Wrestle Dynasty 2025
Date: January 5, 2025
Location: Tokyo Dome, Tokyo, Japan
Commentators: Walker Stewart, Chris Charlton

So it’s time for a bunch of wrestling promotions and Ring Of Honor to come together and have a big show in Japan. Why? Heck if I know and AEW basically glossed over the this this week anyway. It’s basically a big cross promotional show, which can go in all kinds of directions. Let’s get to it.

Note that I do not follow any of the international promotions involved with this show. I might know some of the wrestlers, but I apologize in advance for not knowing history or plot points.

Pre-Show: International Women’s Cup: Momo Watanabe (Stardom) vs. Willow Nightingale (AEW) vs. Persephone (CMLL) vs. Athena (ROH)

The winner receives a Women’s Title shot. Athena and Watanabe clear the ring to start until Nightingale kicks Watanabe in the head. Persephone comes in for a Matrix/spider walk but Athena takes her into the corner for a running shot. Back up and Nightingale kicks Athena in the face before suplexing the other two at the same time. The dives are on to leave Nightingale and Persephone as the only two standing, meaning Persephone hits her own running flip dive.

Back in and Athena hits a middle rope Codebreaker to Persephone and Nightingale but Nightingale is back up with a Pounce. Persephone suplexes Nightingale for two and Athena is knocked outside. Nightingale’s Death Valley Driver sends Watanabe into the corner but Athena is back up with the O Face. Cue Thekla (from Stardom) to pull the referee though, allowing Watanabe to hit Athena in the head with a club. A dragon suplex pins Athena at 11:29.

Rating: B-. So we sat through tournaments and qualifying matches and all that other jazz to hype up this match and it’s on the pre-show for some to be determined title match later? In theory this sets up Watanabe as Athena’s next challenger for something of a dream match, though it wouldn’t shock me if this is barely mentioned in Ring Of Honor. The match was fine, but it was nothing that AEW hasn’t done a dozen times in the last few months.

Ring Of Honor Tag Team Titles: Sons Of Texas vs. House Of Torture

The Sons (Dustin Rhodes/Sammy Guevara) are defending against Sho/Yoshinobu Kanemaru. Sho shakes Dustin’s hand to start but holds it in place so Kanemaru can come in to jump him from behind. That doesn’t last long as Guevara comes in to moonsault Sho, setting up Dustin’s PK for two. Sho sends Guevara outside though and Kanemaru gets in a whip to the barricade.

The turnbuckle pad is ripped off and Dustin is sent into the exposed steel and it’s back to Guevara. A Boston crab goes on and Kanemaru steps on one of the titles. An enziguri gets Guevara out of trouble and it’s back to Rhodes to clean house. Kanemaru spits some liquid into Rhodes’ face and a moonsault connects for two. Guevara is back in with a cutter and Rhodes adds his own liquid (whiskey) to the face. The Final Reckoning into Guevara’s Swanton retains the titles at 9:27.

Rating: C. This was a gold match between two teams who aren’t that interesting in the first place. The Sons of Texas haven’t been interesting since they won the titles and there is a good chance that they’ll hold the belts until All In Texas, because TEXAS. There’s nothing to see here but Ring Of Honor had o be on the because reasons.

The opening video looks at the card in order and does a great job of hyping the show up.

Casino Gauntlet Match

Non-title and it’s one fall to a finish, meaning there is no guarantee everyone will get in. Hechicero is in at #1 and Kosei Fujita is in at #2. They grapple to start and get nowhere as Soberano Jr. is in at #3 after a very short interval. A Rocking Horse/top rope Fameasser hits Fujita and it’s Master Wato in at #4.

Wato and Soberano go at it until Mascara Dorada is in at #5 as these entrances are flying. Dorada gets to clean house with takedowns and dives until Taiji Ishimori is in at #6. A Lethal Injection hits Dorada and Titan is in at #7 to keep the pace fast. Titan hits a gordbuster into a kick to the face as IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion El Desperado is in at #8 to complete the field.

Everyone runs up the ramp to go after Desperado and they carry him to the ring for the big beating. Naturally that’s broken up when someone goes for the cover, meaning it’s time for the big collection of dives. Wato hits a big running flip dive onto the pile, with Dorada doing the same thing. Somehow Desperado is back up but gets pulled into a leg trap choke, only for Ishimori to steal the pin on Desperado at 16:16.

Rating: B-. This was a bunch of spots and staggered intervals, which made for a good enough showcase. I do like them getting that many people on the show at once, even if the only thing from AEW was the concept. The bit with Desperado was smart and protects him with the loss, which is perfectly fine. Nice stuff, though more of a “get them on the card” match than anything else.

Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Katsuyori Shibata

This is a grappling match with a five minute time limit. They fight over a lockup to start until Shibata gets him to the ropes for a clean break. They chop it out with Shibata seemingly getting the better of things and telling Tanahashi to bring it. The chop exchange keeps going until time expires at 5:00. The whole match was the long lockup and chop exchanges with a few small moves in the middle.

Rating: C. This wasn’t a normal match and I’m not going to treat it overly harsh as a result. The idea here was either something of a tease or just to have the two of them in the Dome again. That’s perfectly fine and even though it wasn’t a traditional match, it wasn’t supposed to be some mat classic.

Respect is shown post match.

Rev Pro British Women’s Title/NJPW Strong Women’s Title: Mina Shirakawa vs. Mercedes Mone

Title for title. Mone takes her into the corner off a lockup to start before they both miss a few shots, allowing Mina to dance. The Statement Maker is broken up in a hurry and Mina bails to the floor, setting up a suicide dive. Mina gets smart by going after the knee but a quick Meteora gives Mone two.

The knee gets slammed into the mat to cut that off but Mone is right back with another Meteora. Mina sends the knee into the mat again and grabs a Figure Four, with Mone going straight to the ropes. Mone gets in a gutbuster, with commentary pointing out that it’s kind of stupid. Speaking of stupid, Mone’s knee is suddenly fine enough to hit Three Amigos, which she has apparently wanted to do in this building for fifteen years. To be fair, she hasn’t paid tribute to Eddie Guerrero in what, four days or so?

Mina hits a super DDT into another Figure Four but Mone is out again. The Glamorous river gets two but Mone is back with a pair of Coebreakers for two. A Gory Bomb sets up another Figure Four but Mone rolls her up for two. The Mone Maker connects out of nowhere for the pin to make Mone a triple champion at 14:06.

Rating: C-. I’m sure that Mone is happy that she gets another title and got to do something in the Tokyo Dome, but there is only so much to get out of a match built around working the knee when Mone keeps popping back up. The lack of selling was nonsense and took me completely out of the match, which didn’t have the highest drama in the first place. This felt like Mone was getting to do whatever she wanted and Mina was little more than a prop to make that happen. Big disappointment here.

David Finlay vs. Brody King

King wastes no time in kicking him in the face to start but misses a charge into the corner. A Stunner over the ropes lets Finlay get a breather and he starts in on the leg. Finlay’s slingshot dive to the floor is pulled out of the air though and King puts him against the barricade for a huge crash. Back in and a backsplash connects before King gets to say some bad words.

They forearm it out on the apron until Finlay has to break up the hanging sleeper. Finlay hits a big dive off the top but King is back with a lariat into a powerbomb. Finlay’s spear gets two, only for King to Death Valley Driver him into the corner. There’s the cannonball but Finlay sends him into the buckle. A powerbomb into the Overkill (knee to the face) finishes King at 12:35.

Rating: B-. This gets Finlay back on track after he lost the title yesterday. Finlay is someone who has some skills and I can see the potential in him, but there was something missing to get him to that next level. On the other hand you have King, who is a great monster and can work well against almost anyone. Nice power match here, with Finlay’s powerbomb looking good.

Shota Umino vs. Claudio Castagnoli

Castagnoli jumps him on the ramp to start and takes it to the ring to officially start the beating. Umino gets knocked outside before Castagnoli grabs a crossface to crank away on the neck. Umino fights up and shrugs off some shots, setting up a springboard tornado DDT. Another DDT onto the apron drops Castagnoli and he gets beaten up on the floor.

Back in and a springboard missile dropkick gets two but Castagnoli gorilla presses him off the top. A running clothesline sets up the Swing and Castagnoli grabs the Sharpshooter. That’s broken up and Castagnoli strikes away, only for Umino to hit the Death Riders elbows. Another DDT and another elbow to the head get two on Castagnoli but he blocks the Death Rider. The Riccola Bomb gives Castagnoli two but Umino is back with the Death Rider for the pin at 14:32.

Rating: C+. I’ve seen two matches from Umino now and neither has exactly made me interested. There’s just no spark to him and hearing about Jon Moxley and the Death Riders (yes I know Umino and Moxley have a history) for most of the match didn’t make it much better. Just a match with some good enough moves, but this form of Umino isn’t doing it for me.

AEW International Title/NJPW Never Openweight Title: Konosuke Takeshita vs. Tomohiro Ishii

Takeshita, with Don Callis, is defending. Ishii’s chops don’t work very well and Takeshita knocks him into the corner, where some forearms eventually have some success. Some kicks to the head wake Ishii up though and he chops away. Ishii’s shots to the face earn him a German suplex though and they’re both down. The Blue Thunder Bomb gives Takeshita two and the Raging Fire gets the same, leaving Takeshita surprised.

The kneeling Tombstone plants Ishii but he’s back with a German suplex into a release German suplex. They trade headbutts from all fours until Takeshita gets the better of a forearm off. Takeshita takes him up top, where Ishii snaps off a super hurricanrana. Takeshita’s brainbuster is shrugged off but he grabs a poisonrana. Another hard forearm into Raging Fire retains the titles at 13:30.

Rating: B-. I’m not big on the “you hit me in the head but I scream and get back up really fast” style and that’s what Ishii does rather often. That’s what they were going for here and it was another nice win for Takeshita, but it was only so entertaining. Takeshita is going to come back to AEW with multiple titles and there is a good chance he’ll hold those for a rather long time to come. That makes sense, as he really is that good most of the time.

IWGP Tag Team Titles: Young Bucks vs. United Empire vs. Los Ingobernables de Japon

The titles are vacant coming in and it’s the Great O Khan/Jeff Cobb for the Empire and Tetsuya Naito/Hiromu Takahashi for Los Ingobernables. Tornado rules as well, because having to tag might hinder the Bucks’ art. It’s a brawl to start and the Bucks clear the ring, setting up stereo dives to the floor.

Cobb fights back and is quickly cut off with a double superkick. Back in and the Bucks cut off Cobb and Naito, including a SUCK IT, though the Superkick Party is broken up. Naturally Matt can hit the double northern lights suplex but a tornado DDT into a Time Bomb 1.5 gets two. Cobb starts throwing suplexes and eventually suplexes both Bucks at once but Matt is right back up to team up with Takahashi.

A double superplex drops Cobb but Matt jumps Takahashi, because the Bucks are smart. Destino gets two on Nick with O Khan making the save. The EVP Trigger hits Naito with O Khan making another save, earning himself a superkick party. The Meltzer Driver finishes O Khan to give the Bucks the titles at 13:47.

Rating: C. Well, that was a nice tribute/love letter to the Young Bucks. The story was that they were just put into the title match because they’re rich and famous, and then they dominate/win the match. This felt like the Bucks saying they needed to show how dominant and awesome they were and that’s exactly what we got. You know, in case we haven’t seen that enough in AEW over the years.

NJPW Global Title: Jack Perry vs. Yota Tsuji

Tsuji is defending. Perry takes him into the corner to start but Tsuji takes him down with a faceplant. They’re quickly on the floor with Tsuji being sent into the barricade as Perry takes over. Back in and Perry stomps away, only to get caught with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker.

Another backbreaker gives Tsuji two but Perry ties him up in the Tree of Woe. A basement dropkick sets up a German suplex to give Perry two and they go up top. Tsuji’s super Spanish Fly gets two though and they’re both down. They forearm it out until Perry gets two off a DDT. A low blow sets up an Angle Slam for two but Tsuji hits a spear to retain at 13:12.

Rating: C+. While it’s not as bad as Shota Umino, I’m not sure I get it with Tsuji either. It doesn’t help that he’s completely average size and is using a spear, which is pretty much never a good idea. At least he won clean though and that’s a good thing. Granted I’m not sure how much value there is in beating Perry, who is showing that he isn’t the next big thing every single time he’s out there.

Gabe Kidd vs. Kenny Omega

This is Omega’s first match in over a year after dealing with diverticulitis. They grapple against the ropes to start and then strike it out until Omega knocks him into the corner. Commentary seems to call Tony Khan a “money mark” who took New Japan stars away to start AEW as Omega knocks him down and stomps away. They suplex each other out to the floor for the big crash and Omega is sent into the barricade.

Kidd takes too long setting up some tables though and gets taken own by a slingshot dive. Omega sends him into the barricade and hits a dragon suplex on the floor and Kidd is sent crashing though a table. Kidd is busted open so Omega takes him down with a dive but bangs up his own hip in the process. Some chair shots have Omega in trouble for a change and a suplex puts him through a table.

Omega is busted open as well so some chairs are thrown inside, leaving Kidd to work on the cut. Back in and Omega sends him into the chairs, only for Kidd to do the exact same thing. They trade chair shots to the head and both of them need a breather. Omega wins a strike off but Kidd blasts him with a discus lariat to leave both of them down. Back up and Omega snaps off a hurricanrana, setting up the big flip dive to the floor.

Back in and a Jay Driller gives Omega two and there’s a V Trigger against the ropes. The One Winged Angel doesn’t work though and Kidd grabs an abdominal stretch (remember Omega’s internal issues). That’s broken up so Kidd grabs a piledriver for two. Kidd is back up with a Ganso bomb into a package piledriver for two (Commentary: “GIVE ME A BREAK!” Yep.). A V Trigger into a powerbomb into another V Trigger gets one on Kidd before the One Winged Angel finishes Kidd at 31:49.

Rating: A-. They didn’t bother trying for a match here but rather had a fight, which made the match that much more emotional. Ignoring some of the “…really?” kickouts near the end and I had a great time with this. Kidd felt like a monster who had to be beaten and Omega did everything he could. This is the Omega that feels like a star and while he can only do it for so much longer, it worked here. Best match of the weekend so far.

IWGP World Heavyweight Title: Ricochet vs. Zack Sabre Jr.

Sabre is defending and gets taken out by a dive before the bell. Ricochet hits another dive and a 450 gets two. Sabre ties him up in the ropes though and kicks him in the back so the fight can head outside. A flip dive is caught in a cravate (nice) and Sabre twists the neck. Back in and Sabre starts in on the leg but Ricochet hits a handspring elbow. A springboard clothesline into a moonsault gives Ricochet two but he has to break up Sabre’s choke.

Ricochet Death Valley Drivers him for two, only for Sabre to grab a dragon suplex for the same. Ricochet rolls some suplexes onto the apron and then the floor (that was different) for a double knockdown. Back in and they slap it out from their knees and then their feet. They fight up top until a super Zack Driver gets two, with Ricochet having to bail to the ropes to get out of an armbar.

Ricochet’s Vertigo connects for two and a shooting star press gets the same. A kick to the head sets up another Vertigo for another two but the 630 misses. The Zack Driver gets two so Sabre knocks him down again without much trouble. Sabre ties up the arms and Ricochet gives up at 21:06.

Rating: B+. I liked this a good deal, as it was a clash between a technical master and a high flier, which often works well. Sabre is quite good at what he does and some of the holds he pulls out are insane. Ricochet didn’t feel like the most serious challenger but he more than held up his own in a rather good match.

Post match Sabre puts over Ricochet and says the future of New Japan is the orange of TMDK. Posing ends the show.

Overall Rating: B. I had a better time with this one than Wrestle Kingdom, though that might be due to recognizing more of the names. The Omega vs. Kidd match is the best part of the weekend and the main event was better than last night’s. It’s not a concept that needs to be a regular thing but I’m sure it will be, even if some of the promotions were more or less tacked on (ROH not making it out of the pre-show was funny). Overall, a good show, but after two straight days of long shows, it’s a bit much to take in all at once.

Results
Momo Watanabe b. Willow Nightingale, Persephone and Athena – Dragon suplex to Athena
Sons Of Texas b. House Of Torture – Swanton to Sho
Taiji Ishimori won the Casino Gauntlet Match – Rollup to Desperado
Katsuyori Shibata vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi went to a time limit draw
Mercedes Mone b. Mina Shirakawa – Mone Maker
David Finlay b. Brody King – Overkill
Shota Umino b. Claudio Castagnoli – Death Rider
Konosuke Takeshita b. Tomohiro Ishii – Raging Fire
Young Bucks b. Los Ingobernables de Japon and United Empire – Meltzer Driver to O Khan
Yota Tsuji b. Jack Perry – Spear
Kenny Omega b. Gabe Kidd – One Winged Angel
Zack Sabre Jr. b. Ricochet – Double armbar

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Wrestle Kingdom 19
Date: January 4, 2025
Location: Tokyo Dome, Tokyo, Japan
Commentators: Walker Stewart, Chris Charlton

It’s that time again as we have the biggest international wrestling show of the year. The show is always worth a look as the action will be quite good, even if the company might not be as hot as it was in past years. The main event is Zack Sabre Jr. defending the IWGP World Title against Shota Umino so let’s get to it.

Note that I do not follow New Japan closely at all, with Wrestle Kingdom being the only show I watch every year. I know most of the names but I have no idea on storylines or character development. I apologize in advance for any details I miss or get wrong as I’m going entirely off what I see and what commentary tells me.

Pre-Show: New Japan Ranbo

This is basically a Royal Rumble with one minute intervals but in this case the winner gets a World Title shot rather than qualifying for the KOPW Title match. Great O Khan is in at #1 and Josh Barnett is in at #2. They go with the grappling to start (as is Barnett’s custom) and that’s a stalemate until Oleg Boltin is in at #3. With O Khan down and holding his knee, Boltin and Barnett grapple until Hirooki Goto is in at #4 (as the intervals are already getting wacky).

They pair off and the clock speeds way up as Yuji Nagata is in at #5. Nagata and Barnett (they have a history) pair off but Boltin breaks it up. Boltin and Barnett crash out to the floor for our first eliminations and Togi Makabe is in at #6. Makabe chokes O Khan in the corner (I don’t think the chain is legal) and Kenta is in at #7. Kenta knocks Nagata to the apron and kicks him out as Yoshi-Hashi is in at #8.

Kenta and Hashi strike it out with Kenta getting the better of things as Yujiro Takahashi is in at #9. Hashi sends Kenta to the apron but gets tossed out as Toru Yano is in at #10. As tends to be his case, Yano knocks Kenta to the apron and sends Takahashi into him for an elimination, followed by the rollup pin on Takahashi for the double upset. Hiroyoshi TTenzan is in at #11 and strikes away until longtime partner Satoshi Kojima is in at #12.

They beat up Yano but he sends them into each other and pins Tenzan for another surprise elimination. Tomoaki Honma is in at #13 as Makabe keeps kicking out. Sanada is in at #14 (after main eventing last year) and is immediately beaten up by Kojima and Makabe. Sanada kicks Kojima low though and tosses him out as Taichi is in at #15. Taichi and Sanada fight to the floor without being eliminated and it’s Tomohiro Ishii in at #16.

Honma jumps Ishii but gets forearmed out of the air and braibustered for the pin. Alex Zayne is in at #17 to complete the field, giving us a final grouping of O Khan, Goto, Yano Sanada, Taichi, Ishii and Zayn as Makabe has apparently been eliminated. Taichi gets caught trying to kick Sanada low and that’s a DQ, only for Taichi to kick Sanada out anyway.

Yano tries his turnbuckle shot but misses the swing and gets tossed. Ishii is out and we’re down to Zayne, Goto and O Khan. Zayne is sent to the apron and sent out, leaving us with two. O Khan hammers away to start but charges into the GTR, allowing Goto to send him to the apron. A running clothesline gives Goto the win at 34:37.

Rating: B-. Having the stakes being bigger and not having the whole final four advance deal made things better. Goto is a big enough name to earn a title shot and it makes sense to send him forward, so this does feel important. It’s still a nice way to get a bunch of people on the show and this worked as well as it needed to.

The opening video looks at the bigger matches and runs down the card (in order, as usual).

IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Titles: Intergalactic Jet Setters vs. Ichiban Sweet Boys vs. Catch 2/2 vs. Bullet Club War Dogs

The Jet Setters (Kevin Knight/Kushida) are defending in a ladder match against Robbie Eagles/Kosei Fujita (Sweet Boys), TJP/Francesco Akira (Catch 2/2) and Clark Connors/Driller Mahoney (War Dogs). It’s a brawl to start (of course) with Knight being left in the ring until the Boys bring in the first ladder. The Dogs bring in some chairs to increase the violence before going up, only for Kushida to take out their ladder.

Everyone is on the floor and Knight is knocked out of the air by a flying chair. Something like a running piledriver onto the floor knocks Kushida silly but TJP won’t let Akira be sent through a table. Some people get back inside with Knight setting up a ladder and bridging another inside. Eagles hits a springboard 450 to Connors on the ladder and an electric chair cutter drops Fujita. Some mist blinds Eagles and he gets sent through the bridged ladder for a huge crash.

Knight goes to the top of the ladder and tries a Motor City Machine Guns Skull And Bones, only to pretty much completely miss Maloney for the huge crash. Fujita gets thrown off a ladder and Knight goes up, only to have the ladder shoved over. TJP knocks Maloney off a ladder, leaving Catch 2/2 and the Boys to go up at the same time. The brawl is on until Fujita is left with Akira. Some choking is enough for Fujita to pull down the titles at 13:07.

Rating: B. It’s rare for NJPW to run this kind of a match but it worked rather well. I can go for seeing something like this as a special treat and that is the kind of thing you want to see on a show like Wrestle Kingdom. It was a total car crash match with one big spot after another and that worked out rather well. Good opener, with the fans into what they were seeing.

IWGP Women’s Title: Mayu Iwatani vs. AZM

Iwatani is defending and they slug it out to start. AZM knocks her to the floor and hits a big running dive to take her out. Back in and Iwatani hits a running dropkick against the ropes but AZM catches her on top. A top rope double stomp gets two on Iwatani but she’s right back with a heck of a superkick. Iwatani’s moonsault misses and AZM grabs a Canadian Destroyer. A double underhook Canadian Destroyer gets two but Iwatani gets her feet up to knock her out of the air. They trade German suplexes until Iwatani hits a Tombstone. A moonsault gives Iwatani two and a dragon suplex retains the title at 8:47.

Rating: B. I’m not sure what to say about a match like this as there was very little story given by commentary (though they do seem to have a history) so they were just doing a bunch of moves to each other. That being said, it was quite the action packed match and they were laying their stuff in so it was an easy match to watch with both of them looking rather talented. Good stuff here, even if it didn’t have time to do much.

NJPW TV Title: Jeff Cobb vs. Ryohei Oiwa vs. El Phantasmo vs. Ren Narita

Narita is defending. Cobb and Oiwa trade big shoulders to start with Oiwa actually getting the better of things. An armbar is broken up but Narita is back in for some choking to Oiwa and a kneebar to Cobb. Phantasmo slips out of the Tour Of The Islands but gets knocked off the top onto the other two. Cobb is back up with a big running flip dive onto the other three, followed by a standing moonsault for two on Narita.

A Tower Of Doom plants Phantasmo but Narita is back in with a top rope knee to Cobb for a near fall of his own. Narita’s board is taken away by Phantasmo’s manager Jado, leaving Cobb to plant Phantasmo out of the air. A doctor bomb gets two on Cobb with Narita pulling the referee out at two. Back in and Cobb hits Tour Of The Islands on Narita but Phantasmo makes the save. Phantasmo’s springboard splash pins Narita for the title at 9:59.

Rating: B-. This was another all over the place match with Cobb as a monster, Narita breaking up everything he could and Phantasmo feeling like the star. Oiwa was there as well but didn’t really stand out. It wasn’t as good as some of the other matches but Phantasmo, who is recently back after winning a battle with cancer, winning was a nice moment.

Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Evil

Lumberjack match and Tanahashi’s career is on the line. They fight over a top wristlock to start until Evil grabs the hair like an evil villain. A quick crossbody staggers Evil but he catches Tanahashi skinning the cat and bites his leg (as you do). Evil sends him through a chair at ringside and Evil’s House Of Torture beats up Tanahashi’s lumberjacks.

Back in and a suplex gives Evil two but Tanahashi goes classic with a dragon screw legwhip. The middle rope flipping splash gives Tanahashi two but the threat of a Sling Blade sends Evil outside. One of the lumberjacks solves that rather quickly and it’s Twist And Shout to drop Evil again. The House Of Torture comes in to beat Tanahashi down and Dick Togo gets in a low blow.

Tanahashi’s friends make the save but Tanahashi misses a charge into an exposed buckle. That’s shrugged off and it’s a dragon suplex into a Sling Blade but Tanahashi crotches him on top. Powder to the eyes blinds Tanahashi and Darkness falls gets two. The Scorpion Deathlock goes on but Evil lets go, setting up an STO….but Tanahashi rolls him up for the pin out of nowhere at 15:07.

Rating: B. The action itself was good enough, but this was all about the storytelling. It’s one of those stories that anyone could understand, as it was light vs. darkness, with good winning in the end. That’s as basic of a story as you can get and it worked well here. I liked this, with Tanahashi overcoming the House Of Torture, who have been annoying every time I’ve seen them.

Post match the brawl is on with the House beating the good guys down. Katsuyori Shibata makes the save though and, with the villains gone, challenges Tanahashi for tomorrow at Wrestle Dynasty. Works for Tanahashi.

AEW International Title/NEVER Openweight Title: Konosuke Takeshita vs. Shingo Takagi

Title for title and Don Callis is here with Takeshita. They trade running shoulders to start with Takeshita missing a charge into the corner to slow him down. Back up and one heck of a forearm drops Takagi and a Vader Bomb gets two. Takagi isn’t having much of a chinlock and they go to the floor where he hits a pop up Death Valley Driver. A superplex into a sliding lariat gets two on Takeshita but he blocks Made In Japan.

Some German suplexes put Takagi down but Takeshita is too banged up to stay with him. A wheelbarrow German suplexes drops Takagi, who pops back up with a heck of a lariat to leave both of them down again. Made In Japan gives Takagi two but Takeshita grazes him with a jumping knee.

Another attempt connects far better for one, followed by the Blue Thunder Bomb for two. Takagi is back with Last Of The Dragon but for some reason he doesn’t cover. They trade poisonranas before Takeshita forearms him in the back of the head for another knockdown. Another forearm sets up Raging Fire to make Takeshita a double champion at 12:43.

Rating: B+. This was two hard hitters beating the fire out of each other until one of them couldn’t get up. That’s always something that is going to work and it more than worked here, with Takeshita continuing his rise up the wrestling world. Heck of a fight here, and the best match on the show so far.

IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title: Douki vs. El Desperado

Desperado is challenging. They stare each other down to start and Desperado bails out to the floor. A quick switch lets Desperado hit a running flip dive, with his legs slamming into the barricade. They trade forearms on the floor for a bit before getting back in, earning some nice applause. Back in and Desperado plants him own, setting up a quickly broken Texas Cloverleaf. Douki sends him outside and hits a dive off the top, only to land on his arm and COMPLETELY wreck the elbow. The referee immediately stops the match, making Desperado champion at 5:51. I won’t rate it due to the injury but it was starting well.

Post match Desperado says he and Douki will do this again.

IWGP Global Title: Yota Tsuji vs. David Finlay

Finlay, with Gedo, is defending and Tsuji needs to win his first singles title to start realizing his potential. Tsuji knocks him outside to start but Finlay gets away before the dive. Finlay plants him on the floor before hammering away back inside. Tsuji blocks what looked like a Rock Bottom though and hits a stomp to put Finlay down for a breather.

A running hurricanrana sends Finlay outside and there’s the big running flip dive. Back in and a Cactus Clothesline puts both of them on the floor again, allowing Finlay to get in a nice posting. A whip through some chairs has Tsuji in trouble but he beats the count back in, as you probably guessed.

Tsuji manages a suplex into the corner and catches him on top with a kick to the head, leaving Finlay looking a bit dead. Finlay is fine enough to hit three straight Dominators for two but Tsuji is right back up. A missed moonsault lets Finlay grab a powerbomb for two more and we get a double breather.

Tsuji is back up with a spinning top rope double stomp to the back for another near fall and they’re both down again. Finlay cuts him off with a cutter and a brainbuster onto the knee gets two. The Stundog Millionaire into a spear gives Tsuji two and frustration is setting in. They trade shots to the face but Finlay knees him in the face for two more. Tsuji hits his own knee, setting up a powerbomb into another spear for the pin and the title at 19:35.

Rating: B-. It was good, but I’m not sure if it was as big of a moment as commentary tried to make it seem. Maybe I’m missing something here but it felt like just kind of a match rather than a big showdown or a moment. There is definitely potential in Tsuji, though I’m not sure if he’s going to be the next big thing around here. Maybe that’s due to me being sick of the spear, but this never got to that next level.

Tetsuya Naito vs. Hiromu Takahashi

This is billed as fifteen years in the making, with Takahashi being said to have saved Naito’s career but it’s apparently their first ever match. Takahashi comes out in a costume that is…we’ll go with big and weir and I won’t try to go further than that. Takahashi seems to show some disrespect to start and the fans don’t like that as the bell rings.

They go with the grappling to start and Naito takes him down for a basement dropkick. Naito ties up the neck as we hear about his terrible eye issues until Takahashi makes the ropes for the break. Back up and a clothesline sets up Takahashi’s running basement dropkick for two more. Naito picks up the pace and armdrags him into another basement dropkick, meaning it’s time to pose.

Takahashi grabs an AA for two and there’s a German suplex to put Naito down again. Naito’s DDT is blocked so Takahashi can take him down but Naito grabs a quick Destino. Another Destino gets two but Takahashi counters a third. Back up and Naito hammers away on the neck, only to get tied up with a cradle for two. Takahashi hits his own Destino, setting up Time Bomb II for two. Back up and Naito hits his own Destino for two more but Takahashi grabs the leg to cut him off. One more Destino finishes Takahashi at 17:09.

Rating: B. This is a match where there is definitely a major backstory that I haven’t seen but commentary did a great job of explaining why I should care about what is going on. It’s a good sign when I can get the gist of what they’re going for without having seen any of their history and they pulled it off here. They seemed to be going for a match of respect here, which is a hard one to pull off. Nice stuff here, with what felt like a long history culminating with a good match.

Post match, Takahashi does show respect.

We recap the main event. Zack Sabre Jr. wants to become the first foreigner to walk in and out of Wrestle Kingdom as champion while Umino just wants to be champion. This doesn’t exactly feel like the hottest main event.

IWGP World Heavyweight Title: Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Shota Umino

Sabre is defending and has his TMDK stable with him. Feeling out process to start and they fight over wrist control with neither getting anywhere. Umino grabs some full nelsons and Sabre gets annoyed that he can’t stay away. A running dropkick puts Sabre down and we finally have someone taking over. Some elbows have Sabre down as commentary points out how many times Umino has beaten Sabre, despite never winning a title or major tournament.

That’s a story that makes sense and it was summed up rather quickly there. Sabre starts in on the arm with some cranking and stomping as we hear about Sabre’s training in how to hurt people. An abdominal stretch lets Sabre switch things up a bit as he’s starting to pick Umino apart. Umino gets out and grabs a PerfectPlex for two, setting up a slingshot DDT onto the apron to knock Sabre silly.

Back up and Umino sends him into the barricade, followed by another dropkick. A hanging DDT off the barricade drops Sabre hard, setting up a top rope dropkick to the side of the head back inside. Sabre dropkicks him right back though and we get a double breather. Umino sits up and wants some kicks to the back, with Sabre being glad to oblige. Sabre starts in on the arm before tying both of them up to make it much worse. The double arm crank is blocked so Sabre switches to a triangle choke but Umino powers out for another double down.

Back up and Sabre hits a heck of a clothesline, only to walk into a reverse Twist And Shout. They trade uppercuts, with Umino hitting one to really rock Sabre. An exchange of kicks goes to Sabre but Umino is back with a springboard tornado DDT. The Zack Driver gives Sabre two and they’re both down again. Umino is back with a lifting DDT for two and a spinning double arm DDT gets the same.

Sabre starts going after the ankle with a variety of holds, including something like a reverse figure four. The rope is finally reached and Umino fights up with some not so great forearms. Another DDT works a bit better as Umino keeps trying to fire up and get the fans behind him. A super Zack Driver is blocked and Umino grabs a super Death Rider to leave both of them down.

Umino stomps away and shoves the referee, which the fans don’t like. Some more stomps keep Sabre down until he drops Umino and kicks away. Another exchange of strikes puts Umino down but he reverses another ankle lock. The ankle gives out though and another Zack Driver gets another two. A Gotch Style piledriver and a Sabre Driver (really creative names there champ) retains at 43:44.

Rating: C+. So the story of the match was Umino needed to step up and finally claim the title to become a star and he just didn’t. The fans never quite seemed to get into him and I only bought Sabre as being somewhat in danger. While not a bad match, it doesn’t feel like a main event of the biggest show of the year. It felt like a match to set up a big moment later, perhaps next year, and that’s only so exciting. Cut off ten to fifteen minutes and this is MUCH better.

Post match Sabre says he’ll be waiting for Umino again and he’ll win tomorrow in another main event. Happy New Year, and it will be the year of TMDK.

Overall Rating: B. This is a show where the action was quite good and nothing on the card is anything close to bad, but there was nothing on this show that felt like it was a must see match. I can go with a collection of good matches, but I could also go with some kind of a special moment of something that makes me want to see what is next. Tsuji winning feels like the start of a long term project and maybe we get some kind of torch passing moment next year, but that doesn’t leave much on this show. I certainly didn’t dislike the show, though it’s definitely not something that makes me think that NJPW is must see right now.

Results
Hirooki Goto won the New Japan Ranbo last eliminating Great O Khan
Ichiban Sweet Boys b. Intergalactic Jet Setters, Catch 2/2 and Bullet Club War Dogs – Fujita pulled down the titles
Mayu Iwatani b. AZM – Dragon suplex
El Phantasmo b. Jeff Cobb, Ryohei Oiwa and Ren Narita – Springboard splash to Narita
Hiroshi Tanahashi b. Evil – Small package
Konosuke Takeshita b. Shingo Takagi – Raging Fire
El Desperado b. Douki via referee stoppage
Yota Tsuji b. David Finlay – Spear
Tetsuya Naito b. Hiromu Takahashi – Destino

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

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It’s that time again as we have the show built around the idea of gust stars from a variety of other promotions. You get to wrestlers from around the world coming in to compete against the stars of AEW, which can make for some rather interesting situations. The buildup to the show is not often the strongest but you can see one heck of a night of action. That should be the case again so let’s get to it.

Zero Hour: Kris Statlander/Momo Watanabe vs. Willow Nightingale/Tam Nakano

This, along with the other two Zero Hour matches, were not important enough to be announced on Dynamite but rather a few hours later on Twitter. I’m not sure I get the thinking, but it isn’t exactly making me interested in what we’ll be seeing here. In this case, Statlander vs. Nightingale is the big draw, as they are already set to face off in the Women’s Owen Hart Tournament.

I’ll go with Statlander and Watanabe winning here to give a bit of doubt about Nightingale being able to make it to the finals of the tournament. That should make for a good match here, but Watanabe and Nakano are people who have not been around AEW very much over the years. That doesn’t exactly make for a big time match, but that is kind of the point in having the match on the Zero Hour show.

Zero Hour: Women’s Owen Hart Tournament First Round: Mariah May vs. Saraya

It’s a little weird to have May on the show when she already has a major role in another, bigger match on the card. For now though, we could be in for a nice match as either of them going forward could be an interesting way to go. Both of them could make for an a solid choice for the next round, though there is some logic that comes into play here which should determine the winner.

At the end of the day, May being involved in the Toni Storm vs. Mina Shirakawa match is a lot more important and there is pretty much no reason for her to go into that spot as a loser. May going over here makes a lot more sense and while there is something to the idea of Saraya going on towards a title shot in London, it isn’t the best option that they have available here.

Zero Hour: Los Ingobernables de Japon vs. Mistico/Lucha Bros

The big draw here is that Mistico and the Bros have never teamed together before. That isn’t the biggest draw in the world but it is certainly a cool enough moment and better than nothing. In other words, this feels like an excuse to get Mistico onto the show and that is not a bad idea. The match itself is only so important here, but that is often the case on Zero Hour.

There is pretty much no reason for Mistico and the Bros to lose here as Mistico can do his stuff and pop the crowd. There are some talented people in Los Ingobernables but it feels like they are here for the sake of making Mistico look that much bigger. It’s not a bad idea either, so hopefully they at least have an entertaining match on the way to the main show proper.

Zero Hour: House Of Black vs. Tomohiro Ishii/Kyle O’Reilly vs. Gabriel Kidd/Roderick Strong vs. Private Party

Yes there is a fourth match on this show, which was added during this week’s Collision. This feels like little more than a way to get a bunch more people onto the card, which is often not the most thrilling way to go. In this case we do have some big names who probably should have been on the show, but that doesn’t exactly make for the most exciting match possible.

I’ll take the House Of Black here, as they’re the biggest of the two regular teams (at least in AEW) and it makes the most sense to give them the win. This is going to be the insane match with everyone going nuts all over the place and trying to get in as much as they can, which isn’t going to be easy given how many people are involved. Odds are it should be fun though and that’s what you want out of a match like this one.

Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Orange Cassidy

We’ll start the main card here as Sabre wants revenge on Cassidy for beating him at last year’s show in a four way match. The other idea is that Cassidy isn’t good enough to beat Sabre on his own and is going to need some kind of special trick to pull it off. I’m not sure what that is going to be, but then again that’s kinds of the point of watching the match in the first place.

As much as I want to take Sabre here, it feels like a situation where Cassidy is coming in as the huge underdog but manages to pull it off somehow anyway, as tends to be his custom. It might not be the most thrilling way to go but that has never really stopped AEW with Cassidy before. It’s always fun to see whatever Sabre can do to torment someone else so we should be in for a good one here with Cassidy winning.

Maxwell Jacob Friedman vs. Hechicero

This is a bit early for a match involving someone as big as MJF but it isn’t like AEW has treated it like anything important. For the second year in a row, MJF’s Forbidden Door match feels like it was thrown on for the sake of giving him something to do and I do not get the thinking behind that move. It’s MJF’s first pay per view match since December and he’s more or less an after thought. That’s quite the odd way to go, but at least it’s an easy pick.

Save for some wacky interference, there is no reason for Hechicero to win here so we’ll take MJF in what should be an easy one. MJF will probably get in some trouble here but then wind up winning anyway, because there is pretty much no reason for Hechicero, who is probably not sticking around, to beat one of the biggest stars in the company. I’m still not sure I get the thinking here, but MJF wins.

Men’s Owen Hart Tournament First Round: Bryan Danielson vs. Shingo Takagi

The roller coaster that is the last full time year of Danielson’s career continues and that means we have another match against a hard hitter. That is kind of his trademark at this point and in this case he actually has a better chance to pull it off. It’s quite the way to go for a first round match in a #1 contenders tournament, but Danielson has a tendency to go a bit nuts anyway.

While Danielson might not have the best win/loss record, there is no reason to believe he goes down here. Takagi is another guy who isn’t likely to be around for the long term, which would likely include another match in the tournament. That leaves Danielson to win a heck of a fight, which isn’t something you get to say very often in AEW but it makes all the sense in the world here.

Learning Tree/Jeff Cobb vs. Samoa Joe/Hook/Katsuyori Shibata

Cobb is substituting for an injured Bryan Keith as Jericho’s latest weird character gets a pay per view match. The good thing about Jericho being in the match is that he can’t talk, which would be about as bad as it could get around here. Joe vs. Cobb is the hoss fight fans would want to see while the rest…well they’re all involved as well, no matter how odd it might be.

I’ll take the Learning Tree and Cobb to win here, as it seems like we’re going to be seeing Jericho do his thing for a long time to come, no matter how much of a mess it might be. That doesn’t go well if he loses his big match as part of the team, so odds are Cobb pins Shibata to get the win, giving Jericho something else to talk about. The match itself should be ok, but egads this has been a rough sit for a good while now.

Elite vs. Acclaimed/Hiroshi Tanahashi

Tanahashi is replacing Billy Gunn for the sake of it’s Forbidden Door and therefore Tanahashi has to be on the show. Much like the Learning Tree match, the good thing here is that if the Bucks are in the match, they can’t be talking (in theory at least) and that should make things a bit less annoying. This feels like a match that should be on Dynamite but here we are instead, though at least the addition of Tanahashi makes it feel more special.

It’s hard to imagine the Bucks losing a big match until Blood And Guts at the earliest so we’ll say the Elite wins here and keeps things going. Odds are we get a rematch of this later on with Gunn in there rather than Tanahashi, but for now at least we should be in for something good enough. The Elite go over though, as they’re a bigger deal than another makeshift team.

TNT Title: Konosuke Takeshita vs. Dante Martin vs. El Phantasmo vs. Mark Briscoe vs. Lio Rush vs. Jack Perry

Here we have a ladder match for the vacant title as Adam Copeland decided that jumping off a cage and landing on his feet was a good idea. The ladder match part makes it all the more eye roll inducing because it’s such a cliché at this point, but it also lets someone potentially steal the title without having to get a pinfall. That opens up some doors, but I think you know where this is going.

As much as I’d love to see someone like Martin, who could actually be made by something like this, get the title, this feels like it’s Perry all day. AEW is obsessed with getting this guy over one way or another and it feels like he’ll do it here as a way to become that much bigger of a deal. The match will be the usual car crash, meaning it’s only going to be so good, but it should be exciting.

Women’s Title: Toni Storm(c) vs. Mina Shirakawa

This is both a title match and part of a love triangle, as both of them are trying to woo Mariah May. That has made for quite the unique story but it is something that has been set up well enough that I’m curious to see where it goes. The match quality itself might be up in the air as Shirakawa doesn’t have a long track record in AEW, but that is far from the most interesting part here.

I’ll go with Storm to win of course, as the title isn’t likely changing hands here, though the question becomes what happens with May. It would not surprise me at all to see her side with Storm before eventually winning the Owen Hart Tournament and getting a shot against Storm at Wembley. For now though, all is right in the world as May signs with Storm and moves forward, though it could be quite the path there.

AEW TBS Title/NJPW Women’s Strong Title: Mercedes Mone(c) vs. Stephanie Vaquer(c)

We’re going title for title here and…I have almost no idea what to expect here as all I’ve seen from Vaquer is most of an eight minute match this week on Collision. Other than that it’s been all hype videos and promos from Mone, which isn’t the best way to go. What matters though is that we have what could be a huge match which could go either way, as the title vs. title stipulation shakes things up.

While there is a chance that Vaquer wins, I can’t imagine Mone loses anywhere near this close to her AEW debut. AEW knows that she is a star and isn’t about to have her lose a big match, or any match for that matter, here. They have also hyped up the idea that she needs to win the NJPW belt, even if that means we are going to be seeing another title running around AEW, because we haven’t had that in a bit.

IWGP World Title: Jon Moxley(c) vs. Tetsuya Naito

This is the other World Title match on the show, which is arguably a bigger match than the main event. Thankfully AEW has managed to avoid treating this as such a big deal, as that would be about as bad of a result as you could get for the AEW World Title. Moxley is already one of the biggest stars in AEW, but that brings up the question of whether or not he gets to retain the title here.

This one could go either way, but I’ll take Naito to win here, as I can’t imagine Moxley being the next big thing in AEW. Naito can get back the title that Moxley took fro him and we could be in for a rather good match on the way there. It also gives the other promotions their big win on the show, which very well could otherwise be dominated by AEW. This one could go either way of course, but I’ll take Naito to get the title back.

AEW World Title: Swerve Strickland(c) vs. Will Ospreay

Here we have the biggest match on the card and thankfully the best built up story. It’s an idea that has been done before, as you have Ospreay as the new ace of the company and Strickland being the “not so fast” champion. Ospreay has pretty much been able to do no wrong so far in AEW and Strickland can work well with anyone. That opens up the door for something great, but there is one thing in the way.

That thing is the Don Callis Family and unfortunately I’m expecting them to be what costs Ospreay the match here. Ospreay getting the World Title at some point seems to be an inevitability, but I would hope that Strickland gets at least one successful defense in the main event spot. Strickland has done incredibly well in this role and this could be another great one, though odds are the Family gets involved to cost Ospreay. It’s predictable, but that’s about all I can expect to happen.

Overall Thoughts

As you can probably tell from here, this is going to be a very long show. Fourteen matches and a show that could go around six hours makes for one heck of a marathon and I’m worried about things getting bogged down by sheer volume. There is a great show in there somewhere but AEW has a tendency to put in way too much on any pay per view. Hopefully they can find a way around it, but they’ve got a big challenge in front of them.

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

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AND

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Dynamite
Date: June 26, 2024
Location: KeyBank Center, Buffalo, New York
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Taz

It’s the last Dynamite before we get to Forbidden Door, meaning it’s time for the final push towards the show. There is a good chance that more matches will be added either tonight or on Rampage or Collision, which doesn’t leave much time to get things ready. Other than that, we have some Owen Hart Tournament matches to cover so let’s get to it.

Here is Collision if you need a recap.

Here is MJF to get things going but Daniel Garcia (hometown boy) cuts him off. MJF is glad the fans love Garcia, but tread lightly. Garcia thanks him for the save last week but says this is his town and his business. He is here to do something new: say nice things about MJF! That works for MJF, so Garcia talks about MJF’s accomplishments, including beating Garcia in a World Title match.

That loss set him off on the run of a lifetime, so why settle for being a pillar when he can be the workhorse around here? For that, he thanks MJF, but does mention MJF being two faced. MJF hypes up Forbidden Door (getting the date wrong) but then thanks Garcia for actually thanking him for what he does behind the scenes. Garcia got his title shot because he earned it and because he reminds MJF of himself.

The thing to remember though is that MJF beat Garcia, but maybe he should get one more shot…say at All In. Garcia says that’s huge but here is Will Ospreay to interrupt. Ospreay says he appreciates Garcia, who has been earning a shot by earning win after win. Not only that, but he’s been doing it faster than Ospreay “lasts in the bedroom Bruv.”

After an apology to his lady friend at home, Ospreay says the title shot is on for next week…and we’ll make it a World Title match too since Ospreay is winning that at Forbidden Door. Works for Garcia, so Ospreay leaves and MJF isn’t happy. MJF tells him to focus on his big shot and leaves in a hurry. The fact that MJF’s match against Hechicero on Sunday was barely mentioned isn’t a great sign for that one, but it’s not like they have anything to talk about anyway.

Swerve Strickland doesn’t get why Ospreay isn’t making promises he won’t be able to keep, because that isn’t very World Champion-esque. Fans: “WE CAN’T HEAR YOU!”

Blackpool Combat Club vs. Los Ingobernables de Japon

Bryan Danielson is on commentary and it’s Titan/Shingo Takagi/Hiromu Takahashi for Los Ingobernables. Castagnoli runs Takagi over with a shoulder to start and they slug it out, as you might have expected. A hiptoss puts Castagnoli down and he’s rather impressed. Takahashi comes in for a running hurricanrana to Yuta and it’s off to Titan for a running clothesline in the corner. There’s the big dive to the floor but Castagnoli comes back in and pulls Titan out of the air to take over.

We take a break and come back with Titan kicking Castagnoli’s leg out but it’s off to Moxley, who gets hit in the face. Everything breaks down and it’s a slugout between Moxley and Takagi. Moxley bites his face but gets put down with a clothesline, meaning it’s off to Yuta vs. Takahashi. A rather snappy German suplex sends Takahashi down but he’s back with a Death Valley Driver. Then Moxley hits Takahashi with a chair for the DQ at 10:48.

Rating: B-. It was fun while it lasted but the ending was kind of out of nowhere. Maybe they’re playing up the idea that Moxley is wild and violent before his IWGP World Title defense against Tetsuya Naito on Sunday but it only went so far. Other than that, this was the Club against another group of guest stars, which has kind of been done to death lately.

Post match the brawl is on until Tetsuya Naito comes in for the brawl. Takagi hammers on Yuta until Danielson makes the save.

Men’s Owen Hart Tournament First Round: Jay White vs. Rey Fenix

The rest of the Bang Bang Gang is here with White while Penta El Zero Miedo is here with Fenix. Everyone at ringside wants to grab a chair so the referee ejects them all before the bell. Fenix grabs a very fast rollup for two so White chops away at him to take over. Fenix is right back up with a springboard armdrag to send White outside, which of course means a big dive to take him down again. Back in and White grabs a quick flipping neckbreaker for two as we take a break.

We come back with White firing off more chops but Fenix kicks him down. A frog splash gets a rather delayed two but White spins him into a DDT for a knockdown. The brainbuster gives White two, only to have Fenix reverse the Blade Runner into a rollup for two of his own. Fenix tries the Fire Thunder Driver but White reverses into the Blade Runner for the pin at 9:18.

Rating: C+. This only had so much time and I was expecting a bit more from them. White getting a singles win is almost weird to see as he has spent so much time as part of a team. I’m not sure I can imagine him going very far in the whole thing but giving him a single win isn’t going to hurt anything.

Post match the Bang Bang Gang comes back and here is the Patriarchy to stare them down. Then the Patriarchy leaves.

The Young Bucks blame the Acclaimed for the cheating in last week’s match as the Bucks were pushed to it. With that out of the way, they brag about the Elite’s success and next week, they’ll get to pick their own Wild Card into the Men’s Owen Hart Tournament so the World Title can come to the team.

Here are the Acclaimed and Billy Gunn for a chat. Caster refers to the Bucks as the “cucks” and showed how inept they are at running anything. They’re going to decide when to issue the challenge for the Tag Team Titles….but here is the Elite to interrupt. They get right to the point and issue the challenge for a six man tag at Forbidden Door. Gunn says he’s kind of a big deal and knows a president, so we get a video from Hiroshi Tanahashi, who says he is coming to Forbidden Door to fight the Elite. So did Gunn have that video ready just in case the Elite issued a challenge for a six man?

The Conglomeration is ready to win everything on Sunday, with Kyle O’Reilly calling Zack Sabre Jr. a scalawag. Mark Briscoe goes into a rant about various horrible things that Sabre Jr. is like, including Peppa Pig. Orange Cassidy thinks that went well, which has been the case every time they’ve let Briscoe go insane.

Mina Shirakawa/Toni Storm/Mariah May vs. Outcasts/Anna Jay

May is dragged to the entrance by Storm but stays on the stage to come to the ring with Shirakawa (following a rather snazzy dance routine). Jay and Shirakawa start things off with the former sliding down and dancing a bit. Back up and a springboard kick to the face rocks Jay so it’s off to May for some shaking. Cameron comes in for some elbows to the back but May isn’t sure who she should tag. Instead she stays in, allowing Saraya and Jay to pull Storm and Shirakawa to the floor.

We take a break and come back with May and Cameron grabbing stereo hair takedowns. Storm comes in and sends Saraya flying with a German suplex, setting up the hip attack. Shirakawa tags herself in and everything breaks down, with the Mina Driver (I think) finishing Cameron at 6:57.

Rating: C+. They are playing the heck out of the triangle deal here and it’s working well enough. I’m curious to see where they go on Sunday but odds are they have some kind of a way out of it. Other than that, I’m a bit relieved that Jay didn’t take the pin here, as she seemed to be added for little more than that.

Post match May has the other two toast the champagne. May then dances with Storm, leaving Shirakawa to grab the champagne bottle….which hits May by mistake. Storm is not pleased and seething ensues.

Video on Mercedes Mone vs. Stephanie Vaquer.

Mone is here and says it’s funny that Vaquer isn’t. Vaquer will be wrestling on Collision and Mone will be there too.

Here is the Learning Tree for a chat, with Bryan Keith’s arm in a sling. They aren’t happy with Keith’s arm being injured, but Samoa Joe and company has challenged them to a six man anyway. The Sensei of the Sickos (Chris Jericho that is) has an idea though, so here is their third man: Minoru Suzuki!

But hang on, as Suzuki says he wants to fight Jericho for the FTW Title rather than team with him. Jericho said that he hadn’t watched the video (and that Suzuki was a fellow Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall Of Famer). Cue Samoa Joe and company, with Joe saying this is awkward. Katsuyori Shibata sums up the situation with his computer saying “this guy sucks” and the fight is on, with the Learning Tree bailing.

Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Kyle O’Reilly

Orange Cassidy is on commentary and Roderick Strong is watching from ringside. They go to the grappling to start (shocking I know) with O’Reilly flipping over him into a standoff. Sabre goes after the arm but O’Reilly is away just as quickly and we have a standoff. O’Reilly takes over on the mat by cranking on the leg but Sabre slips out and stomps him down as we take a break.

Back with O’Reilly striking away until Sabre pulls him into an abdominal stretch. That’s broken up as well so it’s time for O’Reilly to win a strike off. O’Reilly suplexes him into a cross armbreaker before switching into an ankle lock. That’s broken up so O’Reilly snaps off a German suplex for the knockdown. They exchange kicks to the head and then slap it out until Sabre pulls him into a Disarm-Her for the tap at 10:59.

Rating: B. This was exactly what you would have expected it was going to be from these two and it went rather well. It was two guys who are masters at technical wrestling getting to do their thing for a good while until one of them gave up. Solid match, though I’m still only so interested in seeing Sabre vs. Cassidy on Sunday.

Post match Cassidy goes to the ring to check on O’Reilly as Sabre’s partners, the Mighty Don’t Kneel, come in. Cue Tomohiro Ishii to even things out and the villains run off.

Swerve Strickland/Will Ospreay vs. Gates Of Agony

The Gates jump them at the bell and the beating is on in a hurry. We settle down to Ospreay jumping over Kaun and sending him flying with a monkey flip. A standing moonsault hits Kaun and Swerve gets two, only to have to block an accidental big boot from Ospreay. The distraction lets Liona run both of the over with a clothesline and we take a break.

Back with Swerve kicking his way up from the mat but Kaun pulls Ospreay off the apron to break up the tag. Kaun dropkicks Liona by mistake though and the tag brings Ospreay in to clean house. The standing shooting star press gets two on Kaun but he catches Ospreay on top for a super Jackhammer. Swerve is back with a Stomp from the apron to the floor to take Kaun down. Back in and Ospreay superkicks Swerve by mistake, leaving Kaun to hit a Pounce for two. Swerve is back up but his boot misses Ospreay (in theory) and hits Liona, setting up the Oscutter for two more. The Hidden Blade finishes Liona at 10:08.

Rating: C+. This was about adding more spice to the World Title match and it worked well enough, or at least as well as you can get with the Gates being involved. Strickland vs. Ospreay should be a heck of a match on Sunday, though I’m worried about how overshadowed it might be. Maybe this match boosts it up a bit, but they have some work to do.

Post match Ospreay picks up both titles and gets House Called for his efforts to end the show.

Overall Rating: B-. The show was fine enough but my goodness I do not care about Forbidden Door and I never can. The show always winds up being good but the build always comes off as “and then we have this person and this person and this person and this person” as guest stars.

It certainly has an audience of some kind, though I can never bring myself to get interested in this. That was on full display this week as we have a bunch of people added to the show at the last minute. Forbidden Door will be good, but I don’t care for the build and never have. Some of the other stuff worked well, like the Women’s Title match and the World Title, but that’s only a portion of a rather long two-plus hour show.

Results
Los Ingobernables de Japon b. Blackpool Combat Club via DQ when Moxley used a chair
Jay White b. Rey Fenix – Blade Runner
Mina Shirakawa/Toni Storm/Mariah May b. Outcasts/Anna Jay – Mina Driver to Cameron
Zack Sabre Jr. b. Kyle O’Reilly – Disarm-Her
Swerve Strickland/Will Ospreay b. Gates Of Agony – Hidden Blade to Liona

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Dynamite
Date: June 19, 2024
Location: EagleBank Arena, Fairfax, Virginia
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Taz

We are about a week and a half away from Forbidden Door and there is a good chance that we will see some more matches added this week. Other than that, we have a pay per view quality match with Rush facing MJF to open the show. That could open the door for both of them to do something else at the pay per view so let’s get to it.

Here is Collision if you need a recap.

Maxwell Jacob Friedman vs. Rush

This is commercial free. Rush slugs away to start and drops down, only to have MJF strut over him. MJF loads up a chop, teases it for a long time, and then pokes him in the eye instead. The referee checks on Rush in the corner, which is enough of a distraction for Rush to headbutt him down. Back up and Rush hits him in the face and then unloads with forearms in the corner, allowing the Tranquilo pose. As you might expect, MJF charges at him and hammers away but Rush knocks him down again.

The Bull’s Horns misses though and MJF gets two off a small package. A lifting DDT (ala Saraya’s Rampaige) gives MJF two and a piledriver gets the same, allowing a quick breather. MJF’s charge is suplexed into the corner and a cross arm piledriver gives Rush two. They go outside for some hard rams into the barricade and MJF is in big trouble.

Rush throws a chair inside, and the distraction allows him to get in some whipping with an electric cable. A missed charge sends Rush into the barricade but he’s fine enough to suplex a charging MJF off the apron. Back in and the Bull’s Horns is cut off with a hard clothesline and MJF grabs a spinebuster. The Heatseeker into a brainbuster finishes for MJF at 14:19.

Rating: B. It was a hard hitting match though thankfully not as dominant as most of Rush’s matches. MJF had to get in his shots where he could and that worked out well, which is about all you can ask for in something like this. MJF should be on his way to something big at Forbidden Door, as he’s going to need something important after his comeback win here.

Post match, the Cage of Agony pops up to announce MJF vs. Hechicero at Forbidden Door. The match is apparently not official so MJF….has nothing to say.

Mark Briscoe and friends are ready for revenge and redemption….but Jack Perry walks by to annoy them. For tonight though, it’s an all-star tag match. Then Orange Cassidy gives Renee Paquette a bracelet.

Here are Will Ospreay and Swerve Strickland for a face to face chat. Ospreay brags about his success and calls himself the best in the world, but Swerve says that’s him. They’ve taken different career paths but here they are, coming to Forbidden Door at the same time. Swerve asks if Don Callis is going to be helping Ospreay try (yes try) to win the World Title. Ospreay says he can do this by himself and lists off his wins. Ospreay: “Bruv, while you had a hit row, I had a hit list.”

What if that kill shot from Swerve is just a bit off? It doesn’t matter what Ospreay does to Swerve, because Swerve is going to wake up without that World Title. Swerve says Ospreay can thank him for his firs pay per view main event but what if Swerve breaks Ospreay’s leg? If Ospreay can’t wrestle, who is he? Swerve doesn’t think Ospreay is ready to sacrifice the love of his wife or his son, with the mention of the latter making Ospreay much more serious.

Prince Nana has to break it up, but Swerve asks what if he does make it personal. Send his regards to Ospreay’s wife and son, which has the two of them going face to face but it doesn’t get physical. This was a heck of a segment, with both of them bringing the intensity and Swerve selling the stakes of the match, both with and without the title.

Don Callis tells the Family that it’s all going to be fine.

Mark Briscoe/Kyle O’Reilly/Orange Cassidy/Dante Martin vs. Kyle Fletcher/Roderick Strong/Zack Sabre Jr./Konosuke Takeshita

It’s a brawl to start with Cassidy and Sabre being left in the ring. That’s broken up so Fletcher sends Briscoe outside for a suicide dive. O’Reilly grabs a kneebar on Strong in the ropes, with Sabre putting Cassidy in an octopus next to them. Briscoe nails the step up flip dive onto Fletcher, with Martin adding a springboard flip dive as we take a break.

Back with a tag match breaking out and Sabre flipping Cassidy into a sunset flip for two. Takeshita comes in and drops Cassidy but he gets over to O’Reilly rather easily. Strong drops O’Reilly, who gets back up and slugs his way to freedom. Martin comes in but gets caught with a heck of a powerbomb, with Briscoe making the save.

We take another break and come back with Briscoe coming back in to clean house. Takeshita gets put down and it’s the Froggy Bow into a frog splash into Cassidy’s falling top rope elbow for two with Sabre making the save. Red Neck Kung Fu takes Sabre down but we hit the parade of knockdowns. Martin hits a pair of dives and Briscoe adds the apron Blockbuster to Takeshita. Sabre’s European Clutch gets two on Cassidy but O’Reilly shoves him out of the way to take Strong’s running knee. The Orange Punch finishes Strong at 16:44.

Rating: B+. This is one of the places where AEW tends to shine as it was a bunch of insanity with everyone going nuts and getting in their stuff. The Cassidy vs. Sabre stuff helps build towards their Forbidden Door match while last week had already seemingly set up Briscoe vs. Fletcher. That should be enough but maybe we get another match or two out of here in some combination.

Post match Jack Perry comes in to deck Martin, leaving Cassidy and Sabre to stare each other down.

Mercedes Mone is ready for Stephanie Vaquer.

Don Callis comes in to see Rush.

Young Bucks vs. Acclaimed

Non-title, Billy Gunn isn’t here and Caster’s rap is cut off again, with Kazuchika Okada being shown turning off the microphone. It’s a brawl before the bell, with Matt being caught in a neckbreaker/backbreaker combination. Scissor Me Timbers hits Nick so it’s off to Matt, who walks into a hiptoss. The Bucks take over on Caster though and we take an early break.

Back with Bowens hitting the jumping Fameasser on Matt but his bad leg gives out again. A superkick gives Matt two and the Swanton in the ropes gets the same. Caster is knocked outside but Bowens blocks the EVP Trigger. Stereo superkicks get two with Caster making the save. The EVP Trigger connects but Caster breaks it up again. A powerbomb/Sliced Bread combination gets two on Bowens and the Bucks are stunned. Nick brings in the belt but hits Matt by mistake, setting up the Arrival into the Mic Drop for the pin at 10:17.

Rating: C+. It’s nice to see the Bucks giving a team a win, even if there is a grand total of zero chance the Acclaimed win the titles whenever they get their shot. Bowens kicking out of the powerbomb combination was good, but this felt more like the Acclaimed won when the Bucks screwed up rather than beating them. That doesn’t exactly make me want to see a rematch, but the Bucks are the stars so they’re going to be the focus no matter what anyway.

Samoa Joe and Hook talk about….calzones, before storming the Premiere Athletes’ locker room. They find a note with a challenge for a six man, with Katsuyori Shibata, holding the camera, being in as well.

Here is Mariah May to emcee the contract signing between Toni Storm and Mina Shirakawa. After extensive cheek kissing, May says she loves them both but Shirakawa tells her to shut up. Shirakawa says Storm was a big deal in Stardom but she is weak as champion. The fans want Shirakawa, so she’s taking the title and May at Forbidden Door. Shirakawa signs but Storm threatens to slap her chest off if she talks to May again.

Storm signs but Shirakawa says May must choose. Cue the Outcasts to say enough of this, with Anna Jay sneaking in from behind. The beatdown is on but Storm takes her shoe off to clean house. Storm’s hip attack misses though and she goes through the table. I’m not sure I get the backstory, but I get enough of the story of Storm vs. Shirakawa and that’s more than I get for most of the Forbidden Door card.

Video on Claudio Castagnoli vs. Pac.

Women’s Owen Hart Tournament First Round: Kris Statlander vs. Nyla Rose

Stokely Hathaway is here with Statlander, who slugs away to no avail to start. Rose is back up with a crossbody but Statlander sends her outside as we take a break. Back with Rose powering her into the corner and hitting a running clothesline, setting up the Cannonball. The Beast Bomb is countered and Statlander kicks her in the head for two. The 450 misses for Statlander but she crotches Rose up top. Wednesday Night Fever finishes for Statlander at 7:52.

Rating: C+. This was a good enough power match, assuming you could get much out of a match that runs about eight minutes and has a break in the middle. We very well could be heading for a Statlander vs. Willow Nightingale showdown, which has been set up for a few weeks now. It also shows how much it helps when you have a monster like Rose, as beating her makes Statlander look that much more important.

Post match Stokely calls out Willow Nightingale, who pops up on screen to say she’ll see Statlander in the second round.

We look at Private Party beating up the Learning Tree last week.

Private Party is ready for their upcoming match but the Learning Tree comes in, with Chris Jericho warning them to avoid the piledriver. “That doesn’t work for me brother!” More of the usual from Jericho.

Daniel Garcia vs. Rhett Titus

Titus starts fast but gets dropkicked into the corner. Some neckbreakers set up the Red Cross for the pin at 1:00.

Post match the Cage of Agony runs in to beat down Garcia and Matt Menard (who was on commentary). MJF makes the save but gets beaten down, so Will Ospreay makes the real save. The Ospreay vs. MJF staredown gets the fans’ attention.

Post break, Brian Cage and Will Ospreay yell at each other and a match is made for Collision.

Men’s Owen Hart Tournament First Round: Pac vs. Claudio Castagnoli

Bryan Danielson is on commentary. Pac starts fast and knocks him to the floor, only to charge into one heck of a Swiss Death as we take a break. Back with Pac slugging away and avoiding a charge to send Castagnoli into the post. Pac snaps off a hurricanrana to the floor and an Asai moonsault drops Castagnoli again. A springboard elbow hits Castagnoli again and it’s time to slug it out.

Pac’s German suplex just wakes Castagnoli up again so Pac kicks him down, only to miss the Black Arrow. Castagnoli’s uppercut gets two so he sends Pac swinging. The Riccola Bomb is loaded up but Pac reverses into the Brutalizer, which is reversed into the Sharpshooter. With that almost broken up, Castagnoli switches into a crossface, which is escaped as well. They trade rollups for two each until Pac manages to keep him down for the pin at 11:07. Danielson is impressed.

Rating: B. It’s nice to see Pac getting a win here and beating Castagnoli is quite the mountain to conquer. Pac is still an impressive star and it’s nice to have him around for a slightly extended period of time for a change. If nothing else, we could be seeing Danielson vs. Pac later in the tournament and that could be a rather good one.

Post match Castagnoli won’t shake hands, with Danielson trying to calm him down to end the show.

Overall Rating: B+. As usual, you get a better AEW show when they are mainly focused on the in-ring action rather than anything else. The Young Bucks didn’t get to talk and Chris Jericho only had a quick backstage segment so things were a bit better than usual. At the same time, you had the Forbidden Door build, which was as rapid fire as usual, but there are enough good things on there to make it work. Rather strong show this week.

Results
Maxwell Jacob Friedman b. Rush – Brainbuster
Mark Briscoe/Kyle O’Reilly/Orange Cassidy/Dante Martin b. Kyle Fletcher/Roderick Strong/Zack Sabre Jr./Kazuchika Okada – Orange Punch to Strong
Acclaimed b. Young Bucks – Mic Drop to Matt
Kris Statlander b. Nyla Rose – Wednesday Night Fever
Daniel Garcia b. Rhett Titus – Red Cross
Pac b. Claudio Castagnoli – 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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Wrestle Kingdom XVIII
Date: January 4, 2024
Location: Tokyo Dome, Tokyo, Japan
Commentators: Walker Stewart, Chris Charlton, Rocky Romero

It’s the biggest non-American show of the year and the show tends to be rather awesome. New Japan hasn’t seemed as prominent in recent months but this show is always worth at least a look. The main event will see IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Sanada defending against Tetsuya Naito, plus a secondary big match between Kazuchika Okada and Bryan Danielson. Let’s get to it.

Note that I barely keep up with New Japan so I will not know a good deal of backstories, alliances or anything in that area. I’ll be primarily going off what commentary tells me.

New Japan Ranbo

90 second (ish) intervals and the final four are qualifiers for the King Of Pro Wrestling competition (which is a whole thing in its own right). Chase Owens is in at #1 and Great O Khan is in at #2. They go with the expected striking and grappling to start but neither can get anywhere. Gabriel Kidd is in at #3 and gets to beat on both of them, as tends to be the case. Alex Coughlin (Kidd’s stable mate) is in at #4 as O Khan chops away at Kidd in the corner.

The double teaming is on until Jeff Cobb is in at #5 and house is quickly cleaned. Coughlin gets in some shots of his own and it’s Henare in at #6. O Khan, Henare and Cobb (stable mates in the United Empire) get rid of Coughlin and Kidd so here is Tomohiro Ishii in at #7. The trio goes after Ishii but can’t really do much to slow him down. Mikey Nicholls is in at #8 and slugs it out with Henare to little effect. Cobb can’t get rid of Ishii so we keep up with the brawling on the ropes until Shane Haste (Nicholls’ partner in the Mighty Don’t Kneel) is in at #9.

Haste dropkicks Ishii to start and Nicholls suplexes O Khan as Yujiro Takahashi is in at #10. For some reason he brings in a cane, which goes horribly wrong. The Mighty manage to get rid of Cobb and Henare (off camera) but Master Wato is in at #11 to keep the ring a bit more full. That gives us Owens, O Khan, Ishii, Nicholls, Haste, Takahashi and Wato. Yoshinobu Kanemaru is in at #12 and gets to stomp on pretty much everyone else.

A triple submission has O Khan in a lot of trouble but more brawling ensues instead of an elimination. Yoh is in at #13 and is wearing a track suit instead of regular gear so the Mighty beat him up out of principle. Ishii blocks a double suplex and DDTs the Mighty instead as Sho (the Murder Machine) is in at #14. Yoh, his former partner, comes up to brawl with him on the ramp, meaning it’s a fight over Sho’s….wrench. Uh yeah wrench.

Sho gets the better of things and it’s Fujita Hayato in at #15. That seems to be a big surprise and he jumps both Sho and Yoh on the ramp. The three of them get inside with Hayato cleaning house. Taiji Ishimori is in at #16 as Ishii puts Haste on the apron and sends Nicholls into him for the elimination. Ishii and Nicholls go to the apron, where the latter is eliminated as well. Some interference gets rid of Ishii and Hayato is kicked out as Douki is in at #17.

Douki and Ishimori are dumped out by some double teaming and Toru Yano is in at #18. His entrance takes so long that it’s Takashi Iizuka (apparently retired but still rather scary) is in at #19. House is quickly cleaned and Iizuka, after rejecting a House Of Torture shirt, grabs a choke. Taichi is in at #20 (singing his way to the ring) but Iizuka is up with some kind of iron claw (must be a movie fan) to beat up various people.

Sho and Kanemaru are tossed, leaving us with Taichi vs. Iizuka, which apparently has a history. They shake hands but Iizuka bites him in the head, allowing a bunch of people to toss them both out. We’re down to Owens, O Khan, Ishimori, Yoh and Yano (apparently there were some off screen eliminations), with everyone going after O Khan. Owens takes him to the apron but gets knocked out instead, leaving O Khan, Ishimori, Yoh and Yano as the winners at 32:43.

Rating: C+. This is the “get a lot of people on the show” match but this edition worked a bit better than previous years. It felt like they were trying to put some stories in there rather than random people coming out and getting in fights. I liked this well enough and it was a fun start to the show, with the fans certainly seeming to be stunned by Iizuka, who did look cool.

A brawl ensues post match and an announcer loses his clothes for some reason.

As usual, the opening video runs down the card in order (still not sure if I like that or not) with the bigger matches getting the attention.

IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Titles: Catch 22 vs. Bullet Club War Dogs

Catch 22 (Francesco Akira/TJP) are challenging Clark Connors/Drilla Moloney. TJP was locked in a coffin in an earlier match so here he has to claw out and seems a bit more monstrous. We get the intros and TJP reveals one heck of a scary mask (to go with the claws, because he has claws). TJP starts for the champs but gets sent outside for a quick double teaming, including a double dive. Connors is rather pleased and chains TJP to the barricade.

Akira gets beaten down inside and the bleeding Moloney gets in some shots of his own to keep Akira down. Connors powers him into the corner but Akira manages to ram them into each other, setting up a Canadian Destroyer. TJP is back in (commentary isn’t sure how he got free either) and it’s time to clean house.

A running knee in the corner rocks Moloney as everything breaks down. The Drilla Killa (over the shoulder running piledriver) hits TJP but he pops up, only to be taken down by Connors. A spear knocks Akira off the apron as Drilla gets two on TJP. Everyone gets back in and TJP mists Moloney, setting up stereo running knees to give Catch 22 the titles back at 9:26.

Rating: B-. Well they weren’t going to have Catch 22 loses after that kind of an entrance and this made for a good opener to the show proper. Catch 22 has been a good team every time I’ve seen them and the War Dogs got to show off here as well, which is often the case in an opener like this. Good stuff here as the show is starting well.

TV Title: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Zack Sabre Jr.

Tanahashi (now the company’s president) is challenging and the match has a fifteen minute time limit. Sabre goes after the arms to start and spins around to grab a hammerlock. A quick Twist and Shout gets Tanahashi out of trouble and then does it a few more times to set up a Sling Blade for two. Tanahashi hits a high crossbody but the High Fly Flow (frog splash) hits raised knees. Sabre’s PK is cut off so Tanahashi goes for the Texas Cloverleaf.

That’s reversed into a triangle choke, which is reversed into another Cloverleaf. With that broken up, Sabre grabs a cross armbreaker, only to have them fight over an abdominal stretch. Tanahashi rolls him up for two and they get up for a chop off. Sabre pulls him into a choke so Tanahashi flips backwards for two and the…well not escape actually as Sabre hangs on. Sabre twists his boots around Tanahashi’s head and they trade rollups….with Tanahashi actually getting the pin and the title at 8:51.

Rating: B. This didn’t have a ton of time to get things going but there’s the point of the time limit. I do like the idea of seeing the ending coming out of nowhere as it was a nice surprise and played up the idea of Tanahashi getting what might be one last moment. I’m sure there ill be jokes about Tanahashi getting the title after he takes over the company but Tanahashi winning a title feels right.

Post match Tanahashi wishes the fans a happy new year.

Yota Tsuji vs. Yuya Uemura

These two seem to have quite the rivalry with Tsuji looking rather evil. Feeling out process to start with Tsuji powering him out to the floor, setting up a heck of a suicide dive. Back in and Tsuji keeps up the slow beating but gets pulled into a quickly broken cross armbreaker. Tsuji kicks him down again but Uemura comes back up with some slaps to the face. The always nice dropkick puts Tsuji down and they both get a breather.

A belly to back suplex plants Tsuji but the high crossbody misses. They go up top, where Tsuji backflips down and superkicks a diving Uemura out of the air. A suplex into a powerbomb (cool) gets two on Uemura but he avoids a Curb Stomp. Instead Uemura snaps off a German suplex and a dragon suplex gets two on Tsuji. The Deadbolt (a double arm trap suplex) finishes for Uemura at 10:59.

Rating: B-. This was a match where it felt like they were telling a story, with the evil Tsuji facing the more wholesome Uemura. You could see Uemura doing the technical stuff and ultimately winning with a catchy suplex. Good stuff here, and it seems to be part of a rivalry that is going to be continuing.

House Of Torture vs. Shota Umino/Kaito Kiyomiya

Kaito is from Pro Wrestling Noah and Umino comes down on a motorcycle. The House is Ren Narita/Evil, flanked by all kinds of people. It’s a brawl to start and Umino and Kiyomiya grab stereo submissions. Fellow House member Yoshinobu Kanemaru rings the bell for the save and the ref if bumped in there somewhere. Dick Togo comes in for an assisted low blow for a delayed two on Kiyomiya.

Somehow Kiyomiya gets over for the tag but he has to beat up more of the House on the floor. Back in and a Trident (reverse inverted DDT) and a series of strikes get two on Narita. Evil makes the save with…something that looked like a jacket and Everything Is Evil plants Kiyomiya. Umino German suplexes Narita but he’s back with some kind of a bar to Umino’s face for the pin at 7:04.

Rating: C. I’ve seen the House more than once over the years and nothing they’ve done has made me want to see more. It’s like cheating is the only thing they do rather than something that they do and that gets old in a hurry. Umino vs. Narita feels like part of a big feud (tends to be the case with former Young Lions) so odds are they have a long way to go.

Never Openweight Title: Tama Tonga vs. Shingo Takagi

Takagi is defending and this is more or less the tough man title. As such they slug it out to start and trade shoulders to limited avail. Takagi gets caught with a dropkick to cut him down, followed by a suplex to do it again. Back up and Takagi manages a running elbow to the face and Tonga is knocked outside. That means the big running flip dive, followed by some seemingly meaningful yelling into the camera back inside.

Tonga manages to neckbreaker his way to freedom, followed by a top rope superplex for a heck of a bounce. Takagi is back up but can’t hit Last Off The Dragon. Instead it’s a Tonga Twist into a frog splash for two. One heck of a powerbomb gives Takagi two of his own and they both need a breather.

Tonga is right back with a Gun Stun, followed by Bloody Sunday for one. Takagi gets up so Tonga BLASTS HIM with a clothesline to put him back down. Tonga’s running forearm doesn’t work so Takagi hits his own Gun Stun. Made In Japan is good for a rather near fall but a second is escaped. Tonga hits a Styles Clash into another Gun Stun into the DSD (or something like that) for the pin and the title at 13:47.

Rating: B. These matches tend to be about who can hit the other the hardest and keep getting up and that’s what we had here. I’ll take this kind of a match over the “you chop me, I’ll chop you” fests as they were both laying it in throughout this one. Tonga wins the title back, which seems to be a recurring theme, but it’s also a nice fit for him. Good fight here, though I’m not sure if there was much of a story built in.

Nick Nemeth (Dolph Ziggler) and his brother Ryan Nemeth are here in a surprise.

IWGP Tag Team Titles/Strong Openweight Tag Team Titles: Bishamon vs. Guerrillas Of Destiny

For both sets of titles (not unification), with Bishamon (Hirooki Goto/Yoshi Hashi) holding the IWGP and the Guerrillas (Hikuleo/El Phantasmo) holding the Strong. Hashi chops away at Phantasmo to start but Goto comes in to run him over. Hikuleo comes in for a double suplex to take over and the fans seem impressed. A side slam into a middle rope elbow gets two on Goto as the Guerrillas clear the ring.

Sudden Death (superkick) is broken up though and Hashi suplexes his way out of trouble. The bigger Hikuleo is sent outside and a running Blockbuster/Russian legsweep combination drops Phantasmo. Back up and Phantasmo manages a running hurricanrana to bring Goto off the top and into Hashi for a big crash. Phantasmo superkicks Hikuleo by mistake though and it’s Goto getting to make the comeback.

An assisted knee to the chest gives Goto two on Phantasmo and an assisted Nightmare On Helm Street gets the same, with Hikuleo making the save this time. Goto manages a fireman’s carry backbreaker for two on Hikuleo but Phantasmo is back in with a superkick to put Goto down. With Phantasmo moonsaulting onto Hashi, setting up Super Thunder Kiss 86 (that’s a great name) for a rather near fall and what is apparently a first time kickout. A piledriver into a frog splash from Hikuleo finishes Goto for the titles at 9:46.

Rating: B. The match was good but it never hit that next level. I’ve heard little but praise for Bishamon and while they were doing good stuff here, it felt like the first half of what should have been a bigger match. The results also felt like a bit of an upset, even with the other champions having a rather rough night so far.

Celebrating ensues post match.

IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title: El Desperado vs. Hiromu Takahashi

Takahashi is defending and these two feel like they’ve been feuding on and off forever. Desperado doesn’t feel like waiting around so he drops Takahashi with a running flip dive to the floor. Back in and Desperado has to bail out of a top rope splash, allowing Takahashi to hit a running corner dropkick. They head back to the floor with Takahashi sending him over the barricade, followed by a Falcon Arrow for one back inside.

Desperado pulls him into a Brock Lock to work on the leg, with Takahashi bailing straight to the rope. The leg is banged up though and a shinbreaker makes it worse. Takahashi manages a quick knockdown for a breather and then backdrops his way out of a double underhook. They both need a breather before Takahashi grabs a rebound German suplex. Desperado gets the Block Lock again but Takahashi fights out, this time grabbing the Time Bomb for two.

Time Bomb II doesn’t quite work due to the knee so Desperado winds up on top. A super sitout bulldog is countered though, with Desperado hitting a swinging belly to back superplex instead. Desperado misses the big right hand and gets superkicked down to rock him rather well. Time Bomb II is countered again, this time with Desperado hitting something like an Angle Slam. Pinche Loco gets two on Takahashi and they both need another breather. Desperado is back up with a Jay Driller into another Pinche Loco for the pin and the title at 13:51.

Rating: B+.Yeah this worked and you can tell that the two of them have worked together a bunch of times. They had the chemistry flowing and it felt like they were building all the way throughout. Desperado winning the title feels like a huge moment and that’s how something like this is supposed to feel. Probably the best match on the show thus far and I worked rather well.

IWGP Global Heavyweight Title: Jon Moxley vs. David Finlay vs. Will Ospreay

For the inaugural Title, which is replacing the United States Title, which was held by Ospreay. Moxley and Ospreay, who have a pre-match agreement (which only lasts five minutes), jump Finlay to start so he bails out to the floor. The fans don’t approve, but they do like Ospreay kicking Finlay in the face. Moxley crotches Finlay on the barricade for a running clothesline and the double beating goes into the aisle. Finlay manages to send Moxley over some crates and goes after Ospreay, only to get dropped by Moxley again.

A table is loaded up and Finlay is sent through it but the five minute time limit is (mostly) up so Ospreay and Moxley can fight each other. They forearm it out until Moxley grabs a nasty German suplex. Ospreay is able to catch him in the corner with the Cheeky Nandos kick but Moxley snaps off a sleeper suplex. Ospreay’s Spanish Fly is countered into a cross armbreaker but Moxley can’t hang on.

The Death Rider and Stormbreaker are both broken up but Finlay is back on his feet. A neckbreaker (with shillelagh) puts Ospreay down on the apron but Moxley (yes he’s bleeding) is back up. That’s fine with Ospreay, who hits a handspring double kick to the head. Ospreay sends them both outside for a heck of a moonsault. Back in and Moxley is fine enough to hit the Death Rider for two on Ospreay, followed by the bulldog choke. Ospreay is back up but the Stormbreaker is countered into a sunset flip.

With Moxley blocking said flip, he piledrives the invading Finlay onto Ospreay for two in a clever counter. Moxley grabs some chairs to throw inside, one of which hits Ospreay square in the head, and two of which are set up back to back. That takes too long of course, allowing Finlay to put Moxley down and plant Ospreay onto him. Moxley is back up to Death Ride Ospreay, who pops back up with the Hidden Blade, only to have Finlay steal the cover for two. Finlay gets sent outside but comes right back, where he is promptly beaten back down.

Ospreay and Moxley load up something but cue the Bullet Club War Dogs to jump both of them. Some tables are loaded up outside, allowing Moxley and Ospreay to fight back. The Dogs are put on the tables for a huge Swanton from Ospreay, with Coughlin being left in a hole in the table. Back in and Moxley hits Finlay with a Death Rider, only to get caught with the Hidden Blade for….one. Stormbreaker drops Moxley but Finlay is back with the brainbuster onto the knee for two. A knee to the back and another to the face finish Ospreay to give Finlay the title at 22:21.

Rating: B+. This was a heck of a match with Finlay not quite stealing the title as much as he survived to get the win. Moxley and Ospreay beat him up for a good while until everything went nuts, with the interference being the biggest downside. Finlay seems to be a big deal here and with Ospreay going to AEW and Moxley going back to AEW, it was the best choice of the three.

Post match Finlay yells at Nick Nemeth, who gets in his face and is slapped back down. The fight is on until everything is broken up. It’s split up but starts again, as tends to be the case in wrestling. Good debut for Nemeth, who showed some fire here.

Kazuchika Okada vs. Bryan Danielson

Rematch from Forbidden Door, where Danielson beat him. Okada steps into a glass case and his ring gear changes for a rather unique entrance. Danielson on the other hand has an eye patch thanks to Okada, so it’s time for revenge. Feeling out process to start with Danielson winning a grapple off, sending Okada over to the ropes. They forearm it out until Okada gets two off a DDT.

Okada goes vicious with the running kick to the eye and things head outside. Danielson is back up with a jumping knee and then slams the barricade onto Okada for a nasty crash. Back in and a wrist clutch northern lights suplex gives Danielson two, meaning it’s time to break an arm. Significant cranking ensues but Okada slips out and kicks him in the eye. An Air Raid Crash onto the knee puts Danielson back down and Okada goes up.

That takes a good while though and Danielson catches him with an uppercut into a butterfly superplex. The LeBell Lock goes on but Okada is right next to the rope. They head to the apron, where Okada grabs a Tombstone to plant Danielson again. Danielson manages to get back in so the eye patch comes off, with Okada getting in some boot scrapes in the corner. Okada misses his top rope elbow so Danielson kicks him square in the arm, followed by another to the head.

The hammer and anvil elbows have Okada…actually more angry than anything else so Danielson hits the running knee for two. Danielson is livid and grabs something like the Rings of Saturn with his leg instead of an arm. Somehow Okada makes the bottom rope so Danielson grabs the arms again and stomps away at the head.

The LeBell Lock is broken up though and Okada uses the good arm for the Rainmaker. Okada hits him in the face again but has to fight off another LeBell Lock attempt. Another Rainmaker is loaded up but Danielson kicks him in the good arm. A kick to the head and the running knee rock Okada, who avoids another running knee. The Rainmaker finishes Danielson at 23:24.

Rating: A. They surprised me a bit with that finish as I was expecting it to go on even longer. The arm vs. the eye stuff went very well and it wouldn’t shock me to see them face off one more time in some neutral territory. This was every bit as good as it felt like it should have been and I liked it more than the Forbidden Door match. It helped that I could feel the hatred from Danielson, while Okada was more about refusing to lose. Awesome match and well worth a look, as I was left wanting more for a rare feeling.

We recap Tetsuya Naito challenging Sanada for the World Title. Naito won the G1 Climax tournament to earn the shot, then played baseball. Sanada stood on a cliff and held up the title, while looking rather spiffy in a blue suit. This is also more or less Naito’s last chance, while Sanada wanted to show that he can beat his former stable leader.

IWGP World Heavyweight Title: Sanada vs. Tetsuya Naito

Sanada is defending and they go technical to start, with Sanada working on the leg on the mat. Naito reverses into a headscissors but Sanada is up without much effort. Sanada sends him outside and flips back in, where he holds the ropes open for Naito in a rather disrespectful move. Back in and Naito drops him down hard onto the knee to bang up the neck, followed by a cravate.

A backbreaker onto the knee sets up a double arm/neck crank with the legs as Sanada can’t get much going so far. With that one broken up, Sanada avoids a clothesline and dropkicks the knee, setting up a backdrop suplex. A double leapfrog into a dropkick sends Naito outside, with the required dive following. Back in and a TKO gives Sanada two, followed by the dragon sleeper. Naito gets over to the ropes and out to the apron, where a legsweep drops Sanada hard.

Another drop onto the head has Sanada’s neck in more trouble but he beats the count at 18. A super hurricanrana plants Sanada, with commentary calling the move a good luck charm for Naito. The springboard tornado DDT is countered though and Sanada grabs a hanging swinging neckbreaker for the double knockdown. Sanada nips up and hits a Shining Wizard, only to have the moonsault hit knees as he can’t go full Muta.

Naito is back up first and strikes away at the neck, followed by something like a flipping middle rope cutter. Destino connects for no cover but Sanada reverses into a TKO. Sanada’s moonsault gets two and frustration is setting in, but Naito suplexes him onto his head, setting up a spinebuster. More elbows to the neck set up Destino or no cover (that seems like a bad idea).

Another Destino doesn’t go through clean and Sanada is up at two. A Dead Fall plants Naito again and they’re both down for a bit. They strike it out again and Sanada hits something like a Destino of his own. Naito kick shim in the head and hits the tornado DDT but Sanada is back with a bridging rollup for two. Sanada blasts him with another Shining Wizard but Dead Fall is countered into the same thing from Naito. A brainbuster plants Sanada and one heck of a Destino makes Naito champion at 25:35.

Rating: B+. This took some time to get going but the last few minutes were were really good, with the ans going nuts on everything. Sanada put in a heck of a performance of his own and had some very good moments in there, but this was about Naito and the ending was a big rush of emotion from the fans. That’s what you want from a main event like this and Naito gets his big moment. Pretty great main event, especially when it was coming after Danielson vs. Okada.

Post match Naito is busted open but gets the title. He loads up the Los Ingobernables Roll Call (a big thing that was interrupted in his previous chance) but cue the House of Torture to break it up again. Sanada comes in for the save and the fans approve. With the villains cleared out, Sanada shows respect and then leaves. Naito puts his hat on and says he’s holding his microphone because of Sanada, who appreciates that. He thanks the fans and promises a big year before getting to do the roll call that he didn’t get to do years ago. Naito gets the big walk off as commentary wraps everything up.

Overall Rating: A-. This show went the better part of six hours (Kickoff Show included) and it never felt that long, which is one heck of a trick. There was a lot of good stuff here, with the Danielson vs. Okada match being the best on the show. Some of the other matches were getting up there but didn’t quite get over the hump, but when you add them all up, it was a Wrestle Kingdom worthy show. At the very least, they kept it to one night to really make things better. Check this out if you have the chance, though skip the House Of Torture…well everything from them really.

Results
Great O Khan, Taiji Ishimori, Yoh and Toru Yano won the New Japan Ranbo
Catch 22 b. Bullet Club War Dogs – Stereo running knees to Moloney
Hiroshi Tanahashi b. Zack Sabre Jr. – Rollup
Yuya Uemura b. Yota Tsuji – Deadbolt
House Of Torture b. Shota Umino/Kaito Kiyomiya – Bar to Umino’s face
Tama Tonga b. Shingo Takagi – DSD
Guerrillas Of Destiny b. Bishamon – Frog splash to Goto
El Desperado b. Hiromu Takahashi – Pinche Loco
David Finlay b. Will Ospreay and Jon Moxley – Knee to Ospreay
Kazuchika Okada b. Bryan Danielson – Rainmaker
Tetsuya Naito b. Sanada – Destino

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WrestleDream 2023
Date: October 1, 2023
Location: Climate Pledge Arena, Seattle, Washington
Commentators: Excalibur, Nigel McGuinness, Jim Ross

We’re back with the third pay per view in six weeks and this has a bit of a theme to it. The idea of this show is paying tribute to Japanese legend Antonio Inoki, who passed away a year ago to the day. As a result, there are some New Japan stars involved in the show, which does have a strong card. Let’s get to it.

We open with a long video tribute to Antonio Inoki, with wrestlers talking about what he meant to wrestling.

Tony Khan is in the ring with some other people, all with the Inoki scarves around their necks. Khan introduces the men as Rocky Romero, Katsuyori Shibata and Hiroto/Naroto Inoki, Antonio’s grandsons. We get Inoki’s signature phrase to wrap it up.

Zero Hour: Shane Taylor/Lee Moriarty/Diamante/Mercedes Martinez vs. Keith Lee/Satoshi Kojima/Athena/Billie Starkz

Fans: “WE WANT BREAD!” Excalibur: “Of course Satoshi Kojima the leader of Bread Club.” JR: “You might want to explain that.” Diamante and Starkz start but it’s quickly off to Athena for a suplex. JR wants Athena to go on a tear, apparently not realizing that she’s been on one for the better part of the last year. Taylor comes in to punch Keith in the face and manages to knock him down.

It’s off to Moriarty, who gets dropped rather quickly so Kojima can come in to run Moriarty over. A DDT gets two with Diamante making the save, earning her a beating from Starkz. Everything breaks down and Athena hits an O Face on Moriarty, with JR calling it illegal. The ring is cleared, leaving Kojima to lariat Moriarty for the pin at 5:38.

Rating: C. They didn’t have time to do much here as they had eight people with less than six minutes. Kojima is a star from New Japan and still does well despite having been around forever, while Keith is rarely in the ring anymore for whatever reasons. It wasn’t a great match or anything close to one, but it was a way to get a lot of people in the ring.

Zero Hour: Josh Barnett vs. Claudio Castagnoli

Jon Moxley is on commentary and talks about training with Barnett. They grapple to start with Barnett powering him down but Castagnoli manages to take over on the mat. Castagnoli gets in some elbows (Moxley: “ELBOW HIS D*** HEAD OFF CLAUDIO!”) but Barnett reverses into a dragon screw legwhip.

That’s broken up as well but Castagnoli can’t get the Swing. Back up and they slug it out until Barnett gets a quickly broken abdominal stretch. Castagnoli gets in the swing, setting up some kind of leglock. Barnett makes the rope and grabs a suplex before they strike it out. The Neutralizer is blocked so Castagnoli pulls him into an Octopus Hold on the mat. That and a rollup is enough to pin Barnett at 8:20.

Rating: B-. This was a different kind of match as it was more of a grappling exchange between two guys who know what they’re doing in that style. Barnett is someone who is a lot better known in mixed martial arts than in wrestling but he’s good enough to hang with someone like Castagnoli. Good stuff here and probably something different than anything else you’ll see on the show.

Post match Barnett shows respect and says Inoki would be a fan of Castagnoli. Barnett says Castagnoli owes him more time though so keep training. Sounds good to Castagnoli.

Zero Hour: Nick Wayne vs. Luchasaurus

Nigel says this is going to be like Luke Skywalker being dropped into the pin with the Rancor. Wayne fires off a dropkick to start but gets tossed with a nasty release German suplex. Luchasaurus pounds away but Wayne is back up with some kicks. A chokeslam sends Wayne to the floor….where he crawls to his mom in the front row. That earns him a face first swing into the barricade but Wayne scores with some kicks back inside. Wayne’s World is easily blocked and the forearm to the back of the head finishes for Luchasaurs at 4:51.

Rating: C. That went about as it should have, as Luchasaurus is a total monster and Wayne is someone who hasn’t proven himself to be on Luchasaurus’ level. There is something to be said about a smaller guy striking away with everything he has but not being able to overcome. The part with his mom was a nice bonus, making this go according to the logical plan.

Zero Hour: Trios Titles: TMDK vs. Acclaimed/Billy Gunn

TMDK (Shane Haste/Mikey Nichols/Bad Dude Tito) is challenging. Tito powers Caster down to start and hands it off to Haste. Caster punches his way out of the corner though and it’s Gunn coming in to quite the reaction. A running shoulder drops Haste and Gunn loads up Scissor Me Timbers, which connects for quite the reaction.

We settle down with Bowens getting caught in the wrong corner and Tito adding a slingshot hilo. Bowens fights out of a chinlock but gets knocked back again to keep up the beating. An attempt to get over to the corner is cut off as Gunn and Caster are knocked to the floor in a smart move. Bowens manages to duck around and get over to Gunn though and house is cleaned. Tito plants Gunn rather quickly and Caster has to make a save. A step up Cannonball hits Caster in the corner but Gunn is back in with the Fameasser. The Arrival into the Mic Drop retains the titles at 9:18.

Rating: C. That was your Rampage opener of the show and not much more. They had some time to do a bit more here than usual and that helped, but it’s another group of guest stars getting a title shot. That is only going to get you so far and they hit most of that limit here. Not a bad match by any means, but there wasn’t much in the way of drama.

And now, the show proper.

Ring Of Honor Tag Team Titles: Maxwell Jacob Friedman vs. Righteous

MJF is defending on his own, but before the match, he accuses someone of stealing his devil mask and attacking Jay White. As for the Righteous, MJF promises a BODY SLAM. Dutch starts for the team and MJF asks who wants to see that body slam. Instead we get the handshake of sportsmanship before MJF pokes Dutch in the eye. MJF gets in a hip swivel and pulls Vincent in, only to get clotheslined by Dutch.

The chinlock doesn’t last long as MJF fights up….but realizes he doesn’t have a partner. Dutch powerbombs him down so Vincent can hit a Swanton for two. The Boss Man Slam gets two more and Autumn Sunshine gets the same, leaving the Righteous stunned. Vincent goes for a chair but MJF grabs him low to cut it off.

Back up and Vincent kicks him in the face but misses a second Swanton. Everything breaks down and Dutch is rammed into the corner over and over. The body slam connects and the fans are thrilled. With Dutch sent into the corner, MJF sends Vincent face first into the back of Dutch’s tights. The Kangaroo Kick sends the Righteous outside and the Heatseeker finishes Dutch (with feet on the ropes) at 9:35.

Rating: C+. Watching MJF do his goofy, almost parody of wrestling is hilarious and it’s great to see him having fun like this. At the same time, the Righteous being out of the title picture for the time being is nice to see. It still feels like the Kingdom will be the ones to win the titles, but at least we’re having a good time on the way there.

We recap Katsuyori Shibata vs. Eddie Kingston, with Kingston defending his two titles but Shibata not defending his.

Ring Of Honor World Title/New Japan Strong Openweight Title: Eddie Kingston vs. Katsuyori Shibata

Only Shibata is challenging and he goes to the mat to start. With that not working, they trade strikes until Shibata pulls him down into an ankle lock. The rope is reached so Shibata grabs a Figure Four to stay on the leg. That’s broken up as well so Shibata puts on a bow and arrow. Kingston fights up and fires off the chops in the corner but Shibata kicks him in the face. The running basement dropkick in the corner and the fans are behind Shibata.

Kingston is back with a t-bone suplex but Shibata grabs an STO, with Taz being at his best by explaining the leverage and science. The Octopus Hold on the mat has Kingston in trouble but he makes it over to the rope. Kingston knocks him away again but Shibata comes back with the running kick to the chest. They strike it out until Kingston’s spinning backfist gets one. The northern lights bomb gets the same, followed by another backfist and the powerbomb to retain the titles at 10:58.

Rating: B-. This was Kingston striking away and gritting through someone more polished and skilled. It made for a nice story to the match and served as Kingston’s latest fantasy match come to life. Kingston needs some wins to establish himself as a star and wins like this one are going to get him a long way.

Post match Shibata gets the big show of respect.

We recap Julia Hart challenging Kris Statlander for the TBS Title. Hart is on a roll but Statlander was the last person to beat her. Now the title is on the line.

TBS Title: Kris Statlander vs. Julia Hart

Hart, with Brody King, is challenging. Statlander powers her into the corner to start and hits some shoulders to the ribs. The running knee misses but she runs Hart over again without much trouble. Hart manages a hurricanrana but Statlander muscles her over with a suplex for two. They go outside, where Statlander grabs her in a fireman’s carry and carries her back up the steps. It’s right back to the floor, with Hart sending her into the barricade this time.

A backsplash gives Hart two back inside and we hit the quickly broken abdominal stretch. Now Statlander’s running knee in the corner sets up the Blue Thunder Bomb for two. Statlander trips so King yells at her, allowing Hart to load up the mist. That takes too long though and Statlander grabs a fisherman’s driver for two more. Hart pulls her off the top and goes up, meaning it’s the moonsault for a rather close two. Hartless goes on but Statlander muscles her up into a Tombstone, followed by Sunday Night Fever to retain at 8:54.

Rating: B-. I was a bit surprised by the result as it stops Hart’s run cold, but Statlander has been on a roll since getting the title. Having her get another pay per view win is not a bad thing whatsoever, but she needs to start fighting some of the bigger names. The division has the depth to have some stronger challengers come after her, though Hart did rather well here in her biggest match ever.

We recap the four way tag match for the #1 contendership to the Tag Team Titles. There are four teams and they’re fighting for a title shot, end of story.

The Gunns vs. Hook/Orange Cassidy vs. Lucha Bros vs. Young Bucks

One fall to a finish for a future AEW Tag Team Title shot. Fenix and Nick strike away at each other before popping up for a staredown. Cassidy tags himself in but the Gunns pull Fenix outside for a ram into the barricade. Back in and Austin dropkicks Cassidy into the corner before trying to cover Colten. The referee isn’t having that and it’s the Bucks’ turn to clean house.

Hook comes in and gets to clear the ring as well, leaving Cassidy to hit a dive onto both Bucks. Apparently Fenix is down so Penta comes in to kick at the Bucks. We settle down to Colten punching Hook down for two but Penta is back in. Made In Japan gets two on Austin as everything breaks down again. Matt hits a superkick and Nick adds the slingshot X Factor to Austin.

Penta’s big running flip dive connects though Hook tags himself in. Redrum is blocked so Cassidy Orange Punches Austin into Redrum to put him in trouble. Nick tags himself in though and hits a 450 for two with Cassidy making a save. The Bucks double superkick Hook but Penta superkicks the Bucks. Not that it matters as the BTE Trigger finishes Penta at 12:10 to give the Bucks the title shot.

Rating: B-. The Bucks are 2/3 of the Six Man Tag Team Champions, #1 contender to the Tag Team Titles and Nick is getting an International Title shot this week. I know it’s All ELITE Wrestling but this might be taking things a bit too literally. Anyway, this was your usual insane display of people jumping and flipping all over the place, though Fenix being down isn’t a good sign. I’m not sure if they’re going to run FTR vs. the Bucks again, but it would certainly be a big deal if they did. I’m just not sure how big.

We recap Hangman Page vs. Swerve Strickland. Page can’t break through to be a star and Swerve wants to prove what he really is. Then Page stabbed him in the hand with a pen.

Hangman Page vs. Swerve Strickland

The Mogul Embassy, complete with dancing Prince Nana, is here with Strickland (the home area boy). Feeling out process to start until Page knocks him into the corner for a loud chop. The fans are WAY behind Swerve here, even as Page knocks him down into the corner. Swerve is right back with a kick to the face and the middle rope elbow to the back lets him dance a bit.

Page manages a quick suplex and they’re both down again. With Swerve on the floor, Page hits a big moonsault to take him down on the floor. The dive drops Swerve again but they go back inside where he grabs a rolling Downward Spiral. The Brainbuster gives Swerve two but Page catches him on top. That’s fine with Swerve, who knocks him backwards for the Swerve Stomp (the fans approve again).

Swerve’s House Call gets two more and they head to the apron. The Deadeye on the apron is blocked so Page hits it on the steps instead. Page doesn’t cover, instead sending him inside and kicking away, only to get caught in the ropes. They slap it out until the Buckshot Lariat is countered into a rather nasty arm crank. We pause for the doctor to check on Page but Swerve hits a Swerve Stomp onto the apron.

A 450 onto the arm gives Swerve two and he grabs the armbar. Page makes the rope and scores with a left arm lariat. Swerve’s armbar is broken up and Page hammers on the bad hand. Swerve gets in a suplex but misses another Stomp. The Buckshot Lariat connects for a rather delayed two, as Prince Nana puts the foot on the rope. Page chases Nana off, allowing Swerve to hit him in the face with Nana’s crown for two. Back to back House Calls set up the JML Driver for the pin on Page at 20:06.

Rating: B+. That’s the Swerve match that the fans have been waiting to see and it worked very well throughout. These guys beat the fire out of each other and it felt like a big slugout. If Swerve becomes a breakout star around here, there is a good chance that this is what starts it off for him. Awesome match here and the best thing on the card so far.

We recap Ricky Starks vs. Wheeler Yuta. Starks wasn’t happy with losing to Bryan Danielson back to back so he’ll fight Danielson’s teammate instead.

Wheeler Yuta vs. Ricky Starks

Jon Moxley is back on commentary. They go with the grappling to start before opting to punch each other in the face instead. Starks gets the better of things and knocks Yuta up against the ropes, allowing him to stare at the crowd a bit. Yuta slips out of a fireman’s carry and rolls him up for two, only to have Starks get in another shot. Moxley thinks Starks is talented but runs his mouth too much, meaning he isn’t sure if he should fight Starks or take him on a date. Yuta is back with something like a Samoan drop and an armbar goes on.

Cue Big Bill as Starks makes the rope and spikes Yuta for two. Starks hits his own hammer and anvil elbows, which just make Yuta mad. That’s fine with Starks, who takes Yuta’s head off but gets shoved off the rope for a crash onto Bill. Yuta posts Bill to get rid of him and fires off the real hammer and anvil elbows. The Seatbelt gives Yuta two but Starks is back up with the spear. The Roshambo finishes Yuta at 9:54.

Rating: C+. The match wasn’t bad, but I’m not sure if it needed to be on the pay per view. This felt like a Rampage main event or a big match on Collision rather than needing to be on here. What matters here though is that Starks got his big win and regains some momentum so things should be getting a bit better for him going forward. Odds are it sets up Moxley vs. Starks as well and that’s not a bad thing.

We recap Bryan Danielson vs. Zack Sabre Jr. and….yeah I think that’s all you need to know here.

Bryan Danielson vs. Zack Sabre Jr.

Sabre’s New Japan TV Title isn’t on the line. Feeling out process to start as they both seem nervous about going too far. Danielson suplexes him down and Sabre pauses for a standoff. Sabre pulls him into the abdominal stretch but Danielson pulls him into a leglock. That’s broken up and they stay on the mat with neither being able to get control. Instead Danielson pulls him into the surfboard but Sabre slips out again.

Sabre starts going after the arm and gives it a shoulder before adding a nasty stomp. The arm gets twisted around and Sabre is starting to get cocky. Sabre stays on the arm but he takes too long going up, allowing Danielson to cut him off. The arm is snapped over Sabre’s shoulder though and the armbar goes on up top. Danielson headbutts his way out of trouble and a top rope butterfly superplex lets him…not get the LeBell Lock.

Instead Danielson goes with a half crab but Sabre is right over to the ropes. The YES Kicks rock Sabre and Danielson stomps him in the head. The running knee is countered and Sabre pulls him into the European Clutch for two. Moxley (on commentary) is on his feet as they both need a breather. Cattle Mutilation goes on but Sabre rolls out, only to get caught with the elbows to the face.

Danielson gets a leglock but Sabre reverses into one of his own. That earns him a spit in the face and they strike it out, with Danielson getting the better of things. Back up and Sabre goes for the arm while Danielson kicks at the leg. Sabre gets the better of things this time and pulls Danielson into the double arm crank. Nigel: “THINK ABOUT YOUR KIDS! THINK ABOUT YOUR WIFE! RETIRE NOW!”

Danielson makes the rope (Nigel: “You coward!”) so they trade kicks, with Danielson nailing a big one to the head. The stomp to the head misses so Sabre pulls him into the cross armbreaker. That’s reverses into a leg trap belly to back suplex into the running knee for the very near fall. Another running knee finishes Sabre at 23:13.

Rating: A-. Like I said before the match, this was going to work because of the talent involved and then they were allowed to have all the time they needed to tear the house down. You could see two masters in there trying to take the other apart and it worked about as well as expected. Awesome stuff here and as usual, it felt like a clinic from two of the best ever with this style.

Post match respect is offered but Sabre turns it down. Naturally Nigel says that wasn’t technical wrestling so Danielson is NOT the best in the world.

We recap Chris Jericho/Kenny Omega/Kota Ibushi vs. the Don Callis Family. All three hate Callis so they’re fighting his team.

Chris Jericho/Kenny Omega/Kota Ibushi vs. Don Callis Family

Omega and Will Ospreay start things off but it’s quickly off to Sammy Guevara, who lounges on the top rope. They start running the ropes until Sammy flips over him and scores with a dropkick. Ospreay comes back in to get suplexed by Jericho as Sammy shouts at commentary. Jericho punches Ospreay and we get the big standoff. The good guys clear the house, pay tribute to Inoki (oh yeah that’s a thing with this show) and hit stereo dives.

Back in and Omega slugs away at Takeshita, who rakes the eyes to cut him off. Takeshita hits a clothesline but Ibushi comes in for a save. Ospreay puts on an abdominal stretch, with the rest of the Family adding leverage like villains should. The Blue Thunder Bomb gets two on Omega but he gets over for the tag back to Omega. That means an abdominal stretch to Sammy, with the rest of Omega’s partners pulling as well.

Ibushi comes in with a double back elbow and we get an Ibushi/Jericho Sex Gods pose. Omega and Jericho hit stereo moonsaults to the floor, leaving Jericho to hit the Lionsault for two on Sammy. Takeshita breaks up the Walls and drops Omega on his head with a release German suplex. Jericho has to fight Ospreay and Takeshita at the same time but Takeshita knees Ospreay by mistake.

Omega is back up with the big running flip dive to take out Takeshita and Ospreay. Back in and Sammy Spanish Flies Jericho for two, followed by the shooting star to the floor. Omega and Ospreay slug it out back inside but Takeshita is back in with a running knee to put Omega down.

Sammy Codebreakers Jericho for one so Jericho fights up, only to get beaten down again. Ibushi is back up to strike away but Ospreay saves Takeshita from the big boot. The Golden Trigger is cut off by Sammy’s high crossbody. Jericho is back up with the Judas Effect to Ospreay but Sammy superkicks Jericho in the face. Jericho tries to pull him into the Walls but Callis comes in with a baseball bat shot to give Sammy the pin at 22:17.

Rating: B+. This was the match I was expecting to be the best on the card and it came pretty close. The match started with the regular wrestling but then broke down into the wild fight that it was destined to be. The Callis Family stuff isn’t exactly thrilling but the matches have worked so well and that’s what matters most.

We recap Aussie Open challenging FTR for the Tag Team Titles. FTR beat them for the New Japan Tag Team Titles a year ago and now the Aussies want to even things up.

AEW Tag Team Titles: Aussie Open vs. FTR

FTR is defending. Harwood and Fletcher lock up to start with neither being able to get very far. Wheeler comes in and this time Fletcher bails to the floor. Harwood sends him back in, where Wheeler hits a backdrop to take over. It’s off to Davis for a chop off with Harwood, who gets slammed down. Davis hits a backsplash so it’s back to Fletcher, who gets caught with a snap suplex.

Everything breaks down and FTR is rammed into each other on the floor. Back in and Fletcher forearms away at Wheeler before Davis grabs a chinlock. Wheeler fights up and catches Fletcher on top, meaning it’s a belly to back superplex for a big crash. Fletcher is able to grab a brainbuster but Wheeler is up again, this time getting over to Harwood. Rolling German suplexes drop Fletcher as Wheeler and Davis fight on the floor.

Harwood gets two off a Liger Bomb but Davis is back in to break up the PowerPlex. A Doomsday kick to the face gets two on Wheeler but Harwood is back in for the save. Now the PowerPlex can connect, leaving Fletcher to high crossbody Harwood into the cover to break it up.

Wheeler rolls Davis (who appears to have hurt his wrist) up for two, only to walk into a Shatter Machine from the Aussies. The Coriolis gets two with Harwood making the save this time. They head outside again and it’s a spike piledriver on the floor to drop Davis. Back in and a super Shatter Machine finishes Fletcher to retain the titles at 20:23.

Rating: B. It was a good match but this might have been better if they had cut out about four minutes. The problem here came down to the fact that this went long in the semi-main event spot on a show that is going to run over four and a half hours. The Aussies winning felt like a long shot in the first place and while the match was good, it wasn’t able to completely overcome those circumstances.

We recap Darby Allin vs. Christian Cage for the latter’s TBS Title. Allin wants to prove he belongs in the main event in his hometown and the title is on the line.

TBS Title: Darby Allin vs. Christian Cage

Allin is challenging (and bleeding before the match for some reason) and this is 2/3 falls. Feeling out process to start with Cage bailing into the corner and spitting into Allin’s face. Allin is calm enough to pull him into an armbar, followed by a headlock to keep him down. Back up and Christian chops him against the ropes, meaning we get the double bicep pose. It’s too early for the Unprettier though as Allin pulls the turtleneck over Christian’s face and rolls him up for the first fall at 4:55.

We pause for a bit as Cage stops to look at Nick Wayne’s mom in the front row before taking Allin down again. Cage pounds away at the back and cranks on his neck to keep things slow. Allin gets back up for some rapid fire rollups but gets sent outside in a crash. Cage whips him into the barricade but goes after Wayne’s mom again, allowing Allin to hit a suicide dive. Back in and the Coffin Drop hits raised knees, allowing Cage to send him into the announcers’ table. Something like a powerslam off the apron hits sends Allin back first into the steps. That’s enough for a countout to tie it up at 15:18 total.

A stretcher is brought out as Cage is doing something with the ring skirt. He peels the entire mat back and exposes the wood….before hitting a frog splash onto Allin on the stretcher. That’s good for two back inside and Cage grabs a Scorpion Deathlock. Allin makes the rope (the fans approve) and it’s a Scorpion Death Drop for two, followed by the Coffin Drop for the same.

Cage loads up a superplex onto the steps on the floor but gets reversed into a sunset bomb. The spear hits the referee though, leaving Cage to hit Allin low. The title is brought in but Nick Wayne runs in to take it away. Then Wayne hits Allin with the title (his mom is NOT happy) and Cage retains at 25:13.

Rating: B+. This was a smartly worked match as Christian didn’t have to go insane but rather set things up for Allin to go nuts instead. It made for some very good drama and action, with Allin getting the first fall to save some face. I liked the match rather well, though having it as the main event (yes they had to with the ring deal) might have been a stretch.

Post match Cage hugs Wayne, who destroys Allin while yelling about family. Sting comes in for the save but Luchasaurus is here to beat him down as well. The Conchairto is loaded up….and the lights go out. A video of someone driving a car to the arena plays and the lights come up. And yeah EDGE debuts (complete with Metalingus theme), with the villains handing him the chair. He cracks Wayne with it instead and spears Luchasaurus to clear out the villains. Edge and Sting shake hands to end the show. That’s the big deal of the show and while we’ll have to see where it goes, the moment was there.

Overall Rating: B+. As tends to be the case with AEW shows, they wind up being good in the end through the hard work and effort put in from the wrestlers. That was the case again here, with a few awesome matches being more than enough to keep me interested. The show got better as it went on and thankfully they didn’t have some of the lesser matches eat up too much time.

That being said, this was they could be that much more enjoyable with some time trimmed off. There is just SO MUCH STUFF on here and some of it could easily be dropped (like the bonus Rampage described as Zero Hour) and probably Starks vs. Yuta. At some point the energy is going to go away and that isn’t good for the main event matches. That being said, the show was still quite the blast to watch and if they can keep it up, they’re not going to change anything.

Results
Satoshi Kojima/Keith Lee/Athena/Billie Starkz b. Shane Taylor/Diamante/Lee Moriarty/Mercedes Martinez – Lariat to Moriarty
Claudio Castagnoli b. Josh Barnett – Rollup
Luchasaurus b. Nick Wayne – Forearm to the back of the head
Billy Gunn/Acclaimed b. TMDK – Mic Drop to Haste
Maxwell Jacob Friedman b. The Righteous – Rollup with feet on the ropes to Dutch
Eddie Kingston b. Katsuyori Shibata – Powerbomb
Kris Statlander b. Julia Hart – Sunday Night Fever
Young Bucks b. Lucha Bros, Gunns and Orange Cassidy/Hook – BTE Trigger to Penta
Swerve Strickland b. Hangman Page – JML Driver
Ricky Starkz b. Wheeler Yuta – Roshambo
Bryan Danielson b. Zack Sabre Jr. – Running knee
Don Callis Family b. Chris Jericho/Kenny Omega/Kota Ibushi – Baseball bat shot to Jericho
FTR b. Aussie Open – Super Shatter Machine to Fletcher
Christian Cage b. Darby Allin 2-1

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So here we have WrestleDream, which is a show designed to honor the passing of Antonio Inoki one year ago. Therefore it’s another AEW show with New Japan guest stars, though New Japan is running a big show of its own on the same day so the visiting stars are limited. There is some good stuff on the card though and hopefully that’s enough to carry it. Let’s get to it.

Zero Hour: Nick Wayne vs. Luchasaurus

This is a side story from Darby Allin vs. Christian Cage as both have interfered in the other feud. It’s a speed vs. power match and that is something that can work under almost any circumstances. AEW really seems interested in pushing Wayne every chance they can these days but at some point he is going to need to win something. I’m just not sure he gets to do it here.

I’ll go with Luchasaurus to win here as he’s coming off the TNT Title reign and isn’t likely to lose to someone with so little experience on this level. I’m sure Wayne will get a bunch of stuff in and get to showcase himself again but that doesn’t mean he’s going to win. Hopefully Wayne gets to throw everything he has at Luchasaurus, but he’ll fall short in the end.

Zero Hour: Trios Titles: Acclaimed/Billy Gunn(c) vs. TMDK

This is the first New Japan match on the show and in this case it was built up as “whoever wins the title match on Rampage defends against TMDK tomorrow night”. That’s not exactly a thrilling story but it’s a way to get the titles on the show. Thankfully in this case it’s just on Zero Hour, meaning it won’t extend the show with a match that has very little in the way of drama.

Of course the champions retain here, as a group of guest stars aren’t going to be the ones to end the reign that is bringing the Acclaimed and the Gunns back to prominence. The (arguably) good thing about these titles is you can throw any three challenges out there and have a title match. That’s more or less what they’ve done here, though at least it’s a regular team from New Japan.

Zero Hour: Claudio Castagnoli vs. Josh Barnett

So this was added the night before the show as the result of a Castagnoli open challenge. Barnett has never wrestled for AEW before but does have experience in Japan so here we are. That makes for a tricky preview because there isn’t any kind of a story going into the match, and Barnett being a complete stranger around here makes it even more complicated.

Since Barnett is not likely to stick around, I’ll go with Castagnoli to win as there isn’t much of a reason to do anything else. Castagnoli needs a big win coming off his loss to Eddie Kingston and while this won’t be some kind of a game changer for him, it should be enough to give him a boost. I’m not sure why this match needed to be added, though more Castagnoli is often a good thing.

Zero Hour: Shane Taylor/Lee Moriarty/Diamante/Mercedes Martinez vs. Satoshi Kojima/Keith Lee/Athena/Billie Starkz

This is another match added during the Collision because MORE MEANS GOOD. There are a few people with some history here but a good chunk of it has been in Ring Of Honor. Taylor seems to be one of the new flavors of the month for AEW and it makes sense that they would want to get him out there in front of people as often as possible. Throw in Lee and this could be a lot worse.

Give me Lee and company to win, as Moriarty being thrown half a mile by Lee would be a good way to get the show going. Other than that, there is always the chance of Athena beating Martinez or Diamante. Either way, there are going to be a bunch of people in this match and there is a good chance that a lot of them are not going to be able to get in that much ring time.

TBS Title: Kris Statlander(c) vs. Julia Hart

Statlander has been a mostly dominant champion in her still relatively short title reign, but Hart has caught fire in recent weeks and suddenly feels like she could be a major threat to the title. The good thing here is that you are seeing two mostly fresh women in the title scene, which is what AEW has been needing for a very long time now. In other words, there isn’t a bad option for a winner here.

I think I’ll actually take hart to win the title, as it would be very deflating for her to lose after the big push that she has gotten in the last few weeks. Granted that might have been just to make her feel like a threat, but the House of Black needs to get something back after losing the Trios Titles, so this would be a nice fit to help get them on track. I’m not sure what is next for Statlander, but I’m thinking she should lose here.

Ricky Starks vs. Wheeler Yuta

This was thrown onto the card earlier in the week as Yuta doesn’t like how Starks has been going after Bryan Danielson. Starks has been on a roll as of late without winning much of anything, which leaves him in a weird place. Granted that is kind of why you put someone like Yuta in this spot as he could go a long way with making Starks look like a bigger deal after his losses.

I’ll go with Starks to win here, as there is little reason for Yuta to win. His role in the Blackpool Combat Club is to put up a good fight in defeat and that is what he’ll be doing here. Starks is red hot and for someone who keeps losing so giving him a win here would be the right way to go. They’ll have a good match, but at the end of the day, Starks needs this way more than Yuta.

Young Bucks vs. The Gunns vs. Lucha Bros vs. Orange Cassidy/Hook

For a future AEW Tag Team Title shot, which sounds a bit like a Money In The Bank deal. We’ll start with getting rid of Cassidy and Hook, who are a fun team, but I can’t imagine they actually get put into the title picture so soon. That leaves a few options, and I could picture any of the three getting the shot. It’s nice to have options here, and unfortunately none of them really stand out.

While the Bucks would be the interesting way to go, I’ll take the Gunns getting the win here. FTR vs. the Lucha Bros doesn’t sound like it would be the most engaging match and the Bucks vs. FTR has been done so many times now. Go with FTR vs. the Gunns, which does have a history but hasn’t been hammered into the ground. This is going to be the “everyone flies all over the place” match and it should be entertaining enough. Just don’t do the Money In The Bank deal, please.

AEW Tag Team Titles: FTR(c) vs. Aussie Open

This one is a little more interesting as I could see the titles changing hands. Aussie Open has come a long way and established themselves as one of the better teams in AEW at the moment. That means they can be put into this spot for a shot at the best team around without much trouble. The teams have even traded some promos to hype things up even more and so far, they’ve done their jobs.

With that being said, for the life of me I can’t imagine FTR losing the belts They can have good to great matches with just about any team and it would feel like a waste to take away that option, especially with them frequenting Collision. The Aussies will give them one heck of a run for their money, but FTR comes out on top of this by retaining the titles, and that’s the right choice.

Chris Jericho/Kenny Omega/Kota Ibushi vs. Konosuke Takeshita/Sammy Guevara/Will Ospreay

This is the Don Callis Family match, which has seen two feuds combined into one for the sake of taking away some of Callis’ television time. Ignoring that aspect though, we should be in for a heck of a match here, especially if Ibushi is able to wrestle more like his old self than the version we have seen in AEW so far. Everything else should work well and I’m wanting to see how this goes.

After dominating for a good while, this should be the match where Callis and company can drop a match to the conquering heroes. Guevara taking a fall from Omega or even Jericho won’t ruin him as they can get set up for another singles showdown in the future. Either way, this has the potential to steal the show and if they can get to that higher level, it very well may be the best thing on the show.

Ring Of Honor World Title/New Japan Strong Openweight Title: Eddie Kingston(c) vs. Katsuyori Shibata

It’s a double title match with Shibata’s ROH Pure Title not on the line, meaning commentary has said that Shibata can become a triple crown champion. At least Shibata is someone who has wrestled in Ring Of Honor more than once, as there is far too much of a tendency for random people to get title shots (like earlier in the show or example). Shibata is also someone Kingston is going to respect so there is a real chance he’ll bring the work here.

As for a winner, much like the Trios Titles, there isn’t much of a reason to believe the title is going to change hands, especially so soon after Kingston won the ROH title in the first place. Kingston needs to rack up some wins to make him feel like a bigger deal and this would be a nice addition. It should be a hard hitting match as well and that should take them far enough, but yeah Kingston retains.

Ring Of Honor Tag Team Titles: Maxwell Jacob Friedman(c) vs. Righteous

So this was supposed to be a tag match with Adam Cole included but he’s basically destroyed his ankle, leaving us with a handicap match instead. That puts them in a tough spot and again I’m not sure where this is going to go. On one hand, MJF doesn’t need to have the titles anymore if Cole is injured, but the titles changing hands would involve the Righteous beating the AEW World Champion.

As little sense as it might make, I’ll go with MJF retaining, as I can’t imagine either Vincent or Dutch pinning him or making him give up. There is always the chance of some kind of screwy finish and that is probably coming later, but it is still hard to fathom that anyone but the Kingdom is taking the titles from Cole and MJF. Or is it just MJF these days? Either way, the Righteous don’t win here.

Hangman Page vs. Swerve Strickland

This is the match that has felt the most interesting throughout the build to the show and the contract signing this week kept that interest high. Both guys need a big win and they have me wanting to see them fight, which is a great sign for one of them. Hopefully the loser isn’t going to be hurt that badly but there is a good chance that this is going to continue beyond this match.

Give me Swerve here, as a Page win would seem to wrap things up between them with a tighter bow. As much as Page could use a win, he’s had success before and is a much more accomplished star in AEW. Let Swerve get his win and move up the card a bit, as a win over a former World Champion is going to do a lot of good no matter what. Page should be fine, but either way, this match should rock.

Bryan Danielson vs. Zack Sabre Jr.

What we have here is the kind of match that sells itself on name value alone. The idea of Danielson vs. Sabre Jr. is going to get hardcore fans interested and there is a very real chance that they could live up to or even exceed their expectations. That might be a very hard task to pull off, but these are the kind of stars who might be able to pull that kind of a miracle off.

As has been a trend here, there isn’t much of a reason for the star who is going to be going away after this show winning, so I’ll take Danielson to win here. Yes he did it in a pay per view main event against a guest star this year and that should cover him for well over a year, but I can’t imagine Sabre winning here. Danielson has things to do in AEW and downgrading him (as much as that can be done) with a loss to a one off guest star doesn’t make sense.

TNT Title: Christian Cage(c) vs. Darby Allin

This is the rumored main event for the show and with Allin as the hometown boy in a 2/3 falls match, that is not the worst idea. These two had a rather nice match a month or so ago on Collision and if they do that again with more time and on a bigger stage, we should be in for a pretty solid main event. That leaves a pair of questions though and I think I have the answer to at least one.

Of course I’ll take Allin winning here, as otherwise it would run a real threat of killing Seattle for AEW. Allin winning is the perfect way to go and it would be a great moment to end things on. Then again, there is also the chance that we get an Edge debut here to do something with Cage, though hopefully that doesn’t include giving him an assist to keep the title. Allin wins here, as he should.

Overall Thoughts

That’s a lot of matches. Once I get to the end of the card, I’ve already forgot a good few of the matches involved as there are too many for the show’s own good. Then again that is the case with almost every AEW show, which makes it all the more frustrating. The action will be rather good as it almost always is, but the way the show is presented is such a self imposed roadblock. It still feels like a B show, but now it feels like a rather bloated B show.

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: September 29, 2023
Location: 1stBank Center, Broomfield, Colorado
Commentators: Excalibur, Taz

It’s the last Rampage before WrestleDream and I’m not sure how much of a difference that is going to make. Rampage can be all over the place when it comes to importance, but there is a good chance that the wrestling itself will be pretty high quality. That should make for an easy show so let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

Trios Titles: Billy Gunn/Acclaimed vs. Hardys/Brother Zay

Gunn and the Acclaimed are defending in ANOTHER open challenge. Zay and Bowens stars things off with an exchange of armdrags until Zay grabs a headscissors (and thrusts his hips into the mat). Bowens is right back with a kick to the ribs into the running Fameasser for quite the crash. Zay manages to send Bowens to the floor so it’s off to Jeff to beat up Caster. Matt and Billy come in for a SUCK IT vs. DELETE off until Gunn is sent into the corner over and over.

It’s back to Jeff for the step up splash in the corner but everything breaks down. The champs clear out the Hardys and Scissor Me Timbers gets two on Zay. We take a break and come back with Caster hitting a dropkick on Zay, followed by a bit of a dance. Gunn comes back in to miss a Stinger Splash, leaving both he and Zay down. The double tag brings in Jeff and Bowens, with the former grabbing a rollup.

The Whisper In The Wind hits the Acclaimed and it’s the Twist of Fate into the Swanton to Gunn. A save is made and a bunch of charging shots in the corner put Matt down. The double tag brings in Bowens and Zay with Zay getting to kick people in the face. Zay hits a middle rope spinning Downward Spiral, followed by an Asai moonsault to Gunn. Back in and the assisted Iconoclasm finishes Zay to retain the titles at 10:36.

Rating: B-. These guys got going in the end and it turned into a rather high energy match. Gunn and the Acclaimed can move on to their title defense against a team from New Japan at WrestleDream while the Hardys can find another team to lose against in another title match. Zay stood out here a bit as well, as he got to show off some of his pretty impressive high flying. Good opener, even if it was another thrown out there title match.

Eddie Kingston is ready to defend the New Japan Strong Openweight Title against Rocky Romero tonight but Jeff Jarrett and company come in. Jay Lethal talks about how he can respect a double champ, but not when it means Kingston is the Ring Of Honor World Champion. That title means something and Kingston is unfit to hold the title. Kingston laughs and walks away.

On Saturday, Andrade El Idolo wants to know why Juice Robinson has a problems with him. See you Saturday at Collision.

New Japan Strong Openweight Title: Rocky Romero vs. Eddie Kingston

Kingston is defending. Feeling out process to start with Romero’s headlock not getting him very far. Romero’s shoulder doesn’t get him anywhere either but he manages to knock Kingston outside. That’s fine with Kingston, who hits a suplex on the floor as we take a break. Back with Kingston getting caught in the ropes so Romero can hit a middle rope dropkick for two. Kingston is right back with the rapid fire chops in the corner but Romero slugs his way out. That’s fine with Kingston, who hits a pair of spinning backfists into the Stretch Plum to retain at 8:58.

Rating: C+. As usual the match was fine, but it’s another instance of a random wrestler getting a title shot. Between this and the open challenges, there are so many out of nowhere title matches and it takes away some of the impact. As for the match itself, there’s only so much you can do with about nine minutes and a good chunk of it cut out of the middle. Completely fine action though and that’s better than some options they had.

Post match respect is shown but Katsuyori Shibata comes out for the staredown.

Aussie Open is sick of hearing about how great FTR is. They’ve spent the last year working to get here for one more match with them, because it’s time for FTR to feel pain.

Righteous vs. Gunnar/Caleb Crush

Dutch runs them over with a double clothesline to start and adds a swinging Boss Man Slam on Crush. Gunnar gets one of his own and Autumn Sunshine finishes Crush at 1:25.

Video on the history of Santana and Ortiz, who were a great team and then fell apart due to personal issues.

Video on Christian Cage vs. Darby Allin.

Nick Wayne won’t be at ringside for Allin vs. Cage but he wants to face Luchasaurus at Zero Hour. He even has a skateboard for the sake of a receipt.

Here’s what’s coming on various shows.

Zack Sabre Jr. is ready to hurt Bryan Danielson and end his retirement tour a lot earlier than expected. He throws in a little Final Countdown (humming version) for a bonus.

Ruby Soho vs. Hikaru Shida

For a Women’s Title shot. Feeling out process to start with Shida taking her down. The right hands in the corner set up a spinning crossbody, followed by more right hands. There’s a middle rope dropkick to knock Soho down again and we take a break. Back with the exchange of forearms going to Shida before they go outside. The fight goes up the ramp before they both have to run back to the ring to beat the count.

Soho gets two off a Saito suplex and it’s time for the kendo stick. With that taken away, Soho tries the spray paint but the referee gets bumped while taking it away. Destination Unknown connects for no count so Shida sticks her in the head. The Katana connects and another referee runs down for two. Shida misses a top rope Meteora but blocks a top rope backsplash with raised knees. The Falcon Arrow gets two, followed by another Katana to give Shida the pin at 12:01.

Rating: B-. Shida vs. Soho is something that is going to work no matter what they’re doing and thankfully they didn’t do a bunch of nonsense with the referee down. It wouldn’t surprise me to see Shida get the title back as Saraya got her England win last month. At the same time, it would completely surprise me to see Soho win a match that matters, as it certainly hasn’t been her thing yet.

Saraya comes out for the staredown to end the show.

Overall Rating: B-. This show’s problem continues to be that it is sandwiched between Dynamite and Collision, which doesn’t leave it with much purpose. You had two thrown out there title defenses, both of which will be followed by those same titles being on the line again two days later. That doesn’t make for a thrilling show, which leaves the wrestling to carry everything. As usual, that worked well, as long as you don’t expect a good bit of this show to be anything more than advertisements for later events.

Results
Billy Gunn/Acclaimed b. Hardys/Brother Zay – Assisted Iconoclasm to Zay
Eddie Kingston b. Rocky Romero – Stretch Plum
Righteous b. Gunnar/Caleb Crush – Autumn Sunshine to Crush
Hikaru Shida b. Ruby Soho – Katana

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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Ring Of Honor
Date: August 31, 2023
Location: Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, Tennessee/Rupp Arena, Lexington, Kentucky
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman

We’re still doing the split shows here, which should mean that things are a bit shorter again this week. It’s probably going to be the last time that is the case for the time being but I’ll take it while I can. The best story continues to be Athena/Billie Starkz and that should be fun again this week. Let’s get to it.

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

I was in the arena for the Lexington portions of the show, about ten rows back in the first section off the floor with the stage on my right.

Opening sequence.

New Japan Pro Wrestling TV Title: Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Metalik

Metalik is challenging. They go to the mat to start with Sabre easily flipping out of a wristlock and taking him to the mat for the arm cranking. A surfboard doesn’t work for Sabre as Metalik flips over and we get a standoff. Metalik pops up for a springboard spinning crossbody into a rope walk hurricanrana. Sabre isn’t having that and stays on the arm, including a stomp ala Shayna Baszler.

With that broken up, Metalik hits the reverse Sling Blade to send Sabre outside, meaning the big running flip dive can connect. A rope walk high crossbody gives Metalik two back inside but Sabre quickly pulls him into the octopus. Metalik makes the rope and snaps off a tornado DDT before they trade rollups for two each. Back up and the rope walk elbow is pulled into a double arm crank to retain Sabre’s title at 8:28.

Rating: B-. Sometimes you need to have two talented people out there doing their thing and that is what we got here. Metalik was doing his high flying stuff while Sabre was getting to pull people into his holds, which are always going to work. When Sabre is on his game, he is still one of the most entertaining people you will see in wrestling and he was feeling it well enough here.

Cole Karter isn’t overly pleased with Griff Garrison getting a match but gets Maria Kanellis-Bennett to come to the ring with him.

Josh Woods vs. John Walters

Woods has Mark Sterling with him and he takes Walters down to the mat without much effort. Walters reverses into an armdrag but Woods pulls him out of the air and starts forearming away at the chest. Some rollups give Walters three combined but Woods pulls him into the Gorilla Lock for the win at 2:32.

Workhorsemen/Lee Moriarty vs. Invictus Khash/Lord Crewe/Beef

Yes Beef and yes the fans are rather into him. Invictus gets kneed in the back to start so it’s off to Crewe. A rollup doesn’t work for Crewe as Drake comes in to run him over. Moriarty suplexes him for two but Crewe kicks his way to freedom. Beef comes in but misses a top rope splash, allowing Drake to hit a moonsault for the pin at 4:21.

Rating: C. Nothing much to see here, other than the incredibly strange visual of the Workhorsemen actually winning a match for a change. I’m not sure how far the team is going to go around here, but they have to get a win somewhere to start. If that has to involve pounding Beef and having him for dinner (I had to) so be it.

Cole Karter vs. Dustin Jackson

Maria Kanellis-Bennett is here with Karter. Jackson hits a charge into the corner to start but Karter hits a dropkick to easily take over. A clothesline out of the corner drops Jackson again and Eye Of The Beholder finishes Jackson at 1:24.

Emi Sakura vs. Alice Crowley

Sakura avoids a right hand to start but gets caught with a running dropkick. Crowley gets knocked down but she avoids a Vader Bomb. A fisherman’s suplex gives Crowley two, only to get pulled down with a faceplant. Sakura hits a running crossbody in the corner and a rather delayed butterfly backbreaker finishes Crowley off at 3:13.

Rating: C. Sakura is someone who has been around AEW for a long time now but she has never really broken through to the top of the division. I’m not sure if this is going to be a step in that direction but she is talented enough to be worth a look at whatever she is doing. Just a squash here, though Crowley got in some offense.

Josh Woods is happy with the challengers that Mark Sterling has been getting him and they are going to prove he is the face of the Pure division.

Outrunners vs. Spanish Announce Project

Magnum takes Serpentico into the corner for a slap but Serpentico cranks on the arm to take over. The Project starts taking over on said arm and Serpentico hits a basement superkick. Floyd comes in for a running knee, complete with a bit of a spin first. Serpentico headscissors his way out of the corner and the hot tag brings in Angelico to clean house. Everything breaks down and Serpentico dives onto Floyd. That leaves Angelico to tie up Magnum in an arm trap half crab for the tap at 4:50.

Rating: C+. As weird as it is to see the Project actually getting a win, there is something to the Outrunners that is so entertaining. The team embraces the goofiness and that makes them stand off. They know exactly what they’re doing and while they’re just a joke team, it works well enough and that’s all it needs to do.

Marina Shafir vs. Angelica Risk

Risk tries some grappling to start and is quickly planted down. A choke keeps Risk in trouble and Shafir kicks her down. Some judo throws keep Risk in trouble but she’s back up with some rights and lefts. Shafir plants her with a slam and grabs a triangle choke for the win at 2:34.

Six Man Tag Team Titles: Mogul Embassy vs. Action Andretti/Lee Johnson/Darius Martin

The Embassy, with Prince Nana, is defending and jump the challengers to start fast. Martin hurricanranas his way out of Cage’s powerbomb though and a tornado DDT is enough for the tag off to Johnson. Kaun offers a distraction though and Cage grabs a neckbreaker out of the corner. The Gates unload on Johnson in the corner and some whips into various other corners make it even worse. The nerve hold goes on for a bit until Johnson gets smart with a stomp to the foot.

Toa misses a charge into the corner though and the hot tag brings in Andretti to pick up the pace. The Spanish Fly gets two on Kaun, followed by Andretti and Martin hitting stereo dives. A split legged moonsault gives Andretti two but Toa runs Johnson over with a crossbody. Everything breaks down and Johnson hits a frog splash for two before a triple superkick drops Nana. Not that it matters as Johnson is tossed into a sitout powerbomb to give Cage the pin to retain at 9:34.

Rating: B-. Power vs. speed is something that has worked forever in wrestling and it worked again here, with the two teams working together well enough for a good main event. That being said, the Embassy is so far beyond the point where they need to drop the titles that the already limited value the titles had is almost long gone.

Overall Rating: C+. This show was under an hour and oh how much better than made things. It didn’t feel like anything was there to pad out the show and while there wasn’t much in the way of storyline advancement, I also wasn’t an hour in and wondering how much more there could possibly be. Not a great show, but it’s what Ring Of Honor should be, which is why it’s likely going to be completely different next week.

Results
Zack Sabre Jr. b. Metalik – Double arm crank
Josh Woods b. John Walters – Gorilla Lock
Workhorsemen/Lee Moriarty b. Invictus Khash/Lord Crewe/Bee – Moonsault to Beef
Cole Karter b. Dustin Jackson – Eye Of The Beholder
Emi Sakura b. Alice Crowley – Butterfly backbreaker
Spanish Announce Project b. Outrunners – Arm trap half crab to Magnum
Marina Shafir b. Angelic Risk – Triangle choke
Mogul Embassy b. Lee Johnson/Action Andretti/Darius Martin – Sitout powerbomb to Johnson

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