitely lost a lot of his status in his hiatus. The flips were good and that ax kick stomp was awesome, making this a good match with Ricochet looking like a star.

Post match the Beast Mortos runs in to spar Ricochet, with Guevara making the save.

We look back at Kris Statlander beating Willow Nightingale in the Chicago street fight.

Kazuchika Okada mocks his title defense on Saturday when Konosuke Takeshita and Don Callis come in and want the Continental Title shot. Okada seems interested, complete with the b****.

Here is Darby Allin (to the reaction of the night, with people rising to their feet) for a chat. He gets right to the point and calls out Jon Moxley, who comes to the ring with Marina Shafir. Moxley talks about how nothing has changed between them but Allin cuts him off. Allin talks about how he was a homeless dishwasher and everything he owned fit in the trunk of his car. That’s why he wrestles the way he does and he loved what he saw in Moxley, who wouldn’t change for anyone.

They first wrestled in a high school gym and Allin was so nervous. Then he saw what Allin did to Bryan Danielson, which Allin could never do to someone like Sting. So what does Moxley want? It turns out Moxley wants Allin’s World Title shot at Grand Slam, because Danielson is going to be out of commission. Allin: “What are you stupid? You get dropped on your head? You been drinking again?”

After that gasp from the crowd, the fans hear Allin say Moxley has to earn it, with Moxley offering to earn it in New York. Allin accepts the challenge for Grand Slam, presumably with the title shot on the line. That’s quite the bait and switch for Grand Slam, which sold tickets based off the idea of the title match.

Nigel McGuinness interrupts Christopher Daniels and wants to talk to Tony Khan.

Commentary talks about September 11, which is a nice touch that would be nicer if it was going to a break instead of crammed between matches.

Mariah May vs. Queen Aminata

Non-title. They both miss some kicks to start and trade rollups for two each. An exchange of strikes to the face goes to Aminata but May ties her in the ropes and hammers away. We take a break and come back with May hitting a missile dropkick into the corner. Aminata kicks her away again and snaps off some suplexes. The running boot against the ropes gives Aminata two but May is back with a hanging DDT for two of her own. May’s running knee into Storm Zero finishes at 8:26.

Rating: C+. Not bad here with May getting a win, but she’s still missing a little something since she won the title. She’s still a good heel and is good at talking down to people but it’s not quite clicking. At the same time, Aminata seemed a bit shaky here and it wouldn’t surprise me if she was banged up somewhere in there.

Post match May lays on the mat with the belt and says she needs to have her championship celebration, but she wants Mina Shirakawa back too.

The Young Bucks mock the fans who say they want a new team to come after them. That’s why they have booked the tag team gauntlet match for tonight.

Learning Tree vs. Jacked Jameson/Iron Savages

Boulder knocks Jericho into the corner to start so it’s off to Bill for the big forearms. Everything breaks down and Jameson is booted in the face. Keith adds Diamond Dust and Jericho’s arrogant cover gets the pin at 2:27.

Post match Jericho goes on a rant about how he wants his $7000 back from Orange Cassidy, which is why he took the backpack. Inside the backpack is a picture of Cassidy and the former Best Friends. Cassidy pops up on screen and says he has the money. Cue Mark Briscoe driving a big machine full of coins, which he pours into Jericho’s fancy car. Cassidy adds some cash and that should be it. Fans: “KEEP THE CHANGE!” Pouring a bunch of coins into a car seems more mildly inconvenient than anything else.

Here is Nigel McGuinness for a chat. There is not going to be a World Title match at Grand Slam, which must be a breath of air for Bryan Danielson. Like when he let go of choking Justin Roberts with his tie. The World Champion should be in action at Grand Slam, which brings him to the contract he has in his hand. The success that he has should be his and Tony Khan has made the match. At Grand Slam, it’s Danielson vs. McGuinness. So if he can have that match, why can’t he have the Allin match?

Hook wants Roderick Strong for the FTW Title.

Here are the Young Bucks, in AEW office chairs, to watch the main event.

Tag Team Casino Gauntlet

First fall wins and there is no guarantee that all of the teams get in. FTR is in at #1 and Kyle Fletcher/Will Ospreay are in at #2. Ospreay snaps off a hurricanrana to Wheeler to start but a sitout powerbomb gives Harwood two. Fletcher is knocked outside and the PowerPlex gets two. The Righteous are in at #3 and a Boss Man Slam into a Swanton gets two on Wheeler. Fletcher is back in to clean some of the house until the Kingdom is in at #4.

Fletcher gets knocked down to start and a running knee gets two on Ospreay as we take a break. Back with the Acclaimed coming in at #5 (the fans approve) and cleaning house. An AA gets two on Dutch and a pair of Fameassers put Harwood down. The MxM Collection is in at #6 to a big reaction of their own. Everyone brawls until the good guys manage a triple suplex. We take another break and come back with everyone brawling on the floor again with Top Flight coming in at #7.

This time they get to clear the ring until Ospreay kicks Dante in the head. The Shatter Machine hits Bowens but everyone makes the save. The Outrunners are in at #8 and the fans are way into them as well. This time they clean house as well, including the Paisan elbow to Vincent. The Grizzled Young Veterans are in at #8 as Floyd superplexes Mansoor onto the pile at ringside. We hit the parade of secondary finishers inside until Dante’s top rope splash hits raised knees. Ospreay hits the Hidden Blade on Dante to give Fletcher the pin at 22:14.

Rating: C+. This was the weakest of these matches so far as the strength of the matches comes from the surprises and we didn’t have any here. The Outrunners and the Collection got big reactions but it was the makeshift tam winning to continue the “Ospreay is really good at these things” deal. It wasn’t a bad match, but it felt long and was just a bunch of people doing stuff at times.

Overall Rating: C. This was not great by any means and was one of the weaker Dynamites in a good while. There was nothing worth going out of your way to see and the whole Danielson/Nigel/Allin/Moxley stuff is feeling very much like a bait and switch. This show did not feel like fallout from All Out, which was going to be hard to do with so many people missing. It wasn’t a terrible show, but you didn’t need to see it and that’s not a good way to go in this spot.

Results
Jack Perry b. Lio Rush – Running knee
Ricochet b. Sammy Guevara – Vertigo
Mariah May b. Queen Aminata – Storm Zero
Learning Tree b. Jacked Jameson/Iron Savages – Diamond Dust to Jameson
Will Ospreay/Kyle Fletcher won the Tag Team Casino Gauntlet Match

 

 

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All Out 2024
Date: September 7, 2024
Location: NOW Arena, Hoffman Estates, Illinois
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Taz

It’s the second pay per view in two weeks and we certainly have a big main event tonight. After Hangman Page burned Swerve Strickland’s house down on Dynamite, it’s time to lock them in a cage. Other than that, Jack Perry is challenging Bryan Danielson for the World Title because Jack Perry. Let’s get to it.

Zero Hour: Iron Savages vs. Acclaimed

Bowens chops Bronson in the corner to start and it’s off to Caster, who gets crushed in the corner with a running splash. Caster is whipped hard into the corner again but can’t quite make a Flair Flip work. Instead Boulder hits a middle rope moonsault for two but a top rope elbow misses, allowing the tag to Bowens. Everything breaks down and Billy Gunn drops Jacked Jameson, leaving Caster to plant Bronson. The Arrival into the Mic Drop finishes for Caster at 8:51.

Rating: C. I’m not sure why this match was added as the Savages are about as low on the totem pole as you can get in the tag division. It was a nice little win for the Acclaimed, but this is something that could have easily been left on Rampage rather than here. The Acclaimed didn’t even rap!

Zero Hour: Dustin Rhodes/Sammy Guevara/Hologram vs. Premiere Athletes

Guevara flips over Nese to start but gets caught in the wrong corner for the stomping. A quick shot knocks Daivari down though and it’s off to Hologram to take out all three Athletes at the same time. The numbers game catches up with Hologram and Daivari takes over before Woods throws him outside. Mark Sterling gets in some stomping but Hologram manages a tornado DDT and hands it off to Rhodes for his usual comeback. Guevara hits a big flip dive over the top and it’s time for a parade of superkicks back inside. Some Cross Rhodes put the Athletes down and another hits Sterling. The Final Reckoning finishes Woods at 10:00.

Rating: C. Remember last night when Rhodes and Guevara and Hologram won a six man match? Well they did it again here. There was nothing to see here other than Hologram doing the same stuff he usually does. Rhodes is a double champion including a Six Man Champion, but now he’s in another three man team, giving him three stories going on at once, while how many wrestlers have almost nothing to do?

Zero Hour: Bang Bang Gang vs. Dark Order

It’s a brawl to start with the Gunns being sent outside, allowing the Order to do their pose on Robinson’s back. Robinson fights back and knocks them into the corner, setting up the Cannonball. Austin comes in but walks into Something Evil to give Silver two. Austin fights up again and gets kicked in the face, only to get caught in the Quick Draw. Everything breaks down again and Robinson hits his forward DDT to pin Uno at 7:34.

Rating: C. I’m not sure what there is to say about these matches. They don’t have a story and they’re just put out there to get people on the card and fill in time on the pre-show. The Gang gets a bit of a win but how much value is there in beating the Order? It’s another match that could have, and likely should have, been on Rampage, or just a dark match.

Skye Blue comes out for a surprise and asks if we could have had All Out without her. I’m thinking we could, but Mariah May interrupts. She isn’t going to have her championship celebration in Chicago and insults Blue. They get rather catty with each other with some vague references to being promiscuous until May kicks Blue’s crutch out. Queen Aminata makes the save.

Zero Hour: Beast Mortos/Shane Taylor Promotions vs. Undisputed Kingdom vs. Top Flight/Action Andretti

Taylor punches Bennett down before the bell and officially starts with Dante. It’s quickly off to Darius to slug it out with Moriarty before Mortos comes in to wreck a variety of people. Dante comes in and gets taken down into the corner, with Taylor hitting a splash to crush him rather hard. Dante absorbs some right hands from Taylor and knocks him down, allowing the tag back to Darius.

Everything breaks down and Top Flight teases a double dive, only to have Strong break it up. Taven kicks Dante in the head and hits the Flight Of The Conqueror to take out a Taylor, Bennett and Moriarty. Mortos hits his own twisting dive and it’s back inside for the parade of strikes to the face. Andretti DDTs Mortos but gets release Rock Bottomed by Taylor. Mortos adds a powerbomb to Andretti but Strong steals the pin at 10:57.

Rating: C+. This at least felt a bit more interesting than anything else on the pre-show but it didn’t feel like anything better than a Rampage main event. There was no title shot or prize on the line here and that didn’t do the match any favors. Maybe the Kingdom gets a title shot as a result, but those things are kind of few and far between.

The opening video looks at the show’s major matches.

We recap Daniel Garcia vs. MJF. Garcia is back after MJF laid him out and wants revenge, promising to break his neck.

Daniel Garcia vs. Maxwell Jacob Friedman

Garcia runs in from behind and jumps MJF from behind to start fast. The bell rings and MJF shrugs it off and takes over with a shot to Garcia’s neck. Some choking in the ropes and a belly to back suplex have Garcia down and we hit the cravate as the neck work continues. A brainbuster doesn’t work as Garcia knees him in the head and the crash out to the floor in a nasty landing. Back in and Garcia rolls some neckbreakers but has to block a piledriver attempt.

Instead MJF counters a leapfrog into a powerbomb for two before going after a cut on the forehead. The blood is flowing so MJF loads up the super Tombstone, which Garcia escapes to avoid a bad case of pain. Garcia fights up and fires off a bunch of elbows, only to get poked in the eyes. MJF calls for a brainbuster but gets rolled up for two instead. Back up and MJF hits a heck of a right hand to leave them both down.

Garcia fights up again and they trade German suplexes, followed by a big clothesline to put MJF down. MJF is back up with the Boston crab before switching over to a crossface. Garcia reverses into his variation of the Sharpshooter but MJF reverses into the Salt Of The Earth. MJF ties up both arms and a leg but Garcia uses the free let to make the ropes for the break.

Garcia’s jackknife rollup gets two and he strikes away before grabbing a front chancery. The arm starts to drop but Garcia blocks it because he wants to do more damage. The piledriver only gets two so Garcia loads up the super piledriver, only to get hit low. MJF uses Garcia’s jackknife rollup for the pin at 23:22.

Rating: B. This was a bit better than I was expecting with the right result. I get the idea of wanting to push Garcia, but MJF losing another pay per view match wouldn’t have been the right move. Garcia got something out of just being here, but there was no way you can put him over MJF in a spot this big. Not yet anyway.

Post match MJF offers a handshake but gets kicked low. Garcia hits the super piledriver and leaves through the crowd as commentary feels bad for MJF.

We recap the Young Bucks defending the Tag Team Titles against the Blackpool Combat Club, which is another part of the AEW vs. the Bucks feud over the summer.

Tag Team Titles: Blackpool Combat Club vs. Young Bucks

The Bucks are defending. Matt and Yuta start things off with Matt’s wristlock being broken up and Yuta taking him down for a backsplash. Castagnoli comes in for a double shoulder and a double wishbone has the champs in trouble. Back up and Matt knocks Yuta down, setting up the kicks to the back to take over. The running flipping neckbreaker onto the knee sets up a chinlock, followed by a slingshot legdrop for two.

Yuta fights up and gets over to Castagnoli to fire off the uppercuts in the corner. A high crossbody gets two on Matt but he catches Castagnoli in the ropes. Yuta breaks up the hanging 450 and throws Matt’s kick into Nick’s head. Cattle Mutilation goes on but Nick makes the save with a Swanton.

Castagnoli comes back in and gets caught with the EVP Trigger, with Yuta making a save of his own. The Bucks pump up the shoes but Castagnoli blocks another EVP Trigger. Castagnoli Swings Matt for two but the Fastball Special is broken up. Back up and they try it again, only for Yuta’s splash to hit raised knees, allowing Matt to get a small package for the pin at 15:43.

Rating: B. It was good while it lasted, but there was almost no reason to believe that the titles were changing hands here. If nothing else, the Club already have some titles and the Bucks are not going to have their “epic” title reign come to an end in a thrown together tag match. The action worked, but this felt like a token title defense more than anything else.

We recap Will Ospreay defending the International Title against Pac. They’ve known each other for years and Pac won the title shot before Ospreay won the title. Pac is here to win and be all mean, as is his custom.

International Title: Pac vs. Will Ospreay

Ospreay is defending and the fans are WAY into this one at the opening bell. We get the big staredown and Pac rolls outside for the early stall. Back in and a headlock takeover puts Ospreay down for a second. That’s broken up and they both flip over the other for a standoff. Pac knocks him outside and hits a big corkscrew dive to take him down again. Ospreay is right back up and hits his own corkscrew dive, followed by a double knockdown back inside.

They slap each other from the mat until Pac chokes in the corner. It’s already back to the floor with Ospreay being whipped into the barricade a few times. A brainbuster gives Pac two back inside and the headlock stays on Ospreay’s banged up neck. Ospreay fights up again and elbows him to the floor, setting up a Sasuke Special. Back in and a handspring spinning kick to the head drops Pac again.

The Cheeky Nandos Kick is broken up though and Pac hits a DDT into a Liger Bomb for two. Ospreay manages a standing Spanish Fly and the Oscutter for a delayed two to leave them both down again. Pac gets back up so Ospreay kicks him back down before they head to the apron. Another Oscutter is countered into a nasty German suplex, followed by a poisonrana to set up the Brutalizer. With that broken up, the Black Arrow hits raised knees to give Ospreay two more.

The Hidden Blade is countered and Pac hits a rebound German suplex for another near fall. Ospreay kicks him down and the fans are standing. Another poisonrana gives Pac another two and the Brutalizer goes on again. Ospreay powers up and hits his own poisonrana to rock Pac and a running elbow gets two. Pac crotches him on top but Ospreay slips out of a super poisonrana and hits another running elbow for another near fall. The Oscutter loads up the Stormbreaker, which is reversed into a hurricanrana to give Pac two. Ospreay has had it and hits the Hidden Blade to retain at 20:20.

Rating: A-. Yeah you knew this was going to be awesome coming in and they more than delivered. It was one big spot after another until Ospreay knocked him silly to retain. That’s all it needed to be and Pac can more than hang with just about anyone going today. Excellent match here, which shouldn’t be a surprise.

We recap Willow Nightingale vs. Kris Statlander. They used to be friends but Statlander turned on her, likely at the influence of Stokely Hathaway. Nightingale got to pick the stipulation so we’re having a street fight.

Kris Statlander vs. Willow Nightingale

Street fight and Stokely Hathaway is here with Statlander. A chair is brought in to start but Nightingale knocks it out of her hands and hits an early cannonball for two. They go to the apron with Statlander slipping out of a Death Valley Driver attempt and hitting her in the back with a chair. A powerbomb sends Nightingale through the announcers’ table and Statlander puts her on a regular table.

The Swanton from the top only hits table, though Statlander’s legs to hit the moving Nightingale. One heck of a Pounce sends Statlander through the barricade and they go up the ramp. Statlander gets in a suplex and orders Hathaway to bring her a trashcan full of weapons. That works for Nightingale, who grabs a light tube and breaks it over Statlander’s head. Not to be outdone, Statlander gets up and spears her off the stage and through some tables.

They go back to the ring to trade strikes and slams before heading right back to the floor. Statlander grabs a bag of tacks so Nightingale bites the cut on her head. The tacks are poured out and Statlander is slammed onto them, landing in the splits. The Death Valley Driver gives Nightingale two and they go up top, where Statlander grabs a super Spanish Fly.

A discus lariat, with a chain wrapped around the arm, gives Statlander two and Nightingale rolls outside. Statlander whips out a chain and ties them together but Nightingale plants her with a spinebuster. They slug it out again and Statlander hits Staturday Night Fever before choking her out with the chain for the win at 15:02.

Rating: B. It was a street fight with the same stuff you often see in these things. You had the table, the chair, the tacks and a light tube thrown in for the big spot. They beat the heck out of each other and it felt like a war between two people who wanted to hurt each other, but you know a lot of what you’re going to get in this and they didn’t change it up much here.

Will Ospreay is happy to have retained the International Title and knows Ricochet is watching. Cue Ricochet, who gets in Ospreay’s face and says he’ll see him soon.

Continental Title: Kazuchika Okada vs. Konosuke Takeshita vs. Orange Cassidy vs. Mark Briscoe

Okada is defending and the challengers all won qualifying matches last night on Collision. It’s a brawl to start with Briscoe being knocked outside, leaving Cassidy to DDT Okada for two. Back in and Briscoe shoulders Okada down before trading clotheslines with Takeshita in the corner. Briscoe knocks him into the corner but Cassidy comes in to send Takeshita outside. Cassidy and Briscoe connect with stereo dives but Okada is back up with a suplex to Cassidy inside.

The Stundog Millionaire staggers Takeshita but Okada dropkicks Cassidy off the top. Briscoe gets the chair for the big flip dive to the floor and goes back inside to chop it out with Cassidy. Okada and Takeshita come back in to suplex both of them down and the fans are rather happy with the villains slugging it out. Okada hits the dropkick but gets caught with the Blue Thunder Bomb for two. Takeshita takes Cassidy up for a superplex but Briscoe is there with the Froggy Bow for two of his own.

Briscoe counters the Rainmaker and hits a hard clothesline of his own to put Okada down. Takeshita blocks both the spinning DDT and the Stundog Millionaire before running Cassidy over with the knee. Briscoe is back in with the Jay Driller but Okada makes the save. The Froggy Boy hits raised knees so Takeshita’s running knee gets two on Briscoe. Okada is back in to clean house until Cassidy rolls him up for two. The Rainmaker to Cassidy retains the title at 14:59.

Rating: B. This was pretty much all action and that’s what it needed to be. Okada was working well here but Takeshita felt like the star, as he was all over the place and hitting one big move after another. Cassidy taking the fall is fine enough as he tends to react well to adversity. I’m not sure who takes the title from Okada, but he could be holding it for a long time. Now just get Takeshita something of note already as it is long overdue.

We recap Mercedes Mone defending the TBS Title vs. Hikaru Shida. There isn’t much of a story here, especially as Mone has recently beaten Shida.

TBS Title: Mercedes Mone vs. Hikaru Shida

Shida is challenging. Mone charges at her to start and hammers away but Shida is back up with some running dropkicks. A Brock Lock has Mone in trouble until she gets over to the ropes. Shida’s running knee gets two but Mone is right back with a Meteora for the same. We hit the early chinlock for a bit, followed by the double knees in the corner to put Shida down again. Back up and Shida manages to send her hard into the corner, setting up a middle rope dropkick for two.

The right hands in the corner have Mone in more trouble but she pulls Shida down into the Bank Statement. Shida fights up and they knock each othe down until Shida comes back up with a knee to the head. Mone is fine enough to hit a sunset bomb into the corner for two as things are picking up. The Three Amigos connect but the frog splash hits raised knees. Shida rolls three straight Falcon Arrows for two of her own but the Katana is countered into a dragon screw legwhip.

Shida is back with a German suplex and a running knee for two but her own knee is banged up. That means the Katana doesn’t quite work so she hits it two more times, with Mone rolling out to the floor. They fight over the kendo stick with Mone being pulled into the post but Shida throws the stick down. Instead Shida tries a Meteora but bangs her knee up again, allowing Mone to hit the Mone Maker (which is somehow getting worse) for the pin to retain at 16:29.

Rating: B-. This was getting good near the end but the stuff with the stick felt kind of out of nowhere. The Mone Maker didn’t look like something that would have finished Shida off but Mone insists on sticking with it for whatever reason. Shida couldn’t have felt like much more of a lame duck challenger coming in after Mone beat her last month, so this was only going to have so much drama.

We recap Jack Perry challenging Bryan Danielson for the World Title. Danielson won the title at All In and has said he’s done when he loses. Perry is the first challenger.

AEW World Title: Jack Perry vs. Bryan Danielson

Perry, who rode to the back in his weird car and met with the Young Bucks, is challenging (and his TNT Title isn’t on the line). They fight over a lockup to start with Perry throwing him down and then slipping away from Danielson on the mat. Back up and Danielson charges into an armdrag but Perry goes outside for a breather. Perry gets back in so Danielson starts in on the arm before hitting a powerslam of all things.

The surfboard has Perry in more trouble but he gets outside before Danielson can stomp his head. A dive takes Perry down again instead but he superkicks Danielson out of the air. The fans are all over Perry as he whips Danielson into the barricade. Back in and Perry fires off some hard chops, setting up a neckbreaker for two. Perry goes up but gets caught in a nasty belly to back superplex. Danielson fires off the kicks and spins him into the LeBell Lock until Perry gets a foot on the ropes.

The moonsault over Perry looks to set up the running clothesline but Perry pulls him into what used to be known as the Snare Trap. Perry switches over to Cattle Mutilation, with Danielson slipping out, allowing Perry to hit a German suplex. They head to the apron where Danielson escapes a snapdragon suplex and they strike it out. Danielson suplexes him to the floor and it’s time for the YES Kicks back inside.

Perry pulls him back into the Snare Trap though, with Danielson making the ropes this time. Danielson kicks him in the head but a running dropkick hits the referee by mistake. Cue the Young Bucks to jump Danielson, including the TK Driver. The Blackpool Combat Club runs in to chase the Bucks off, leaving Perry to hit a running knee for two.

Perry stomps away but Danielson gets up and hits a running knee of his own to leave both of them down. They slug it out again until Perry’s slap just fires Danielson up. Danielson strikes him down and hits the running knee for two so Danielson stomps him in the head. Perry gets to his knees and holds his arms out, allowing Danielson to hit another running knee to retain at 27:02.

Rating: B. It was a good match but it was Perry challenging and it’s going to take more to beat Danielson than Perry’s big move of “DO YOU KNOW WHO MY FRIENDS ARE”. In theory this was just because of the short turnaround between All In and All Out, but Perry never felt like a real threat to the title. At least he got to do his pose at the end though, because he’s just that interesting.

Post match Killswitch comes in to lay out Danielson and here is Christian Cage with the Patriarchy. Jon Moxley gets in the way of the cash-in though and the rest of the Blackpool Combat Club (including Pac) has the Patriarchy turning away. Moxley gets in the ring to hug Danielson and the team poses…until Claudio Castagnoli decks Danielson. Moxley whips out a plastic bag to suffocate Danielson as Pac holds Wheeler Yuta (the only one trying to help Danielson) back. Marina Shafir is here to cut off a referee as the fans chant THIS IS MURDER. Moxley lets go and the team leaves as the bag is ripped off and Danielson is given oxygen.

We recap Hangman Page vs. Swerve Strickland. Page has become obsessed with Strickland after losing to him over and over. They are set for a cage match, but this week Page burned down Strickland’s childhood home to take this to quite a higher level.

Hangman Page vs. Swerve Strickland

Unsanctioned lights out and you can only win via pinfall, submission or knockout. Prince Nana is here with Swerve but the dancing is a bit subdued in a nice touch. The brawl is on as the cage lowers and Nana whips out a table. A bunch of other weapons are sent in as the cage is lowered and the bell rings. Swerve hammers away but neither can sent the other into the cage. Page gets knocked down and kicked in the head but Strickland takes too long looking at the weapons and gets caught with a German suplex.

With Strickland down, Page grabs a staple gun, which Strickland takes away and staples Page in the back. Strickland staples a picture of his family to Page’s chest and then his face for a bonus. Page tries to go up, earning himself a chair shot to the face. Something like a Death Valley Driver into the cage has Page in more trouble and Strickland chokes away. They both go up top, with Page dropping down to crotch Strickland on the rope. There’s a ram into the cage to rock Strickland again and Page wraps some barbed wire around the cage wall.

Strickland is sent head first into the wire and is busted open as well. The cut is raked over the wire and Page kicks him in the face. Some chair shots have Strickland down again and the referee tries to step in, only for Strickland to flip over him for a Buckshot Lariat to Page. Strickland chairs Page down in the corner and then launches him head first into the chair for a scary crash.

It’s time to bring out a cinder block (oh dear) and Strickland Vertebreakers him onto said block (or at least pretty close to it) for two. The table is set up and a top rope Swerve Stomp drives Page through it in a huge crash. Page pops right back up and hits a Deadeye for two before whipping out a piece of the burned house. Strickland takes that away too and stabs Page in the head but cries as he looks at it. The distraction lets Page powerbomb him onto the cinder block for two and Page slugs away. That takes too long and Strickland is back up with a toss powerbomb into the cage.

The House Call against the cage and a running knee give Strickland two so he goes to the top of the cage. Well he starts to at least as Page is there to powerbomb him back down. Another Deadeye gets two and Page hits him in the head with a chair. Strickland starts laughing at him but falls down again. Page whips out a syringe and drives it through Strickland’s cheek before hitting a TERRIFYING chair shot to the head (with the camera cutting away) for the knockout at 31:21.

Rating: A-. I’m not sure what to say on this one, but I was feeling Page’s utter hatred of Strickland and wanting to destroy him, which is what he did in the end. Strickland was violent as well, but him laughing at Page in the end didn’t quite feel right after the whole arson thing. Page pretty much had to win here so he can finally beat Strickland, but I’m not sure where things can go from here. For now though, an incredibly violent match, albeit with the syringe being a bit weird.

Post match Page leaves, teases coming back, and then screams a lot to end the show.

Overall Rating: A-. Yeah this was pretty awesome with nothing close to a bad match and the two big matches more than delivering. At the same time, it was kind of an odd show as there was very little in the way of title changes, but quite a bit in the way of moves such as the Club’s turn and Page getting his big win. It was a great show once I got into it and beyond the rather worthless Zero Hour. Now just give us some time before the next pay per view because this two week turnaround was annoying. Other than that, check this show out as it’s worth a look.

Results
Acclaimed b. Iron Savages – Mic Drop to Bronson
Hologram/Dustin Rhodes/Sammy Guevara b. Premiere Athletes – Final Reckoning to Woods
Bang Bang Gang b. Dark Order – Forward DDT to Uno
Undisputed Kingdom b. Shane Taylor Promotions/The Beast Mortos and Action Andretti/Top Flight – Powerbomb to Andretti
Maxwell Jacob Friedman b. Daniel Garcia – Jackknife rollup
Young Bucks b. Blackpool Combat Club – Small package to Yuta
Will Ospreay b. Pac – Hidden Blade
Kris Statlander b. Willow Nightingale – Choke with a chain
Kazuchika Okada b. Orange Cassidy, Mark Briscoe and Konosuke Takeshita – Rainmaker to Cassidy
Mercedes Mone b. Hikaru Shida – Mone Maker
Bryan Danielson b. Jack Perry – Running knee
Hangman Page b. Swerve Strickland via knockout

 

 

 

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Dynamite
Date: August 28, 2024
Location: State Farm Center, Champaign, Illinois
Commentators: Excalibur, Taz, Tony Schiavone

We’re done with All In and that means it is time to start getting ready for All Out, which is just under two weeks away. That might include a title defense by new World Champion Bryan Danielson, who took the title from Swerve Strickland on Sunday. Some of the pay per view card is already set but they have some work to do. Let’s get to it.

Here is All In if you need a recap.

We open with a look back at Bryan Danielson winning the World Title at All In.

Cue the returning Jon Moxley, with new music and a rather serious look on his face. Tony Schiavone gets in the ring to ask how Moxley is doing, with Moxley saying he’s been doing a lot of thinking about things that need to get done. He’s here looking for a man who isn’t here to have a conversation.

The man is nothing like him because it’s Darby Allin. It’s time they had a talk and he won’t be hard to find. And with that, Moxley teases leaving but comes back and say this is not Schiavone’s company anymore. Excalibur and Taz have no idea what that means. This was really weird and felt like a very new direction for Moxley, which isn’t a bad thing.

The Conglomeration and Hook are ready for their matches tonight. Mark Briscoe talks about how the team had mixed results at All In and Willow Nightingale picks a Chicago Street Fight against Kris Statlander at All Out. Briscoe declares the word of the day to be indefatigable because they cannot be fatigued.

Tomohiro Ishii vs. Hangman Page

They forearm it out to start with neither being able to get the better of it despite trading the forearms for over a minute. Ishii shoulders him down and then they chop it out with Ishii being knocked into the corner. We take a break and come back with Page hitting a DDT onto the apron, with Ishii standing on his head for a bit. That’s good for a delayed two back inside and a backbreaker gives Page two more.

Page ties up the leg and kicks away but Ishii fights back with a belly to back suplex. Page is back with a Death Valley Driver but Ishii knocks him down again and we take another break. We come back again with an exchange of clotheslines and Ishii not being able to hit a brainbuster. Instead Page hits him in the face and sends him flying with a release German suplex. Ishii is back up with a jumping Deadeye and a hard clothesline gets two. Back up and a bunch of clotheslines set up the Deadeye to Ishii, meaning the Buckshot Lariat can finish at 16:53.

Rating: B. I can’t imagine there is going to be much more divisive on the show than this one. It was a long, back and forth match but they were using a style that isn’t going to please a lot of people. The exchange of forearms at the beginning was coming off more like a joke than a fight, and that’s not something I tend to like seeing. It was certainly intense though and the right person won, but it could have probably shaved off a few minutes to make it a good bit better.

Post match here is Swerve Strickland, to say that Page threw a tantrum at All In because he keeps getting further and further from success. This will always be Swerve’s house because Page has always failed. Page says Swerve is not a champion because he is a piece of s*** who could never beat him on his own. He wants Swerve one more time, with Swerve saying we’ll do it in a cage at All Out. Swerve brings up Revolution and how he went up to Page’s house the morning Page cost him the World Title.

That was the morning Page escorted his pregnant wife down the stairs. That was when Page was about to become a father for the second time. That was the man Page was supposed to become, but it made Swerve realize he needed to focus on the World Title, which will happen again. Page can’t do anything because he’s too obsessed with Swerve. In that cage, what kind of man is Page going to be? Or what kind of man is he going to show his kids he can be? Page leaves in disgust. At some point, you have to bring Page back down to earth and this felt like they were going in that direction.

Jamie Hayter vs. Harley Cameron

Saraya is here with Cameron, who gets stomped down into the corner to start. Hayter shrugs off a kick to the face and hammers away before kicking her out to the floor. Soul Food into some Irish Curses and a hard lariat finish Cameron at 3:06.

Rating: C+. This wasn’t great but it was the match that Hayter needed to have back. She came in, she beat Cameron up, she leaves, people remember that she’s good. That’s all this needed to be as Hayter has been gone for a really long time. Let her get her feet wet again and go on from there.

The Learning Tree and Roderick Strong are ready for tonight, with Big Bill seemingly understanding that the fans won’t like him as much as they did in Cardiff. Chris Jericho takes credit for Hook winning the FTW Title and Strong, in glasses, is glad to be in the Jericho Vortex, even for one night. Oh and Jericho hasn’t forgotten Orange Cassidy for ruining his $7,000 jacket all those years ago.

Here is MJF, who is in a lot of pain after taking the tiger driver 91. He has such a headache and does not want to hear from these fans. MJF renounces his American citizenship, save for Long Island of course. He accuses Will Ospreay of cheating to beat him and promises to beat him again with a smile on his face.

That brings him to Daniel Garcia….who jumps him from behind and tries a piledriver of the middle rope. That doesn’t work as security breaks it up, so Garcia says he stole the Dynamite Diamond Ring and hocked it to get a flight to England (ok points for tying that up). Ruining Garcia’s life is now his fetish (his words) and now he wants MJF at All Out. MJF is in. I know they had to transition from Ospreay to Garcia really fast because of All Out, but dang I was expecting more than “oh, my neck hurts” from a move which seemed to send Ospreay into PTSD for months. ESPECIALLY from MJF!

We look at Ricochet’s debut at All In.

Learning Tree/Roderick Strong vs. Conglomeration/Hook

Cassidy takes Keith down to start as commentary makes jokes about road trips. Briscoe comes in with a suplex and kicks Keith over for the tag off to Bill. Everything breaks down and the big brawl is on as we take a break. Back with Jericho getting a full nelson on Cassidy, who gets his hands in his pockets for the break.

Briscoe comes in and gets taken down by Strong, allowing Keith to hammer away as commentary continues to chatter about…whatever their latest inside joke is this week. That doesn’t last long as Briscoe gets up and hands it off to O’Reilly, who goes for the kneebar on Strong. Bill breaks that up and clears the ring, including a big swinging Boss Man Slam to Cassidy as we take another break.

Back again with Bill missing a charge into the corner, allowing Hook to…well not suplex him as Strong makes the save. Strong gets STO’d and NOW Hook can t-bone suplex Bill. Jericho comes back in and runs the ropes before stopping for his HI GUYS wave. Strong hits the fireman’s carry gutbuster on Hook but gets kicked outside by O’Reilly. Cassidy dives into Keith and Briscoe hits a big step up flip dive. Back in and Hook Redrums Strong for the tap, despite Strong’s feet being in the ropes, at 16:30.

Rating: B. This felt like “here are a bunch of people doing stuff for a good chunk of the show” and that’s not a bad thing. It might not be the most interesting or the most important, but it works for a one off match. The ending pretty clearly gives us an All Out match and that’s the bigger point long term.

Post match the beatdown is on and the Kingdom beats down Hook, with Strong holding up the FTW Title.

Mercedes Mone is celebrating her win at All In when Private Party comes in. Marq Quen hits on her but Kamille and Kazuchika Okada of all people cut him off. Mone: “Okada-san, how d you say bye b****** in Japanese?” Private Party is shipped out. This was….I’m not sure what but it wasn’t good.

Here is Mariah May for a chat on the stage but her title celebration has been postponed because…well it’s just not happening in this town. This town is called Champaign but it should be renamed “Flat, p*** warm beer.” She opens her robe to reveal the title (Tony Schiavone approves) and leaves because that’s enough. This felt like they gave May the least interesting thing imaginable to say and just played on the reveal at the end.

We see a clip from after the Tag Team Title match at All In, with the Grizzled Young Veterans threatening the Young Bucks, who aren’t intimidated.

The Grizzled Young Veterans aren’t impressed with the Bucks and are ready to show what they can do on Rampage.

We look at Konosuke Takeshita in the G1 Climax in New Japan.

Kyle Fletcher vs. Ricochet

Don Callis is on commentary. Fletcher gets in a flip of his own to start but Ricochet send shim outside, only to miss a dive. Instead Fletcher hits a leg lariat out to the floor, setting up the suicide dive to send Ricochet into the barricade. Back up and Ricochet dives off the barricade to drop Fletcher and we take a break.

We come back with Fletcher kicking away at him, only to have Ricochet knock him down down. The running shooting star press gives Ricochet two and he hits a rolling dropkick to send Fletcher outside. Back in and Ricochet’s top rope splash misses, allowing Fletcher to hit a running knee to the face. Ricochet shrugs it off and hits Vertigo (reverse inverted DDT) for the win at 11:58.

Rating: B-. This was a great contrast to the Hayter match earlier, as this was a good bit longer than it needed to be and didn’t have me wanting to see more from Ricochet. Instead, it felt like he was trying to beat someone who is a middle of the road star around here at best. That doesn’t make me want to see more of Ricochet, but rather more that he’s just kind of another person being added to the roster.

Post match Will Ospreay comes out to stare down Ricochet but Pac comes in and gives Ospreay a nasty poisonrana onto the stage. Pac tells Ricochet to go to the back of the line, because Ospreay is his at All Out.

Jon Moxley yells at security guards and Marina Shafir of all people beats them up, with Moxley saying we need lessons in humility around here.

Here is Bryan Danielson for his big celebration as champion. His daughter was happy…which may have been due to being on a double decker Peppa Pig tour bus. Seeing his peers so happy for him was the greatest moment of his career, but then he went to the press event. The reality is that his contract expired earlier this month, his neck needs to get fixed and his family wants him home.

Danielson thanks everyone who helped make the company great and looked at everyone who will wrestle here in the future. It is probably time for him to go home….BUT NOT YET. He is going to fight for the title as much as he can and there are a lot of heads to kick in. First come, first serve, so come get a shot. And then Jack Perry pops up on screen to say he is making his own future and taking Danielson out. Danielson’s future is behind him…and Perry jumps him from behind. The beatdown is on to end the show. And yes, it continues, as AEW will do everything they can to make Perry a thing no matter what.

Overall Rating: B-. This show was in a rough spot as it was both the fallout from All In, the start of the build towards All Out and a show where it felt like a lot of things were taking a breath after the huge pay per view. At the same time, the lack of a more proper build from All In to All Out is making a lot of the show feel like it’s thrown together, which isn’t exactly something that makes me want to put my money down. They still have time to cobble things together, but this was only an ok starting point for the show.

Results
Hangman Page b. Tomohiro Ishii – Buckshot Lariat
Jamie Hayter b. Harley Cameron – Lariat
Hook/Conglomeration b. Learning Tree/Roderick Strong – Redrum to Strong
Ricochet b. Kyle Fletcher – Vertigo

 

 

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AND

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Summerslam 2023
Date: August 5, 2023
Location: Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan
Attendance: 51,477
Commentators: Michael Cole, Corey Graves

We’re in another stadium and that means the show is going to feel big. In this case we have several major matches on the card, starting with Tribal Combat as Roman Reigns defends the WWE Universal Title, as well as being Tribal Chief, against Jey Uso. Other than that, we have Cody Rhodes vs. Brock Lesnar III and Seth Rollins vs. Finn Balor for the Raw World Title. Let’s get to it.

Since the show is in Detroit, the opening video has a car theme and an intro by Kid Rock, because of course it does. It talks about knowing where you’re going and looks at some classic clips before moving into the look at this year’s show.

And again, for reasons I still cannot fathom, the show’s theme song is Born To Be Wild by Steppenwolf. As in the song released in 1968.

Logan Paul vs. Ricochet

This is a battle over trying to go viral. They yell at each other to start and Paul is knocked to the floor where he covers up from a dive that never comes. Back in and Ricochet rolls through a sunset lip attempt but gets elbowed in the face to cut him off. The chinlock doesn’t last long as Ricochet fights up, only to get caught in the ropes. A neckbreaker onto the apron puts Ricochet down and Paul hammers away in the corner to keep him in trouble.

With a quick mock of the injured Braun Strowman, Paul hits a running powerslam for two and soaks in some booing. A big boot and legdrop (the Hogan Paul) connect for Paul but Ricochet is back with a spinebuster into the People’s Moonsault for two. Back up and one heck of a backdrop leaves Ricochet crashing down and Paul is back up with a springboard clothesline.

They go to the apron, with Ricochet having to stick the landing on a Spanish Fly before knocking Paul down for a breather. Paul is back up with a Buckshot Lariat to the floor (geez) and naturally a quick shot of Prime. Back in and a standing moonsault gives Paul two as Ricochet is starting to get overwhelmed. Paul misses a charge into the post so they both go up top (the fans get up too) and a super neckbreaker brings Paul crashing back down.

A springboard clothesline into the standing shooting star press gets two on Paul and we slow down a bit. Back up and Paul’s middle rope moonsault is caught but he spins into a tornado DDT for the big crash anyway. Ricochet is back up with the Recoil but the shooting star press only hits raised knees. One heck of a springboard frog splash gives Paul two, only to have Ricochet kick him in the face. A top rope Lionsault gets two but the 630 misses and cue one of Paul’s lackeys to give Paul brass knuckles. The big right hand gives Paul the win at 17:56.

Rating: B+. There is a concept of just letting it all hang out and do one big spot after another and it went well here. This was a blast of a match and they didn’t try to do anything but one big move after another. Paul gets a win on the big stage and that is what he has been lacking for a long time now. Really fun match here and they’ll likely get the highlights they were shooting for with this one.

Samantha Irvin, Ricochet’s fiance, is livid.

Sheamus and the Brawling Brutes mess with a monster truck.

We recap Cody Rhodes vs. Brock Lesnar, which started the night after Wrestlemania. Lesnar attacked him, presumably for not beating Roman Reigns, but Cody won the first match. Then Lesnar beat him back (and broke his hand), so it’s rubber match time.

Brock Lesnar vs. Cody Rhodes

Lesnar German suplexes him to start but Rhodes is right back with a pair of Disaster Kicks. A third is knocked out of the air though and Lesnar powers him hard into the corner. Lesnar’s charge only hits post and the fight heads outside as they’re certainly starting fast. Back in and Lesnar suplexes him a few more times as we’re getting firmly into Lesnar’s standard style. Rhodes is sent outside but beats the count, with Lesnar just shaking his head. Lesnar: “THIS IS ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE!”

Rhodes gets knocked to the floor a few more times as we’re in quite a bit of a stall. An F5 on the floor plants Rhodes again and Lesnar tells Michael Cole to tell Rhodes to take the countout. Somehow Rhodes beat the count and gives him a BRING IT look, earning himself another suplex. Another F5 through the announcers’ table has Cole begging Rhodes to stay down. Rhodes dives back in again and Lesnar is really displeased. They go back to the floor where Rhodes grabs the steps, which are kicked away.

Instead Rhodes manages a posting and NOW the steps can rock Lesnar again. The Disaster Kick into the Cody Cutter into a top rope Cody Cutter gets two and Rhodes is kind of stunned. The Kimura goes on but Rhodes makes it over to the ropes for the break. Back up and Rhodes sends him into an exposed buckle, setting up a Kimura on Lesnar. As you might expect, Lesnar powers him up and down for the break but an F5 is countered into the Cross Rhodes. Two more Cross Rhodes finish for Rhodes at 17:30.

Rating: B. They started losing me a bit during the teased countout spot but then it got going again with Rhodes hanging in there until Lesnar just couldn’t beat him. This is the way to give someone the Lesnar rub as Rhodes not only hung in there but wound up winning, which is a heck of a lot more than some can say. Good stuff here, with Rhodes getting the important win to finish the feud.

Post match Lesnar gets up and shows respect. The gloves come off and Lesnar leaves in peace.

Slim Jim Battle Royal

Erik, Ivar, JD McDonagh, Rick Boogs, Otis, Chad Gable, Ludwig Kaiser, Giovanni Vinci, Ridge Holland, Butch, Sheamus, Riddle, Grayson Waller, Shinsuke Nakamura, Bronson Reed, Tommaso Ciampa, Apollo Crews, LA Knight, Santos Escobar, AJ Styles, The Miz, Austin Theory, Karrion Kross, Cameron Grimes, Omos

We get a brief history of battle royals (including Royal Rumbles, which aren’t exactly the same thing) before the bell rings and….holds on as here is MVP to introduce Omos as the guaranteed winner. The fight is on before Omos gets in but he’s right in there to get rid of Crews, McDonagh and Boogs. A bunch of people go after Omos but he fights them off and knocks Sheamus silly.

Imperium gets rid of Otis but Gable throws Vinci out and gets to pose a bit. Ciampa breaks up the Viking Raiders’ springboard clothesline and gets rid of both of them. Willow’s Bell gets rid of Nakamura in a heck of a quick sequence. Not that it matters as Reed gets rid of Ciampa and Theory knocks out Holland. Grimes is out as the ring is getting cleared rather quickly. Escobar eliminates Theory but gets kicked out by Kross. Kaiser gets too cocky (shocking I know) in thinking he got rid of Gable, who tosses Kaiser instead.

Omos tosses Riddle and Butch at the same time and then knocks down (not out) a bunch of people at once. Knight starts going after Omos and a bunch of people join him, with the big group managing the elimination. Waller and Miz get together (Graves approves) but can’t get rid of either Gable or Knight. Instead Knight throws Miz out and Sheamus gets rid of Waller. Reed runs Sheamus and Knight over, leaving Styles to kick Kross out.

We’re down to Knight, Reed, Gable, Styles and Sheamus, with Reed backdropping Gable out. Knight muscles Reed out so it’s Sheamus taking over on Knight and Styles. Cue Kross to grab Styles’ leg so Sheamus can kick him out and get us down to two. Knight drops Sheamus and hits the LA Elbow but Sheamus is back up with the jumping knee. Sheamus goes up top but Knight jumps the corner for a superplex. A clothesline gets rid of Sheamus to give Knight the win at 12:46.

Rating: C+. It was a pretty run of the mill battle royal but what mattered was getting Knight a win on the big stage. Knight looked fine out there and got the win, despite not really being a focal point until the last few entrants. It wasn’t a particularly great match, but there is only so much you can get out of this kind of a battle royal in the first place.

And now, a Slim Jim ad featuring LA Knight. Geez good thing Butch didn’t win or that would have been awkward.

We recap Ronda Rousey vs. Shayna Baszler. They were friends, they were partners, then they weren’t friends or partners and now they’re fighting. This also goes back to their time in MMA, with Baszler apparently being jealous of Rousey’s success and Rousey not being very gracious.

Ronda Rousey vs. Shayna Baszler

This is under MMA rules, meaning no pinfalls, countouts, DQ’s or rope breaks. You win by submission or knockout, all of which are explained for the first time by the referee. Rousey breaks tradition by offering to touch gloves but Baszler isn’t up for it. Instead they grapple up against the ropes until Rousey slams her down. Some shots to Baszler’s back look to set up a cross armbreaker but Rousey can’t get it on, meaning it’s another standoff.

Back up and Baszler DROPS HER with a kick, sending Rousey outside. Baszler grabs a leglock back inside but Rousey slips out and hits a hard jumping knee. A knee to the ribs takes Baszler down again and Rousey hammers away at her back. Rousey headscissor chokes her and they fall over the top to the floor in a big crash.

Rousey gets back in and Baszler needs to be checked out by the medics. That doesn’t work for Rousey, who beats up the medics but Baszler suplexes her down. A Kirifuda Clutch is broken up and Rousey goes for the armbar, with Baszler reversing into an ankle lock. Baszler pulls her up into the Kirifuda Clutch and Rousey is out at 7:28.

Rating: C. I’m not sure what to make of this as it was barely wrestling and more a martial arts match, as advertised. What mattered the most here was Rousey giving Baszler a win on her way out of WWE. It was pretty clear that Rousey’s time in WWE was over and this is a good way for her to go out. Now if only WWE ever did anything with Baszler other than put her in another tag team.

Tonight’s attendance: 59,194.

We recap Drew McIntyre vs. Gunther for the latter’s Intercontinental Title. Gunther is this close to setting the all time record for longest Intercontinental Title reign of all time, while McIntyre is back after a long hiatus and wants to prove he’s still got it. Hoss fighting is set to ensue.

Intercontinental Title: Drew McIntyre vs. Gunther

Gunther is defending. They stare at each other to start and eventually lock up to fight over the power game. A shoulder puts Gunther down and the slow pace continues. Gunther’s headlock takeover puts them on the mat as commentary runs down Gunther’s resume. Back up and McIntyre hits the Glasgow Kiss to send Gunther outside, where he is fine enough to post McIntyre and send him into the steps.

Back in and Gunther chops him down a few times but McIntyre is back up for the slugout. Gunther’s release German suplex doesn’t do much to McIntyre, who is right back up with a clothesline for the double knockdown. The chop each other down so McIntyre nips up, only to get dropkicked into the corner. McIntyre is right back with the Futureshock for two but the threat of the Claymore sends Gunther outside.

That means a big running flip dive from McIntyre but another Claymore attempt is cut off with a dropkick. The powerbomb gives Gunther two and they’re both down again. Gunther is up first with a top rope splash for two and frustration is setting in. With nothing else working, Gunther starts slapping him in the back of the head over and over with some shouting thrown in.

McIntyre fights up and hits a Claymore for two, meaning it’s time for McIntyre’s eyes to bug out. Gunther is sat up top for a hard chop and they strike it out up there. McIntyre gets crotched back down though and the top rope splash into the powerbomb retains the title at 13:42.

Rating: B. It was a good, hard hitting match that you would expect from these two but they didn’t have as much time as you would have expected. At the same time, they were being asked to live up to the expectations from the Wrestlemania three way with Sheamus, which just wasn’t likely to be topped. Gunther getting another big win makes him feel that much bigger though, as the legend continues to grow.

We recap Finn Balor vs. Seth Rollins for the World Heavyweight Title. Rollins beat Balor to win the inaugural title at Money In The Bank and now we’re running it back as Balor is still obsessed with beating Rollins, despite doing it before and having many chances to do it over the last seven years. Damian Priest and his Money In The Bank briefcase are looming as well.

Raw World Title: Seth Rollins vs. Finn Balor

Rollins is defending and wears the same vest that he wore when he hurt Balor at Summerslam 2016. Balor jumps him from behind to start but Rollins fights back before the bell. The bell rings and they slug it out with Rollins elbowing him in the face to take over. Some chops and a running forearm in the corner have Balor in more trouble but he slips out of a suplex. There’s a stomp to Rollins’ chest and Balor hammers away. Balor starts in on the arm, just like Rollins hurt him seven years ago (in a freak accident rather than targeting it but revenge can make people’s memories hazy).

The armbar goes on for a bit before Balor switches back to more general cranking. Rollins fights up but gets Russian legswept right back into a Fujiwara armbar. That’s broken up and Rollins hits a much needed clothesline for a breather. The Falcon Arrow gives Rollins two and Balor is sent outside for three straight suicide dives. Balor is back up to catch Rollins on the apron and send the bad arm into the post.

We get the big flashback with the running toss powerbomb into the barricade and Rollins is rocked. Back in and the Sling Blade hits Rollins, who is right back with a superkick. Balor shrugs it off and plants him down for one, setting up a cross armbreaker. That’s broken up as well and Rollins hits a pair of buckle bombs into the great looking frog splash for two. Balor gets in a shot and goes up, where Rollins superplexes him down and rolls into the Falcon Arrow, only to have Balor reverse into a small package for two.

The shotgun dropkick sends Rollins into the corner (where he hits his shoulder again) but the Coup de Grace misses. Rollins’ Pedigree connects for two….and here is Damian Priest with the Money In The Bank briefcase (his music isn’t playing though so it isn’t a cash-in). Balor hits his own Pedigree for two and Priest is stunned.

That’s enough for Priest to offer a distraction so cue Judgment Day but Balor yells at Priest, saying they’re not changing the plan. The distraction lets Rollins hit the Stomp for two and we hit the big shocked faced. Rollins dives onto Priest and the distraction lets Balor shotgun dropkick him into the corner so the Coup de Grace can get two. Priest throws in the briefcase but Rollins hits a quick Stomp onto it to retain the title at 18:27.

Rating: B. This was the kind of match that they needed to have to make Rollins feel more like a champion. That being said, there was a bit too much going on with all of the interference and the tease of the cash-in/interference. What matters is Rollins won though, which had to be the case as he was only about a month into the inaugural title reign. They had a good match here though and it felt like it belonged on a show this big.

The Alpha Academy preview the rest of the show and promote Mike’s Hard Lemonade. Miz comes in and gets annoyed at being the only real Mike in the room. Maxxine Dupri throws him out and calls him Mark.

We recap Asuka defending the Smackdown Women’s Title against Bianca Belair and Charlotte. Belair had the title won but Damage CTRL interfered, causing Charlotte to accidentally take Belair out. The triple threat match was made as a result.

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

Asuka is defending and they start fairly slowly. Asuka’s rollup to Belair is broken up with a big boot from Charlotte as the fans are oddly quiet here. Charlotte suplexes Asuka down and kicks Belair in the face, only to be pulled outside by Asuka. Belair hits a dive onto both of them but gets kicked by Asuka on the way back in. A pop up knee to the face gets two on Belair with Charlotte making the save this time.

That earns Charlotte a knockdown of her own and Asuka, in the clown paint, gets in an evil smile. Charlotte is sent outside, leaving Asuka to small package Belair for two. They’re certainly not in high gear yet but things are at least starting to pick up. Charlotte dives onto both of them to break up a Glam Slam and it’s time to chop away. With Asuka and Belair in trouble in the corner….we pause for the referee to fix Charlotte’s gear.

Thankfully Asuka is smart enough to choke Belair until Charlotte can clothesline them both for two. Back up and Charlotte kicks Belair down but gets caught by Asuka’s running knees for two more, leaving everyone down. They all strike it out until Asuka grabs Belair’s hair to send her outside. Belair is back up with a neckbreaker to Asuka and right hands to Charlotte in the corner.

A spinebuster sends Charlotte onto Asuka but the handspring moonsault hits raised knees. Charlotte spears Belair but gets pulled into the Asuka Lock. Now the handspring moonsault can connect to break it up and everyone is down again. Back up and Charlotte sends them to the floor for the moonsault which….egads I don’t think she actually touched either of them (she might have grazed Belair but Asuka was nowhere near the impact).

With the crowd silent after that miss, Asuka takes Charlotte back in for a DDT but she has to fight out of a KOD attempt. Charlotte kicks Asuka to the floor and flips out of a KOD, only to get caught in an overhead German suplex. Charlotte has to break up the Asuka Lock on Belair and moonsaults onto both of them for two. For some reason Charlotte tries a figure Four on both of them at once, which doesn’t work as Belair kicks her off. Belair is sent outside and lands knee first on the steps in a SCARY crash.

That leaves Charlotte to go up but Asuka pulls her back down with a superplex. Charlotte is right back with a shot of her own and the Figure Eight goes on. Belair is back in with a 450 to break it up or two but Charlotte is able to send Asuka outside. The Figure Eight goes on Belair, only for Asuka to come in and break it up with the mist. With her legs still tied up, Belair small packages Asuka to win the title at 20:47.

Rating: B. This was a good match that took a while to get started. It wound up being more about Charlotte dominating and the other two having to take her down, which is something that has been done more than a few times. That being said, Belair felt like a star here and it’s all the more impressive to see her becoming a star on the highest level in the division. Belair winning the title is a bit of a surprise as she had already had the big, long title reign but it’s more interesting than Charlotte getting the title again. Asuka had a nice reign and can easily get the title back later if necessary.

And here’s Iyo Sky to hit Sky in the knee with the Money In The Bank briefcase.

Smackdown Women’s Title: Iyo Sky vs. Bianca Belair

Belair is defending and Over The Moonsault gives Sky the pin and the title at 7 seconds. Eh it gets rid of the briefcase so I’ll take it.

We recap Roman Reigns vs. Jey Uso in Tribal Combat for the WWE Title and the role as Head Of The Table. Reigns has been a monster and run the lives of the Usos, with Jey finally rebelling and Jimmy coming with him. Jey pinned Reigns at Money In The Bank, setting up his chance here to end Reigns once and for all. Reigns and Solo Sikoa put Jimmy in the hospital, leaving Jey all alone here. This is the VERY long term drama and there was even a feeling that Jey might kind of sort of maybe have a chance, which was so hard to fathom no matter who you are.

Smackdown World Title: Jey Uso vs. Roman Reigns

Reigns, with Paul Heyman, is defending (the title and the position) in Tribal Combat, meaning a street fight. Before the bell, reigns offers Jey the lei, saying he’ll give this to Jey if Jey can beat him. They circle each other to start and Reigns easily powers him back into the corner. A running shoulder puts Uso down (same sequence that started Gunther vs. McIntyre) and Reigns runs him over again to prove his point. Reigns knees him in the face as this is one sided and rather slow paced to start.

Jey is back with a kick to the ribs and a clothesline to the floor, setting up the required dive. The steps are set up at ringside but that’s not enough so let’s have a table out there too. The long delay and a Heyman distraction lets Reigns send him face first into the table and then into the corner as well. Jey manages a quick jumping enziguri to send Reigns outside again, where he finds a kendo stick. Some hard shots have Jey in trouble again but he slugs his way out of trouble.

Reigns clotheslines him down in the corner as Graves gets in the “your arms are too short to box with God” CM Punk line. Jey fights back and gets in his own kendo stick shots to send Reigns up the aisle as this is going rather slowly. Back in and Jey tries something off the top, only to get Superman Punched out of the air for two. Jey is back up with a superkick into the Superfly Splash for two and they’re down again.

A bunch of chairs are thrown in but Jey takes too long setting up a superkick and gets powerbombed down onto the chairs for two. Reigns takes forever to set a table up but Jey fights back, only to get punched out of the air. The spear is cut off with an enziguri and Jey Samoan drops him from the apron through the table. Rather than cover though, Jey whips out a leather strap and starts whipping away. They brawl out into the crowd, where Solo Sikoa pops up for Spinning Solo through a table.

Sikoa drags him back to he ring for another Spinning Solo but Jey pulls Sikoa in the way of a spear. Jey’s spear hits Reigns for two and he grabs a chair to clean house. That takes too long too (yes, in this match), allowing Sikoa to get in a shot of his own. Reigns and Sikoa stop to talk strategy, which lets Jey spear Reigns through the barricade.

Jey Superfly Splashes Sikoa through the announcers’ table and hits another spear on Reigns back inside. The Superfly Splash connects but someone in a hoodie (clearly Jimmy Uso) breaks up the cover. Yes it’s Jimmy, who gets yelled at by the fans before, eventually, superkicking Jey. Reigns hits the spear through a table in the corner to retain at 36:03.

Rating: D+. It’s never a good sign when you can probably cut off more than half of the match and tell the same story. This was one of the least interesting main events I’ve seen in a long time as it was hard enough to buy Jey as having a chance in the first place, but then they make it this boring. Just WAY too much time spent laying around with nothing going on and it sucked the life out of the match.

The usual Bloodline celebration ensues.

Highlight package.

Overall Rating: B-. This show started really well and had some very high points but the main event dragged it WAY down with a stretch in the middle that really didn’t work. If you cut out about half an hour total, it’s that much better, but this show’s very good moments were dragged back down by the weaker stuff. It’s far from an awful show, but this was really rough at times and it could have been a lot better.

 

Ratings Comparison

Logan Paul vs. Ricochet

Original: B
Redo: B+

Cody Rhodes vs. Brock Lesnar

Original: B
Redo: B

Battle Royal

Original: B-
Redo: C+

Ronda Rousey vs. Shayna Baszler

Original: D+
Redo: C

Drew McIntyre vs. Gunther

Original: B
Redo: B

Seth Rollins vs. Finn Balor

Original: B+
Redo: B

Bianca Belair vs. Charlotte vs. Asuka

Original: C-
Redo: B

Iyo Sky vs. Bianca Belair

Original: N/A
Redo: N/A

Jey Uso vs. Roman Reigns

Original: C+
Redo: D+

Overall Rating

Original: B
Redo: B-

There are a lot of similarities in there but I’m not sure what I was thinking on the triple threat and the main event the first time around.

 

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Summerslam 2019
Date: August 11, 2019
Location: Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Attendance: 16,904
Commentators: Michael Cole, Corey Graves, Renee Young, Byron Saxton, Tom Phillips

I know I say something like this every year but it never ceases to amaze me how little I can remember about a show from the previous year. I can remember midcard matches from thirty years ago but the main event of this show? It took me a little while to come up with it and that’s not good. How can these things be that unmemorable? Let’s get to it.

Kickoff Show: Cruiserweight Title: Oney Lorcan vs. Drew Gulak

Gulak is defending and thank goodness there are fans in the building for the Kickoff Show. Drew hits a shotgun dropkick to start but Lorcan shoves him away. We hit the lockup and then go to the mat with Gulak gaining mat control. Back up and Gulak slams him hard into the corner and we take a break. We come back with Gulak riding him into a chinlock until Lorcan fights up again. Some uppercuts set up the running Blockbuster for two on Gulak.

They head outside with Gulak being sent into various things, only to come back with the Gulock back inside. Lorcan makes the rope so it’s a double clothesline to put them both down again. Back up and Gulak actually wins a slugout, setting up the Gulock. That’s flipped over into a cradle for two but the half and half is broken up. Lorcan does the Ultimate Warrior pose and pulls Gulak back in, which brings the ring skirt in with him. The distraction lets Gulak hit him in the throat, setting up the Cyclone Crash to retain the title at 8:49.

Rating: C. They beat the heck out of each other in some short bursts here and that is one of the better ways to open things up. Lorcan is always good for a spot like this and I dug Gulak’s singles run. It wasn’t an epic showdown or anything but it got the show off on a nice enough foot, which is the point of this division.

Kickoff Show: Buddy Murphy vs. Apollo Crews

This is during the time when Murphy could barely get on television and was still the Best Kept Secret. A quick knee gets two on Crews and Murphy stomps away in the corner. The chinlock doesn’t last long and they get up for an exchange of crossbodies. It’s Crews up first with a kick to the head and a jumping clothesline. The Angle Slam is escaped but Crews hits a Samoan drop into a standing moonsault for two.

Crews gets caught in the corner though and a running powerbomb gives Murphy his own two. Murphy hits another knee but Crews reverses Murphy’s Law into a cradle for another near fall. A backdrop sends Murphy to the floor, where he sends Crews into the steps. The big no hands flip dive drops Crews again….and here’s Erick Rowan to jump Murphy for the DQ (part of the Who Attacked Roman Reigns story) at 4:39.

Rating: C. It was an action packed match but they didn’t have much time before they got to the storyline ending. This is another case where it’s amazing how fast this stuff goes in one side of my head and out the other as I barely remember any of this aside from Murphy being taken out of the story so fast. I could have gone with more from these two, but it wasn’t going to matter with the big story going on.

Post match Rowan destroys Murphy even more, including a powerbomb against the post.

Here’s Elias for a song about Toronto. They think they are the center of the universe but they can’t win the Stanley Cup and no one goes to the Blue Jays game. Oh and the Toronto Raptors’ best player left town….and here’s Edge to interrupt. Edge gets the big hometown pop and then hits a very surprising spear, marking Edge’s first physical contact in over eight years. Then he never did anything physical again ever. Apparently he was medically cleared here but WWE was waiting on the big moment at the Rumble. Fair enough.

Kickoff Show: Women’s Tag Team Titles: Alexa Bliss/Nikki Cross vs. IIconics

Bliss and Cross are defending after winning the titles earlier in the week on Raw. Bliss has the Buzz Lightyear gear on and that’s a rather good choice. Kay on the other hand is Maleficent, sending Graves into a rant about how this isn’t Disney. Graves talks about the IIconics being locked in a hotel and laying in bed together for 24 hours to meld their energies but since Jerry Lawler isn’t on commentary, no one bites. Kay and Bliss trade headlocks to start until Bliss threatens her with the laser on her arm. That sends Graves through the roof again, to the point where he threatens to turn in his Bliss fan card.

It’s off to Cross as the Toy Story references come in fast. Peyton rolls Cross up for two but a blind tag lets Kay come back in to get in a cheap shot. A double kick to the back keeps Cross down and we hit the chinlock. Kay gets two off a gutwrench suplex but Cross faceplants Peyton and the hot tag brings in Bliss to clean house. Corey: “I was expecting Moana to come save the day.” Everything breaks down and Peyton hits something like a Widow’s Peak for two on Bliss. The kickout sends her into hysterics so Bliss punches Peyton down and nails Twisted Bliss to retain at 6:11.

Rating: D+. These titles continue to mean a grand total of nothing and are little more than a way to get the IIconics out there to annoy the fans while Bliss works on her cosplay skills. There isn’t enough of a division to hold them up at the moment and it becomes more and more obvious every time they’re defended. As in probably every month and a half or so.

The opening video talks about how we have arrived. You don’t get chances like these very often, so when you do, seize the moment. Tonight, we are Summerslam.

We recap Becky Lynch vs. Natalya in a submission match for the Raw Women’s Title. Natalya won a four way to get the title shot in her home country, because WWE still thinks that Natalya makes for an interesting challenger.

Raw Women’s Title: Becky Lynch vs. Natalya

Natalya is challenging in a submission match. The fans certainly seem to like both of them, though that might be due to Natalya coming out carrying a Canadian flag. They stare each other down and trade slaps to start so Becky drives her into the corner. That earns her a discus lariat but Becky is right back up to slug away again. The Bexploder sends Natalya down but the cross armbreaker is blocked. Becky grabs a triangle instead so Natalya tries a powerbomb.

That doesn’t break it up so Natalya lifts her up, only to get hurricanranaed down. Becky cranks on the legs near the apron and they fall to the floor with Natalya sending her into the barricade. Back in and Natalya suplexes her into the ropes to bang up the knee. The fans are behind Becky as she fires off knees but Natalya wraps the knee across the rope. The Sharpshooter goes on in the corner, which doesn’t seem like it would be as effective since there is almost no torque on Becky’s back and therefore the knees.

That’s broken up in a hurry and they fall outside with Natalya being sent into the announcers’ table. Now it’s a LET’S GO BECKY/NATTIE SUCKS chant as Natalya hits a superplex back inside for a double knockdown. It’s Natalya up first but the basement dropkick is countered into Becky’s version of the Sharpshooter. Natalya crawls over to the corner and rolls Becky into it for the escape and they’re both down.

Becky misses a kick out of the corner though and Natalya grabs the Disarm-Her for a change. That’s reverses and Becky tries the Sharpshooter but Natalya reverses into one of her own in the middle of the ring. Becky crawls to the rope for the break and this time pulls Natalya into the Disarm-Her to retain at 12:24.

Rating: B-. It was a good back and forth match but more importantly, now we can stop acting like Natalya is anything more than a good hand who gets the occasional title shot. Even her home country fans weren’t caring about her because they see what she is: talented in the ring but boring everywhere else. She’s been around forever and seeing her in these spots over and over again just makes me groan most of the time. I can’t believe I’m alone in that sentiment either. Also, like Becky was losing to anyone just four months after Wrestlemania. Well except to Charlotte of course.

Trish Stratus is ready to show Charlotte that legends are better than modern wrestlers because Charlotte couldn’t walk a mile in her boots.

We recap Goldberg vs. Dolph Ziggler. Dolph had been set up for a match against Miz but insulted Shawn Michaels and Goldberg on the way there. This set up a match against a legend instead, with Ziggler expecting Michaels but getting Goldberg. Just keep it short.

Goldberg vs. Dolph Ziggler

Before the match, Ziggler says he’s the best thing that could happen to this show because he gets rid of legends. Goldberg might not even be here tonight….and there’s the music. We get the full entrance and the pyro is rather strong as usual. The bell rings and they stare each other down, with Ziggler hitting a superkick for an early one. Another superkick gets another one but Goldberg hits a heck of a spear. The Jackhammer finishes Ziggler at 1:46. That’s how it should have been and Ziggler sold that spear as well as anyone in a good while.

We recap AJ Styles vs. Ricochet for the US Title. Ricochet didn’t think much of AJ treating him like an afterthought and then beat AJ to retain the title. Then Styles beat him up and took the title in their second title match with some help from Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows. Now it’s the trilogy match.

US Title: AJ Styles vs. Ricochet

Styles is defending and has Gallows and Anderson in his corner. Ricochet is in the full body suit here, which is always a weird visual. AJ goes right for him to start but gets knocked outside, with Ricochet using Anderson and Gallows as stepping stones to grab a hurricanrana on Styles. Back in and AJ stomps him down in the corner before switching to the leg in a smart move. Some elbows to the knee have Ricochet down and the knee is bent around the middle rope.

Ricochet manages to get in a kick to the face and another one to the head out of the corner. A one legged springboard clothesline (nice touch) gets two on AJ and a jumping neckbreaker into the running shooting star is good for the same. AJ is smart enough to kick the knee out again and Ricochet is sent outside. The fans are split but the dueling chants are cut off by AJ hitting a baseball slide.

Back in and AJ’s fireman’s carry backbreaker gets two more but Ricochet hits another kick to the head for another two. They’re both down with Ricochet slapping the leg, which would seem to hurt it even more but it’s wrestling logic. Since AJ knows his logic as well, we hit the Calf Crusher but Ricochet slams AJ’s head into the mat and slaps on an Anaconda Vice of all things.

With that broken up, Ricochet muscles him up with a suplex for two more and can’t believe AJ kicks out. How deadly does he think his suplex is? Ricochet takes out a distracting Gallows but the delay lets AJ crotch him on top. AJ gets knocked back though and Ricochet tries something like a Whisper in the Wind, only to have AJ pull him out of the air and into the Styles Clash to retain at 12:54. That looked awesome.

Rating: B. These two work well together and that’s all you need in this situation. Let them go out there and do their thing, with Ricochet looking great and AJ getting to show why he’s as great as everyone thinks he is. This was pretty much it for Ricochet as a singles challenger though, which has been the case ever since. I’m not sure what more you could want from Ricochet (just don’t let him talk) but hey, it’s not like WWE needs new stars with insane athletic ability, experience and charisma right?

Post match Anderson and Gallows give Ricochet the Magic Killer.

Smackdown Women’s Title: Bayley vs. Ember Moon

Moon is challenging and it’s almost weird to see old school Bayley these days. Bayley armdrags her down to start so an annoyed Moon sweeps the leg. A headlock doesn’t work for Bayley as Ember sends her into the corner for the front flip clothesline. Moon splashes her for two and it’s off to a bow and arrow. Back up and Moon misses a crossbody, allowing Bayley to hit the sliding lariat.

Bayley hangs her over the top and grabs a suplex for two more, setting up the stomping in the corner. The fans sing to Bayley, who pulls her shoulder first into the rope. Moon gets tied in the Tree of Woe for the springboard elbow and we hit the inverted Boston crab. That’s broken up and Moon nips up for a headscissors (nice) to send Bayley outside.

Back in and a super hurricanrana sets up a twisting Dominator into some knees to the face (nice as well) for the next near fall. Bayley gets in a kick to the face and goes up, but Moon pulls her into a spinning powerbomb (Moon has a lot of nice stuff). Moon goes up top but Bayley is right there to pull her down with a super Bayley to Belly for the pin at 10:03.

Rating: B-. This is a weird one as Moon had some sweet stuff in there but just got pinned almost out of nowhere in the end. I know a lot of people don’t like the new Bayley and I get that, but watching her back, you can see how much she has grown with the heel turn and the new character. At this point, she was just kind of a person with a reputation and not much else. Good enough match, but Moon wouldn’t be around much longer due to her ankle injury and Bayley would turn heel in less than a month so none of this meant anything long term.

We recap Shane McMahon vs. Kevin Owens. Shane went on a power/ego trip that the Attitude Era would think was a bit much and Owens was sick of him. This somehow meant EVEN MORE SHANE, who probably should have been #1 contender to the Smackdown World Title at this point. Anyway, Owens is gone if Shane wins and that is a rather popular idea.

Shane McMahon vs. Kevin Owens

The fans chant for Owens, but hang on though as Shane heads outside and says he has a guest outside referee: his personal goon Elias. Shane drops to the floor to start and Owens yells at Elias, with Shane sliding back in to try for the countout. That doesn’t work so the chase is on until Elias trips Owens. Back in and Owens hammers away in the corner, setting up the Cannonball.

A clothesline sends Shane outside for the third time but another Elias distraction lets Shane send Owens into the barricade. Back in and the Russian legsweep gets two on Owens and we hit the YOU CAN’T WRESTLE chants. A DDT gets two more and let’s hit that Hart reference with the Sharpshooter attempt. That’s broken up and Owens hit the Pop Up sitout powerbomb but Elias grabs the referee.

Owens picks up a chair and Shane offers a free shot but Owens goes with a superkick instead. There’s the Swanton into a frog splash for two, with Elias pulling the referee out again. The Owens cannonball hits both referees and that means he can grab the chair. Elias breaks that up so Owens chairs him over and over, leaving Owens to go after Shane again. The referee gets up and takes the chair away, so it’s a low blow into the Stunner to finish Shane at 9:19.

Rating: D+. Yeah what else were you expecting here? That being said, it was probably an easier sit this time around without having to watch all of the build to get to this match. Shane was a nightmare around this time and thankfully would be gone on the first Smackdown on Fox. At least Owens won here as someone had to finally beat Shane, who was completely ridiculous for the better part of a year at this point.

We recap Roman Reigns being attacked by a mystery man. Samoa Joe was accused of being the attacker but Buddy Murphy said it was Erick Rowan. Therefore, we flash back to the Kickoff Show with Rowan attacking Murphy.

Charlotte vs. Trish Stratus

Charlotte is the best of today and Trish may be the best ever, dream match ensues. They stare each other down (or up in Trish’s case) before going to the lockup against the ropes. The fans sing O Canada as it’s a standoff until Trish hits a quick Thesz non-press. Charlotte is right back with a Figure Four attempt but Trish flips her away with the headscissors. That lets Trish pose and soak in the YOU STILL GOT IT chants, followed by more circling.

This time it’s Charlotte being sent outside and Trish hits a Thesz press into the right hands off the apron. The posing is on but Charlotte isn’t ready to head back inside just yet. Instead she sends Trish hard into the barricade as they’re setting things up well so far. Back in and Trish is slammed face first into the mat a few times, setting up the double arm crank with a knee between the shoulders.

Charlotte nips up and mocks Trish’s point before bending the neck around the middle rope. Trish reverses a belly to back suplex into a crossbody for two, earning herself a knee to the neck. Some trash talk in the corner bring Trish back up so she double legs Charlotte for some right hands. That just earns her a big boot to the floor as Trish can’t get anything going here. Back in and Charlotte stomps her down but, say it with me, the moonsault misses.

Trish gets in a slap and starts the chops, including a WOO for a bonus. The Stratusphere is blocked but Trish pulls herself up and starts slapping away, setting up a super hurricanrana for two with the fans getting right back into things. The Chick Kick misses as well and Charlotte boots her in the face for her own two. It’s back to the leg but the Figure Four is countered into a small package to give Trish two more.

Trish gets her own Figure Four into the Figure Eight (Corey: “THIS IS NOT FAIR TO FLAIR!” You knew he was getting that in somewhere) but Charlotte escapes again. Charlotte’s spear only hits buckle and the Stratusfaction connects for two more. They go head to head from their knees and slug it out until the Chick Kick gives Trish the next near fall. Another Chick Kick is countered with the big boot and the Figure Eight makes Trish tap at 16:37.

Rating: B+. Match of the night by a long stretch and the storytelling was working hard here. Charlotte being overconfident made sense as she never believes anyone is in her league and it’s not like Trish surviving here and getting back into things is a stretch. I had more fun with this the second time around and it’s a heck of a match with Trish showing she could easily hang at this level. Her generation gets a lot of (often deserved) flack but she was that good and deserves all kinds of praise for being an actual trailblazer.

Post match Charlotte leaves and Trish gets the big hero’s moment with the posing.

Bret Hart wishes Seth Rollins luck.

We recap Kofi Kingston vs. Randy Orton. They brought up the infamous Madison Square Garden moment, which Orton claims for driving Kofi to where he is now. However, that wasn’t enough to make him better than Orton and now Orton wants the title. He even takes credit for the Wrestlemania moment and now Kofi is ready to prove that he got himself here.

Smackdown World Title: Kofi Kingston vs. Randy Orton

Kofi is defending on his own and his kids are in the front row (cue your Scooby Roo ruh roh sound effect). Orton taunts him with a pancake to start so a fired up Kofi drives him into the corner to start. That gives us dueling KOFI’S STUPID/RANDY SUCKS chants and Kofi runs the corner for a spinning shot to the head to….oddly quiet the fans down. Weird Canadians. Kofi hammers away in the corner until a poke to the eye cuts him off again. A big shove sends Kofi off the top and down into the barricade for your first big crash.

Orton drops him onto the announcers’ table and the dueling chants are back. Back in and Orton bends Kofi’s back around the middle rope, followed by an uppercut to the floor. Kofi jumps over the steps though and hits a shot to the head. The crossbody off the apron misses though and Orton drops him onto the announcers’ table again. Back in again and Orton seems to approve of the dueling chants. The superplex is broken up though and Kofi hits a top rope DDT for two.

The chops have Orton rocked but he comes back with the backbreaker for two more. Kofi backdrops his way out of the hanging DDT though and mostly nails the Trust Fall. Back in and Orton catches him on the apron with the hanging DDT. The RKO is countered though and Kofi goes up, only to dive right into the RKO. For some reason Orton doesn’t cover though and Kofi rolls outside. Orton follows and yells at Kofi’s kids, which sends Kofi into a frenzy for….I guess a very fast double countout at 16:28.

Rating: C+. They were working well together and Kofi was starting to make Orton sweat at the end, but then they did the ending that was designed to do nothing more than set up a rematch at Clash Of Champions. That’s such a big problem with WWE today. Outside of Wrestlemania, everything is built around the idea of setting up a match at whatever show, leaving this show to feel unimportant. You’re already at Summerslam. How much of a bigger stage can you have for the rematch?

Post match the fans call BULLS*** and don’t seem interested as Kofi unloads with a kendo stick. Trouble In Paradise gets even less of a reaction.

We recap the Fiend vs. Finn Balor. Bray Wyatt had returned just after Wrestlemania with the Firefly Fun House, where he eventually started hinting at some kind of monster called the Fiend. Finn Balor became his first target and Balor said bring it on. The Fiend has attacked a few times before but this is his in-ring debut.

Finn Balor vs. The Fiend

Balor is all in white for the hero’s entrance but Fiend blows him away, with the debut of the severed head lantern and the upgraded theme music. Balor looks rightfully terrified and we’re ready to go. They even have the full lights on instead of going red for a nice relief. Fiend headbutts him down to start and wildly stomps away as the YOWIE WOWIE chants start up.

Balor manages a whip into the corner but Fiend leans back to scare him off. A clothesline to the back of the head sets up a release Rock Bottom and Fiend glares at him a lot. Sister Abigail is countered and Balor hits a Sling Blade into the jumping double stomp to the chest. The shotgun dropkick sets up the Coup de Grace but Fiend moves and grabs the mandible claw for the pin at 3:30.

Rating: C-. This is a hard one to grade as the match itself was far from the point. They were going with the idea of introducing the Fiend and making him out to be the new scary monster. That was accomplished in spades as Balor was completely destroyed and wound up heading back to NXT. Good stuff here, even if the match was barely anything to see.

Post match the lights go out again and Fiend appears on the stage. Balor’s eyes bug out as he isn’t sure what happened to him.

We recap Seth Rollins vs. Brock Lesnar. Seth beat him for the Universal Title at Wrestlemania but Brock cashed in Money in the Bank at Extreme Rules. Therefore, a now injured Seth, has to do it all over again. So yes, that’s really their best idea for the main event of Summerslam: just do Wrestlemania again.

Raw World Title: Brock Lesnar vs. Seth Rollins

Rollins is challenging and has injured ribs. After the Big Match Intros, Brock hits him in the ribs and drives shoulders in the corner. More shoulders have Paul Heyman rather pleased but Rollins flips out of a German suplex and hits a quick Stomp for two. The fans are properly woken up now and Brock bails to the floor, with Rollins hitting a running knee off the apron.

Back in and a pair of superkicks look to set up the Stomp but Rollins counters into the F5. Lesnar can’t follow up so he throws Rollins around by the rib tape. It’s time for the German suplexes to send Rollins outside, with Lesnar adding another suplex on the floor. Rollins slips out of an F5 though and posts Lesnar a few times, setting up the springboard knee to the head.

Lesnar is right back up with another German suplex though and they’re both down again. The dueling chants start again and Brock takes off the gloves. We hit the waistlock to stay on the ribs for a bit until Brock’s charge hits the post. Seth hits two suicide dives but the third one is countered with a hard ram into the post for another double knockdown.

The announcers’ table is loaded up but Seth superkicks Brock onto it instead, setting up the super frog splash from the top of the post. Another frog splash connects back inside and the Stomp gets two. The next Stomp is countered into a failed F5 attempt so Rollins superkicks him into another Stomp for the pin and the title at 13:21.

Rating: B. And then Lesnar went away forever, never to go after the World Title again. Or he won it again in about two and a half months because that’s what always happens. Anyway, this was another solid match between the two of them and it was a lot more engaging because it actually got some time. Lesnar’s spamming finishers matches get old in a hurry because he does them so often. Mix it up a bit with something like this between some talented people and it makes that big of a difference. It doesn’t have the impact because we saw it four months earlier, but at least it was good.

The celebration ends the show.

Overall Rating: B. This is a pretty strong show with nothing terribly bad (Shane’s match is the weakest and even that involves seeing him get beaten up) and some solid performances in the big matches. It’s also a pretty short show with the main card clocking in at less than three and a half hours. They didn’t stretch this out further than they needed to and it felt like a big show. Good stuff here and worth a look if you have the time.

Ratings Comparison

Drew Gulak vs. Oney Lorcan

Original: C+

Redo: C

Apollo Crews vs. Buddy Murphy

Original: C-

Redo: C

IIconics vs. Alexa Bliss/Nikki Cross

Original: D+

Redo: D+

Becky Lynch vs. Natalya

Original: B

Redo: B-

Goldberg vs. Dolph Ziggler

Original: N/A

Redo: N/A

AJ Styles vs. Ricochet

Original: B

Redo: B

Ember Moon vs. Bayley

Original: D+

Redo: B-

Kevin Owens vs. Shane McMahon

Original: D+

Redo: D+

Trish Stratus vs. Charlotte

Original: B

Redo: B+

Randy Orton vs. Kofi Kingston

Original: B-

Redo: C+

The Fiend vs. Finn Balor

Original: C+

Redo: C-

Seth Rollins vs. Brock Lesnar

Original: B-

Redo: B

Overall Rating

Original: C-

Redo: B

Oh come on it was better than that.

Here is the original review if you’re interested:

https://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/11/summerslam-2019-the-summertime-purples/

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.

Monday Night Raw
Date: June 10, 2024
Location: Huntington Center, Toledo, Ohio
Commentators: Michael Cole, Pat McAfee

It’s the last Raw before Clash At The Castle and that means it is time to start finalizing the card. That should make for a packed show, with one of the most interesting matches being Bron Breakker vs. Ilja Dragunov. Throw in Drew McIntyre coming for the World Title and we should be in for a fun one. Let’s get to it.

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

Here is Drew McIntyre to get things going. McIntyre says he is five days away from winning the World Title and has no time for the CM Punk chants. At the same time, he knows that wherever he goes, the Judgment Day follows, so here is Judgment Day to interrupt. Damian Priest says McIntyre just made this personal because he doesn’t need Judgment Day to be champion.

Priest talks about how he’s coming to McIntyre’s turf on his own, but McIntyre doesn’t buy any of this. Therefore, Priest has an idea: McIntyre can face Finn Balor tonight and if McIntyre wins, the Judgment Day is barred from ringside on Saturday. McIntyre is in. Rather simple concept, but McIntyre getting his big title shot one on one is a good thing.

We recap Dominik Mysterio’s issues with Liv Morgan.

Dominik finds Morgan in the Judgment Day clubhouse. He’s not happy with this but she offers him her hotel room, saying a gorgeous man like him shouldn’t be calling his woman Mami. Instead, he deserves someone who calls him daddy. She’ll be waiting in her room.

Lyra Valkyria vs. Iyo Sky

The rest of Damage CTRL is here too. Valkyria charges at her in the corner but gets knocked down rather quickly. Back up and Valkyria strikes away, setting up the old rocking horse hold. Sky escapes and sends her to the floor for an Asai moonsault and we take an early break.

Back with Valkyria hitting a missile dropkick into a fisherman’s suplex for two. Valkyria gets two more off the same rollup she used to beat Sky last month but Sky sends her throat first into the ropes. A quick Nightwing connects but Kai breaks it up. Sky hits the running knees in the corner, only to have Valkyria block Over The Moonsault. Another Nightwing is loaded up but Sky grabs the hair and rolls her up for the pin at 10:28.

Rating: C+. Valkyria is rapidly becoming an established name on the show and she held her own against a bigger star here. The interference keeps Valkyria looking strong and Sky gets to return to prominence after losing a few weeks ago. Nice match here, with both of them making the future look pretty bright.

Post match the beatdown is on but Kayden Carter and Katana Chance run in for the save.

Dominik Mysterio isn’t sure what to do about Liv Morgan and explains it to Carlito and the Judgment Day. Carlito deems the room key as cool.

Sami Zayn runs into Miz, who is worried because he can’t find R-Truth. With Miz gone, Sami goes to talk to Maxxine Dupri and Akira Tozawa, reminding them that they don’t have to take this. Otis comes in and Sami says he’ll see him in the ring. Otis says he had it all at one point but then lost it all (even mentioning Mandy Rose and Tucker). Without Chad Gable, he’s nothing. Sami isn’t going with that because Otis has the talent, if only he could see it. The pop when Otis turns is going to be massive.

Damian Priest wants to know what is going on with Dominik Mysterio and the hotel room key, but someone has stolen it.

Ludwig Kaiser brags about his success, including beating Sheamus last week. Now he wants to be Mr. Money In The Bank.

LWO/Braun Strowman vs. Judgment Day/Carlito

Carlito is left alone as his partners bail to the floor, leaving Strowman to power him into the corner. Rey comes in to take over on McDonagh’s arm, with Lee adding a slingshot dropkick in the corner. The villains get back up and knock the LWO out to the floor as we take a break. Back with Rey still in trouble and Carlito hitting a less than aggressive clothesline to keep him down. A cheap shot brings Strowman in as everything breaks down for a bit.

Rey manages a twisting faceplant on McDonagh though and the big tag brings in Lee to pick up the pace. Everything breaks down and Dominik gets in a cheap shot but here is Liv Morgan (so much for the hotel) for a distraction. Dominik is knocked to the floor with Liv landing on him, only to have Zelina Vega go after Liv. Strowman isn’t having this and wrecks people on the floor, setting up the running powerslam to Carlito. Lee gets on Strowman’s shoulders for a splash and the pin at 13:55.

Rating: C+. There is something fun about Strowman wrecking people as he’s kind of perfect as the monster that you have to run from until he finally gets his hands on you. The LWO, and Lee in particular, getting a win is a good thing as the team feels like it could be around for a good while. Carlito taking another fall is a fine way to go, as Damian Priest yelling at him has been rather entertaining.

Video on Ilja Dragunov, who is ready for the new monsters on Raw, including Bron Breakker.

Ricochet comes in to give Dragunov a pep talk, but he’s ready to slay the dragon. Then he and Ricochet can run it back.

Iyo Sky is rather upset and shouts a lot about how things need to be better. Cole: “Well that happened.”

Here is Sami Zayn for a chat before his match. Zayn talks about how we are five days away from Clash At The Castle and he isn’t sure what is going on with Chad Gable. What matters is he will end all of this on Saturday because it’s time to go back to work. Cue Gable, with the Alpha Academy, to interrupt. Gable says the Academy is fine despite Zayn’s interference, and they’ll be even happier after he wins the title on Saturday. Zayn: “Are you out of your d*** mind?” The team isn’t looking happy but Gable says they’re a family no matter what. Gable is unleashing the good version of Otis on Zayn right now.

Sami Zayn vs. Otis

Non-title. Otis wastes no time in running Zayn over and hits a big splash. Chad Gable yells at Otis though, allowing Zayn to hit the Helluva Kick for the pin at 1:36.

Post match Gable has Otis wreck Zayn. Otis teases fighting back against Gable but can’t do it. The teases continue.

Miz finds R-Truth, who says they have a Tag Team Title match tonight…..against the APA! A fortune teller told him! Miz isn’t buying this, but Scarlett comes out of the office to say the AOP is looking forward to seeing them tonight. Uh-ohing ensues.

Video on Jey Uso.

Shayna Baszler/Zoey Stark vs. Isla Dawn/Alba Fyre

Jade Cargill and Bianca Belair are here to watch. Before the match, Dawn and Fyre promise to win the titles and show that they should have been in this spot a long time ago. Dawn starts fast by dropkicking Baszler’s bad knee to put her on the floor. A Backstabber/Swanton combination gets two on Stark with Baszler making the save. Baszler comes in to stomp on Fyre’s arm before grabbing the Kirifuda Clutch for the tap at 2:39. Well so much for Dawn and Fyre looking like threats.

Video on Bron Breakker.

Bron Breakker vs. Ilja Dragunov

Breakker punches him down to start but Dragunov scores with an enziguri. That just earns him a beating on the mat with some very Scott Steiner sounding trash talk. Dragunov knocks him into the corner for a boot to the face but Breakker hits a rather hard running shot as we take a break.

Back with Breakker holding him on the mat for some forearms to the head. Breakker hits a running knee but Dragunov is back with the Constantine Special. Dragunov rolls some German suplexes, which has McAfee impressed. The Death Valley Driver into thee corner rocks Breakker again and Coast To Coast gives Dragunov…nothing actually. Instead he goes up top for a backsplash and a near fall but Breakker runs him over again.

The spear is cut off with a jumping knee though and an H Bomb rocks Breakker again. They head outside with Breakker reversing a suplex to drop him ribs first onto the edge of the announcers’ table. Breakker posts him hard and they head back inside, where another spear sends Dragunov back to the floor. Another spear on the floor gets nine so Breakker hits a third spear for the pin at 16:00.

Rating: B. There are matches where you know you’re going to get a heck of a fight because of the people involved and that was the case here. These guys beat the fire out of each other until Breakker was just too much. It was a hard hitting, violent match and exactly what I wanted to see from them as Breakker continues to look like a major force.

Post match Breakker loads up another spear but Ricochet runs in for the save.

Judgment Day regroups before the main event.

Sheamus comes in to give Drew McIntyre a pep talk. Drew wants Sheamus there to celebrate after he wins the title. Money In The Bank is discussed too, though they seem to be on the same page.

Tag Team Titles: Awesome Truth vs. AOP

Awesome Truth is defending. Before the match, the Final Testament says it’s time to win the titles and promise that they will never turn their backs on Xavier Woods like Kofi Kingston did last week. Miz gets kicked down by Rezar to start and we take a break about thirty seconds in. Back with R-Truth coming in to fight back as New Day comes out to brawl with the Final Testament. R-Truth tries a belt shot to no effect, only to have Miz grab a rollup to retain at 5:35. Not enough shown to rate but it was about advancing New Day vs. Final Testament rather than the match.

Bron Breakker attacks Ilja Dragunov in the back but Ricochet makes the save. Breakker beats up Ricochet and throws him against a car. They go up the steps to the production truck and Breakker powerslams him through a windshield for a very nasty landing. That might be how they write Ricochet off because it was a heck of a crash.

Post break, Ricochet is taken away in an ambulance, with Samantha Irvin joining him.

Clash At The Castle rundown.

Finn Balor vs. Drew McIntyre

Pat McAfee fills in as ring announcer and if McIntyre wins, Judgment Day is barred from ringside on Saturday. McIntyre wastes no time in knocking him to the floor and chopping away against the barricade. Balor goes after McIntyre’s banged up arm and then stomps on the apron but McIntyre snaps off a belly to belly over the announcers’ table.

We take a break and come back with Balor tying up the arm while cranking on the neck. McIntyre fights up but gets armbarred again to cut that off. McIntyre powerbombs his way to freedom but the Claymore is cut off with a Sling Blade. The Coup de Grace is broken up and McIntyre hits a superplex. Cue Damian Priest for a distraction so Judgment Day can come in. That’s broken up but Balor hits a Sling Blade. Another Coup de Grace misses though and McIntyre hits the Claymore for the pin at 13:58.

Rating: B-. This was another match where there was pretty much knew it was going to be at last decent and that’s what we got here. The ending is the right call as they are setting up McIntyre to get his big win and I can go for that not involving Judgment Day shenanigans for once. At the same time, it furthers what feels like an eventual Priest split from the team, as he is coming off more and more like he doesn’t need them, which is a good thing.

McIntyre and Priest stare each other down to end the show.

Overall Rating: B. This show had a nice mixture of action and story advancement, with a hard push towards Saturday. I’m much more into Priest vs. McIntyre than I was before, with the Intercontinental Title match feeling like a toss up. Other than the Women’s Tag Team Title match taking a hit with that rather short match, I was digging most of the things here. That includes Breakker being a monster, which feels like the role he was born to play. Good show here, and now they can hopefully top it in Scotland.

Results
Iyo Sky b. Lyra Valkyria – Crucifix
LWO/Braun Strowman b. Judgment Day/Carlito – Splash to Carlito
Sami Zayn b. Otis – Helluva Kick
Shayna Baszler/Zoey Stark b. Isla Dawn/Alba Fyre – Kirifuda Clutch to Fyre
Bron Breakker b. Ilja Dragunov – Spear
Awesome Truth b. AOP – Rollup to Akam
Drew McIntyre b. Finn Balor – Claymore

 

 

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.

 

Monday Night Raw
Date: June 3, 2024
Location: Giant Center, Hershey, Pennsylvania
Commentators: Michael Cole, Pat McAfee

We are less than two weeks away from Clash At The Castle and Drew McIntyre is officially the #1 contender. Before McIntyre gets to face Damian Priest though, Priest has to face Rey Mysterio this week. In other Judgment Day news, Liv Morgan kissed Dominik Mysterio at the end of/after (depending on your platform) last week’s show. Let’s get to it.

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

We open with a recap of Dominik Mysterio helping Liv Morgan win/retain the Raw Women’s Title, despite his efforts to do the opposite. Then Morgan kissed him, with Dominik not exactly shoving her away.

Here is Morgan to get things going. She welcomes us to the revenge tour and brags about injuring Rhea Ripley and sending Becky Lynch into early retirement, but kissing Dominik was the icing on the cake. Cue Dominik, with the fans not letting him get a word in. Dominik finally gets to the point: Rhea Ripley is going to kill her. Morgan: “She’s going to kill you too.”

Morgan offers to make it worth his while, because Dominik knows he’s been out here to get closer to her. She rubs up against him but here is Finn Balor to say this is enough and throw her out. Morgan asks what if Dominik doesn’t want her to leave but then goes, albeit with a rub of Dominik’s head first. Again: Dominik doesn’t really say no. The pop when Ripley returns to wreck things is going to be off the charts.

We recap Sheamus and Ludwig Kaiser brawling last week.

Sheamus says Kaiser isn’t much more than a Ken doll who carries Gunther’s coat. If you want his respect, put on banger after banger.

Sheamus vs. Ludwig Kaiser

Kaiser jumps him from behind on the way to the ring and takes out the injured knee again. Back from a break and we ring the bell anyway, with Kaiser absorbing some shots to the head before taking out the knee again. Sheamus fights up and slugs away, at least until another shot to the knee takes him back down.

With the direct approach not working, Sheamus goes after Kaiser’s knee for a change and they fight to the floor. The ten forearms are loaded up but Kaiser sends the knee into the steps as we take a break. Back with Sheamus breaking up Kaiser’s forearms to the chest and then knocking Kaiser down for a needed breather.

The Celtic Cross is loaded up but Kaiser slips out, leaving the Brogue Kick to hit the buckle. Sheamus won’t let the referee stop it and begs Kaiser to hit him, with Sheamus firing off his own chops. Now the big knee connects but the knee gives out on the Brogue Kick attempt. Instead Sheamus settles for the fourteen forearms to the chest but the super White Noise is broken up. Kaiser kicks the knee out again and gets the pin at 13:44.

Rating: B. Tell a nice story, hit each other really hard, have the injury play into the finish. This was a checklist of good stuff with Kaiser getting the biggest win of his career. I’m wondering I this leads to Sheamus joining Imperium because he can’t beat them, which would be a fresh direction for him. For now though, he’s still doing well out there.

Judgment Day asks what Dominik Mysterio is doing out there but he has it under control. Damian Priest doesn’t seem convinced but he’s ready to focus on tonight’s issues instead.

Ilja Dragunov comes up to see Ricochet and tells him to be careful against Bron Breakker tonight. Ricochet is ready for Breakker and is willing to finish things with Dragunov later. Dragunov wishes him luck.

Video on Dragon Lee.

Dragon Lee vs. Finn Balor

McAfee says he can’t wait to watch Lee “for a shoot brother”. Balor works on the arm to start but Lee runs the ropes for a springboard wristdrag. Balor chops him into the corner but gets sent to the floor for the required dive as we take an early break. Back with Lee fighting out of a chinlock and hitting a corner dropkick.

McDonagh offers a quick distraction so Balor can grab a rollup for two, only for Lee to grab a sitout powerbomb for two of his own. Lee has to knock McDonagh off the apron before going up, only for Carlito to run in and crotch Lee down. Back up and Lee dives onto Carlito before kicking McDonagh down. The distraction lets Balor hit the shotgun dropkick into the Coup de Grace for the pin at 8:37.

Rating: C+. Lee continues to be a smooth high flier in the ring and he was more than protected by being down three to one here. It seems clear that WWE has something planned for him and putting him in the ring on Raw could help him move in that direction. At the same time, Judgment Day needed a win so it was smart to give them a bit of a boost.

Post match the beatdown is on again but Rey Mysterio and Braun Strowman come in to scare them off.

Post break Damian Priest isn’t happy with the Braun Strowman problem not being solved. Carlito can go get a match made and deal with that tonight. The team leaves and R-Truth comes in to say he knows how it is with the Judgment Day. Being in the group is hard, but it was the best time of his life. Miz comes in to say they’re the reigning Tag Team Champions but that was the best time of Truth’s life? Truth says Miz is obsessed with the Judgment Day and it’s starting to get weird. Miz’s stunned face is funny.

Here is Sami Zayn for a chat. The last time he was in Pennsylvania, he won the Intercontinental Title but he hasn’t been able to enjoy it because of Chad Gable. Zayn wants Gable out here, one on one, to settle this. Cue the rest of the Alpha Academy, with Maxxine Dupri reading a message from Gable. The message insults the Academy and issues a challenge to Zayn, who accepts for the title match at Clash At The Castle.

With that taken care of, Zayn brings up everything Gable has been putting them through in recent weeks. The team is better than that but he’s been there and knows they need to st themselves free. Cue Gable to jumps Zayn from behind and the beating is on, with Otis not looking happy. Gable holds Zayn up and tells Otis to hit him, but Otis won’t do it. Instead Gable hits him in the face and yells a lot until Akira Tozawa breaks it up.

Dupri breaks that up and Gable tells her to get on her knees and beg. Gable tells Tozawa and Dupri to leave but Otis gets in between Gable and the two of them, with the fans being VERY pleased. Zayn is back up to go after Gable but knocks him into Dupri and Tozawa for a crash out to the floor. Otis lays Zayn out and carries the other two to the back. They have something with the eventual Otis turn and the place is going to go nuts when it happens. Also, this would seem to address Gable’s contract status, at least in the short term.

Bron Breakker and Adam Pearce are watching in the back, with Breakker saying he would break Zayn in half. Breakker is happy to have worthy competition tonight, but Pearce says Ricochet requested the match. That’s fine with Breakker, who gets to be unleashed.

Chad Gable praises the Alpha Academy, but Tozawa and Dupri say they’re really hurt. Otis is still the #1 guy but doesn’t seem too happy about it.

Ricochet vs. Bron Breakker

Ricochet has bad ribs coming in and strikes away to start but has to slip out of a gorilla press. Breakker manages to hit a running elbow to cut Ricochet off and they head outside. Ricochet’s ribs are dropped onto the barricade and we take a break. Back with Ricochet DDTing his way out of a slam as we see Samantha Irvin (acknowledged as Ricochet’s fiance) looking worried.

A top rope clothesline and Lionsault give Ricochet two and he superkicks Breakker down for two more. Ricochet gets caught on top though and Breakker runs the corner for the Frankensteiner (it’s weird hearing that name on WWE TV). The spear finishes Ricochet off at 8:00.

Rating: B-. This was a by the book power vs. speed match with Breakker having to break his first sweat as part of the Raw roster. He took Ricochet’s big shots and then went nuts with the athleticism to win. That’s a great way to get Breakker over as a monster and there is a good chance that Breakker is going to get to hurt some bigger names rather soon.

Post match Breakker knocks him outside and picks up the steps but Ilja Dragunov runs in for the save.

Rey Mysterio tells Dragon Lee that they’ll take Carlito out soon enough. First though, they need to take out the Judgment Day, starting with Damian Priest.

We recap the Liv Morgan/Dominik Mysterio segment, with Pat McAfee analysis.

Natalya vs. Kiana James

Before the match, James talks about how prepared she is and how much a win over Natalya would mean. Natalya takes her down by the wrist to start but James sends things into the corner. That’s broken up and Natalya takes her down by the ring, setting up a basement dropkick for two. Back up and James hits a quick shot, setting up 401K (running swinging faceplant) for the big upset at 2:53.

New Day isn’t worried about Karrion Kross trying to split them up. Kross comes in to say the power of positivity is dead but Kofi Kingston promises to hit hard. With Kofi gone, Kross says Woods won’t have to follow Kofi after tonight.

Natalya is annoyed and runs into Sonya Deville, who asks if she wants to talk. She does indeed, as Natalya says it’s time for a change. Hold on though as Deville goes to talk to Shayna Baszler and Zoey Stark, who still want nothing to do with her. Of note: Natalya and Deville could be seen talking in the background earlier tonight so this isn’t out of nowhere.

Carlito vs. Braun Strowman

Carlito starts fast with the running knee lift but Strowman isn’t having any of that. Cue Judgment Day to distract Strowman, who shrugs off the Backstabber attempt. A reverse chokeslam finishes Carlito at 1:24.

Post match Judgment Day swarms Strowman, who swats a chair out of Dominik’s hands. Cue Liv Morgan to stand between Strowman and Dominik, with Strowman backing off. A bunch of chair shots are enough to FINALLY put Strowman down and the team wrecks his knee. Morgan walks up to Dominik but Finn Balor gets between them.

Here are Jade Cargill and Bianca Belair for a chat. They’re glad to be back because they were invited here, and now they’re ready to show Raw just how great they are. Cue Shayna Baszler and Zoey Stark to interrupt, saying they want the title match right now. Cue Adam Pearce to make the title match official.

Women’s Title Team Titles: Zoey Stark/Shayna Baszler b. Jade Cargill/Bianca Belair

Cargill and Belair are defending with Belair slamming Baszler down to start. Belair drives Baszler into the corner and it’s off to Cargill, much to the fans’ delight. A slam plants Baszler so it’s back to Belair, with Stark coming in off a blind tag. Starks’ missile dropkick puts Belair down but it’s already back to Cargill. The splash misses in the corner but the champs are fine enough to hit stereo delayed suplexes, setting up stereo nip ups.

We take a break and come back with Cargill in trouble but managing a knockdown. The double tag brings in Belair to beat up Stark, including a handspring moonsault for two. Everything breaks down and Cargill powers Baszler into the steps. That leaves Belair to hit the KOD on Stark….but Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn run in to jump Cargill for the DQ at 9:42.

Rating: C+. The ending is a bit of a surprise but maybe they aren’t already moving on to Cargill/Belair vs. Fyre/Dawn. There is still room for Baszler and Stark to stick around as they didn’t get pinned here, which should keep things a bit more interesting. Cargill and Belair continue to feel like superheroes though and that is going to carry them a long way.

Post match the four villains beat the champions down.

Damian Priest is ready for Rey Mysterio tonight but Drew McIntyre interrupts. McIntyre says he’ll day will be better in two weeks and ignores the CM PUNK chants in the process. As for Priest though, things are personal. McIntyre leaves and Priest says McIntyre has issues.

Here is Jey Uso who comes through the crowd…and then stops to talk there. Last year was the Bloodline civil war and that took a lot out of him. That taught him he could fight on his own and now he’s Main Event Jey Uso. For now though, he wants to thank everyone who YEETED with him on this journey. Jey gives a young fan his sunglasses but says it’s time for him to deliver something to the fans. Like say, winning Money In The Bank. This felt rather different and showed Jey’s future plans.

Lyra Valkyria says Becky Lynch is disappointed after last week but she’ll be back around. That’s how real winning is done, which Liv Morgan doesn’t understand. Valkyria has shown she can stand on her own two feet and likes Jey Uso’s idea of Money In The Bank. Cue Iyo Sky to jump her though and the big beatdown is on.

New Day vs. Authors Of Pain

The rest of the Final Testament is here with the Authors. Woods dropkicks Rezar into the corner to start but gets knocked down by the power. Akam comes in to drop Woods again and it’s back to Rezar for a neck crank. Woods’ jumping enziguri and a superkick should be enough for the tag but Karrion Kross distracts Kofi. What A Rush finishes Woods at 2:28, as Kofi never got into the match.

Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn want in on the Women’s Tag Team Title picture. Say at Clash At The Castle.

Here’s what’s coming next week.

Damian Priest vs. Rey Mysterio

Non-title. Priest kicks him in the face to start but Mysterio manages to send him outside for a breather. Back in and Priest pulls him out of the air for a swinging Downward Spiral as things slow right back down. We take a break and come back with Priest slowly continuing the beatdown and promising to put Mysterio down for good. A hard forearm sends Rey outside (Priest: “Stay out there. Stay down.”) but he’s back in to send Priest face first into the buckle.

Mysterio sends him face first in again but Priest nails a superkick to put Mysterio down. Back up and a springboard seated senton hits Priest, allowing Mysterio to hammer away in the corner. That’s broken up with a rather hard drive across to the other corner, setting up one heck of a clothesline to give Priest two.

They go up top with Mysterio having to escape a super Razor’s Edge. A super hurricanrana sets up the 619 and Dropping The Dime gets two. Cue the Judgment Day to go after Mysterio, with Dragon lee coming out to even things up. Mysterio dives on them all but walks into South Of Heaven for the pin at 16:26.

Rating: C+. This picked up near the end but it felt like they were in slow motion for some reason. Priest would do something and then stand around a lot, almost like he didn’t want to do anything to Mysterio. What matters is Priest gets a nice win over a star like Mysterio, as he could use the extra lifts to make him feel more like one of the top stars around here.

Post match Drew McIntyre runs in to lay out Priest but Finn Balor cuts off the Claymore. McIntyre takes out the team and loads up the announcers’ table but walks into South Of Heaven through the table to end the show.

Overall Rating: B-. This show did a nice job of setting things up for the pay per view, as we got at least two matches all but set for the show, while also mixing in some good enough wrestling. This week was about getting the Judgment Day back on track and they had a fairly strong night all things considered. On the whole, WWE is getting their TV down to a formula and the good thing is it’s a formula that makes for some solid week to week shows. I don’t feel bored watching Raw most weeks and I didn’t again here, with the stories being interesting enough to keep me engaged for three hours.

Results
Ludwig Kaiser b. Sheamus – Kick to the knee
Finn Balor b. Dragon Lee – Coup de Grace
Bron Breakker b. Ricochet – Spear
Kiana James b. Natalya – 401K
Braun Strowman b. Carlito – Reverse chokeslam
Bianca Belair/Jade Cargill b. Shayna Baszler/Zoey Stark via DQ when Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn interfered
Authors Of Pain b. New Day – What A Rush to Woods

 

 

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