Rampage
Date: May 6, 2022
Location: Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena, Baltimore, Maryland
Commentators: Chris Jericho, Excalibur, Ricky Starks, Taz

We are on the way to Double Or Nothing and that means it is time to start hammering things down. Therefore, it means we are still wrapping up the qualifying matches for the Owen Hart Foundation tournaments, as they have now entered their third month. Maybe this show can be better than Dynamite though so let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

Britt Baker/Jamie Hayter vs. Toni Storm/Ruby Soho

Rebel is here too. Storm runs Hayter over to start and drives her into the corner to take over. Baker comes in and gets taken down by Soho, who ducks a superkick and rolls her up for two. The villains take over though and we take an early break. Back with Storm fighting her way out of the corner and the double tag brings in Ruby to elbow Baker down.

Everything breaks down and Baker’s Pittsburgh Sunrise is broken up but Baker counters Storm Zero into an Air Raid Crash. Back up and Rebel offers a distraction so Baker can suplex Storm down into a Stomp for two as Soho makes the save. Baker superkicks Soho but Storm grabs a rollup for the pin on Baker at 8:28.

Rating: C. It says something about the tournament qualifying matches have been going on for so long that a feud has been put together between the qualifiers and a match has taken place while the qualifying matches still aren’t done yet. Storm gaining some momentum is a good thing, though I’m not sure I would bet on her in the tournament. Then again, it is the kind of place that could help build her up.

Eddie Kingston calls in to talk to Chris Jericho on commentary. Kingston talks about how he has been with his wife for twenty years and she has seen him banged up but always puts him back together. Then she saw how he looked after the fireball from Jericho and she couldn’t stop crying. This is no longer about pro wrestling because Jericho has made Kingston’s wife cry. Kingston is going to hurt him and then hangs up. As usual, Kingston was bringing the serious fire here. Now HAVE THE MATCH ALREADY.

Tony Nese and Mark Sterling want a match with Danhausen next week in Nese’s hometown of Long Island.

Hook vs. JD Drake

Drake hits a chop so Hook tells him to do it again, only to have Hook duck his head and headbutt the chop (even Jericho has never seen that before). Hook grabs a suplex bit a second attempt is countered into a front facelock. That’s fine with Hook, who flips over and grabs Redrum for the tap at 1:22.

Post match Danhausen comes out and asks Hook to be in his corner for his match against Tony Nese next week. Hook shoves him down and Danhausen leaves, though he drops a present for Hook (as it’s his birthday): a BAG OF CHIPS! Hook stops to think about it before leaving (without the chips). So yes, Danhausen is all that and a bag of chips.

Dax Harwood is ready for Adam Cole in the Owen Hart tournament.

Owen Hart Foundation Qualifying Match: Yuka Sakazaki vs. Riho

Sakazaki is making her return and Justin Roberts says her name three times in a row. They start fast by rolling around for an exchange of grappling before Riho kicks her in the face. A running kick in the corner drops Sakazaki again, setting up a high crossbody for two. Back up and Sakazaki sends her outside for a dive off the apron and we take a break.

We come back with Sakazaki hitting a northern lights bomb for two but Riho misses a running knee in the corner. An exchange of rollups get two each and they head up top, where Sakazaki hits a super Downward Spiral for two. Back up and they forearm it out until Riho rolls her forward into a cradle for the pin at 9:20.

Rating: B-. It’s nice to have Riho back and it makes sense to put her into the tournament as she is going to be seen as at least a good opponent for someone in the first round, if not a threat to win the whole thing. She and Sakazaki worked well together here and had a good match, though Sakazaki wasn’t going to win after being away for so long. Sometimes it’s ok to have a good match with an obvious winner and that is what they did here.

Here are the women’s tournament brackets:

Toni Storm
Jamie Hayter

Britt Baker
JOKER

Riho
Ruby Soho

Red Velvet
Hikaru Shida

Shawn Spears talks about how Wardlow is a giant who has taken out giants put in front of him. Spears is ready for him though and has a GIANT KILLER chair.

Here are Dan Lambert and the Men of the Year, with the hometown boy Lambert talking about how this city has been destroyed. From now on, he tells people that he is from Miami. Ethan Page goes on a rant about the upcoming mixed tag and doesn’t think much of Sammy Guevara and Tay Conti’s public displays of affection. Since Guevara doesn’t keep his word, neither will he, because the mixed tag is OFF!

Cue Kazarian to say Lambert and Page are annoying but he has always believed in Scorpio Sky. He has always been Sky’s biggest supporter but now he’s the biggest threat. Kazarian wants his TNT Title shot, though it’s Page yelling at Kazarian instead. Sky promises to be a fight champion and the days of this title getting passed around like Conti backstage are over. That means the Interim TNT Title needs to go back into the American Top Team trophy case where it belongs. As for the real title, it’s on the line against Kazarian next week. Works for Kazarian.

Jungle Boy comes out and gets in a fight with Ricky Starks before their FTW Title match on Dynamite.

Konosuke Takeshita is ready for Jay Lethal and company. Lethal and company yell at him but they’re also ready for Samoa Joe.

Here’s what’s coming on upcoming shows.

Konosuke Takeshita vs. Jay Lethal

Sonjay Dutt and Satnam Singh are here with Lethal. Takeshita takes Lethal down to start but Lethal gets in his own shot and teases the strut. That’s fine with Takeshita who hits his own shot and gets in the strut (with WOO). Lethal is sent outside and it’s a slingshot dive to drop Lethal again. A Singh staredown cuts Takeshita off though and we take a break.

Back with both of them on top and Takeshita hitting a big clothesline to bring both of them back down (that looked cool). Lethal is fine enough to pull him into a Figure Four but Takeshita is right next to the rope. Takeshita hits his jumping knee but Dutt offers a distraction to prevent the cover. A kick to the knee slows Takeshita down though and the Lethal Injection gives Lethal the pin at 9:35.

Rating: B-. I haven’t seen much of Takeshita before but he has a good look and enough charisma to make me want to see more of him. The match itself worked out as you had someone like Lethal, who is virtually impervious to a bad match. The distraction finish protects Takeshita a bit as well so it was pretty well put together.

Post match the big beatdown is on but the Best Friends come out for the save. Samoa Joe with his pipe comes out for the staredown but security keeps him from the ring to end the show.

Overall Rating: B. Now that’s more like it, as this felt like an AEW quality show. That’s what AEW needed after a pretty lame Dynamite so well done on righting the ship after Wednesday. The tournaments are still dominating the shows but at least we’re rounding the final turn with them. Now get some other stuff going for Double Or Nothing and we should be fine.

Results
Toni Storm/Ruby Soho b. Britt Baker/Jamie Hayter – Rollup to Baker
Hook b. JD Drake – Redrum
Riho b. Yuka Sakazaki – Rollup
Jay Lethal b. Konosuke Takeshita – Lethal Injection

 

 

 

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: July 14, 2021
Location: H-E-B Center, Cedar Park, Texas
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Jim Ross

It’s another special show this week with Fyter Fest Night 1 as they’re out of Florida for the first time in over a year. The big story this week is the return of Jon Moxley to defend the IWGP United States Title against Karl Anderson, as we have an AEW wrestler defending a New Japan Title against an Impact wrestler. I for one can’t wait on the recreation of Taz vs. Mike Awesome so let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

IWGP United States Title: Jon Moxley vs. Karl Anderson

Moxley is defending and here’s Eddie Kingston with a pipe to jump Doc Gallows before the bell. They slug it out to start and then proceed to slug it out some more, this time with Moxley winning a battle of the forearms. Back up and Anderson knocks him to the floor for a ram into the barricade. Moxley comes back with some microphone choking but Anderson kicks him off the apron for a crash. Anderson grabs a spinebuster for two and goes up, with Moxley biting his head to cut that off.

The superplex plants Anderson but Moxley can’t cover. Instead he has to block the Gun Stun and it’s a double clothesline for a double knockdown. Anderson is back up and tries an Owen Hart piledriver but stumbles and nearly drops Moxley on his head for two. A middle rope neckbreaker gives Anderson two and a quick Gun Stun is good for the same. Anderson’s TKO gets two more but Moxley grabs a short arm clothesline. The Paradigm Shift retains the title at 9:40.

Rating: C+. It was hard hitting and back and forth, with Kingston getting rid of Gallows being a nice plus. Moxley is a great choice to open the show as he is one of the most popular wrestlers around here tonight. If nothing else, maybe the Good Brothers will be gone from the rest of the show, or at least we can only hope.

Here’s what’s coming tonight.

Lance Archer wants the IWGP US Title back. Jon Moxley took the title from him in a Texas Death Match in Japan, so let’s have another one next week in Dallas.

Andrade El Idolo asks where the Death Triangle has gone because he is looking for them.

FTW World Title: Brian Cage vs. Ricky Starks

Starks is challenging in his first match back from a broken neck and the rest of Team Taz is in a neutral corner. Taz is on commentary and offers some insight of how these two were backstage today (Starks was more serious, Cage was more outgoing). Cage can’t quite get some kind of slam to start so he goes with a gorilla press instead. Some whips into the corner put Starks on the top rope and the kicks to the ribs crotch Starks on the top.

Cage misses a charge into the corner though and Starks kicks away at the arm. Said arm is snapped across the middle rope and a middle rope dropkick gives Starks two. We take a break and come back with Starks getting two off a crucifix bomb as Excalibur calls the FTW Title an outlaw championship. Cage heads outside so Starks slides to the floor for a clothesline. Back in and Starks grabs a choke, only to get driven into the corner.

Cage kicks him in the head and nails a pumphandle faceplant for two. Starks’ springboard tornado DDT is blocked and Cage hits a superkick for two more. Starks slips out of the apron superplex and hits a sitout powerbomb for his own near fall. With nothing else working, Starks goes for the title belt but Powerhouse Hobbs won’t let him. That allows Cage to hit the F5 for two so Hook distracts the referee. Hobbs blasts Cage with the title and Starks’ spear connects for the pin and the title at 9:23.

Rating: C. Starks looked a bit rusty here but that’s quite understandable given the injury and time off. Cage losing the title is fine and he can probably go off on his own after the loss. It could be interesting to see Starks as the star of the team for once as he has all of the skills you could need to go somewhere.

We look at Malakai Black debuting last week and kicking Cody Rhodes’ head off.

Here is an annoyed Cody (in a white suit) to the announcers’ table to call out Tommy End/Malakai Black. All Black needed to do was make a phone call and he could have been here. We don’t kick a 62 year old man in the face around here though so please bring him a mic so he can head to the ring. Cody doesn’t win every fight he’s in but he has a better chance when he knows it’s coming. This is Fyter Fest and he feels like fighting.

Black appears on screen to ask if Cody heard the fans cheer when Black kicked him in the face last week. Black talks about a man having a horse who took him everywhere but one day that horse was done. The man took him to a nice field, put a bag over the horse’s head and finished him. Cody calls Black out again so the lights go out and here he is in the ring. Referees break it up in a hurry.

Tully Blanchard talks about attacking Konnan last week when he runs into Santana and Ortiz, who bust out a tire iron. The shot to the head is teased, but they say next time won’t be so nice. Tully promises to get his boys.

Here is Hangman Page, who is feeling weird, for a chat. Page talks about how he wanted to be World Champion from day one, but he failed. He tried to hide from his failure but he still needs that championship. That’s why he is here to challenge….and here are Don Callis and the Elite to cut him off. They insist that Page is not that guy, with Matt Jackson going to the ring to say something to Page’s face.

Matt knows there is only one person to blame for Page’s issues and he is one step away from being the next great wrestling tragedy. The fight is on with the Elite coming in but the Dark Order runs in for the save. Page issues the challenge to Omega but we’ll make that a ten man elimination tag instead. That’s fine with Page, who says if they win, he gets the World Title and the Dark Order gets a Tag Team Title shot against the Bucks. Omega: “YOU DIDN’T EARN IT!!! NONE OF YOU EARNED IT!!!”

Omega thinks Page is making a lot of demands so he’ll make one of his own: if Page’s team loses, there are no title shots and Page is done. He can’t wait for the COWBOY S*** chant to turn into BELT COLLEC-TOR. Page gets in Omega’s face and says yes, which freaks Omega out a bit. They had a lot of people here, but it got the job done.

Chris Jericho recaps the Five Labors of Jericho that MJF has set up for him, but points out that Hercules won in the end. MJF can send Superman or the Black Panther out after him because Jericho will walk across broken glass to get MJF again. Jericho is the god of thunder and the god of war….and here is Shawn Spears to hit him in the throat with a chair. MJF pops in to make the match against Spears next week, where Spears can use a chair but Jericho can’t. Spears gets in a bonus chair shot to the arm.

Matt Hardy vs. Christian Cage

They grab a lockup to start and fall out to the floor with the lockup continuing. Christian slides back in and tells Matt to bring it, only to slide outside and send Hardy face first into the apron. A big dive takes Hardy down again and a reverse DDT gives Christian two back inside. The right hands in the corner keep Matt in trouble until he sends Christian shoulder first into the post to take over for the first time. Choking on the ropes sets up the catapult to send Christian throat first into the rope and we take a break.

Back with Christian countering the Twist of Fate and hitting a spear for two. The frog splash gets the same but the tornado DDT is countered. Instead Matt takes him up top for a superplex into the near fall and extra breathing is required. Back up and Matt grabs the referee to block a Killswitch. The low blow into the Twist of Fate gets two and it’s back to the floor for the Leech (double underhook neck crank) but Christian makes it back in at nine. The Killswitch finishes Hardy out of nowhere at 12:59.

Rating: C. This was your nostalgia match of the week and that is about all it was going to be good for here. Neither of them are what they were in the ring before but at least they did their thing without getting bad. The ending was out of nowhere but the whole thing worked out well enough.

Post match the Hardy Family Office comes in but Jungle Boy and Luchasaurus run in for the save.

Miro talks about a man who had to figure out what he was and then went on to destroy everyone. He holds up the TNT Title (which appeared to have been redesigned) and says this is his reward, which he will defend anywhere.

Tony Schiavone brings in Britt Baker to talk about facing Nyla Rose next week. Baker has been through tables, ladders and chairs and nothing has scared here, just like Rose won’t next week. Rose might be at the top of the food chain but Baker is off the menu. Baker knocks Vickie Guerrero is listening and she has the name to keep her relevant in wrestling. Rose doesn’t have that and needs the title to be mean something. She isn’t getting it back next week, because with the title, Baker is the hottest thing in wrestling. Without it though, she is still Britt Baker DMD. Baker continues to be feeling it on the mic.

Nyla Rose and Vickie Guerrero promise to take the title next week.

Sammy Guevara vs. Wheeler Yuta

Sammy gets the big hometown pop as Bunny and Blade are watching from ringside. Yuta runs the ropes to start so Sammy flips over him and loads up a dive, only to flip back inside. The posing brings Yuta back in and charges into a powerslam, setting up the running shooting star press to give Sammy two. The shooting star press hits knees and Yuta walks the ropes for a middle rope dropkick. A German suplex drops Guevara and a huge top rope splash gets one. Guevara is back up with a backdrop into an enziguri out of the corner. The double springboard cutter into the GTH finishes Yuta at 3:43.

Rating: C+. This was just a step beneath a squash and it gave Guevara the nice hometown win. That’s all it was supposed to be and Yuta looking good in defeat was a nice bonus. You don’t need much more than that and they had a pretty good spectacle here. Guevara still seems ready to explode and getting a win here was the right call.

Earlier today, QT Marshall poured coffee onto Tony Schiavone’s head.

Penelope Ford vs. Yuka Sakazaki

This is Sakazaki’s first match in AEW in 16 months. They start fast with Ford being sent outside for a middle rope flip dive. Back in and Ford chokes on the ropes as we take a break. We come back with Sakazaki muscling her up for a suplex, setting up a rolling kick to the face. A middle rope elbow to the face gets two but Ford is back with some pump kicks for two. Sakazaki throws Ford on her shoulder for a spinning faceplant, setting up a spinning splash for the pin at 7:30.

Rating: C-. Just a match here as Sakazaki is back. I’m not sure if she was exactly a big deal around here in the first place but the division could use some extra blood at this point. The match itself wasn’t anything of note, but Ford is hardly the one that you bring in for a great in-ring performance.

Here’s what’s coming next week.

Darby Allin vs. Ethan Page

Coffin (casket) match with Allin jumping him to start. Allin pulls off his jacket to reveal a metal plate attached to his back. A springboard body block drops Page and it’s time to go to the casket….with Scorpio Sky inside. Cue Sting to take care of Sky and the two of them fight into the crowd, with Sky getting crotched on a barricade. Back to the actual match, with Page being thrown over the barricade as we take a break.

Back with Page throwing he steps in, along with the unhooked bottom turnbuckle. Page uses the actual hook to pull Allin down by the neck….so Allin hooks his Page’s mouth. Point to Allin. They fight outside into the coffin to slug it out until Allin gets launched out. Back inside and Allin hits his flipping Stunner off the steps but the bleeding Page catches him on top. The super Ego’s Edge onto the steps leaves Allin down but he busts out the skateboard for a shot to the back, sending Page into the coffin for the win at 11:40.

Rating: B. Much like Kingston taking out Doc Gallows, it was nice to have Sting get rid of Sky here. This was a big grudge match and in theory it should wrap everything up between the two of them. There isn’t much left for them to do as it wasn’t exactly a huge feud in the first place. Allin is ready to move on to something else, though I’m not sure what that is going to be.

Post match, Allin hits the Coffin Drop through the coffin and….well pretty close to Page. That man’s poor spine.

Overall Rating: B-. Pretty good show here with a bunch of mostly fine matches. It wasn’t quite last week, but they set up enough going forward and the main event was fun. I’m curious to see where AEW is going with some of these things and that is one of the best things that you can say about a wrestling show. Not their best stuff tonight, but it was more than enough to get by. Also, thankfully they dropped the Fyre Fest deals this time as the idea was played out when it first aired.

Results
Jon Moxley b. Karl Anderson – Paradigm Shift
Ricky Starks b. Brian Cage – Spear
Christian Cage b. Matt Hardy – Killswitch
Sammy Guevara b. Wheeler Yuta – GTH
Yuka Sakazaki b. Penelope Ford – Spinning splash
Darby Allin b. Ethan Page – Allin put Page in the coffin

 

 

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.

Dark
Date: March 3, 2020
Location: Wintrust Arena, Chicago, Illinois
Commentators: Excalibur, Taz

So there was an episode of Dark on Friday but where would we be without getting to see the other match that took place before Revolution? Ignoring the big question of why we needed another one aside from having this one match for this show, there are a lot of interviews to go with the single match. Let’s get to it.

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

We look at Colt Cabana saving SCU from the Dark Order on the pre-show.

Colt Cabana has been friends with the people who run this company and he’s glad to be here, even though he hasn’t signed a contract. If the Dark Order wants to do this, let’s go. He’s got SCU’s backs and the Elite’s backs if they want him.

A fired up Christopher Daniels doesn’t think there is an Exalted One behind the Dark Order. SCU and Cabana are ready to fight the Dark Order. Perhaps in WarGames with the Exalted One as the big final entrant?

Quick look at Nyla Rose retaining the Women’s Title.

Kris Stadtlander is disappointed but she’ll come back a little more down to earth.

We look at the end of Orange Cassidy vs. Pac.

Pac won’t say what his relationship is with the Lucha Bros and AEW is responsible for what happened to Cassidy.

Riho/Yuka Sakazaki vs. Britt Baker/Penelope Ford

Kip Sabian is here with Baker and Ford. Sakazaki and Riho jump them to start, including a jumping knee to put Sabian on the floor. We officially start Baker getting double teamed in the corner until we settle down to Riho vs. Baker. That works a bit better for Baker, who takes Riho into the corner for the tag to Ford. Sakazaki comes in as well for a double elbow to the back and some rolling suplexes to Ford for a bonus.

A Sabian distraction lets Baker stomp Sakazaki and hit her with a suplex for two. Ford hits the handspring elbow and another Sabian distraction lets Baker crush Sakazaki’s head in the corner. A missile dropkick gets Sakazaki out of trouble and it’s back to Riho for the crucifix bomb on Ford. Everything breaks down and Sakazaki dives onto the two of them, setting up Riho’s top rope double stomp for two on Baker. Lockjaw is broken up as Riho counters into a rollup, only to have Sabian turn it back over so Riho has to tap at 7:48.

Rating: C-. Standard tag formula here with Sabian adding the wild card, but the big story here is Baker getting a win over Riho. You don’t see that very often so maybe this is her way of moving up the ladder a little bit. It wasn’t a clean win, but maybe Baker can tie that into cleaning teeth or something like that. Good enough storytelling though and that at least gives this some kind of a reason to exist.

Overall Rating: C-. Yeah this really should have just been added to the pre-show as it was barely a show, running less than twenty minutes. It’s like they had some kind of requirement to put something on tonight instead of just waiting for Dynamite. That makes for a rather pointless show, but the Riho loss might mean something so that helps a little bit.

Results

Penelope Ford/Britt Baker b. Riho/Yuka Sakazaki – Lockjaw to Riho

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

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

Dynamite
Date: February 26, 2020
Location: Silverstein Eye Centers Arena, Kansas City, Missouri
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Jim Ross, Excalibur

It’s another big week as we have the go home show for Revolution, but at the same time we also have an Iron Man match between Kenny Omega and Pac. This show has been on a roll lately with one good week after another so hopefully they can keep it going on the way to the pay per view. Let’s get to it.

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

The announcers preview the show.

Kenny Omega vs. Pac

Thirty minute Iron Man match. The Young Bucks are here with Omega but Hangman Page is nowhere to be seen. Feeling out process to start as it’s Omega grabbing a wristlock a minute in. Pac flips out of a wristdrag attempt and that means a standoff, with Omega’s look saying “so that’s how it’s going to be”. They chop it out until Omega kicks the leg out, only to charge into a hard superkick.

The early One Winged Angel attempt is countered into a Brutalizer but Omega falls into the corner for the break. Pac heads outside and that means a big flip dive, much to the fans’ delight. The running jumping bulldog (it was nowhere near a Fameasser this time) plants Pac for two and Omega strikes away against the ropes. There’s the Snapdragon as we’re five minutes in with both of them down.

They head outside with Pac managing a quick tornado DDT to plant Omega and give them another chance to breathe. Back in and Omega headbutts him off the top, only to have Pac run the ropes for the super brainbuster. Pac scores with a missile dropkick for two and we hit the chinlock. A hard faceplant gives Pac two as we hit ten minutes. The fans call Pac a b****** as he kicks Omega in the back of the head to keep him down.

Back up and they go into the slow motion slugout with Pac hitting a pump kick to the face. Omega doesn’t go down though so it’s a snap German suplex to drop him instead. That doesn’t seem to matter very much as Omega hits some knees to the head, followed by a Tiger Driver 98 for two.

After JR makes fun of the Tiger Driver 98 name, Pac breaks out of the One Winged Angle, only to get German suplexed HARD for two. Omega hits running knees to the back in the corner before loading up….a super One Winged Angel? That’s reversed into a sunset bomb as we hit the halfway point. Pac’s super hurricanrana is countered as well and there’s a Snapdragon into a V Trigger for two more. Pac staggers to the floor and BLASTS Omega in the head for the DQ with 14:06 to go.

Omega – 1

Pac – 0

We take a thirty second rest period but Pac gets in another shot to the head to keep Omega in trouble. A running kick to the head sets up the Black Arrow to tie it up with 13:21 to go.

Omega – 1

Pac – 1

Back from a break with 10:46 to go and the slugout on the apron going to Pac. A Falcon Arrow off the apron drops Omega again and the audio is muted for the sake of swearing fans. They’re both down again and we have less than ten minutes to go. Pac knocks him off the apron and the ref is bumped.

With no one seeing it, Pac pulls out a table and hits a shooting star off the top to send Omega through the table (which pretty much explodes). They both beat the count (I’m not sure on Omega but they give it to him anyway) and Pac can’t believe it. Another Black Arrow hits raised knees with five minutes left and Omega has an opener. A heck of a V Trigger sets up a spinning Rock Bottom for two on Pac, followed by another V Trigger.

Pac is back up with a tornado DDT and the Brutalizer (on the mat this time) has Omega in real trouble. We have two minutes left as Omega finally gets his foot on the rope. Pac is smart enough to go right back to the hold as we hit a minute left. The hold stays on with Omega looking at the clock as time expires at 30:00. Pac blasts the referee but hang on as we’re getting sudden death. Omega hits another V Trigger and then another knee to the head for two. The One Winged Angel finishes Pac at 33:14, counting the breaks between falls.

Omega – 2

Pac – 1

Rating: B+. They beat the heck out of each other here and while they could do another match, this felt like the definitive end of the feud. Omega gets a big singles win for the first time in a good while and Pac hardly looks bad in defeat. What does look bad is the Brutalizer, which was on for the better part of three minutes but then Omega just popped up and dominated overtime to win. I didn’t like it when Shawn Michaels survived that long in the Sharpshooter and I don’t like this either. That being said, heck of a fight and that’s what it needed to be.

Post break Pac doesn’t want to hear about getting what he deserves so here’s Orange Cassidy for a chat. Cassidy takes his glasses off so Pac drops him with a single forearm. Good for him.

Jake Hager isn’t allowing any interviews with Chris Jericho before tonight’s weigh-in.

Inner Circle vs. Jurassic Express

It’s Santana/Ortiz/Sammy Guevara this time around. The Express starts fast with Boy knocking Guevara off the apron and Stunt dropkicking Santana and Ortiz to the floor. Boy hits some suicide dives but Stunt gets pulled out of the air and thrown into Boy, driving him into the barricade. Back in and Luchasaurus gets taken down with a double flapjack, followed by a big toss to Stunt.

We take a break and come back with Santana hitting a big Poetry In Cannonball to crush Stunt in the corner. Stunt is fine enough to escape a German suplex attempt and bring in Luchasaurus to clean house. A chokeslam into a standing moonsault have Ortiz down but Sammy hits Luchasaurus in the back for reasons of overconfidence. Triple kicks in the corner rock Sammy and it’s a kick to the chest/Vertebreaker combination for two with Santana making the save.

A double enziguri puts Boy down and Sammy’s running shooting star press gets two with Stunt making the save. Luchasaurus moonsaults onto Stunt, Santana and Ortiz but Sammy grabs the loaded sock. Cue Darby Allin to steal it away though and Boy hurricanranas Sammy for the pin at 9:43.

Rating: B-. It was action packed and aside from my general issues with Stunt, there wasn’t much to complain about here, save for one thing. If you’re going to bust out a big move like a Vertebreaker in a match like this, it should be the finish. I know they had more to do, but if that’s the case, don’t do the move. Save a move that big for a more important spot instead of another near fall in a six man that isn’t going to mean much in the long run.

Video on Cody vs. Maxwell Jacob Friedman. They’ve done an awesome job of making me want to see Cody destroy him.

Best Friends vs. Butcher And Blade

Cassidy and Bunny are at ringside. Butcher runs Trent over to start and Blade walks around the ring a lot. Trent gets dropped ribs first across the top rope but he manages a running knee to set up the hot tag to Chuck. House is cleaned and we take a break. Back with Trent’s dive over the top being sent into the barricade but he’s fine enough to spear Blade down.

Hold on though, as it’s time for ORANGE CASSIDY TO DO THE SAME THING HE DOES EVERY WEEK, BUT THIS TIME IT’S SOMEONE DIFFERENT SO HE’S AWESOME! This time Bunny steals his sunglasses so he steals her bunny ears and then dives onto Blade. Strong Zero finishes Butcher at 8:06.

Rating: C-. It was the usual match with the usual Cassidy spot and that isn’t enough to overcome my lack of caring about either team. Butcher and Blade don’t win matches and don’t really hurt anyone so I’m not sure why they’re continuing their roles as enforcers/bounty hunters/whatever they’re called at the moment. It wasn’t a bad match, but after the first two matches, this wasn’t up to the same level.

Post match Tony Schiavone is in the ring with Best Friends and Cassidy to announce Cassidy vs. Pac for Revolution. Chuck: “Pac, the joke’s on you buddy, because this time he’s going to TRY!”

Big Swole vs. Shanna vs. Yuka Sakazaki vs. Hikaru Shida

Everyone gets in a shot or two to start with Shanna hurricanranaing Swole and Shida at the same time. Sakazaki stands on the apron while the other three do a triple test of strength. She comes back in to break it up but Swole kicks her down, setting up the parade of rollups for two each. Back with Shida cleaning house and suplexing Shanna into Sakazaki in the corner.

Swole is back in to clean house and kicks Shanna on the head, setting up a springboard cutter for two. Now it’s Sakazaki getting back up, only to get taken down with a lifting Pedigree to give Shanna two of her own. Dirty Dancing drops Shanna but Shida gives Swole a backbreaker. Sakazaki hits a springboard splash for two but Shida makes the save. A running knee hits Swole to give Shida the pin at 9:12.

Rating: C-. This was just another four way with the wrestlers doing their spots until one of them won. I’m rarely a fan of matches like this one as there is next to no story or psychology to the whole thing and it’s just moves after moves. It feels like there’s a multi person match every week or two and I don’t need to see another one for a good while.

The Dark Order says the Exalted One is coming and they’re beating up SCU at Revolution.

Jim Ross moderates a sitdown interview between the Young Bucks and Kenny Omega/Hangman Page (with a drink in hand). The Bucks couldn’t believe this being the case a year ago because Omega and Page were singles wrestlers. Omega says the Bucks are the best but he and Page were in the right place at the right time. Page looks rather anxious and the Bucks call him out for needing a drink.

They’re worried about him because they’re friends in and out of the ring. Page says he tried to leave the Elite, with the Bucks saying he’s walking away from everything they did for him. He was a jobber in ROH and they made him a star on Being The Elite. Page walks out, despite the Bucks saying they have a match to promote. Not titles to win mind you, but a match to promote.

Revolution rundown.

Lance Archer debuts next week.

It’s time for the official weigh-in between Jon Moxley and Chris Jericho, with Gary Michael Cappetta of all people as master of ceremonies. After hyping up the pay per view, Cappetta brings out the two of them but Jericho calls him a weird little man instead of getting on the scale. Jericho: “It’s no wonder WCW went out of business.” Moxley goes first and weighs 234lbs.

Jericho takes his time getting on the scale because he needs to insult the fans and Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. He goes after Moxley, who headbutts Jericho down to bust him open. The Inner Circle is on Moxley in a hurry but here’s Dustin Rhodes to go after Jake Hager. They fight to the back (JR: “For the love of God stay away from the Dippin’ Dots!!!”) and yes, Dustin is sent into the Dippin’ Dots cart.

Back in the arena, Darby Allin runs in (as in he doesn’t wait around on the stage for thirty seconds this week) for the save but Sammy takes the skateboard away and breaks it over Darby’s head. Moxley fights up and it’s time for the big slugout with Jericho. Guevara breaks up the Paradigm Shift with a low blow and the Judas Effect hits Moxley. Jericho gives him a Paradigm Shift onto the scale. That was a hot ending and covered three matches at once so well done all around.

Overall Rating: B. The opening hour was rather good and while things slowed down a lot from there, it was still a heck of a show with the ending picking up a lot of the slack. The last two weeks were better but this got me ready for Revolution and they’re still in a groove at the right time. Rather good show this week and if they can fix some of their issues, they’re as good as anything going at the moment, if not a fair bit better.

Results

Kenny Omega b. Pac two falls to one

Jurassic Express b. Inner Circle – Hurricanrana to Sammy Guevara

Best Friends b. Butcher and Blade – Strong Zero to Butcher

Hikaru Shida b. Big Swole, Yuka Sakazaki and Shanna – Running knee to Swole

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

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

Dynamite
Date: February 5, 2020
Location: Von Braun Center, Huntsville, Alabama
Commentators: Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone, Excalibur

We’re less than a month away from Revolution and you can see a lot of the card from here. The big story continues to be Jon Moxley challenging Chris Jericho for the World Title and that means he has to go through the Inner Circle. He’ll start with that tonight against Ortiz, but other than that we have Cody dealing with MJF. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening recap.

Jon Moxley vs. Ortiz

Santana is here and Chris Jericho, flanked by Jake Hager and Sammy Guevara, goes to commentary. A shoulder puts Ortiz on the floor to start so Moxley chases both of them around with a chair. They go outside again with Ortiz getting in some biting and a whip into the steps. Jericho: “He might have knocked his patch right off of his stupid face!” Back in and we hit a camel clutch with Ortiz raking a forearm over Moxley’s eye patch.

Moxley is out in a hurry and takes out the knee to set up a Figure Four. Ortiz is smart enough to poke him in the eye for the break, only to have Moxley send him outside. A suicide dive hits Santana and Ortiz gets sent over the barricade. Back in and a Boss Man Slam gives oxley two but Ortiz sends him right back to the floor. That means a suicide flip dive to put Moxley down as well but he’s back up again. This time he sends Ortiz into Santana and hits a quick Paradigm Shift for the pin at 7:55.

Rating: C. That’s what I was hoping for here as there was no need for this to be an extended match. Moxley is the #1 contender and he’s facing someone who isn’t used to wrestling singles matches. There was no need for this to be a back and forth fifteen minute match. What they did here was the right setup and it’s not like losing to Moxley hurts Ortiz. Well done on the setup, not a bad match.

Post match Moxley gets jumped by Santana but takes him out with another Paradigm Shift. Moxley pulls out the Ford GT key and says “an eye for an eye” before stabbing the key into Santana’s eye. The Inner Circle chases Moxley off.

Best Friends vs. SCU

Orange Cassidy is here but there’s no Christopher Daniels. Kazarian headlocks Trent down to start and JR thinks 2 Cold Scorpio is on the apron. Trent is right back up with the double running knees and a double elbow keeps Kazarian down. Sky spins out of a wristlock but Chuck grabs a headlock. With Sky down, Chuck hits the double bicep but misses a middle rope moonsault. Sky hits a good looking dropkick and everything breaks down for a bit, with Kazarian hitting a slingshot Fameasser to send Trent onto the apron.

Chuck’s standing Sliced Bread connects as Sky is sent into the barricade. A release German suplex drops Trent on the floor but Chuck adds a Blockbuster off the steps to put everyone down. Cassidy gets in his designated comedy spot on the floor by laying down with them as we take a break. Back with things having settled down a bit and the Best Friends taking over. We pause for the Big Hug until Chuck kicks Kazarian into a Code Red from Trent for the fast pin at 9:08.

Rating: C+. The post break part was really short but I’m glad they didn’t make this one go too long either. I still don’t care for the Best Friends and having to pause for Cassidy’s shtick still feels forced every single time. SCU continues to be steady but very good and that’s a valuable asset to have on the show.

Post match the Dark Order runs in for the beatdown so Orange Cassidy gets in to confront them. He’s offered a mask but puts his hands in his pockets, earning himself a beatdown of his own. Christopher Daniels runs in for the save and the Dark Order bails.

Yuka Sakazaki vs. Britt Baker

Sakazaki (the Magical Girl) was at Fyter Fest back in June and has some Arabian Nights style gear. Baker forearms the much smaller Sakazaki and chokes in the corner, setting up a running kick to the face for two. Sakazaki is back up with a top rope flip dive and a springboard plancha to the floor. JR: “Not just a regular splash ladies and gentlemen. The by God Magical Girl splash.” Back in and they slug it out until Baker hits a swinging fisherman’s neckbreaker for two. Lockjaw is broken up though and Sakazaki grabs a crucifix rollup for the pin at 3:12.

Rating: C. Spend two weeks building Baker up, then have her lose to someone else making her debut on the show. The division continues its spiral into nothing as we sit around with the champion barely ever around (save for a mixed tag with Kenny Omega, the only person who seems to get what he’s going for in the whole thing) and a bunch of people trading wins and losses.

Post match Baker hits her in the back with the bell and drives her mouth into the ropes. Sakazaki loses some teeth so Baker puts on Lockjaw to the bloody mouth. Good post match segment, but it might go somewhere if Baker hadn’t just lost clean in about three minutes.

Butcher and Blade/Lucha Bros vs. Young Bucks/Kenny Omega/Hangman Page

JR: “Not even I could misidentify the Bunny.” Graphic for the week: “Hangman is not happy with this music.” Makes sense as to why he power walks to the ring in front of ht eother three. Page chps away at Blade to start and it’s quickly off to Omega for some kicks to the chest and the running jumping Fameasser (more of a bulldog here) gets two. The Bucks come in for a bunch of dropkicks, including a triple dropkick to Butcher with Omega joining in.

Kenny and the Bucks hit stereo dives to the floor as Page doesn’t look impressed. Everything breaks down and Page comes in to help with that, only to be thrown outside. Fenix hits the crazy springboard flip dive and we take a break. Back with Nick taking care of both Lucha Bros on the floor, including a moonsault from the apron to Fenix. The hot tag brings in Matt for the rolling northern lights suplexes to Fenix, plus a bonus one to both Bros at once.

We settle down to Butcher working over Omega in the corner and shoving him back first onto Blade’s knee. The slugout goes to Butcher but Omega comes back with a hurricanrana. The hot tag brings in Page to clean house, including a springboard clothesline and a slingshot dive. An overhead belly to belly suplex puts Pentagon down and there’s a big moonsault to the floor. Everything breaks down and it’s Matt getting caught in the corner for Fenix’s running kick to the head.

The rolling cutter sets up a powerbomb/top rope shoulder combination but Omega is back in for the save. The Bucks clean house but Page misses the Buckshot lariat. Superkicks abound from the Bucks and Bros. Another Buckshot hits Blade and a fall away slam sends Blade flying but Page’s knee is banged up. Page won’t tag either of the Bucks so it’s a Sling Blade from Pentagon. The spike Fear Factor finishes Page at 13:13.

Rating: B. Who in the world watches the Lucha Bros wrestle that way and then thinks that they should be heels? They’re the best high flying team in the world and that rarely makes you heels. Anyway, the good storytelling continues and they have a ton of options available for what should be a heck of a Tag Team Title match against the Young Bucks at Revolution.

The losers argue post match.

Post break, Omega is in the ring for an interview but we cut to Pac, who stalks threatens Riho. Why Riho doesn’t RUN AWAY when Pac has his back turned to her isn’t clear but Omega agrees to the match so Pac will leave her alone. Pac says he wasn’t going to attack Riho, but she will. Cue Nyla Rose to powerbomb Riho onto (not through) a table and issue a challenge for next week. Well at least the champ is here for once.

Darby Allin can’t breathe after last week’s attack….so he shoots a flamethrower at a cardboard cutout of Jericho and Guevara.

Kip Sabian vs. Joey Janela

We wouldn’t want to miss this blowoff. Janela takes him into the corner and hammers away to start but Sabian is right back with some right hands of his own. A suplex gives Janela two and he kicks Sabian in the back. That’s enough for Janela, who tells Sabian to kick him in the back to keep things even. Sabian goes with a chinlock instead, with Janela fighting up in a hurry. Janela sends him to the apron and then face first into the steps, with Ford ramming the back of his head into the steps again.

Back from a break with Sabian hitting a hanging suplex for two but Janela sends him outside. That means a suicide dive but Janela needs to threaten to punch Ford, allowing Sabian to kick him in the face. Janela blocks a flip dive though and hits a German suplex to drop Sabian on the floor. Back in and Janela hits a superkick, followed by his hard Death Valley Driver for two. Ford gets on the apron to kiss Sabian but Janela knocks her to the floor by mistake, allowing Sabian to roll him up with tights for the pin at 11:21.

Rating: D+. This is up there on the list of least interesting things AEW has done so far as Janela is not worth watching and Sabian, while better, isn’t that much better. The whole feud being about Ford isn’t worth this much time as the feud feels like it has been going on for several months. I’d love for this to be it but the ending suggests another rematch down the line.

The Inner Circle isn’t happy with what happened and Santana swears vengeance. He’ll take Moxley on a walk through the park next week and it’s eye for an eye.

The Bucks ask Page what was up with that but Nick thinks it was the booze talking.

Next week: Riho vs. Nyla Rose for the Women’s Title, SCU vs. Page/Omega for the Tag Team Titles and Moxley vs. Santana.

In two weeks: a tag team battle royal for the Revolution title shot, plus Cody vs. Wardlow in a cage.

In three weeks: Omega vs. Pac in a thirty minute Iron Man match.

Dustin Rhodes knows Cody has this because he’s tougher than MJF thinks.

Here are MJF and Wardlow so Cody can take his ten lashes. Hold on though as MJF wants to use Cody’s belt. MJF snaps it behind his head to play some mind games and Cody is rather jumpy. The first lash hits and MJF takes off his coat as a bunch of heels come to the stage to watch. There’s the second lash so Cody gets in his face and MJF demands Cody hit him. The third lash puts Cody onto the ropes and here’s Arn Anderson to the ring. Arn tells him to give up now but Cody takes another lash, putting him on the mat.

The fifth drops Cody to his face so Dustin Rhodes comes out to say he’ll take the other five lashes. That doesn’t work for MJF so Dustin can go watch with everyone else. MJF gives Cody two in a row and he looks near tears. Now it’s the Bucks coming down to beg Cody to stop and he rolls to the floor for a bit while MJF chills on the ropes. Cody gets back in and tells MJF to do it, meaning there’s the eighth. MJF: “STAY DOWN B****!” Cody fights up and says two more but it’s going to be Wardlow with the last pair.

Wardlow drops him with one shot and Cody can’t pull himself up. MJF says that means no match so here’s Brandi Rhodes (sane this week) to encourage him to get up. MJF hits him in the chest for the tenth but he’s furious that Cody didn’t give up. Cody’s back looks terrible as everyone comes in to check on him….and MJF gets in a low blow before running off with Wardlow (with a fan jumping them but being subdued in a hurry) to end the show.

This was GREAT and maybe the best thing that AEW has done to date. Something like this is all about building the drama and that’s what they did here, with Cody selling the heck out of each one and getting MJF angrier and angrier as he couldn’t keep Cody down. Having people come in to try and convince Cody to stay down was a great piece of storytelling and while you knew how it was going to end, they took you on a good journey to get there and I was into it rather soon. Really great way to end the show and an outstanding segment.

Overall Rating: B. The wrestling wasn’t the strongest here but they did a good job with the storytelling and laying the show out. That’s what matters more and I would much rather they focus on that rather than trying to get in the long matches every single week. You can do those on occasion, but it’s a lot better to give us some meat rather than just sizzle. Not a great show this week, but check out the ending segment for sure.

Results

Jon Moxley b. Ortiz – Paradigm Shift

Best Friends b. SCU – Code Red to Trent

Yuka Sakazaki b. Britt Baker – Crucifix rollup

Butcher and Blade/Lucha Bros b. Young Bucks/Kenny Omega/Hangman Page – Spike Fear Factor to Page

Kip Sabian b. Joey Janela – Rollup with a handful of tights

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

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