Coverage
Mitchell’s NJPW Summer Struggle Report! (8/1/21)
Will Chaos still reign?
Will Chaos lose belts before going for more?
After all the madness from yesterday, Chaos and Suzuki-Gun look to raise the stakes as the NEVER Openweight Six Man Tag titles are on the line! Will the champions retain or #JustTapOut?
OFFICIAL RESULTS
- Kazuchika Okada VS Yuya Uemura; Okada wins.
- Tetsuya Naito VS Yota Tsuji; Naito wins.
- Six Man Tag: Toru Yano & Roppongi 3K VS Chase Owens, El Phantasmo & Taiji Ishimori; Owens, ELP & Ishimori win.
- Six Man Tag: Los Ingobernables de Japon VS EVIL, Dick Togo & Yujiro Takahashi; LIJ wins.
- NEVER Openweight Six Man Tag Team Championships: Chaos VS Minoru Suzuki & Dangerous Tekkers; Chaos wins and retains the titles.
PLAY BY PLAY
Kazuchika Okada VS Yuya Uemura!
Summer Struggle Sunday starts off with a send-off for a Young Lion! Will the Rainmaker send Uemura off on excursion in style?
The bell rings and fans fire up with Uemura as he steps right up to Okada. Okada is still in his corner but Uemura waits on him. Okada takes his time, circles with Uemura, shoots in, but Uemura dodges to get around and waistlock. Uemura shifts to a half nelson but Okada wrenches out. Okada gets a hammerlock but Uemura switches the hold onto Okada. Uemura cranks the hold to wrangle Okada to the mat. Okada reaches back, Uemura hooks that arm to make it a chicken wing cradle, ONE! Okada facelocks, Uemura makes that a fireman’s carry takedown! Fans cheer the technical exchange as Uemura has an armlock.
Okada fights up, gets a leg, trips Uemura, then drops an elbow on the knee. Okada has a toehold now, but Uemura tries to counter with a chinlock. Okada cranks the toehold, Uemura hooks him with a leg to go for an armbar! Okada clasps hands, rolls to a cover, TWO! Uemura uses a leg guard to keep Okada back but Okada backs off just a moment before shooting back in. Okada has a facelock, Uemura moves around so Okada shifts to a waistlock then chinlock. Uemura fights to his feet, pries at the headlock, but Okada cranks it on harder. Fans rally as Uemura tries to power out, but Okada holds on tight. Uemura fights up, powers up but still can’t power out!
Okada grinds Uemura into the mat and cranks back but Uemura endures. Fans rally up, Uemura fights with body shots and then finally powers out to dropkick Okada down! That was a very Okada like move! Uemura keeps on Okada with a rain of forearms! And a CHOP! Fans fire up again as Uemura paces around Okada. Uemura gets Okada up, scoops and SLAMS him, then covers. ONE, but Uemura hits a BIG jumping elbow drop! Cover, ONE! Uemura tries again, ONE! And again, TWO! Fans rally up as Uemura CLUBS Okada. Uemura gets Okada up, CLUBS away on his back, stomps him down, then drags him back up.
Uemura double wristlocks and throws Okada for a mounted wristlock. Okada clasps hands to resist and he moves around to get the ropebreak! Uemura lets go cleanly, then gets Okada back up. Uemura ROCKS Okada with a forearm, CLUBS him on the back, and ROCKS him in the corner with more forearms. Uemura whips corner to corner, runs in and dropkicks! Then he reels Okada in for a BIG back suplex! High stack, TWO, into a BOSTON CRAB! Fans fire up as Okada scrambles, and Okada gets the ropebreak! The ref counts, Uemura lets off but stomps away on Okada at the ropes! Fans rally more as Uemura backs off to catch his breath.
Okada gets back up and Uemura throws a forearm! Okada doesn’t flinch so Uemura throws another! And another! Uemura runs but into a boot! Uemura just fires up to fire off more forearms! Uemura runs again but Okada’s BOOT knocks him down this time! Okada gets Uemura up, fans rally, and Okada eggs Uemura on. Uemura throws many forearms and a EuroUpper! Uemura runs, dodges the boot, dodges the chop, but runs right into the back drop! Fans rally as Okada gets Uemura back up to snapmare, spin around, snapmare again, then get him up for a leg trip. Okada scoops Uemura to SLAM him down, and scoop SLAMS again!
Okada whips and elbows Uemura down, then drags him back up. Fans fire up as Okada scoops and SLAMS Uemura again! Uemura is dazed from that flurry of offense and Okada backs off to see if he gets up. Uemura grits his teeth, slowly pushes himself up off the mat, and gets to his feet. Uemura throws another forearm but Okada just comes back for more. Uemura’s forearms finally impress Okada, and he ROCKS Uemura in return. Uemura throws another forearm but Okada DECKS him! Okada eggs Uemura on, Uemura growls and shakes his head and gets back up to throw more forearms. Okada ROCKS Uemura with a EuroUpper, runs, but into Uemura’s dropkick!
Fans are thunderous for Uemura as he gets Okada up and traps the arms! OVERHEAD SUPLEX! Cover, TWO! Uemura fires himself up, beats his chest like Tarzan, then wrenches and clinches Okada again. Okada blocks the suplex this time and fans rally as Uemura keeps trying. Okada eggs Uemura on so Uemura headbutts him! Uemura keeps trying but Okada keeps blocking the suplex. Okada powers out to SHORT ARM CLOTHESLINE! And then ANOTHER! Okada then wraps on the MONEY CLIP! Uemura is fading already but fans rally up and he gets his second wind! Uemura reaches out, scoots closer, but Okada drags him away from ropes! Uemura taps, Okada wins!
Winner: Kazuchika Okada, by submission
A valiant effort from this Young Lion graduate, and Okada applauds him along with the fans. Okada helps him up so Uemura can soak in the applause. But then Okada whips him and dropkicks him?! Seems Okada wanted to show the upstart how it’s done! Will Uemura’s excursion transform him into someone who can truly stand toe to toe with The Rainmaker?
Tetsuya Naito VS Yota Tsuji!
Just like Uemura, another Young Lion has his send-off! But will the towering Tsuji share the same fate as his fellow graduate?
Naito wore his suit today, so Tsuji’s send-off starts with the long labor of taking it off and putting it aside. Tsuji is patient, having seen this many times from ringside. The bell rings and Tsuji runs Naito right over! Again, Tsuji has seen Naito’s matches so he knows Naito starts off slow and he takes advantage of that. Tsuji gets Naito up to throw forearms, then whips Naito to ropes. Naito holds ropes, boots back, then things speed up. Tsuji hurdles, Naito leaps over, they keep going and Tsuji RANAS! Naito bails out and Tsuji dares him to come back as fans rally up. Naito stays outside so Tsuji goes out after him. Tsuji kicks Naito, bumps him off the apron, then puts him back inside.
Fans cheer as Tsuji stomps Naito down. Naito sits up but Tsuji gets him up to CLUB him and throw forearms. Naito CHOPS, Tsuji CHOPS, repeat! Neither man is backing down from this CHOP fight, but then Tsuji DECKS Naito with a forearm! Fans fire up for Tsuji’s strength, but Naito plays dead as Tsuji tries to get him up. Tsuji stomps Naito, stands him up this time, and whips. Naito holds ropes again so Tsuji throws forearms. Tsuji whips, Naito reverses and wrenches to throw back elbows and forearms. Tsuji forearms back, and again, and again. Naito staggers, Tsuji whips but again Naito reverses, to atomic drop and NECKBREAKER!
Tsuji bails out now and Naito goes out after him. Naito whips Tsuji hard into railing! The ref reprimands but Naito backs off. Naito goes back after Tsuji to whip him hard into more railing. The standing count starts but Naito scoop SLAMS Tsuji to the floor. Naito goes back to the ring at 10 of 20 and Tsuji writhes. The count gets to 15, then 17! Tsuji is up at 18, in at 19! Naito stomps Tsuji now, then digs a knee in with the chinlock stretch. Tsuji gets the ropebreak, Naito pulls back harder, until the ref counts 4. Fans rally while Naito paces. Naito gets Tsuji up, whip him to ropes and back drops him! Cover, TWO! Another try, TWO! Another, TWO!! Fans cheer as Tsuji narrowly escapes.
Naito kicks Tsuij around, brings him up, but Tsuji throws a forearm. Naito eggs him on so Tsuji throws more forearms. Naito fires off forearms in return, then CLUBS Tsuji on the back. Naito scoop SLAMS Tsuji, goes for the legs, but Tsuji kicks him away. Naito kicks Tsuji, whips him, and Tsuji dropkicks Naito down! Fans fire up while both men are down! Tsuji gets up and aims from a corner. Tsuji runs corner to corner to flying forearm smash! Tsuji then scoops, SLAMS, runs and SOMERSAULT SENTONS! Tsuji keeps going to SPLASH! Cover, TWO! Fans stay fired up as Tsuji gets Naito back up. Tsuji reels Naito in, but Naito blocks the suplex.
Tsuji gets Naito up but Naito knees free, wrenches an arm and throws back elbows. Naito CLUBS Tsuji, and SLAPS him! Tsuji SLAPS back, so Naito SLAPS again. It’s becoming a SLAP fight! Naito goes back to forearms, then back to back elbows. Tsuji CLOBBERS Naito with a point-blank clothesline! Tsuji gets Naito up, whips but Naito reverses again to back elbow Tsuji down. Naito basement dropkicks, but Tsuji is right up to SPEAR Naito down! Both men are down and fans fire up again. Naito crawls away while Tsuji sits up. Fans rally as Tsuji stands Naito up and throws more forearms. Naito hits back and starts to grin as the forearm brawl continues.
Tsuji fires off several forearms, Naito rebounds off ropes but into a forearm! Tsuji suplexes Naito high and hard! Fans fire up with Tsuji and he runs corner to corner, only for Naito to dodge and ENZIGURI! Naito whips, Tsuji reverses but Naito hits FLYING FOREARMS! Naito gets the legs and turns Tsuji for a BOSTON CRAB! Tsuji endures, powers up, but Naito sits deeper on the hold! Tsuji still works his way towards ropes, and gets the ropebreak! Fans cheer and Naito lets off as the ref counts. Naito stomps Tsuji, gives toying kicks, but Tsuji gets up to SLAP him! And SLAP! And SLAP! Naito fires off more forearms! But Tsuji still SLAPS!
Tsuji runs, gets around the elbow, and twists into a sunset flip! TWO, Naito has a prawn hold, TWO and Tsuji has the sunset flip again! TWO, and fans cheer that close call! Tsuji runs in but Naito back elbows! Tsuji staggers but he reels back, only for Naito to ENZIGURI him down first! Naito gets the legs again, and turns him for a LION TAMER! Tsuji endures this partial turn Crab, but he’s caught! Tsuji TAPS, Naito wins!
Winner: Tetsuya Naito, by submission
Another Young Lion with a lot of heart, but he couldn’t keep up with NJPW’s first IWGP Heavyweight & Intercontinental Double Champion. Naito wants Tsuji to get up and he does. Naito tells Tsuji, “Hasta luego. Adios.” In other words, he’ll see Tsuji whenever he gets back. Will this Young Lion grow into a king of the jungle?
Six Man Tag: Toru Yano & Roppongi 3K VS Chase Owens, El Phantasmo & Taiji Ishimori!
Chaos’ Clown Prince lost his KOPW trophy, while Sho & Yoh are still stinging from yesterday’s loss to Suzuki-Gun, as well as the verbal lashing El Desperado gave them. Can Yano and RPG3K get back in the game against the current provisional Mr. KOPW and the reigning Junior Heavyweight Tag champs?
Chase taunts Yano with the trophy, as well as with the idea that he’d throw it into the crowd. The ref does his check and Yano gets impatient. But Chase wants to make sure Yano has no tricks up his sleeves, or his tights. The trios sort out, Bullet Club Low Sweets, and Bone Soldier Reborn starts with High Voltage. Fans rally as Taiji and Sho circle, feel out the grapple, and each man tries to get inside the other’s guard. They clinch, go around and around, then back off. Taiji shoots in to waistlock but Sho has an arm. Sho pries at the waistlock, wrenches through and wristlocks. Taiji rolls, spins, and wrenches back. Taiji goes from wristlock to hammerlock but Sho slips through to headlock.
Taiji pries at the hold but Sho cranks harder. Taiji powers out but Sho runs him over! Yoh hops in and gets Taiji up to double whip. They get ready for the combo but Taiji holds ropes and ELP trips up Sho! Taiji BOOTS Yoh but Yoh comes back, only to be dumped out! ELP throws hands on Sho, Chase knocks Yano off the apron, and Bullet Club goes after Chaos on the outside. ELP fish hooks Sho’s face, Chase rakes Yano’s face while holding him down against railing. ELP bumps Sho off apron and Taiji hoists Yoh up to drop him on railing! Fans rally up for Chaos while a ring count starts. Taiji puts Yoh in at 7 of 20 while ELP POSTS Sho.
Taiji chokes Yoh, lets off as the ref reprimands, but gets Yoh back up. Taiji DECKS Yoh, whips him to the corner, and Yoh runs into boots from ELP and Chase! Tag to ELP, he mocks Yoh just like Desperado did yesterday. Yoh gets mad and throws forearms but ELP DECKS him! Fans rally but ELP puts Yoh on ropes to stand on him and choke him! Chase also scuffs Yoh with kicks as the ref counts. ELP stops at 4, tags Chase in, and Chase CLAWS Yoh! Sho and Yano protest but Chase whips Yoh to a corner. Chase runs in to forearm smash, then reels Yoh in for a LARIAT! Cover, TWO! Tag to Taiji and he goes up top, and Bullet Club fires up as Taiji leaps, to CLAW Yoh’s back!
Sho and Yano protest more, but Taiji tags ELP and ELP goes up top. Chase gives ELP some help balancing on the post, ELP double jumps, to CLAW Yoh’s back! ELP struts about, does some jumping jacks just to show off, and then he taunts Yano and Sho. ELP puts Yoh in a corner, Taiji gets in and they mug Yoh, but Sho points it out. ELP DECKS Sho, then he and Taiji double whip Yoh corner to corner. Taiji whips ELP in but Yoh avoids the splash to then dropkick Taiji! Yoh turns around and back drops ELP! Fans fire up as Yoh crawls for his corner, hot tag to Sho! Sho rallies on the tag champs, Taiji reverses a whip but Sho puts him on the apron.
Sho sweeps the legs, runs and dropkicks Taiji down! Chase kicks Sho, whips but Sho reverses and Yano trips Chase! Sho runs in at ELP to corner clothesline! Sho wrenches ELP, fires off KICKS, and then takes aim to KICK him down! Cover, TWO! Fans rally behind Sho as ELP crawls. Sho gets ELP in a waistlock but ELP resists the lift. ELP backs Sho into a corner, elbows him back, then CHOPS him! ELP whips corner to corner, Sho reverses, ELP goes up and over. ELP ducks, dodges, springboards and CROSSBODIES! TWO, ELIP somersaults to the LIONSAULT! Cover, TWO! Fans rally while ELP grows frustrated. ELP gets Sho up, spins him to a straitjacket and torture rack.
Sho slips out to pump handle and waistlock, WRIST CLUTCH GERMAN! Fans fire up as Sho and ELP crawl. Hot tags to Yano and Chase! Yano swings on Chase but Chase knees low. Chase steals a page out of Yano’s book by untying a corner pad! But Yano does that with the opposite corner! And Yano’s faster at it so he already has his weapon of choice! Yano SMACKS Chase right in the back! Then whips him at the bare corner! Chase copies Yano again as he goes up the corner. Yano runs in, Chase steps aside and Yano hits bare buckles! Chase rolls Yano up, TWO!! Chase keeps focus as he watches Yano, but Yano dodges the knee!
Yano waistlocks, Chase elbows free, but Yano pulls Chase’s hair to keep him from running away. Chase breaks free, Yano blocks his kick, but Chase rakes eyes! Chase runs, into an atomic drop! Yano gets around to hit another atomic drop! Chase spasms as he falls to his knees, and Yano tags in Yoh! Yoh dropkicks Chase to ropes, then whips him. Chase reverses but Yano hits FLYING FOREARMS! Yoh kips up, Chase kicks back. Chase CHOPS Yoh to a corner, whips him corner to corner but Yoh reverses, and Chase hits bare buckles! Sho gets in and intercepts Taiji with a forearm, then RPG3K coordinates.
Yoh whips Sho in to clothesline Chase, then Sho becomes the step for Yoh to hit POETRY IN MOTION! Yoh gets Chase around and Sho is on guard, FALCON ARROW! Yoh covers, but ELP still gets in to break it! ELP kicks SHo, ROCKS him with a forearm, then ROCKS Yoh! ELP fires off forearms on RPG3K only to run into their DOUBLE KNEES! DOUBLE SUPERKICKS for Taiji, and RPG3K give Chase the BACKSTABBER to SHOTGUN BOOT! Fans fire up with Sho & Yoh as Chase staggers, but Chase fights off 3K! Chase gets Yoh for a dragon sleeper, catches Sho as he runs in, and he hits an URENAGE REVERSE DDT COMBO!
Chase gets Yoh back up, reels him in, PACKAGE DRIVER!! Cover as ELP keeps Sho away, Bullet Club wins!
Winners: Chase Owens, El Phantasmo & Taiji Ishimori, by pinfall
The Crown Jewel shines bright as he grabs the victory for his team! ELP throws the buckle pad at Sho just to add insult to injury, and then Chase gets the mic. “Hey, Yano. Come in here. Say ‘I quit.'” Say it, or they break the trophy! They mug Yano but Yano fights back! Chase blocks the low blow to LOW BLOW Yano! Chase then puts Yano in a figure four STF! Bullet Club continues to threaten the “life” of the KOPW 2021 trophy as Yano suffers. Say it, Yano! Say you quit! ELP claims Yano said he quit, and Chase lets Yano go.
Will Chase give Yano a chance to win back the trophy? Or will he want someone else to step up to the plate in the MetLife Dome?
Six Man Tag: Los Ingobernables de Japon VS EVIL, Dick Togo & Yujiro Takahashi!
Bushi, Sanada and Shingo Takagi were again on the winning side against Bullet Club yesterday, but the callous King of Darkness attacked Takagi with the IWGP World Heavyweight belt! And worse than that, part of the belt broke off! Will the Dragon get his revenge for that? Or will the #EvilDickPimps make the end of the weekend Too Sweet?
As Takagi makes his entrance, he holds the belt up to show the plate that fell off because of Evil. Evil grins, clearly proud of that. The introductions don’t even finish as Takagi rushes Evil! Sanada and Bushi take care of Dick and Yujiro while Takagi fires off boxing elbows in a corner! The bell rings to get this on record as Takagi stomps a mudhole into Evil! The ref reprimands, Takagi lets off and gets Evil up. Dick whips Bushi into railing just as Takagi throws Evil out! Takagi CLUBS Evil against railing, then runs him around the way to whip HARD into railing! Takagi drives elbows into Evil’s shoulder, then fires up. Fans cheer him on as he gets Evil up by his hair.
Takagi brings Evil around to put in the ring while Bushi hits Dick back. Takagi stomps Evil, whips him to ropes and KNEES him against them. Takagi then runs to run Evil over! Fans fire up and rally for “TA-KA-GI!” “LIJ!” as he drops a senton! Cover, TWO! Takagi gets Evil back up and signals to Sanada. Sanada sticks a boot out and Takagi bumps Evil off it! Sanada stomps Evil down and keeps him from his corner with a headlock punch! Sanada waistlocks, Evil resists the lift to switch, but Sanada resists the lift to trip Evil up. Evil kicks Sanada away, Sanada rebounds and cartwheels around Evil to then dropkick him! Evil stays up so Sanada dropkicks him again!
Evil is still up, Sanada dropkicks again and finally knocks him over! Evil bails out, Sanada aims, but Evil avoids the Plancha! After all, these two used to be tag partners, Evil knows Sanada’s moves. And then Evil RAMS Sanada into the railing, at the timekeeper’s area! Abe-san is knocked over again! Meanwhile, Yujiro and Dick go after Takagi and Bushi on the other side of the ring. Evil slips away from Sanada and the ref to untie the blue buckle pad. The ring count starts on Sanada while he’s down, and fans rally up as it climbs. It passes 10 of 20, then reaches 15 before Sanada gets up. Sanada drags himself over, gets on the apron at 18, but Evil BLASTS him off!
Sanada hits railing, and the timekeeper’s table! Abe-san and even the Young Lions helping him are all knocked down! Takagi hurries over to check on everyone, and fans rally up again as another ring count begins. Evil smirks as he paces, and someone throws a show into the ring? Is that Abe-san’s shoe? Sanada gets up at 13 and in at 14, so Evil gets him up to whip into the bare buckles! The Bullet Club classic hits! Tag to Dick, he stomps Sanada around then throws haymakers. Dick headlocks and punches Sanada down! The ref reprimands and fans rally as Dick grinds Sanada’s shoulder. Dick wrenches to a hammerlock but Sanada slips around to put it on Dick!
Dick drop toeholds to get the armlock back! Dick snapmares Sanada, runs and FIST DROPS! Cover, TWO! Bullet Club argues the count and Yujiro tags in. Yujiro drags Sanada from his corner to rain down fists. Yujiro sits Sanada up to basement boot! Cover, TWO! Fans rally for “SA-NA-DA!” “LIJ!” Yujiro slaps Sanada around but Sanada fires forearms. Yujiro catches Sanada’s rolling elbow into a dragon sleeper, but Sanada turns around to suplex. Yujiro resists, then BITES Sanada’s hand! Sanada BITES back! The ref reprimands, but men break free of the other’s jaw and back away to opposite ends. Yujiro runs at Sanada but Sanada dropkicks his legs out! Hot tag to Bushi!
Bushi hurries to the neutral corner and the top rope, then missile dropkicks Yujiro down! Fans fire up for the Bushirooni, but Dick and Evil attack! They whip Bushi to a corner, Dick runs in but Bushi steps aside to then trap Dick in the corner. Evil runs in but Bushi boots him away. Bushi headlocks Dick, and he hits a BULLDOG DROPKICK COMBO on Evil and Dick! Bushi DECKS Yujiro off the apron, runs and DIVES! Direct hit and Yujiro hits railing! Fans fire up with Bushi and he gets Yujiro back in the ring. Bushi stomps Yujiro, drags him up, spins him around and hits a DDT! Cover, TWO!
Bushi keeps focus as he gets Yujiro up, but Yujiro spins out of the fisherman. Each man evades the other, Yujiro blocks a kick and throws Bushi down to then basement boot! Yujiro tags Evil and he drags Bushi away from the LIJ corner. Evil whips, Bushi reverses but Evil reverses back and Bushi hits bare buckles! Evil fisherman’s but Bushi resists and hits FISHERMAN’S SCREW! Fans fire up as both men are down, but Bushi makes it to the corner! Hot tag to Takagi! Takagi runs at Evil in the corner, blocks Evil’s boot and clotheslines! Takagi whips Evil corner to corner and runs into clothesline again! Then Takagi suplexes Evil high and hard! Cover, TWO!
Fans fire up with Takagi as he dares Evil to get up. Evil slowly rises, Takagi stands him up but Evil rakes eyes! The ref reprimands, Evil lets off and Takagi kicks. Evil blocks to hand it to the ref, but Takagi’s ready and blocks the mule kick! Takagi has the ref let go of his foot, and he ROCKS Evil with a forearm! Takagi runs but Evil dumps him out! Dick is there to whip Takagi into more railing! Dick puts Takagi in and Evil covers, TWO! Fans rally up for “TA-KA-GI!” but Evil hits a FISHERMAN’S BUSTER! Cover, TWO! Evil is furious but he kicks at Takagi. Evil eggs Takagi on and dares him to hit back. Takagi gets up but Evil pokes him in the eye!
Evil whips Takagi corner to corner then runs in, but Takagi dodges! Bushi runs in to back elbow! Sanada adds his own back elbow, then Takagi clotheslines! LIJ pinballs Evil around with kicks and clotheslines, and Bushi tops it off with a BACKSTABBER! Takagi SLIDING LARIATS! Cover, Dick and Yujiro break it! Sanada and Bushi throw those two out and Takagi fires up with “OI! OI! OI!” Fans rally up with him as he gets Evil up. Takagi pump handles but Evil fights off the lift with elbows. Takagi headbutts, runs, but Evil ducks Pumping Bomber! Dick trips Takagi then tags in! Yujiro also gets in and they mug Takagi in a corner.
Dick and Yujiro double whip Takagi to a corner and Dick runs in to back elbow! Yujiro runs in to BOOT, and Evil runs in to corner clothesline! Evil hits Takagi with a FISHERMAN BUSTER! Dick adds a BACK SENTON! Cover, Bushi and Sanada break it! Evil and Yujiro throw them out and Dick drags Takagi up. Dick throws hands but Takagi grits his teeth and powers up! Takagi ROCKS Dick, runs, but Yujiro gets a cheap shot in! The ref reprimands but Yujiro gets in with his pimp cane. The ref stops him there but Dick uses the SPOILER CHOKER on Takagi! Takagi fights up and pries it off to fireman’s carry Dick! Evil runs in but Takagi swings Dick’s boots into him!
Takagi then shoves Dick into Evil, and DOUBLE PUMPING BOMBERS! Sanada gets in to throw Yujiro out and Bushi gets in, Bushi and Sanada DOUBLE PLNACHA Evil and Yujiro! Takagi corner clotheslines Dick, then PUMPING BOMBERS on the return! Cover, LIJ wins!
Winners: Los Ingobernables de Japon, by pinfall
For the third time in a row, LIJ beats Bullet Club! And Takagi makes sure to get the title belt before Evil can do something. Evil says it won’t be Takagi’s after Wrestle Grand Slam, but will he strike out there like he has this weekend?
NEVER Openweight Six Man Tag Team Championships: Chaos VS Minoru Suzuki & Dangerous Tekkers!
Tomohiro Ishii, Hirooki Goto & Yoshi-Hashi have built quite the streak in defending these titles and don’t look to stop now! On top of that, the Fierce Warrior and Head Hunter are going for the IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championships at Wrestle Grand Slam MetLife! Will Chaos still reign in the Summer Struggle? Or will the Meanest Man in the World help the Sliest Wrestler in the World and the Submission Master each become double champions?
The introductions are made, Ishii gets in Suzuki’s face but Suzuki slaps Ishii’s belt away. Red Shoes gathers the belts up, presents them, and teams sort out. Suzuki tells Goto and Hashi to get out of the ring because he wants Ishii! Fans rally up already for “I-SHI-I!” “SU-ZU-KI!” and that’s our starting two! The bell rings, the two rush each other and the forearms start flying already! Fans rally as Suzuki laughs. Ishii fires off many forearms, so does Suzuki, and now Ishii eggs Suzuki on. They keep going back and forth, leaning into each other’s shots! Forearm after forearm, Suzuki finally ROCKS Ishii! But Ishii comes back to ROCK Suzuki! And again!
Suzuki ROCKS Ishii again! Ishii ROCKS Suzuki again! Suzuki ROCKS Ishii and roars! Ishii throws forearms, Suzuki hits back, the flurry continues! Suzuki ROCKS Ishii and he starts falling over! Suzuki gets Ishii to the corner and Taichi tags in. Taichi reels Ishii in but Ishii turns it around to put him in the Chaos corner! Goto tags in and they mug Taichi. Goto CLUBS Taichi but Taichi CHOKES Goto! Hashi gets in and he chokes Taichi! Goto also chokes Taiji and the two back him down to the ropes. They double whip and double shoulder Taichi down, then coordinate for the hip toss senton! ZSJ gets in but he gets mugged! Ishii joins in and Chaos hammers ZSJ!
Goto knocks Suzuki off the apron, Hashi gets Taichi up and Chaos hammers him, too! Fans cheer on Chaos, and Goto stomps Taichi. Goto CLUBS Taichi to the corner, stomps him down, but lets off as Red Shoes counts. Goto gives Taichi more stomps but Taichi gets up to kick back! Goto stomps Taichi back down, digs his boot in, then tags in Hashi. Hashi stomps Taichi now, then drags him up to CLUB him. Taichi goes after Goto with a choke! Hashi drags Taichi away with a sleeper! Cover, TWO! Another try, TWO! Another try, TWO! Hashi keeps his cool and tags in Ishii. Ishii stomps Taichi then drags him up to CHOP him!
Hashi and Goto hold Taichi in the corner but Suzuki runs in to attack Ishii! Ishii hits back and throws Suzuki out, to then CHOP Taichi down. Suzuki throws a fit outside but Goto tags in. Goto snapmares Taichi while Ishii eggs Suzuki on. Goto KICKS Taichi, covers, TWO! Goto keeps Taichi down with a chinlock but Taichi hits back from below. Goto drives an elbow into Taichi’s forehead! Goto stomps Taichi, drags him up and whips him to ropes. Taichi holds ropes, boots back, then runs, only for Goto to run him over! ZSJ gets in, Goto kicks but ZSJ blocks it! Suzuki gets in to STO Goto down, and both he and ZSJ have Goto’s legs for DOUBLE HEEL HOOKS! And Taichi adds a choke!
Red Shoes reprimands but ZSJ and Suzuki let off to go BOOT Hashi and Ishii off the apron! Taichi keeps choking Goto, then kicks Goto out of the ring. Suzuki and ZSJ throw Ishii and Hashi into railing! Ishii comes back to fire forearms on Suzuki so Suzuki hits back! Suzuki DECKS Ishii and Ishii falls against railing! ZSJ tortures Goto with a toehold, then Taichi gets Goto up to whip into railing. Taichi uses camera cable to choke Goto! Red Shoes can’t keep up with everything so Taichi gets away with it. Ishii and Suzuki brawl as the ring count starts and Suzuki DECKS Ishii again. Taichi gets in the ring at 6 but Goto is still down at 10 of 20.
ZSJ gets Goto up so that he and Suzuki can pinball Goto between forearms and uppercuts! The count is 15 of 20, Goto staggers as he gets mugged, but he slips away at 18! Suzuki-Gun keeps him stuck at the apron and Taichi stands on Goto’s head. Tag to Suzuki, Suzuki gives Goto toying kicks but fans rally up for Chaos. Suzuki stomps Goto but Goto still gets up. Suzuki gives him more toying kicks but Goto CHOPS back! Suzuki eggs him on so Goto CHOPS more. Suzuki throws body shots then DECKS Goto! Suzuki kicks Goto at the ropes, digs his boots in, but Red Shoes reprimands and counts. Suzuki lets off and ZSJ tags in.
Suzuki and ZSJ get Goto up and they wrench the arm over and over, handing it off back and forth. Suzuki then holds the arm out and ZSJ BOOTS it! Cover, TWO! ZSJ clamps onto the arm and drags Goto to the corner. Taichi tags in, the Tekkers mug Goto, then Taichi CLUBS Goto on the back. Taichi gives toying kicks now and even pushes Goto around. Goto gets up and CHOPS back! And fires off forearms! Goto runs corner to corner but Taichi dodges and GAMANGIRIS! Fans fire up and rally as Taichi drags Goto from the corner. Cover, TWO! Taichi keeps cool while fans rally, but Goto is dead weight as Taichi tries to lift him.
Taichi stomps Goto around then gets him up. Tag to Suzuki, Taichi stomps and Suzuki kicks Goto. Suzuki wrenches Goto’s arm and drags him down into a Rings of Saturn! Goto endures but Ishii gets in to kick at Suzuki. Suzuki gets annoyed and lets Goto go to DECK Ishii. Then he BOOTS Hashi down just because! Suzuki gets Goto up to SLAP him! Tag to ZSJ, he drags Goto around and uses a cravat for a neck wrench. Fans rally as Goto endures, but ZSJ cranks the hold harder. Goto gets up but ZSJ blocks the scoop! Goto keeps trying, ZSJ hooks a leg with a leg, but Goto throws body shots. ZSJ headlocks, Goto powers out and Goto CLOBBERS ZSJ with an elbow!
Fans fire back up and Goto tags in Ishii! The Stone Pitbull runs at ZSJ, ZSJ dodges, and both men go on a string of ducking and dodging strikes! Ishii spins ZSJ around to suplex but ZSJ slips out for a sleeper! Ishii slips out the side to shove ZSJ to ropes. ZSJ boots but Ishii dodges, only for ZSJ to dodge him. ZSJ comes back but Ishii runs him over! Taichi runs in but Ishii feeds him to Hashi’s forearm! Ishii and Hashi knock Suzuki off the apron and fans rally up behind them. Ishii stalks ZSJ to a corner, gets him up and CHOPS him! Ishii stands ZSJ up to CHOP him again, and again! ZSJ sits down and Ishii eggs him on.
Ishii slaps ZSJ around, gets him back up, but ZSJ EuroUppers! Ishii doesn’t budge, and he CHOPS ZSJ off his feet again! Fans cheer and rally up for “I-SHI-I!” “ZSJ!” as Ishii whips ZSJ corner to corner. ZSJ goes up and comes back to EuroUpper! Ishii swings into a COBRA TWIST! But he powers out to hip toss! ZSJ bridges up to get the cravat but Ishii blocks the snapmare! Ishii waistlocks but ZSJ resists the lift to wrench, wrangle and hammerlock STOMP the arm! Fans fire up as both men are down! ZSJ gets after Ishii’s arm, and he twists the wrist, bends the fingers, and pushes the arm into another hammerlock, to STOMP it from the other angle!
Red Shoes checks on Ishii but he refuses to quit here. ZSJ kicks Ishii around, isolates the bad arm again and gets Ishii up for more wrenching and twisting. Ishii ROCKS ZSJ but that was with the bad arm! ZSJ laughs at Ishii but Ishii hits him again! Again, that’s the bad arm! But Ishii fights through the pain to ROCK ZSJ! ZSJ comes back to BOOT the bad arm, but Ishii eggs him on! ZSJ BOOTS the arm, wrenches to an ELBOW BREAKER, but Ishii reels him in! ZSJ fights the back suplex then resists a standard suplex. ZSJ wrenches an arm but Ishii swings on ZSJ, only for ZSJ to catch the arm and spin through to an ARMBAR TAKEDOWN!
But Hashi dropkicks the hold apart! Suzuki BOOTS Hashi, Goto DECKS Suzuki, but Taichi kicks and throws Goto out! The Tekkers regroup as fans rally back up. Taichi gets Ishii up, feeds him to ZSJ’s EuroUpper and adds a mule kick. ZSJ gets Ishii in an IRON OCTOPUS while Taichi goes out after Goto. ZSJ shifts his grip around on the hold but Ishii powers out to throw ZSJ down! Fans continue to rally as ZSJ aims from a corner. ZSJ runs, Ishii avoids the Penalty Kick, and then Ishii clubs the roundhouse kick away! But that was the bad arm again! Ishii swings but ZSJ roundhouses the clothesline away! ZSJ wrenches to PELE the arm!
Ishii comes back but ZSJ avoids the sliding lariat! ZSJ boots but Ishii blocks to spin ZSJ to a GERMAN SUPLEX! Both men are down and the fans are thunderous now! Ishii and ZSJ crawl, hot tags to Hashi and Taichi! Taichi boots but Hashi forearms! Taichi boots again, Hashi forearms again! And again! Hashi fires more forearms, Taichi kicks Hashi’s leg, repeat! Hashi gets the edge, but Taichi KICKS him in the chest! Taichi runs but into a CHOP! Hashi runs and avoids the clothesline to hit the HEADHUNTER! Fans fire up with Hashi and he gets Taichi up to whip him to a corner. Hashi runs in to CHOP Taichi, then brings him around to CHOP! And mule kick, and NECKBREAKER! Cover, TWO!
Fans rally hard as ever as Hashi brings Taichi back up. Hashi scoops but Taichi slips out ot waistlock. Hashi switches, Taichi resists the lift to PELE! Suzuki and ZSJ blast the Chaos corner! ZSJ is after Ishii, Suzuki has Goto, ZSJ wrenches Ishii’s arm for an ELBOW BREAKER! Suzuki wraps Goto’s arm around railing to pull it! In the ring, Hashi gets to a corner and Taichi runs in to clothesline! Taichi rolls Hashi to KICK him in the back, but Hashi gets right up! Hashi forearms but Taichi GAMANGIRIS! Taichi drags Hashi back up while Goto and Suzuki brawl. Taichi reels Hashi in, but Hashi RANAS the bomb away!
Taichi is back up but Hashi blocks the buzzsaw! Hashi spins Taichi for a BACKSTABBER, into the BUTTERFLY LOCK! Suzuki tries to get in but Goto anchors him to the outside! Taichi endures, flails, reaches, fights up to his feet, but Hashi wrangles him back down! Ishii keeps ZSJ away now but ZSJ RAMS him into railing! ZSJ gets in to get Hashi with a sleeper! Suzuki knocks Goto away as Hashi elbows free. Hashi runs at Taichi but into SEITEIJYUJIRYOU! ZSJ drags Ishii down into an omoplata, and Suzuki has Goto in a standing armbar! Suzuki-Gun has TRIPLE SUBMISSIONS!
Hashi endures, fans rally, and Red Shoes checks on him. Taichi cranks the stretch plum more but Hashi refuses to quit! Taichi cranks harder again and Hashi starts to fade! Red Shoes checks on Hashi as Ishii and Goto try to fight free, and Hashi uses a last gasp to get the ROPEBREAK! Fans cheer, ZSJ and Suzuki let Ishii and Goto go, and Taichi eventually does. Fans rally up but Taichi powers up. Hashi slowly rises, Taichi runs, but Hashi ducks Ax Bomber to come back, but into a choke grip! CHOKE SLAM!! Cover, TWO!! Hashi survives and fans are thunderous! Taichi gets up and OFF COME THE PANTS! Taichi powers up and aims from the corner, Hashi rises, but Hashi SUPERKICKS first!
Both men are down again as fans continue to rally. Taichi gets to a corner, and Suzuki’s laugh echoes in the background as he surely goes after Ishii again. Hashi gets up, runs in, but Taichi dodges, and ZSJ runs in with a EuroUpper! Feed to Taichi’s BIG ELBOW! ZSJ gets Hashi back up, Taichi aims, but Goto clobbers Taichi! ZSJ runs in but into a fireman’s carry! ZSJ slips off, rushes Goto again but Hashi SUPERKICKS him down! Goto gets Taichi up, he and Hashi get him up, but Taichi fights free! HOOK KICK for Goto! But Ishii gets in and gets around Taichi to back suplex! Suzuki BOOTS Ishii down, but Hashi LARIATS Suzuki! Fans are electric as all six men are down!
ZSJ flops out of the ring, Suzuki’s on the apron, Goto is near the Chaos corner and Ishii, Hashi and Taichi are all by a neutral corner. The fans continue to keep that high pace as Hashi stirs. Hashi gets up while Ishii bails out, and Hashi crawls to the opposite corner from Taichi. Taichi slowly gets up, Hashi runs in but Taichi boots him! Taichi runs at Hashi, DOUBLE LARIATS collide! Neither man falls and Hashi roars! Taichi runs, DOUBLE LARIATS collide again! Hashi falls over, the Ax Bomber wins out! Taichi runs again, but Hashi LARIATS him down!! Cover, TWO!! Fans are thunderous as Hashi gets Taichi back up, fisherman, KUMA BUSTER?! Cover and Goto keeps ZSJ out, TWO?!?!
Hashi is shocked but the fans are fired up again as he gets Taichi back up. Full nelson and spin, but no Karma! Taichi spins around to Alabama lift, but Hashi fights free! Taichi BOOTS, Hashi CHOPS! Taichi roars, gets around, DANGEROUS SAIDO!! Cover, TWO!?!? Now Hashi shocks Suzuki-Gun! Suzuki gets away from Ishii to get on the corner and Taichi hurries over. Hot tag to Suzuki and he runs at Hashi in the corner, to BOOT him! Snapmare and run for a PENALTY KICK! Cover, TWO!! Suzuki keeps focus and drags Hashi back up. Hashi throws forearms but Suzuki doesn’t flinch. Suzuki ROCKS Hashi, whips, but Hashi holds ropes!
Suzuki CHOPS him, whips, but Hashi reverses to LARIAT! Both men are down and Goto reaches out. Hot tag to Goto! Goto fires off on Suzuki, whips him corner to corner and hits MURAMASA! Then BULLDOG! Cover, TWO! Goto gets Suzuki up to a fireman’s carry but Suzuki slips out to fire off slapping palm strikes! Suzuki runs, Goto follows, Suzuki dodges and gets around to a SLEEPER! Hashi gets in just as Suzuki spins Goto around, and SUPERKICKS Suzuki down! Taichi gets in, he dodges Hashi but then Hashi dodges Taichi, they both run the ropes for DOUBLE LARIATS!! Both men slump down and roll to the apron as Goto and Suzuki rise.
Goto gets Suzuki up to throw forearms, but Suzuki throws them back. They go back and forth, and fans rally as they pick up speed. Things start to slow down but neither backs down as Suzuki ROCKS Goto. Goto eggs Suzuki on so Suzuki ROCKS him even harder! Suzuki eggs Goto on now, so Goto ROCKS him right back! Suzuki laughs that off and ROCKS Goto! Red Shoes reprimands Suzuki using closed fists but Suzuki shoves him away. Suzuki reels back for another closed fist, but Goto headbutts the punch! And again! Goto runs, Suzuki follows and DROPKICKS Goto right down! Fans rally, Suzuki fires himself up, and he gets Goto back up for a SLEEPER!
Suzuki drags Goto up with the sleeper hold, Taichi keeps Hashi outside as Goto turns purple! Red Shoes checks, Goto is fading, but Suzuki spins Goto around! Gotch hold, but Goto fights the piledriver! Goto spins out, gets Suzuki in the dragon sleeper, but Suzuki spins through to facelock and roll back, but Goto gets a facelock in return! REVERSE GTR!! Both men are down but ZSJ gets in! ZSJ drags Goto up into a facelock! Ishii runs in but ZSJ boots his clothesline! ZSJ gets Ishii in a sleeper with modified arm trap! ZSJ shouts to Suzuki as he spins Ishii, but Ishii suplexes instead! Ishii shouts to Goto and Goto rises!
Goto drags Suzuki up, but Suzuki HEADBUTTS! Goto fires up but Suzuki DECKS him! Suzuki gets Goto in the SLEEPER! Spin, but Goto fireman’s carries?! But Suzuki clasps hands to resist the Ushigoroshi and squeeze Goto in a modified sleeper! But Goto powers through! USHIGOROSHI!! Suzuki gets up!? But Ishii LARIATS him down! ZSJ gets back in but Ishii DECKS him! Goto sits Suzuki up, Hashi runs, METEORA! Hashi intercepts Taichi as Goto gets Suzuki in a dragon sleeper! Hashi helps out, G Y W!!! Cover, Chaos wins!!
Winners: Chaos, by pinfall (still NEVER Openweight Six Man Tag Team Champions)
Korakuen was already rocking, but they’re even more amped that Ishii-Goto-Hashi retain! Red Shoes raises their hands in victory, and Hashi still wants to throw it in Taichi’s face. Taichi refuses to face Hashi at first, but then Goto and Hashi hold up their Six Man belts. The Tekkers get their IWGP tag belts and we’re back to these two teams talking some smack. Taichi mockingly pats Hashi’s head and ZSJ sarcastically compliments them on a “good job.” ZSJ then gets attitude with Ishii but leaves with Taichi all the same.
Goto gets the mic to declare, “We destroyed Suzuki-Gun!” And he tells the fans thanks for being with them through these eight defenses. But wait, LIJ shows up! Bushi, Sanada and Naito join Chaos in the ring, and Bushi gets a mic. “Champions, congratulations.” But Bushi isn’t satisfied. Chaos talks about defending those titles forever, so they should be up for giving LIJ a chance at revenge. Fans like the sound of that! Goto talks it over with Hashi and Ishii, and a decision is reached: OK! They will give LIJ their shot. Chaos holds up the belts, and Ishii gets in Sanada’s face. Sanada keeps his cool, Naito grins at Hashi, and LIJ take their leave.
Goto gets back on the mic to say, “As champions, we take on any challengers!” He also says he’s so pumped right now, he probably won’t get any sleep tonight. But he vows that he and Hashi will win those IWGP tag titles, so he asks the fans to please support them. And lastly, he wants this to close out as usual, especially since Hashi didn’t get to say anything last time. “Yoshi-Hashi, tell ’em how you feel!” Fans cheer and Hashi says that LIJ is coming for them, but they clearly forgot what Hashi usually says. Hashi will say it again: The NEVER Six Man titles are NEVER changing hands, because Chaos will defend them… FOREVER!
Mic drop from the Head Hunter, but Chaos has a busy schedule ahead of them! Can they get past LIJ 3v3 before the Triple Threat Tag at the MetLife Dome?
My Thoughts:
In a surprising twist, even to myself, I did the whole event! It was a very good event, and we got very good showings from the Young Lions against two top names. Obviously the Young Lions weren’t going to win here, but winning wasn’t really the point of these send-off matches. I don’t know where Uemura and Tsuji are going for excursion but each guy is going to be big when they return, I’m sure of it.
The rest of the night was Six Man Tag Night, in honor of the main event. Yano & RPG3K VS Bullet Club was very good, and naturally Bullet Club wins to put more pressure on Yano and RPG3K in their stories of regaining former glory. LIJ VS Bullet Club in another arrangement was great stuff, and I’m a little surprised LIJ keeps winning, but there’s a lot of time left between now and Wrestle Grand Slam MetLife so the overall series could go back and forth.
The main event was great stuff, but also really long. Chaos winning makes sense, crowning double tag champions in the Tekkers just seemed too much for Summer Struggle. LIJ wanting to get in on the Six Man titles again was a nice little surprise, and that’ll make for a very good match that will also act as a go-home to Wrestle Grand Slam’s Triple Threat Tag. At this point, it is too early to say if Goto-Hashi can pull off becoming double tag champions, but NJPW has really given them a strong run so it could be even just a little in their favor.
My Score: 8.9/10
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Nothing is over until Carmelo Hayes says it’s over!
Not able to accept his loss at Stand & Deliver, Carmelo Hayes drags Trick Williams into the cage! Will Trick ever be able to get past… HIM?
OFFICIAL RESULTS
- Noam Dar w/ The Meta Four VS DIJAK; Dar wins.
- Sol Ruca VS Lola Vice; Lola wins.
- Ridge Holland VS Joaquin Wilde; Ridge wins.
- Open Challenge: Ilja Dragunov VS Je’Von Evans; Dragunov wins.
- Thea Hail w/ Chase U VS Tatum Paxley; Tatum wins.
- Malik Blade & Edris Enofe VS The Authors of Pain w/ The Final Testament; AOP wins.
- Josh Briggs VS Ivar; Ivar wins.
- Steel Cage Match: Carmelo Hayes VS Trick Williams; Trick wins.
PLAY BY PLAY
Noam Dar w/ The Meta Four VS DIJAK!
The Meta Four’s idea to parody #HardJustice obviously didn’t make Dijak laugh, but it’s the Scottish Supernova who will take the heat for it. Will Dar teach Dijak to have a sense of humor? Or will “Mr. PLE” prove he’s no joke?
The bell rings and the two circle. They approach, Dar gets around to headlock, but Dijak powers out. Dar RAMS shoulders but Dijak doesn’t budge! Dar kicks, kicks, bobs ‘n’ weaves and he kicks Dijak’s leg out! Dijak ducks the buzzsaw to choke grip! Dar choke grips, but that’s not as effective. Dijak SHOVES Dar into a corner, but Dar avoids the haymaker to KICK, KICK and KICK! Dijak blocks,. Dar SLAPS! Dar grabs an arm to wrap around ropes, but Dijak shoves him away. Dijak storms up on Dar, brings him up, reels him in, but Dar wrenches to KICK the arm! BACKHAND! Dijak wobbles, Dar runs up to CLOBBER him! Cover, ONE!!
Dar clamps onto Dijak’s arm and he pulls it back. The fans rally as Dijak fights up and rolls through. Dijak avoids the sweep, whips Dar to ropes, but Dar holds ropes to bail out. The Meta Four coaches Dar and fans him off, but Dijak storms out! Dar slips back inside, but Dijak BOOTS him! Dijak then springboards to FLYING LARIAT! The fans fire up, Dijak covers, TWO! Dar stays in this and the fans rally up. Dijak drags Dar up, whips him to ropes, then scoops Dar, but Dar tilt-o-whirls into a GUILLOTINE! Dijak endures, powers up, and he RAMS Dar into the corner! Dar holds on! Dijak powers up again, but Dar throws headbutts!
Dijak pries the body scissors to KNEE Dar, and FLING him out of the ring!! The fans fire up for “NXT! NXT!” while NXT goes picture in picture.
Dijak snarls while Meta Four checks Dar. They fan him but Dijak storms out after him. Dijak drags Dar up, stands him up against barriers, and CHOPS! Dijak talks trash, Dar shoves him back, but Dijak storms up. Dar fires forearms, but Dijak knees low! Dijak CHOPS Dar and Dar spasms from the pain! Dijak brings Dar around, puts him in the ring, but Dar bails out the side. The Meta Four get in Dijak’s way but he just pushes through. Dijak drags Dar up to then scoop, only for Meta Four to get in the way again! Dar slips free, and he POSTS Dijak! Meta Four taunts Dijak, then Dar KICKS Dijak against the apron!
Dijak gets in the ring, Dar pursues, and Dar stomps Dijak around. Dar KICKS and KICKS and KICKS! Dijak wobbles, Dar reels him in, but Dijak’s too big for a fisherman suplex! Dijak throws body shots and then suplexes Dar away! Both men are down while Dijak catches his breath. Dijak rises, and he takes aim as Dar stirs. Dar stands, into the choke grip! But Dar ROCKS Dijak with a left hand! Then roll into CHAMPAGNE SUPER KNEEBAR! Dijak endures, even as Dar twists the ankle! Dijak fights around, sits up, and the two start throwing hands! NXT returns to single picture as Dar and Dijak go back and forth!
Dijak ROCKS Dar again and again, but Dar fires a flurry in return! The fans rally for Dijak as he roars, and he ROCKS Dar again and again and again! Dijak is free, and he KICKS Dar in the face! Meta Four panics, Dijak watches Dar rise. Dijak hobbles up to ELBOW Dar down! And ELBOW again! Dijak runs, breaks through the lariat and FLYING FOREARMS! The fans fire up while Dar flounders to a corner. Dijak storms up and puts Dar in the corner to CHOP, CHOP, CHOP, repeat! Meta Four freaks out as it’s TIME TO FLY! The fans are thunderous behind Dijak while Dar flounders around.
Dijak aims, spins, but Dar jumps on! GUILLOTINE, but Dijak pries the hold open fast! Dijak choke grips, and he brings Dar up for HIGH JUSTICE!! Cover, TWO?!? Dar survives and Meta Four is very relieved. Dar sputters while the fans fire up for “NXT! NXT!” Dijak drags Dar back up, reels him in, but Dar fights with elbows! The fans rally, Dar reels Dijak in and still wants the fisherman! Dijak throws body shots, so Dar wrenches to KICK the leg! Dar reels Dijak in again, but Dijak throws more body shots. Dijak shoves Dar, Dar stops himself then dodges the boot! Dijak gets hung up, Dar goes up to FLYING LARIAT!
Dar hurries to get Dijak in, FISHERMAN BUSTER!! Cover, TWO!! Dijak survives, but Dar ARMBARS!! Dijak flails, reaches out, but Dar keeps changing his grip! Dijak stacks Dar, TWO! SUPERKICK! The fans fire up as Dar flounders. Dijak runs up, but Dar dodges, so Dijak hits buckles and tumbles up and out of the ring! Dar runs up to CLOBBER Dijak into the steel steps! The fans boo but Dar runs up to DROPKICK! Dar puts Dijak in, Dijak staggers to his feet, into the BACK ELBOW! Cover, TWO!! Dijak survives and the fans fire up! Dar is beside himself, fans hope they “FIGHT FOREVER!” but this is just the opener!
Dar aims from the corner, Dijak rises, and Dar runs in, into a SUPERKICK! Dar QUESTION MARK KICKS! Dijak roars, spins, into the HAYMAKER! Dar runs, into the CYCLONE BOOT!! The fans are thunderous and Dijak storms around! Dijak calls his shot, but Oro gets on the apron! Dijak swings on Oro, Oro ducks it, but then Dijak SUPERKICKS! NOVA ROLLA!! Cover, Dar wins!
Winner: Noam Dar, by pinfall
The numbers game wins again as Main Man Mensah bites the bullet! Will Dar use this momentum to make his way towards a title opportunity?
Ilja Dragunov meets with Ava Raine.
The Czar visits the NXT General Manager in her office as she brings up that next week is the start of the two-week Spring Breakkin’. Yes, and he adds that it’ll be the last week of Trick Williams in NXT as Dragunov will defend this title. Yes, well, we’ll see. But tonight’s main event is Trick VS Melo in a Steel Cage, and yet Dragunov doesn’t have a match. That doesn’t seem fair given the title match. Well, she’s the GM, she can do what she must. Then that means Dragunov will be in action! But… he does get to pick his opponent. He welcomes that challenge.
But then he wants her to send a message to the entire NXT locker room that whoever stands eye to eye with him first will be the one to have that match with the Mad Dragon. Dragunov heads out while Ava sends the message, who will take this Open Challenge as their opportunity to reach the top?
Tatum Paxley speaks.
“I always wanted to be good. That’s every little girl’s dream: fitting in, playing with dolls, living the life just like the ones in the fairytales. But then I realized… no matter how good I am, nobody wants to play with girls like Tatum Paxley. The cool girls didn’t wanna be my friend. But I didn’t need them. I found the one thing that would be good to me as long as I was good back. It didn’t matter who held it, because I will always be there for it. Charlotte, Bayley, Asuka, Shayna, Kairi, Rhea, Iyo, Raquel, Roxanne, Indi, Tiffany, Becky, Lyra…
“Oh, Lyra. I loved you. I wanted to be you, because you were the closest thing to good as there was! And I was a good girl because I fought hard to keep that championship with you! You were the only one that really let me in, and that title made us real best friends. We were so close! But then, you lost the one thing that I love most, the NXT Women’s Championship. Lyra, you broke my heart. So what is Lyra to me now? Nothing. And I see now that Roxanne is the coolest girl in class. But I can’t have that anymore. It needs to be me. Lyra, my sweet dove, you’re in my way.” Twisted Tatum’s come to play, but will she be the one that’s good enough to challenge the champion?
Sol Ruca VS Lola Vice!
The Sol Surfer was just telling it like it is, and that upset the Mayor of Vice City. Will Lola cause Sol to wipe out before Spring Breakkin’? Or will Sol continue to ride a wave of momentum towards title opportunities?
NXT returns as Sol makes her entrance. The bell rings and the two circle. They tie up, Lola wrenches and clamps onto the arm, but Sol cartwheels and lifts Lola! Sol slams Lola down then has the cording hold. Lola headscissors, Sol kips free then trips Lola to flip over her! Lola sits up into the mule kick! Cover, TWO! Sol clamps onto an arm, wrenches, then wristlocks. Lola wrenches back, kicks then mule kicks! Sol goes to a corner, Lola storms up and whips, but Sol goes up and up and over! Sol keeps moving, Lola drops down but Sol handsprings through the hip toss to FACEBUSTER! Then DROPKICK!
Lola goes to a corner, Sol runs in but Lola dodges to BACKHAND! The fans rally while Sol sits up in a daze. Sol stands, Lola fires off lightning kicks! Lola puts Sol in a corner, goes to the far corner and reminds us, “I’M A LATINA~!” She shakes her hips then HIP ATTACKS! Cover, TWO! Lola gets in Sol’s face, saying she’s the next champ, then she AX KICKS Sol down! And KICKS her in the side! Lola storms up on Sol, brings her around to KICK and KICK, then she brings Solo up. Solo ROCKS Lola, ROCKS her again, but Lola BODY BLOWS! Lola clamps on with a SLEEPER! Sol endures, fights up and has Lola as a backpack!
The fans rally as Sol RAMS Lola into buckles! Lola jumps back on for the SLEEPER! Lola’s still a backpack, so Sol swings and SIDEWALK SLAMS! Sol flounders to the corner, Lola runs up, but Sol dodges! Sol CLOBBERS Lola, CLOBBERS her again, then springboards to CROSSBODY! Sol scoops Lola and POWERSLAMS! Then STANDING MOONSAULTS! Cover, TWO! Solo keeps cool and the fans rally. Sol goes to the apron to springboard, but she has to roll through as Lola moves! Lola runs up, Sol dodges and goes up! Lola anchors legs, Sol kicks her away and FLYING SUNSET FLIPS! TWO, and Lola stands! Sol ducks a kick to SUPERKICK!
Solo goes up and up and then CARTWHEEL- BLAIR HITS THE ROPES! The ref reprimands, but Lola HEEL KICKS Sol down! Cover, Lola wins!
Winner: Lola Vice, by pinfall
Blair with the assist there as Lola scores major points. It’s buenas noches for now, but then Natalya tells Lola hey! Natty’s on the tron and says Lola kept Natty from winning a title she never held before. Well now, Natty will fight Lola on her turf, in her match, to test her. So now is Lola’s chance to show us what she’s got. Time for Lola to show us her heart. In two weeks, Spring Breakin Night 2, Natty VS Lola… in NXT UNDERGROUND!! The fans fire up as the BOAT is looking to sink Vice City, but who will move on to be a step closer to title opportunity?
NXT Anonymous is watching…
This was yesterday as Ridge Holland talked with Ava about his in-ring return. Only for Joaquin Wilde to storm up and tell Ridge to just admit who he really is. Ridge put hands on Wilde to RAM him into the wall and shout “You don’t KNOW who I really am!” Ava reprimanded Ridge for his outburst and Ridge stormed off. Ridge is clearly still working on his inner rage, but will he let all of it out on Wilde tonight?
Arianna Grace meets with Gigi Dolin.
The self-appointed Miss NXT says there is still so much to work on with “Giorgina” before Spring Breakin’. Surely she’ll be late. But no, Gigi is actually early, to Grace’s surprise. Yeah, because the sooner they start, the sooner they get this over with. Arianna isn’t gonna make her bow and curtsey or whatever, is she? They’ll get to etiquette later. The first essential is the dress. Time to go show shopping! Think of your body as a canvas. The way Gigi dresses now… Makes people think she’ll kick their head in if they get too close? Yes. And what a horrifying vision that is! They need to strive for peace, not the opposite.
That prize is within their grasp, they just need to change Gigi’s attire and soften that rather… harsh exterior. Gigi sighs and says fine, but at least make it black. It goes with everything, she already has shoes that match. Black? No, no, no! Why not? Arianna says she’ll take the lead. Gigi just needs to open her mind and allow elegance to come right in. They’ll have Gigi looking like Arianna in no time! Gigi sighs, but just how bad can this get?
Ridge Holland VS Joaquin Wilde!
Yorkshire Grit is starting to loose his grip on his emotions. His bad mood made him sloppy and that’s how he accidentally hurt Cruz Del Toro. But will there be no accidents with what Wilde’s gonna do to get payback? Or will he push Ridge one step too far?
The bell rings, Ridge asks what Wilde wants from him about Cruz’s hand. Wilde fires off forearms! Ridge SHOVES Wilde, CLOBBERS him, and says what happened with Cruz was an accident! Ridge grabs at Wilde, Wilde slips under, and Wilde kicks low to UPPERCUT! Wilde runs, ducks ‘n’ dodges, then goes up and up to TORNILLO CROSSBODY! Cover, ONE, but Wilde DROPKICKS Ridge out! The fans fire up with Wilde, he PLANCHAS but Ridge moves! Ridge pushes Wilde, Wilde stops from hitting post, so Ridge UPPERCUTS! Ridge fires forearms, but then Wilde ducks! Ridge hits post, then Wilde SUPERKICKS!
Ridge gets in the ring, Wilde runs in, but Ridge puts him on the apron! Wilde ducks one lariat but not the RIGHT! Wilde falls off the apron but fans boo Ridge as he huffs and puffs. Ridge keeps insisting Cruz’s hand was an accident. Wilde gets in, Ridge traps him in ropes to UPPERCUT again and again! Ridge BOOTS Wilde down, covers, TWO! Ridge clamps onto Wilde with the armlock and he grinds the shoulder. Wilde fights up, throws body shots, but Ridge traps the arms! Ridge HEADBUTTS and Wilde ends up in a corner. Ridge runs in to SPLASH, then OVERHEAD BELLY2BELLY! Wilde flounders, Ridge runs up, but Wilde dodges!
Wilde runs back in, ELBOWS, then runs to come back, but Ridge POUNCES! Ridge drags Wilde up, throws knees, then reels him in. Ridge hoists Wilde up, but Wilde DDTS! The fans rally, and Shawn Spears appears on stage. The Chair Man insists that the truth is painful, and Ridge storms up. Wilde ELBOWS Ridge, fires off haymakers then whips, but Ridge reverses. Wilde springboards to FLYING CHUCK! Then JAWBREAKER! Then POP-UP BOOT! Ridge staggers, Wilde spells it out, “L! W! O!” But Ridge runs back up! Wilde goes Matrix to then NECKBREAKER! Ridge bails out and the fans fire up with Wilde!
Wilde builds speed, and DIVES, into a POWERSLAM!! Ridge drags Wilde up and into the ring, hauls him up into a PACKAGE DDT! Cover, Ridge wins!
Winner: Ridge Holland, by pinfall
Wilde may have let his emotions get the better of him, but Ridge is still conflicted. Spears smiles, is Ridge’s “truth” about to come to light?
Josh Briggs visits the medical center.
He’s getting his ribs checked and he says he feels much better now. Though, it’s still a bit painful to breathe and move around, is that normal? Yes, especially given those ribs were broken. Briggs needs to be careful until he’s truly 100%, but he’s “cleared as tolerated.” Briggs thanks the doc, but then Ivar checks in. Ivar asks if Briggs is good and Briggs says yeah, he’s cleared and ready to go after Oba Femi again. Ivar says he likes the grit, but he’s been in this room so many times before. Take it from Ivar, give it a couple more weeks so he can fully heal up. In that time, Ivar can have his match with Oba, and then when Ivar wins the title, Briggs is first up. How’s that sound?
Briggs says absolutely not. Ivar can go back to Raw and get his ass kicked by Sheamus again. Okay, okay, Ivar sees how this is gonna go. Then tonight, Ivar VS Briggs, winner fights Oba. Briggs says then go put on the war paint and he’ll see Ivar tonight. The Viking Raider and the Blue Collar Brawler are ready to throw hands, but who will get their hand raised at the end of the night?
Brinley Reece posts to TikTok.
She wants everyone to know she, Malik Blade & Edris Enofe are all going to work out at the Performance Center and wants them to join in. #BrinActive! They pump up to take on “Ohp.” Who? Y’know, A O P. Oh, Authors of Pain… But Edris says knowing their luck, by the time AOP is done with them, they’ll be SOL. Brin puts it together she’s been saying it wrong, but yeah they are scary. But who cares! She’ll be in their corner! Edris says no she’s not! Malik smooths it over by saying they can’t let their bad juju rub off on Brin. Edris says they need any kind of luck right now. They have been losing and losing!
Malik calms Edris down and says they just have to believe. Brin says exactly! Believe in the lift! Let’s go! Well, Brin’s always positive, will Edris ever see things her way? Or will Akam & Rezar write them off completely?
Andre Chase finds Thea Hail backstage.
She thanks him for coming to talk. He appreciates her wanting to meet, even with her match against Tatum tonight. After last week, they need to talk this out. They sit, and Thea says Jacy wasn’t lying about that bet. Nope. Last July, Chase was already knee deep into his gambling. At the time, he had things under control. Which is why he felt right betting on Thea against Tiffany Stratton. He knew deep down, Thea could do this. Thea could become the youngest NXT champion in history, so when asked if he was for or against, he went all in on Thea. But then seeing her suffer, her refusing to tap out, tears flowing down her cheeks, Chase had to throw in the towel.
In that moment, he didn’t care what it cost him, he just wanted Thea to be okay. Then why didn’t he tell her? She treated him so badly after that! Why didn’t he say something? Because she didn’t sign up for that, she just wanted to win a title. Then what about the towel? Honestly, he just hoped she would understand where his heart is, both that night and every night. He’s always in Thea’s corner. Then she is sorry! She hugs him and he says it’s okay. Chase U looks stronger than ever, but will there be another chance at a title for Thea in the future?
The D’Angelo Family is here!
The fans cheer as The Don leads Stacks, Rizzo & The Legal Eagle out to the ring, having finally returned to NXT after his loss at Stand & Deliver. Tony feels a little better showing off the new suit, then he gets the mic. Tony says after he and Stacks lost the tag titles, he talked about rapid growth in the family. He never said it was gonna be easy, but he knew it was worth it. And if you ask him how, when he’s not NXT Champion, Tony thinks about where they were a year ago. They made Pretty Deadly disappear, but they faced serious allegations. Now he looks at Stacks and the Consigliere, Luca Crusifino, both ready to crack skulls and add gold to the family.
Tony looks to Adrianna, the future of the NXT Women’s Division! And at Stand & Deliver, he went toe-to-toe with one of the toughest men in NXT history! Tony and Dragunov had a fight, one of the hardest fights Tony has ever gone through, and Tony lost. But this is about going one more round when you can’t. Toughness comes from longevity, and he’s here to tell you- Well, No Quarter Catch Crew interrupts first. Charlie Dempsey has the mic to tell Tony he doesn’t appreciate their dealings from last week were made public. What kinda business is he running here? Is Dempsey talking to Tony? Oh yeah, he sure is!
NQCC get in the ring but Tony tells them they came to the Family to take care of one of their own, all because they didn’t have the cajones to do something themselves! No problem, they’re the experts. Yeah, well, when it comes to taking someone out- Oh oh oh, stunad! No specifics, okay? There’s people watching. Yeah but Tony said- Hey, Charlie, didn’t Tony just say no specifics? Tony says they’re No Quarter, right? Well, Tony hasn’t gotten his full quarter, so when’re they gonna pay up? What? Payment? Wasn’t this for the good of the business? There was trash that needed to be taken care of, and they did that. It did the industry some good while they were at it.
Luca tells Mr. Dempsey that they’re still on the hook for services rendered. But the Don has a suggestion: They can either settle the debt, or it gets handled the way the D’Angelo Family always does it. Damon Kemp says no way, this was supposed to be done for the- Whoa, whoa, Damon, no one was even talking to you. Tony says he’ll say this to all three. Tony doesn’t do this for charity, or about feelings. This is about business, and in his business there is a code that you don’t betray. So listen up. It doesn’t matter who NQCC think they are, but they wanna come out here and interrupt him? Don’t think so.
Charlie tells Tony, “Is there anything else you wanna say to me? Is that it?” Tony says that Heritage Cup looks pretty nice. Oh does he? Well, don’t look at the cup, look at Charlie. That cup represents the competition and skill that takes place in this ring. It doesn’t need to be held by some two-bit gangster in wrestling boots! Charlie didn’t have a problem with that when Tony took care of this situation. So is Charlie gonna pay up? Over his dead body that some lowlife scumbag disgraces that cup! Scumbag? Well… Tony takes off the suit jacket, and says how bout this? They brawl! The fans fire up as The Family clears the ring of the NQCC!
The battlelines have been drawn, is The Family about to test that Catch Clause?
Open Challenge: Ilja Dragunov VS ???
The NXT Champion is just fine with facing anyone in the back ahead of facing Trick Williams one last time next week! But then who will step up to be the “tune up?” Lexis King, Joe Gacy, and a lot of others rush out here! They all brawl, but in from the crowd side, it’s JeVon Evans! Ya boi bouncy~, and he quite literally jumps to the front of the line! Dragunov likes the Young OG’s guts, but will he beat those guts right outta him here tonight?
The bell rings and Evans fires forearms with Dragunov! The fans fire up as they go back and forth over and over! Dragunov fires boxing elbows but Evans BOOTS! Dragunov BOOTS, Evans rebounds to spin but Dragunov ducks the kick! GERMAN SUPLEX! Dragunov holds on, he drags Evans up, and GERMAN SUPLEXES again! The fans chant “DAT BOI!” “BOUNCY~!” but Dragunov drags him up again. Evans pries free, elbows, but Dragunov rebounds to PELE! Then GERMAN SUPLEXES again! Evans flounders to a corner, Dragunov runs in, but blocks a boot! Dragunov blocks another try, puts that leg in the ropes, and then CHOPS, CHOPS, CHOPS!
The fans fire up while Evans slumps down, and Dragunov scrubs him with his boot! Dragunov runs side to side, but into a SUPERKICK! The fans fire up again as Evans has Dragunov dazed! Dragunov stands, he ROCKS Evans, but Evans ROCKS Dragunov! Evans blocks a chop to CHOP, then repeat! Evans CHOPS, CHOSP and CHOPS, the fans “WOO~” again and again. But Dragunov block sone, to HEADBUTT! And HEADBUTT! And HEADBUTT! Then GERMAN SUPLEX, but Evans lands out of it! Evans runs to SCREW HIGH KICK! Cover, TWO! The fans fire up as Evans and Dragunov rise again.
Evans winds up to KICK! Dragunov wobbles, so Evans KICKS again! Evans goes up and rebounds, but Dragunov turns Rana into POWERBOMB! Evans grits his teeth as he sits up, but Dragunov runs and runs and runs to LARIAT!! Cover, TWO!! Evans survives being turned inside-out but Dragunov nods. The fans rally for “NXT! NXT!” as Dragunov brings Evans up. Dragunov fireman’s carries, but Evans fights free! Dragunov hits buckles, Evans reels him in but Dragunov fights with elbows and knees! CONSTANTINE- SPANISH FLY!! Cover, TWO!! Dragunov survives that sudden turn around and the fans are loving it!
Evans aims from a corner as he goes up and up, but Dragunov CHOPS first! And SLAPS Evans right to the apron! Evans BOOTS back, springboards, but into a CHOP!! Dragunov sits Evans up so he can run and KNEE!! Cover, TWO!! Evans survives and the fans are thunderous! Dragunov reels him in, “This is Awesome!” as Evans fights the bomb, and DDTS! Dragunov flounders out of the ring, Evans goes to the far side. Evans snarls as he gets to his feet, and he builds speed to FLY!! Direct hit at the ramp! Evans puts Dragunov in, hurries up again, and FROG SPLASHES onto knees! Roll through and deadlift, Dragunov powers Evans up to a fireman’s carry!
Dragunov then hits a CORNER DEATH VALLEY! Dragunov goes to the corner, “UN! BE! SIEG! BAR!!” TORPEDO MOSCOW!! Cover, Dragunov wins!
Winner: Ilja Dragunov, by pinfall
The Young OG showed guts and ability beyond his years, but he’s still a little early if he wants to be champion. Dragunov does show Evans respect, will we see this showdown again one day?
Backstage interview with Karmen Petrovic.
Kelly Kincaid is with Karmen to speak on Natty facing Lola in the first-ever Women’s NXT Underground match. Will Karmen help her train? 1000% yes! Karmen will get Natty training, but her schedule is so crazy right now. She’s on the WWE Europe tour, but then in walks Lola. Lola says Karmen can help Natty all she wants, but Natty is entering Lola’s world, and will be playing by Lola’s rules. Sure, Natty has guts, but she can’t handle the Latina Heat. Karmen can be in her corner, teach Natty all she knows, but it won’t mean a thing. Just wait until you see who Lola has in her corner. See you at next week’s contract signing. Adios~!
Sol talks with Ava backstage.
Blair cost Sol nine months of her career, a year of Wendy Chu’s, so much of Nikkita Lyons’, and Sol’s match tonight! Sol NEEDS to end this. Ava hears that, but Sol already had her match with Blair. No, not just another match. Sol wants Blair in NO DISQUALIFICATIONS! Is that what she wants? Sol says she will not stop until Blair has to be carried outta here. Sol storms off, is she going to wash Blair away with the tide? Or is this all playing right into Blair’s hands?
Thea Hail w/ Chase U VS Tatum Paxley!
The fire is back inside the top prospect, and she’s ready to blaze a trail back to title contention! But will we all hail Thea? Or will the twisted outcast not stop until she’s the one on top of NXT?
NXT returns and Tatum makes her entrance. The bell rings and Thea rushes up. Tatum slips around, waistlocks and SLAMS, then floats around to smile right in Thea’s face. Thea is creeped out and backs up, but Tatum slithers up. Thea rushes in again, but into another waistlock. Thea arm-drags free, runs up, but into a scoop! Thea arm-drags Tatum, runs up to back body block, then runs, ducks ‘n’ dodges, but Tatum goes Matrix! Thea leaps over, the two stare down, and the fans fire up. Tatum reaches out but Thea grabs that arm! Thea SPLASHES down on it, and Tatum flounders to a corner. Thea runs in but only gets buckles!
Tatum scoops Thea to BACKBREAKER! Thea writhes, Tatum has Thea on ropes and bends her against them! The ref counts, Tatum lets off, but she KNEES Thea down. Thea goes to the corner, Tatum runs up, and she BODY CHECKS Thea into the buckles! Tatum digs Thea into the buckles but lets off as the ref counts. The fans rally for Thea and she fires forearms! Thea whips, Tatum reverses to knee low! Tatum grins as she GUT WRENCH PLEXES! Cover, TWO! Tatum top mounts Thea to say she’s the next champion, but Thea hits with body shots. Tatum hooks Thea’s legs and turns over, SPLADLE CHINLOCK! Thea endures as gravity does all the work!
Thea fights her way out, then fires forearms! Tatum hits back, and says the title is hers! Thea HEADBUTTS Tatum down! Tatum goes to ropes, comes back, but Thea wrenches for the ARMBAR CODE BREAKER! Thea whips and CLOBBERS Tatum! And CLOBBERS her again! Thea mule kicks a leg out, runs and ROLLNG NECKBREAKERS! But wait, is that Jazmyn Nyx? Jazmyn is mocking the “nerd” but Thea tells her “SUCK IT!” Thea scoops Tatum, POWERSLAM! SENTON! Thea shakes the ropes, but Jacy trips her up! The fans boo and Tatum ghost pins, Tatum wins!
Winner: Tatum Paxley, by pinfall
It seems no one can leave well enough alone, can they? Thea makes Jacy pay with a TOPE SUICIDA!! The fans fire up as Thea rains down fists on Jacy, but Chase and Riley get in there! Jacy hits Thea back but refs rush out to stop this! And then IN the ring, Lyra goes after Tatum! They brawl, refs have to divide and conquer, but the Morrigan is enraged! Will Thea humble the toxic Jacy once and for all? Will Lyra have vengeance on the two-faced Tatum?
Backstage interview with Roxanne Perez.
Kelly Kincaid says it looked like there was going to be a Stand & Deliver rematch between her and Lyra, but after- Oh, yeah, that freak finally turned on little her “girlfriend.” But it doesn’t matter how obsessed Tatum is with the title, or if Lyra has a chip on her shoulder, they can destroy each other for all Roxie cares. Beat each other to a pulp! Roxie will sit back, be entertained, and whoever makes it out of that fight in one piece maybe, just maybe, gets a title match. Wow, that was super easy. Like, what’s Ava even complaining about? Roxie sees it: Spring Breakin’, Roxie defends her title 1v1 against-
Ava walks in and says Roxie is so right. She made Ava’s job even easier! Why choose? Triple Threat! Roxie VS Lyra VS Tatum! NO! Of course Ava does this! Everyone is against Roxie, so why not Ava? Ava wants Roxie to lose her title without actually losing! Well, Roxie said Ava’s job is easy, but surely Roxie will do great. Ava leaves, Roxie is fuming, but will Roxie have no choice but to eat her words?
Malik Blade & Edris Enofe VS The Authors of Pain w/ The Final Testament!
It’s getting harder and harder to find the silver lining for Malik & Edris, and this time, platitudes like “there’s always next time” might not apply. That’s because Akam & Rezar, backed by Paul Ellerin, Karrion Kross & Scarlett Bordeaux, might just write their Final Chapter! Will Malik & Edris survive to fight another day? Or is there no upside to facing AOP?
NXT returns as Malik & Edris make their entrance, minus Brin like Edris said. The teams sort out, Akam starts against Edris. They tie up, Akam RAMS Edris into the corner and fires off hands! Akam swings, Edris dodges and fires off hands! Akam shoves Edris, Edris tags Malik and then Edris DROPKICKS Akam! Malik goes up to AX HANDLE! Akam stays up, Malik fires more hands! Tag back to Edris and he goes up, so he can AX HANDLE! Akam is still up, he headlocks, and Rezar tags in as Edris powers out. Akam whips, pop-up to Rezar for the CORNER DEATH VALLEY! Cover, TWO!
Edris survives and Rezar is already furious! Rezar HAMMERS away on Edris, then paces around. Edris drags himself to ropes, but Rezar is right on him. Tag to Akam, the AOP stand Edris up and Akam runs to KNEE Edris low! Rezar CLUBS Edris down, Akam clamps on and makes Edris look to Malik. Akam dribbles Edris’ face off the mat! Malik reaches out, the fans rally, but Rezar tags in. AOP gets Edris up, pops up and KNEE! Cover, TWO!! Edris survives and the fans rally again. Rezar seethes as he drags Edris away. Rezar reels Edris in, TOSSES him to a corner, then runs in, only to get buckles! Hot tag to Malik!
Malik dodges Rezar, BLASTS Akam and fires off on Rezar! Rezar stays up, swings, but Malik dodges to DROPKICK! Rezar tumbles out, Akam storms in but Malik SUPERKICKS! Malik builds speed, Edris tags in, Malik FLIES! AOP catches Malik!! But Edris FLIES but Malik’s thrown at him!! The fans go nuts as AOP are still monsters, and then AOP get a man each. SUPER COLLIDER!! Cover, AOP wins!
Winners: The Authors of Pain, by pinfall
The Final Testament makes up for their loss at WrestleMania, if only in part. But will they not stop until they’re once again wearing NXT gold? Speaking of, Nathan Frazer & Axiom are here! AOP attacked the champs last week so the dynamic duo want to return the favor, except the refs stand in the way. Will the Undeniable Hard-Hitting Truth be able to take the fight to the Final Testament?
Arianna & Gigi visit Lauren Nicole.
The shopping begins, and Gigi can’t believe Arianna thinks Gigi would actually wear anything from here. Like, what is this frilly halter top? Arianna wants “Giorgina” to understand that to become a princess, she must act, think and believe that she truly IS a princess. And Arianna for one thinks Gigi has all the makings to be one. OMG look at that dress! Arianna rushes over to grab the big green one. What does Gigi say? She hates it already. Like, so much. Nonsense! She’d look breathtaking in it! Well, Gigi could make it her own. Yes, Giorgina! Such a fast learner! Then Gigi has some ideas. She’ll try it on.
Arianna is ecstatic that Gigi is taking this seriously! Gigi slips into a dressing room, and there is definitely sounds of tearing. When Gigi comes out, she’s given the outfit a makeover! Yeah, Gigi does look good. She just had to “Gigi” the dress up a bit. She’ll wear it out, thanks. Spring Breakin’, here she comes! Arianna’s paying. Do they take credit?
Josh Briggs VS Ivar!
JBL’s seal of approval means a lot to Briggs, and he wants to finally prove JBL was right to give him the nod. He may have failed to take the North American title at Stand & Deliver, but will he fight his way to another shot here tonight? Or will the raid crash the party at Spring Breakin’?
NXT returns and Briggs makes his entrance, taped up quite a bit around the ribs. The bell rings, the two run up and Ivar BOOTS! Ivar whips, Briggs reverses but Ivar rolls off Briggs’ back! Ivar then cartwheels to dodge and he LARIATS Briggs down! The fans fire up, Briggs goes to a corner and Oba is watching as Ivar fires ELBOW after ELBOW! The fans chant “MEAT! MEAT! MEAT!” and Ivar whips Briggs to ropes. Briggs blows through the lariat to BOOT Ivar down! The fans fire up as Briggs storms up and whips back. Briggs scoops to SIDEWALK SLAM and SPLASH! Cover, TWO! Briggs clutches the ribs, this is perhaps all double-edged right now.
Briggs powers through the pain, but runs up into a SEATED SENTON! The fans fire up while Briggs sputters. Ivar storms up on Briggs, drags him up and CLUBS him, but Briggs throws body shots. Ivar CLUBS Briggs again, has him on ropes, and then HEADBUTTS! Ivar runs, into an ELBOW! Briggs choke grips, but Ivar breaks free to BODY SHOT! Briggs sputters, Ivar reels him in, underhooks for the Canadian Rack! Briggs slips free, ELBOWS, and runs, into a SPINNING POWERSLAM! Briggs coughs and sputters, Ivar underhooks for the TIGER DRIVER!! Cover, TWO!!! Briggs survives and stuns Ivar!
Ivar storms around, goes to a corner and climbs up. The fans rally as Ivar aims for the VIKING- NO, Ivar rolls through the splash as Briggs dodge! BOSS MAN SLAM! TWO! Briggs’ bad ribs probably held that move back, but Briggs isn’t gonna stop! Briggs gets Ivar up, wrenches, and GUT BUSTERS! Briggs huffs, puffs, runs, and RAMS Ivar! Ivar tumbles out of the ring, and Briggs roars as he fights through the pain! Briggs goes to the apron, and FLYING SHOULDER TACKLES! Down goes Ivar and Briggs rises! The fans are torn as Briggs reels Ivar in. Ivar fights the lift to RAM Briggs into steel steps!
Briggs hobbles up, into the HEEL KICK! Ivar puts Briggs in, goes up the corner again, for the DOOMSAULT!! Cover, Ivar wins!
Winner: Ivar, by pinfall
Perhaps Briggs should’ve listened to Ivar earlier, he was nowhere near 100% and therefore had no chance of stopping the War Beard. Will Ivar raid right through The Ruler and take his throne?
Kelly Kincaid asks Oba his opinion on this win, and Oba just says, “Interesting.” Oba leaves, and he apparently clobbers Oro without a second thought! Main Man Mensah is upset that this keeps happening, when will he get his shot at The Ruler?
Steel Cage Match: Carmelo Hayes VS Trick Williams!
After he failed to Stand & Deliver, Melo could not stand the fact that Trick was going back for THE NXT Championship. Trick’s getting his shot at Dragunov one way or another, but will Melo make sure Trick doesn’t have a leg to stand on? Or will this be Trick finally saying goodbye and good riddance to HIM?
Before the match, Kelly Kincaid is with Melo at gorilla. He cuts her off to tell Trick that this ain’t over until Melo says it is. Trick thinks he’s gonna be a champion, that he’s gonna make it out of the cage in one piece, but Melo will make sure that doesn’t happen. Melo gave Trick everything he has here, and now he’s taking it all away from his ungrateful ass! Melo heads out, his personal security following behind. Then Trick makes his entrance and the fans go wild! NXT is ready to see Trick whoop Melo one more time because there’s no escape. The bell rings, the two storm up, and Melo shoves Trick. They circle, Trick runs up but Melo dodges!
Melo goes to bump off the cage but Trick blocks. Melo then blocks Trick trying that, then Melo gets space. Melo rushes up, Trick headlocks but Melo powers out. Things speed up, melo jumps but into a scoop and SLAM! Trick then scoops to SLAM again! Trick scoops again, but Melo slips free to shove. Melo runs up, Trick dodges and Melo jumps up, but Trick brings him off the cage. The two circle again, Melo kicks low then runs, but he rolls off Trick’s back and Trick DROPKICKS! Trick scoops to SLAM again, then covers, TWO! The fans chant “Melo Got Whooped!” Trick whips, Melo holds ropes to stop himself, but Trick runs up to ROCK him!
Trick whips, Melo holds ropes again, then he sidesteps to SMACK Trick off steel! Melo runs, springboard, FLYING LARIAT! Melo then gets a baton from a security guard! Melo SMACKS Trick with the stick! Then SMACKS him again! And AGAIN! Trick writhes, the fans boo, but Melo SMACKS Trick down again! Melo mockingly conducts the booing while NXT goes picture in picture.
Melo taunts the fans, then he CHOKES Trick with the stick! Trick fights up, pulls the stick away, but Melo knees low! Melo JAMS Trick, SMACKS him on the back, then swaggers around. Trick slowly rises, Melo talks more trash as he winds up, but Trick blocks the stick! Melo kicks low, winds up again and SMACKS Trick low! Melo tosses the stick away to whip Trick, but Trick reverses and back drops! Melo flounders to ropes and Trick stands. Trick runs up, but into a drop toehold! Melo KICKS Trick, CLUBS away, then has the FUJIWARA ARMBAR! Trick rolls through to a cover, TWO! Melo CLOBBERS Trick!
Melo drags Trick up, wraps his arm around ropes and pulls! Trick can only suffer until Melo lets go. Melo puts the other arm around ropes to pull on that, then he has a SLEEPER! Trick endures, the ref reprimands, but Melo lets go when Melo wants. Melo SMACKS Trick off the steel! Cover, TWO! Melo seethes, he drags Trick around, and he ROCKS Trick. Trick ROCKS Melo back! Melo ROUNDHOUSES Trick, CLUBS him, and stomps away! Melo fires off wild shots while NXT returns to single picture. Melo has Trick in a corner, climbs up to stand on Trick’s head, and then stomps the arms against the ropes!
The fans boo, Melo SLAMS Trick’s arm against the steel, then SLAMS the arm again! The fans boo but Trick hits back! Melo stomps Trick, YANKS the arm against ropes, then stalks Trick. Melo whips, Trick blocks, then Trick whips. Melo reverses to ARMBAR CODE BREAKER! Cover, TWO! Melo is frustrated but he clamps onto Trick’s bad arm. The fans rally as Trick endures, and Trick powers his way around. Melo brings Trick down to an ARMBAR! Trick powers his way to a cover, TWO! Melo lets Trick go to kick, whip, but Trick blocks! Trick reverses, but Melo reverses back to send Trick into steel!
Trick falls back, but Melo gets him up. Trick stops from hitting steel, but Melo kicks him through ropes to stomp him against steel! The fans boo but Melo soaks it up. Melo drags Trick back up, runs side to side, and he SPLASHES Trick against steel! And then SPLASHES him against steel again! Melo goes again, but Trick drops and Melo splashes into steel himself! The fans fire up while Trick rises! Melo kicks Trick, Trick blocks the whip to ROCK Melo. Trick whips Melo, Melo goes up but Trick follows! Trick clinches, SUPER BOOKEND!! Both men are down and the fans are thunderous! Trick rises, the fans rally, and Trick pounds the mat.
Trick ROCKS Melo, Melo fires back! They go back and forth, Trick gets the edge, then whips Melo for the LEG LARIAT! LEG LARIAT! FLAPJACK! The fans fire up, Melo staggers and Trick aims! Trick spins but Melo rushes up to LA MYSTI- NO, Trick stops that to INVERTED SUPLEX! Trick kips up, the fans fire up with him, and he whips Melo into steel! And more steel! And more steel! And then the fourth wall! NECKBREAKER! Cover, TWO!! Melo survives but Trick lets the hair down! Trick drags Melo around, cartwheel and ripcord, but Melo arm-drags! Melo runs, but he’s sent into steel again!
Trick storms up, but Melo HOTSHOTS the bad arm! Melo climbs, aims, but Trick catches the three pointer for the BOOKEND! Cover, TWO!! Melo survives but Trick isn’t done with him! Trick fireman’s carries, but Melo DDTS! Cover, TWO! Trick is still in this but Melo stays on him. FIRST 48! Trick rebounds to LEAPING LARIAT! Melo comes back to V-TRIGGER! “This is Awesome!” as both men are down! Melo goes to the corner, Trick rises at center, and Trick runs up after Melo! SMACK off the steel! But Melo gives it back! Trick SMACKS Melo, Melo SMACKS Trick! They dribble each other off the steel again and again!
Trick and Melo wobble, but then Trick CHOPS! Melo CHOPS! Melo SMACKS Trick off steel, headlocks, SUPER BULLDOG but Trick superhero lands out of it! Trick shakes his head, Melo is furious, and Melo runs up! Trick dodges to SPIN KICK! But the personal guards climb the cage! Trick BLASTS a couple off the side, but there’s still another! Trick hurries to get that guy, but the fourth gets in with a chair!! Trick kicks that guy first then TOSSES Him around! And this is a BIG guy! Trick sees the guy stagger to the door, and BOOTS him out! Trick closes the cage, but Melo has the chair!! Trick dodges, runs up, FULL METAL TRICK SHOT!! Cover, Trick wins!!
Winner: Trick Williams, by pinfall
Melo tried to stack the deck but Trick’s shot don’t miss! And now, Trick climbs the cage to be level with the perch, where Dragunov is watching! Spring Breakin’, NXT Championship, and if Trick loses, he must LEAVE NXT. Will Trick’s final chance be the one chance he needs to finally be on top of the world?
My Thoughts:
A great NXT here as the go-home to Spring Breakin’ 2024. Great opening match from Dar and Dijak, and while the fans were super behind Dijak, of course Dar wins thanks to help from Meta Four. Dar is definitely being primed for some kind of title opportunity past Spring Breakin’, but Oro kinda got the karma for cheating when Oba Femi again clobbers him while simply exiting a room. Good promo from Briggs and Ivar to set up Briggs VS Ivar, which was a great match. The promo helped us understand how beat up Briggs is, so logically, Ivar would win. Oba VS Ivar is going to be great stuff, and I would think Oba wins.
Good NXT Anonymous promo to add heat to Ridge VS Wilde, and of course Shawn Spears shows up during that match. Ridge wins, though it’s hard to say he was that more brutal with Wilde than any other match, but maybe Ridge is going to end up more and more unhinged. Really good #gymtok promo from Brin, Malik & Edris, but of course AOP demolishes Malik & Edris in the match. Axiom & Frazer wanted after AOP but that’s rather reckless when AOP are both physically bigger than Bron and Corbin. I’m sure Axiom & Frazer find a way to win, but this is gonna be pretty brutal for the champs.
Great stuff in the Women’s Division building towards both the top title and the coming Women’s North American Championship. Great match from Sol VS Lola but we should’ve known Blair would mess Sol up. Then Natty calls out Lola, so we’re going to get awesome stuff out of both the “Beach Brawl” No Disqualification match and the NXT Underground match. And then really good promo where Mr. Chase and Thea finally make amends for last year, and good promo from Tatum putting the twist on how her character’s been this entire time. Kinda some long term storytelling with how Alba Fyre & Isla Dawn always sensed that darkness in Tatum.
Tatum VS Thea of course got Jacy & Jazmyn interfering, there has to be one final blowoff of Jacy VS Thea for Spring Breakin. And Lyra going after Tatum was great stuff, and Roxie was good in her promo. The Triple Threat was a wild move but Roxie might have a point, she could lose that title without being pinned, and then she gets drafted away. We saw Roxie be part of the Raw After Mania, maybe that’s where she’s headed. After all, we know Melo’s gonna end up on SmackDown. Great Steel Cage main event, and again I like that it was a use of the No Escape stipulation. Trick of course won, he’s got momentum going into what is surely his win next week.
As such, Dragunov might end up drafted away after he loses, and if so, his match tonight was even more awesome for him giving Je’Von Evans some shine in the Open Challenge tonight. Evans is definitely ahead of the curve, he’s going to be a big name very soon. The only real rough spot from tonight would probably be the D’Angelo Family interacting with NQCC. They made good points but the flow needed to be ironed out for it being live in front of the fans. For one, we’re getting a big Six Man Tag, and that will then give Tony D’Angelo momentum going into a Heritage Cup match with more than likely Dempsey.
But I think part of the awkwardness in the promo was them having to work-shoot away the Gulak issue. From how things were worded, NXT is siding with Ronda, as Gulak wasn’t even directly named in this whole thing, but they made it sound like he was the problem. Gulak wasn’t part of events during Mania Weekend or anything since, though there’s nothing on him being fired or suspended. we’ll just have to wait and see how this goes.
My Score: 8.8/10
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Coverage
Andrew’s TNA Xplosion Results & Match Ratings: 4.12.2024
Okay now, I’m just happy Kevin Knight gets a little time to shine. with New Jersey’s own Steve Maclin!
Xplosion has been a waste of time since the new regime took over completely, and I can’t really see anything special about this episode. Still only promoting 1 match, prolly have an old match, an ICYMI and Gia’s interview.
It looks like the Around the Ring interview will be with Rosemary. So maybe that will be interesting, and I was recently talking about what’s been up with Kevin Knight since the Referendum match; so its nice to see him around. Knight shouldn’t win, but as long as he looks good, we might finally get a match worth sitting through old footage and a useless Top 5.
Ratings:
Steve Maclin vs Kevin Knight: Maclin wins via KIA – ** 1/2
Results:
TNA+Throwback Moment: Team 3D vs Motor City Machine Guns, Genesis 2007
Now I’ve said many times that I’m tired of all the clips and vault matches, but I’m also a MCMG fanboy…and this was prime TNA, so I’m at least amused. Plus to validate the match, we’ve got MCMG versus The System coming up on iMPACT!, so its just a nice old match to get the blood pumping.
Don West, You’ve Got to be Kidding Me! Trending Topics of the week:
5. New Full Blooded Italians.
4. Hammerstone vs Alexander, Last Man Standing
3. Myron Reed returns to The Rascalz
2. Nic Nemeth beating Alex Shelley
1. Jonathan Gresham officially signs with TNA
If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a million times, this Top 5 is legitimately a waste of air. Its just dumb dirt sheet highlights mostly from 2 weeks ago because their filming schedule makes the topics old and uninteresting.
Gia’s Around the Ring interview is with Rosemary. She stays in gimmick, not quite as over the top as the one Alicia Atout interview from a few years ago, but Gia is leading “the demon” on why they picked Courtney. They talk about Gia visiting the Undead Realm and that they still don’t know where Taya is. She also reveals a Bunny top of her cane, and very obviously hints to Allie. So I wonder if this is her trying to speak it into existence or if it’s actually a hint. Did something finally make a point for foreshadowing in storylines?
TNA+Throwback Moment: MCMG vs Beer Money, 2 out 3 Falls, 8.12.2010 iMPACT!
Steve Maclin vs Kevin Knight
So basic opening, but when Maclin tries a Hip Toss, Knight also attempts to counter it and it looks really ugly and car crashy. Nothing dangerous, just a fall down “didn’t get all of it” kind of spot. If that’s the only misstep, at least it was at the beginning.
Maclin tries to slow things down, but a huge Twisting Crossbody off the rope keeps things going for Knight. Another miscue where Knight tries to dodge a Chop in the corner, but is hella slow and eats the chop to the eyes. I mean in a way the ugly execution makes the match feel more like a dirty brawl from the 80s, but with how choreographed everything is nowadays, its just odd. Maclin whips Knight to the ropes, Knight jumps over the rope to the outside, revels in his landing, turns around and eats a SCUD Missile from Maclin!
Fully in control, Maclin is working over Knight until Knight catches him with a desperation strike and then rides the momentum into a few nice High spots. There is a locomotion Cradle spot which is also a little wonky to put it nicely, Knight tries to jump on Maclin for a Jumping DDT, but Maclin shrugs it off and heads to the corner. Knight charges, Maclin throws him over his shoulder but Knight catches himself and lands on the ropes, Maclin just shoves him forward to crotch him on the top buckle, Tree of Woe, Caught in the Crosshairs into KIA, and Maclin wins.
Overall Score: 4/10
Given this the old Bret Hart special. The main event was tolerable if not sloppy, the throwbacks having the Machine Guns made the fanboy side of me giddy, but I still hate all the old footage stuff. The main reason for the higher score than the last few weeks is as I already said, decent main event and my hope the convenient Bunny on the cane is foreshadowing and not just acknowledging. Depending on availability, Su Yung could always return to TNA with an “Undead Bunny”. Hell the possibility of a Suzie and Allie tag team is comedic gold.
But we’ll see if that goes anywhere. Its also sad when a 4 is a pretty big upgrade to the last month or so of these shows. Xplosion really is a waste of damn time when I have to scrape the bottom of the barrel to find crumbs of entertainment.
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