Dynamite
Date: July 5, 2023
Location: Rogers Place, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Taz

We’re into the second half of the year here and the slow build towards All In continues. Before we get to that though, Blood & Guts is in two weeks, with the BCC vs. the Elite. That could be a bit tricky for both as the Elite will need an extra hand if Eddie Kingston is still in Japan and Bryan Danielson is still hurt. Maybe we find out something for that this week so let’s get to it.

Here is Collision if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

Darby Allin tells Keith Lee to do something to make himself dominant again. Allin: “Pull your head out of your a** and take this seriously or you can just sit on the apron and cry about it.”

Blind Eliminator Tag Team Tournament First Round: Orange Cassidy/Darby Allin vs. Keith Lee/Swerve Strickland

Lee LAUNCHES Allin to start so it’s off to Cassidy for the lazy kicks instead. The Grizzly Magnum puts Cassidy in the corner, where he puts his hands in his pockets and gets chopped down again. Strickland comes in and kicks Allin down as this is one sided so far. We take a break and come back with Lee Tower of Dooming Strickland and Allin out of the corner. Cassidy comes back in and gets caught in a bearhug as Strickland buries Allin underneath the steps.

They go outside with Cassidy trying a sleeper….but Lee walks up the steps, with Allin still underneath them (egads man). Back in and a Stundog Millionaire to Lee sets up a Canadian Destroyer from Allin. Strickland makes the save with a 450, which hits Lee by mistake (Strickland doesn’t mind). Cassidy DDT’s Strickland and hits a diving DDT to Lee on the floor, leaving Allin to grab the Last Supper to pin Strickland at 11:12.

Rating: B. This was a heck of a match with Lee looking like his old self. Cassidy and Allin as a dark horse team could go on rather well though I’m not sure I can see them getting the title shot. For now, I can go with Lee being happy with running people over and then seeing Strickland lose in the end. Heck of an opener here, at least partially due to Lee throwing people around.

Video on Nick Wayne, an 18 year old prodigy who has signed to AEW. Darby Allin knew Wayne when he was a kid and helped get him signed.

We look at Hook chasing Jungle Boy off last week.

Jungle Boy wants an FTW Title match against Hook, who runs up and jumps Jungle Boy instead. Another daring escape in a waiting car ensues.

Video on Adam Cole and MJF’s history together.

MJF and Cole worked out together. Cole doesn’t pay attention spotting MJF, who then makes fun of a large man working out nearby. Then MJF doesn’t spot Cole bench pressing, and it doesn’t go very well.

Acclaimed/Billy Gunn vs. Blade/Bollywood Boyz

After soaking in some cheers, Gunn grabs a headlock on Blade and punches him hard in the face. Harv comes in and gets caught in Scissor Me Timbers, meaning we have a three way scissoring. We take a break and come back with Bowens cleaning house and handing it off to Gunn to drop Gurv. The Mic Drop finishes for Castor at 6:42.

Rating: C. This has been your weekly “why did this match need a break” match as the Acclaimed and Gunn should have run them over a good bit faster than they did. At least they’re getting back to what made the team worked, though giving them something that matters would be nice. As in not QTV.

Post match Harley Cameron (of course) pops up on screen to say she’ll prove her talents with a video next week. Gunn tells her to suck it.

Eddie Kingston won the Strong Openweight Title in Japan earlier today.

Jon Moxley talks about how he and Kingston have known each other for a long time and they have gotten more out of wrestling than they could have hoped. Now though, Kingston needs to answer his phone.

Matt Hardy draws Jeff in the tag tournament. Jarrett that is.

Wheeler Yuta is ready to hurt Kenny Omega.

Here is Chris Jericho for a chat. Jericho thanks the fans for their cheers but he has a lot of big losses over the last few months. Maybe it is time for him to make some changes, and there is no better place to do it than right here. We hear about Jericho’s career starting around here and now it is time to be the best Jericho he can be.

Cue Don Callis to interrupt and talk about how he set up the Jericho vs. Omega match at Wrestle Kingdom. Jericho can’t hear him over the booing and they take credit for each other’s current success. Callis recaps his issues with Kenny Omega and offers Jericho a spot in his new family. Jericho says maybe and leaves. Callis gets some amazing reactions but my goodness he is as uninteresting as it gets.

Video on CM Punk vs. Samoa Joe in the Owen Hart Foundation Tournament.

Video on Powerhouse Hobbs vs. Ricky Starks in the Owen Hart Foundation Tournament.

Samoa Joe laid out Roderick Strong on Collision and hurt his neck.

Strong is banged up and wearing a neck brace. Adam Cole comes in to check on him but gets a text from MJF about using a double clothesline tonight.

Blind Eliminator Tag Team Tournament First Round: MJF/Adam Cole vs. Butcher/Matt Menard

Cole and MJF get stomped down in the corner to start. We settle down to MJF telling Menard to wait and then hitting him in the face. The abdominal stretch goes on and MJF starts a DO IT chant to get Cole to cheat. Cole won’t do it so MJF what his deal is. Then Cole cheats and MJF is WAY too happy. Menard gets out and sends MJF into the corner, allowing Butcher to take over as we take a break. Back with MJF poking Menard in the eye and bringing Cole back in to clean house. MJF calls for the double clothesline but Cole just Booms Menard for the pin at 8:43 instead.

Rating: C+. This match was all about the will they/won’t they deal and that made for an entertaining match. You could go in a bunch of different ways here and that makes for an interesting story as I want to know which path they take. If nothing else, MJF begging for the double clothesline and getting to hit it one day should be fun. Butcher and Menard were little more than two warm bodies who weren’t going to be hurt by a loss and that is a good role for them here.

Post match MJF tries to put over Cole, who isn’t overly impressed. They’ll team together one more time, but first of all, MJF wants to wish Cole a HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Some backstage workers bring out a small cake and party hats. MJF sings a rather nice rendition of Happy Birthday as Cole looks on in utter confusion. Cole finally says that MJF has done more than enough but MJF wants him to make a wish. MJF teases sending Cole’s face into the cake but gets sent into it instead (Schiavone: “It never fails.”). Cole tries some cake and thanks MJF for doing all this. He even calls MJF his friend and leaves without incident. That’s interesting.

Britt Baker doesn’t like Ruby Soho saying she’s taken everything Baker cares about. Soho hasn’t taken her pride and Baker is ready to beat her.

Daniel Garcia and Sammy Guevara want an explanation from Chris Jericho but are told that they’re in the tag tournament together. Jericho is happy and tells them to go win without him, because he can’t be with them forever.

Women’s Owen Hart Foundation First Round: Ruby Soho vs. Britt Baker

The rest of the Outcasts are here with Soho, who is sent outside to start. Back in and Baker can’t get Lockjaw but can hit a Sling Blade. What looked to be a suplex doesn’t go so well and winds up being something of a DDT to Soho. An Outcasts distraction lets Soho pull Baker to the floor and we take a break.

Back with Baker hitting a fisherman’s neckbreaker for two but not being able to add the Stomp. Instead she kicks Soho in the head but gets tripped by Toni Storm. Baker is fine enough to try the Lockjaw but a distraction lets Soho send her into a title belt. No Future connects for two so Soho puts on her own Lockjaw. With that not working, it’s something closer to the Bank Statement, sending Baker to the ropes. Baker’s Lockjaw goes on but Saraya pulls Soho to the floor. Baker beats the Outcasts up but gets rolled up for the assisted pin at 10:24.

Rating: C-. Two things about this match stick out to me. First of all: they really, really, really need to introduce a prize for the winner of the Owen tournaments. Otherwise, it’s just a bunch of matches for the sake of matches and then after about a week, any momentum gained is pretty much gone. It really shouldn’t be asking too much to put something up for grabs.

Second, there was WAY too much interference here. How many distractions or interference spots were there here? About four in a ten minute match? That’s pounding something into the ground and it really dulls things down a lot. You really shouldn’t need that many interferences and distractions to get through a ten minute match and it was just annoying by the end.

Post match Skye Blue comes out for the staredown with Soho.

Wheeler Yuta vs. Kenny Omega

Yuta jumps him to start but Omega says bring it and unloads in the corner. Omega knocks him down and stomps away but You Can’t Escape hurts Omega’s own neck. Yuta hits a missile dropkick for two and the suicide dive sends Omega into the barricade. Omega gets dropped again and we take a break with Yuta in firm control.

Back with Omega fighting out of a chinlock and getting his knees up to block a backsplash. A running clothesline drops Yuta as Excalibur lists off a bunch of upcoming matches. The V Trigger misses though and Yuta goes with a suplex for two. Yuta goes up top and gets superplexed right back down in a huge crash.

A poke to the eye slows Omega down and some rolling German suplexes give Yuta two. Omega is back with the snapdragon and then he does it again for a bonus. There’s the V Trigger but the shoulder gives out on the One Winged Angel. Yuta Seatbelts him for two but Omega runs him over again. Cue Don Callis for a distraction so Konosuke Takeshita can Blue Thunder Bomb Omega. Yuta’s splash gets two but Omega catches him on top and hits the One Winged Angel for the pin at 15:32.

Rating: B-. Another good match to close out the show as Yuta was in over his head but hung in there rather well with a top star. There’s nothing wrong with having Omega working a bit until he got the win, despite the screwiness. Good stuff here, as Yuta is starting to feel more natural when he is in there with bigger names.

Post match Claudio Castagnoli comes in for the beatdown. The Young Bucks can’t make the save so here is Hangman Page with a chair…but the Dark Order comes in to take it away to end the show. Because of course the Dark Order had to be involved.

Overall Rating: B. This was a show where the good stuff was rather good and the weaker stuff wasn’t that bad, making for a rather strong effort. The MJF/Cole parts were great and the opener was a lot of fun, which combined to be enough to carry a lot of the show. They were focusing more on the storytelling and moving things forward here, which makes sense as Blood & Guts is coming up soon. Very entertaining show here and I had a good time getting through an easy two hours.

Results
Darby Allin/Orange Cassidy b. Swerve Strickland/Keith Lee – Last Supper to Strickland
Billy Gunn/Acclaimed b. Blade/Bollywood Boyz – Mic Drop to Gurv
MJF/Adam Cole b. Butcher/Matt Menard – Boom to Menard,
Ruby Soho b. Britt Baker – Rollup
Kenny Omega b. Wheeler Yuta – One Winged Angel

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

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AND

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Collision
Date: June 24, 2023
Location: Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Commentators: Nigel McGuinness, Kevin Kelly

It’s the go home show for Forbidden Door and the big attraction this week is again CM Punk and again he is in a multi-man tag. Other than that though, we have Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Swerve Strickland in a match that should be great. Other than that, Sting and Darby Allin need a mystery partner for tomorrow night and get to announce him tonight. Let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Ricky Starks, FTR and CM Punk are ready for their eight man tag tonight.

Bullet Club Gold and the Gunns are ready for their eight man tag tonight.

Opening sequence.

Tony Schiavone is in the ring to find out who is Sting and Darby Allin’s partner but Chris Jericho and Minoru Suzuki cut him off. Jericho doesn’t know who Sting and Allin could find who is tougher or sexier than them, so they’re done waiting. What matters is that Schiavone knows the partner, so TELL US WHO IT IS.

Cue Sting and Darby Allin, with the latter asking where Sammy Guevara is this week. Maybe he finally thought better of it, because if he shows up at Forbidden Door, Darby will beat his a**. Just like the partner did to Jericho at the Tokyo Dome. Cue Tetsuya Naito to stare Jericho down and send him running outside. Not the biggest surprise, but a good choice.

Miro is sick of his god being a coward and bows before no man. He renounces his god and wife because he is ready to hurt people.

Swerve Strickland vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi

Feeling out process to start with Tanahashi taking him into the corner and firing off some air guitar. Strickland isn’t having that and guitars him right back before sending it to the floor. A kick to the ropes serves as a low blow on the way back in and Strickland gets to choke away. Tanahashi is sent over the ropes but skins the cat for a headscissors to put Swerve outside.

Strickland ties him up in the ropes though and hammers away as we take a break. Back with Tanahashi hitting something close to the Sling Blade and striking away. The running Downward Spiral gives Strickland two but a much better Sling Blade plants Strickland again. The High Fly Flow hits raised knees but the Swerve Stomp only hits the mat. Tanahashi shoves him off the top and now the High Fly Flow can finish Strickland at 10:45.

Rating: B-. This was a match that gave me some very high hopes when I first saw it advertised and it wound up being pretty good. Tanahashi is getting up there in years and is nowhere near what he once was, but he is still capable of having a perfectly good match. Strickland losing to a legend isn’t going to hurt him, but he does need to start moving up the ladder already.

Post match MJF pops up on screen to say he’s getting out of Canada as fast as possible. He holds the most important title in the world and doesn’t want to watch a bunch of indy geeks from Japan wrestle. MJF promises to do painful things to Tanahashi with his air guitar to wrap it up.

Brody King vs. Andrade El Idolo

Andrade kicks King’s leg out to start and gets up a raised boot in the corner. A headscissors out of the corner drops King again so he sends Andrade into the ropes, where we get the Tranquilo pose. King is sent outside and there’s the big moonsault from the top to take him down again. Back up and King knocks him down hard to the floor with a chop and we take a break.

We come back with King working on the taped up shoulder until Andrade makes it to the apron. The dragon screw legwhip over the rope takes King down and a high crossbody puts him down again. The running knees in the corner give Andrade two but King Death Valley Drivers him into the corner. Andrade is right back with another shot to the leg though and the Figure Four is loaded up. Cue Julia Hart with Andrade’s mask but the distraction doesn’t work. Instead, Andrade elbows King down and the Figure Eight goes on, only to have Buddy Matthews run in for the DQ at 12:56.

Rating: B-. Another solid match from Andrade, who is working extra hard since his return. While there is a very good chance that is to get a certain other company to notice him, I’ll certainly take what I can get while it’s available. Andrade finding some friends to go after the Trios Titles isn’t a bad idea and if it means King getting to maul people, I’m all for it.

Post match the House beats Andrade down. Malakai Black pops up on screen as Hart holds up the mask. The lights go out…and that’s it.

Here are Christian Cage (holding the TNT Title) and Luchasaurus (the TNT Champion) for a chat. Christian is back home in Toronto and now he knows that it breeds losers. He mocks the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Toronto Raptors, including former Raptors star Kawhi Leonard, who left a few years ago. Now for a couple of housekeeping items: there will be no more open challenges and you will have to earn a title shot, like HE did. Christian is ready to take the title to the next level. Luchasaurus was barely mentioned and said nothing, but he does get to carry Christian around on his shoulders.

Various people talk about what it would mean to win the Owen Hart Foundation Tournament. The interesting point here: Jim Neidhart trained Roderick Strong? That’s a new one on me.

Women’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournament First Round: Willow Nightingale vs. Nyla Rose

Non-title and Marina Shafir is here with Rose. Nightingale ducks a clothesline in the corner to start and takes her down, setting up the big chops. Rose is knocked outside, where a Shafir distraction lets her post Nightingale as we take a break. Back with Nightingale sending her into the corner and hitting a middle rope missile dropkick for two. Rose muscles her over with a suplex though and then drops her with a gordbuster for two of her own. Nightingale slips out of a powerbomb and hits the Pounce to drop Rose again. The Babe With The Powerbomb finishes Rose at 8:54.

Rating: C. Nightingale is in a weird spot at the moment as she doesn’t seem likely to win the TBS or AEW/ROH Women’s Titles, so this might be her high point for the time being. She can make a run in the tournament and still be the NJPW Strong champion, but, much like several others, she needs to win something from around here for a change. Maybe the tournament is it, but anything involving more Nightingale is a good thing.

Post match the Outcasts surround Nightingale but Skye Blue makes the save with a chair.

Scorpio Sky talks about how he struggled to get here. Then his success controlled him but no more. He is one half of the first Tag Team Champions, the first Face of the Revolution and a two time TNT Champion. Now you’ll find out who he really is.

Powerhouse Hobbs vs. Jeremy Prophet

Hobbs knocks him into the corner to start and doesn’t seem pleased when Prophet tries a rollup. Some clotheslines drop Prophet and the spinebuster finishes him at 1:37.

Here’s what’s coming on various shows.

CM Punk/FTR/Ricky Starks vs. Bullet Club Gold/The Gunns

It’s a VERY mixed reaction for Punk here, which almost had to be expected. While bails from the threat of facing Punk to start and hands it off to Robinson instead. A shoulder drops Robinson so it’s Harwood coming in for a headlock of his own. Said headlock is ground away a bit before it’s off to Starks for the hip gyrating Old School on Colten. White comes in for the save and NOW he wants Punk. That’s fine with Punk, who gives him a hip gyration of his own and then wins a chop off.

The GTS and Blade Runner are both broken up and White sends him outside. The big staredown is on and we take a break. Back with Robinson getting caught in FTR’s Doomsday Device, with White having to make a save. Something like a Demolition Decapitator gets two on Austin (the fans are NOT pleased with Punk) but it’s off to White for a dragon screw legwhip.

White starts working on the leg but brings Colten in for a chop off. Punk gets taken down again though and we take another break. Back again with White yelling that Punk doesn’t belong in this ring anymore and getting planted or his efforts. The running knee in the corner rocks White but the Gunns break up the tag attempt. Robinson’s GTS attempt is blocked and Punk kicks him in the head. The Gunns are kicked away and the diving tag brings in Starks to clean house.

Roshambo is broken up and we settle down to White rolling Starks up (with trunks) for two. Blade Runner is broken up and the Gunns are back in to beat up Harwood. Wheeler takes both of them out and hits a big dive to the floor. Not to be outdone, Punk dives at White but gets caught in a swinging Rock Bottom. Starks gets one of his own for two and the spear hits White. The Gunns are cleared out but Robinson gets in the big left, setting up Blade Runner for the pin on Starks at 23:43.

Rating: B. Another long and good match, but it didn’t feel as long this week. It’s almost strange seeing Punk’s team lose so early and while I could have gone for someone other than Starks taking a fall, it does open some doors for the future. As for Punk, what mattered here was he had a much longer stint in the ring this time and didn’t look horrible. He has a long way to go, but Sunday’s Forbidden Door match should tell us some more about what he is doing. Solid main event, and I can go or something like this once a week.

The winners celebrate to end the show.

Overall Rating: B. I’m not sure it was quite as good as last week but what matters is having the solid action while also building up Forbidden Door. This show featured some guest stars and we’ll have to wait for next week to see how the norm might feel around here. I liked it again and the wrestling was good to rather good, though it’s still strange to have it be so different from Dynamite. That’s not a bad thing, but it’s certainly rather jarring in a lot of ways.

Results
Hiroshi Tanahashi b. Swerve Strickland – High Fly Flow
Andrade El Idolo b. Brody King via DQ when Buddy Matthews interfered
Willow Nightingale b. Nyla Rose – The Babe With The Powerbomb
Powerhouse Hobbs b. Jeremy Prophet – Spinebuster
Bullet Club Gold/The Gunns b. CM Punk/FTR/Ricky Starks – Blade Runner to Starks

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

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

AND

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

Rampage
Date: June 23, 2023
Location: Wintrust Arena, Chicago, Illinois
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Chris Jericho

It’s the last Rampage before Forbidden Door and the first show after Collision has debuted. That means we could be in for something very different, though I could go for seeing more of what the show has been doing as of late. If nothing else, we should be in for a quick and efficient show, as has been the case around here. Let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

United Empire/Swerve Strickland vs. Chaos

United Empire: Will Ospreay/Jeff Cobb/Kyle Fletcher/Swerve Strickland
Chaos: Best Friends/Yoh/Rocky Romero

It’s a brawl to start with Ospreay hammering on Yoh in the corner and throwing in some hip gyrations. Yoh is back with gyrations of his own so it’s off to Swerve vs. Chuck. A rollup gives Chuck two and he kicks Strickland in the face. Trent comes in and gets to chop away at Fletcher, who backdrops him down to cut that off fast.

Fletcher slams him hard but Romero sneaks in for a double jumping knee to the face. The Roppongi Vice reunion lets them hit their big Shawn Michaels/Diesel jumping high five. The Empire pulls the good guys outside though and Strickland hits the rolling Downward Spiral to drop Romero to take over. One heck of a spinning backbreaker drops Romero for two but Cobb’s bearhug is broken up rather quickly.

We take a break and come back with Romero fighting out of a chinlock. Swerve hits the middle rope elbow to the back but Romero is fine enough to bring in Yoh. The forearms don’t do much to Ospreay, who rips the skin off with a chop. A running forearm works better for Yoh, even as the fans are chanting for Ospreay. Everything breaks down and Romero lariats Ospreay, setting up the four way hug. Swerve is back in to backdrop Romero to the floor, leaving Cobb to hit the swinging belly to back for two. The Hidden Blade finishes Yoh at 10:31.

Rating: B-. It was a fast paced start and that is how an opening match is supposed to go. Ospreay absolutely feels like one of the bigger stars around here and it is nice to see him getting to showcase himself on a big American stage. Other than that, Swerve gets to rub elbows with a fairly high profile match, though this was more about making Ospreay look strong for his big Forbidden Door match.

Video on Toni Storm vs. Willow Nightingale, with only Storm’s title on the line.

Here is Adam Cole for a chat but MJF, making his Rampage debut, interrupts. MJF is happy that his new partner got him in action at Forbidden Door so he has evened things up a bit: MJF has gotten Cole a Forbidden Door match with Filthy Tom Lawlor! Cue Lawler (with cohort Royce Isaacs) to jump Cole from behind, with MJF taking his very sweet time walking to the ring. The other villains run off, with MJF being annoyed but then walking off as Cole cringes in pain. This was short but made perfectly logical sense.

Acclaimed/Billy Gunn vs. ???/???/???

The Acclaimed and Gunn waste no time and it’s Scissor Me Timbers into the Arrival into the Mic Drop to finish at 51 seconds.

Post match Harley Cameron and two masked me interrupt, with Cameron bragging about her musical skills (she did the music video for the IInspiration in Impact). Cameron offers a partnership with the Acclaimed but Gunn shuts that down, saying they already have the best rapper in the world. She gets to rap anyway and Caster is already covering his ears (and Gunn hugs him).

Then she hits on Bowens (Jericho: “I don’t think so.”), who cuts it off and points out that he’s gay (which gets a very positive reaction). Cue QT Marshall and Aaron Solo, with the former calling Caster a John Cena impersonator. The Acclaimed go after them but one of the masked guys unmasks as…..Johnny TV (Morrison/Elite/you get the joke). The beatdown is on and QTV seems to have a new big name.

Swerve Strickland is ready for Hiroshi Tanahashi.

Women’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournament: Skye Blue vs. Anna Jay

Matt Menard/Angelo Parker are here too. Skye chases her to the floor but a Menard distraction lets Jay get in a cheap shot. Back in and they trade hip attacks until Anna kicks her out to the floor. A not great looking DDT on the floor plants Skye and we take a break. Back with Anna hitting another DDT but Skye fights up with forearms.

A kick to the head staggers Anna again and a high crossbody gets two. Anna’s Backstabber gets two and a Gory Bomb connects for the same. The Queenslayer goes on but Skye sends her into the corner to break it up. Skye superkicks her into Code Blue for the pin to advance at 9:15.

Rating: C. This got some more time and it helped things out a bit. Blue is on a bit of a roll right now and it wouldn’t shock me to see her winning the whole tournament. If she isn’t going to win one of the titles, giving her this is certainly better than nothing. Skye has gotten better, so giving her something like this wouldn’t be the worst idea. Anna has more or less stopped cold though, as she isn’t even doing the over the top insane stuff about choking people out anymore.

Video on the Collision eight man tag.

Video on Jungle Boy vs. Sanada.

Here’s what’s coming on various shows.

Jungle Boy vs. Douki

Yoshinobu Kanemaru is here with Douki. Jungle Boy runs him over with a shoulder to start and runs the corner for the bouncing armdrag. Douki sends him outside though and there’s the suicide dive to cut him down again. A hard whip into the barricade drops Douki though and we take a break.

Back with Douki hitting a running double stomp and getting quite the positive reaction. Something like a Widow’s Peak gets two on Jungle Boy, who grabs a tiger driver for the same. Commentary points out that Jungle Boy is being more aggressive lately (ahuh) as he loads up a table at ringside.

Douki gets in a cheap shot though and a top rope backsplash drives Jungle Boy through said table. We get a LOUD DOUKI chant as he hits a brainbuster for two. A slingshot DDT gets the same on Jungle Boy, who comes back with a superkick and poisonrana. The running forearm to the back of the head draws all kinds of booing as he grabs Sanada’s Skull End to make Douki tap at 10:15.

Rating: B-. This was more about the crowd reactions than anything else, as the crowd seems to be ready to turn Jungle Boy than AEW is, or maybe they just really like Douki. For now, it felt like a big enough main event and the action worked. The turn almost has to be coming soon though, with commentary bringing it up to really hammer in the point.

Post match Sanada (rocking a blue suit) comes out for the staredown to end the show (with Jericho getting in a shout about Sting in the last thing you hear, which is a rather smart thing that he does every time he’s on commentary for a go home show).

Overall Rating: B. This was a rare instance where the show felt like another hour of Dynamite. Normally that is rather annoying, but when there is so much going on at the moment, AEW needs that much extra time to let things breathe a bit. I had a good time with this show and it absolutely flew by, as Rampage continues its recent roll. Good show and Forbidden Door feels that much bigger so well done.

Results
United Empire/Swerve Strickland b. Chaos – Hidden Blade to Yoh
Acclaimed/Billy Gunn b. ???/???/??? – Mic Drop
Skye Blue b. Anna Jay – Code Blue
Jungle Boy b. Douki – Skull End

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

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

AND

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

Dynamite
Date: June 7, 2023
Location: Broadmoor World Arena, Colorado Springs, Colorado
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Taz

We are less than a month away from Forbidden Door and there is a good chance that some matches will be made official tonight. A few matches have either been teased or all but confirmed so now the only thing left to do is confirm them. At the same time, we have another big Collision announcement so let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

International Title: Orange Cassidy vs. Swerve Strickland

Cassidy is defending and Prince Nana is here with Strickland. The hands are quickly in the pockets for the early exchange of flips until Strickland takes him down. Strickland goes after the arm but Cassidy is up into a bit of a lazy octopus. A headscissors sens Strickland outside, where he puts his hands in his pockets. Cassidy follows but gets sent into the barricade, followed by his hand being sent into the post. Back in and Cassidy knocks him to the floor again, setting up a suicide dive. They both go up top and crash down onto the buckle to send us to a break.

Back with Cassidy knocking Strickland down and hitting some rather lazy right hands. The tornado DDT sends Strickland to the apron, where he pulls Cassidy off the ropes with a Death Valley Driver. Since it’s just a Death Valley Driver on the apron, Cassidy is back up with a running DDT off the apron. A top rope DDT gives Cassidy two more back inside but Nana gets up on the apron.

Strickland is sent into him though and it’s the Orange Punch into the Beach Break for a rather near fall. Cassidy dives at Strickland on the floor but gets caught with a brainbuster. The House call connects back inside and the Swerve Stomp gets two more. Strickland grabs a rollup with tights for two, only to have Cassidy reverse into one of his own, also with tights, for the retaining pin at 15:38.

Rating: B. So yeah, Cassidy wins again, as he goes over someone else who has been needing a big win. At this point, I’m not sure who is supposed to beat Cassidy but there’s a good chance that the run will keep going for a long time. It was an entertaining and fast paced match, but Cassidy needs to put someone over already, as we’re almost at eight months of this reign. Oh and please stop ruining the DDT even more. The move is dead. Move on already.

Post match the Mogul Embassy runs in for the save but the lights go out it’s….Sting/Darby Allin for the save.

Video on Ricky Starks vs. Jay White, who have their big showdown tonight.

Video on Bryan Danielson challenging Kazuchika Okada for Forbidden Door, with the match being officially made.

Blackpool Combat Club vs. Chaos

It’s Rocky Romero/Best Friends for Chaos and Bryan Danielson is on commentary. Taylor throws a chair at Moxley to start fast and the Club is sent outside. After a rather chaotic hug, the Club is back in with a Hart Attack for two on Taylor as we take a break. Back with Romero and Barreta cleaning house and taking Moxley down, including a sliding kick to the face for two. Strong Zero gets the same, with Castagnoli having to make a save. Romero’s cross armbreaker is broken up and Moxley grabs the choke out to finish Romero at 8:12.

Rating: B-. This was designed to advance Danielson (Blue) vs. Okada (Chaos) and if Okada isn’t going to be here in person (fair enough), this is as good of an idea as they had. Chaos was working hard here but they weren’t about to beat the top heel faction in the company in a regular six man tag. Good match, and it served a purpose.

Hangman Page and the Young Bucks say that was a good Club match (Page: “I didn’t see it, but it sounded good”.) and challenge the Club to face them next week. Danielson accepts.

Kenny Omega vs. Will Ospreay II is set for Forbidden Door.

Here is MJF to tell the crowd (or drug addicts as he calls them) to keep their mouths shut. MJF complains about the lack of competition in Colorado before saying the fans’ mothers’ swallows. Cue Adam Cole to interrupt, with MJF cutting him off to talk about CM Punk ruining his fandom as a kid. Then he saw Ring Of Honor and Adam Cole caught his eye. MJF followed his career from CZW to NXT, where he was the greatest champion they ever had, and that is undisputed.

MJF went to CZW and the independent scene and then came to AEW, where he is the champion. MJF: “What happened to you man?” Cole used to be the Panama City Playboy and now he’s on Twitch while Britt Baker leaves the house with his testicles in her purse. And didn’t Cole used to have the physique of a world champion. We hear about the fans complaining about everything before MJF talks about how the way to make him cool is to ring the bell.

MJF brings up Vince McMahon not seeing much in Cole and he thinks Vince was right. Cole finally gets to talk and says first off, Britt could beat MJF up on his own. The other thing though is MJF keeps bringing up relationships, which might be because his own fiance left him. Cole brings up the comments about his body, which he shifts to his body of work, which MJF can’t touch.

He accuses MJF of being on steroids and says no one in the back respects him. MJF: “How about I cry into all my money about it?” MJF brings up the rumor of Cole being Keith Lee’s manager in WWE (that’s the third WWE reference), but Cole says if MJF wasn’t a coward, he would fight him. The match seems to be made.

Well that was a lot about WWE, and I’m guessing that’s supposed to be enough to fuel the feud. Cole getting the title shot makes sense and a lot of the insults were quite the zingers, but Cole is going to need some work after a pretty lame Chris Jericho feud. For now though, Cole needs a fresh challenger and Cole fits the bill well.

The Hardys welcome Ethan Page to the team and insist that he apologize to Brother Zay. Page does, albeit reluctantly.

La Faccion Ingobernable vs. Hook/Jungle Boy

La Faccion (Preston Vance/Dralistico) jump them from behind to start and the fight heads into the crowd as we take a break. Back with Hook fighting back and Vance COVERED in blood. A discus lariat drops Hook and Vance chokes him with a chain. Hook reverses into a t-bone suplex to send Vance through the table for a big crash. Jungle Boy DDTs Dralistico onto a chair but Jose the Assistant makes the save. Hook chokes him out and it’s the Snare Trap to finish Dralistico at 8:50.

Rating: B-. Well that was intense, even if so much of it was spent during the break. Vance was GUSHING blood and that made things look all the more violent. They crammed a lot into this and that’s nice to see, though I could have gone without a break taking up so much of what looked to be a hot match.

Tony Khan announces the main event of the first Collision: Jay White/Juice Robinson/Samoa Joe vs. CM Punk/FTR.

Konosuke Takeshita vs. Damon Ace

Don Callis is here with Takeshita, who comes out without music. As we keep seeing Callis stabbing Kenny Omega on the big screen, Takeshita hits some headbutts in the corner, setting up the running knee for the pin at 1:25.

Post match Takeshita speaks Japanese and Callis calls Kenny Omega a cancer, which must be cut out.

Christian Cage promises revenge on Arn Anderson….and reveals that Luchasaurus has attacked Arn’s son Brock.

TBS Title: Kris Statlander vs. Anna Jay

Jay, with Matt Menard, is challenging and starts running away early on. Menard cuts Statlander off on the floor but she’s fine enough to shoulder Jay down for two. A shot in the corner takes Statlander down though and we go to a break. Back with Jay hitting a Gory Bomb for two but the Queenslayer is broken up pretty quickly. The Tombstone retains the title at 8:23.

Rating: C. What we saw was good, but I could go without these eight minute matches having a commercial eating up such a huge chunk of their time. Statlander is still getting back and having her pick up a bunch of wins is a good way to reestablish her. Even before she left, she had only dropped the alien stuff for a short while, so this is still a relatively new version of Statlander. It’s working so far though, and that’s nice to see.

The Outcasts are ready for whomever wins a four way on Rampage for a Women’s Title shot.

Ricky Starks vs. Jay White

Juice Robinson is banned from ringside. Starks jumps him before the bell (that’s a really common theme tonight) and the fight starts on the floor, with White being chopped against the barricade. They get inside with Starks hitting a backdrop, only to go outside and find….nothing for the time being. The fight heads up the ramp and up to the stage, only to come back down with White taking over. White messes with the steps but Starks grabs a suplex on the floor as we take a break.

Back with White cutting off a tornado DDT and hitting a top rope superplex for two. The Bladerunner is blocked and now the tornado DDT gives Starks two of his own. White counters the Roshambo into a swinging Rock Bottom but Starks is back with a heck of a spear. The Roshambo connects but the ref is bumped. Cue the Gunns to lay out Starks, allowing White to hit the Bladerunner for the pin at 13:28.

Rating: B. The Gunns interfering is interesting as we’re probably coming up on the Club vs. FTR, though I’m not sure which team is going to be facing them at the moment. Other than that, White gets a big win, even if the Starks feud probably isn’t done. It was a good match and Starks did get cheated in the win, but White is what matters here and he looked more like his usual great self.

Overall Rating: B. The best thing here, or at least the biggest relief, is that the build to this year’s Forbidden Door is off to a rather good start. Last year felt like AEW was throwing as many names as they could at us while this year has some logical matches being announced one by one. Other than that, you had a bunch of solid matches and stories being moved forward. Your mileage on Cole vs. MJF may vary due to how shooty/insidery they got, but it’s a fresh feud and more traditional after the Pillars stuff. All in all, a good show here, and it felt more like your normal Dynamite.

Results
Orange Cassidy b. Swerve Strickland – Rollup with tights
Blackpool Combat Club b. Chaos – Bulldog choke to Romero
Hook/Jungle Boy b. La Faccion Ingobernable – Snare Trap to Dralistico
Konosuke Takeshita b. Damon Ace – Running knee
Kris Statlander b. Anna Jay – Tombstone
Jay White b. Ricky Starks – Bladerunner

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Double Or Nothing 2023
Date: May 28, 2023
Location: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada
Commentators: Jim Ross, Excalibur, Taz

We’re back to viewing on a pay per basis and that normally means some very good things from AEW. This show has an unofficial double main event, with the Four Pillars World Title match, plus Anarchy in the Arena. That should make things all the more interesting and the rest of the card is rather stacked. Let’s get to it.

Commentary is ringside here for a change. If that isn’t a first time for AEW, it’s only one of a handful of times ever.

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

If the Hardys/Hook win, Matt Hardy owns Page’s contract and Brother Zay is with the Hardys/Hook. JR: “Now is he Isiah Kassidy or is he Brother Zay?” Excalibur: “Well right now he’s injured!” Hook works on Austin’s wrist to start and wrestles him down before it’s off to Matt to stay on the arm.

Everything breaks down and the villains are cleared out, only to be throw back in. Colten starts in on Hook back inside and sends him into the corner. Hook manages a quick El Camino though and the hot tag brings in Matt to clean house. The Gunns are sent outside so they go after the injured Zay, leaving Matt to make the save. That takes too long though and it’s a double teaming to take Matt down for a change.

Matt avoids some charges to sent the Gunns outside but Hook and Jeff are pulled off the apron in a smart move. Colten misses a splash in the corner though and it’s Jeff coming in to take over. The middle rope splash looks to set up a Twist of Fate but Jeff tweaks his knee. The Whisper in the Wind is loaded up but Jeff slips and falls down in a crash.

Hook comes back in for a clothesline to Colten, allowing Matt to come in for Poetry In Motion (as Jeff’s knee seems ok). The 3:10 to Yuma cuts Matt off but Jeff Swantons in for the save. Everything breaks down again and Redrum is broken up. Stereo Twists of Fate take the Gunns down and it’s a Twisting Stunner into the Twist of Fate into Redrum to finish Page at 15:43.

Rating: C+. This was a long Kickoff Show match but it did well enough. The Hardys are going to get a strong reaction no matter what they do and that was the case here. Jeff has been gone for a long time now and it will be nice to have him around again, though pushing him in a big role would be more than risky. For now though, he did ok enough in a limited role.

The opening video looks at the majority of the card, including a special look at the main event.

International Title: Blackjack Battle Royal

Orange Cassidy, Bandido, Chuck Taylor, Trent, Lee Moriarty, Big Bill, Tony Nese, Ari Daivari, Komander, Butcher, Blade, Kip Sabian, Jay White, Juice Robinson, Dustin Rhodes, Keith Lee, Ricky Starks, Rey Fenix, Penta El Zero Miedo, Swerve Strickland, Brian Cage

Cassidy is defending and Sabian tries to get rid of him early on. A bunch of people brawl on the floor to start (as they were all on the floor before the bell and haven’t been inside yet) and Komander does a big rope walk dive to take everyone down. The four luchadors take over the middle of the ring so Bandido can get in a very delayed suplex on Nese. As I try to figure out why anyone but the Varsity Athletes would want to break that up, Nese is tossed out for the first elimination.

Daivari and Penta fight on the apron until Fenix walks the ropes to kick Daivari out for the elimination. Cage finally comes in and gets to clean house, including holding up Bandido and Komander at the same time. The Bros kick Cage down but White and Robinson jump them from behind. White knocks Komander out and it’s a Shield Bomb from the Best Friends/Cassidy to Sabian.

With Sabian out, Big Bill is back up to toss Chuck (with what seemed to be an accidental low bridge from Cassidy). Lee tosses Blade and slugs it out with Cage as Swerve gets in for the first time. Swerve and Lee slug it out (without having a match of course, because that’s just loony) and the Lucha Bros kick Butcher out. Moriarty kicks Bandido out (that’s an upset) but Trent suplexes Moriarty on the apron for the elimination.

Trent takes a big boot meant for Cassidy and gets eliminated in the process as the ring is clearing out a good bit. Cage tosses Lee but Rhodes cuts him off with Cross Rhodes. Fenix is sent to the apron and Penta accidentally knocks him out. Starks tosses Robinson and it’s White vs. Penta for a weird showdown. A springboard is cut out with a Blade Runner but Starks spears White and tosses him out.

Robinson pulls Starks outside (not eliminated) and beats him down, including a whip into the steps. Back in and Bill kicks Stars out (eliminated this time) before Dustin Canadian Destroys Cage on the apron for an elimination. Swerve knocks Rhodes out and we’re down to Swerve, Bill, Penta and Cassidy. Penta fires off a bunch of superkicks and adds a Backstabber to Cassidy.

Bill kicks Penta in the face though and clotheslines him out, followed by a swinging Boss Man Slam to Cassidy. Swerve surprises Bill and tosses him out, leaving us with Swerve vs. Cassidy. They tease tossing each other out until Cassidy hits the Stundog Millionaire. A dropkick to the back stops Cassidy though and they’re both down. The Swerve Stomp connects but Swerve mocks Cassidy instead of throwing him out. Fans: “YOU F***** UP!”

Cassidy catches him with back to back tornado DDTs and the Orange Punch sends Swerve to the apron. Swerve pulls Cassidy out to the apron, where a Prince Nana distraction slows Cassidy down. The Swerve Stomp only hits raised boots and Cassidy knocks him out to retain at 22:25.

Rating: B-. The ending was good, but there were only so many people who were going to be viable options to win, making the battle royal a bit unnecessary. Cassidy winning makes sense, but at some point someone is going to have to crush him good and hard to take the title. Perhaps Powerhouse Hobbs this week on Dynamite.

We recap Adam Cole vs. Chris Jericho in an unsanctioned match. Jericho handcuffed Cole to the ropes while Saraya beat up Cole’s girlfriend Britt Baker, meaning Cole wants revenge. Due to reasons, he brought in Sabu. Yes Sabu.

Chris Jericho vs. Adam Cole

Unsanctioned and Sabu is the guest enforcer, with the rest of the Jericho Appreciation Society and Roderick Strong here too. We start with a chair duel between Jericho and Sabu until Sabu chairs him down. Sabu goes up top and dives (meaning falls) onto what looked like Matt Menard to drive him through a table. That’s enough for everyone else and they all head to the back to even things up.

Back in and Cole takes Jericho down and wraps his leg around the post to take over. Jericho is fine enough to catch him with a suplex off the apron to the floor for a big crash. They get back inside and Jericho hits a clothesline but Cole sends him face first into a chair wedged in the corner. Cole superkicks him down but the Panama Sunrise is countered into the Walls. Making it to the ropes means nothing so Cole grabs a fire extinguisher to blast Jericho and break things up.

The blinded Jericho takes Cole down for two and sprays him with the extinguisher to make it worse. The kendo stick is loaded up but here is Britt Baker with a stick of her own to beat Jericho down. Saraya comes in and gets caned down again, with the women heading to the back. A table is set up but Jericho chairs Cole in the face, knocking him through said table. Jericho whips out a chain…with handcuffs on the ends.

That takes took long though and Cole DDTs him onto the chain for two. Cole chains himself to Jericho and hits the Panama Sunrise for two. The Boom misses and Jericho whips him with the chain. Cole manages a quick Boom but Cole doesn’t cover. Instead he wraps the chain around the knee and hits another Boom. Some right hands with the chain knock Jericho out for the referee stoppage at 19:01.

Rating: C-. And that’s being a bit generous. The match was by no means bad, but it was long, never got exciting, and felt like they were going off a Greatest Street Fight Hits list. I didn’t feel like Cole was out for blood or anything like than and the ending was the only part that felt remotely violent. Add in Sabu with the most pointless cameo in AEW history and this was REALLY disappointing.

We recap the Tag Team Title match. FTR and Jay Lethal/Jeff Jarrett are both claiming Mark Briscoe as a friend, so naturally he’s the guest referee.

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

FTR is defending, Satnam Singh, Karen Jarrett and Sonjay Dutt are here too and Mark Briscoe is guest referee. Harwood takes Lethal down to start and frustration is setting in early. Back up and Lethal is taken into the corner for some hard chops, which has Lethal even more annoyed. Jarrett and Lethal need a breather on the floor and even try the clap behind the referee’s back for the fake tag.

With that not working, FTR hits a double backdrop and everyone heads outside, with Jarrett sending Wheeler into the barricade. Back in and Jeff takes over with a legsweep and some choking on the ropes, allowing Karen to get in a cheap shot. JR yells at Dutt a lot as the beating continues, only to have Wheeler get over for the hot tag to Harwood. House is cleaned and Harwood rolls some German suplexes on Lethal. Another suplex is blocked though and Lethal drops Harwood for a double knockdown.

Everything breaks down and Harwood crotches Lethal on top, setting up a top rope superplex. Harwood isn’t done though and Wheeler goes up for a powerbomb/top rope clothesline combination. Dutt gets involved for a distraction and that’s enough for the dramatic ejection from Briscoe.

Karen whips out a guitar and blasts Briscoe so here is Aubrey Edwards….who she guitar downs as well. Lethal hits a double Lethal Injection on FTR but there is no one to count. Harwood is back up with a piledriver to Lethal but Jarrett gets in a belt shot. The Stroke connects and Briscoe comes in to count two. Jeff slaps Mark, who slaps him back, and right into the Shatter Machine to retain the titles at 19:47.

Rating: B-. It was a fun, entertaining match that went all in on the insanity, as it should have. Cut it down by about five minutes and it’s even better, but there was little reason to believe that Jarrett and Lethal were going to be a major threat in the first place. Thankfully they didn’t do something stupid like having Briscoe turn, so this went pretty well all things considered.

Juice Robinson and Jay White jump Ricky Starks but FTR make the save.

Chris Jericho and Saraya are mad and want a tag match against Britt Baker and Adam Cole on Dynamite. Jericho throws a fireball at a production worker, because that’s a thing again.

TNT Title: Christian Cage vs. Wardlow

Cage is challenging in a ladder match. They take their time to start until Christian fires off some rights. Wardlow isn’t having that and runs him over but has to block the Killswitch. It’s time for the ladder, but Christian dropkicks it into Wardlow. Cage’s dive is blocked with a ladder in a hard crash and now it’s time for the tables, because of course it is.

That takes too long though and Cage knocks him onto the ladder in a hard crotching. Cage hits him with the ladder and puts it up in the ring, only to have Wardlow get back up and run him over. With Cage knocked down, cue Luchasaurus to throw him back in so Wardlow can be cut off. The reverse DDT off the ladder plants Wardlow again and Cage goes up. For some reason Wardlow goes up and dives at the ladder, which breaks as he lands on it.

Wardlow tries to climb the broken ladder, allowing Luchasaurus to hit a pair of chokeslams. Cue Arn Anderson to bite Luchasaurus’ thumb, which starts gushing blood. That lets Wardlow put Luchasaurus on a pair of tables for a CRAZY Swanton off the ladder and they’re both down. Cage pops up and tries for the title but Anderson offers a distraction. Wardlow hits a powerbomb on Christian and retains at 17:06.

Rating: C+. I have no idea why this needed to be a ladder match other than it involved Christian. Wardlow gets a win, albeit with help from Arn Anderson (who might need to see Britt Baker to look at those teeth). It was a violent enough ladder match and some of the spots were good (that Swanton was nuts), but this felt like they threw a ladder match out there so they could have one, not because the match needed one.

We recap Jamie Hayter defending her Women’s Title against Toni Storm. This is part of the Outcasts vs. the other women feud and Hayter is coming in with a bad shoulder, thanks to the Outcasts. Therefore, it’s about the title and revenge.

Women’s Title: Jamie Hayter vs. Toni Storm

Hayter is defending….and gets jumped backstage and falls down the ramp. The Outcasts send her into various things but Hayter says she can go, so ring the bell. Storm goes right for the near fall but the referee gets bumped on an interfering Soho. Hayter sends her into an exposed buckle but some spray paint to the face sets up the hip attack for two. Cue Hikaru Shida to go after Soho as Storm is sent into the buckle. Hayterade gets two but Storm sends her into the buckle again. Storm Zero gives Storm the title back at 2:55. This wasn’t good, but I’m thinking that can be blamed on Hayter’s injury.

Trios Titles: House Of Black vs. Acclaimed/Billy Gunn

The House is defending against mystery opponents, despite the Acclaimed and Gunn all but saying they were challenging on Rampage. Caster’s rap mentions the House of Black being Caucasian and referencing Dominik Mysterio (as Rhea Ripley is Buddy Matthews’ real life girlfriend). Black takes over on Bowens to start, allowing Black to sit down to mess with Bowens’ head.

Bowens tells him to bring it so it’s Matthews coming in to stomp on Bowens’ arm. Caster comes in and gets taken down as well as the one sidedness continues. It’s back to Bowens, who is taken down into a kneebar and then taken down into a kneebar to mix it up a bit. Matthews adds a top rope Meteora as we’re firmly in the slow beating process. Some cannonballs down onto the leg keep Bowens in trouble as we get a WHO’S YOUR MAMI chant.

Bowens tries to fight up again but gets knocked down hard into the corner again. King’s Cannonball crushes him but Dante’s Inferno is broken up. Bowens is almost over to Gunn but King pulls him down just in time. Back up and the hot tag FINALLY brings in Gunn to clean house, including a Fameasser each to King and Matthews. Black is right back up to kick Gunn in the head and retain at 15:39.

Rating: B-. Nice enough match here for something with more or less no build, though I’m still not sure who the House is supposed to be feuding with next. Gunn and the Acclaimed were one of the biggest trios left and now the House is likely back to feuding with a random pairing. For now though, this was a by the book but well done match with Bowens getting beaten down and Gunn coming in to take the fall (as he should have). Perfectly acceptable way to get the titles on the show.

TBS Title: Jade Cargill vs. Taya Valkyrie

Cargill, with Mark Sterling and Leila Grey, is defending and comes to the ring with a rapper and her dancing sorority sisters. Road To Valhalla and Jaded are both blocked early so Jade is sent outside. That lets Taya hit a dive onto Sterling and then hits the sliding German for a big crash.

Back in and Jade manages a spinning spinebuster for two before beating on her outside again. Jade pulls on both arms at the same time but Taya fights back up and hits a Blue Thunder Bomb. Back up and Jade tries a springboard but gets kneed out of the air. Taya hits a Curb Stomp for two, followed by Road To Valhalla for the same. Jade is right back with Jaded to retain at 8:48.

Rating: C. It was nice to see Jade do something different and her athleticism continues to be insane, but this was just kind of there for the most part, with Jade getting to do a move and then waiting for the next one. I’ll certainly take it over what she does most of the time though, as she finally had someone who actually tested her.

Post match Mark Sterling says there is no one let to face Jade….and Kris Statlander is back. And let’s ring the bell!

TBS Title: Kris Statlander vs. Jade Cargill

Statlander is challenging and elbows her in the face. A Jackhammer is broken up and it’s a pump kick into a failed Jaded attempt. Statlander is right back with Sunday Night Fever to finish Jade for the pin and the title at 46 seconds. Well, it’s nice to have Jade finally lose, and for someone who showed up in a surprise and pinned her after a rough match, Statlander could have been worse.

We recap the World Title match between the Four Pillars. Everyone wants a shot at MJF’s title and after a mini tournament, Sammy Guevara agreeing to lay down and then changing his mind and the match being announced, we’re ready to go.

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

MJF is defending and Sammy has Tay Melo with him. They’re here with cue cards….and Melo is going to have a baby! Even Jungle Boy has to clap for that one. Allin’s intro is a mini movie where he interrupts a wedding officiated by Elvis and with the groom being a dummy with an MJF mask on.

Allin comes in and beats him up, then has Elvis help him hide the body. Then he comes into the arena in an Elvis jumpsuit, making me think that he killed Elvis and left his body somewhere. Then MJF appears in his devil mask and sitting on a throne. Oh and there are masked women trying to reach for him on the way to the ring, leaving Jungle Boy looking rather plain.

Everyone goes after MJF to start and he gets chopped out to the floor. Everyone gets the chance to flip over each other until MJF is back in to drop Allin. That means the strut is on but Allin knocks him to the floor. The parade of dives is on and Sammy shooting stars onto everyone else. Back in and Jungle Boy gets caught in the Tree of Woe but manages to sit up, causing Guevara to superplex Allin into MJF for a big crash.

Back up and Guevara and Jungle Boy are sent outside, setting up the headlock takeover to give Allin two on MJF. Allin tries a dive but gets cuttered down by Guevara. The frog splash gives Guevara two on MJF, who is right back with a pumphandle driver to Allin. MJF: “I DON’T LIKE YOU DARBY!” He goes into why but that’s as good of an example as anything.

Jungle Boy is back in but gets dropkicked by Allin, leaving everyone down. Allin hits a Scorpion Death Drop, Jungle Boy hits a Killswitch and MJF hits a Cross Rhodes on Jungle Boy for two, leaving us with a stunned face after a cute sequence. Hold on though as MJF grabs a mic (Tony: “Just text it to us.”) and says Sammy is having a baby and needs the money, so lay down already. Sammy says he’ll do it and the ensuing small package gets two on MJF.

The GTH is countered but so is MJF’s Salt Of The Earth. Instead Guevara grabs a Boston crab on MJF and Allin gets the Scorpion Deathlock on Jungle Boy. Neither gives up so they’re both broken up, leaving Allin to Figure Four Guevara….who ankle locks MJF….who chinlocks Allin for a circle submission. With that broken up, Allin hits a Canadian Destroyer on MJF but Jungle Boy hits one of his own, leaving everyone down again. Another Canadian Destroyer (off MJF and Allin’s backs) hits Guevara for two and it’s time to go outside.

Allin gets a running start and knocks MJF and Jungle Boy over the barricade in a nasty crash. Back in and Guevara hits a top rope Spanish Fly to drive MJF onto the other two, leaving all of them down. They get inside and slug it out until MJF fires off the eye pokes. A triple superkick drops MJF and Guevara hits a Cody Cutter on MJF into Allin’s Code Red into Jungle Boy’s sliding forearm to the back of the head.

We get a pinfall reversal sequence (for a round of applause from the crowd) until Allin Code Reds Guevara for two. MJF breaks up the Coffin Drop though and superbombs Allin, seemingly hurting his wrist in the process. Guevara and Jungle Boy go up top to chop it out until Jungle Boy crashes down. Allin skateboards MJF in the head and hits the Coffin Drop but grabs a headlock takeover instead.

Jungle Boy makes the save and hits Allin for a double knockdown. MJF brings in the title but Jungle Boy takes it away…and throws it to the ring instead of hitting Allin. That earns him a Last Supper for two and it’s Guevara back in to fire off knees. The GTH hits and Sammy goes up but Sammy shoves him down. Allin loads up the Coffin Drop, only to have MJF put the title on Jungle Boy. Allin crashes and the headlock takeover retains MJF’s title at 27:49.

Rating: A-. This was a heck of a match and they tied a bunch of stuff in to make it better. It’s also a great example of a build not exactly working out perfectly but the match made up for it very well. They didn’t have it be two in the ring and two on the floor, as there were several sequences with everyone involved at once. I got way into this one and the action worked throughout, even if MJF winning wasn’t that much of a shock.

We recap the Elite vs. the Blackpool Combat Club. They hate each other and it’s time for Anarchy In The Arena.

Elite vs. Blackpool Combat Club

Anything goes, falls count anywhere. A band plays Wild Thing live and keeps going through the start of the match and the brawling is on in the crowd. Nick hits a big flip dive off the barricade as Don Callis joins commentary. Moxley dives off of the announcers’ table onto Omega and then drops him onto said table. A Figure Four on the floor has Omega in trouble as the referee is somehow bleeding.

Back in and Page rips off the eyepatch to reveal….a completely fine eye. Page pulls out the screwdriver but gets beaten down by the Club. The rest of the Elite comes in to beat the Club down and clear the ring with superkicks. The Elite hit stereo dives, leaving the Bucks to finally superkick the band to cut off the music. Omega hits Moxley with a piece of the announcers’ table as the Bucks dive off the stage.

Page comes back in to help beat on Moxley until Danielson makes the save. Omega gets suplexed onto the ramp as Danielson chokes Page inside. A bunch of people head to the concourse as Moxley busts out a barbed wire poker chip. Omega gets suplexed onto said chip before Moxley drives a fork into his head. We go split screen (thank goodness) as Castagnoli swings Matt Jackson near the concession stand. Back in the ring and Yuta chairs Page before Moxley knees Omega in the head.

We see Castagnoli piledriving Matt into a truck and that should leave him down for a bit. More people start getting back to ringside as the Elite continues to get beaten down. Page gets dropped onto a leaf blower (because there’s a leaf blower) but comes back with a Deadeye to Moxley on the apron. Omega, in Captain America tights, puts a trashcan lid on his arm ala Captain America and starts cleaning house. Castagnoli breaks that up but the Bucks are back in for the save.

Moxley hits the King Kong lariat into a Gotch style piledriver or two on Nick, setting up a crossface/Boston crab combination. Cue Matt and an exploding…something to the head (just go with it) clears Moxley out. A bunch of superkicks into the Buckshot Lariat gets two on Yuta and it’s Castagnoli punting…I believe Matt’s shoe. Moxley whips out the tacks (of course) and Matt goes bare foot into them, setting up a Death Rider for two.

Nick Swantons in to break up Danielson’s heel hook, with Nick’s face hitting the tacks. Castagnoli breaks up Omega’s V Trigger so Omega hits him with it instead. Danielson knees Omega down and then does it to Page as well. Moxley pours tacks in Matt’s mouth for Castagnoli’s uppercut, setting up a German suplex from Yuta.

It’s Page making the save and Omega gets up with him, as they’re family again. Danielson is back up and it’s the Deadeye into the One Winged Angel for two as Yuta makes the save. Callis offers a distraction though and slips Yuta a screwdriver. That takes Page down so Omega goes after Callis…..and it’s Konosuke Takeshita to knee Omega down. Yuta screwdrivers Omega in the head and grabs the seat belt for the pin at 27:02.

Rating: B+. This was really good as well, but just like the previous version or Stadium Stampede, it’s not really a match that you can call step by step in the traditional sense. Instead it was a bunch of fights that were all over the place, which is exactly what its name says it was supposed to be. The ending sends things into a bit of a different direction, though anytime someone wants to get Callis off the screen for the better part of ever, I’d be happy. Hard hitting, violent match here and that’s exactly what it needed to be after all the hatred to get us here.

Post match Callis chokes Omega with a belt to knock him even more out. The Club celebrates to end the show.

Overall Rating: B. This show took its time to get going and did have some rocky points, but it got that much better by the end, with the last two matches being awesome. There were some rather violent matches here and some of them felt like a definitive end to a story, but it did go a bit overboard with the insanity. This show had a battle royal, a ladder match, an unsanctioned match, a four way and Anarchy in the Arena. It would have been nice to slow things down a bit and have some more regular matches, but the last two matches carried it pretty high. Not a bad show at all, but pretty low on the AEW PPV chart.

Results
Hardys/Hook b. Ethan Page/Gunns – Redrum to Page
Orange Cassidy won the Blackjack Battle Royal last eliminating Swerve Strickland
Adam Cole b. Chris Jericho via referee stoppage
FTR b. Jeff Jarrett/Jay Lethal – Shatter Machine to Jarrett
Wardlow b. Christian Cage – Wardlow pulled down the title
Toni Storm b. Jamie Hayter – Storm Zero
House Of Black b. Acclaimed/Billy Gunn – Spinning kick to Gunn
Jade Cargill b. Taya Valkyrie – Jaded
Kris Statlander b. Jade Cargill – Sunday Night Fever
Maxwell Jacob Friedman b. Jungle Boy, Darby Allin and Sammy Guevara – Headlock takeover to Allin
Blackpool Combat Club b. Elite – Seat belt to Omega

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Rampage
Date: May 26, 2023
Location: MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada
Commentators: Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone, Excalibur, Chris Jericho

It’s the go home show for Double Or Nothing and thankfully this show is back at its normal time instead of midnight on Saturday night as an NHL series wrapped up early. In theory most of Double Or Nothing is set up in advance, but there is always the chance that something new will be added here (including to the pre-show) so let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

Acclaimed/Billy Gunn vs. La Faccion Ingobernable

Caster’s rap insults the opponents and says they’re here to win mas rapido. Dralistico isn’t interested in scissoring with Bowens so they trade chops in the corner instead. A running hurricanrana doesn’t do much to Bowens, who is right back with the jumping Fameasser. Vance and Caster come in with a fall away slam sending Caster flying. Gunn wants to try his luck and tells Vance to suck it.

Scissor Me Timbers is loaded up but Rush makes the save and everything breaks down. La Faccion takes over on the floor and it’s Caster alone in the ring. We take a break and come back with Bowens having been thrown over the barricade, where Dralistico keeps hammering away. Back in and Caster gets beaten down inside but manages a clothesline for a breather.

That’s enough for the tag to Gunn, who takes forever to load up the Fameasser but connects on Vance anyway. Jose the Assistant puts the foot on the rope though, earning himself Scissor Me Timbers. Three way scissoring is broken up and Vance discus lariats Gunn down for two. Dralistico adds a springboard Codebreaker to Bowens, who is right back with the Arrival (that was some pretty egregious no selling). The Mic Drop gives Caster the pin at 9:37.

Rating: C+. The match wasn’t exactly a classic but the important thing is Acclaimed/Billy Gunn are being built up as contenders for the Trios Titles. Right now the champions don’t have many serious contenders so go with the popular team for a big time title match. It’s also nice to see them beating a team with a bit of value in La Faccion, who have at least been around for more than a bit.

Post match Bowens grabs the mic and makes a reference to the House Of Black and I think we have something coming. As luck would have it, we hear about an open challenge for the Trios Titles at Double Or Nothing.

Ethan Page/The Gunns vs. FrescoMatic/Jeaux Braxton/Watson

Colton elbows Fresco down to start and hands it off to Austin for some stomping in the corner. A running knee lift and running clothesline puts Fresco down again. Page takes too long posing and gets caught with a shot to the face, allowing Braxton to come in and pick up the pace a bit. Everything breaks down and an Iconoclasm sets up a flapjack into a Downward Spiral for the pin at 2:50.

Post match Page promises to take out the Hardys because Isiah Kassidy is out of action. Cue the Hardys to say they have a third man: Hook. The villains run off.

Dustin Rhodes and Keith Lee are ready to beat up Brian Cage and Swerve Strickland in the Blackjack Battle Royal (which Dustin says is for a SHOT at the International Title, which I’d assume was a mistake).

Britt Baker/Hikaru Shida vs. Marina Shafir/Nyla Rose

Rose powers Shida into the corner to start and it’s off to Shafir. Shida fights up and knocks Rose into the corner before suplexing Shafir into her. Baker comes in to forearm away at Shafir, setting up the Sling Blade for two. It’s off to Rose to choke Baker down though and we take a break.

Back with Baker being send into the corner but Rose misses a splash. Shida comes in and gets to hammer away at Shafir in the corner, followed by a missile dropkick for two. Everything breaks down and Baker is draped over the top, only to have Rose miss the knee. Shida Meteoras Rose off the apron and comes back in for the Katana on Shafir. The Lockjaw finishes Shafir at 8:59.

Rating: C+. There was enough talent in here to make the match work and it was nice to not have the Outcasts for a bit. If nothing else, having Rose out there almost felt weird as she hasn’t been around much lately. Thankfully Shafir took the fall here, as there was no need to have it go any other way. Nice match here and that is always a good thing.

Post match we see the Outcasts on screen and Jamie Hayter down at their feet. That sounds violent.

Video on Big Bill/Lee Moriarty vs. the Best Friends.

Mark Henry hits the main event.

Double Or Nothing rundown.

Big Bill/Lee Moriarty vs. Best Friends

Almost everyone in the Blackjack Battle Royal is in the crowd. Moriarty sends Trent down to start and Trent isn’t sure what to do. Kicking Moriarty in the ribs doesn’t work as Moriarty rakes the eyes, only to have Taylor get in a cheap shot from the apron. Taylor comes in for a double suplex, complete with bicep posing. Bill doesn’t care for this and cleans house as we take a break.

Back with Trent rolling suplexes on Moriarty but Bill chokeslams him onto the apron. They get back in for the Soul Food/half and half suplex combination. Bill is back up with a Boss Man Slam to Trent though and a suplex/full nelson slam combination gets two, with Chuck having to make the save. The Best Friends manage to superplex Bill but Moriarty makes the save. Bill has had it with this and chokeslams Taylor for the pin at 10:48.

Rating: C+. The best thing about this match was Bill acting like a monster. He has been doing it more and more lately and that is a great thing to see. Bill’s best asset is his size and it is cool to see him getting to use it more often. The Best Friends are going to be fine after a loss so this was a nice change of pace and it did some good things for Bill and Moriarty.

Post match the Battle Royal participants get in a fight and Orange Cassidy joins them. Cue Brian Cage, Dustin Rhodes and Keith Lee to join the fracas. Swerve Strickland comes out to watch but Lee stalks him to the back to end the show.

Overall Rating: B-. This was more like it as they gave the battle royal some focus and set up the likely Trios Titles match. That’s enough for this show, which has been showing some nice signs of life in recent weeks. Granted it’s hard to imagine it lasting once Collision shows up, but I’ll take it while it lasts.

Results
Billy Gunn/The Acclaimed b. La Faccion Ingobernable – Mic Drop to Dralistico
The Gunns/Ethan Page b. FrescoMatic/Jeaux Braxton/Watson – Flapjack into a Downward Spiral to Braxton
Britt Baker/Hikaru Shida b. Marina Shafir/Nyla Rose – Lockjaw to Shafir
Big Bill/Lee Moriarty b. Best Friends – Chokeslam to Taylor

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Rampage
Date: May 5, 2023
Location: CFG Bank Arena, Baltimore, Maryland
Commentators: Jim Ross, Excalibur, Tony Schiavone

It’s a special show this week, as we have both an earlier airtime and the Firm Deletion match from the Hardy Compound. Other than that, we have the push towards Double Or Nothing, which may or may not be addressed this week. I’m almost scared to see what they have planned for the Firm Deletion match so let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

QT Marshall/Aaron Solo/Powerhouse Hobbs vs. El Hijo del Vikingo/Lucha Bros

Vikingo flips around to avoid Marshall to start, allowing Marshall to try his own flip and fall on his face. A springboard missile dropkick sends Marshall into the corner, setting up the inverted flip into the hurricanrana out of said corner. The middle rope Phoenix splash gets two on Marshall so it’s off to Fenix vs. Solo. Fenix walks the ropes in the corner for a wristdrag, followed by a roll into a failed kneebar.

Penta comes in with a high crossbody to Hobbs, followed by a superkick. Hobbs runs him over with a clothesline and forearms Fenix out of the air. There’s a shot for Vikingo as well before Hobbs gets to plant Penta again. Marshall posts Penta and we take a break. Back with Penta kicking his way out of trouble and handing it back to Fenix. Vikingo comes back in with a springboard hurricanrana, setting up the triple dives to the floor. Back in and the wheelbarrow splash gets two on Solo, who flips Fenix face first down.

Marshall suplexes Vikingo into a powerbomb but Penta is back with a running Canadian Destroyer off of Vikingo’s back. Everyone is down so commentary talks about the Double Or Nothing main event. The villains are up first but Fenix knees his way out of Solo’s suplex. Vikingo tags himself back in but gets caught n top by Marshall. That’s fine with Vikingo, who hits a super Canadian Destroyer. The big lip dive through the table is broken up by Harley Cameron, leaving Solo to get caught with the spike Fear Factor for the pin at 12:24.

Rating: B. Take six people and let them go nuts. Marshall was doing his thing well and Hobbs still looks like a monster and Solo was fine enough in what she did. For now it was nice to see the Bros and Vikingo wreck some people, especially after rumors of Fenix needing some time away due to injuries.

We see a clip from after Dynamite with MJF losing it backstage after the Double Or Nothing main event became a four way.

Chris Jericho is worried about Adam Cole attacking him, hence him not doing commentary tonight. He is working on various assurances to keep himself safe and we’ll hear more about that on Dynamite.

Jade Cargill vs. Gia Scott

Non-title. Jaded finishes the screaming Scott at 33 seconds.

Mark Briscoe….doesn’t get to talk as Jeff Jarrett and company. The team wants Briscoe to get FTR to give them a Tag Team Titles shot but he has a match. Jay Lethal thinks Briscoe will do the right thing.

Mark Briscoe vs. Preston Vance

Briscoe knocks him to the floor to start and scores with the running Blockbuster off the apron. A posting drops Vance again and Briscoe sits him in a chair, only to miss a middle rope flip dive, sending him into said open chair (OUCH). Vance whips him into the barricade and we take a break. Back with Briscoe having to climb the corner to escape a full nelson. A German suplex drops Briscoe but he pops back up and kicks Vance in the face.

They forearm it out, including a running version each, until Briscoe drops him with a running clothesline. Vance is right back with a shot of his own and goes for a chair, but settles for a slingshot spear. The chair is brought in again but it gets kicked out, allowing Vance to hit him low for two (JR: “He’s got testicles of steel!” Excalibur: “Well he has eight kids.” Schiavone: “That was terrible.”). Briscoe knocks him outside and uses the chair as a springboard to drop Vance again. Back in and the Jay Driller finishes Vance at 11:54.

Rating: B-. Vance might not ever be a star but he is good for a hoss fight like this, as the two of them beat each other up rather well for what they had the chance to do. Briscoe’s weird charisma is able to carry him a long way, but the stuff with Jarrett and company is only working so well. Then again, if that is what he wants to do right now, good for him.

Post match Briscoe’s family get in the ring to celebrate with him.

Dustin Rhodes is looking forward to AEW coming to his hometown of Austin, Texas on May 17. Brian Cage jumps him though and Swerve Strickland comes in for trash talk. Keith Lee makes the save.

Video on Anna Jay vs. Julia Hart, who are fighting on Dynamite.

Here’s what’s coming on Dynamite.

Video on Daniel Garcia vs. Orange Cassidy.

Hardys/Isiah Kassidy/Hook vs. The Firm

This is the Firm Deletion match, meaning cinematic, at the Hardy Compound with Hardy/Kassidy’s freedom from the Firm on the line. The Firm (Big Bill/Lee Moriarty/Ethan Page/Stokely Hathaway) break the mailbox before going through the gates, where they are met by Vanguard1 (the drone). Matt Hardy’s face is projected to say they are going through the space time continuum. Then it’s night and the Hardys and company are shoot fireworks at them.

We actually have commentary as a bunch of referees pop up to try and keep track of things. Kassidy gets chokeslammed against a tree as Matt beats up Page. The Twist of Fate is broken up and Page drops Matt for two. Jeff breaks a tree limb over Bill’s back and chokes him with another one. Hathaway is left alone and we see clips of his walk of shame from a few weeks ago. Then two of Matt’s kids almost run him down with a miniature car. Bill hits Jeff in the head with a limb as Matt and Ethan fight into a well lit barn, complete with a ring, as we take a break.

Back with Matt kicking out and Page yelling about the count. The Twist of Fate drops Page for two as we cut to Hathaway in a lounge, watching the match on a couch. Matt’s family pops in, with Senior Benjamin (the odd gardener) tazing him. We cut back to the Firm covering the Hardys in gasoline. Bill pulls out a lighter but Brother Zay (Kassidy, in different gear), dives onto them (Matt: “Brother Zay, I KNEW YOU’D COME!”).

Back in the barn, Reby Hardy (Matt’s wife) sends Stokely into the ring for a Twist of Fate and Matt’s son Maxel adds a Swanton, but Reby sends him to bed. Zay legdrops Bill off a ladder through a table and we cut back to the barn, where everyone beats up Page. The Twist of Fate into the Swanton finishes Page at we’ll say 14:00 (there was no opening bell).

Rating: B-. I have no idea what to say about something like this as it’s kind of in its own little universe. While they did go nuts with a lot of the stuff, they didn’t go completely over the top like the previous versions. It was more a match in the woods/the barn with a few Deletion match elements thrown in, making it a lot less insane.

On the negative side though, this is still about Matt Hardy vs. Ethan Page, which has been going on since October and never got all that interesting in the first place. It’s kind of hard to buy the Firm, who has never been treated as anything serious, as a threat to the Hardys and an undefeated Hook, though granted it was never quite presented as an even standoff. I didn’t dislike it, but this is still the definition of “not for me”, though there is certainly an audience for the Hardys’ totally out there antics.

Jeff leaves and goes outside to light a huge Hardys symbol on fire in the yard. Jeff thanks God and we’re done.

Overall Rating: B. While your mileage may vary on the main event, this was the most entertaining Rampage in a good bit. The biggest thing here is the fact that while insane and not the biggest story, the main event actually felt special. So often Rampage will start with its biggest thing and then meander around for the next 45 minutes. They went in the opposite direction here and it made for a good show, though that main event may be a complete and total miss for a lot of people.

Results
El Hijo del Vikingo/Lucha Bros b. QT Marshall/Aaron Solo/Powerhouse Hobbs – Spike Fear Factor to Solo
Jade Cargill b. Gia Scott – Jaded
Mark Briscoe b. Preston Vance – Jay Driller
Hardys/Hook/Isiah Kassidy b. The Firm – Swanton to Page

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

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Dynamite
Date: April 12, 2023
Location: UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Taz

We’re getting closer to Double Or Nothing and the main story continues to be the Four Pillars coming together. While the other three all want MJF’s title, there hasn’t been much of the other three going after each other, which could make for an interesting dynamic on its own. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Swerve Strickland vs. Darby Allin

Allin starts fast with the rolling Stunner and tries the Coffin Drop but Swerve is on the floor instead. That’s fine with Allin, who hits a top rope flip dive and a whip into the barricade. Swerve gets in a shot of his own though and takes Allin’s belt for a whipping back inside. Allin trips the legs and hammers away but Swerve ties him in the ropes. A low superkick knocks Allin to the floor for a stomp, which hurts Swerve’s ankle as we take a break.

Back with Swerve hitting a rolling Downward Spiral but getting tied in the corner. Allin takes the boot off the bad ankle and bites the foot (because he’s weird like that) before grabbing a kneebar. Allin’s springboard is countered into a German suplex but Allin reveres a suplex into a reverse DDT (that was sweet). He goes up top and knocks Swerve down, setting up the Coffin Drop but here is Prince Nana to put the foot on the rope.

Allin gives chase but runs into Brian Cage, allowing Swerve to kick him in the head. The Swerve Stomp gets two, as he hurts his ankle and delays the cover. Cage trips Allin and gets ejected, allowing Swerve to grab a chair. That takes too long so Allin grabs a Code Red for two, followed by the Last Supper for the pin at 14:41.

Rating: B-. I’m not wild on Swerve taking a fall but Allin getting the pin makes more sense out of the two options. That being said, this is a match that either shouldn’t have happened or should have ended in some kind of a screwy finish, as Allin is likely on his way to headlining a pay per view and Swerve is being rebuilt. The action was good, but I could have done without one of them getting pinned.

Post match and post break here is MJF to say that was a great match. He praises Allin as a great talent but….SHUT UP WITH SAYING HIS CATCHPHRASE WITH HIM! The two words he has for Allin are “headlock takeover” because he beat him with a move that simple. Maybe it’s the 30 concussions but Allin is not on the level of the devil. Allin asks if MJF is happy. Has anything he has ever done made him happy?

They met six years ago, wrestling in front of thirty people. Now MJF is the World Champion and nothing has changed, because all he got are material things. Allin got to national TV and checked himself into therapy and he learned about how much he can do for everyone else. His AEW contract have helped him buy his parents a house and let his dad retire. MJF says morals kill a wrestling career and knows he might die alone and not go to Heaven.

As long as he goes with his title though, that’s all that matters. His legacy will be World Champion, but Allin’s legacy is “Sting’s b****.” Cue Sting to say he isn’t taking care of Allin, because he sees himself like a cheerleader. Sting pulls some pom poms (four of them) out of his jacket and throws them at MJF. He promises to stop if MJF will stop with the “Cody daycare” stuff. Sting: “I SAID CODY!!!”

MJF had a cheerleader and support system in Cody, just like Allin has in him. Sting had a support system in Ric Flair and praises him….and the Outsiders for Wolfpac Sting of all thing. He has a hunger for things but not the World Title, because showtime is almost over. Showtime is just starting for Allin though, because Allin is going to be World Champion. MJF spits at Allin and leaves in a hurry. This was another long and very good exchange, as Allin continues to feel the most interesting of the three potential challenges (though not by a long shot).

TNT Title: Powerhouse Hobbs vs. Silas Young

Hobbs is defending and Town Business retains the title at 43 seconds.

Post match Hobbs carries Young out but we cut to Wardlow in the parking lot with a lead pipe, wrecking the car that Hobbs bought with Wardlow’s credit card. Then he uses a forklift to turn the car over. Back in the arena, Hobbs loads up a powerbomb through two tables but here is Wardlow for the brawl. Wrestlers try to break it up, with Aaron Solo being put through the table instead.

Jay White promises Bullet Club success.

International Title: Buddy Matthews vs. Orange Cassidy

Matthews, with Julia Hart, is challenging and Cassidy’s hand is banged up. They stare at each other to start with Cassidy making him miss and spinning around into a headscissors. Cassidy sends him outside for the suicide dive, followed by a high crossbody, which is pulled out of the air. A tornado DDT plants Matthews but Cassidy hits the Orange Punch, meaning it’s time to check on the hand. Matthews stomps on the hand and we take a break.

Back with Cassidy’s dive being pulled out of the air. The tornado DDT is blocked and they head to the apron for an exchange of superkicks. The Beach Break drops Matthews on the apron and they both have to beat the count. Back in and Matthews stomps on the hand but Cassidy begs off….and puts the hands in the pocket.

Matthews hits him in the face anyway but walks into the Stundog Millionaire. They both go up top for a super tornado DDT, followed by a diving one to the floor. Back in and a top rope DDT gets two so the Orange Punch connects for the same. Matthews hits a pop up knee to the face and the Stomp gets two. What used to be Murphy’s Law is loaded up but Cassidy reverses into the Mousetrap to retain at 14:12.

Rating: B. I liked the match and Cassidy fighting underneath like the underdog that he is will almost always work. That being said, Cassidy is going to have to lose the title soon, maybe to Malakai Black, before this starts losing its impact. Kind of like the DDT did, after three enhanced versions in a row only got a two count on Matthews.

Christian Cage and Luchasaurus say some things are changing.

Orange Cassidy is banged up but the Best friends want Aussie Open for the IWGP Tag Team Titles on Rampage.

Here is Ethan Page to complain about Matt Hardy. Cue Isiah Kassidy and Hardy to set up a future match for Hardy’s freedom. The rest of the Firm comes down and the beatdown is on, with Hook’s save not working (he looked like he got banged up somewhere in there). Cue JEFF HARDY for the big save and reunion. The people certainly reacted and while that’s great, having him back again doesn’t exactly seem like the best idea.

We look at the Blackpool Combat Club’s recent violence.

A serious Kenny Omega promises vengeance. For Omega, this was pretty good talking and he stayed to the point.

Blackpool Combat Club vs. Michael Nakazawa/Brandon Cutler

The Club jumps them to start and Nakazawa is bleeding before the bell. Nakazawa tries to fight back but gets caught in the Swing, setting up the Sharpshooter from Castagnoli. That’s actually broken up and it’s Cutler coming in instead. Moxley hammers away and bites the forehead to bust Cutler open too. Some clotheslines have no effect as Moxley hits the King Kong Lariat into the Death Rider. The bulldog choke is broken up but the Club’s strike’s to the head finish at 3:05.

Rating: C. That was just about the only way it should have gone and they didn’t do anything ridiculous here. Nakazawa and Cutler barely ever wrestle on TV so there was no reason for them to be anything but plucky cannon fodder here. The Club beat them up, sold just a hair and then finished strong. As it should have been

Post match the beatdown is on but Kenny Omega comes out for the staredown. The Young Bucks retain and jump the Club, with Omega whipping out a screwdriver to go after Moxley. The Club bails.

Swerve Strickland isn’t happy with Darby Allin beating him but promises to settle some scores.

Sky Blue/Riho vs. Ruby Soho/Toni Storm

Saraya is in Soho/Storm’s corner. It’s a brawl to start with Blue in trouble but Riho comes in for some dropkicks. Stereo dropkicks send Soho outside and a forearm drops Storm, setting up Riho’s dive from the top onto Soho as we take a break. Back with Riho rolling away from Soho and bringing Blue back in. Storm comes in as but gets sent to the floor for a kick to the face.

Blue snaps off a hurricanrana from the apron, followed by a high crossbody for two back inside. Everything breaks down and Blue superkicks Soho into a crucifix bomb. Storm German suplexes Blue and hits the running hip attack, setting up Storm Zero for the pin at 6:19. Not enough shown to rate due to the break but there was a lot of action packed into not a lot of time.

Post match the bating is on but Jamie Hayter and Britt Baker runs in for the save.

Keith Lee vs. Chris Jericho

Daniel Garcia is here with Jericho, whose early chops have no effect. Lee runs him over with a shoulder and takes it into the corner. The Grizzly Magnum is blocked so Lee unloads in another corner instead. Lee powers Jericho into the corner to start but the Grizzly Magnum is blocked. Jericho send Lee outside though and we take a break.

Back with Jericho hitting the Lionsault for two but Lee is back up. Lee blocks a charge and blasts him with a clothesline but Lee’s middle rope moonsault hits knees. That just huts Jericho even more so it’s a spinebuster to drop Jericho again. Jericho rakes the eyes to escape the powerbomb though and the Walls go on.

The long crawl lets Lee make the rope and there’s the Uncle Phil toss. Jericho grabs the referee to escape the Big Bang Catastrophe but Garcia’s interference doesn’t work. The Codebreaker is countered into the Spirit Bomb but Garcia offers another distraction, allowing Swerve Strickland to come in and deck Lee, giving Jericho the pin at 14:04.

Rating: B-. Lee got to do some of his impressive stuff here and at least they are finally getting back to Lee vs. Strickland, meaning we might even get to their blowoff match after so many months of waiting. The Garcia interference got a bit repetitive, but they certainly kept Lee looking strong. I’m not sure this needed to be the main event, but at least they did it well enough.

Post match Adam Cole comes out to check on Lee, complete with the over the shoulder look at Jericho ala Jericho a few weeks ago. Staring, but no violence, ensues to end the show.

Overall Rating: B. This was the eventful show and those are often the most fun. Having so many things going on in the span of two hours is going to make the show that much more interesting, which was the case here. You had a bunch of returns and steps taken forward for upcoming matches. Some of those are likely to be at Double Or Nothing, so they are going in the right direction. Throw in enough good action and this was a rather nice show.

Results
Darby Allin b. Swerve Strickland – Last Supper
Powerhouse Hobbs b. Silas Young – Town Business
Orange Cassidy b. Buddy Matthews – Orange Punch
Blackpool Combat Club b. Michael Nakazawa/Brandon Cutler via referee stoppage
Toni Storm/Ruby Soho b. Riho/Skye Blue – Storm Zero to Blue
Chris Jericho b. Keith Lee – Belt shot from Swerve Strickland

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Rampage
Date: April 7, 2023
Location: Ryan Center, Kingston, Rhode Island
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Jim Ross

We’re here for the first half of a double shot as it’s a live Rampage and Battle of the Belts back to back. That should make for a packed night and we’ll start here, including Hook vs. Ethan Page II, again for the FTW Title. Other than that, it’s Rampage so expect quite the variety tonight. Let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

FTW Title: Hook vs. Ethan Page

Hook is defending and this is FTW Rules, meaning anything goes and falls count anywhere. Page isn’t wasting time and knocks him off the apron but Hook fights back. A table is pulled out and Hook hammers away against the barricade. They fight into the crowd and through the fans and Page gets the better of things, only to have Hook pound away with forearms to the chest.

We take a break and come back with Page knocking Hook over the barricade but stopping to yell at someone. The distraction lets Hook hit an exploder suplex and whip out a chair (to go with the table inside). That table isn’t good enough though as Hook would rather suplex Page through a table at ringside.

Page breaks that up and powerslams him through the ringside table instead. The powerslam gives Page two and Hook is thrown inside for the first time. Page chairs him down but another swing hits the rope, sending the chair into his own head. The Twist of Fate onto a chair gives Hook two so Page tries to send him through another table. That takes too long though and Redrum retains the title at 9:14.

Rating: C-. I wasn’t into this one as it was a bunch of brawling through the crowd and fighting on the floor. Hook can do better than this and I don’t get the interest in slowly walking through the crowd for five minutes, a table spot and then Redrum. I’m not sure why we needed a rematch after Dynamite but this should wrap things up for good. It wasn’t an awful match, but they didn’t really do anything.

Post match Hook puts him through the table.

And now, QTV. After implying that Powerhouse Hobbs used Wardlow’s stolen credit card to buy a car (“that huge sale this week”), QT Marshall is ready to win a title and mocks Dante Martin’s injury.

Acclaimed/Jericho Appreciation Society vs. LSG/Bobby Orlando/The Infantry

Billy Gunn and Jake Hager are here too. Bowens strikes away at LSG to start and Scissor Me Timbers hits Orlando. That means a four way scissoring, but Acclaimed changes their mind and does it themselves. The Mic Drop finishes for Caster at 2:04.

Post match the Society jumps the Acclaimed and Billy Gunn.

Swerve Strickland talks about Trench and Parker Boudreaux being down and says that he’s being involved in a merger. He’s joining forces with….you’ll find out later tonight. Note that Swerve said of course he got 51% of the ownership. There’s your second jab at/reference to WWE’s merger/buyout and the second that isn’t exactly funny. Maybe that’s not what they’re doing, but otherwise, why make that specific of a reference?

Darby Allin vs. Lee Moriarty

Big Bill is here with Moriarty, who gets rolled up for a quick two. That leaves Moriarty a little aghast so he takes Allin down with a test of strength. They head outside where Allin gets in a shot of his own and sends Moriarty into the barricade. Big Bill boots him down though and we take a break. Back with Allin dropkicking him into the corner but having to glare Bill down. That’s enough for Moriarty to pull Allin off the top and get two off a European Clutch. Back up and Code Red drops Moriarty, setting up a dive onto Bill. The Coffin Drop gives Allin the pin at 9:46.

Rating: C+. AEW is setting up the Four Pillars match and they’re doing it the old fashioned way: by having the people involved (or at least the challengers) win match after match. These guys are suddenly on rolls and want the World Title. Just keep it up on the way to Double Or Nothing and include some bigger names, and you have a hot main event.

Post match Allin goes to leave but here is Swerve Strickland to offer a handshake…..and then Brian Cage jumps Allin, because Swerve has merged with the freaking Embassy.

We get a sitdown interview between Taya Valkyrie and Jade Cargill/Mark Sterling over ownership of Jaded/Road To Valhalla.

Video on Julia Hart vs. Julia Hart.

Anna Jay vs. Julia Hart

Anna jumps her to start and they fight to the floor, with Hart whipping her into the barricade. Back in and Anna kicks Hart in the face and snaps her throat across the top rope to take over again. Hart gets whipped into the barricade and we take a break. Back with Hart hitting a standing moonsault for two on Anna but getting caught in the Queenslayer. That’s broken up so Hart hits a top rope moonsault press. The Queenslayer goes on again but they fall out to the floor for a crash. Anna gets back in but Hart throws in a chair for a distraction, allowing Hart to spray the black mist. A small package gives Hart the pin at 9:43.

Rating: C. These two are certainly trying and you can see some improvements, but it still doesn’t feel like the most natural match when either of them are in the ring. Both feel like they’re going through a list of things they decided to do rather than flowing naturally and that doesn’t help much. It was far from a bad match and they didn’t mess up anything horribly, but there is a limit to what these two are capable of doing right now.

Post match Hart goes to leave and runs into Orange Cassidy on the way to the ring for the opener of Battle of the Belts.

Overall Rating: C. This wasn’t much as the biggest story coming out of it was the JAS attacking the Acclaimed, which took place two days after the Acclaimed rapped about how stupid the team was. Other than that, the Embassy now has a story and Hook beat Ethan Page again. This show continues to feel like they just throw whatever doesn’t make it onto Dynamite on there (or in some cases something very similar) and that doesn’t make for the most interesting hour.

Results
Hook b. Ethan Page – Redrum
Acclaimed/Jericho Appreciation Society b. LSG/Bobby Orlando/The Infantry – Mic Drop to Orlando
Darby Allin b. Lee Moriarty – Coffin Drop
Julia Hart b. Anna Jay – Small package

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

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Rampage
Date: March 10, 2023
Location: Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, California
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Excalibur, Chris Jericho, Jim Ross

We’re still in California and it’s the fallout Rampage from Revolution. I’m not sure what that is going to mean as you never know what you are going to get on this show. One of the bigger matches announced is Konosuke Takeshita vs. Preston Vance in a match Takeshita could actually win. Let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

Sammy Guevara vs. Action Andretti

Guevara is more than a bit cocky to start so Andretti takes him down and starts hammering away. Andretti sends him outside and into the steps, setting up a dropkick and moonsault for two back inside. They head outside again with Guevara getting the better of things for a change. Back up and Andretti sends him outside again for a dive and we take a break.

We come back with a midair collision leaving both of them down. They slug it out with Andretti hitting a backbreaker into a neckbreaker to put Guevara on the floor again. An Arabian moonsault drops Guevara, setting up a springboard 450 for two back inside. The running shooting star press only hits knees though and Andretti gets flipped over into a DDT.

Andretti bails outside before the cover and we pause for Guevara to get some water (MJF style). Guevara takes too long to put him on the table though, allowing Andretti to knock him onto the table instead. The huge dive off the top sends Guevara through said table but cue Daniel Garcia for a cheap shot. GTH (that looked painful) finishes Andretti at 12:14.

Rating: C+. The main thing this match showed me was that while talented, there isn’t much that makes Andretti stand out. He does a lot of the same stuff that several people around here do and that isn’t going to do him much good. While the talent is there, he needs something to make him feel different. The win over Jericho was cool, but that is only going to carry him so far, which is starting to become clear. Putting him in ROH would make some more sense, but it looks like he’s the next person to have to face most of the Society.

Darby Allin doesn’t care about success if he can’t be himself. Maybe he can do more of that next week.

Jungle Boy is glad to be done with Christian Cage and now he’s ready to come after any man with a title.

Powerhouse Hobbs and QT Marshall are glad with the TNT Title win. Next week on Dynamite, it’s the debut of QTV, where they’ll tell you who really robbed Wardlow’s car. Because QT Marshall needs a talk show (or whatever it is).

Acclaimed vs. Starboy Charlie/Jack Cartwheel

Billy Gunn is here with the Acclaimed and Bowens starts with Cartwheel. As Gunn talks to a fan with a SIGN STARBOY CHARLIE sign, Bowens hammers Cartwheel down and hands it off to Caster. Scissor Me Timbers connects and it’s Charlie, in his overalls, comes in. Caster superkicks him straight down and the Arrival into the Mic Drop finishes Charlie at 1:44. Total squash.

Post match the Jericho Appreciation Society come out to offer the Acclaimed the shirt but get turned down again.

The Jericho Appreciation Society are ready to win the Trios Titles on Dynamite.

Konosuke Takeshita vs. Preston Vance

Don Callis is on commentary and Jose the Assistant is at ringside. They grapple up against the ropes until Takeshita hits a running clothesline. An elbow to the face sends Vance outside, setting up the slingshot dive as we take a break. Back with both hitting clotheslines for a double knockdown before Takeshita’s Blue Thunder Bomb gets two. The running knee connects but Jose puts the foot on the rope. After Takeshita takes him down, Vance’s discus lariat gets two. The full nelson is broken up and Takeshita backslides him for the pin at 7:55.

Rating: C+. This was about two people hitting each other rather hard until Takeshita picks up the win with a surprise pin. Takeshita needs to win a few things and this was a good start, but eventually it needs to be over someone a good bit bigger than Vance. And on Dynamite for a change too.

Swerve Strickland talks about how Keith Lee has taken out his Affiliates so maybe Lee is more prepared than he thought. He has something else in store for Lee though and now he’s turning into a cannibal.

Here is Mark Briscoe for a chat. He represents the baddest tag team of all time but now it is time to move forward with the Ring Of Honor Tag Team Titles. With Tony Khan’s permission, he has an idea: a tag team ladder match (of course) at Supercard of Honor for the titles, called the Reach For The Sky ladder match. We even have the first team: the Lucha Bros!

We recap the Firm vs. Hook, with Matt Hardy offering to train Stokely Hathaway for his match against Hook, where the team is banned from ringside.

We recap Riho vs. Nyla Rose.

Riho vs. Nyla Rose

Marina Shafir is with Rose, who powers Riho into the corner to start without much effort. A slam and splash crush Riho, who bridges out of a cover before the count (because a splash from someone over 100lbs heavier is shrugged of). Some dropkicks send Rose to the floor, where she pulls a dive out of the air. Riho manages to send her into the steps for a breather, setting up a high crossbody for two back inside. Rose is fine enough to grab a delayed vertical suplex and Shafir pulls Riho outside for a judo throw.

We take a break and come back with Riho knocking Rose off the top and hitting a middle rope hurricanrana. The top rope double stomp gets two but Rose is back with a powerslam for the same. Riho gets draped over the top for the knee to the back of the head for two more. A northern lights suplex gives Riho two of her own and a crucifix bomb gets the same. Shafir trips Riho but she’s back up with a rollup to finish Rose at 12:04.

Rating: C-. This one completely lost me as I couldn’t buy Riho surviving that kind of power offense from someone who outweighs her by at least 100lbs. On top of that, you have Riho suplexing her without much trouble. I get that AEW doesn’t exactly go for realism, but I shouldn’t be sitting here going “oh come on” over and over during a 12:00 minute match. Riho is often treated stronger than Super Cena ever hoped to be and it is rapidly losing its charm.

Post match Riho gets beaten down and Outcasts (Toni Storm/Ruby Soho/Saraya, because The Outcasts was the best AEW could come up with) come down to spray paint Riho.

Overall Rating: C. The only thing remotely related mattered storyline wise here (for AEW at least) was Andretti losing to Guevara thanks to Garcia. Other than that, this was a bunch of the norm for Rampage: decent to good wrestling which changes nothing and the regular secondary story of announcing things for Dynamite/some other time in the future. The show is easy to watch, but there is almost no need to watch it most weeks as you won’t miss a thing. That was absolutely the case here, and it has been the case more often than not recently.

Results
Sammy Guevara b. Action Andretti – GTH
Acclaimed b. Starboy Charlie/Jack Cartwheel – Mic Drop to Charlie
Konosuke Takeshita b. Preston Vance – Backslide
Riho b. Nyle Rose – Rollup

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

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AND

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